New Monster – Corpse Custodian Projection

You open the crypt revealing a body decked in valuables, as you reach for them, swirling motes of dust coalesce into the spectral form of a small person. “Halt varlet! Neither those riches not this body is for you! Flee now or taste my blade!” It brandishes a translucent sword to back up its statement.

Corpse Custodian Projection CR 2

XP 600
N Small construct (ancestral, force)
Init +3; Senses darkvision, low-light vision; Perception +6

DEFENSE
AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 17 (+3 Dex, +6 armor, +1 size)
hp 26 (3d10+10)
Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +4
Special Defense DR 5/Magic, Resistance to Acid, Cold, Electricity, and Fire 10

OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee strike +5 touch (1d6+1 force / x3)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks warning shout

STATISTICS
Str 10, Dex 17, Con –, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 12
Base Atk +3; CMB +2; CMD 15
Feats Iron Will, Weapon Finess
Skills Perception +4
SQ bound to body, limited span, personality shard

Created by wizards to act as guardians of the dead, the Corpse Custodian Projection are the last defense for those who worry about their body and tomb being despoiled yet do not wish to turn to necrourgy or other dark art for defense.

Bound to Body (Ex) a Corpse Custodian Projection cannot travel more that 50′ from the body they are tasked to guard.

Limited Span (Ex) the projection only lasts for 8 + 2d6 rounds.

Personality Shard (Ex) the Corpse Custodian Projection can contain an echo of the person whose body they are bound to protect. This may manifest as a bonus feat appropriate to the person represented or a O or 1st level spell that the Projection can cast. For spells, it is treated as a 5th level caster using Charisma as their spell casting statistic.

Warning Shout (Su): The Projection can, once as a free action, cause a booming statement, usually the name of the body it is tasked with guarding, to echo fourth clearly audible as far as 300′ away and all within 15′ must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) or be deafened for 1 round + 1 round per point they failed the save by, if the save is failed by ten or more, the person is also stunned for one round. The Projection issues another warning shout when it is destroyed. The save is charisma based and includes a +3 bonus.

Construction
The focus for a Corpse Custodian Projection is usually an amulet or ring but it can be a Corpse Custodian Pin, it requires a lock of hair from the body to be protected and a drop of blood from a relative or friend.

CL 9th; Price 4,000 gp

CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
Craft Construct, lesser geas, mage armor, magic missile, shout, speak with dead, caster must be at least 9th level;
Skill Craft (jeweler) or Craft (mortician) DC 13; Cost 2,000 gp

For D&D 5E:

Corpse Custodian Projection
Small construct, unaligned

Armor Class 14 (natural armor)

Hit Points 33 (6d6 + 12)

Speed 30 ft.
STR      DEX       CON     INT    WIS      CHA
10 (+0) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 8 (-1) 12 (+1) 12 (+1)

Skills Perception +3

Damage Resistances acid, cold, electricity, fire, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks

Senses darkvision, passive Perception 13

Languages all the person it represents know while alive

Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Guardian Limitations: It cannot travel more that 50′ from the body they are tasked to guard and once activated, it only exists for 8 + 2d6 rounds.

Pack Tactics: The Projection has advantage on attack rolls against a creature if at least one of the Projection’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally is not Incapacitated.

Personality Shard: the Corpse Custodian Projection can contain an echo of the person whose body they are bound to protect. This may manifest as a O or 1st level spell that the Projection can cast as appropriate to the person represented. For spells, it save DC is 11 and spell attack is +3, it casts spells as though using a 2nd level spell slot..

Warning Shout: The Projection can, once as a bonus action, cause a booming statement, usually the name of the body it is tasked with guarding, to echo fourth clearly audible as far as 300′ away and all within 15′ must make a Constitution save (DC 13) or be deafened for 1 round + 1 round per point they failed the save by, if the save is failed by ten or more, the person is also stunned for one round. The Projection issues another warning shout when it is destroyed.

Actions
The Corpse Custodian Projection makes one attack with its force weapon.

Force Weapon: Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) force damage.

Notes: Finally a new monster for October!  This is, of course, linked back to the Corpse Custodian magic item I mad last month.

Image is by John Gilbert “Hamlet in the Presence of His Father’s Ghost” found on Wikimedia Commons and is in the Public Domain.

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