Honor to Burn (PEACH)

Light of the Ancestors

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...px-Samurai.JPG

Medium Construct (incarnum)
Hit Dice: 12d10+20 (86 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 26 (+16 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 26
Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+16
Attack: Masterwork bastard sword +18 melee (1d10+10/17-20/x2 plus fire in the belly)
Full Attack: Masterwork bastard sword +18/+13 melee (1d10+10/17-20/x2 plus fire in the belly) and masterwork short sword +12/+7 melee (1d6+10/19-20/x2 plus fire in the belly)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Fire in the belly, kiai smite, one with the blade, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Construct traits, damage reduction 10/adamantine and chaos, darkvision 60 ft., incarnum subtype, low-light vision, power resistance 20, sense hostility, soulshine
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +7
Abilities: Str 25, Dex 10, Con -, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 16
Skills: Jump +8, Listen +10, Spot +10
Feats: Cleave, Improved Critical (bastard sword), Improved Initiative, Kiai Shout, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (bastard sword)(B)
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, Guards (2-3), Formation (6-20)
Challenge Rating: 10
Treasure: None
Alignment: Any lawful
Advancement: 13-21 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: -

The light of the ancestors was once a man, an elite bodyguard sworn to protect a powerful ruler and his family for all generations to come. An oath is made, an oath so strong and sincere that it may bind them even in death. If this soldier dies while protecting his charges he is given a great honor. His likeness is rendered in iron and set within the royal grounds.

The light of the ancestors appears as the idealized form of a warrior cast to realistic perfection in silver and iron. It wears resplendent burial armor and wields a sword in readiness in each hand. Where its belly would be however is a grate with bars shaped in artistic designs such as ivy or wind. Within is a large hollow from which an ornate censer hangs on three golden chains, etched with the scene of the warrior's death. Within, ever in flame but never burning, are ground bones mixed with incense and other strangely smelling spices.

A light of the ancestor's height ranges as widely as that of a standard human and weighs anywhere between 500-1000 lbs. A light of the ancestor speaks whatever languages it did in life. If good-aligned the construct also knows Celestial, and if evil it may speak Infernal. Neutral Light of the Ancestors may choose either.

Combat
When a light of the ancestors senses an enemy of its charges its soul is diverted from afterlife to animate its prepared receptacle. It throws itself into battle utterly without fear, knowing that if it is destroyed its soul will merely return to its honored rest.

A light of the ancestors attacks are considered law-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Fire in the Belly (Su): When angered the flame within the censer flares up, rapidly heating the structure. Within 1d4 rounds its attacks deal an additional 1d6 fire damage along with its other damage. Those attempting to grapple the light of the ancestors takes full, automatic fire damage each round. The fire within the cannot be put out by any means short of death.
As well, a light of the ancestors may release up to half it's HD in lawful-neutral aligned Soulsparks (see Magic of Incarnum, p. 196) that are thrown off from the furied flame within. These soulsparks always attempt to aid the Light of the Ancestors as they are all parts of the same controlling spirit.
A magical attack that deals fire damage breaks any slow effect on the light of the ancestor 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 light of the ancestor to exceed its full normal hit points, it gains any excess as temporary hit points. For example, a light of the ancestor hit by a fireball gains back 6 hit points if the damage total is 18 points. A light in the ancestor gets no saving throw against fire effects.

Kiai Smite (Ex): A light of the ancestors gains a bonus to attack damage equal to its Charisma modifier.

One With the Blade (Ex): A light of the ancestor's swords are an extension of the construct's form and as such cannot it cannot be disarmed. It may sheath its swords to use its hands if neccessary, the blades merging seamlessly with the rest of its solid structure. If the swords are successfully sundered a light of the ancestor gains 2 slam attacks +16 melee (1d6+7 plus fire in the belly)

Sense Hostility (Su): A light of the ancestors can sense the presence of any being intent on doing harm to the royal family or itself within 100 feet. It knows the general direction of its enemy, but cannot pinpoint the location until within 10 feet. If the enemy is doing actual harm to one of its charges it can sense the foe at twice the usual range.

Soulshine (Su): The flame of the light of the ancestors clearly illuminates a radius of 60 feet and provides shadowy illumination out to a 120 foot radius. This flame reveals invisible creatures and objects out to 60 feet, just like the invisibility purge spell. Those illuminated flicker with a faint glow. The color of each aura determines the alignment of the illuminated beings.

Spell-like Abilities:
3/day Pyrotechnics. Caster level 12th. The save DC's are Charisma-based.

Is this the reason for the "What is that... thingy?" (or whatever) thread?

Anyway, nice monster, too bad my campaign doesn't use incarnum.... :(



;)

I would give it a challendge rating of about 15.

Interestingly, I'm making an Incarnum Samurai base class…
Well, "making" meaning "it's on hold until I can be bothered to work on it", as is usual for my projects…

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Originally Posted by Papa Smurf Vaynor

Is this the reason for the "What is that... thingy?" (or whatever) thread?

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Ermmm... dunno what you're talking about, so probably not ;)

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Anyway, nice monster, too bad my campaign doesn't use incarnum....

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Well, only thing really incarnum about it is the soulsparks it releases.

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I would give it a challendge rating of about 15.

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Why precisely? An iron golem with more than half again as many HP, an AC of 30, a strength of 33, immunity to magic, fire healing like the light of the ancestors has, and a breath weapon that can kill in one go is only a CR 13.

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Interestingly, I'm making an Incarnum Samurai base class…
Well, "making" meaning "it's on hold until I can be bothered to work on it", as is usual for my projects…

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Definetely sounds like folks who'd be chosen as Lights of the Ancestors :)

An updated list of Things to Fear in VorpalTribble's Campaign World:

rocks
trees
ground
rivers
roads
mountains
clouds
hippopotami
small woodland animals
large woodland animals
woods (as a whole, rather then individual trees)
dreams
sleep
waking up
being awake
shadows
light
koala bears
statues

What about Redman -- or are they included in Large Woodland creatures?

Bah, any player worth his salt should already be afraid of statues...

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Vorpal Tribble Bah, any player worth his salt should already be afraid of statues...

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I am…

All statues in a campaign are either:
A. Living
B. Former medusa/cockatrice/etc. victims

I once had a medusa that hated what she was and lived in isolation to avoid turning people to stone. She like carving though so she had statues everywhere. The party was just getting to the "crazy-complex over-thought plan" (you know the kind, they usually involve mirror lined minecarts filled with flaming oil) stage of thier attack on her lair when the wizard cast stone to flesh on one of the statues. When it didn't work they took a careful look at them, found they were carved and figured this whole medusa thing was a ruse, so they went back and robbed their patron.

The moral? Sometimes a statue is just a statue, but only when you think it's not. Even then, the DM will probably animate it when your back is turned just to be a jerk.

Edit: Oh and this goes without saying but nice monster VT.

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The moral? Sometimes a statue is just a statue, but only when you think it's not.

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*grins*

I was going to post just that ;)


Love that story btw.

It is really cool, but I'm pretty sure Incarnum is not OGC.

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Originally Posted by Frojoe

It is really cool, but I'm pretty sure Incarnum is not OGC.

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Ermmm... nope, sure isn't. Why?