Petrified Horror

A revolting stack of carnage stands before you. Its delicate silhouette belies the true horror that it is. It is as if someone carved a human-sized sculpture from the still-living flesh, bone and muscle of a much-larger creature, and then somehow gave that figure life.

Petrified Horror (CR 15)

Medium Construct
Alignment: Neutral
Initiative: +8
Senses: Blindsight 60 feet; Perception +0
Aura: frightful presence (60 feet, DC 20)

Speed: 30 feet
Space: 5 feet

Defense

Armor Class: 24, touch 14, flat-footed 20 (+4 Dex, +10 natural)
Hit Points: 140 (20d10+30)
Saving Throws: Fort +6, Ref +10, Will +6
Damage Reduction: 5/adamantine
Immunity: construct traits (+30 hp), magic

Offense

Melee: 2 slams +25 (2d6+5)
Reach: 5 feet

Special Attacks: bloodstorm

Statistics

Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha
21 (+5)	19 (+4)	-	-	11 (+0)	10 (+0)

Base Attack Bonus: +20
CMB +25
CMD 39

Feats: Improved Initiative

Skills:

Languages:

Special Abilities

Bloodstorm (Su)

A petrified horror can create a bloodstorm effect (as the spell) centered upon itself as a free action once every 2 minutes. The bloodstorm forms a whirlwind of blood in a column 25 feet in diameter and 40 feet high. The effect has a duration of 12 rounds, requiring those within to make a DC 20 Reflex save to avoid being blinded while they remain within the whirlwind and for 2d6 rounds after leaving it and a DC 20 Will save to avoid becoming panicked if less than 8 HD or frightened if 8 HD or above for the duration of the effect. Furthermore, creatures fighting within the bloodstorm or ranged attacks passing through it take -4 penalty on attack rolls Finally, the blood is slightly acidic and deals 1d4 points of acid damage per round. The petrified horror is immune to the effects of the bloodstorm, including the attack penalties, and the whirlwind remains centered on the petrified horror even if it moves. The save DCs are Constitution-based. Full details of the bloodstorm spell can be found in Relics & Rituals by Sword & Sorcery Studios.

Ecology

Environment: Any
Organization: solitary
Treasure: none


The name of the petrified horror belies the true nature of this hideous construct. For while it is true that the construct is crafted from the petrified remains of a Large creature, it is not until the new Medium statue is returned to flesh from its prison of stone that the horror is unleashed. Until then it just resembles an ordinary statue in whatever shape it was sculpted to be and is incapable of action. This can be quite disconcerting when a delicate ballerina statue suddenly becomes a lumbering pile of bleeding meat and bone. Creators of these creatures often use them like time bombs, inert until freed by the spells of an inquisitive intruder or as part of a trap activated by the intruders. They instinctively recognize and avoid harming their creator but have no compunctions about destroying anything and anyone else they see.

In statue form, a typical specimen stands 5 to 8 feet tall and, being composed of solid stone, weighs anywhere from 1,000 to 1,800 pounds. Despite being a typical statue, it does give off a moderate aura of transmutation. When the creator or someone else casts stone to flesh or break enchantment the construct transforms to flesh and weighs 300 to 500 pounds depending on its height. As a construct it is does not require a Fortitude save to survive the transformation. Because the petrified horror is constructed from a larger creature, it gains the bonus hit points of a size Large construct rather than a Medium. Because it has no actual eyes, it sees through blindsight rather than with the traditional darkvision and low-light vision of a construct.

Despite its lumbering appearance, a petrified horror's newly crafted form is quite quick and agile. It moves with a discernable squishing noise and leaves a trail of blood and ichor wherever it goes. Petrified horrors are incapable of speech and do not understand or heed commands. Petrified horrors are typically left in out-of-the-way places by their creators, so when activated the damages they cause can be minimized. Once released from its stony imprisonment petrified horrors immediately go into a rampage destroying all they see, preferring living creatures over inanimate objects but content to demolish even inanimate objects if that is all there is. As part of their programming, they rush directly into the center of whatever group is nearest to them (bull rushing if necessary) while flailing with their fists. Once they are in amongst their foes, they use their bloodstorm ability as they continue to fight.

Construction A petrified horror is carved from the petrified form of a Large creature which usually costs 10,000 gp to procure. Special masterwork tools for this process worth 500 gp are also required and are ruined in the creation process. Sculpting the body from the base material requires a DC 25 Craft (sculptures) check. Failure means that the petrified creature's form has been cracked and ruined and a new Large petrified creature must be procured.

PETRIFIED HORROR CL 14th; Price 110,000 gp

CONSTRUCTION Requirements Craft Construct, animate dead, bloodstorm, flesh to stone, geas/quest, limited wish, caster must be at least 14th level; Skill Craft (sculptures) DC 25; Cost 65,500 gp.

Credit Original author Greg A. Vaughan Originally appearing in Slumbering Tsar (© Frog God Games/ Greg A. Vaughan, 2012)