Mortuary Cyclone

A whirling and spinning cyclone of dirt, bone fragments, and body parts rapidly advances toward you. It stands about 20 feet tall. From its central form you see two large arm-like appendages ending in clench fists emerge.

Mortuary Cyclone (CR 20)

Huge Undead
Alignment: Neutral
Initiative: +5
Senses: Darkvision 60 feet; Perception +39
Aura: desecrating aura (50 feet)

Speed: 40 feet
Space: 15 feet

Defense

Armor Class: 28, touch 13, flat-footed 27 (+1 Dex, +15 natural, +4 profane, -2 size)
Hit Points: 263 (31d8+124)
Saving Throws: Fort +20, Ref +17, Will +24
Damage Reduction: 15/bludgeoning and magic
Immunity: undead traits
Spell Resistance: 31

Offense

Melee: slam +33 (2d8+16/19-20 plus Energy Drain)
Reach: 15 feet

Special Attacks: create spawn, Energy Drain (2 levels, DC 29), necrocone, Whirlwind (10-40 ft. high, 3d6 damage, DC 36),

Statistics

Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha
33 (+11)	12 (+1)	-	11 (+0)	12 (+1)	19 (+4)

Base Attack Bonus: +23
CMB +36
CMD 49

Feats: Ability Focus (Energy Drain), Alertness, Blind-Fight, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Great Cleave, Great Fortitude, Improved Critical (slam), Improved Initiative, Improved Iron Will, Intimidating Prowess, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Skill Focus (Intimidate), Weapon Focus (slam)

Skills: Acrobatics +32, Intimidate +46, Perception +39, Sense Motive +1, Stealth +27

Languages: Common (cannot speak)

Special Qualities: unholy grace

Special Abilities

Create Spawn (Su)

Any living creature slain by a mortuary cyclone's necrocone attack or energy drain attack becomes an undead creature in 1d4 rounds. Spawn are under the command of the mortuary cyclone that created them and remain enslaved until its destruction. See the sidebar for the type of undead creatures a mortuary cyclone can spawn.

Desecrating Aura (Su)

A mortuary cyclone emanates an aura of desecration within a 50-foot radius centered on its body. This functions as a desecrate spell (caster level 18th) as if the mortuary cyclone where a permanent fixture dedicated to its own deity. Clerics in the area take a -6 profane penalty on turning checks, undead within the area gain a +2 profane bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saves, and undead created within the area have +2 hit points per HD. Further, anyone casting animate dead within 50 feet of a mortuary cyclone creates as many as double the normal amount of undead (4 HD per caster level instead of 2 HD per caster level). A consecrate spell cast on a mortuary cyclone by a caster of 18th level or higher nullifies its desecrating aura for 1 minute per caster level.

Necrocone (Su)

Once every 1d4 rounds, a mortuary cyclone can blast forth a mass of bone fragments, debris and negative energy in a 30-foot cone. Creatures caught in the cone take 6d6 points of damage. Half this damage is piercing damage, but the other half is from negative energy and is not subject to resistance or immunity (unless the opponent is resistant or immune to negative energy effects). An affected creature that succeeds on a DC 27 Reflex save reduces the piercing damage by half. Undead within the area of a necrocone heal a number of hit points equal to the amount of negative energy damage (3d6) the attack would otherwise deal. An undead creature cannot gain temporary or bonus hit points from a mortuary cyclone's necrocone. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Unholy Grace (Su)

A mortuary cyclone adds its Charisma modifier as a bonus on its saving throws and as a profane bonus to its Armor Class. (The statistics block already reflects these bonuses.)

Ecology

Environment: Any Land
Organization: solitary or band (10-40 HD of undead creatures)
Treasure: none


A mortuary cyclone is an undead creature born when living creatures tamper with or desecrate a mass grave (either magically or naturally). Though not evil by nature, the destruction a mortuary cyclone deals and leaves in its wake is legendary. These creatures simply decide on a direction to move, and much like a natural occurring tornado, they move in that direction without regard to who or what stands in their way. A single mortuary cyclone is more than capable of destroying a village or small town in a very short time if left unchecked.

A mortuary cyclone appears as a 20 foot tall or taller tornado composed of grave dirt, bone fragments, and body parts all swirling around in its whirlwind form. Mortuary cyclones feed on the energy of living creatures. Such creatures caught in the path of a mortuary cyclone are sucked into its central form and pummeled by high speed winds, bone fragments, and negative energy. Slain creatures are deposited on the ground where they rise as undead \"slaves\" in command of the mortuary cyclone.

A mortuary cyclone attacks by forming pseudo-fists from its whirlwind form and pummeling its foes or by absorbing them into its whirlwind (its favored method of attack). A mortuary cyclone simply has to move into a creature's space to pull it into it cyclonic form. It continues raining its fists down on creatures that avoid its whirlwind, all the while, firing a burst of bone fragments and negative energy at foes attempting to keep their distance. A mortuary cyclone's natural weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Mortuary Cyclone Spawn A creature killed by a mortuary cyclone's necrocone rises as an undead creature in 1d4 rounds. The type is based on the creature's total HD. Total HD Opponent Rises as Less than 10 Zombie or skeleton 11-15 HD Wraith 16-20 HD Spectre 21+ HD Dread wraith

Copyright Notice Author Scott Greene.