Go to Part 1 – Maps

LOWER LEVEL – PATROLS

ICHORCLAW: Areas 11 thru 15

• Attacks anyone entering those areas.
• Starts in Area 2-12.
• It originally escaped from the cells in Area 2-14.

The ichorclaw is a skeletal undead, but its chest cavity is filled with internal organs that still glisten with pulsing blood. Often too many internal organs, as it will frequently harvest organs from its victims. Its phalanages have been unnaturally lengthened, creating disturbingly gracile claws.

ICHORCLAW (CR 5) – CE Medium Undead
DETECTION – darkvision 60 ft., Listen +8, Spot +10; Init +6; Language Ancient Common
DEFENSES – AC 16 (+2 Dex, +4 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 14; hp 78 (12d12); Immune undead immunities (mind-affecting, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability drain, energy drain, ability score damage, fatigue, exhaustion, any effect requiring Fort save)
ACTIONS – Spd 40 ft.; Melee 2 claws +9 (1d8+3 plus blood drain); Ranged +8; Space 5 ft.; Reach ft.; Base Atk +6; Grapple +9; Atk Option blood drain; SA ichor spray; Combat Feats Combat Reflexes
SQ darkvision 60 ft., sure-footed, undead traits
STR 16, DEX 15, CON —, INT 7, WIS 10, CHA 14
FORT +3, REF +7, WILL +7
FEATS: Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Improved Toughness, Lightning Reflexes
SKILLS: Balance +10, Listen +8, Spot +10

Blood Drain (Su): The long, slender claws of the ichorclaw are venous. When plunged into the body of a living victim (any time a target suffers damage from its claw attack), the ichorclaw can suck blood from them, causing the internal organs which dangle within it to pulse with fresh ichor. The target suffers 1 point of Constitution damage. Each time the ichorclaw inflicts 1 point of Constitution damage, it heals 5 points of damage.

Ichor Spray (Su): Swift Action—The ichorclaw inflicts 5 points of damage on itself and sprays blood from its dangling organs. As per the grease spell (Reflex DC 17), centered on the ichorclaw. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Sure-Footed (Ex): The ichorclaw is not affected by slippery terrain, including its own ichor spray.

LAZULINE RAZOR: Areas 3 thru 7.

• Patrols constantly through these rooms.
• Will not move into Area 2-1, but may observe from hallways or southern end of pool. (It tried to harvest the Cold Throne and got itself tagged as an enemy by the black centurions in Area 2-10.)
• If he’s having problems, he will try to lure the PCs to Area 2-3 (the jewel scarabs consider him an ally and will not attack).

The lazuline razor is a construct made up from interlocking plates of blue-tinted metal. Its head, studded with a single eye which glows like a sickly emerald, arches out with an almost prehensile neck. As it jettisons its outer mechanisms, it reveals biomechanical components at its core.

LAZULINE RAZOR (CR 5) – CE Medium Construct
DETECTION – darkvision 60 ft., Listen +9, Spot +9; Init +6; Aura disorienting (5 ft.); Languages Ancient Common
DEFENSES – AC 18 (+2 Dex, +6 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 16; hp 53 (6d10+20); DR 3/–; Immune construct immunities (mind-affecting, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, necromancy effects, critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, energy drain, massive damage, effects requiring Fort saves)
ACTIONS – Spd 30 ft.; Melee 2 slams +9 (1d6+4 plus 1 Wis); Ranged +6; Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; Base Atk +4; Grapple +8; SA razor’s edge; Combat Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Mobility
SQ darkvision 60 ft., construct traits
STR 18, DEX 14, CON —, INT 11, WIS 10, CHA 8
FORT +2, REF +6, WILL +2
FEATS: Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Mobility
SKILLS: Balance +6, Escape Artist +7, Listen +9, Spot +9, Stealth +11

Construct Traits (Ex):

• Cannot heal damage on their own.
• Not at risk of death from massive damage.
• Immmediately destroyed at 0 hit points or less. Cannot be raised or resurrected.
• Does not eat, sleep, or breathe.

Disorienting Aura (Su): 5 ft.—Will save (DC 12) or affected per lesser confusion.

Razor’s Edge (Su): Swift Action—Once for every 10 points of damage the lazuline razor suffers, it can jettison its outer layers. These sharp metal plates explode outward, dealing 3d6 damage to all creatures within 20 feet (Reflex DC 14 for half damage). In addition, for each layer jettisoned the lazuline razor will pick up speed, which has the following effects:

• -1 natural AC
• +2 Dex (note that this keeps the razor’s base AC unchanged)
• +1 to attack and damage rolls
• +10 feet speed

When the lazuline razor reaches half of its starting hit points, it is affected as per a haste spell.

BLACK CENTURIONS: Area 2-10.

• Ordered to protect the Cold Throne at all costs. If the Cold Throne is touched, they move to attack in waves (2, then 2, then 4).
• Will also attack anyone passing through Area 2-10 who isn’t authorized. (Which is essentially everyone at this point.)

A humanoid construct of pitch black metal suspended from an elaborate half-cocoon of complicated machinery. A black centurion is utterly featureless – their faces flat black planes. They are formed from a black, mercurial substance crafted by the cunning of the master-crafters of Ghul. Normally highly unstable, the centurion’s creators have managed to both stabilize the substance into a humanoid matrix and exploit its unique properties to create a dangerous mimic.

BLACK CENTURION (CR 3) – N Medium Construct

DETECTION – darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, Listen +7, Spot +7; Init +2 (Dex); Languages Ancient Common
DEFENSES – AC 17 (+2 Dex, +5 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 15; hp 64 (8d10+20); construct immunities (mind-affecting, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, necromancy effects, critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, energy drain, massive damage, effects requiring Fort saves); Resist cold 10, fire 10; Weakness vulnerable to sonic
ACTIONS – Spd 30 ft.; Melee +3 longsword +9 (1d8+3/17-20) or +3 lance +9 (1d8+3/19-20/x3); Ranged +3 heavy crossbow +8 (1d10/19-20); Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.; Base Atk +6; Grapple +9; Atk Options absorb properties; SA create weapon; Combat Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge
SQ absorb properties, create weapon, construct traits, death vapors
STR 17, DEX 14, CON –, INT 12, WIS 11, CHA 10
FORT +2, REF +4, WILL +2
FEATS: Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Critical (created weapon)
SKILLS: Balance +4, Escape Artist +4, Hide +5, Jump +7, Listen +7, Move Silently +6, Spot +7, Tumble +6
ADVANCEMENT: 9-15 HD (Medium); 16-24 HD (Large)

Absorb Properties (Ex): If a black centurion is successfully struck by a magic weapon, all that weapon’s properties are absorbed by the black centurion for 1 hour. The weapon loses its properties during that time (or until the black centurion is slain). A black centurion can manifest any of these properties (up to a total +5 enhancement bonus) in its created weapon as a free action.

A black centurion cannot hold more more than a total of +10 enhancement bonus worth of properties. Additional properties are not absorbed. As an immediate action, a black centurion can choose to give up absorbed properties to absorb new properties.

The manifested properties must be applicable to the created weapon (for example, a mace cannot be imbued with the keen property). The total enhancement bonus on a created weapon cannot exceed +5.

Create Weapon (Ex): A black centurion can spontaneously create a single weapon from its flowing metal form as a swift action. Such weapons have a +3 enhancement bonus. Created weapons are part of the black centurion’s form and cannot be used by other characters.

Construct Traits (Ex):

• Cannot heal damage on their own.
• Not at risk of death from massive damage.
• Immmediately destroyed at 0 hit points or less. Cannot be raised or resurrected.
• Does not eat, sleep, or breathe.

Death Vapors (Ex): The black mercury from which black centurions is constructed is highly unstable. If they are prevented from returning to their chambers at least once every 12 hours, a black centurion will being losing cohesion (losing 1d6 hit points per hour).

In addition, when a black centurion is destroyed they immediately sublimate into a caustic black vapor. Everyone within 30 feet of the black centurion suffers 5d6 points of acid damage (Reflex save for half damage).

Go to Part 9

Laboratory of the Beast – Part 3: Upper Level (Areas 1-7) Laboratory of the Beast – Part 4: Upper Level (Areas 8-13) Laboratory of the Beast – Part 5: Upper Level (Areas 14-17)