Tzitzimitl

Tzitzimitl CR 19

XP 204,800
NE Gargantuan undead
Init +9; Senses arcane sight, blindsense (life) 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., true seeing; Perception +32

DEFENSE

HP 415
EAC 33; KAC 35
Fort +20; Ref +20; Will +18
DR 15/bludgeoning and good;
Immunities cold, electricity, undead immunities; Resistance fire 15; SR 30

OFFENSE

Speed 50 ft., fly 60 ft. (Su, perfect)
Melee bite +33 (12d6+30 B & E plus energy drain) or claw +33 (15d6+30 S & E)
Ranged eyebeam +30 (8d8+19 E)
Space 20 ft.; Reach 20 ft.
Offensive Abilities eclipse, electric force, energy drain (2 levels, DC 24), light to dark
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 19th)

3/day—animate dead, haste, interplanetary teleport
At will—bestow curse (DC 21)
Constant—arcane sight, true seeing

STATISTICS

Str +11; Dex +5; Con —; Int +5; Wis +6; Cha +9
Skills Acrobatics +32 (+40 to fly), Life Science +32, Mysticism +32, Physical Science +32
Languages Abyssal, Aklo, Celestial, Common
Other Abilities spaceflight (Mysticism)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Eclipse (Su)

As a standard action, a tzitzimitl can focus the power of solar eclipses to create a 60-foot spherical spread of darkness. This darkness counters all nonmagical light, as well as any magical light from a source with a level or CR lower than the tzitzimitl’s. A creature in the area when the darkness appears takes 8d6 cold damage (Fortitude DC 24 half) and is staggered while it remains in the area and for 1d4 rounds after leaving. The darkness lasts for 1 round, but the tzitzimitl can concentrate as a free action on each of its turns to maintain the effect for another round.

Electric Force (Su)

Electricity damage a tzitzimitl deals has the force descriptor.

Eyebeam (Su)

A tzitzimitl’s eyebeam has a range of 100 feet.

Light to Dark (Su)

When any creature would regain Hit Points from a magical effect while within 100 feet of the tzitzimitl, as a reaction the tzitzimitl can cause the effect to instead deal its target an amount of damage equal to the Hit Points the target would have regained.

If the tzitzimitl would take damage from a magical effect that normally heals the living, the tzitzimitl can use this ability to instead regain Hit points equal to the damage it would have taken. This ability can affect any number of creatures at once, including the tzitzimitl. Therefore, if an effect would heal the living while harming the tzitzimitl, the tzitzimitl can co-opt the entire effect to harm the living and heal itself.

ECOLOGY

Environment any
Organization solitary

Tzitzimitls are enigmatic undead beings unleashed in some forgotten time to visit death and darkness on the galaxy.

Some say the lightless gulfs between the stars—the ultimate nothingness on the Material Plane—birthed tzitzimitls. Others claim tzitzimitls are the avatars of a death god they themselves murdered. Tzitzimitls have plied the vastness of space for ages, perhaps even since the creation of the universe. As long as life has been a concept, death has followed. Perhaps tzitzimitls are manifestations of this truism.

Other legends abound. One is that these undead behemoths were titans who were banished from their home plane and thrust into the void on the Material Plane. Another claims that tzitzimitls come from a massive planet orbiting a binary star, where a dying race created them to enact revenge on an ancient enemy. That these skeletal undead tower over most humanoids has led to the belief that giants must have populated this lost world. A variation on this tale of a planet of giants speculates that tzitzimitls are what remained when the titans there cast off the evil within themselves and became immortal, luminous beings. A similar, if less grandiose, story posits tzitzimitls are the improperly buried dead of this theoretical species of titans.

These speculations and flights of fancy are all that is known to mortals. No tzitzimitl has ever paused in its path of devastation to discuss its origins. Observation proves only that, as stars give life to the worlds around them, tzitzimitls seem intent on extinguishing life and snuffing that light. Although no individual tzitzimitl has the deific or super-technological powers to darken an active star, these malignant creatures are nevertheless associated with both eclipses and dying stars.

Tzitzimitls usually travel alone. But unknown to most, tzitzimitls have a loose cabal that plans the destruction of entire solar systems. Quenching the force and power of a star is an incredible task: tzitzimitls scheme for as long as it takes to enact their plans to extinguish a target sun.

In this age of advanced technology and magic, these tzitzimitls work to create or seize the means to bring their goals to fruition.

Tzitzimitls have plied the vastness of space for millennia.

While flying through the void, tzitzimitls come into contact with space debris and strange gases that cling to their skeletal forms and dance with the creature’s spiritual lightning. These undead titans rarely put their feet down on solid ground.

When not in space, tzitzimitls float, suspended above the ground, choosing to not make contact with worlds they plan on plunging into darkness.

Some tzitzimitls lie dormant on planets or other astronomical bodies, awaiting the proper stellar alignment or some other vile signal before awakening. On a few worlds, great champions, most forgotten, faced and defeated an invading tzitzimitl, but the creature’s remains retain a spark of undeath. Mighty magic could resuscitate that darkness.

Cultists of the Devourer see tzitzimitls as avatars of their deity in practice if not in fact. Some seek to use magic to revive a slain tzitzimitl and place it under their thrall.

Unlike these cultists, a few who learn of tzitzimitls seek to worship them. Still other groups, eager to avoid the destruction of their own systems or willing to deliver such a fate upon others, seek out entombed tzitzimitls to destroy or harness them, respectively. In either case, the result is usually many dead mortals and the emergence of an awakened tzitzimitl.

Other groups, from doomsday sects to bold necromancers, seek out active tzitzimitls and present themselves to the undead creatures. Most tzitzimitls consider these foolish interlopers insignificant and destroy them. Others welcome mortals and delight in their destructive plans. Tzitzimitls who accept devotion raise fallen servants as undead, which are far more suitable for operations in the vacuum of space.

Tzibeam Weapons

Tzibeams are starship weapons that incorporate the head, spine, and long bones of a tzitzimitl, such as the femurs and humeri.

These weapons are rare in the extreme. It is rumored that some tzitzimitls donate bones for such weapons, aiding in the replication of essential parts, such as skull and spine.

If these stories are true, then the price for such aid is likely beyond what most are willing to pay. Mystical engineers are working to duplicate this hybrid technology. Otherwise, creating tzibeams requires a destroyed tzitzimitl.

These armaments are deadly to the living, allowing the capture of starships by slaying the crew rather than destroying the vessel in which they travel. Tzibeam weapons have the following special properties.

Death Field: Weapons with the death field special property deal normal damage to shields, but they always deal minimum damage to Hull Points. Each time the weapon hits, a wave of negative energy floods the target starship. If the target has active shields on the quadrant hit, living creatures aboard the target take damage equal to the number of dice the death field weapon special property has. If the quadrant has no shields, roll the dice associated with the property once. Each living creature aboard the target vessel takes that amount of damage. This damage bypasses resistances and damage reduction. Undead aboard a targeted vessel instead heal an amount equal to the damage rolled.

Mystical: When attempting a gunnery check with a mystical weapon, which is a hybrid device, gunners can use ranks in Mysticism in place of their base attack bonus or ranks in Piloting, and their Wisdom modifier in place of their Dexterity modifier.

Tzibeam Weapons (Starship Weapons) Light Direct-Fire Weapon Range Damage Pcu Cost (In Bp) Special Properties Light tzibeam Short 3d6 20 15 Death field 2d6, mystical Heavy Direct-Fire Weapon Range Damage Pcu Cost (In Bp) Special Properties Heavy tzibeam Medium 6d6 40 30 Death field 5d6, mystical