Inevitable, Marut

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.

Maruts represent the inevitability of death. They confront those who would try to deny the grave itself.

Any who use unnatural means to extend their life span (such as a lich) could be targeted by a marut. Those who take extraordinary measures to cheat death in some other way (such as sacrificing hundreds of others to keep oneself safe from a plague) might be labeled transgressors as well. Those who use magic to reverse death (raise dead spells, for example) 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.

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.

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.

Fast Healing (Ex): A marut heals 10hp each round as long as it has at least 1 hit point. However, damage dealt by chaotic weapons heals at the normal rate.

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.