Living Servant (Keran Creature)
| Blades Of Keran |
|---|
| Player Info |
| World Reference |
| DM Info |
| Living Servant | |
|---|---|
| Size/Type: | Medium Construct |
| Hit Dice: | 1d10+20 (25 hp) |
| Initiative: | +2 |
| Speed: | 30 ft. (6 squares) |
| Armor Class: | 13, touch 12, flat-footed 11 |
| Base Attack/Grapple: | +0/+2 |
| Attack: | Unarmed Strike +2 melee (1d3+2+2) or Sap +2 melee (1d6+2+2) or Dagger +2 10 ft. (1d4+2+2, 19-20/x2) |
| Full Attack: | Unarmed Strike +2 melee (1d3+2+2) or Sap +2 melee (1d6+2+2) or Dagger +2 10 ft. (1d4+2+2, 19-20/x2) |
| Space/Reach: | 5ft/5ft |
| Special Attacks: | |
| Special Qualities: | Construct Traits, Darkvision 60 ft., For the Master, Low-light Vision, Natural Armor, Specialization, Uncanny Similarity |
| Saves: | Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +1 |
| Abilities: | Str 14, Dex 14, Con -, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 7 |
| Skills: | Climb +4, Disguise +5, Forgery +2, Jump +4, Listen +5, Profession (Butler/Maid) +5 Spot +5 |
| Feats: | Deceitful, Improved Unarmed Strike(B) |
| Environment: | Any |
| Organization: | Single, Assignment (2-5), Department (6-12), Staff (13-70) |
| Challenge Rating: | 1 |
| Treasure: | Normal |
| Alignment: | Always Neutral |
| Advancement: | By character class OR 2-20 HD (Medium) |
| Level Adjustment: | +3 |
The young human grasps her holy symbol tightly, her blue eyes making contact with the empty gray ones across from her. She knows the creature is not of the living, but it lacks the tainted aura of the undead. Rather, the creature was never alive in the first place. A shallow imitation of life, given flesh.
"Beautiful, isn't she?" The simple question nearly made her leap out of her skin. She turned to her right, and came face to face with a well dressed man. "Her name is Anastasia, one of the many servants at this manor. How may I help you, madam?"
The cleric glared at him. "Are you the one responsible for these... things?" A laugh, and a nod. Her knuckles were bleached white, her grip threatening to break the handle. "Then you are responsible for the town's citizens disappearing. Don't try to deny it, those 'people' roaming the town are just more of these hollow shells wearing their faces." She felt fury boiling inside her. "I will not stand by as you steal innocents from their lives!" She raised her weapon, aiming to bring it down on the man.
She felt herself slam into the ground. Her limbs wouldn't move, her weapon was thrown from her grasp, and the thing was standing on top of her. It gazed into her eyes with a burning hatred that simply should not be possible from a soulless shell. "You will not harm the master."
A living servant is unlike any other construct. It's body is flesh and bone, if still carrying a normal construct's durability and lack of weak points. It can emote on a subtle level, and grows to develop more emotions the longer it lives. It has an uncanny resemblance to most humanoid races, humans and elves in specific. Their makers can implant a personality, and it will even gain one on it's own given enough time.
For all it's similarities to humanoids, it's still a construct. It will fight to the death to protect it's master or carry out his will, and can never disobey them. They are commonly used as spies, bodyguards, butlers/maids, picked over their more powerful brethren for their ability to blend in seamlessly. Who would suspect that group of peasants locked in the basement was a highly trained attack force? Who'd guess that beleaguered, abused maid would sneak around and spring a trap on the party in the middle of her master's dramatic speech, then proceed to utterly decimate the party's barbarian in a fist fight?
Other reasons for their creation vary. Maybe an old man just wants a son or daughter? Perhaps the Wizard needs more cash, so he creates an assistant that can work for coin? Maybe the Necromancer is just lazy and doesn't want to clean up after herself. Maybe they're lonely, they want someone to confide in, or prefer their servants to double as eye candy (the three aren't mutually exclusive). The living servant's best quality is it's versatility, and it comes with the benefits of never tiring and unconditional loyalty.
Combat[edit]
A living servant without class levels picks two weapons and one armor type, and is proficient with the selected weapons and armor.
In combat, the living servant combines the single-minded determination of zombies and other constructs with human emotion, lateral thinking, and adaption. Each living servant is created with their own specialty and fighting style (represented by class levels and the Specialization ability below), and are capable of learning new styles and ways of thinking.
Most commonly, they will be trained with levels of Monk or Rogue to become stronger without having to carry around several hundred pounds of obvious weapons. Their exact skill set and feat selection is up to their creator.
For the Master (Su): The living servant has a sort of link between itself and it's creator. It always knows where the creator is, their condition, and what they want it to do. When performing an action to serve it's creator's will, from a skill check to cook a meal to an attack role to destroy their enemy, it gains a +2 morale bonus (despite not being able to gain morale bonuses any other way) to the roll. The link cannot transmit thoughts or information, only emotion and desires. Direct orders must be given some other way.
This link can be dispelled, and entering a anti-magic zone breaks the link as well. Although the link renews itself after 5 minutes, the living servant has a -4 morale penalty (despite not being susceptible to morale penalties any other way) to all rolls for the time spent without the connection. If the master is killed, the living servant will gain this penalty until it finds a new master, at which point it will treat the new master as if they had always been their master for the purposes of this ability. The original master coming back to life will not return control of the living servant to them, and any orders they made to the living servant die with them.
The living servant cannot disobey a direct order from the master, but may do things that don't involve the master's desire. If the master heaps on too much abuse, the living servant will no longer gain benefits or penalties from this effect, but will still be bound to direct orders. There is no limit to the range of this link, so long as the living servant is on the same plane as it's master.
Natural Armor (Ex): A living servant has a natural armor bonus equal to its hit dice.
Specialization (Ex): Any given living servant has it's own purpose, giving some major variation in their abilities and design. At creation, and every 4 levels/hitdie later, select one of the specializations on the following list. The living servant gains that specializations. Each specialization may be taken multiple times.
If a specialization grants a competence bonus to skills, treat those skills as class skills. For living servants with class levels, select 2 skills that are granted a competence bonus by the specialization and add them to the living servant's class skills list instead.
(Note: The sample living servant uses the Fighter Specialization)
- Assassin: The Living Servant gains 1d6 sneak attack damage. This specialization may only be taken a number of times equal to the living servant's construct HD divided by 2, rounded up.
- Bodyguard: The living servant gains a +2 competence bonus to initiative, and a +4 competence bonus to Heal, Intimidate, Listen, Spot, Search, Sense Motive, Sleight of hand skill checks. The living servant gets a +2 competence bonus to attack rolls made on creatures hostile to it's master.
- Combat: The Living Servant gains +1 BAB. The Servant's BAB may never be higher than its HD.
- Durable: Increase each of the living servant's HD in size 1 step. If this would increase a HD beyond d12, give a +1 bonus to hp for each instead. For every 4 HD it posesses, give it DR 1/adamantine as well. The DR does not stack from multiple 'Durable' selections, but the HD increases do.
- Espionage: The living servant gains a +2 competence bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Disguise, Escape Artist, Forgery, Gather Information, Hide, Intimidate, Listen, Move Silently, Open Lock, Search, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Spot, and Use Rope.
- Evasive: The living servant gains a +2 competence bonus to AC. This bonus is not applied if caught flat footed. It also gains a +2 competence bonus to Balance, Climb, Jump, Swim, and Survival skill checks.
- Fighter: Select 1 feat from the list of Fighter Bonus Feats that the living servant qualifies for. It gains that feat. The living servant gains a +2 bonus to damage rolls. This specialization may only be taken once for every two construct HD the servant has (not counting the first time).
- Professional: Select 1 Craft, Perform, or Profession skill. The living servant gains a +6 to skill checks related to that craft.
- Pugilism: The living servant's unarmed strike deals 1d6 damage and may be lethal or nonlethal. Each time this specialization is taken, increase the living servant's unarmed strike damage one step up the monk table. This specialization may only be taken a number of extra times equal to the living servant's construct HD divided by 4.
- Research: The living servant gains a +2 competence bonus to Appraise, Concentration, Decipher Script, all Knowledge, Spellcraft, and Use Magic Device skill checks.
- Skillful: Add 2 to the number of skill points gained at each level or HD. If this ability is taken at the first level or HD, these points are quadrupled as normal. The Living Servant cannot gain more than 8 + Int modifier skill points at any level or HD except the first.
- Survival: The Living Servant gains +2 to a single save. This specialization may not increase any save it affects above the "good save" value for a creature of its HD.
- Talented: Increase 1 of the living servant's attributes by 2.
- Weapons Prodigy: The living servant is now proficient with all simple weapons. If proficient with all simple weapons, it becomes proficient with all martial weapons. If proficient with all simple and martial weapons, the living servant selects 3 exotic weapons to be proficient with.
Uncanny Similarity (Ex): A living servant heals as a normal humanoid. It can eat, breath, and simulate sleep by remaining inactive for a length of time, though he gains no benefit from the first two. A living servant without class levels picks two weapons and one armor type, and is proficient with the selected weapons and armor.
Unlike most constructs, a living servant is designed to learn and adapt. It gains skill points equal to (4 + Int modifier, minimum 1) per level, with quadruple skill points for it's first skill die. If it takes a level in a class with less skill points, use this skill point progression instead. With all these similarities, a living servant gains a +(1 * HD) untyped modifier to Disguise checks made to pass themselves off as humanoids.
Construction[edit]
A living servant is formed from large quantities of iron (may be substituted with unspoiled blood), ground up into powder and mixed with clay and spring water. The materials required costs 200 gp. The creature's master must be the one to assemble the body. Creating the body requires a DC 20 Craft (sculpting) check or a DC 20 Craft (pottery) check.
Alternately, a recently deceased medium humanoid's body may be used at no cost and no needed assembly, but the body must be in pristine condition and this is an evil action if not given the express permission of the person whose body is to be used. The resulting construct will bare at least a strong resemblance to the original creature, if not identical, and retains some of the original's personality. It does not retain any of the original's abilities, however.
After the body is sculpted (or obtained), it is animated through an extended magical ritual that requires a specially prepared laboratory or workroom, similar to an alchemist's laboratory and costing 500 gp to establish. The building and the ritual can be performed together.
A living servant can be created with additional HD, Specializations, and/or class levels. Each additional Hit Die adds +2,000 gp to the cost to create, extra Specializations cost +4,000gp, while adding class levels costs XP equal to the amount required to gain that level (the first class level costs 500 XP). The total number of Specializations cannot exceed the Living Servant's HD.
Craft Construct, charm person, mending, unseen servant, caster must be at least 4th level, creatures without souls cannot create any living servants; Price — (never sold); Cost 1,575 gp + 117 XP.
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