Akaruzug

A grim statue quietly hovers here, its slow, seemingly weightless bobbing belying its obvious bulk. Sculpted in the shape of a grim, horned angel, gigantic wings and terrible, long clawed arms jut from a legless body that tapers into a blunt, blade-like trunk. Upon the ominous form’s breast hang the fresh remains of a crucified corpse.

Akaruzug CR 14

XP 38,400
LE Large construct
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision ; Perception +1
Aura unhallow (40 ft.)

DEFENSE

AC 29, touch 11, flat-footed 27 (+2 Dex, +18 natural, -1 size)
hp 206 (32d10+30)
Fort +10, Ref +12, Will +11
DR 15/good; Immune construct traits

OFFENSE

Speed fly 40 ft. (perfect)
Melee 2 claws +39 (1d8+10), body slam +34 (2d8+5), and 2 wing slams +34 (1d8+5)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks soul slave, soul steal

STATISTICS

Str 30, Dex 14, Con –, Int –, Wis 12, Cha 1
Base Atk +32; CMB +43; CMD 55
SQ soul engine

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Soul Engine (Su)

An akaruzug draws the energy it requires to function from a living creature crucified upon its frame. An active akaruzug (or another creature working with an inactive akaruzug) can spend 1 minute to bind a helpless or willing creature to the construct. Once the victim is restrained, the akaruzug draws the creature’s soul into it, an effect similar to the spell magic jar. While the soul remains in the akaruzug, the construct remains active. If the body crucified upon it is removed, the soul within the construct is freed and the akaruzug deactivates after 1d4 rounds. An akaruzug’s victim cannot be resurrected while its soul is still trapped within the construct.

The most likely ways to free a body from an active akaruzug are to pull it free or magically remove the body. A creature who makes a grapple attempt against an akaruzug can target the body hung on the construct. The akaruzug gains a +10 bonus on the opposed grapple check to keep its victim in place. If the akaruzug fails this check, its victim is freed. Casting a spell like teleport object on an akaruzug’s victim can remove it from its bindings. If a saving throw is allowed to resist the spell, the akaruzug makes it for its victim. As an akaruzug’s victim is dead, it no longer counts as a creature for the purposes of spells that target individuals. An akaruzug’s victim cannot be targeted in any ways besides these, and thus cannot be destroyed without first destroying the construct.

Destroying an akaruzug or removing its victim’s body releases the soul restrained within. A released soul is not returned to its body, however, and instead departs just as any other slain soul.

Soul Slave (Su)

Using the soul trapped within its frame, an akaruzug can manifest ghostly representations of its victim to attack its enemies as a standard action. These soul slaves appear as the akaruzug’s victim did in life and wield a weapon favored by that individual. Aside from this, the soul slave functions similarly to the spell spiritual weapon cast by a 15th level cleric (though with an AC adjusted by the victim’s size). An akaruzug can use this ability up to three times a day.

Soul Steal (Su)

An akaruzug can attempt to draw additional soul energy into it. Once every 1d4 rounds, the construct can unleash a blast of soul essence that seeks to flense the life force of any living creature within 20 feet. All living creatures in the area must make a DC 26 Fortitude save or gain 1d4 negative levels. The save DC is Constitution-based. For each negative level bestowed, the akaruzug gains 5 temporary hit points.

Unhallow (Sp)

An akaruzug emanates a 40-foot aura of unholy energy, as per the spell unhallow. The construct’s creator determines what, if any, additional spell effects are tied to the akaruzug’s unhallow aura at the time of its creation. The construct benefits from any spell effects tied to its unhallow aura. Common choices are darkness, detect good, freedom of movement, and invisibility purge

ECOLOGY

Environment any
Organization solitary
Treasure none

Akaruzugs serve as temptations of the Lower Planes, powerful, blasphemous constructs rarely used by fiends, but whose designs are coveted by diabolical mortal magic users. Crafted in the appearance of grim, towering angels and creatures of warped beauty, these creations stand in mockery of light, life, and all that is good. By their very existence—powered by souls trapped in torment—they spread death and despair, their every atrocity heaping guilt upon the dark souls of their creators.

Most akaruzugs are 15 feet tall or larger, and weigh upward of 3 tons, depending on the materials used in their creation. They commonly attack using claws, wings, and the lashing of a broad sword-like tail, though some akaruzugs have been created with multiple arms and great impaling horns.

Ecology

In an akaruzug’s creation process, a powerful warrior is entombed alive within a massive sculpture of lead, granite, or iron. As the statue’s shape is refined and empowered—a process involving the efforts of a skilled artisan and a magic-user adept at channeling diabolical powers—the warrior inside slowly expires, her weakening screams and futile struggles likely sounding through the sculpture as it develops. As part of the rite to animate the akaruzug, the body is washed over in hellfire, a process that reduces the body inside into a substance similar to packed ash.

These remains and the magic woven over the construct prevent the escape of the lingering warrior soul within. At this point, the akaruzug’s “soul engine” is complete, but the construct still requires spirit energy to animate. Constructed with shackles upon its breast, the construct requires a second creature to be sacrificed to activate it, the unfortunate soul being drawn into the ash and smoldering hellish cinders within the foul construct. This second infusion of stolen life force activates the akaruzug, causing it to rise into the air and spread its profane aura. From then on, it is a grim slave to its creator’s perverse will.

Although mindless, akaruzugs have an innate hatred for the living. Terrible icons of evil, they typically remain still, hovering ominously above the ground, bearing their crucified burden and shedding their blasphemous aura. Unless specifically forbidden by its master, an akaruzug attacks any mortal creature that it detects, attempting to consume ever more life force.

Habitat and Society

As unthinking constructs, akaruzugs have no ways or culture of their own. Rather, they are used by infernal tempters to spread the dark works of devils and further diabolical agendas. Due to the murder and dark spells required to create an akaruzug, becoming the master of one of these hellish creations is in itself a damning act. As the plans for creating these creatures are well documented in the libraries of the Nine Hells, watchful and conniving devils often assure that these formulas fall into the hands of cruel, ambitious, and desperate spellcasters in answer to their Hell-bound wishes.

Akaruzug Construction

CL 15th; Price 175,000 gp

An akaruzug is created from a 15-foot-tall hollow statue of a fallen angel. More than 6,000 pounds of dark stone, iron, or lead are utilized in the construct’s creation, along with a variety of rare infernal admixtures and empowering agents costing at least 15,000 gp. Assembling the body requires a DC 24 Craft (sculpting) or Craft (armorsmithing) check. In addition, a martially skilled humanoid of at least 5th level must be trapped inside the sculpture.

CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS

Feats Craft Construct; Spells enervation, magic jar, unhallow; Special caster must be at least 15th level; Cost 95,000 gp.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game – Pathfinder 12: Crown of Fangs © 2008, Paizo Publishing LLC; Author: Tito Leati.

scroll to top