Megalith
by Jamie BatyIM 42
Colossal Outsider (Exalted, Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 3000d8+735000 (748500 hp)
Initiative: +20 (-5 Dex. +25 Int)
Speed: Constantly moving
Armour Class: Core: 24 (-8 size, -5 Dex, +27 natural), touch -13, flat-footed 24; Mantle: Can always be hit
Base Attack/Grapple: +3000/+3261
Attack: -
Full Attack: -
Space/Reach: 3000 miles. /-
Special Attacks: Earthquake, mind power, volcanic action
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 15/epic, dormant immunities, potent magic, outsider traits, spell resistance 50, tremorsense
Saves: Fort +1747, Ref +1497, Will +1522
Abilities: Str 500, Dex 0, Con 500, Int 60, Wis 50, Cha 70
Skills: Bluff +3033, Concentration +3247, Diplomacy +3033, Gather Information +3033, Intimidate +3033, All Knowledge skills + 3028, Listen +3023, Sense Motive +3023, Spellcraft +3028, Spot +3023, Survival +3023
Feats: This creature has no need of feats*
Environment: Multiverse
Organisation: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 3000
Treasure: Raw Materials
Alignment: Active Phase: Lawful Neutral, Dormant Phase: Chaotic Neutral
Advancement: 3001+ HD (Colossal)
Level Adjustment: ---
Megaliths are the largest known life forms in the multiverse. They may be related to baaka, but are of a greater order of magnitude, and are as yet classified as a different life form. A megalith may, at first sighting, appear to be a planetary body. In its long dormant phase, it may be indistinguishable from a planet.
The smallest known megalith is about 3,000 miles in diameter; the largest, over a million. The average weight of a megalith's form varies from 100 to 500 pounds per cubic foot. Its exact Hit Dice are unknown, but are believed by Immortals to be about 1 per mile of the creature's diameter.
A megalith's body has two distinct parts. Its centre, in which the life essence resides, is a warm, solid core weighing almost 20% of the total mass. This core, effectively the creature's brain, is protected by an outer covering of mixed solid and liquid matter. This covering is called its mantle (it is several miles deep), and can withstand nearly any imaginable attack due to its sheer size.
Over long periods of time, very thin layers of earth, water, and air collect on the creature's surface. Most transient life forms present during a megalith's active phase confine themselves to these added layers, and rarely penetrate any large fraction of the mantle.
During its active phase, a megalith can communicate by gentle, subtle manipulations of the surface of its mantle. The only mortals able to understand megalith "speech" are specialists called druids, and even they do not fully understand the process or the implications. Immortal intelligence, augmented by magical aids such as telepathy, can establish two-way communication with megaliths in active phase.
During its dormant phase, a megalith rejects all attempts at communication, and will instinctively use its mantle to defend itself or to repel irritants.
The monotony of a megalith's life is broken by cycles. Each cycle consists of two phases, active and dormant. In the active cycle, the megalith is fully awake. It observes its surroundings and examines itself constantly, noting the appearance and disappearance of life forms on and within it aiding their development and defending itself. Of generally good intentions, a megalith will try to avoid unexpected movements while awake, for such can damage or destroy the life forms. The active phase lasts for 10,000-1,000,000 years (1d100 x 10,000).
Near the end of its active cycle, a megalith loses interest in its surroundings. It cools its outer parts by rotating with increasing speed, slowing only after all extraneous material (such as water, life forms, etc.) is discarded. It then withdraws its life force to some central point, finally lapsing into a dormant phase (similar to animal hibernation). During this phase it ignores most activity within, on, and around itself, and becomes unpredictable- reacting randomly and instinctively. Whether it dreams or not, who can tell.
All the known megaliths were created at the same time as the multiverse. The home planet of all PCs is a megalith, now nearing the midpoint of its active phase. The Immortals made special arrangements with this creature, who is known to them as Urt, before starting to cultivate life forms upon and within it.
Combat
Megaliths usually ignore most things going on around it. Should something prove to be an irritant, the megalith will first try subtle uses of its mind power to remove the irritant. If its patience is tried, or it is truly threatened, it will respond with earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Note that all mental effects and attacks must target the core (the outer edge of which is, at a minimum, several miles into the mantle). In order to kill a megalith, the core must be attacked and damaged directly. This requires penetrating the mantle through magic or inflicting damage equal to 20% of the megalith's hp in an area no more than 10ft square (hacking your way through). The core represents 80% of the megalith's hp.
Earthquake (Sp): Once per round, a megalith may unleash a massive earthquake affecting any area of its mantle. All creatures on the mantle in a 500 ft radius spread of the earthquake's epicentre are affected as per the spell earthquake.
Mind Power (Sp): As a swift round action, a megalith may create a variety of spell-like effects at the expenditure of Power Points. It possesses 5000 Power Points. Power Points regenerate with rest at the rate of 1 PP per minute of rest. Megaliths are associated with the Sphere of Matter. The following are typical uses for the Power Points:
• A megalith can cast any mortal spell at 25th level, but that costs it double the spell level in PP (for example, a fire ball would cost it 6 PP).
• A megalith may cast the immortal spells power attack (2 PP per 1d6, up to 25d6), probe (5 PP) and probe-shield (5 PP).
Volcanic Action (Ex): Once per 10 rounds, a megalith can unleash a huge volcanic eruption from its surface. The eruption creates a cone of lava and fire that is 15000 ft long (3x HD), and 300ft in diameter (1/10 HD) at its source. Any creature or object with the area of affect is completely obliterated, including immortal artifacts. Creatures immune to fire still suffer 300d6 damage from the pressure and force of the blast, and all items they carry are likely to be destroyed (DM's discretion). Immortals, and only Immortals, are allowed a Reflex save vs DC 100 to avoid the devastation.
A creature that succeeds on a DC 100 Knowledge (the planes) check will know the signs of a megalith volcanic eruption. With subsequent Spot check vs DC 25, the creature will see warning signs of an impending eruption.
Damage Reduction (Su): A megalith has damage reduction of 15/epic.
Dormant Immunities (Ex): A megalith in its dormant cycle is immune to all magic, both mortal and immortal, and all manifestations of mind powers.
Potent Magic (Ex): Unlike mortal creatures, a megalith can affect an immortal with its magical attacks.
Tremorsense (Ex): A megalith can pinpoint the location of any creature located in or on its mantle.