Ziggurat Horror
by Jamie BatySCMC
Large Undead
Hit Dice: 3d12 (19 hp)
Initiative: +1 (+1 Dex)
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armour Class: 15 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +5 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+12
Attack: Large pike +7 melee (2d8 +7)
Full Attack: Large pike +7 melee (2d8 +7) and sting +7 melee (1d4 +3 plus poison) or 2 claw +7 melee (1d4 +7) and sting +7 melee (1d4 +3 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Poison
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60ft., Idu's Curse, Undead traits
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +1
Abilities: Str 24, Dex 13, Con -, Int -, Wis 7, Cha 4
Skills: ---
Feats: ---
Environment: Temperate, Warm deserts, underground
Organisation: Solitary, Pair, Company (2-5), or Squad (5-20)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: ---
Level Adjustment: ---
Ziggurat horrors appear as tattered and burned manscorpions (much like the Spawns of Nimmur). Their flesh is blackened and crisp, crackling as they move with bits continually flaking off. Their red eyes glow with an eerie inner fire.
Ziggurat horrors are intentionally made by Nimmurian priests, under carefully controlled conditions. Ziggurat horrors are used to defend the darker crypts of Nimmurian temples, often under the control of a Spawn of Nimmur.
The distinction between a spawn of Nimmur and a ziggurat horror is not well known, and the Nimmurian priesthood certainly does not spread information about them. To most outsiders, the two would appear identical.
Combat
Ziggurat horrors will fight until destroyed, unless ordered to do otherwise. They prefer to attack with weapons and their sting, but may use claws if necessary.
They are proficient with simple weapons, as well as glaives, guisarmes, halberds, lances, pikes, pole-axes and ranseurs (as well as other pole-arm weapons at DM's discretion). They are proficient with light, medium and heavy armours, as well as with all shields, excluding tower shields. Nimmurian priests do not usually consider ziggurat horrors valuable enough to be given armour, however.
Poison (Ex): A creature stung by the ziggurat horror's stinger must make a Fort save vs DC 15 or suffer 1d6 Str primary damage and 1d6 Con secondary damage.
Idu's Curse (Ex): Like Nimmurian manscorpions, ziggurat horrors are extremely vulnerable to sunlight. A ziggurat horror caught in direct sunlight is shaken and suffers 1d6+2 damage per round exposed. Any ziggurat horror left in direct sunlight for more than ten minutes bursts into flames and is immediately killed. Reflected sunlight (moonlight or mirror reflections) inflicts 1d3 points of damage per round of exposure.
Undead Traits: Immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, necromantic effects, and any effect that requires a fortitude save unless it also works on objects. Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, ability drain, energy drain, or death from massive damage. It cannot be raised, and resurrection works only if it is willing. The creature has darkvision 60 ft. unless otherwise noted.
The Red Curse
Ziggurat horrors never acquire Legacies or need cinnabryl.