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<blockquote data-quote="Mistwell" data-source="post: 6199312" data-attributes="member: 2525"><p>I am just going to toss some ideas out there, with the hope that something sparks your imagination to develop something.</p><p></p><p>How did the goblins unleash the guardian, by stealing the artifact it was protecting from it's temple? By cutting it off from the artifact? By simply giving it exit from the temple where it had no exit before? </p><p></p><p>Also, the goblins must know that the beacon they manufactured from the astronomy tower replicates a beacon the guardian is known to respond to. So three possibilities come to mind from that: a) This is knowledge tied to how they released the guardian in the first place (IE they found something describing the beacon, either in the temple they released the guardian from, or some other location or store of knowledge that led them to mess with the temple to begin with), or b) outside research they conducted to try and solve their problem (consulting a specialist or magical divination or oracle, or some location outside the temple the guardian was released from), or c) a third party set them to the task (likely some mysterious protagonist bent of gathering the artifacts for him/her/itself and using the goblins to gather guardians so it can take their artifacts). </p><p></p><p>I guess, to stay within the theme that it is a guardian, the shiny device must persuade the guardian of one of two things:</p><p></p><p>a) that another artifact is present at the source of the beacon, that it needs to guard. Either in addition to the artifact it's already guarding, or as a replacement for the artifact the goblins took or cut it off from.</p><p></p><p>or</p><p></p><p>b) The beacon is a signal to the guardian to bring their artifact to that location, presumably to give back to the masters who set it to guard the artifacts in the first place.</p><p></p><p>So, to your question, what sort of creature would respond to such a beacon? It'd say it's either intelligent and has reason to guard them, or it is an automaton of some sort programmed to protect the artifacts and respond to such a beacon, likely in ancient times. </p><p></p><p>If it is intelligent, then were looking at a variety of motives: a) persuaded that the artifacts are of some value to it (greed); b) the cause of guarding the artifacts is just or useful; or c) it's own life and livelihood depends on guarding them.</p><p></p><p>Greed would include any dragon or lesser-creature-related-to-dragons would work, as would dwarves or creature-related-to-dwarves. So a young dragon, or a pseudo-dragon (which is weak enough for your low level party to handle), or a dwarf or Duergar (dark dwarf) would all work well. Other humanoids could work here as well, even orcs or bullywugs.</p><p></p><p>The cause of guarding the artifacts is just or useful would cover a paladin (even a dark paladin, or anti-paladin), a being from the higher planes, or really any lawfully aligned creature. Examples of such from the current bestiary include: Cultists of Asmodeus, several devils (Imp, Lemure, and Spinagon), Gargoyles, Hell Hounds, Hobgoblins, Manticores, Medusa, Mummy, and Yuan-ti half-blood.</p><p></p><p>Finally, it's own life and livelihood depends on guarding them would include any creature bound to something else that has something over it, or else it's life is directly tied to being near the artifacts. In general those devils come to mind, as they tend to respond to a master superior devil of some sort, or might have been bound by a mage in some sort of ritual to guard the artifacts. I suppose an Elemental can be enchanted to guard something as well, as can a ghost if it is related to the reason it died.</p><p></p><p>If instead it is an automaton (construct), golems wold be perfect (probably a flesh golem for a lower level party, maybe even a damaged one). A warforged, or an animated object, would also work.</p><p></p><p>I hope something in there helps!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Mistwell, post: 6199312, member: 2525"] I am just going to toss some ideas out there, with the hope that something sparks your imagination to develop something. How did the goblins unleash the guardian, by stealing the artifact it was protecting from it's temple? By cutting it off from the artifact? By simply giving it exit from the temple where it had no exit before? Also, the goblins must know that the beacon they manufactured from the astronomy tower replicates a beacon the guardian is known to respond to. So three possibilities come to mind from that: a) This is knowledge tied to how they released the guardian in the first place (IE they found something describing the beacon, either in the temple they released the guardian from, or some other location or store of knowledge that led them to mess with the temple to begin with), or b) outside research they conducted to try and solve their problem (consulting a specialist or magical divination or oracle, or some location outside the temple the guardian was released from), or c) a third party set them to the task (likely some mysterious protagonist bent of gathering the artifacts for him/her/itself and using the goblins to gather guardians so it can take their artifacts). I guess, to stay within the theme that it is a guardian, the shiny device must persuade the guardian of one of two things: a) that another artifact is present at the source of the beacon, that it needs to guard. Either in addition to the artifact it's already guarding, or as a replacement for the artifact the goblins took or cut it off from. or b) The beacon is a signal to the guardian to bring their artifact to that location, presumably to give back to the masters who set it to guard the artifacts in the first place. So, to your question, what sort of creature would respond to such a beacon? It'd say it's either intelligent and has reason to guard them, or it is an automaton of some sort programmed to protect the artifacts and respond to such a beacon, likely in ancient times. If it is intelligent, then were looking at a variety of motives: a) persuaded that the artifacts are of some value to it (greed); b) the cause of guarding the artifacts is just or useful; or c) it's own life and livelihood depends on guarding them. Greed would include any dragon or lesser-creature-related-to-dragons would work, as would dwarves or creature-related-to-dwarves. So a young dragon, or a pseudo-dragon (which is weak enough for your low level party to handle), or a dwarf or Duergar (dark dwarf) would all work well. Other humanoids could work here as well, even orcs or bullywugs. The cause of guarding the artifacts is just or useful would cover a paladin (even a dark paladin, or anti-paladin), a being from the higher planes, or really any lawfully aligned creature. Examples of such from the current bestiary include: Cultists of Asmodeus, several devils (Imp, Lemure, and Spinagon), Gargoyles, Hell Hounds, Hobgoblins, Manticores, Medusa, Mummy, and Yuan-ti half-blood. Finally, it's own life and livelihood depends on guarding them would include any creature bound to something else that has something over it, or else it's life is directly tied to being near the artifacts. In general those devils come to mind, as they tend to respond to a master superior devil of some sort, or might have been bound by a mage in some sort of ritual to guard the artifacts. I suppose an Elemental can be enchanted to guard something as well, as can a ghost if it is related to the reason it died. If instead it is an automaton (construct), golems wold be perfect (probably a flesh golem for a lower level party, maybe even a damaged one). A warforged, or an animated object, would also work. I hope something in there helps! [/QUOTE]
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