Monster Encyclopaedia I: Ravagers of the Realms

Author	August Hahn, Gareth Hanrahan, Lizard
Publisher	Mongoose Publishing
Publish date	2004
OGL Section 15	me1

The material below is designated as Open Game Content

Divine Vessel

Medium Construct
Hit Dice: 4d10+20 (42 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armour Class: 18 (+8 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+5
Attack: Slam +5 melee (1d8+2)
Full Attack: Slam +5 melee (1d8+2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Celestial possession, construct traits Saves: Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +1
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 10, Con —, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 10
Skills: —
Feats: —
Environment: Any
Organisation: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 2+ (special)
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually lawful good
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —

This construct is richly decorated, resembling a mobile reliquary or monstrance with hints of a humanoid form. Its blank head is carved from glass or crystal and seems empty and waiting.

Strict rules govern the interaction of the higher and lower planes – were it not for these restrictions, then the world would be overrun with legions of warring fiends and avenging angels. Only a handful of demons and devils and a like number of celestials may openly exist on the Material Plane at any one time; the rest must take more circuitous routes. Both may be called through planar bindings and planar ally spells or may step through welcoming gates. Demons can possess mortals, working their evil through them; celestials can appear to inspire or guide a questing knight. The churches serving the celestials offer another route to the mortal world – the use of divine vessels.

These are, in essence, empty golem-vessels that can be inhabited by a fraction of the divine spirit of a celestial outsider. Should a solar angel wish to pass on some wisdom or advice to a mortal cleric, it can fold and compact its glorious essence down into a spark and then that spark would flit into the heart of a divine vessel. There are numerous restrictions – each vessel can only hold a single divine essence and the powers of the celestial are greatly curtailed while it inhabits the golem. Still, divine vessels are among the swiftest and most reliable methods of passing on the wisdom of the heavens to the faithful.

Combat

Bereft of a celestial essence, a divine vessel is a witless hulk. It can obey the commands of the priests who created it, but all it can do is hammer enemies with its fists. When inhabited by a divine spark, the inhabiting being can use some of its innate abilities to bolster the vessel.

Celestial Possession (Su): When a celestial or outer good-aligned outsider possesses a divine vessel, it may use its own skills, feats, ability scores and abilities, subject to the following restrictions:

The vessel’s Strength, Dexterity and Constitution remain unchanged. The vessel’s Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma cannot exceed 20.
The vessel cannot have more than seven ranks in any skill. For example, if a celestial with an Intelligence of 24 and a Knowledge (religion) skill of +16 (nine ranks) inhabited a divine vessel, the vessel would have an Intelligence of 20 and a Knowledge (religion) skill of +12 (seven ranks, +5 Intelligence bonus).
The vessel can use the celestial’s spell-like and supernatural abilities, but only those that mimic spells of 3rd level or lower. If the celestial can cast spells, then it is also limited to 3rd level spells.
The divine vessel’s Challenge Rating is equal to 2 + (1/4 of the celestial’s CR), to a maximum of CR 8.

To call a celestial into the divine vessel, a scrap of parchment and three sticks of incense costing 500 gp each must be placed within a sacred furnace at the vessel’s heart. The parchment bears the secret true name of the celestial, a name that can normally only be obtained by commune spells or similar divination.

Creating a Divine Vessel

The body of the vessel must be sculpted from anointed brass, sandalwood, gold and crystal, a process that requires a Craft (sculpture) check (DC 25). The body must then be blessed nine times, consecrated thrice and hallowed once before being animated.

CL 9th; Craft Construct, commune, lesser planar ally; Price 30,000 gp; Cost 15,000 gp and 1,200 XP.