The Drow War Book Two. The Dying Of - RoseRed

hovers at the end of the room: a rotating framework of
illuminated glass spheres around a central axis, like a
magical planetarium. It emits a faint keening noise like
the whining of a dog in pain.
When the Myrrik began to plan for the devastation
that they knew was coming, they met an unexpected
problem. The souls needed to be transferred into safe
receptacles that could survive the coming disaster, but
who could they trust to carry this out? Furthermore,
jealousy and rivalry was common – the first Myrrik to
place his soul into an egg might be destroyed by a rival,
once his original body was empty and powerless.
Any Myrrik wizard who volunteered to perform the
necessary rituals for everyone else would save his
brethren but would be destroyed in the cataclysm, since
there would be nobody to preserve his soul. Not one of
the evil, selfish creatures was willing to be the one left
to die.
The solution was to build a unique construct imbued
with the power to work the necessary magic. This
being would harvest and store the souls, allowing all of
the Myrrik wizards to survive. More: it would awaken
if potential vessels came near, so that it could drain their
souls and transfer Myrrik souls into the husks.
This construct, called the Animus Operative, has now
awakened, sensing the presence of new life (either
Sunspite’s men or the Player Characters). They will be
ideal vessels for the Myrrik to use.
The Operative uses the tools in the workshop to repair
and maintain itself. This is how it has remained
functional through the centuries since Lost Athul sank.
Animus Operative
Large Construct
Hit Dice: 14d10+30 (107 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: Fly 60 ft. (12 squares) (perfect)
Armour Class: 26 (–1 size, +3 Dex, +9 natural, +5
deflection), touch 17, flat-footed 23
Base Attack/Grapple: +10/+14
Attack: Tentacle +12 melee (1d6 plus 3d6 electrical)
Full Attack: 4 tentacles +12 melee (1d6 plus 3d6
electrical)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Rays, shocking tendrils
Special Qualities: All-around vision, construct traits,
damage reduction 15/adamantine, deflection aura,
energy immunity, spell resistance 25
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +5
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 17, Con —, Int 16, Wis 13, Cha 20
Skills: Bluff +19, Hide +14, Knowledge (arcana) +17,
Listen +15, Search +17, Spot +15
Feats: Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse, Weapon
Focus (ray)
Environment: Any land and underground
Organisation: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 14
Treasure: —
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 15–28 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —
The Animus Operative resembles a collection of glass
spheres hovering in the air, connected by filigree gold
and silver threads. It is in constant motion, with an
outer set of spheres rotating in one direction and an
inner set rotating the other way. The inner spheres
can be opened to store the stone eggs. Currently there
are five of these inside the creature. At the core of the
creature is a vertical metal cylinder, the axis of the
Animus Operative.
It exudes limbs of twined metal from its axis when
it needs to manipulate objects or attack foes. The
assembly looks as fragile as a crystal goblet but is
almost impervious to damage. It counts as a crystalline
creature for the purposes of relevant spells and effects,
such as shatter spells.
The Operative is able to recognise a Myrrik soul in a
non-Myrrik body and refrains from attacking these. It
carries out any instructions that are given to it by any of
the five souls currently stored inside its body (once they
have new bodies), though they must speak to it in the
Myrrik language, as it does not understand any other.
Deflection Aura (Su): The nucleus of the Animus
Operative emanates a field that confers a +5 deflection
bonus to the creature’s Armour Class.
Energy Immunity (Su): The Animus Operative is immune
to all forms of energy damage, with the exception of
sonic damage.
Rays (Su): So that it can carry out its duties of defending
the Sanctuary and preparing new bodies for the Myrrik
souls, the Animus Operative can emit a variety of
magical rays, which resemble spells cast by a 14 th level
caster. These rays emerge from the various glassy outer
spheres. The effects resemble spells but follow the
rules for rays. It produces these rays as a free action.
Resisting them requires a Charisma-based saving throw
(DC 22). The Operative’s ray attacks are +11 ranged
touch attacks.
Ibon Presno Gonzalez (order #73006) 8
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