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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Judou Ashita" data-source="post: 4408939" data-attributes="member: 59290">Hiya, guys! Yeah, I know, once again, I have grossly overestimated the time I would be away from these forums. Between the ever-present university, and 4th edition coming to Italy (by the way, I think it's pretty good, even if it does have a WoW-ish feel to it), I never had time to update my creations... and my latest attempt to create a shapeshifter ended in disaster. I could never balance the creature and give it a proper CR. Pity, because I thought it had an interesting visual. Anyway, I started over from scratch... and tried to create something new for an interesting race that doesn't really gets much attention as of now. The Inevitables. Hey, other than the misguided Obligatum The Seventh in Elder Evils and the nameless varakuth in another Elder Evil related adventure, I never saw them put to much use. So... here I tried to give you something new by creating a new race of Inevitables, concerned with making sure planar boundaries are respected. Hey, after all, with all those gate and plane shift spells running around, someone has to do a little patrol! A silly idea? Well, perhaps... but I don't think it's any more silly than the scorpion-like andyruth from Sandstorm... seriously, guys, they could have done better! Oh well. Without further ado, here comes the Azimukuth!  Inevitable, AzimukuthThis strange clockwork creature stands about 8 feet tall. It has an imposing, somewhat rotund frame, covered in a bulky bluish armor, with complex-looking geometric shapes etched upon it, and a large, circular red crystal embedded in its chest and gently glowing with strange crimson light. Its arms, legs and head are similarly protected, and through small passages in its armor, you can see that its body is made of clockwork devices, dully clicking and humming with its every move. It stops in front of you, impassively staring, and just then you can see, under its semispherical helmet, that its eyes contain two swirls of dimly-shining points of light, like miniature galaxies. The creature's demeanor is cold and impassive, and its voice, as it speaks at you, echoes ominously in your head. "State you reasons for trespassing on this plane of existance." it states uncerimoniously. Azimukuth CR 13Always LN Large Construct (Extraplanar, Lawful)Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft, low-light vision; Listen +12, Spot +12DefenseAC 31, touch 9, flat-footed 31 (-1 size, +15 natural, +7 masterwork half-plate armor)hp 107 (14d10+30)Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +9Damage Reduction 10/chaotic; SR 25; Special qualities construct traits, fast healing 8Special Qualities mercifulOffenseSpd 30 ft in half-plate armor; base speed 40 ft. Melee 2 slams +19 melee (2d6+10) or dissolving ray +9 ranged touch (special, see below)Space 10 ft; Reach 10 ftSpecial Attacks Banishing grapple, dissolving ray, improved grab, spell-like abilitiesTacticsBefore Combat: An azimukuth tries to gather as much information as possible about its targets before striking, and plans an attack accordingly. It makes also liberal use of its detect magic spell-like ability to assess the enemy's magical defences. Anyway, it usually tries to first convince transgressors to leave quietly, instead of launching an all-out attack. It only gives one warning, though - if this warning is ignored, the azimukuth attacks.During Combat: Azimukuth usually focus on one opponent at the time, trying to lower the number of attackers as soon as possible thanks to its banishing grapple ability. Therefore, it normally goes for spellcasters first, since it knows that it is very dangerous for them to be grappled, and they usually have the arcane weapons needed to pierce its defenses. If unable to melee, azimukuth use their scorching ray and lightning bolt spell-like ability to the best of their abilities, and will try to single out an opponent who can be easily sent back to his home plane via banishment to do just that. An azimukuth's natural weapons, as well as any weapon it may wield, are treated as lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction Morale: Despite their single-mindedness in carrying out their mission, azimukuth are not suicidal. If faced with imminent destruction, they will usually plane shift back to Mechanus for repairs or simply dimension door to a safe place, taking advantage of their fast healing. However, they will strike back if transgressors have not yet returned to their home planes, and will undoubtedly be much better prepared. StatisticsStr 30, Dex 11, Con -, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 17 Base Atk +10; Grp +32*Feats Ability Focus (banishing grapple), Cleave, Great Fortitude (B), Improved Sunder, Iron Will, Power AttackSkills Concentration +10, Diplomacy +6, Gather Information +8, Knowledge (the planes) +14*, Listen +12*, Spot +12*, Survival +5 (+7 while on other planes) Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Infernal, language of first target (usually Common)EcologyEnvironment Clockwork Nirvana of MechanusOrganization SolitaryTreasure NoneAdvancement 15-28 HD (Large); 29-42 HD (Huge)Level Adjustment—Special AbilitiesBanishing Grapple (Ex): Any creature with the extraplanar subtype (with respect to the plane they're actually in) grappled by an azimukuth must make a DC 22 Will save every round the grapple is maintained, or be immediately sent back to his home plane, as per the banishment spell. The victim reappears at the exact place of departure, with his equipment intact, is dazed for 1 round, and will be placed under the effects of a dimensional anchor spell for 24 hours, thereby negating his planar-travelling ability, but suffers no other drawbacks. Azimukuths use this special ability to send transgressors back to their home planes without harming them. The save DC is Charisma-based, and includes a +2 bonus from Ability Focus.Dissolving Ray (Su): Once every 1d4 rounds, as a standard action, an azimukuth can project a glittering ray of white specks of light from its eyes, delivering a ranged touch attack. Any creature hit is subject to the effect of a greater dispel magic spell. Note that azimukuths are careful in using this attack, as it might deprive the target of defences from planar effects.Fast Healing (Ex): An azimukuth heals 8 points of damage each round as long as it still has at least 1 hit point. However, damage dealt by chaotic-aligned weapons heals at the normal rate.Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an azimukuth must hit an opponent of up to one size smaller with its 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 can choose to conduct the grapple normally (+32 modifier on grapple ckecks, including a +8 racial bonus), or just use his hand to hold the opponent (in this case, the azimukuth takes a -20 penalty on its grapple check, but is not considered grappled itself). In any case, the azimukuth automatically deals slam damage each round it maintains the pin (this damage can be non-lethal if the azimukuth chooses, see below). A grappled creature is subject to the azimukuth's banishing grapple ability every round it remains grappled.Merciful (Ex): An azimukuth can choose to inflict nonlethal damage on a target, without the penalties normally associated.Spell-like Abilities (Sp): At will - detect magic, dimension door, hold person (DC 15), locate creature, protection from chaos, scorching ray; 3/day - lightning bolt (DC 16), mark of justice, true seeing; 1/day - banishment (DC 19), dispel chaos, plane shift (self only); 1/week - geas/quest (DC 19)Skills and Feats: Due to the planar lore programmed directly into their minds, azimukuth enjoy a +8 racial bonus on Knowledge (the planes) checks and can always choose to take 10 on such checks. They also enjoy a +6 racial bonus to Listen and Spot checksAzimukuth are a little-reknown species of inevitables whose prime directive is to ensure that planar boundaries are respected. In a multiverse where powerful wizards have the ability to travel through the planes, and to extend that same ability to their allies and accomplices, it might seem easy for someone with access to powerful magic to directly get transferred to paradise planes like Celestia or the Elysium, seeking a prize they might not be worthy of, or to negotiate with dangerous planar powers to bring reality-disrupting plans to fruition. The azimukuth exist to ensure such does not happen, and track down those who abuse their planar-travelling powers. Short sojourns of no more than seven days and/or explicitly authorized (by deities or similar powers) planar travels will be tolerated, but overstaying will quite probably invoke the wrath of Mechanus, and an azimukuth, or a whole squad of them in extreme cases, will be dispatched to return the transgressor to his home plane, not before having received all the necessary spells for protection from that particular plane's hazard (at the very least, an avoid planar effects spell).Azimukuth stand about 8 feet tall, but since their bodies are made of clockwork machinery, they weigh a lot more than most creatures of the same size. EcologyAzimukuth have very little impact on ecology, if any at all. As constructs, they do not require food, water or air to function properly, and because of their single-mindedness in pursuing transgressors, they will almost always leave the natural world alone. Like all inevitables, the azimukuth's life cycle begins when it is created in the forges of Mechanus and is given its first task, which it pursues relentlessly. An azimukuth's mind is already fully functional by the time it is given awareness, and the inevitable can reason, learn and remember already from day one. This makes it so that it can take lessons from its mistakes, and work out strategies in combat. However, their awareness does not extend to emotion, and like all inevitables, they find concepts such as friendship or affection to be 'beyond their processing abilities'.Habitat and SocietyAzimukuth do not really have a society to speak of. They only exist to enforce the law of the multiverse they embody, and have little to no interest in anything else. Whenever they're encountered in a squad, they're working together to stop a more powerful transgressor, but will not interact with one another beyond what is necessary to fulfill their mission. Sometimes, they work in tandem with justicators (see Monster Manual 3), but even then, their unemotional nature will hinder any connection beyond 'work duty' between the two races. Among inevitables, azimukuth are quite obviously the ones who travel the planes more extensively in search of transgressors, and may be encountered anywhere in the Great Wheel. AlignmentAzimukuth are created and programmed to make sure a fundamental law of the multiverse is respected, and to punish transgressors under any circumstances. While they try to minimize bloodshed, they also do not feel any obligation to help others, making them always lawful neutral. TreasureThese extraplanar automatons have no use for treasure. Some advanced varieties might wear enchanted armor or wield magical weapons, but even then, it is only for the sake of completing the mission at hand.  ----------  Alright, guys, so... how was it? Passable? Good? Awful? Do tell! Even if I'm getting the 4th edition, I'm still sticking to 3.5 adventures... and I'm even planning to post something from my campaigns in the Rogues Gallery... so, do you think my players will be satisfied with this bugger? Next time (which I *hope* will be soon) I will be posting something that will creep the squeamish up, guaranteed! See ya!</blockquote>

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