Citadel of the Edge IV: Lesser Servitor (New Monster)*

What would Big Bad Villains be without their signature minions? 

The Servitors are the most commonly-encountered lieutenants of the Gray Council, occupying the upper ranks of the College of the Arcane.  These Wizards have submitted voluntarily to a complex process of alchemical transmogrification, in which their flesh is converted into one of three metallic substances not unlike bronze, silver or platinum.  Only the most trusted of the Council's mortal servants are offered this great honor.

This process does not destroy the consciousness or abilities of the subject, though it does establish some limitations on the use of magic.  In order to recover expended spells, all Servitors must bathe in demonic energy (such as that found in the Rift of Xerys and which can be channeled into the altar in the Soul Forge) for one hour.  Although Servitors by their nature are Lawful Evil, any magical effects they generate are considered Chaotic because they are infused with demonic energy.  Any Illusion or Mind-Affecting magic used by a Servitor gives its target a +2 bonus to save due to the corrupted nature and vulgarity of these effects.


In exchange for these limitations (which generally bind the Servitor to the Council's service in perpetuity), the Servitor gains many significant advantages:

• The Servitor's hit die is increased to d8 if it is not at least already this high.
• The Servitor is immune to all Mind-Affecting magic.
• The Servitor gains physical defenses based on type:
• Bronze - All physical attacks deal one less damage.
• Silver - The Servitor is immune to attacks from magical weapons unless they are specifically Good-aligned (Holy Avengers, etc.) but takes double damage from non-magical cold iron weapons and damage-dealing spells.
• Platinum - All magical weapons successfully striking the Servitor lose their magical abilities for one hour.
•  +2 Strength.
• The Servitor may move through rough terrain at normal movement speed and does not leave tracks, nor make sounds of passage.

The Servitors are employed primarily to oversee operation of various activities within the Citadel of the Edge and its surroundings, though they are also occasionally sent as high-level emissaries to dignitaries on their home plane and beyond when speedy travel and secrecy are required.  There are rarely more than a dozen of these servants at a time, of various types, and they are usually transformed from Wizards or Sorcerers of at least eighth level (all spellcasting abilities are retained).

The Servitors are essential to the central deception of the Gray Council.  Once their transformation is complete, the newly-created Servitor must swear the Vow of Peace upon the Bloodstone of Tharkos or be destroyed by the Council.  The Vow of Peace prevents the Servitor from killing any sentient creature through action or inaction, as a clear demonstration of the Council's goodwill and productive goals.  Much fanfare is made of this vow in the Council's more sensitive dealings, as the Servitors are the highest of their servants, but those with experience in dealing with the Servitors know that the Vow of Peace does nothing to preclude non-lethal violence...

*I am trying to keep my outline of the Citadel of the Edge and its denizens as system-neutral as possible (at least within D&D and its closely-related offspring), so though this is technically a "new monster" entry I'm not including any stat blocks.