New Monster: Sapphire Guardian of Kanaan

SAPPHIRE GUARDIAN OF KANAAN

Hit Dice: 5 (30 hp)

Armor Class: 17

Attacks:  1 sapphire longsword (1d12+3)

Saving Throw:  12

Special:  Magic Resistance 75%, immune to fear effects and mind-affecting spells, blue gaze, deadly quickness (+1 to initiative rolls), cannot be disarmed

Movement:  12

Size:  M

Challenge Level/XP:  7/600

The Sapphire Guardians of Kanaan are a group of magical constructs created by the Founders, who settled Mirkania and built the city of Kanaan, and whose actual identities are lost to time.  Fortunately, the secret of the creation of the Sapphire Guardians has been handed down through the priestly caste of the city, and they are created and repaired on a regular basis.  This method is regarded as a holy secret, and people have died to protect it.

The Sapphire Guardians are made completely of a deep blue sapphire, mined from the surrounding land.  They are fashioned to appear in garb typical of Mirkania at the time of their construction.  Some of the oldest Guardians are centuries old, becoming a sort of window to the customs of past eras in the city, and for this reason some are deployed in festivals and in tutoring the noble caste.

As a rule, the Guardians are used as the police force of Kanaan.  Their priestly overseers command them in each and every task, but once commanded they function autonomously.  They can speak to impart knowledge to their commanding priest, but their voices sound as if they submerged in deep water - an eerie sound, to be sure.  Some Sapphire Guardians are promoted and assigned to the command of an entire unit of other Guardians, given the ability to command for themselves by the assigned priest.  Sapphire Guardians who have this ability never misuse it or disobey, for to do so means sure destruction.  Commanding Guardians want to keep "living," programmed to have this desire by the priests.

Every 1d4 rounds, a Sapphire Guardian can emit a blue ray from its eyes, affecting a single target at ranges of up to 30 feet.  If the target fails a saving throw, it is paralyzed for 1d6 minutes.  If destroyed, a Guardian becomes a fine blue powder - beautiful, but of no value.

New Monster: Vampire Raider of Kochab

VAMPIRE RAIDER OF KOCHAB

Hit Dice: 2+6

Armor Class: 15

Attacks:  1 weapon (1d10 + weapon modifier) or bite (1d8 + disease)

Saving Throw:  16

Special:  Necrotic bite, otherworldly presence

Movement:  9

Size:  M

Challenge Level/XP:  4/120

Just southeast of the mountains called The Spear that nestle the sage-city of Taltun lies a ruined city once known by the name of Kochab.  It was part of the Voori empire that had spread over the continent before recorded history.  Its only current inhabitants are what the people of the city of Antioch call the Vampire Raiders, a pale but strong race of people that sustain themselves largely by taking slaves and using them for labor and food.  They are cursed with an unnaturally long life, which is said to be uncountable centuries, dislike (but are not hindered by) sunlight, and prefer to dwell in the places below the surface of their city that they have constructed for themselves (this under-city is rumored to extend below The Throne and perhaps to Taltun itself).

In combat, Vampire Raiders are quite fierce, and will generally use weapons unless they are disarmed.  They have a terrible bite, complete with vampire-like fangs, and a victim of this bite must make a saving throw or face infection with disease.  The Raiders' disease is debilitating and deadly, causing damage on the second day of infection in the amount of 1d6 points of Constitution damage.  This disease will last for 1d6 days, each subsequent day after the first causing this Con damage.  When a victim reaches 0 Con, he dies.  A saving throw can be made each day to end the disease (after Con damage is assessed, of course).

The most deadly aspect of the Vampire Raiders, however, is their otherworldly presence.  Simply being within 60 feet of a Raider forces characters to make a saving throw, with failure indicating that they are fascinated by the creature for 1d4 rounds, or until the fascination is broken in the usual ways.