Canonfire! - Excerpts from the Demonomicon of Iggwilv: The Marut

Demonic sentinels known to guard strange gates throughout the Abyss, and rarely to guard artifacts or other magical items of great import.

Author: grodog

Excerpts from the Demonomicon of Iggwilv:
The Marut (MAH-ruht), Demonic Sentinels

by grodog

Copyright 2002 by Allan T. Grohe, Jr. Used with Permission. Do not repost without obtaining prior permission from the author.

The Marut (singular and plural) are huge demonic watch-wardens set to guard locations from entrance, egress, etc., though they have occassionally guarded items. They are generally found near planar gates within the Abyss that connect to other (hostile) realms (Hell, Xalta, Minythys, Limbo, Astral, Ethereal, Prime, and Negative Material PLanes especially), where they eternally sit on a pedestal (or whatever), in stasis, invulnerable, until released to perform their duties....

Physically, marut appear as twisted crosses between a lion, gargoyle, and a construct. They have slate-grey colored, rock-like flesh; the body of a lion with a gargoyle/leonine head featuring three horns, a fanged mouth, large and pointed ears, a vaguely-humanoid skull, and fiery orange eyes with white pupils. Their tails are long (about equal to overall height), and end in a bony, mace-like knob.

Upon reanimation, the marut will seek to probe the intruders at hand with ESP while vocally warning them away from their charged duty, in a deep, rolling, leonine voice. If intents are hostile (or if the ESP fails), they will assume a defensive posture, while "merely passing through" or somesuch non-violent response will not provoke a confrontation (so long as passing through isn't proscribed behavior).

In combat, marut with 8" long black, bony claws; they bite (able to swallow opponents smaller than 6 feet tall, killing them in 1-6 rounds; swallowed enemies attack at +4/-4 with 1 attack/round if using a small [3' or less] weapon and/or all natural attacks if applicable, with attacks vs. AC: -2; those who die while swallowed are irrecoverable without a limited wish, etc.); and swing their tails sluggishly (on a natural 20 stuns opponent for 1-6 rounds unless save vs. petrification).

Marut possess the following spell-like powers: ESP, darkness 10' radius, telekinese 6000 gp weight, employ a sending (1/day, to contact maker if necessary; range: planar), detect invisibility and -magic (2/day each), great shout (1/day), fear (by sight, save -3,
once/encounter), symbol (sleep, pain, or antipathy [as the spell], 1/day), gate (50%; 1-2 marut [65%], or their creators [Sceirion, Obox-ob, and few, select other First- and Second-born].

The Marut are "psionically displaced"---all psionic attacks, probes, effects, etc., when directed against them, slide off and effect a random being within a 5" radius. They are therefore immune to psionic attacks.

When marut move, they do so in a silent manner---is it impossible for them to make noise, save when they speak in their deep, proud, and slightly raspy voices.

The Marut (MAH-ruht), Demonic Sentinels (major demon)

Frequency: Very Rare
No. Appearing: 1-2 (up to 8)
Armor Class: -5
Move: 17"/34" (MC: C)//14"
Hit Dice: 20
% in Lair: 100%
Treasure Type: Nil or Special
No. of Attacks: 4 (claw/claw/bite/tail)
Damage/Attack: 7-10/7-10 (d4+6)/5-15 (2d6+3)/1-6
Special Attacks: Silence (totally silent, make no sound while interacting with environs; surprise 1-4), see below
Special Defenses: +2 or better weapon to hit, regenerate 3 hp/rd, stasis, see below
Magic Resistance: 45% uniform
Intelligence: Average [though perhaps programmed]
Size: 15'-20' tall, 30'-50' wingspan, 8'-12' wide (L)
Psionic Ability: VI (see below)
Level/XP Value: X/53,400 + 30/hp

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demon, Abyss