Plaguebringer (Major Artifact)

Aura strong necromancy; CL 20th; Slot none; Price —; Weight —

STATISTICS

Alignment NE; Ego 30; Senses 120 ft., blindsense and darkvision; Int 15, Wis 10, Cha 20; Communication empathy

DESCRIPTION

A twisted blend of artifact, disease, and malign intellect, the Plaguebringer isn’t so much found as contracted. Once it infects a host, Plaguebringerrenders him immune to the effects of any lesser disease. Despite this immunity, the host can still spread disease; indeed, his body becomes an incubator for the countless ailments of the mortal world. When exposed to a disease, the host automatically fails any saving throw to avoid contracting it, but suffers no ill effects. The host indefinitely remains an asymptomatic carrier for any diseases caught.

Plaguebringer also grants the following abilities:

• The host receives a +2 profane bonus on attack rolls, caster level checks, and saving throws.
• The host generates an aura of unlife in a 30-foot radius. All living creatures other than the host within this radius take 2d6 points of negative energy damage each round. Undead creatures gain fast healing 5 that stacks with any fast healing they already possess. This aura can be suppressed or resumed as a standard action.
• As part of using an ability that requires him to expend mythic power, the host can target a mythic creature within 30 feet. If that creature fails a DC 23 Fortitude save, it contracts a random disease (as contagion) and one use of its mythic power is stolen and granted to the host. If the host fails to steal mythic power, he must expend double the usual amount of his own mythic power or the ability fails.
• The host can use contagion heightened to 8th level (DC 23) at will.
• The host can use empowered vampiric touch three times per day.
• As a swift action, the host can expend one use of mythic power to gain the effects of death ward, divine power, and spell resistance. These effects last 1 round per tier he possesses and can’t be dispelled.
• Once per day, the host can expend two uses of mythic power to summon a nightwing to do his bidding for 1 hour. If the nightwing is slain, a new one can’t be summoned for 1 week.

Plaguebringer is intelligent, with an Intelligence score of 15, a Wisdom of 10, and a Charisma of 20. It has a neutral evil alignment, communicates by empathy, and has an Ego of 30. It exists only to spread disease and cause suffering. It protects and aids hosts that please it. If infecting a host who resists these goals, it withholds its abilities and attempts to control the host. Plaguebringer can take a single standard or swift action on its host’s turn to activate any of its powers that don’t require a touch attack. It has five uses of mythic power available to expend each day. It can use its host’s own mythic power by becoming dominant.

When infecting a host, it has full access to its host’s senses, along with darkvision and blindsense with a range of 120 feet. When not in a host, Plaguebringer has only limited awareness, with hearing and blindsense usable to a range of 30 feet and no vision. When not infecting a host, Plaguebringer is undetectable by normal vision due to its microscopic size, though detect evil reveals its presence. It can fly at a speed of 30 feet, and can infect a new host by entering its body. If the target fails a DC 30 Fortitude save, Plaguebringer infects it and the creature gains access to the artifact’s powers. If the target succeeds, Plaguebringer can’t attempt to infect it again for 1 month.

Plaguebringer can leave a host by becoming dominant and choosing to leave. Immediately after it leaves, the host is affected by multiple contagioneffects (DC 30), one for each of the diseases listed in the spell.

DESTRUCTION

To be destroyed, Plaguebringer must first be forced or tricked into the body of an angel. The angel must then willingly sacrifice itself by dying at the heart of a star.