PDA

View Full Version : [PEACH] The Monolith [Epic d20 Past monster]



Neek
2008-11-21, 05:30 PM
This is an epic-level construct created for a horror-inspired d20 Past game, set in an alternative history of WWII where the war didn't end. Despite the waging theaters in East Europe and the Middle East, some strange things are afoot...

"It's a tragedy, I'll tell you. The Russians aren't giving up their front. The Nazis have backed out of Europe altogether, but they're around. Hitler's body can't be found. And now this?" The voice, hoarse. Over the phone, I can hear a match being struck. The deep inhalation follows. This is his second cigar in our conversation. "You better have a good explanation, because I don't buy it. That's not something that can just up and walk away."

"Well, I'm afraid it had," I tell him. "We had it on display out in the courtyard, just like you asked us to. Now, it's not in the courtyard. No one saw anything. Not even the night guard." This was frustrating. How do you lose an obelisk? I had no explanations, but I had a hunch. "Though I gotta tell you, people are sort of glad to see it gone, they think it's cursed. We've had reports, Mr. Toby. Autos getting torn up, people dying... it's a lot of tragedy. I've talked to the police, they came around asking. The museum's the center of it. Everyone here, well, we're convinced. It's brought sandstorms. It's destroyed thousands of dollars, autos, traffic poles, whatever. There's 30 or so people dead. We're in the middle of bloody London, sir. There is no sand. That thing, it's cursed."

He cursed. I could hear the tinkle of ice in a tumbler. I don't know what time it is in the States, but it can't be too late in the day. "Listen, Tim. It's not cursed. There's no such thing as curses. So I'm going to tell you this once, and once only: Someone stole it. I want it back. And I want to know how they were able to take a 50 foot obelisk without anyone noticing."

"Yes, sir."

That was two months ago. Now here I am, in the middle of Iraq. Someone saw the obelisk in Paris. In Rome. In Constantinople. In Jerusalem. In Alexandria. Then, in Baghdad. The regime, they're not happy with me here. The Iranians have been hitting them hard, trying to stop them from getting oil to the Nazis up in the Torican peninsula. The reports are the same. Sandstorm comes in. People are choking to death in unheard of numbers. Tanks are destroyed, left in graveyards that should be battlefields. And people are talking. There's a giant out there, eating their guns, eating their trucks. Destroying their cities.

I saw it last night. Or at least, I thought I saw it. Whatever it was, just looking at it, fear ran down my spine. I froze. It was huge. One of the guys in my camp went brave, and shot at it. His bullets, they just bounced off it. Poor Richard Bryant. He didn't see it coming. Just stepped on him. Oh God. How am I going to tell his wife?

Whatever this is, I'm convinced. This is a curse, brought down upon us all for even touching that mass grave. When we saw all those bodies, we should have just left. My name is Dr. Timothy Gerald Shard, and I'm going to end this. I helped bring this curse into the world. I'm responsible for making sure it leaves, even if it costs my life.

The Monolith

Colossal Construct [Earth] [Shapechanger] [Swarm]
HD 52d10+120 (400 hp)
Speed 60 ft. (10 squares)
Init: -2 (Dex)
AC 41 (-2 Dex, -8 Size, +39 Natural, +2 Shield), touch 0, flat-footed 39
BAB +39; Grp +77
Attack Bronze khopesh +52 melee (6d6+22, 17-20 x2), Slam +48 melee (4d6+18, 20 x2), shield bash +48 melee (3d6+18, 20 x2).
Full-Attack : Bronze khopesh +52/+47/+42/+37 (6d6+22, 17-20x2)
Space 30 ft.; Reach 20 ft.
Special Attacks -
Special Qualities Construct traits, create spawn, cthonomancy, cthonophage, DR 15/-, fast healing 10, frightful presence, hive mind, obelisk, swarm form, SR 22
Saves Fort +13 Ref +11 Will +13
Abilities Str 47, Dex 6, Con -, Int 11, Wis 11, Cha 1
Skills Climb (Str) +36, Hide (Dex) -18, Jump (Str) +27, Intimidate (Cha) +7, Knowledge (History) (Int) +6, Listen (Wis) +19, Spot (Wis) +22, Swim (Str) +36.
Feats Ability Focus (Cthonomancy), Ability Focus (Cthonophage), Alertness, Awesome Blow, Brutal Throw, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Great Cleave, Greater Weapon Focus (Khopesh), Greater Weapon Specialization (Khopesh), Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (Khopesh), Improved Grapple, Improved Sunder, Throw Anything, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (Khopesh), Weapon Specialization (Khopesh).
Languages known: Ancient Egyptian, Terran.
Equipment: Masterwork colossal bronze khopesh (hardness 9, 40 hp), masterwork colossal bronze heavy shield (hardness 9, 80 hp).
Challenge Rating 24

Standing next to it, you'd think it was a statue. You'd think its legs were just massive pillars. You don't need to know that the hieroglyphs on its body say anything at all: they tell of madness and despair, something that would emanate from its presence. If you were a distance away, you'd see it: Shaped like a man, moving swiftly across the battlefield. In its right hand, it wields a massive shield of bronze, the face of it too scratched, too worn to see what used to cover it. In its left hand is a khopesh. A menacing, wicked blade tattered from fights from times unknown. It's body, the stone carved to look like ancient armor. It's head is set atop a hulking frame, faceless with two hollow orbs where eyes should be, burning with flame.

In a moment, it could disperse into a sandstorm, asphyxiating those who dare to even stay within its grasps.

Though, most people who have seen this creature have never seen it in such a way. They only see a stone obelisk.

The creature is drawn to worked stone and metals. It enjoys stronger metal and stones, finding less flavor in the more decorative ones.

Combat: The Monolith does not attack unless it is too attacked. It attacks the presumably most threatening or strongest, generally based on aggression. Howeve, it is not dumb, and can size its foes up quite well. It normally does not attack those that don't threaten it. It is bout to acts of anger and aggression, the motives unbeknownst to anyone; however, it is most agitated and aggressive around large crowds.

Awesome Blow: The Monolith substracts 4 from its next melee attack. If it connects with a corporeal creature, the opponent must make a reflex save equal to the damage dealt or be knocked 30 ft. in the direction of the Monolith's choice and fall prone. If the opponent hits an obstacle, both the opponent and the obstacle take 3d6 points damage.
Choking sandstorm (Ex): The Monolith, when in sand swarm, can lift up sand or loose dirt out to 100 ft. to create a sandstorm that chokes anyone within its limits. If the Monolith begins its move, moves through, or ends it movement with creatures occupying its area, those creatures must make a Fort save (DC 36) or immediatley begin suffocating. The Monolith must begin its round in a square containing sand or dirt and must move at least 120 ft. each round to maintain this.

Cthonomancy (Sp): The Monolith has an unusual attraction to the earth and all things earthen. It knows immediately where on the world it is. If there is any geologically activity, it becomes aware of its source and its span of destruction. Because of its intimate awareness of geology, it also is aware of worked stone, metal, or other earthen materials. Within a 100 miles, it knows the general direction and distance of inanimate objects that contain metal or other earthen materials (such as cars, boats, houses, bolders) that are huge or larger and are separate objects from the earth. When within 100 feet of mechanical objects or loose, it can draw these objects to it. The objects are required to make a Fortitude save (DC 25), or immediately be yanked and grabbed by the creature.

Cthonopage (Sp): The Monolith may make a touch attack against any mechanical device or worked earthen material and attempt to repair itself with it. The object must make a Fortitude save (DC 25) or be abosrbed by the Monolith. The size of the object depends on its ability to heal: Small, 1 hp; Medium, 1d8+1 hp; Large, 2d8+2; Huge, 4d8+4; Gargantuan, 6d8+6; Colossal, 8d8+8.

Create Spawn (Sp): Once per month, the Monolith can create new constructs. When using Cthonophage, instead of healing itself, it can use the sapped technology or earthen material to create a number of spawn equal to the number of dice it would have healed itself for. It can create small constructs with 1/2 HD, medium with 1 HD, large 2 HD, and huge 4 HD. The Monolith can control the total number of the spawn's HD that is equal to half its own HD.

Construct traits (Ex): The Monolith has low-light vision; darkvision out to 60'; immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charm, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects); immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and necromancy effects; immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless); no subjectivity to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or energy drain; no risk of death from massive damage; no depency on food, water, sleep, or air. In addition, the Monolith is immediately and irrevocably destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points.

Fast Healing (Su): When the Monolith is touching the Earth, but not man-made surfaces (such as rooftops, cobbled or paved roads, concrete, etc.), the Monolith heals 10 hp per round. The Monolith does not gain the benefit of this ability when in swarm form.
Frightful Presence (Ex): Creatures standing in the presence of the Monolith must make a Will save (DC 34) or be frightened for 5d6 rounds. If the creature passes the save, it is immune to the Monolith's frightful presence for 24 hours.

Hive Mind (Ex): In addition to being immune by mind-affecting abilities (owed to being a construct), the Monolith, in swarm form, is immune to any spell or psionic effect that targets a specific number of creatures, with the exception of effects that command, control, turn, rebuke, bolster, or destroy constructs specifically.

Obelisk (Ex): The Monolith can appear deceptively like a stone obelisk. In an hours time, if the Monolith is unobserved and standing perfectly still, it will slowly form itself into an obelisk by contorting its body. When in this form, it retains all its normal properties, however its frightful presence is subdued, and any Search check would reveal it to be just an obelisk. Any effect that would allow one to see magical auras would fail on it. At an instant, however, it can turn into its swarm form or normal form.

Swarm Form (Su): The Monolith, as a standard action, can turn itself into a sand swarm. Shapechanging is a standard action. When changing, the Monolith heals for 52 damage. The Monolith has the following features:
Swarm of Sand
Fine Construct (Swarm) [Earth]
Speed: Fly 120 ft. (perfect)
Special Attacks:
- Immune to Weapon Damage (Ex): Weapon attacks are useless against a swarm of Fine