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The Demented One
2008-01-28, 09:12 PM
Malakh
Size/Type: Gargantuan Construct (Living Construct)
Hit Dice: 16d8+80 (152 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares), climb 20 ft.
Armor Class: 21 (-4 size, +5 Dex, +10 natural), touch 11, flatfooted 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+32
Attack: Bite +16 melee (3d6+8)
Full Attack: Bite +16 melee (3d6+8) and 2 Claws +14 melee (2d6+4) and Tail +14 melee (1d12+4)
Space/Reach: 20 ft./20 ft. (30 ft. with tail)
Special Attacks: Breath weapon, pounce, rend , unleash swarm
Special Qualities: Blindsense 60 ft., damage reduction 15/adamantine, darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 3, fortification, immunity to sleep and paralysis, living construct traits, low-light vision
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +10, Will +8
Abilities: Str 36, Dex 20, Con 20, Int 6, Wis 16, Cha 16
Skills: Climb +18, Jump +18, Listen +8, Spot +10
Feats: Power Attack, Improved Bull Rush, Awesome Blow, Combat Reflexes, Multiattack, Ability Focus (Breath Weapon)
Environment: Xen’drik
Organization: Single plus 3 Ophanim swarms
Challenge Rating: 13
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Chaotic Neutral
Advancement: 17-24 HD (Gargantuan), 25-30 HD (Colossal)
Level Adjustment: –

Among the strangest inhabitants of the strange land of Xen’drik are the Malakhim, vast and ancient living constructs. They are extremely rare, and dwell only within the deepest reaches of Xen’drik. They are ferocious predators, and will attack almost immediately on sight. Most who see them are immediately put in mind of warforged, as the Malakhim have a great deal of resemblance to them. However, a Malakh stands much, much taller than a warforged, standing even taller than warforged titan. In addition, while warforged are essentially humanoid in shape, the Malakhim appear much more draconian in their artificial anatomy. Their heads are virtually perfect replicas of those of dragons, while their body is comparable to that of a dragon, albeit anthropomorphized. They also possess subtler traits–vestigial fins extending from their shoulders, suggesting that wings were at one point removed from them, breath weapons, and several of the characteristic immunities of dragons. Their behavior suggests that they have a higher level of sentience than animals, and may even be sentient, though they have never been known to speak or otherwise communicate.

In addition, unlike the warforged, which are composed of essentially an amalgamation of magically animated and organic components, a Malakh is a living creature, bound permanently within a construct shell. Though this is not readily evident, after taking severe damage, the armor plating of a Malakh has been known to crack or shatter, revealing the living flesh beneath. No consistent description of the beast within a Malakh has ever been obtained, though they are often said to be protoplasmic, formless masses of flesh contained within the shell, though skeletons found within the remains of destroyed Malakhim suggests there is some internal structure.

Yet another strange trait of the Malakhim is the Ophanim, a breed of small living constructs that inhabit their bodies. The Ophanim are arachnid in build with sharp, angular construction. Like the Malahkim, they are living creatures of some manner fused to a construct shell, though further specifics are unknown. Just exactly what they are is a matter of debate–some believe they are a larvel form of Malakhim, others believe they are parasites that feed off the magical energies that sustain the Malakhim, while others believe they were created by the same beings that created the Malakhim, to serve as a weapon against small creatures a single Malakh could not reach.

The true nature of the Malakhim is a matter of much debate. Even their names are controversial–Malakhim and Ophanim are the names the Drow natives of Xen’drik use for them, though they have been adapted by many scholars, as well as by House Cannith. Most adventurers refer to them as “Warforged Behemoths” or “Warforged Dreadnaughts,” and to the Ophanim as “Warforged Swarmlings,” despite House Cannith’s protests that Malakhim are of no relation to their warforged. Some speculate the Malakhim were created by the giants using magic taught to them by the dragons, and perhaps even created from dragons. Others believe they were created as part of a secret project by House Cannith, conducted in Xen’drik so as to avoid suspicion, that failed, releasing them into the wild. Those who know of the existence of the Quorcraft Warforged believe the Malakhim to be ancient Quori superweapons. And finally, there are those that believe the Malakhim arose naturally, simply undergoing a strange form of evolution under the influence of the strong, wild magics that pervade Xen’drik.

Breath Weapon (Su)
A Malakh has two breath weapons, a 120 ft. line of force and a 60 ft. cone of disruptive magical energies. The line of force deals 10d4 force damage to any creature caught in it, with a DC 25 Reflex save for half damage. All creatures caught in a cone of magical energy are affected as by a targeted dispel magic spell, caster level 10th. In addition, the cone disrupts the functioning of constructs–any construct in the cone must make a DC 25 Will save or be unable to act on its next turn. Both saves are Constitution-based. Once a Malakh has used its breath weapon, it must wait 1d6 rounds before it can use it again.

Pounce (Ex)
If a Malakh charges a foe, it can make a full attack.

Rend (Ex)
If a Malakh hits a foe with both of its claw attacks, it latches onto the opponent’s body and rends it. This attack automatically deals an additional 3d12+12 points of damage.

Unleash Swarm (Ex)
A Malakh is inhabited by–or perhaps, infested by–tiny living constructs, known as Ophanim, which exist in either a symbiotic or a parasitic relationship with it. Each Malakh hosts three such swarms. As a full-round action, a Malakh can let loose one of these Ophanim swarms. The swarm appears in the Malakh’s square and acts immediately, on the Malakh’s initiative. It can also receive an adjacent swarm back into itself as a full-round action. A Malakh is immune to the Ophanim’s swarm attack. If one of a Malakh’s Ophanim swarms is destroyed, a new one is created–it is not known whether the Malakh itself manufactures or biologically creates them, or if they somehow reproduce or replicate themselves–within 1d3 weeks.

Fortification (Ex)
Whenever a Malakh would be dealt extra damage from a sneak attack, critical hit, or a similar source of precision-based damage, there is a 75% chance that the extra damage is negated.

Skills
A Malakh has a +8 racial bonus on Jump and Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened.

The Demented One
2008-01-28, 09:15 PM
Ophanim Swarm
Size/Type: Diminutive Construct (Living Construct, Swarm)
Hit Dice: 6d8+24 (51 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: 20 ft.. (4 squares), climb 10 ft.
Armor Class: 22 (+4 size, +7 Dex, +1 natural), touch 21, flatfooted 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/–
Attack: Swarm (3d6)
Full Attack: Swarm (3d6)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Crimson mist
Special Qualities: Blindsense 30 ft., damage reduction 5/adamantine, darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 1, living construct traits, swarm traits
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +9, Will +2
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 24, Con 18, Int –, Wis 10, Cha 1
Skills: Climb +3
Feats: –
Environment: Xen’drik
Organization: Three swarms pluss one Malakh
Challenge Rating: – (Included in that of the Malakh)
Treasure: –
Alignment: Always Chaotic Neutral
Advancement: –
Level Adjustment: –

Ophanim are tiny living constructs that live in a symbiotic relationship with Malakhim, though it is unknown whether they are beneficial or merely parasites. Each individual Ophan resembles a spider-like construct, about the size of a cat, with sharp-angled metallic construction. Each Ophan has a three-flanged jaw that works like a set of revolving blades, and the combined effect of this makes the attack of an Ophanim swarm much like a giant meatgrinder. Those who have faced a Malakh say that they would much rather be crushed underfoot by it than to be subjected to the ravenous attack of a hungry Ophanim swarm.

Crimson Mist (Ex)
Watching a creature being killed by an Ophanim swarm is deeply disturbing, as the swarm literally shreds its body to little more than a few scraps of flesh and a crimson mist of blood. Any creature that sees one of its allies killed by an Ophanim swarm must make a DC 14 Will save or be shaken for 1d10 rounds. The save is Dexterity-based.

Skills
An Ophanim swarm has a +8 racial bonus Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened.

DracoDei
2008-01-29, 11:19 AM
These points might rarely come up but... it seems like this thing should be vulnerable to drowning, starvation, disease, poison, and thirst, due to its semi-biological make-up...

Riva
2008-01-29, 11:36 AM
I can't comment on balance or nuffin' but I do have two things to say.

Dexterity keyed will save? huh? Why?

Also, I really like the flavor of these creatures. Excellent, keep it up! =D

DracoDei
2008-01-29, 12:40 PM
It makes perfect sense to me. Dexterity -> more deft, flowing, efficient, and therefore gruesome shredding off the fallen.

The Demented One
2008-01-29, 12:44 PM
These points might rarely come up but... it seems like this thing should be vulnerable to drowning, starvation, disease, poison, and thirst, due to its semi-biological make-up...
Yeah, but living constructs aren't. My thought on that has always been that it's organic, but not organic enough to be affected by that.


Dexterity keyed will save? huh? Why?
Only thing that made sense, really. Since it's based on them being fast and efficient at reducing people to shreds of meat, I figure it made sense.