As I slept by the sea... (PEACH)

[The Vorpal Tribble]

While on my recent vacation I fell asleep on the porch of a beach house close by the ocean, and had some really crazy dreams. But the one I remembered most vividly was this strange being, diving for a pod of whales.

_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/

Feel the waters streaming past along flank and fluke, the heaviness of breath that soon must take me up. Up where the sky presses down and the wind blows its chill, sound of surf and taste of salt and the scent of calf, oh joyous dream of life!

Great singers the whales are, weaving poetry and song and thought into a wonderful symphony. These songs reflect the Whale Dream, a vision of sea and wind and mind of such heartbreaking beauty that these majestic beasts cannot help but lift up their voices. This Whale Dream can only be felt as a vague yet enthralling sensation that cannot be put to words, unexplainable to those who do not heed its call. It is called the Whale Dream for good reason, as it is literally born of the dreams of the races of the seas.

The whales know nothing of this, having only the faintest of glimpses into the Dream, and though wise in their own way, have little sense of Me and I. But like any ocean, though in this case one of liquid fancy, there are predators in the darkness. Their only link to the waking is through the song and dance of the Whale Dream.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Both-th-th-in

A dulled flash lights in the sky, and one expects the following rumble of thunder, but none can be heard. The lights come closer, like a nearing aurora, but then you hear the flap of massive wings...

Gargantuan Magical Beast (psionic)
Hit Dice: 14d10+70 (147 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: Swim 40 ft., fly 80 ft. (poor)
Armor Class: 17 (+3 dex, +8 natural, -4 size), touch 9, flat-footed 14; 20% miss-chance
Base Attack/Grapple: +14/+36
Attack: Sting +20 melee (2d6 plus 6d8 non-lethal electricity) or touch +20 (6d8 non-lethal electricity)
Full attack: Sting +20 melee (2d6 plus 6d8 non-lethal electricity) or touch +20 (6d8 non-lethal electricity)
Space/Reach: 20 ft./20 ft. (30 ft. with tendrils)
Special Attacks: Improved grab, mindegg, psi-like abilities, stunning shock, tendrils
Special Qualities: Amphibious, blindsense 60 ft., born of dream, darkvision 60 ft., flickerfin, listener for the song, mindless
Saves: Fort +14, Ref +12, Will +5
Abilities: Str 30, Dex 16, Con 20, Int -, Wis 12, Cha 14
Skills: Listen +21
Feats: Ability Focus (stunning shock)(B)
Environment: Region of Dreams or Any Aquatic
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 9
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: 15-20 HD (Gargantuan), 21-30 HD (Colossal)
Level Adjustment: -

The both-th-th-in are mindless yet beautious nightmares of the Whale Dream, preying on the beasts who sing the Song. For only the Song can awaken the offspring the young that these terrifying creatures implant within the massive minds of the whale. Their name is nearly impossible for most species to repeat, being a note of drawn-out terror in the Song, for as long as whales have existed, so have the Both-th-th-in, and their name is synonymous with the frightening aspects of the whale Dream.

Both-th-th-in are incredibly massive creatures that seem bred of both surf and turf, having the immensely long, streamlined form of both eel and streaking bird. Fin-like wings sprout in rippled fans from the enormous to the miniscule, growing from every location of its body. Thickened skin alike to pinions arcing from the base give the fans their form, similiar to that of a great scallop. Continous trickles of light flow across these lines, spreading out as it reaches the tip so that multiple hues of color burn across the wing's entire surface. Each wing alters its color independent of its fellows so that rarely are any two of the same shade.

These fins hide most of the body from view, which is of a glassy, transparent black hue that flares with bright patches of white and yellow deep within like lightening hidden behind thick sea-bred thunderheads. That head is merely a thickening at one end, with a mane of broad yet delicate fans twisting to and fro. The other end narrows to almost whip thinness with two of the largest fans on the creature sprouting along its sides.

The both-th-th-in breed by laying 'eggs' within helpless creatures who sing their songs to the Whale Dream. These eggs are purely mental in nature, slowly maturing until they can swim their way to the Region of Dreams. Baleen whales, were-whales, elsewhales, and darfellans are nearly the only creatures capable of producing these songs, though most marine mammals are entranced by the lure of the Whale Dream. Both-th-th-in are easily confused however and may go after anything large in the proximity of a whale song

Combat
When in persuit of a whale, the pinions suddenly lengthen from every fin to form lengthy tendrils that continue to pulse, though the fans themselves go dark. They then try to grab hold of the whale to deliver its shocks until its victim collapses.

Though they tend to prey only on whales and darfellans, a hungered or endangered both-th-th-in will attack any, and in its frenzy often implants its young within incompatable beings.

Born of Dream (Ex):
As a being of dream, a both-th-th-in appears hazy and out of focus, such that all melee and ranged attacks are assessed a 20-percent miss chance. This 20-percent miss chance is not the same as concealment.

Flickerfin (Ex):
A both-th-th-in's light illuminates an area of 60 feet to the brightness of moonlight. A both-th-th-in can extinguish its lights at will, though rarely does so. While lit it takes a -20 penalty on hide checks.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a both-th-th-in must hit with a tendril attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.

Listener For the Song (Ex):
A both-th-th-in can feel the vibrations of whale song out to 1000 feet. This range increases to several miles if underwater.

Mindless: A both-th-th-in has no intelligence score alike to a vermin, and thus gains immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).

Mind Egg (Su):
A both-th-th-in can lay eggs within a helpless victim as a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity. The eggs of a both-th-th-in hatch within a week, forming a secondary mind alike to the Personality Parasite power, except that instead of forcing the victim to manifest powers, the both-th-th-in itself sucks up the psionic energy. If formed within the minds of non-psionic beings they deal 1 point of charisma damage per day unless the victim succeeds on a DC 20 Will save each day. They mature enough to use Dream Travel to leave their host within 1d4 weeks of hatching, but may only do so through the Whale Song.

Sometimes however the eggs are accidently implanted into creatures without link to the Whale Song , causing the victim to make a DC 24 Will save or go insane as the imprisoned hatchlings wreaks havoc with their victim's mind. This parasitic creature is considered a disease for the purposes of spells and powers that remove such afflictions.

Psi-like Abilities:
At Will/Dream Travel. 3/day Cloud Mind, Crises of Breath, Psionic Freedom of Movement. Manifester level 14th. The save DC's are Charisma-based.

Stunning Shock (Ex): A victim who takes electricity damage from a both-th-th-in's tendril attack must succeed on a DC 24 fortitude save or become paralyzed for 1d6 rounds. In addition there is a backwash of energy from the victim that deals 2d8 electricity damage to all within 10 feet (DC 24 reflex save halves). This backwash does not paralyze. While paralyzed the both-th-th-in can use a full round action that provokes an attack of opportunity to infiltrate the being's mind. The save DC is Constitution based.

Tendrils (Ex): A both-th-th-in can extend its tendrils as a full-round action that provokes an attack of opportunity. To keep these tendrils extended requires fine muscular coordination that interferes with the creature's ability to fly. Thus a both-th-th-in must take a standard action to continue to use its tendrils whether it uses them for an attack that round or not.

Skills: A both-th-th-in gains a +20 racial bonus on listen checks.

[Steward]

"Oh my God, it's a... Both-th-th-th-th-th-th--"

"Quit stammerin', me boy, and tell me what's happening!"

"It's a Both-th-th-in!"

**You knew this was coming when you created a giant magical psionic water creature.**

[The Vorpal Tribble]

**You knew this was coming when you created a giant magical psionic water creature.**

Errrr... if you say so ;)

[Abd al-Azrad]

Crazy-cool monster, as always. I like the Crisis of Breath- adds a nice touch to a being that hunts whales.
No flight manoeuverability category.
I think its melee capabilities are almost TOO good. 6d8 subdual, no save. DC 24 Fort save or 1d4 minutes of paralysis, removing a party member from combat. If you can keep it at range you're fine, but it's hard to keep a monster at range underwater (sight limited to 60' darkvision, if you have that spell- less than a charge action for this guy) or when its only above-water movement method trumps all other movement, i.e. 80' flight speed.

Considering it only needs a full round to impregnate its victim, shortening the paralysis time to a few rounds seems reasonable. After all, if the whales it hunts stay paralyzed, underwater, for a few minutes, they may very well drown and die/become food for other predators, and then so dies its young. It works on both an in-game and metagame level.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

No flight manoeuverability category.

D'oh! Adjusted.

*murmers to himself*

Considering it only needs a full round to impregnate its victim, shortening the paralysis time to a few rounds seems reasonable. After all, if the whales it hunts stay paralyzed, underwater, for a few minutes, they may very well drown and die/become food for other predators, and then so dies its young. It works on both an in-game and metagame level.

I'd been thinking about that since the beginning. Guess it does need to be lowered. 1d6 rounds it is.

[Were-Sandwich]

While on my recent vacation I fell asleep on the porch of a beach house close by the ocean, and had some really crazy dreams. But the one I remembered most vividly was this strange being, diving for a pod of whales.

Wow. Psychadelic. Don't ask me why, but that reminds me of Lovecraft.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Wow. Psychadelic.

Just for the record, I was completely clean and sober when I dreamt this ;)

[silverdreamdancer]

Many Both-th-th-in died bringing us this information...

[Abd al-Azrad]

I can't find anything else wrong with it. Cool monster. Its shocking fins remind me of that underwater colossus in Shadow of the Colossus.

The Mind Egg ability is a very nice touch. I probably would have gone overboard with it and made it akin to a hostile Schism that could be dominated and forced to work with the party... but this parasite is just perfect. Using Dream Travel to leave is also a nice touch.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Thanks for the comments and critiques all :)

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Thought this would probably be a good place to post this:

Whale Dream Mantle

Granted Ability: You gain Practised Manifester as a bonus feat even if you do not meet the prerequisites.
1 Create Sound
1 Float
2 Control Sound
3 Breathless
3 Crisis of Breath
4 Divination, Psionic
4 Freedom of Movement
4 Remote Viewing
6 Psychometry
7 Dream Travel
9 Microcosm

---

The granted ability comes from the fact that the Whale Dream kind of mixes psionics with both bardic and druidic magics, so the feat makes its easier to multiclass with one of those.

[Delcan]

* Even deepest ken
* Cringe in waves of fear and brine
* Dreamer, wake thyself! *

I'm instantly reminded of the neo-dolphins from David Brins' Uplift series. This creature seems like the sort of horror even Orca couldn't match in sheer monstrosity.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

* Even deepest ken
* Cringe in waves of fear and brine
* Dreamer, wake thyself! *

I'm instantly reminded of the neo-dolphins from David Brins' Uplift series. This creature seems like the sort of horror even Orca couldn't match in sheer monstrosity.

Thats where I had heard the term 'Whale Dream' before! I knew it sounded familiar, like I'd read it before. Read a few of that series years ago.

Is that haiku from the books?

[MMad]

Hm, missed this thread when you first posted it. Cool creature, lovely origin, terrible, unpronounceable name. :)

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Hm, missed this thread when you first posted it. Cool creature, lovely origin, terrible, unpronounceable name. :)

Think of it in echoing underwater whale song.

Booooooth.. thhh... thhh... innnnn...

Closest I can come to to what the pod in my dreams was crying out as it came at them.

[Eighth_Seraph]

Wow...I can completely imagine that as a whale song. That's kind of relaxing, actually. Put that on an audio-file for me? ;D
Anyway, I love the flavor for this creature, especially for an underwater campaign. Is there a such thing as an underwater druid? Because this would be a great plothook for one:

"As you use your magic to speak to the dolphin, he tells you that the whales have been acting strange, their songs have taken a more somber tone, and that they often sing a new, painful section to their song, almost a cry of pain.

Booooouuuuth-th-th-iiin