Great Guardian of Aramaethia (3.5e Creature)

Great Guardian of Aramaethia

Size/Type:	Gargantuan Construct
Hit Dice:	27d10+66 (214 hp)
Initiative:	+10
Speed:	Swim 80 ft. (16 squares), Jet 320 ft. (64 squares)
Armor Class:	16, touch 8, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple:	+20/+46
Attack:	Tentacle +33 (2d6+14) or Slam +33 (3d6+14) or Bite +33 (3d8+14).
Full Attack:	10 Tentacles +33, 2 Slams +31, and Bite +31
Space/Reach:	20ft./20ft. (40ft. with tentacle)
Special Attacks:	Constrict 2d6+14, improved grab
Special Qualities:	construct traits, damage reduction 15/Adamantine, ink cloud, jet, low light vision, magic immunity, perceive heritage .
Saves:	Fort +9, Ref +11, Will +13
Abilities:	Str 38, Dex 15, Con -, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 2
Skills:	Listen +15, Spot +16, Swim +21
Feats:	Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Multiattack, Toughness (2), Weapon Focus (bite, tentacle, slam).
Environment:	Any aquatic
Organization:	Solitary
Challenge Rating:	18
Treasure:	none
Alignment:	Neutral
Advancement:	28-36 (Gargantuan), 37-44 (Colossal)
Level Adjustment:	-

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A great shadow descends upon you as you investigate the sunken ruins. Upon peering upwards, you see through the murk the form of a massive squid rocketing towards you at an unbelievable speed. The light glints strangely off its flesh as if it was made of metal and its enormous orange eyes the size of a man’s head appear decidedly artificial.

The Great Guardian of Aramaethia (AIR-ah-MAY-THEE-ah) is an enormous construct designed as a squid by the ancient people of that land to provide the ultimate defense against their enemies. Now that Aramaethia has sunken miles beneath the waves, the guardian exercises its duties with renewed vigor, destroying all without Aramaethian blood (the distant ancestors of some of the survivors of the Cataclysm do exist, though few of them know of it, and it will not harm them, and will indeed protect them.) Though the Guardian was not designed for intelligence, it is capable of understanding simple speech. However, it can only be communicated with by a descendant of an Aramaethian (it will simply attack anyone else). Further, it understands only the lost language of its creators, Aramaethian.

Combat

The Guardian constantly patrols the perimeter of Aramaethia, looking and listening for any potential intruders where it defines “intruder’ as anyone within ten miles in any direction (including upwards) who is not of Aramaethian Decent. Upon spotting anyone who is not of Aramaethian descent, it uses its Jet special ability to get to the scene as soon as possible. If an Aramaethian is in the party, but there are”foreigners” or “potential intruders” amongst them, then the Guardian has a 50% chance of attacking anyway, for it is extremely old and its fail-safes are beginning to break down. If it is capable of perceiving (and caring) that an Aramaethian is among the party, then one of three things will happen. If neither the heir nor the rest of the party is clearly in control, then it will gesture with one of its tentacles to rise to the surface and communicate. If this is refused, then it will attack everyone but the heir, which it will protect if necessary. If the heir is clearly in charge then it will ignore the group. If the heir is clearly not in charge, it will hover menacingly near by, but will otherwise leave the party unasailed because it will assume that it is a delicate prisoner exchange/hostage situation. “In control” is defined as one who is clearly giving orders and directing the others of the group. An opponent can attack the Guardian’s tentacles with a sunder attempt as if they were weapons. The Guardian’s tentacles have 30 hit points each and are hardness 15. If the Guardian is currently grappling a target with the tentacle that is being attacked, it usually uses another limb to make its attack of opportunity against the opponent making the sunder attempt. Severing one of the Guardian’s tentacles deals 15 points of damage to the creature. The Guardian will fight to the death. The Guardian is capable of repairing damage to itself at a rate of 2 points per round.

Constrict (Ex)

The Guardian deals 1d6+8 points of damage with a successful grapple check.

Immunity to Magic (Ex)

The Guardian is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. In addition, certain spells and effects function differently against the creature, as noted below. A magical attack that deals cold damage slows the Guardian (as the slow spell) for 2d6 rounds, with no saving throw. A magical attack that deals electricity damage breaks any slow effect on the creature and heals 1 point of damage for every 3 points of damage the attack would otherwise deal. If the amount of healing would cause the creature to exceed its full normal hit points, it gains any excess as temporary hit points. For example, if the Guardian is hit by a lightning bolt it heals 3 points of damage if the attack would have dealt 11 points of damage. A the Guardian gets no saving throw against attacks that deal electricity damage.

Improved Grab (Ex)

To use this ability, the Guardian must hit an opponent of any size with a tentacle attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict. *A giant squid has a +4 racial bonus on grapple checks.

Ink Cloud (Ex)

The Guardian squid can emit a cloud of jet-black ink 20 feet high by 20 feet wide by 20 feet long once per minute as a free action. The cloud provides total concealment, which the squid normally uses to escape a losing fight. All vision within the cloud is obscured.

Jet (Ex)

The Guardian can jet backward once per round as a full-round action, at a speed of 320 feet. It must move in a straight line, but does not provoke attacks of opportunity while jetting.

Perceive Heritage (Su)

The Guardian produces a magical divination effect that allows it to perceive whether or not any creature within sight is descended from the original Aramaethians. This impacts many of the decisions that the Guardian makes.

Skills

The Guardian has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

Lore

Knowledge (History) DC 10

Knowledge of the legend of Aramaethia (and its Guardian) is given by a check of this difficulty.

Knowledge (History) DC 25

True location of Aramaethia

Knowledge (History) DC 35

Explicit details of the Guardian’s protocols regarding heirs of Aramaethia, and other similarly esoteric information regarding weakness and strengths of the Guardian.

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