Castles In The Sky

 Burning Spider Golem
Large Construct

Hit Dice: 2d8+2 (11 hp)

Speed: 20 Foot, Spawn 30 foot, Climb 20 foot
Armor Class: 8 (-5 Dex, +3 Natural, touch 5, flat-footed 8

Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-4

Attack: See Spawn

Full Attack: See Spawn

Space/Reach: 5 foot/0 foot

Special Attacks: Flaming spines, Smoke, See Also Spawn

Special Qualities: Spawn, plant traits
Saves: Fort +4, Will -4

Abilities: Con 13, CHA 1

Feats: None
Environment: Deserts, Chaparral
Organization: Solitary or patch

Challenge Rating: 2

Treasure: None

Alignment: Always Neutral

Advancement: 3-6 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: N/A

 

Burning Spider Golems appear as normal, though desiccated Shivering Candle cactus with brightly colored globes on the ends of its arms. When animated the difference is apparent; eight solid black eyes open in a ring around the trunk while the globes at the end of the arms begin to glow. The golem moves on knobby roots at the base of the trunk.

 

The Burning Spider Golem stands 15-20 feet tall and weighs 5-8 hundred pounds. Their arms are typically 8-10 feet long.

 

A gap opens in the middle of the animated golem. The interior of the cavity is filled with spider spawn that are independently mobile. The spider spawn often rest in the cavity until sent out by the golem to perform task such as guarding, exploring and picking up objects.

 

The globes on the end of the Burning Spider Golem ignite with magical fire, giving them the impression of burning like a torch. The long hairs that fall off the globes are not consumed by the fire. Occasionally, thick smoke drifts off of the flames.

Combat:  Burning Spider Golems are capable of swinging or grappling with their arms. They are rather clumsy and slow in their movements, giving their opponent a +2 to initiative. The golem suffers a -2 to all Dexterity checks.

 

The preferred attack of the Burning Spider Golem is a slap from one of its thick arms. The strength of the blow is coupled with long, slightly hooked needles on the end which rake the opponent (adamantine added to the golem during creation makes these formidable weapons).

 

There is a possibility (10%) that the needles can sink into whatever they strike, causing the Burning Spider Golem to pause and shake itself free. The golem loses the use of the arm for 1d4 rounds but does an additional 2d8 of puncture/slashing damage.

 

The Burning Spider Golem can control its spider spawn to attack. The spawn have a poisonous bite. The spawn can also ignite they hairs on their bodies to use the flaming touch and smoke abilities.

 

Berserk (Ex): When a Burning Spider Golem enters combat there is a cumulative 1% chance that the golem become enraged and enters into a berserk rage. It will attack all living creatures within visual range before moving on to wreck more havoc. If it wanders more than 60 feet with finding a new target, its rage dissipates. Its creator may attempt to control it, if within visual range (DC 19 Charisma check).

 

Immunity to Magic (Ex): Burning Spider Golems are immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. In addition, certain spells and effect function differently against the creature and its spawn.

 

A magical attack that deals cold or fire damage slows a Burning Spider Golem (as a Slow spell) for 2d6 rounds with no saving throw. Any magical attack that deals electricity damage breaks the slow effects on the golem and heals 1 point of damage for every 3 points of damage it would have caused. 

 

Excess hit points can be added temporarily to the plant’s total or distributed evenly to its spider spawn. The golem and its spawn get no saving throw against attacks that deal electricity damage.

 

Spells that affect plants have a 50% percent chance to work normally and a 25% chance to misfire. There is only a 25% chance that the spell fails and has no effect.

 

Fiery Globe (Sp): The Burning Spider golem can fling the globes on the end of its arms at an opponent. These globes have a good chance (80%) of igniting any flammable object they touch such as oil, cloth, wood, or straw.

 

Flaming Touch (Sp): The Burning Spider golem can ignite its opponent on fire with a successful touch. Its spider spawn can ignite the hairs on their bodies and set fire to flammable objects such as oil, cloth, wood or straw. The heat can blister or burn exposed flesh, scorch stone and melt metal.

 

Smoke (Sp): The golem can cause smoke to billow of the ignited globes, radiating in a 25-foot cone around it that chokes and blinds opponents. Anyone in the cone of smoke must succeed on a DC 16Fortitude save or take a -2 penalty on all attack and damage rolls for 1d6 minutes.

 

The cone lasts for one round, and can be used as a free action during its turn each round. The save DC is Constitution-based.

 

The smoke also serves to conceal the golem from the normal sight of creatures 5 feet or more away. However, the smoke is not itself concealed. The smoke does not affect the golem’s sight or other senses.

 

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the golem must hit with a claw attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.

 

Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +12, damage 2d8+6

 

While rooted, the Burning Spider golem regenerates all damage and scars.

 

Construction:

A Burning Spider Golem is constructed from a daughter plant of the Shivering Candle cactus. It must be treated with special oils that cause the desiccation. A salve of stonescale powder toughens the exterior and gives it a nearly stone-like hardness. Greater Restoration, Insect Plague, Shambler,  and Liveoak must be cast before the creator starts a vision quest.

 

The caster must fast 24 hours before the vision begins (only drinking water before the quest). Once the quest begins, the creator cannot eat or drink anything. A circle of specially prepared herbs is drawn around the cactus while others are burned.

 

If successful, the creator enters into a trance. In the trance, the creator communicates with the spirit of the cactus. During the communication, a symbol is revealed to the creator which must be inscribed perfectly on the trunk and arms as well as each spider spawn.

 

A 20^th-level spellcaster able to cast arcane spells must complete the ritual with the creator. 2,500 XP is drained from the creator and the spellcaster (or 5,000 XP if the creator and spellcaster are the same person). The completion of the ritual requires the casting of the flaming sphere,continual flame,wall of smoke geas or quest, magic weapon and polymorph any object spells. A natural lightning strike is needed to animate the golem.

 

The creator or spellcaster must have the Craft Magical Arms and Armor and Craft Wondrous Items feats for the adamantine claws, otherwise the Golem does not have them.

 

The cost of materials is around 2,500 gp. A green or brown Heartjewel worth 1-2 thousand gp is inserted into the cactus to animate it. Smaller jewels are used on each spider spawn. The ritual takes three days to complete (including ritual purification).   

 

Due to the nature of their construction, Burning Spider golems cannot be sold or transferred. They are intelligent enough to be given simple commands (not in excess of 20 words) and are often used as guardians of sacred places (in their native environment) where they are dormant until they are activated.

 

The spider spawn of the golem remain with the golem and do not attempt to breed. The ritual consumes the life of the cactus and its spawn, using their energy as the initial animating force.