Steel and Silver Expansion - The Zluth

The Zluth are a bizarre creature of the Far Realm that are believed to directly serve the Elder Evil. Zluth appear as a bizarre greenish mist-like creature that constantly changes shape, taking the form of humanoid, beastly, and aberrant beings all at the same time. When a Zluth speaks, it is heard to be speaking more than one language at the same time, including the incomprehensible Deep Speech and Common. Zluth are usually seen performing tasks that can range from a simple takeover and abduction of a population to strange tasks that seemingly have no goal, such as collecting dirt or a bundle of ladders. Where a Zluth takes it's abducted victims and gathered materials is unknown. Zluth generally appear to be scouts sent ahead by the Elder Evils of the Far Realm, and generally appear as the fist beings sent through freshly opened Tears in Reality. Packs of weaker aberrant creatures form to follow the Zluth wherever they go, even going to so far as to throw away long rivalries and baser impulses to kill just to follow the Zluth, implying that the Elder Evil do have some control over the alien Far Realm creatures. The Zluth attack with various weapons, sometimes corporeal or martial weapons, sometimes with spawned claws, and sometimes with the very mist of their bodies making it impossible to predict exactly what a Zluth will use and what damage type it will be, as they possess to ability to change that at will. Each Zluth exudes an aura that corrupts the world around them with the taint of the Far Realm, leading many who are near the Zluth to be driven mad. These creatures are very dangerous, perhaps the most dangerous of any of the aberrations that have seeped into our world, and they are fanatically devoted to the Elder Evil.

Zluth Gatherer CR 3 - smallest and weakest of the Zluth, the Gatherers will generally be used for menial tasks and manual labor. They perform their namesake, gathering random items and corralling defeated or helpless abductees. Gatherers tend to have an escort of Scouts and Grunts with them, but most Zluth above them find all but the most important Gatherer missions below them.

Zluth Scout CR 4 - The fastest of the Zluth, Scouts prefer to remain hidden and watch from afar. It is assumed that the Zluth can telepathically communicate as the Scouts do not make any noise nor send any alerts to incoming Zluth, but yet the Zluth behind these outlying members still know anything the Scout knows.

Zluth Grunt CR 5 - Grunts are usually former Gatherers or Scouts that have grown in size and strength, but it is entirely unknown how they go about this. A Grunt can be older or younger than any Gatherer or Scout before them yet still more powerful. They tend to be the more powerful unit sent to defend Gatherers, and often make up the main force in the smallest of Zluth raiding parties.

Zluth Warrior CR 7 - Warriors are a rare breed of Zluth, and it seems that their only task is leading groups of Grunts, Gatherers, and Scouts. A Warrior is almost never seen alongside another of its kind, not even in large scale Zluth invasions. Though Warriors are quite rare, it doesn't seem that killing one has much any effect on the Zluth as a whole.

Zluth Brute CR 10 - Brutes are massive and strong Zluth that are used as shock troops in Zluth units. They rush walls and doors, utterly destroying them with no fear of injury, often killing themselves in the process. Brutes and above aren't seen often, as the Zluth don't usually mobilize in large units, but when they do Brutes will always cause terror and destruction in their wake.

Zluth Soldier CR 14 - Soldiers make up the bulk of the Zluth army, allegedly. It is impossible to know how many of each kind of Zluth there is, as make their home in the Far Realm, but it is assumed that, since when Zluth do mobilize in large numbers, since Soldiers make up the massive bulk of those armies, they are the most numerous of the militant Zluth. Soldiers and above tend to take on a more solid greenish tint, differentiating themselves from those below them even though they are smaller in size than the Brutes.

Zluth Gladiator CR 15 - Gladiators are exceptional Soliders that have proven themselves to be quite powerful. They make up the commanders of units within large scale Zluth movements, making them valuable to the Zluth overall. Gladiators are larger than Soldiers, sharing the same solid green color.

Zluth Leader CR 18 - Zluth leaders are extremely rare and serve as the generals of large scale Zluth militias. They rarely are seen fighting, even during the extremely rare occurrences that they are even needed. Leaders take on a lime green tint, but are smaller than the Gladiator counterparts. Seeing a Leader is almost always signifying that there is, indeed, a great invasion underway.

Zluth Champion CR 20 - Champions are massively gifted and powerful Zluth that can wreak absolute havoc in the world when they are unleashed. Champions are larger than Brutes and have a lime green tint. They are not capable leaders, but they are often the most important soldier within a Zluth's arsenal.

Zluth Overlord CR 26 - It is not known whether there is a single Zluth Overlord or many, as the sighting of one has only been seen less than a handful of times. Regardless, the Overlord is a force of unparalleled power. The Overlord are massive, gargantuan beasts that embody everything it is to be an Elder Evil, leaving absolute madness and utter devastation in its wake. It is said that an Overlord absorbs everything it engulfs with its size, but this has not been proven.


Touch of Madness - With the Zluth comes the corrupting aura of the Far Realm. Though not as potent as an actual tear in reality, the aura a Zluth exerts is still capable of driving those who enter it mad, for a brief period. Roll a 1d100 to determine the effect the party receives.

1-5: Roll on the actual short-term madness chart, but the effects only last for 2 turns

6-10: The player is overcome with the desire to eat an odd substance, just like on the short-term madness chart

11-15: The player believes that his current melee weapon is a snake for 1 round

16-20: The player's vision becomes distorted, they take disadvantage on their next attack

21-25: The player forgets how to speak common for 1 round, and may only communicate or understand those who share another language

26-30: The player becomes frightened for 1 round, and must sprint into the nearest wall

31-35: The player sees double, must flip a coin to determine which Zluth is real for 1 round

36-40: The player must use his turn to disengage, believing the battle is won

41-45: The player becomes blinded for 1 round

46-50: The player loves the Zluth, it wants to become its friend for 1 round

51-55: The player must dance the entire time they take their turn, speed halved for 1 round

56-60: The player is positive the Zluth is harder to hit than it really is, the Zluth is treated as having +2 AC for 1 round

61-65: The player must use their bonus action to drink a health potion, if there is none they hit themselves for 1d4 damage. 1 round

66-70: The player feels the need to sing a song

71-75: The player cannot move their feet for 1 turn

76-80: The player must attack themselves if they miss the Zluth on their next attack, half damage

81-85: Players must use their melee weapon as a thrown attack on their next attack

86-90: Players suddenly cannot hold their bowels

91-05: Players are overcome with the need to pray

96-100: Players feel extremely hot, they must shed their armor this turn