Mythic Monster Wensday: Death-The Ferryman

Death – The Ferryman

This desiccated corpse is shrouded in dark robes that seem to flutter as if in a light breeze. Long horns protrude from the tattered vestments deep hood. The figure wields a wicked scythe decorated with images of skulls and bones.

NAME   CR 20/MR 8

XP 307,200

LN Large undead (extraplanar, mythic)

Init +17; Senses darkvision 120 ft.,deathwatch, true seeing; Perception +34

Auraessence of death (10 ft., 6d6, DC 30)

DEFENSE

AC 36, touch 22, flat-footed 31 (+8 deflection, +5 Dex,+14 natural, -1 size)

hp364 (24d8+256)

Fort +16, Ref +13, Will +21

Defensive Abilities channel resistance +4;DR15/bludgeoning and epic; Immune cold, fire, undead traits; Resist acid 10, electricity 10; SR37

OFFENSE

Speed40 ft., fly 80 ft. (good)

Melee soul reaping scythe +30/+25/+20/+15 (2d6+15, 19-20/x5), or 2claws +25 (1d6+7 plus energy drain (2 levels, DC 30))

Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

Special Attacks mythic power (8/day, surge +1d10)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20th; concentration +28)

        At will-alter self, dimension door, ethereal jaunt, speak with dead (DC 21)

        3/day-greater false life, quickened dimension door

        1/day-greater death knell aura (DC 24), mythic circle of death (costs 1 mythic power, DC 24)

STATISTICS

Str 24, Dex 20, Con–, Int 14, Wis 25, Cha 27

Base Atk +18; CMB +26; CMD 49

Feats Combat Reflexes, Dimensional Agility, Following Step, Greater Vital Strike, Improved Critical^M, Improved Initiative^M, Improved Vital Strike, Lunge, Power Attack^M, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (dimension door), Step Up, Step Up and Strike, Vital Strike

Skills Disguise +23, Fly +24, Intimidate +35, Knowledge (religion) +29, Perception +34, Profession (sailor) +31, Sense Motive +34, Stealth +15

Languages Celestial, Common, Infernal, tongues

SQ ethereal presence

ECOLOGY

Environment any, any aquatic, temperate forests, etc

Organization solitary, pair, band (3-6), squad (7-20)

Treasure standard (glove of storing, soul reaping scythe)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Essence of Death (Su) Every round on the beginning of Death’s turn, all living creatures within 10 ft. of Death take 6d6 of negative energy damage. Undead creatures, including Death, heal 6d6 points of ability damage. A living creature may attempt to resist the effects with a DC 30 Will save, receiving only half damage on a successful save. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Ethereal Presence (Su)Death can exist on both his current material plane and on the ethereal plane, allowing him to interact with corporeal and incorporeal beings equally. This gives him a deflection bonus to armor class equal to his Charisma bonus, similar to an incorporeal creature. When using his ethereal jaunt spell like ability, he exists only on the ethereal plane.

Death is also known as The Ferryman, for he carries the souls of the dead across the river Styx to their proper afterlife. Though a relatively peaceful job, the occasional hero or group of adventurers tries to force their way past Death or steal a soul from the afterlife and bring it back to the mortal realm.

Soul Reaping Scythe

Aura strong evocation and necromancy; CL 20th

Slot none; Weight 10 lbs.

DESCRIPTION

This +5 ghost touch scythehas skull and bone motifs engraved on the elder haft and cold iron blade. Mythic creatures wielding this weapon gain use of the Whirlwind feat, even if they don’t meet the prerequisites. Additionally when performing a Whirlwind attack, they may spend a point of mythic power to execute a Pull combat maneuver against opponents outside of their reach but within double their reach; this combat maneuver uses the wielders CMB and does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

When wielded against a creature who has ever been brought back from the dead from any spell or effect (such as raise dead, resurrection, true resurrection, reincarnate, or breath of life), the soul reaping scythe also gains the bane special property against that creature. Additionally, once per day the wielder of the scythe can cast slay living as a free action when confirming a critical hit against an opponent.

In addition to slaying souls that think to escape the afterlife, Death uses this artifact as a container for his essence. While this weapon exists, Death can never be destroyed. If Death is reduced to 0 or lower hit points, or defeated by some other means, then his undead soul is preserved in this object for 24 hours. During this time, treat the scythe as an intelligent item with Death’s ability scores (Ego 30), senses, and spell-like abilities. Every 24 hours, if his scythe is unattended Death rematerializes at full hit points holding his scythe. If a living creature possesses the scythe, they are subjected to a slay living spell once per day as well as an Ego dominance check.

DESTRUCTION

The soul reaping scythe can be destroyed by casting true resurrection on the item immediately followed by mage’s disjunction while Death’s defeated essence is contained in the scythe. Both of these spells must be cast by rank 10 mythic creatures.

Mythic Monsyer Mondays: Tracker Jacker Swarm

                                                                      Image by CandyMachine85 and taken from www.DeviantArt.com

By Andrew Hoskins

Tracker Jacker Swarm

A high-pitched whistle of a buzz announces the arrival of a mass of many thousands of angry, glittering golden wasps.

Mythic Wasp Swarm   CR 4/MR 2

XP 1,200

N diminutive vermin (mythic, swarm)

Init +1/-19; Senses darkvision 60 ft., scent; Perception +9

DEFENSE

AC17, touch 17, flat-footed 14 (+1 Dex, +2dodge, +4 size)

hp54 (7d8+23)

Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +3

Defensive Abilities swarm traits;DR5/epic; Immune weapon damage

Weakness swarm traits

OFFENSE

Speed5 ft., fly 40 ft. (good)

Melee swarm (2d6 plus poison and tracking)

Space10 ft.; Reach0 ft.

Special Attacks distraction (DC 14), mythic power (2/day, surge +1d6), poison (DC 14)

STATISTICS

Str1, Dex13, Con12, Int–, Wis12, Cha9

Base Atk +5; CMB–; CMD –

Skills Fly +11, Perception +9; Racial Modifiers +8 Perception

SQ dual initiative, swarm traits, vermin traits

ECOLOGY

Environment temperate forests

Organization solitary, pair, fury (3-6 swarms), maelstrom (7-12 swarms)

Treasure none

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Dual Initiative (Ex)Tracker Jacker swarms get two turns each round, one on its initiative count and another on its initiative count – 20.

Tracker Jacker Venom (Ex)Swarm-injury; save Fort DC 14; frequency 1/round for 4 rounds; effect 1d2 Constitution damage plus 1 Wisdom drain, confusion, and shaken; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Even if the target saves against the poison, they remain confused and shaken for the entire duration but take no further ability score damage. This includes poison durations extended because of multiple exposures. When the confusion wears off, the victim is left exhausted.

Tracking (Ex)Tracker jackers can use the scent special rule against any creature it has dealt damage to within the last minute. Furthermore, they can automatically sense the direction of these creatures if they are within 80 feet and they may use their Perception skill to track targets. A tracker jacker swarm will pursue fleeing prey for as long as possible, prioritizing the closest prey. If a tracker jacker swarm cannot attack a target within 1 minute, they will give up pursuit and go back to their hive.

Although they seem to look and act like normal wasps, their bulky bodies and shiny gold carapace gives them away as genetically engineered mutations created by The Capitol. They are well known for their venom, which causes sharp pain and hallucinations. The effect of the venom can become permanent, and is often used as an aid in brainwashing or mental re-programing.

These bio-weapons were deployed around the districts and The Capitol’s outer regions during the Dark Days. Once the war was over, The Capitol removed the tracker jacker nests from around their own territory, but left them in place to keep the districts under control. They are frequently used in defensive pods and in the annual Hunger Games.

Mythic Monster Tuesday: Candarian Demon

This week we are tackling The Evil Dead movies as a theme. Kicking it all off on a Tuesday (because we were still hung over from X-mas) Andrew delivers the awesome-sauce with a mythic demon!

                                                Image by spasmaticgonads  and taken from www.DeviantArt.com

Candarian Demon

With massive horns and claws, this creature seems to display a constant cocky grin. Its wild eyes shine with malice. 
CANDARIAN DEMON     CR 5/MR 2

XP 1,600

CE Medium outsider (chaotic, demon, evil, extraplanar, incorporeal, mythic)

Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +11

DEFENSE

AC 18, touch 18, flat-footed 15 (+5 deflection, +3 Dex)

hp 57 (5d10+30)

Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +9

Defensive Abilities incorporeal, natural invisibility; DR 5/epic; Immune electricity, poison; Resist acid 10, cold 10,fire 10; SR 17

OFFENSE

Speed fly 40 ft. (good)

Melee incorporeal touch +8 (1d2 Wisdom damage)

Special Attacks mythic power (2/day, hollow soul (DC 19), surge +1d6), plant possession

STATISTICS

Str --, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 15, Wis 17, Cha 20

Base Atk +5; CMB +8; CMD 18 (can’t be tripped)

Feats Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Ability Focus (curse)

Skills Bluff +13, Fly +11, Intimidate +13, Knowledge (nature) +10, Knowledge (planes) +10, Perception +11, Sense Motive +11, Stealth +11,

Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Draconic; telepathy 100 ft.

ECOLOGY

Environment any forest

Organization solitary, pair, band (3-6)

Treasure none

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Hollow Soul (Su) Damage-contact (curse); save Will DC 19; effect shaken plus 1 Wisdom drain per round (see below); cure 3 consecutive saves. This is a fear effect. The save DC is Cha-based.

A creature who dies from Wisdom damage while under the effects of this curse is immediately transformed into a dread ghoul¹ with DR 5/slashing. Furthermore, a new candarian demon is summoned as if by a gate spell and immediately gains the benefits of a magic jar spell possessing the ghoul.

Candarian demons can only bestow this curse by dealing hit point damage with a physical attack with their plant possession ability or while possessing a ghoul as a result of this curse. It costs the candarian demon 1 mythic power to apply the curse.

Plant Possession (Sp) A candarian demon can possess plants as if using animate plants at CL 13. While using this ability, their essence is imbued into the plants as if under the effects of magic jar.

These invisible terrors enjoy toying with their prey before striking. First they try and lure an easy victim into an area thick with vegetation and attack them with plant possession. They’ll let the prey live and follow it as it returns to other areas with more prey. Only when it thinks it has the advantage will it continue to drain the victim until it becomes a ghoul with a new candarian demon ally.

Once unleashed on the world, these demons are difficult to destroy or return to the Abyss. They make cleaver use of their abilities to attack only small groups until they can build up their forces.

1 – Advanced Bestiary. Copyright 2004, Green Ronin Publishing, LLC