Atropal

Atropal (CR 30)

Lawful Evil - Large - Outsider (Undead)

Lore:	Know (Planes)
60		78
Basic DC		Full DC

Initiative

54

Perception:
64	+54
Passive	Active

Ambush:

13+

on a d20

• Ambush Notes: Atropals are not inclined to ambush, and the noise and creeping emanations of their azoic aura make it difficult for them to succeed.

Senses:

• Standard Senses
• Darkvision 60 ft.
• Blindsense 90 ft.
• Mindsense 900 ft.

Movement Types:

• Walk 30 ft.
• Hover 30 ft.
• Greater Flight 240 ft.

Defense

AC

57

Man Def

63

Monster Health
3,466	1,733	63
Hit Points	Bloodied	Hit Dice

Saving Throws
Fort:	+33
Refl:	+28
Will:	+28

Strong Against:

• (Undead 1) Immune (no effect): diseases (infected, diseased, blighted), poisons (tainted, poisoned, blighted), ability damage (dilution, damage, drain), and essence damage (suppression, omission, destruction)
• (Undead 2) Immune (no effect): bleeds (bruised, bleed, ruptured), fatigued, exhausted
• (Undead 3) Immune (no effect): magical sleep (drowsy, sluggish, asleep), paralyzed, stunned
• (Undead 4) Immune (no effect): any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless)

Weak Against:

• (Undead 1) Undead cannot be healed normally, but negative energy restores their health like healing.

Offense

Size:	Large
10 ft.		10 ft.
Space		Reach

To-Hit

+41

Man Off

+51

Action

0

Points

Standard Attack (Melee):

• 1x Soul-Shredding Fangs +41 (1d4 points of Essence Destruction per hit)
  as primal (undefined damage type)

Full Attack (Melee):

• 1x Soul-Shredding Fangs +41 (1d4 points of Essence Destruction per hit)
  as primal (undefined damage type)
• 2x Soul-Tearing Claws +42 (1d3 points of Essence Destruction per hit)
  as primal (undefined damage type)

Standard Attack (Ranged):

Full Attack (Ranged):

Siege Damage: Not siege capable

Statistics

43

STR

15

DEX

—

CON

28

INT

22

WIS

42

CHA

Skills:

• Bailiwick (Spellcraft): 59
• Bluff: 56
• Diplomacy: 56
• Intimidate: 56
• Perception: 54
• Sense Motive: 56
• All other skills: 46 (no ranks)

Languages: Stilth, Necril, Common, Enuncia (Telepathic) (all languages)

Feats:

• Whirlwind Attack (EFFECT: Make one melee touch attack against all foes within reach as a full-attack action)
• Mobility (EFFECT: +4 AC against attacks of opportunity from movement)

Special Abilities

Azoic Aura (Ex) Automatic

The mere existence of an Atropal is anathema to all other aspects of reality. They are surrounded by a humming, shimmering discontinuity effect, as their terrible presence erodes the very fabric of existence. At the start of the Atropal's turn, all creatures within 30 feet of the Atropal's space take 6d8+56 points of negative energy (energy, uncommon) damage (no save). This negative energy heals undead in the aura for the same amount. Any undead creature of CR 25 or below that starts its turn within 30 feet of the Atropal can have its will completely overridden by the Atropal as an automatic action. Such creatures can be commanded by the Atropal to take their full available actions as the Atropal wishes. There is no save allowed. Any living creature slain while within the aura spawns a Mohrg one round after the creature is killed. Note that this aura does not heal the Atropal (see regeneration). The Azoic Aura will slowly degrade the Atropal's surroundings, as well. If the Atropal remains within 30 feet of any unattended objects, structures or fortifications for at least one minute, each square of the affected area has its Sunder DC reduced by 5 and is affected as though successfully Sundered one time for every full minute the Atropal remains nearby. The Sunder DC recovers to normal as soon as the Atropal moves, but the siege damage remains. See the Breaking Objects page for details on how the Azoic Aura affects different structures and objects.

Baleful Gaze (Su) Swift Action

As a swift action, the Atropal can make a ranged touch attack against any target it can perceive within 400 feet, as long as it has line of effect. Roll 1d20 + 45 vs. AC (always hits on a 17+ on the die). If the attack hits, the target takes 1d4 points of ability damage to INT, WIS and CHA, and the target is teleported to an unoccupied square adjacent to the Atropal. The target may make a Reflex save (DC 41). If successful, the ability damage is halved (round down) and the teleport is negated. If there is no unoccupied, unblocked square adjacent to the Atropal, it may place their victim in the next closest, legal (unblocked, unoccupied) square it can see. If there are no legal squares, the teleport fails.

Monstrous Magic (Sp) Standard Action

Concentration: 1d20 + 41 vs. a DC of 45 (4 needed on the die) Atropals are creatures of invincible, overwhelming, arcane might. Out of combat they can cast almost any spell at least a few times per day, but in battle, they fall back on a few favored tricks, their Monstrous Magic. They may invoke one of the below abilities as a standard action, once per round. They will choose which ability intelligently, to maximize their effectiveness in battle. *Harm The Atropal chooses a target within 500 feet and inflicts 6d10+83 points of negative energy (energy, uncommon) damage upon it. The victim may make a Will save against a DC of 41. If successful, they only take half damage. *Azoic Field The Atropal chooses an area of 5x5x5 squares within 500 feet of its space to which it has line of effect. It places a brief burst of its Azoic Aura in that space, inflicting 6d6+37 points of negative energy (energy, uncommon) damage upon enemies in that space, and causing all squares in the affected space suitable for Walk or Climb movement to be treated as Difficult Terrain until the end of the encounter. If the terrain was already difficult, it instead creates Impeded Terrain. There is no save against this ability. *Create Greater Undead The Atropal may use the presence of a corpse within 60 feet to spawn an Undead of CR 25 or below in the square where the corpse lies. If there is an undead below CR10 within its Azoic Aura (30 feet) it may instead 'upgrade' that undead to any other undead of CR 25 or below. This allows it to up-spawn the Mohrgs created by its Aura, for example. *Destroy Magic The Atropal may choose an area of 5x5x5 squares centered within 400 feet of its space. Any spell effects ongoing within that space are ended immediately, including any spells running on players. There is no roll required for this removal, the Atropal spends the standard action and the spell effects are destroyed. Note that this power has no effect upon anti-magic effects. *Warp Vision The Atropal renders itself invisible to all senses, as Greater Invisibility. This lasts until the end of the encounter, or the Atropal performs any offensive action. *Gemini Twin The Atropal taps energy from the True Well to create a quasi-real, duplicate version of itself. The Gemini Twin looks, sounds, and smells like the Atropal but is intangible (does not exist to touch or taste). The Gemini mimics the actions of the Atropal (including speech) unless it is directed to act differently (which is a move action). The Atropal can see through the eyes and hear through the ears of the Gemini Twin as if it were located where the copy is located. During its turn the Atropal can switch from using its senses to using the Twin's senses, or back again, as a free action. While the Atropal is using remote senses, the Atropal is considered blinded and deafened. If the Atropal wishes, any spell or ability it can use whose range is touch or greater can originate from the Gemini Twin instead of from the Atropal. This includes all the powers above. The Gemini Twin can also turn invisible with Warp Vision, which is very, very confusing indeed. The spells affect other targets normally, despite originating from the Twin.

Undying Vigor (Ex) Always On

Much like a troll, an Atropal is incredibly difficult to kill 'for good' without using the correct special type of damage. At all times the Atropal recovers from damage inflicted upon it with incredible speed, the well of negative energy that lives where its soul should be suffusing it with unholy vitality. Once each round, at the beginning of its round, the Atropal heals for 189 points of damage. This ability stops only when the beast is reduced to below 0 hit points and positive energy (energy, uncommon) is inflicted upon it while it is at negative health.

Spell Resistance (Ex) Always On

Atropals are horrifying things from the Outer Darkness, and very much not a natural part of the world. The seething magics that inhabit their awful forms make them hard to affect with many effects, and thus Atropals have Spell Resistance. If they are targeted by any spell or spell-like effect (see link for details), their attacker must make a Caster Check against the Atropal's Maneuver Defense (DC 63). If the attacker fails to equal or exceed the DC, the spell is cast, but does nothing to the Atropal.

Atropal

All abominations are horrors. They are things which should not exist in the bright, sunny world of the Prime Plane. There are many sorts of abominations out in the Deep Dark, and of those, the Atropal are among the most terrible.

Atropal are dark, horrendous things. Eye-witnesses to Atropal incursions on the Prime are rare, but they describe them as terrible floating fiends, dead and yet still aware, with the dreadful sound of their azoic aura as it gnaws away at the fabric of our reality everywhere they go.

Atropal are powerful things, juggernauts of darkness that drift about when they are stillborn into our reality, sampling and examining. Normal creatures die in the presence of an Atropal, and their flesh is nearly instantly bound in service to the abomination. An Atropal incursion is usually discovered when the army of undead they generate simply by existing goes on a rampage. Atropal never negotiate, and only rarely try to communicate at all. Atropal are vastly intelligent, but their intelligence is of a different order from creatures.

Atropal are both undead, and constructs. Atropal are made things, you see, although the agency of their creation seems to be embodied in the very fabric of reality itself. Atropal are also dead, the aborted remains of failed gods which do not go quietly into oblivion, but persist as stains upon reality.

Atropal are very rare in the Prime Plane. Occasionally a Lich or Demi-Lich will manage to allow one into the world. The Atropal is completely beyond the power of most creatures on the Prime Plane to control, although that doesn't stop power-mad fools from trying. They make dandy weapons of terror for the very few who can manage them, and can be summoned within a kingdom that is troublesome and left to their own devices. Demons and Devils are cuddly little housepets compared to an Atropal.

If you hear of an Atropal, and you are less than a world-striding epic hero, then go and get help. Do not confront the fiend, lest you become part of its world-destroying army. If you are a mighty epic hero, and your lessers come to you for help with an atropal incursion, then go, no matter your personal morals or ethics. Atropals are the enemies of everything.

Combat Tactics

Atropals do not have a preferred Role, but they are well suited to Heavy, Shooter, Leader, Threat, Villain, and Legend status. Large numbers of weaker Atropal are also dangerous, as their Azoic Field Monstrous magic can rapidly render large areas of the play field impassable to many types of movement.

If at all possible an Atropal will begin combat using its Gemini Twin. Gemini Twin is such a potent power, Atropals rarely will bother to even try an 'ambush', instead opening all combats they can with their invincible copy. During combat, they will turn invisible using Warp Vision and then use Gemini Twin to make it appear as if they are fighting from someplace they are not, a fiendish tactic indeed. Essence destruction, the Monstrous Magic Harm, the Monstrous Magic Azoic Field, and Baleful Gaze are the main attacks, although their teeth and claws inflict Primal Essence Destruction damage, thus cutting through any possible resistance. Note that baleful gaze used through the Twin will teleport the afflicted victim to the real Atropals location, which can leave an unfortunate victim alone with the abomination.

Once the real location of the Atropal is discovered, the Atropal will use baleful gaze every round on any spellcasters or other targets outside of its aura. If a party is well prepared with buffs and defenses against the Atropal's dread attacks, it will use Destroy Magic to strip away as much of those defenses as it can.

Atropals are very mobile and will fly around corners to cut line of sight and use Warp Vision to then ambush their foes.

Whenever possible an Atropal will try to force attackers to close to within Azoic Aura range. It will also seek to prolong fights so its Undying Vigor can work, and if in an area with low level mortals will use its Azoic Aura to spawn Mohrg's to serve as cannon fodder and potential upgradeables to Greater Undead. Atropals tend to prefer Janissary Skeletons or Deathknights for such activities. Multiple Atropals will stack their Azoic Aura's if they can, so they can maximize the negative damage they inflict and heal one another.

Note that Azoic Field can quickly create large areas of Impeded Terrain, which the Atropal can simply Fly over, and they will certainly work to 'bottle up' foes if they can. Further note that unless hit VERY hard, their Undying Vigor will cause them to 're-pop' immediately after they are killed, unless positive energy is used against them as the finishing blow. Very nasty, especially if combined with a tank, heavy, or other Role with a resurrection power, in which case it is very possible they may have two chances to come back to life! GM's are encouraged to be cruel.

In melee, Atropals will use their Essence Destruction upon any melee attackers and then kill them slowly with their Azoic Aura. If surrounded by multiple attackers they will use whirlwind attack to hit all of them. If they are having trouble hitting a well-armored attacker they will use Harm repeatedly on that target to soften it up for the Azoic Aura to slay. If pressed, an Atropal will use Harm on itself as it flees, and then will use Warp Vision to double back and continue the attack.

Good luck, you're going to need it.

Out of Combat

Perhaps the most frightening thing about the Atropal is their origin. The wisest scribes and sages have worked with the mightiest wizards and cleverest ciphers for thousands of years, and there is little doubt any longer. For every universe like the Prime Material that arises from the unknowable fount of creation, there are a trillion, trillion, trillion at least that never form completely. These universes trail away into the Outer Night and slowly rot and decay away, and when they have moldered to nothing their crystal spheres collapse and what is left is an Atropal.

For every man and woman and child and plant and animal and insect upon the entire world, there are a billion Atropals floating in the Deep Dark. The numbers are certain, and expeditions to the Outer Night have confirmed it. There are more Atropal than all the Demons and Devils a billion times over.

All that holds the Atropals away from our bright reality is the light and positive energy of our realms. But if you ever have to venture into the True Darkness, that mode of existence which lies behind the Hells, lies above the sky, you will find the Atropal waiting.

Out of combat, Atropals have the ability to cast about any spell you can think of, once per day. They are vastly knowledgeable, and if you can persuade one not to kill you immediately they can provide enormous amounts of the most arcane and erudite knowledge imaginable. Atropals speak only in Stilth, but their telepathy allows them to communicate with anyone they wish to. Atropals don't view mortal denizens of the Prime Plane as anything other than amusing diversions and useful raw materials most of the time, and will happily pass the time in the most horrific amusements. For example, an Atropal will often use its Create Greater Undead power for hours at a time when fresh raw materials are available, trying to see what cool things it can make....

Atropals on the Prime Plane usually kill a good supply of mortals, create an army of Mohrgs, and set the horde of Mohrgs to work killing other mortals and turning them into Zombies. Left to their own devices, a nest of Atropals will kill every living thing on an entire world and set up a dark kingdom of undeath for their own edification. If they have killed an entire world, a nest of Atropals will then seek to travel to other worlds and repeat the process for as long as they exist.

Rewards

XP: 9,840,000

Treasure: Sellable Goods worth 1,246,929 gp.

Weight: 300 lbs.     Volume: 12 cu. ft.

Optional Treasure Rules: Roll a d20 on Table 1 below once per encounter (NOT per creature). Any items discovered are in addition to the normal treasure for the encounter.

Table 1: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 10	Nothing Found
11 - 14	1 Languid Remnant (tier 1)
15 - 17	1 Pale Remnant (tier 2)
18 - 19	1 Bright Remnant (tier 3)
20	Roll on Table 2
###	Nothing to see here!
###	Or here. Move along.

Table 2: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 5	3 Languid Remnants (tier 1)
6 - 10	3 Pale Remnants (tier 2)
11 - 14	1 Intense Remnant (tier 4)
15 - 17	1 Blazing Remnant (tier 5)
18 - 19	1 Vital Remnant (tier 6)
20	Roll on Table 3
###	Or here. Move along.

Table 3: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 5	3 Bright Remnants (tier 3)
6 - 8	3 Intense Remnants (tier 4)
9 - 11	3 Blazing Remnants (tier 5)
12 - 14	3 Vital Remnants (tier 6)
15 - 17	1 Prime Remnant (tier 7)
18 - 19	1 Mythic Remnant (tier 8)
20	1 Empyrean Remnant (tier 9)