On the first night of their renewed appearance, I discovered a trio circling my bed in the moonlight from the window. Roused from my sleep, I opened my eyes, confirming what I had already intuited in dreams, that there were three creatures, squid-like in all attributes, save that they hovered in air, rather than jetted through the marine abyss. Upon viewing them it seemed that the creatures themselves started, then proceeded to orient themselves to the geometry of the room and my presence and relative position within it.

I instantly closed my eyes, having been warned in dreams that these creatures from beyond relied upon the vision of others to perceive the world. In the absence of one whose sight they could steal, they milled about listlessly. So it must have been with these three, although I dared not visually confirm it. My only evidence of their inability to function was the fact that I rose from the bed still alive come the light of morning.

I cannot discern the pattern by which they choose the nights to return, but when they do, I close my eyes tight and pull the sheets over my head for good measure, just as I did when they visited me as a child. No one believed me then, saying that no such creatures exist, not squids, not hovering things, nor creatures that rely on the eyes of others to see. And no one would believe me now, were I of a mind to say anything of them. Now I confide only to this useless journal. When I am gone, someone may wonder as to the nature of the madness that took me. I tell you here it was no madness at all. If you find my bedroom vacant one morning and the sheets unmade, know then I was dragged away by the wretched, rubbery tentacles of a species who gradually overcame the only meager defense I had against them, to close my eyes and hide in a feeble and untrustworthy darkness.

Few scholars debate that squids first evolved in the abyssal depths of the world's deepest oceans. How squids came to inhabit the Astral sea is a matter of conjecture. One supposes that a splinter of squids evolved beyond their kin and developed psychic abilities which allowed them to migrate to other planes, where they discovered they were best suited to the deeps of the Astral plane.

In the vast expanses of the Astral sea, nourishment is difficult to find. Fortunately, the Astral plane is a transitive plane with access to many other realms in which sustenance is far more plentiful. The hovering squids discovered that dwelling in a bodiless realm of the mind, they had acquired a taste for dreams. They took to visiting various material worlds to prey on the nocturnal fancies of sleepers as they lay their heads against down pillows.

In time, hovering squids (or Teuthida Volantem as they are known among the erudite) came to be regarded as eccentric, inter-dimensional visitors, who, like connoisseurs of rare delights, sought out dreamers of exceptional skill. Hovering squid are intelligent and can often be induced to barter their knowledge of the planes in exchange for access to dreams. The individual who offers their dreams to the hovering squid are not harmed in any way, although there is a 40% chance that the presence of the hovering squid forms a vague half-remembered image in their mind upon waking and there is a 20% chance that the disturbance is sufficiently severe that the sleeper does not gain the benefits of a full night's sleeps, including the replenishment of used spell slots.

The much more reclusive giant hovering squid (Architeuthida Volantem) rarely leave the Astral sea. When encountered they are unlikely to be reasoned with, prefering instead to sate the primal urges that have grown commensurate with their stature.

The two tables below provide a Pathfinder compatible entry for a hovering squid (Teuthida Volantem) and a giant hovering squid (Architeuthida Volantem). The statistics blocks were constructed with reference to the non-sentient squid and giant squid from the Bestiary ^PF:B1.

In physical appearance, a hovering squid shares every aspect of an ordinary sea-dwelling squid. When at home on the Astral plane, hovering squids mimic the movement of their animalistic kin, who dive through the water with rapidity and ease. However, when traversing to other realms, the hovering squid remains upright and levitates in the air with steady purpose.

In the description that follows, the hovering squid as a playable race is presented. Here, the rules for race building^PF:ARG are followed and the resulting race possesses 18 Racial Points (RP), making it an advanced race according to the relevant categorization.

In the table below the age, height and weight of hovering squid characters are given. Hovering squid are a long-lived race that spend their first many decades in incubating meditation. They are medium in size. Giant Hovering Squid have not been encountered as adventurers, their mental capacities having evolved beyond such puerile pursuits.

Extended Tentacles (Ex)
Description: The reach of tentacle attacks are extended by 5'. This feat can be taken twice for medium creatures and one additional time for each size larger than medium. The prerequisite for this feat is a tentacle attack.

Extra Tentacle Attack (Ex)
Description: The hovering squid gains an additional tentacle attack. The prerequisite for this feat is a tentacle attack. This feat can be taken when the creatures BAB is +6 or greater.

Lethal Tentacles (Ex)
Description: Tentacle attacks deal either non-lethal or lethal damage, determined by the hovering squid immediately before the attack. The prerequisite for this feat is a tentacle attack.

Tentacular Grab (Ex)
Description: The hovering squid gains the monster feat Grab, which can be applied after a successful tentacle attack. The prerequisite for this feat is Lethal Tentacles.

Tentacular Constrict (Ex)
Description: The hovering squid gains the monster feat Constrict, which can be applied to a grappled foe. The prerequisite for this feat is Lethal Tentacles and Tentacular Grab.

Tentacular Strangle (Ex)
Description: The hovering squid gains the monster feat Strangle, which can be applied to a grappled foe. The prerequisite for this feat is Lethal Tentacles and Tentacular Grab.

Ink Cloud (Ex)
Description: The hovering squid gains the Ink Cloud ability. The prerequisite for this feat is being a hovering squid.

Spectroscopic Vision (Sp)
Description: When more than one additional creature is within the range of its telepathy, the hovering squid gains can use its Other Sight ability to see through the eyes of an additional creature. The prerequisite for this feat is the Other Sight ability. This feat can be taken a second time at level 9 (applicable only when three or more creatures are present), a third time at level 15 (applicable only when four or more creatures are present) and a fourth and final time at level 19 (applicable only when four or more creatures are present). The first time this feat is taken, it provides a +1 attack bonus. The second time the feat is taken, it provides a +1 dodge bonus to armor class as well as immunity to flanking and sneak attacks. The third time this feat is taken it provides a +2 attack bonus. The fourth time this feat is taken, it provides a +3 attack bonus and a +3 dodge bonus to armor class. Note that the prerequisite number of creatures must be present for any affect to apply.

Hovering Squids have developed a few spells unique to their aberrant nature. These spells are only available to hovering squids, as written. Players of other races must consult with their GM before attempting to learn any of these spells.

Evolutionary Regression
School transmutation; all spellcasting classes 2
CASTING: Casting Time 1 standard action; Components S
EFFECT
Range: medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./2 levels)
Target: one living creature
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Saving Throw: Will, negates; Spell Resistance: no
The caster can apply this spell to herself or to another creature, who gains the movement abilities of a squid, including swim 60 ft. and jet 240 ft. (Jet (Ex): A squid can jet in a straight line as a full-round action. It does not provoke attacks of opportunity while jetting.)

Grant Other Sight
School divination/transmutation; all spellcasting classes 3
CASTING: Casting Time 1 standard action; Components S
EFFECT
Range: medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./2 levels)
Target: one living creature
Duration: 1 minute/level
Saving Throw: Will, negates; Spell Resistance: no
This spell grants the Other Sight ability of the hovering squid to another creature. The maximum number of creatures through which the creature can see is given below. The creature

• caster level: effect
• 1-4: 1 creature; no additional bonus
• 5-8: 2 creatures; +1 attack
• 9-14: 3 creatures; as above and +1 dodge to armor class and immunity to flanking and sneak attacks
• 15-18: 4 creatures; as above and +2 attack
• 19 or greater: 5 creatures; +3 attack bonus and a +3 dodge bonus to armor class and immunity to flanking and sneak attacks

The following magic items originate with hovering squids. In some cases items are fitted to the anatomy of a hovering squid and cannot be used by other humanoid species. Other magic items in this list originate from hovering squids and grant the user abilities derived from a hovering squid. Such items would not be used by hovering squids themselves.

Tentacular Band of Astral Plane Shifting
Price: 60,000; Slot: tentacle; CL: 10th; Weight: 0.25 lbs.; Aura: strong conjuration
Description: This item functions as the better known amulet of the planes with two differences. First, instead of taking the form of an amulet that can be worn on a chain around the neck, this item is a silver band that can be slid upon a tentacle. Second, this amulet can be used for plane shifting exclusively in cases where the Astral plane is either the origin or the destination. If the Astral plane is the destination, this spell unfailing delivers the caster to that plane. If the Astral plane is the origin, then the same rules for error that govern the amulet of the planes apply to the destination, should the user fail the intelligence check required to properly use the band.
Construction Requirements
Cost: 30,000 gp; Feats: craft wondrous item; Spells: plane shift

Hovering Squid may pursue a range of classes, emphasizing martial, arcane and psychic prowess. Few examples of hovering squid who draw their power from divine sources are known. Provided below are several sample hovering squid player characters, including the iconic hovering squid.