Inevitable, Kolyarut

Hailing from the lawful neutral plane of Mechanus, 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, such as “The guilty should be punished,” “Bargains should be kept,” or “Everyone dies eventually.” 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. If unable to cross an ocean any other way, inevitables have been known to walk into the waves, traversing the seabed to emerge on another continent months later.

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. Even the most effective inevitables are periodically recalled to Mechanus for reprogramming.

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. It’s apparent to anyone who spends much time with one that an inevitable would sacrifice an ally to fulfill its purpose without a second thought.

When an inevitable completes its task, it wanders the landscape and passively observes life around it. When it discerns another transgression of the principle it is dedicated to, it has a new mission. Inevitables tend to stick out in a crowd while they’re in observation mode, but they seem oblivious to the attention. Those in the know who hear about a 12-foot-tall, golden-armored statue roaming the countryside might seek out the inevitable and present a case, hoping it will take on the alleged transgressor. The decision is based on the idiosyncrasies of the inevitable’s programming, so there’s no guarantee.

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.

Kolyaruts represent the ultimate enforcement clause in a contract—they mete out punishment to those who break bargains and oaths. Originally sent from Mechanus to avenge major betrayals, once on the Material Plane they hunt down everyone from unscrupulous merchants to army deserters. Anyone who reneges on a deal could draw the ire of a kolyarut, although the creature usually ignores inconsequential deals and rashly sworn 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.

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.

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.

Fast Healing (Ex): A kolyarut heals 5hp each round as long as it has at least 1 hit point. However, damage dealt by chaotic weapons heals at the normal rate.

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.