GITP Monster Competition LIX - Gears and Ghouls

[Mulletmanalive]

Gears and Ghouls
http://2dteleidoscope.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/hellboy-kroenen-02.jpg?w=500&h=261
Heart replaced with clockworks; the blood in his veins dried out years ago. What horrible will could keep a creature such as this alive?" - Professor Brunholm, on Karl Rupert Kroenen


The world has advanced, but so has it's threats. Men with hearts of cogs, parasite robots and ghosts of steam haunt the darkness and pose a threat to all living things.



_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/


The contest begins with the posting of this thread and will continue until the 30th of September.

Soon after a poll will be opened for everyone to vote for their favorite that will last until the 7th of October. This contest is intended to get the historic GITP Monster Competition back into currency.

As it's part of what I do, I'm happy to offer artwork as a prize. This month's contest winner will be awarded a choice of one character portrait or an illustration of their winning monster. If another entry achieves sufficient awesome to warrant an honourable mention, I may give out additional paintings



Rules

1. You will be creating an original creature for D&D 3.5, themed as a malevolent entity of science gone horribly wrong. The two conditions are that it must be both Steampunk in flavour and cannot be a simple robot version of something else. Beyond those rules, come up with whatever you like, from surgical addict assassins with clockwork hears, to defective construction robots on a rampage, to a spirit of cursed steam that can possess machines.

2. The entry must include name, complete stat-block, physical description, basic background information, and detailed combat behavior if any. A plot hook or similar in addition is optional but encouraged. Incomplete entries will be disqualified upon the deadline.

2b. Contrary to previous rules, templates are explicitly allowed in this competition, with the following limitation: a template is judged on the example creature, which must be either a pure SRD NPC character or an unaltered monster from the SRD archive. If you wish to include an optimised version, it must be spoilered and in addition to the base entry.

3. Entries must be 3.5 edition, using the standard format listed below (not that new one seen in the Monster Manual IV-V, except for a lore section which is encouraged).

4. Post all entries on this thread. Do [I]not post conversation here. Any and All Comments and discussions will take place on a separate thread here (this is a link) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=10470789#post10470789).

5. One entry per participant. No double-teaming.

6. Entries copied from some other source (splatbook, alternate website, etc) will be disqualified. All entries must be a new creation, not one already posted. Adding class levels to an already published or posted creature does not count as a new monster. Nor does adding templates. There must be an original base creature devoid of any template added on as the actual entry. Samples of the original base creature with a template may be posted in 'addition' but will not be judged.

7. No reserving posts. Feel free to post a creature and tweak it, but you have to have the basic beast already done.

8. Please state if you do not want critiques, otherwise other participants will likely give a rundown of your build in the chat thread.

-=-=-=-=-=-

[Mulletmanalive]

Vorpal Tribble's Guide To Making Monsters (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43009)

As well, here is the standard 3.5 monster format. Only complete entries will be accepted. If there are any questions feel free to ask me or post queries in the GITP Contest Chat Thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=8753819#post8753819).

-=-=-=-

No Parsed Stat Block Code
Name

<Size> <Type>
Hit Dice:
Initiative:
Speed: (# squares)
Armor Class: (), touch, flat-footed
Base Attack/Grapple:
Attack:
Full Attack:
Space/Reach:
Special Attacks:
Special Qualities:
Saves: Fort +, Ref +, Will +
Abilities Str , Dex , Con , Int , Wis , Cha
Skills:
Feats:
Environment:
Organization:
Challenge Rating:
Treasure:
Alignment:
Advancement:
Level Adjustment:

Description/background/characteristics

Combat

Ability descriptions

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

- Optional -

Lore

Plot Hook/Story if any

Name

<Size> <Type>
Hit Dice:
Initiative:
Speed: (# squares)
Armor Class: (), touch, flat-footed
Base Attack/Grapple:
Attack:
Full Attack:
Space/Reach:
Special Attacks:
Special Qualities:
Saves: Fort +, Ref +, Will +
Abilities Str , Dex , Con , Int , Wis , Cha
Skills:
Feats:
Environment:
Organization:
Challenge Rating:
Treasure:
Alignment:
Advancement:
Level Adjustment:

Description/background/characteristics

Combat

Ability descriptions

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

- Optional -

Lore

Plot Hook/Story if any

[unosarta]

http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs39/f/2008/334/e/1/Clockwork_by_stuff1234.jpg
[1] (http://stuff1234.deviantart.com/art/Clockwork-104948110)


Mortismachina
Medium Construct (Augmented Humanoid, Incorporeal)
HD 7d10+20 (58 HP)
Speed 30 ft. fly speed
Init: +6
AC: 20; touch 18; flat-footed 18 (+2 Dex, +6 Deflection, +2 Insight)
BAB: +7; Grp --; +7
Attack: Draining Touch +10 melee touch (1d4 Wisdom damage)
Full-Attack: 2 Draining Touches +10 melee (1d4 Wisdom damage)
Space: 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks: Twisting Time, Dredge the Gears, Touch of Eons
Special Qualities: Necromantic Creation, Ætherborn, Clockwork Form, Item Phylactery, Spellcasting, Damage Reduction 10/Adamantine and Magic
Saves: Fort +3 Ref +6 Will +5
Abilities: Str --, Dex 16, Con --, Int 17, Wis 15, Cha 12
Skills: Craft (Mechanics) +16, Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering) +16, Knowledge (Arcana) +16, Use Magic Device +14, Spellcraft +16.
Feats: Improved Initiative, Craft Wondrous Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item, Craft Construct
Environment: Any
Organization: Individual
Challenge Rating: 9
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Neutral; As base creature

Artificers and technologically focused wizards who undertake to become a lich find the process slightly changed, due to the nature of their powers. Rather than becoming a physical creature, they instead become able to live among the items they have created, and have a strange affinity for gears. They become the Mortismachina.

Mortismachina appear as ghostly, metal covered forms of their former selves. The metal that covers them is segmented, and through chinks in it, it is possible to see gears that are constantly turning and spinning inside of the Mortismachina.

Mortismachina have a strong association, both magically and psychologically, with technology, especially with gears, strangely enough. When thinking about it, it sort of makes sense, since their bodies are animated and infused with both negative energy, but also the metal of gears, which controls and helps their motor functions. Of course, due to their ghostly nature, the gears are not truly physical matter, but psychic manifestations of the Mortismachina’s technological magic.

This association with gears also leads to a fascination with clocks, even subconsciously. Many Mortismachina were obsessed with death prior to becoming Mortismachina, and the obsession leads to a fascination, and also revulsion, of time. This, combined with their propensity for gears, has led to a sort of magical ability with time, as strange as that may seem. Many Mortismachina do not even know they possess that sort of ability, but some do, and those that do use it with incredible results.

Mortismachina, because of their intelligent nature, cannot be controlled directly by necromancers, but some are willing to work with necromancers or even liches, given that they are given the materials necessary to build their strange creations. Rarely, if ever, are Mortismachina able to work with other Mortismachina. Their natures are far too ego-maniacal, in general, to be able to coexist with others of their sort.

Combat
Mortismachina usually focus on using their spells or infusions (depending on which they have) to control their foes, and let any underlings or constructs they may possess defeat the remnants.

Twisting Time (Su): As a full round action, the Mortismachina may cause time to twist around her foes. All enemies within 30 feet of the Mortismachina gain the Slow condition, for 3 rounds. The Mortismachina may only use this ability once per encounter.

Dredge the Gears (Su): The Mortismachina may, as a standard action, heal a construct within 30 feet of the Mortismachina for a number of hit points equal to 1d6 hit points per caster level the Mortismachina possesses, plus a number equal to the Mortismachina’s Intelligence modifier times two. They may only use this ability once per day.

Touch of Eons (Su): As an attack action, the Mortismachina may make a melee touch attack and, if they hit, deal 1d4 Wisdom damage to the target. That target must make a Fortitude save (DC 18) or become slowed for 1 round. If they fail the save, the Mortismachina becomes as under the effects of the Haste spell for 1 round. A creature may not be affected by this ability more than once per round.

Necromantic Creation (Su): Any constructs that the Mortismachina makes naturally are necromantic in origin, due to the Mortismachina’s strange origins themselves. The necromantic constructs gain the (Augmented Undead) subtype, and may be healed by negative energy (albeit also harmed by positive energy). In addition, they may be turned as Undead can be, but naturally have a Turning Resistance of +7.

Ætherborn (Su): The Mortismachina is naturally ghostly, due to the strange and not entirely understood rituals surrounding becoming a Mortismachina. Thus, they are permanently Incorporeal. They are considered Corporeal for the effects of creating objects using the Craft skill, and for creating magical objects. They gain a Deflection bonus to Armor class equal to their Intelligence modifier plus 3.

Clockwork Form (Ex): The Mortismachina is literally made out of gears and stray metal, albeit ghostly gears, and spiritual metal. As such, they are able to create tools out of their own form. Any time they would need to use a tool in order to use a skill, such as a scalpel in order to use the Surgery feature of the Heal skill, they automatically gain the benefits of that tool, even if they do not truly possess it, as their psyche and mind create the tool out of their ghostly body. In addition, they gain an Insight bonus to Armor Class equal to their Wisdom modifier, as their mind, and the body it has created, is able to sense oncoming danger.

Item Phylactory (Su): The Mortismachina’s phylactery is a magical item that they have created. They remain alive as long as their Phylactery is still alive. Unless the Phylactery is destroyed, the Mortismachina reappears 1d10 days after its apparent death, in a random location within 5 miles of the phylactery. Each Mortismachina must make its own Phylactery, which requires the Craft Wondrous Item feat. The character must be able to cast spells or Infusions and have a caster level of 7th or higher. The phylactery costs 76,000 gp and 3040 XP to create and has a caster level equal to that of its creator at the time of creation.

Spellcasting: The Mortismachina can cast spells as a 7th level Wizard. 0th-- Disrupt Undead, Touch of Fatigue, Daze, and Mending.
1st-- Chill Touch, Ray of Enfeeblement, Animate Rope, and Magic Weapon.
2nd-- Ghoul Touch, Spectral Hand, and Command Undead.
3rd-- Greater Magic Weapon, and Vampiric Touch.
4th-- Enervation.

DM NoteThis creature is meant to be applied or entered by either arcane casters or artificers; thus, I am including Infusions as well, but under a different section, since you would be hard pressed to find a creature with both spells and infusions. If you use the infusions, simply replace the spells for them.

Infusions: 1st-- Resistance Item, Skill Enhancement and Light.
2nd-- Armor Enhancement, Repair Moderate Damage and Armor Enhancement.
3rd-- Greater Magic Weapon, and Metamagic Item.


Creating a Mortismachina
"Mortismachina" is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature), provided it can create the required item phylactery. A Mortismachina has all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Size and Type The creature’s type changes to Construct, and gains the Augmented Humanoid and Incorporeal subtypes. Do not recalculate base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. Size is unchanged.

Hit Dice Increase all current and future Hit Dice to d10s.

Armor Class A Mortismachina has a Deflection bonus to armor class from being Incorporeal.

Attack A Mortismachina has a touch attack that it can use. If the base creature can use weapons, the Mortismachina retains this ability. A creature with natural weapons retains those natural weapons. A Mortismachina fighting without weapons uses either its touch attack or its primary natural weapon (if it has any). A Mortismachina armed with a weapon uses its touch or a weapon, as it desires.

Full Attack A Mortismachina fighting without weapons uses either its touch attack (see above) or its natural weapons (if it has any, and if fighting incorporeal creatures). If armed with a weapon, it usually uses the weapon as its primary attack along with a touch as a natural secondary attack, provided it has a way to make that attack (either a free hand or a natural weapon that it can use as a secondary attack).

Damage A Mortismachina without natural weapons has a touch attack that damages the psyche of those it touches, as the Mortismachina shows them the entirety of all of time. A Mortismachina with natural weapons can use its touch attack or its natural weaponry, as it prefers. If it chooses the latter, it deals 1d8+5 points of extra damage on one natural weapon attack.

Special Attacks A Mortismachina retains all the base creature’s special attacks and gains those described below. Save DCs are equal to 10 + ½ Mortismachina’s HD + Mortismachina’s Int modifier unless otherwise noted.

Twisting Time (Su): As a full round action, the Mortismachina may cause time to twist around her foes. All enemies within 30 feet of the Mortismachina gain the Slow condition, for 3 rounds. The Mortismachina may only use this ability once per encounter.

Dredge the Gears (Su): The Mortismachina may, as a standard action, heal a construct within 30 feet of the Mortismachina for a number of hit points equal to 1d6 hit points per caster level the Mortismachina possesses, plus a number equal to the Mortismachina’s Intelligence modifier times two. They may only use this ability once per day.

Touch of Eons: As an attack action, the Mortismachina may make a melee touch attack and, if they hit, deal 1d4 Wisdom damage to the target. That target must make a Fortitude save (DC 18) or become slowed for 1 round. If they fail the save, the Mortismachina becomes as under the effects of the Haste spell for 1 round. A creature may not be affected by this ability more than once per round.

Spells/Infusions: A Mortismachina can cast any spells or infusions it could cast while alive.

Special Qualities A Mortismachina retains all the base creature’s special qualities and gains those described below.

Turn Resistance (Ex): A Mortismachina has +7 turn resistance, from Necromantic Creation.

Damage Reduction (Su): A Mortismachina’s undead body is tough, and difficult to harm with weapons, giving the creature damage reduction 10/Adamantine and magic. Its natural weapons
are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Necromantic Creation (Su): Any constructs that the Mortismachina makes naturally are necromantic in origin, due to the Mortismachina’s strange origins themselves. The necromantic constructs gain the (Augmented Undead) subtype, and may be healed by negative energy (albeit also harmed by positive energy). In addition, they may be turned as Undead can be, but naturally
have a Turning Resistance of +7. All of the above effects are also true of the Mortismachina.

Ætherborn (Su): The Mortismachina is naturally ghostly, due to the strange and not entirely understood rituals surrounding becoming a Mortismachina. Thus, they are permanently Incorporeal. They are considered Corporeal for the effects of creating objects using the Craft skill, and for creating magical objects. They gain a Deflection bonus to Armor class equal to their Intelligence modifier plus 3.

Clockwork Form (Ex): The Mortismachina is literally made out of gears and stray metal, albeit ghostly gears, and spiritual metal. As such, they are able to create tools out of their own form. Any time they would need to use a tool in order to use a skill, such as a scalpel in order to use the Surgery feature of the Heal skill, they automatically gain the benefits of that tool, even if they do not truly possess it, as their psyche and mind create the tool out of their ghostly body. In addition, they gain an Insight bonus to Armor Class equal to their Wisdom modifier, as their mind, and the body it has created, is able to sense oncoming danger.

Item Phylactery (Su): The Mortismachina’s phylactery is a magical item that they have created. They remain alive as long as their Phylactery is still alive. Unless the Phylactery is destroyed, the Mortismachina reappears 1d10 days after its apparent death, in a random location within 5 miles of the phylactery. Each Mortismachina must make its own Phylactery, which requires the Craft Wondrous Item feat. The character must be able to cast spells or Infusions and have a caster level of 7th or higher, or ninth level or higher if they are an Artificer. The phylactery costs 76,000 gp and 3040 XP to create and has a caster level equal to that of its creator at the time of creation.

Abilities Increase from the base creature as follows: Int +4, Wis +2, Cha +2. Being undead and a construct, a Mortismachina has no Constitution score.

Skills Mortismachina have a +8 racial bonus on all Craft, Knowledge (Arcana), Knowledge (Dungeoneering), and Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering) checks. Otherwise same as the base creature.

Organization Solitary or troupe (1 Mortismachina, plus 2-4 constructs and 5-8 lesser undead).

Challenge Rating Same as the base creature + 2.

Treasure Standard coins; double goods; double items.

Alignment Any.

Advancement By character class.

Level Adjustment Same as the base creature +4.

Mortismachina Characters The process of becoming a Mortismachina is purely based on the Mortismachina’s ability to recreate their own body, and can be undertaken only by a willing character, who performs the rituals on themselves. A Mortismachina retains all class abilities it had in life.

[TheGeckoKing]

Tricktock

http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs45/f/2009/144/0/5/Clockwork_Assasin_by_NoahW.png
Medium Construct (Psionic)
Hit Dice: 13d10+20 (91 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), Burrow 40ft
Armor Class: 27 (+1 Dex, +16 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 26
Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+11
Attack: Claw +11 melee (1d6+14)
Full Attack: 1 claw +11/+6 melee (1d6+14) and 1 claw +11/+6/+1 melee (1d6+14)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Deranged Automaton, Time Shred, Psi-Like Abilities
Special Qualities: Construct traits, damage reduction 5/-, darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 2, low-light vision, pounce, power resistance 22.
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +7
Abilities: Str 24, Dex 13, Con Ø, Int 10, Wis 17, Cha 16
Skills: Disguise +14, Knowledge (Psionics) +16, Listen +13, Sense Motive +12, Spot +14.
Feats: Ability Focus (Time Shred), Alertness, Great Fortitude, *Improved Rapidstrike (Drac), Lightning Reflexes, Powerful Charge (MMIII), *Rapidstrike (Drac)
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 11
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Any Chaotic
Advancement: 14-20 HD (Medium); 21-40 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: +2

*These are bonus feats.

The ground rumbles and cracks around your group, and as you wonder what kind of aberrant animal is about to attack you, the last thing you sense before steel rends your flesh is the whirring of gears and the ticking of a clockwork symphony.

Combat

A Tricktock will normally start combat from underground, bursting from the earth and assaulting the nearest target with their claws, always using the Rapidstrike and Improved Rapidstrike feat to have multiple attempts to activate its Time Shred ability. If it becomes damaged enough, a Tricktock will try to burrow down and escape before it loses all control of itself.

Deranged Automaton (Ex): The binding of an elemental soul to the Tricktock's gear-driven frame was never perfected before the schemata to create Tricktocks were stolen, and so as wear and tear and axes to the face knock the Tricktock about, its power source becomes more and more unstable as it breaks down. When the Tricktock is reduced to 15 or less hit points, there is a 50% chance each turn that the Tricktock will go on a mindless rampage and attack any creature within sight without any regard to personal safety. This lasts until either the Tricktock's destruction, or until the Tricktock's hit points reach above 15 (normally from the Tricktock's fast healing quality).

Pounce (Ex): When a Tricktock charges a foe, it can follow with a full attack with both its Claw attacks.

Time Shred (Sp): Each time a Tricktock makes a successful Claw attack, the target of the Claw attack must make a DC 21 Will Save or be shunted forward in time by one round, functioning otherwise like the Time Hop (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/timeHop.htm) power. If the target fails two or more saves (like when the Tricktock makes a full attack), the duration of the effect stacks, i.e. failing the save 3 times would result in the target being shunted forward 3 rounds in time. This ability is Charisma based.

Psi-Like Abilities (Psi): At Will - Dimension Door, Psionic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/dimensionDoorPsionic.htm); 5/day - Deceleration (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/deceleration.htm), Déjà Vu (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/dejaVu.htm). Manifester Level 13th. The Save DC's are Charisma based.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Lore
A long time ago, a guild of psions (shapers and nomads, to be exact), decided that their treasure trove of knowledge was worth protecting. To this end, they set out to make a small army of machines that could protect their items and tomes and shiny crystals from harm, but as with many things, this was not meant to be, and soon the complex schemata was stolen by a rival guild, that of psychic assassins (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040723d). To further compound this, the psychic assassins were mainly wilders who had no formal education, and so really didn't know what they were doing with regards to elemental binding and mechanical construction, and so the inevitable happened. Days after construction in an accident, the elemental bound to the Tricktock went berserk and damaged another Tricktock, which in itself went berserk, until about 100 Tricktocks all went berserk and escaped from the assassins. Now the Tricktocks roam the land, some retaining sentience and a sense of self, and others mindlessly razing whole towns and even small cities.

Plot Hook/Story

A Tricktock has gone insane, and a small tribe of orcs are herding it towards an cavern leading to a drow outpost to make an attack. Will the heroes help the orcs attack the (decidedly cruel) drow and gain the loyalty of the orcish tribe, or stop the orcs and gain the drow's attention, for better or worse......
A peaceful Tricktock living in a Warforged settlement requests assistance from the heroes to protect it from an Elan Shaper from the original psion's guild, who is sending their (increasingly powerful and violent) astral constructs to put down the Tricktock before it goes berserk by accident and harms someone. After the more knowledgeable of the group verifies that the Tricktock very well might go into a violent rage, the Tricktock desperately tries to prove that it is sound of mind and safe to be around. Will the heroes protect the innocent Tricktock, or put down the poor creature down before the inevitable happens?

[Debihuman]

See this image for a crankdragon:
http://lamelobo.deviantart.com/gallery/10921120#/d1vx7su

Crankdragon
Small Construct
Hit Dice: 5d10+10 (37 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 20 ft., Fly 20 ft. (Poor)
Armor Class: 21 (+1 size, +10 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 21
BAB/Grapple: +3/+2
Attack: Claw +8 melee (1d4+3)
Full Attack: 2 claws +8 melee (1d4+3) and bite +3 melee (1d6+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Breath weapon
Special Qualities: Aura of irritability, Construct traits, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to magic, low-light vision, vulnerability to water
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +3
Abilities: Str 17, Dex 10, Con -, Int -, Wis 14, Cha 15
Skills: —
Feats: —
Environment: Any Land
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral Evil
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: None

This gleaming brass statue of a dragon is intricately made with gears and pulleys. A small motor cause plumes of steam to rise from its nostrils. It appears to be valuable and ripe for the taking until it turns and flashes its bright teeth in your direction…

Crankdragons are often created to protect laboratories and items of value. Unlike many guardians, they do not need to be fed, are not interested in payment, and are not harmful to those who know its secrets.

Crankdragons are often mistaken for statues until they move. It takes a DC 20 Spot check to notice that the creature is not a normal statue.

Animals (including a druid’s companion) but not Magical Beasts shun these creatures and will not normally approach crankdragons. It takes a Handle Animal check (DC 15) to coax an animal to approach one. Vermin automatically flee from crankdragons.

COMBAT

Aura of Irritability (Su): Living creatures that do not speak the password within 30 feet of the crankdragon must make a Will save (DC 14) or become irritable, taking a -2 penalty on to Concentration, Diplomacy and Sense Motive checks for 24 hours. Affected spellcasters must make a Concentration check at -2 penalty in order to cast spells. Creatures that make their save are unaffected by the crankdragon’s aura of irritability for 24 hours. The save is charisma-based.

Breath Weapon (Su): Three times a day, a crankdragon may breathe a 20-foot line of steam that causes 1d4 points of fire damage. A successful Reflex save (DC 15) halves the damage. Living creatures that fail their save are also tormented by burned skin and seared eyes unless they have immunity to fire or are otherwise protected. This effect imposes a -4 penalty to AC and a -2 penalty on attack rolls for 4 rounds. The save is strength-based.

Immunity to Magic (Su): A crankdragon is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. In addition, certain spells and effects function differently against the creature as noted below.

A magical attack that deals electricity damage slows a crankdragon (as the slow spell) for 3 rounds, with no saving throw.

A magical attack that deals fire damage breaks any slow effect on the crankdragon and heals 1 point of damage for each 3 points of damage the attack would otherwise deal. If the amount of healing would cause the crankdragon to exceed its full normal hit points, it gains any excess as temporary hit points.

Vulnerability to Water (Su): Water spells do 50% more damage to a crankdragon and full immersion in water deals 1d6 points of damage per round. A submerged crankdragon cannot use its breath weapon. A crankdragon that is killed by submersion collapses into a worthless pile of gears.

Construction
A crankdragon is made from brass and bronze and run by tiny gears. The materials cost 5,000 gp. The creature’s master may assemble the body or hire someone else to do the job. Creating the body requires a DC 12 Craft (armorsmithing) check or a DC 12 Craft (weaponsmithing) check.

After the body is created, it is animated through an extended magical ritual that requires a specially prepared laboratory or workroom, similar to an alchemist’s laboratory and costing 500 gp to establish. If the creator is personally constructing the creature’s body, the building and ritual can be performed together.

Every crankdragon is given a simple password that allows it master and other living beings to pass by it without being affected by its aura of irritability

CL 7, Craft Construct, detect animals or plants, fire trap, caster must be at least 7th level; Price 10,025 gp; Cost 5,025 gp and 401 XP

[Mulletmanalive]

Thus far, we have four entries for Competition 59.

Three days remain. The competition shall close at midnight on the first of October GMT [to avoid confusion with local daylight savings time].

Anyone wishing to throw their hat into the ring still has four days to play with.

Competition 60 will be going live at midnight on the 30th, as that doesn't matter too much for timing.

[Tanuki Tales]

Apostle of the Cold Form


"The Gospel is truly an insidious affliction and the pain must be unbearable. It starts in the bones, warping them to be fused with ceramic and adamantine. Then comes the muscles; broken down and reconstituted as a horrid amalgam of soft tissue and steel. The Gospel worms its way into the organs next, making them painful fusion of the organic and inorganic.The stomach goes through the most startling of changes; the digestive fluids become caustic chemical mixtures, turning the organ into some kind of crude, alchemical engine of sorts. The lungs become some unknown and apparently vestigial engine; bringing in air and constantly outputting steam. The skin goes next, hardened and reinforced with countless ores. Last is the brain and only then does the insidiousness of The Gospel rear its head. They become like the undead, ever craving the harm and death of us all against what free will remains. It's no wonder so many of the Apostles we've encountered are completely insane."

No one knows from whence the terrible, viral agent known only as The Gospel of the Cold Form (so named for the almost religious fervor shown by the most forgone of its victims in the perfection of their state and the spreading of the disease) came from. Some posit that it's a scourge laid down upon by some angered machine god while others fear that it may be some contagion escaped from the soul shredding Far Realm.

But the truth is far darker...

A man of intelligence and science had a dream that was like no other amongst his peers. A dream to make the weak flesh strong, to fuse the perfection of the constructed with the intelligence and drive of the born. What he had in sheer brilliance he sadly lacked in complete and utter morals. He committed cruel experiments on automatons that could feel no pain, weaving magic and mundane skill in such a bone chilling way that soon he was made a pariah and a criminal from the society and world around him.

If only they had caught him or if only he had then changed his ways, then maybe the multiverse would be spared from the horror that was to come.

Soon the scope of his tampering would grow, aided and abetted by those insane enough or cruel enough to cater to his tastes. His test subjects ceased to be unfeeling Constructs, dolling out his atrocities now to both the living and those Constructs who already straddled the line.

His crowning glory was when he came across a wayward and naive child of Mechanus. How could he pass up the chance to take his dream to the next level, nay, to completion? For months he extended his tortuous treatment to the planar traveler, refusing to let the creature die and escape the agony it had found itself in. But even the essence of the immortal eventually gave way and the madman turned his new found discoveries onto his own withered and aged frame.

The repercussions of his actions were swift and damning. Agents of the Clockwork Nirvana found him and judged him guilty of crimes against all that is and all that ever will be, a monster and abomination against nature. As punishment they granted his wish, painfully warping him into a horror that was a perfect union of living and unliving matter. But in the final success of his experiments found the Inevitables' failure in their choice of punishment. They had meant to make him a mindless husk, a reminder to those who would seek to corrupt the works of man and god. Their workings and his own foul science birthed something in his degraded form. He became a living plague, his very touch spreading his state to those around him as they too would become carriers.

One world fell to its knees and what was a madman's dream became a Gospel that reached out towards the stars.






Sample Apostle of the Cold Form

Large Construct (Augmented Giant, Living Construct)
Hit Dice: 4d10+19 (37 hp)
Initiative: -1
Speed: 40 feet
Armor Class: 18 (-1 size, -1 Dex, +10 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+14
Attack: Greatclub +10 (2d8+10) or Melee Touch attack +9 (Touch of Cold Form)
Full Attack: Greatclub +10 (2d8+10) or Melee Touch attack +9 (Touch of Cold Form)
Space/Reach: 10 ft/10 ft
Special Attacks: Touch of Cold Form
Special Qualities: Damage Reduction 5/Adamantine, Darkvision 60 ft., Fast Healing 3, Living Construct traits, Low-light vision, Spread the Gospel
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +0, Will +0
Abilities Str 25, Dex 8, Con 19, Int 4, Wis 8, Cha 10
Skills: Climb +10, Listen +1, Spot +1
Feats: Toughness, Weapon Focus (Greatclub)
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, Pair, gang (3-4), or band (5-8)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: Standard [No organic items]
Alignment: Always Chaotic Evil
Advancement: By Character class
Level Adjustment: +5

Standing before you, half hidden in the darkness, appears to be just an ordinary Ogre brandishing a club hewn of wood. But as it steps into the light, you notice unsettling oddities about the creature. What was once hide armor hangs in tatters around its form, no thought shown to repairing or replacing it. Where its fingers wrap around the weapon it is warped, as if liquid metal had touched the wood. Its skin has a slick sheen to it, reminding you more of well oiled armor than flesh. You raise your weapon and gird yourself, fearing aching in your limbs as the Ogre turns its strange smoldering eyes at you and laughs out a heavy torrent of steam.

Combat

The Apostle of Cold Form fights with similar tactics as it had when it was just a simple Ogre. But where it once would have favored range combat before melee it now shows reckless abandon and hunger, trying its best to get in range to spread the Gospel with its touch.

Touch of Cold Form (Su): Living creatures hit by an Apostle of the Cold Form's touch attack must make a DC 16 Fortitude save or take 1d6 Constitution damage. Creatures who fail this save must make another Fortitude save (DC 20) or contract Gospel of the Cold Form (See Below). The save DC is Constitution based.

An Apostle of the Cold Form can degrade and absorb organic matter and objects with its Touch of Cold Form at a rate of 1 pound per round. Unattended objects receive no save but attended objects use their owner's Fortitude save.

[ Note: The Ogre base creature has had it's armor removed. It is otherwise identical to the SRD Ogre with the Apostle of the Cold Form template applied. ]





Creating an Apostle of the Cold Form

An "Apostle of the Cold Form" is an acquired template that can be added to any living, corporeal creature (referred hereafter as the base creature).
An Apostle of the Cold Form uses all the base creature’s statistics and abilities except as noted here.

Size and Type: The creature’s type changes to Construct and it gains the Living Construct subtype. Do not recalculate the creature’s Hit Dice, base attack bonus, saves, or skill points if its type changes. The creature gains the Augmented subtype if necessary. Size is unchanged.
Armor Class: An Apostle of the Cold Form's natural armor bonus improves by 5. This stacks with any natural armor the base creature has.
Attacks: An Apostle of the Cold Form gains a melee touch attack if it did not already have one.
Damage: An Apostle of the Cold Form's melee touch attack deals no damage but makes the target subject to its Touch of Cold Form special attack.
Special Attacks: An Apostle of the Cold Form has all the special attacks of the base creature, plus the following special attacks.

Touch of Cold Form (Su): The touch of an Apostle of the Cold Form warps the very makeup of any living thing it touches, converting a portion of flesh into techno-organic material. Any Living creature hit by an Apostle of the Cold Form's melee touch attack must make a Fortitude save (DC 10+1/2 the Apostle's total HD+the Apostle's Constitution modifier) or take 1d6 Constitution damage. Creatures who fail this save must make another Fortitude save (DC 20) or contract Gospel of the Cold Form (See Below).

An Apostle of the Cold Form can degrade and absorb organic matter and objects with its Touch of Cold Form at a rate of 1 pound per round. Unattended objects receive no save but attended objects use their owner's Fortitude save.

Special Qualities: An Apostle of the Cold Form has all the special qualities of the base creature, plus the following special qualities.

Darkvision (Ex): An Apostle of the Cold Form has darkvision out to 60 feet or the base creature's, whichever is better.

Damage Reduction (Ex): An Apostle of the Cold Form gains Damage Reduction 5/Adamantine. If it already has damage reduction, it retains both versions and uses the one that best applies.

Fast Healing (Ex): An Apostle of the Cold Form gains Fast Healing depending on it's total Hit Dice. See the table below.

{table=head]Hit Dice|Fast Healing
1-3|2
4-7|3
8-11|4
12+|5[/table]

Spread the Gospel (Ex): An Apostle of the Cold Form is wracked with an addictive hunger and drive to spread the Gospel to all other living things. Every 24 hours that an Apostle of the Cold Form does not use its Touch of Cold Form to deal 10 points of Constitution damage or to absorb 10 pounds of organic material, it must make a DC 25 Will save. Failure means the Apostle takes 1d6 Wisdom damage. When the Apostle's Wisdom score reaches 0 they retain no control over their actions, attacking every living thing it encounters until it has satiated its hunger and drive. An Apostle can not be reasoned with in this state and will not stop even if threatened with its utter destruction. Once the Apostle has satiated its need its Wisdom score returns to 1 and it heals the damage at a rate of 1 point per hour.

Abilities: Change from the base creature as follows: Str+4, Con +4, Wisdom -2, its Charisma changes to 10.
Challenge Rating: HD 9 or less, as base creature +1; HD 10 or more, as base creature +2.
Treasure: Apostles of the Cold Form rarely, if ever, possess any treasure or gear made of organic material (such as leather armor or food or wooden weapons), having long ago subsumed it to feed their dark hunger.
Alignment: Usually Chaotic Evil. Becoming and living as an Apostle of the Cold Form is maddening.
Level Adjustment: +3



Gospel of the Cold Form

Infection: Contact.
Save DC: 20
Incubation: 1 day
Damage: 1d6 Constitution and 1d6 Charisma

The Gospel of the Cold Form is not like a normal disease and is more like a powerful curse. The "disease" continues until the victim's Constitution and Charisma scores reach 0. When this occurs the victim heals all the Constitution damage it has taken and has the Apostle of the Cold Form template applied to it.

Only Limited Wish, Miracle, Wish and similar effects can cure the Gospel of the Cold Form.

The Gospel of the Cold Form converts living organic matter or organic objects into a blending of living and non-living matter known as "techno-organic" matter. Objects and matter converted into techno-organic matter can not spread The Gospel of the Cold Form but creatures converted into Apostles of the Cold Form can.

[Hanuman]

http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/4116/uncanny3.jpg
Textless Image (http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/9975/uncannys.jpg)

This page is part of the Flowdancer Project (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=11882438#post11882438)


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Uncanny

Medium Living Construct (Default: Aristocrat 1)
HD 1d8+1 (9)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 30 (6 squares)
Armor Class: (10), touch 10, flat-footed 10
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/+0
Attack: +0
Full Attack: +0
Space/Reach: 5'
Special Attacks: None
Special Qualities: See Below
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +0, Will +2
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 8, Cha 12
Skills: Perform (All) +5, Knowledge (Royalty) +3, Knowledge (Local) +3
Feats: Versatile Performer
Environment: Ruins, Urban
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 1/4
Treasure: Random
Alignment: Varies
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: +0

Combat
Uncanny prefer to run than fight, but if forced to fight they use whatever skills they observed during their time performing.

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Destiny of Ruin (Ex)
Uncanny have a racial -10 to all skills to fabricate, repair or otherwise materially better their situation.

Light Fortification (Ex)
When a critical hit effects an Uncanny, they have a 25% chance of treating it as a non-critical.

Heart of the City (Ex)
Uncanny have a racial +2 to performance checks and have one of the following traits:
-Born of Movement: Gain DR2 vs bludgeoning damage and and treat falls as if they were 10’ shorter.
-Born of Sound: Gain +4 to listen checks and gain a +5 bonus to 3 musical perform checks per day.
-Born of Masks: Gain +4 to sense motive checks and a +5 bonus to 3 acting or comedy checks per day.

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Once great cities littered these kingdoms, filled with happiness and prosperity, but now they have all fallen to ruin and the Uncanny wander as lost relics of an age long forgotten.

Uncanny are constructs designed to perform for the people of the cities that built them, once they entertained squares, courtyards and markets with their dance, music and theater but now dwell in ruins of their cities, slowly falling into disrepair.

[Mr.Bookworm]

http://images.elfwood.com/art/c/l/clocky/the_clockwork_dragon_n_jpg.jpg
Image by Dean Swinfield. (http://www.elfwood.com/~clocky/The-Clockwork-Dragon.2633917.html)

The Wyrm's Spine

Colossal Undead
Hit Dice: 30d12+150 (345 HP)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares); fly 160 ft. (good)
Armor Class: 30 (+2 Dex, +26 natural, -8 size), touch 12, flat-footed 30
Base Attack/Grapple: +15/+42
Attack: Claw +18 (4d8+11) melee
Full Attack: 2 claws +18 (4d8+11) melee and tail snap +18 (4d6+16) melee and bite +18 (4d8+16) melee
Space/Reach: 30 ft./30 ft.
Special Attacks: Lightning orbs, death ray, breath weapon
Special Qualities: Guiding intelligence, apocalyptic steam vengeance, DR 15/adamantine, immunity to electricity, unnatural resilience, undead traits
Saves: Fort +15, Ref +12, Will +19
Abilities Str 33, Dex 15, Con Ø, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 20
Skills: Intimidate +20, Listen +11, Spot +11
Feats: Awesome Blow, Dodge, Flyby Attack, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Flyby Attack, Improved Multiattack, Hover, Mobility, Multiattack, Power Attack, Snatch
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 16
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: True Neutral
Advancement: -
Level Adjustment: -

The Wyrm's Spine is a weapon created by a long dead empire of sorcerer-scientists, who boasted unparalleled knowledge of steam and necromancy. They fused the two to form many twisted constructs, of which the Wyrm's Spine is possibly the greatest. It is a literal spine, the main component of it's body being made from the spine of a red great wyrm, whose preserved flesh still clings to the frame. Other bones were used for support and to form it's claws and head. A magical, self-sustaining steam engine was then implanted into it and it's body was animated, creating the Wyrm's Spine.

It was briefly used by the empire, before they were destroyed by their own experiments. It was taken and hidden before the fall of the Empire so it could not be used by their enemies, and still languishes to this day inside a hidden cache.

Combat

Guiding Intelligence: While the Spine itself possesses a rudimentary intelligence equal to that of a dog, it is intended to be piloted by another creature. The Spine is incapable of taking any action without a pilot, thanks to several dozen seals carved into various places on it's body. If all of the seals were to be scratched out and destroyed, the Spine would become capable of independent action, most likely feeling extreme gratitude and loyalty to the creature that freed it.

The cockpit of the Spine is located slightly in front of the steam engine, accessible by twisting a small wheel set into the bone. A seamless hatch in the bone opens, revealing a cramped space. The pilot gets in and closes the hatch with a pull on the wheel inside of the hatch. After the pilot gets in and seals the hatch, the Spine immediately begins to awaken, taking five rounds before the pilot can begin to operate the Spine. The hatch may not be opened from the outside while a pilot is inside.

The pilot's consciousness expands outwards, and he begins hearing and seeing through the Spine's senses. He may move the body as if it were his own, although this takes some practice to get used to. He may decouple his senses from the Wyrm's briefly, although the only action he may take is opening the hatch as a standard action.

Once the pilot is sealed inside, he is completely immune to harm until the Spine is destroyed or the hatch is opened. While inside, he substitutes all of the statistics of the Spine for his own, with the following exceptions:

He uses his mental ability scores in place of those of the Spine. Do not recalculate any derived scores.
If his base attack bonus or Will save are greater than that of the Spine's, he may use them in place of the Spine's.
He may use any appropriate feats or skills through the Spine's body, within reason.

If the pilot does not have Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Undead Dragon) or some similar feat, he may only take one action (standard, move, or swift) per round, and may not take full-round actions.

If the Spine is destroyed while a pilot is inside of it, he is killed instantly, atomized as the steam engine and spells overload.

Lightning Orbs (Su): On top of the "wings" of the dragon are four orbs. These orbs collect the slight electric charge constantly built up by the dragon's movement and greatly magnify it through magic.

As a swift action, the Spine may fire up to four blasts of electricity at any point within 1600 feet. These blasts explode, dealing 10d6 damage to everything within 20 feet. A Reflex save (DC 20) may be made to take half damage. This save is Charisma based.

Once an orb has been used, it cannot be used again for 5 rounds.

These orbs also draw all electricity attacks directed at the Spine to them, rendering the Spine immune to electricity. If someone does attack the Spine with an electricity attack, it may immediately use it's lightning orbs again as if 5 rounds had passed.

Death Ray (Su): Near the top of the Spine's head, two metal shafts are implanted. The Spine may use these to focus and direct necromantic energy into a devastating attack.

As a swift action, the Spine may target any creature within 3200 feet with a crackling black beam of negative energy as a ranged touch attack. If it hits, the target must make a Fortitude save (DC 24). If it succeeds, it takes 5d6 damage. If the target fails, it takes 10d6 damage and gains 1d4+2 negative levels. If the target survives, it regains these lost levels after 15 hours. This save is Charisma based.

After the Spine has used this ability, it must wait 5 rounds before it can be used again.

Breath Weapon (Ex): The Spine may briefly open up it's steam engine, redirecting it to the outside, breathing a cloud of scorching steam laced with negative energy.

This cloud is a 70 ft. cone. All inside it take 10d10 points of fire damage and gain two negative levels (which are regained after 15 hours). The damage may be halved and the negative levels negated entirely with a Reflex save (DC 30). This save is Charisma based.

The Spine may use the breath weapon as a standard action. Once it is used, the Spine must wait 1d4 rounds before it can be used again.

Apocalyptic Steam Vengeance (Su): When it is killed, the Spine is deliberately designed to violently explode in a wave of fire and negative energy that is magically propelled far beyond what it could normally cover. The negative energy is the vastly more dangerous of the two, as it was designed to be potentially capable of taking out most of a city.

All within 20 ft. of the Spine take 10d10 points of fire damage and gain five negative levels (Reflex half, DC 30). All outside of the 20 ft. radius, but within 100 ft. take 5d10 points of fire damage and gain three negative levels (Reflex half, DC 25). All outside of 100 ft., but within 1000 ft. take 1d10 points of fire damage and gain two negative levels (Reflex half, DC 20). All farther away than a 1000 ft., but within 5000 ft. take 1 point of fire damage and gain one negative level (Reflex half, DC 15). These saves are Charisma based.

All humanoids slain by this ability rise as Wights after 5 rounds.

Unnatural Resilience: The Spine is supernaturally toughened. It uses it's Charisma bonus in place of it's Constitution bonus for hit points and Fortitude saves.

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Constructing a Wyrm's Spine

As a minor artifact, the exact mechanics of the creation of another Wyrm's Spine is left to the DM and the plot. At the bare minimum, it would require the ability to cast create greater undead along with several other spells, advanced scientific knowledge, and the body of a colossal great wyrm.

[Mulletmanalive]

This contest is officially closed and the Voting thread posted.

Good luck to all who entered!