Marut
CREATURE 15A marut is tasked with hunting mortals who cheat death by artificially extending their lifespans. This includes those who seek undeath, such as liches and vampires, but also includes those who use powerful magic to cling to their youth, use divination to discover and avoid an appointed death, or call too often on the power of resurrection. Once the marut has selected its target, the inevitable pursues its quarry without surcease or deviation until either it or the target is dead.
Maruts seem to be carved from stone and clad in golden armor, yet they move with the deliberate grace of a creature made of flesh and bone. A marut never rushes, but its thunderous footfalls are relentless as it pursues its target. Though able to speak any language, the marut is taciturn even among inevitables.
A marut can speak with and understand any creature with a language.
A constant spell affects the monster without the monster needing to cast it, and its duration is unlimited. If a constant spell gets counteracted, the monster can reactivate it by spending the normal spellcasting actions the spell requires.
This monster regains the listed number of Hit Points each round at the beginning of its turn. Its Dying condition never increases beyond Dying 3 as long as its regeneration is active. However, if it takes damage of a type listed in the regeneration entry, its regeneration deactivates until the end of its next turn. Deactivate the regeneration before applying any damage of a listed type, since that damage might kill the monster by bringing it to Dying 4.
The marut is anathema to beings that unnaturally extend their existence, including undead. Its fists bypass such creatures' resistances to damage and apply the creatures' highest weakness to damage. If a marut kills a creature that rejuvenates, like a lich or ghost, it always knows that the creature isn't fully defeated.
Each time the marut makes a fist Strike, it chooses either lightning or thunder.
- If it chooses lightning, the attack deals an additional 2d12 electricity damage and the target must succeed at a DC 33 Fortitude save or be Blinded for 1 minute.
- If it chooses thunder, the attack deals an additional 3d8 sonic damage and the target must succeed at a DC 36 Fortitude save or be Deafened for 1 minute.