Ankou |
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Medium Undead
(Extraplanar)
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| Hit Dice: 8d12 (52 hp) |
| Initiative: -1 |
| Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares) |
| Armor Class: 20 (-1 Dex, +5 natural, +6 profane), touch 15, flat-footed 20 |
| Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+9 |
| Attack: Large scythe +10 melee (2d6+7/19-20/x4) or slam +9 melee (1d4+5) |
| Full Attack: Large scythe +10 melee (2d6+7/19-20/x4) or 2 slams +9 melee (1d4+5) |
| Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. |
| Special Attacks: Constrict 1d8+7, improved grab, oversized weapon |
| Special Qualities: All-terrain travel, ankou weaknesses, blindsight 60 ft., cart of the dead, darkvision 60 ft., shielded by the sixfold realm, +2 turn resistance, undead traits |
| Saves: Fort +2,
Ref +1, Will +6
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| Abilities: Str 20,
Dex 8, Con —,
Int 7, Wis 17,
Cha 17 |
| Skills: Hide +10, Survival +14 |
| Feats: Improved Critical (scythe)(B), Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Track (B), Weapon Focus (scythe) |
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| Environment: Tarterian Depths of Carceri |
| Organization: Solitary |
| Challenge Rating: 5 |
| Treasure: None |
| Alignment: Always neutral evil |
| Advancement: 9-24 HD (Medium) |
| Level Adjustment: — |
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A solitary farmer can be seen in the distance, his clothing dusty and ragged, and a wide-brimmed hat atop his head. He carries a large, well-worn scythe. As it draws closer with slow, stiff, deliberate steps, it is evident that the man is emaciated, his skin pulled tightly across his bones. The wooden creak of a heavily-laden cart accompanies him, but there is no such vehicle in sight. His head continues to turn from side to side, as if looking for something. Suddenly, it lifts its head, and glowing, flame-red eyes meet your gaze.
Arising from the remains of a miserly farmer or peasant, one so debased as to have murdered his own family out of greed or to have allowed his family to perish rather than share his hoard of food with them, the ankou is now an undead abomination. It roams the countryside in search of victims to slay and cart off to the nether realms.
An ankou is an opportunistic killer, always choosing the most easily accessible prey. Extremely patient, an ankou will follow an escaped victim at its slow, plodding pace for the rest of the night, until it either catches and dispassionately kills him, or until the first light of dawn intrudes, banishing the ankou back to Carceri until the next dusk. An ankou possesses no memory of the prior day's activities, and thus will not resume its pursuit the next night. Should the same victim cross its path again, however, the ankou will pursue it as if the first encounter never took place.
All that remains after an ankou’s attack are a line of the victim’s footprints that end at the point where the victim was waylaid by the driver of an ox or horse-pulled cart, and the wheel ruts that continue down the road, fading to nothingness.
Ankou are about the same height and about half the weight as humans.
Ankou speak Abyssal, Common, and Infernal.
COMBAT
An ankou slowly and deliberately approaches the most available prey, attacking with its massive scythe or pummeling with its supernatural strength. If it grabs a victim, it crushes it with a powerful bear hug.
All-Terrain Travel (Ex): An ankou (and its cart) ignores all movement penalties based upon terrain (such as ice, undergrowth, etc.).
Ankou Weaknesses (Ex): Ankou are unable to cross open water or flames. An ankou struck by holy water (even only a splash) is immediately forced to return to its home plane (no saving throw). Ankou are automatically returned to Carceri at the first light of dawn, but are free to plane shift again at dusk.
Cart Of the Dead (Su): An ankou is followed everywhere it goes by an invisible cart pulled by an equally invisible ox or horse. The cart and its beast of burden produce noise and leave a trail of wheel-ruts and hoof-prints like a normal horse- or ox-cart would. The Cart of the Dead can travel over any terrain without any penalty, even rolling across or through water, and can carry a load of up to 1,000 pounds. The cart can only carry inanimate objects, which become as invisible and intangible as the cart itself. Only the ankou can load or unload the cart, but if the cart is dismissed any objects it is carrying regain physicality and fall to the ground. Neither cart nor beast can be damaged by any weapon or spell, although it can be dismissed from existence by a dismissal, dispel evil or a similar higher-level banishment spell, or by the destruction or banishment of its ankou. The ankou can resummon a banished Cart of the Dead the following night.
Constrict (Ex): An ankou deals 1d8+5 points of damage with a successful grapple check against a Large or smaller creature.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an ankou must hit a Large or smaller opponent with a slam attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.
Oversized Weapon (Ex): An ankou can wield weapons sized for Large creatures without penalty.
Plane Shift (Su): At will, an ankou can shift between the Astral Plane and either the Material Plane or the Tarterian Depths of Carceri (or vice-versa) as a full-round action. The ankou cannot shift other creatures between planes, although it can shift while carrying or wearing any inanimate object(s) it can lift, and may bring its Cart of the Dead and its contents along with it.
Shielded by the Sixfold Realm (Ex): An ankou gains a +6 profane bonus to its Armor Class. |
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1990 Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
Originally found in Dragon Magazine #162 |
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