SYSTEM REFERENCE DOCUMENT 3.5

Inevitables are constructs whose sole aim is to enforce the natural laws of the universe.

Each type of inevitable is designed to find and punish a particular kind of transgression, hunting down a person or group that has violated a fundamental principle. When an inevitable is created, it receives its first mission, then finds the transgressors and metes out appropriate punishment. The sentence is usually death, although some inevitables insist on compensation to the wronged party instead, using geas and mark of justice to ensure compliance. From its first step, an inevitable focuses totally on its target. It continues its efforts no matter how cold the trail or hopeless the task. Inevitables are single-minded in pursuit of their quarry, but they are under orders to leave innocents alone. Accomplices to their prey are fair game, however, which sometimes creates conflicts within their programming.

Inevitables gladly sacrifice themselves to complete a mission, but they aren’t suicidal. Faced with impending defeat, they are likely to withdraw and seek a way to even the odds. They are determined but patient foes. They ally with others if that helps accomplish their mission, but they have a hard time keeping allies for long.

Inevitables tend to stick out in a crowd while they’re in observation mode, but they seem oblivious to the attention. Their forms vary, but all inevitables are gold-and-silver clockwork creatures, with gears and pistons where muscles would be on flesh-and-blood creatures. Their eyes glow with a golden radiance.

Note that unlike most constructs, inevitables have an Intelligence score and can think, learn, and remember.

Inevitables speak Abyssal, Celestial, Infernal, and the native language of their first target.

COMBAT

Unless their very existence is threatened, inevitables focus completely on the transgressor they’ve been assigned to, ignoring other combatants completely. An inevitable might attack anyone who hinders its progress, but it won’t tarry beyond the point where it can reengage its quarry. Inevitables take self-defense very seriously; anyone who attacks an inevitable with what the creature perceives as deadly force is met with deadly force in return.

An inevitable’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Fast Healing (Ex): An inevitable heals a certain amount of damage each round (specified in each variety’s description) as long as it has at least 1 hit point. However, damage dealt by chaotic weapons heals at the normal rate.

KOLYARUT

Kolyaruts mete out punishment to those who break bargains and oaths.

Before beginning a mission against a deal-breaker, a kolyarut learns as much about the contract or oath as possible. It’s not interested in those who break deals accidentally or against their will— only those who willingly break contracts violate the principle that kolyaruts are created to uphold. If a written contract was broken, the kolyarut typically carries a copy of the contract with it.

Kolyaruts are the most talkative of the inevitables, making credible attempts at social niceties such as proper greetings before getting down to the matter at hand. They can use disguise self to appear as almost any kind of humanoid—useful if they need to go undercover to catch their quarry.

Combat

Like all inevitables, a kolyarut is patient enough to study a target before striking. It has a good idea of the deal-breaker’s abilities and defenses before it enters battle. When it fights, it tries to get the conflict over as soon as possible, minimizing excess bloodshed and mayhem. It doesn’t let concern for innocents delay or endanger its mission, however.

A kolyarut’s favorite tactic is to use invisibility or disguise self to sneak close, then eliminate the quarry with its vampiric touch ability before it can react. A kolyarut has no compunctions about using its vampiric touch ability on allies to increase its own power, if doing so helps it complete its mission.

A kolyarut’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Enervation Ray (Su): A kolyarut can fire a black enervation ray at targets within 200 feet. The effect is identical with the enervation spell (caster level 13th).

Spell-Like Abilities: At will—discern lies (DC 17), disguise self, fear (DC 17), hold person (DC 16), invisibility, locate creature, suggestion (DC 16); 1/day—hold monster (DC 17), mark of justice; 1/week— geas/quest. Caster level 13th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Vampiric Touch (Su): As a melee touch attack, a kolyarut can steal life force from its foe, as the vampiric touch spell (caster level 13th).

Skills: A kolyarut has a +4 racial bonus on Disguise, Gather Information, and Sense Motive checks.

MARUT

Maruts confront those who would try to deny the grave itself.

Any who use unnatural means to extend their life span could be targeted by a marut. Those who take extraordinary measures to cheat death in some other way might be labeled transgressors as well. Those who use magic to reverse death aren’t worthy of a marut’s attention unless they do so repeatedly or on a massive scale.

When a marut has identified its target, it walks surely and implacably toward the foe, never resting.

Combat

Once it has found its target, a marut brings it the death it has been trying to avoid. Those who defile death through necromancy may instead receive a geas and/or mark of justice to enforce proper respect. It typically uses wall of force to shut off any escape routes, then opens up with chain lightning while it closes to melee range. Once there, it strikes with its massive fists, using circle of death if beset by numbers of defenders. It hits spellcasting opponents with repeated uses of greater dispel magic, and it uses dimension door and locate creature to track down foes who flee.

A marut’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Fists of Thunder and Lightning (Su): A marut’s left fist delivers a loud thunderclap whenever it hits something, dealing an extra 3d6 points of sonic damage and causing the target to be deafened for 2d6 rounds (Fortitude DC 31 negates the deafness). Its right fist delivers a shock for an extra 3d6 points of electricity damage, and the flash of lightning causes the target to be blinded for 2d6 rounds (Fortitude DC 31 negates the blindness). The save DCs are Strength-based and include the marut’s Ability Focus feat.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will—air walk, dimension door, fear (DC 18), greater command (DC 19), greater dispel magic, mass inflict light wounds (DC 19), locate creature, true seeing; 1/day—chain lightning (DC 20), circle of death (DC 20), mark of justice, wall of force; 1/week— earthquake (DC 22), geas/quest, plane shift (DC 21). Caster level 14th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Skills: A marut has a +4 racial bonus on Concentration, Listen, and Spot checks.

ZELEKHUT

Zelekhuts are charged with hunting down those who would deny justice—especially those who flee to escape punishment. Expert trackers, they use a combination of natural skill and magic to find fugitives wherever they may hide.

A zelekhut may initially appear rather non-threatening—but when it is about to enter combat, it can cause two spiked chains to spring forth from its forearms as a free action. In similar fashion, it can cause a pair of golden metallic wings to emerge from its back. Retracting the chains or the wings is also a free action.

Combat

Once it has found its fugitive, a zelekhut uses its speed and its spell-like abilities to cover the most likely escape routes. Then it immobilizes any defenders while attempting to protect any innocent bystanders. Finally, it apprehends the fugitive with its spiked chains, tripping or disarming the foe as needed.

A zelekhut’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will—clairaudience/clairvoyance, dimensional anchor, dispel magic, fear (DC 16), hold person (DC 15), locate creature, true seeing; 3/day—hold monster (DC 17), mark of justice; 1/week— lesser geas (DC 16). Caster level 8th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Skills: A zelekhut has a +4 racial bonus on Search and Sense Motive checks.

Feats: Due to its centaur-like construction, a zelekhut qualifies for feats as if it had the Mounted Combat feat.

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