Archon Advent
Hello everyone and welcome to the first From the Workshop of 2011. As you’ve no doubt picked up by now, it is Archon Week here at Necromancers of the Northwest. Thus for this week’s article we will be providing you with a few new archon monsters for use in your game.
Trident Archon
Trident archons hail from the rivers and lakes of heaven and consider those places their sacred charge. Over time trident archons have emigrated from their sacred home and can be found championing the cause of righteousness throughout the planes, particularly in the world river Oceanus. Trident archons rarely build any kind of permanent settlement and are largely a nomadic people, roaming the land and sea at will in search of those in need of their strength. It is rare to see large groups of trident archons, and they tend to travel in small bands, usually consisting of younger trident archons following a more accomplished mentor and aiding him on his quest to bring goodness wherever he travels.
Trident archons consider themselves to be responsible for preserving the traditions of good beneath the waves and so spend most of their time underwater, making sure that those traditions are upheld. Trident archons are often called upon to mediate disputes between various aquatic races because of their well deserved reputation both for fairness and for enforcing their rulings. In addition to the evil creatures that inhabit the depths, the trident archons have managed to make an enemy of the marids throughout the elemental plane of water, with whom they often quarrel. When a conflict arises, trident archons universally favor tridents as their weapon of choice, throwing them from a distance before closing to finish the fight in melee.
A trident archon resembles a large statuesque man with pale blue or green skin, kelp-like hair ranging in color from silver to jade, and a number of largely vestigial fins on their forelimbs.
Special Abilities
Amphibious (Ex): A trident archon can breathe equally well on land or in the water.
Trident Mastery (Su): A trident archon is supernaturally gifted with a trident, and he may throw them underwater without any penalty. Additionally, any trident a trident archon wields gains the distance and returning weapon properties.
Ecology
Environment aquatic
Organization solitary, pair, or inquisition (4 plus one level 6 paladin)
Treasure standard (large masterwork trident, other treasure)
Blade Archons
Blade archons are thin and lithe, and could easily be mistaken for a human or elf if not for the fact that they have no mouths, the lower part of their faces being perfectly smooth. Blade archons typically disdain armor, instead relying on their physical grace and keen insight to protect them in combat. All blade archons carry a two-bladed sword, which, when wielded by them, becomes a powerful weapon for the forces of good and law.
Blade archons typically serve as guardians and bodyguards, protecting tombs and temples which house important sacred relics, watching over inmates in celestial prisons, and serving as personal bodyguards to a variety of important figures, including generals in celestial armies, saints and other great holy men, and destined heroes of legend. Many stories of “guardian angels” are, in fact, written about these archons.
Because they lack mouths, blade archons are not normally capable of speaking. This suits the stoic guardians well enough, and it is only in the most dire of circumstances that they will make any attempt to communicate, usually with a quick message, or jotting down a short note. Even then, they never use more words than necessary.
Special Abilities
Celestial Bodyguard (Su): As bodyguards, blade archons have the supernatural ability to protect their wards, shielding them from harm even when they are unable to be by their side. As a standard action, a blade archon can designate a creature it can see as its ward. Whenever the ward would take damage, that damage is instead dealt to the blade archon. The type and source of the damage is unchanged, and any energy resistance, damage reduction, or similar defensive abilities which would normally apply to the attack still apply (though if the ward has any such abilities, they do not apply. Only the blade archon’s defenses can modify the amount of damage dealt). This ability lasts until the blade archon is slain, or chooses to end the effect (a move action). A blade archon can have only one ward at any given time.
Divine Weapon (Su): Each blade archon has a special two-bladed sword, which gains magical properties when he wields it. One end of this double-weapon is a +1 axiomatic longsword, while the other end is a +1 holy longsword. Out of the blade archon’s hands, this sword is nothing more than a masterwork two-bladed sword.
Saintly Insight (Ex): A blade archon gains an insight bonus to AC equal to his Wisdom modifier, if any.
Ecology
Environment heaven (any)
Organization solitary
Treasure standard (master work double bladed sword plus other treasure)
Staff Archons
Staff archons are only very rarely seen outside of the celestial realm of heaven where they dwell in sacred halls of humble construction. Even so, the actions of staff archons can be far-reaching indeed, as they are largely responsible for planning the day-to-day operations of the various servants of the light, guiding individual groups in their fight against evil. The primary function of a council of staff archons is to direct heavenly troopers against the forces of darkness, using their greater teleport ability to quickly assess the military situation, coordinate with one another, and then issue orders to the frontline troops, ensuring a smooth and coordinated response that gives the heavenly forces a strong tactical edge against their enemies. When called for, staff archons can adopt strong roles as support troops along the front lines, using their spell-like abilities and magical staves to devastate their enemies. On the rare occasion that staff archons leave heaven, it is usually to ensure the success of some type of important field mission or to coordinate operations among large numbers of other archons.
A staff archon strongly resembles a beautiful human or elf with skin the color of highly polished darkwood, while they have hair and eyes the colors of gold or silver. Typically a staff archon favors simple white robes of some strange and light material. In battle staff archons wield well-carved and often magical staves, though they prefer to use their spell-like abilities until they are exhausted and only close to melee if there is no other alternative.
Special Abilities
Resplendent Strike (Su): Whenever a staff archon scores a critical hit the target is dazed for one round.
Ecology
Environment heaven (any)
Organization solitary, pair, council (4 plus 3 clerics of 5th level or 3 hound archons)
Treasure standard (+1 quarterstaff plus other treasure)
Thank you for joining me this week for another exciting From the Workshop. We hope to see you here again next week, and until then please allow me to wish you all the best in your gaming endeavors.