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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

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Spiritbound Aluum

Whereas most aluums are animated by the souls of volunteers loyal to Katapesh, the Pactmasters created a handful of more capable (and deadly) aluums powered by the souls of a dozen or more dangerous criminals. These spiritbound aluums are rarely used as peacekeepers, instead serving as assassins, elite bodyguards, or riot control during times of martial law.

A spiritbound aluum has a dull blue crystalline focus that stores constituent souls, surrounded by a host of smaller gems used for trapping souls the Pactmasters wish to deny from entering the Great Beyond. Spiritbound aluums rarely use this soul-binding ability except when instructed by their masters. However, the murderous or embittered souls within the aluum sometimes exert control and willfully consume a departing soul either out of malice or to incorporate it into the construct’s core. If not relieved of its trapped souls in a timely manner, a spiritbound aluum can develop enough will to overcome its masters’ orders and even awaken to full sentience. These rogue aluums typically lose the mindless trait, are evil, have an Intelligence modifier of –2 or higher, and gain several skills with bonuses ranging from +25 to +32.

Recall Knowledge - Construct (Arcana, Crafting): DC 40
Unspecific Lore: DC 38
Specific Lore: DC 35

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

Spiritbound AluumCreature 16

Legacy Content

Rare N Large Construct Mindless Soulbound 
Source Pathfinder #149: Against the Scarlet Triad pg. 83
Perception +28; darkvision
Skills Athletics +33
Str +9, Dex +3, Con +6, Int -5, Wis +4, Cha -2
AC 39; Fort +30, Ref +25, Will +28
HP 255; Immunities bleed, disease, death effects, doomed, drained, fatigued, magic (see below), mental, nonlethal attacks, paralyzed, poison, sickened, unconscious; Resistances 15 physical (except adamantine)
Attack of Opportunity [reaction]
Speed 25 feet, fly 25 feet
Melee [one-action] fist +33 [+28/+23] (magical), Damage 3d10+17 bludgeoning plus paralyzing forceArcane Innate Spells DC 38; 9th bind soul (x3); 5th locate
Aluum Antimagic Spiritbound aluum are immune to spells and magical abilities, with two exceptions. A negative spell or magical ability grants a spiritbound aluum the quickened condition until the end of its next turn instead of its normal effects. A positive spell or ability makes a spiritbound aluum slowed 1 until the end of its next turn instead of its normal effects.Obliteration Beam [two-actions] (arcane, evocation, force) Requirements The spiritbound aluum has bound a soul using its bind soul innate spell; Effect The spiritbound aluum transforms the captured soul’s essence into raw magical energy, channeling the spirit into a beam that deals 20d6 force damage in a 30-foot line (DC 38 basic Reflex save). The remaining fragments of the captured soul are released to the Great Beyond. The spiritbound aluum can’t use Obliteration Beam again for 1d4 rounds.Paralyzing Force (arcane, incapacitation, necromancy) A creature damaged by the spiritbound aluum's fist Strike must succeed at a DC 35 Fortitude save or become paralyzed for 1 round. On a critical failure, the creature is paralyzed for 1d4 minutes and falls prone.Soul Binder When a spiritbound aluum uses its bind soul innate spell, it binds the soul into its central crystal instead of the normal material component. The crystal can hold up to 60 souls. When encountered, a spiritbound aluum’s crystal typically contains 1d6 souls.Soul Shriek [two-actions] (arcane, auditory, evocation, mental, sonic) The spiritbound aluum emits a keening wail in a 15-foot cone that deals 16d6 sonic damage (DC 27 basic Fortitude save). A creature that fails its save is stunned 1, or stunned 3 on a critical failure. The aluum can’t use Soul Shriek again for 1d4 rounds.

All Monsters in "Aluum"

NameLevel
Aluum Enforcer10
Guardian Aluum13
Spiritbound Aluum16

Aluum

Source Pathfinder #149: Against the Scarlet Triad pg. 82
Aluums are powerful metal and stone constructs originally created by the Pactmasters to maintain order in Katapesh. The construction of each aluum includes the creation of an aluum charm, a brass pendant set with a blue crystal designed to control that particular construct. The charm constructed at the same time as an aluum is called its linked charm.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Loyal City Servants

Retired Zephyr Guards are the most common soul donors bound within an aluum’s crystalline focus, typically agreeing to it early in their career in exchange for a higher salary.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Rogue Aluums

Although members of the Zephyr Guard stop at nothing to detain and destroy rogue aluums, several such renegade spiritbound aluums remain at large.

Daemon of Dogtown: Following the Silk Riots of 4303 AR, the Pactmasters dispatched this aluum to eliminate straggling instigators. It succeeded, but not before gaining sentience and enacting a 3-day string of murders. Although officials claim it was destroyed, the so-called Daemon of Dogtown’s body was never actually recovered, leading to rumors that it still haunts the outskirts of Katapesh.

Queen Halkuar: Assigned to protect a gnoll emissary from the Spotted Hide pack, this aluum failed to protect its charge from assassins. Instinctively, it bound the gnoll’s soul, assumed the fabricated persona of “Queen Halkuar,” and fled into the hinterlands. The queen is said to still wander the wastes in search of additional “packmates.”