Meumuk
Aberrations with mind control powers are nothing new. In fact, a large number of aberrations seem to have some kind of mind control powers. So why am I adding one more to the pile? Because I think I found a different kind of way to do it, creating a mind-controlling aberration with a unique fighting style, and which might make for a challenging and unusual encounter. So watch out, and keep your wits about you, as you do battle with the mighty meumuk.
Meumuk
This odd obscenity is made of a deep brown fleshy substance with veins of sickly yellow and shocking pink crisscrossing all over it. It resembles nothing so much as a tumorous toadstool, with thousands of finger-sized orange grub-like insects swarming into and out of it via porous entries arranged randomly about the thing.
MEUMUK CR 6
XP 2,400
NE Large aberration
Init +0; Senses blindsense 60 ft., see through eyes; Perception +13
DEFENSE
AC 9, touch 9, flat-footed 9 (-1 size)
hp 85 (9d8+45)
Fort +7, Ref +3, Will +9
Defensive Abilities alien mind; DR 10/magic; Weaknesses critical vulnerability
OFFENSE
Speed 5 ft.
Melee slam +6 (1d8)
Ranged parasite +6 touch (1d4 plus infection)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks infection, project spells
Spell-Like abilities (CL 9th; concentration +11)
At Will—charm person (DC 14), rage (DC 16)
1/day—animate dead, dimension door, false life, nondetection, suggestion (DC 16)
Wizard Spells Prepared (CL 5th; concentration +9)
3rd—fireball (DC 17), hold person (DC 18)
2nd—acid arrow, scorching ray, still magic missile
1st—mage armor, magic missile (2), obscuring mist
0— dancing lights, ghost sound, open/close, ray of frost
STATISTICS
Str 10, Dex 10, Con 18, Int 18, Wis 13, Cha 14
Base Atk +6; CMB +7; CMD 17
Feats Craft Wondrous Item, Iron Will, Spell Focus (enchantment), Still Spell, Toughness
Skills Bluff +11, Intimidate +14, Knowledge (arcana) +13, Knowledge (local) +13, Knowledge (planes) +16, Knowledge (religion) +13, Perception + 13, Spellcraft +16
Languages telepathy 100 ft.
SQ alien crafting, alien spellcasting
ECOLOGY
Terrain underground
Organization solitary, pair, or colony (3-10)
Treasure none
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Alien Crafting (Ex): A meumuk does not suffer a penalty on its Craft check to craft wondrous items even if it does meet not any of the item’s requirements.
Alien Spellcasting (Ex): A meumuk can cast spells as a 5th-level wizard. A meumuk’s spells are treated as though they did not have verbal components. A meumuk cannot cast spells with somatic components, except when using its project spells ability.
Alien Mind (Ex): Due to the unusual way in which the meumuk’s mind works, it gains immunity to mind-affecting effects, and any attempt to read the meumuk’s mind deals 1d4 points of Intelligence damage to the creature attempting to read its mind.
Critical Vulnerability (Ex): The parasites that make up the meumuk’s hive mind swarm about its body, making it extremely vulnerable to powerful hits. Whenever it suffers a critical hit, a meumuk takes an additional 1d8 points of damage per point of critical multiplier of the attack that deals the critical hit.
Infection (Ex): A creature struck by the meumuk’s parasite attack must make a Fortitude save (DC 18) or become infected with a piece of the meumuk’s living mind. A creature that fails its Fortitude save gains an infection point, which remains as long as the meumuk is alive. As a standard action, a meumuk can attempt to gain control over the mind of a creature within 100 feet that has one or more infection points. The target must succeed on a DC 18 Will save, or the meumuk gains control of the target for a number of rounds equal to the number of infection points it has. This effect functions similarly to a dominate monster spell, except that the meumuk does not need to use an action to direct the creature’s course of action. A creature with 5 or more infection points is treated as though it is constantly charmed by the meumuk as long as the meumuk lives, while a creature with 20 or more infection points is placed permanently under the control of the meumuk.
Parasite (Ex): A meumuk’s “brain” is made up of hundreds of thousands of tiny insectile parasites linked together in a single hive mind. It can launch one of these parasites as an attack action. A parasite attack has a range of 30 feet and deals 1d4 points of damage on a successful hit.
Project Spells (Su): A meumuk can direct a creature that it is controlling with its infection ability to cast any wizard spell it has prepared. This functions identically to casting a spell using a project image spell. A creature that is damaged while casting a spell in this way uses the meumuk’s concentration bonus to determine if the spell is lost.
Shared Senses (Ex): A meumuk senses everything that a creature with one or more infection points senses. This effect persists even if the target is not under control of the meumuk at the time. A mind blank spell prevents this extrasensory perception from functioning. This ability functions regardless of distance, even if the target is on another plane.
Ecology
Meumuks are a strange race of creatures found in underground caverns, often surrounded by dozens or even hundreds of subterranean servitors that have fallen under their command. The origin of these creatures is a matter of some debate, as their emergence was a fairly recent development. Some scholars claim the creatures hail from another dimension, while others suggest they are from the gulf of space. The most popular theory, however, states the meumuks come from even deeper underground, expanding now only because they were forced out of their original habitat by something even more terrible and vile than they are.
The meumuk is an unusual creature, consisting of a largely stationary body comprised of fleshy tumors and glowing veins swarming with countless tiny grub-like insectile organisms, which are actually the mind of meumuk. The insects seem bound together in a type of advanced hive mind and have the ability bore into the minds of other creatures in order to link them with the hive. These parasites are created within the meumuk body and are linked to it by a magical or supernatural connection, which causes them to be dependent on the larger structure in a way not understood by scholars. While, if left to its own devices, the cancerous body is effectively immortal, it is highly vulnerable to damage, and killing the body also kills all linked parasites.
Meumuks are highly intelligent and considered by many to be evil. They are fond of enslaving both the living and the dead and often force their slaves to perform profane and obscure rituals, construct odd buildings and devices, or serve as sacrifices. Their motives, if they have any beyond their own cruel satisfaction, remain a mystery to all but the meumuks themselves.