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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

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Gray Death

Galt's final blades are feared not only for the swift death they bring, but because it's widely rumored the magical guillotines hold on to the souls of the slain and prevent them from passing on to the afterlife. The truth is even worse: a final blade contains only a limited amount of metaphysical space to hold souls, and once it's full, the souls coalesce into a fearsome, malevolent entity called a gray death. The more souls trapped by a final blade, the more powerful the gray death becomes. A gray death doesn't pose much of a threat while contained within the final blade, other than to give the guillotine an aura of palpable malevolence. When freed, however, the gray death becomes a nearly unstoppable menace.

Recall Knowledge - Spirit (Occultism): DC 45
Recall Knowledge - Undead (Religion): DC 45
Unspecific Lore: DC 43
Specific Lore: DC 40

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

Gray DeathCreature 20

Legacy Content

Rare NE Huge Incorporeal Spirit Undead 
Source Night of the Gray Death pg. 68
Perception +13; darkvision, lifesense 1,000 feet
Languages Common; telepathy 100 feet
Skills Intimidation +20, Occultism +14, Performance +18, Society +14
Str -5, Dex +7, Con +4, Int +6, Wis +7, Cha +10
Lifesense (divination, occult) A gray death senses the vital essence of living creatures within range.
AC 24; Fort +11, Ref +15, Will +13
HP 330; Immunities disease, fear, paralyzed, poison, precision, unconcious; Resistances all damage 15 (except force, ghost touch, or positive; double resistance vs. non-magical); Weaknesses mental 15
Soul Bleed (aura, necromancy, occult) 1,000 feet. Creatures that begin their turn in the area take 5d6 negative damage and must succeed at a DC 22 Fortitude save or become doomed 1. If the creature is 13th level or lower, this doomed condition from soul bleed is cumulative, increasing by 1 with each failed save until the creature dies (typically at doomed 4).
Speed fly 60 feet
Melee [one-action] hand +18 [+13/+8] (finesse, magical, reach 15 feet), Damage 4d10+16 negative plus life sapFlailing Touch [two-actions] The gray death makes up to four hand Strikes, each against a different target it can reach. It increases its reach to 100 feet with these Strikes. These Strikes count as one attack for the gray death's multiple attack penalty, and the penalty doesn't increase until after the attacks.Life Sap A creature damaged by the gray death's hand Strike must succeed at a DC 22 Fortitude save or become drained 1, and paralyzed for 1 round on a critical failure.Resentful Possession [one-action] (curse, occult, enchantment, mental, possession) Frequency once per round; Effect The gray death chooses a living creature within 30 feet. The target must succeed at a DC 22 Will save or a fragment of embittered soul-stuff lodges within the target's spirit and turns it against its allies. While the target has this fragment, it doesn't count as anyone's ally for the purposes of providing flanking, and a would-be ally casting a spell that normally works only on an ally on the creature must succeed at a DC 22 counteract check (level 20) or the spell has no effect. The fragment fades after 24 hours.Spectral Lurker The gray death isn't slowed 1 when it starts its turn inside an object.

Engineered Disaster

Galt's Gray Gardeners have been intentional in their executions, ensuring each final blade has claimed as many souls as possible. After 50 years, every final blade now harbors a gray death. The oldest and most well-known final blade harbor more powerful and malevolent versions of the creature.