Epic Level Handbook

CHAPTER 5:MONSTERSA living vault is just that—a magically animated chamberconstructed by the most powerful epic wizards tostore and protect prized possessions.A living vault is primarily a defensive entity, designedto guard treasures of all sorts, though it can attack asnecessary. It has an array of powerful magical functionsthat allow it to ward off even the most aggressiveattempts to penetrate its interior. Even living creaturescan be stored in a living vault, carefully locked away forfuture interrogation.The default appearance of a living vault is a grayishbrown stone structure 50 feet by 50 feet that is 10 feethigh, but once constructed, the living vault canreshape itself into a variety of forms in order to fit withinparticular dimensions, so long as the total amount ofstorage area it possesses is 25,000 cubic feet. Long andnarrow vaults are common, as are tall, skinny ones. Thefinal shape doesn’t matter so long as the volumeremains constant. Living vaults form stony feet as a freeaction in order to move.To access a vault, its creator must call the vault fromwhere it is sequestered through the use of a sendingspell. The vault has no obvious opening; however,items can be stored and retrieved by naming them (theliving vault provides an inventory to its creator onrequest). The item to be stored appears to sink into theliving vault’s form as if made of mud. Likewise, itemsretrieved pop out of the living vault’s form. Storingand retrieving items in this fashion takes one roundper transaction.Creatures other than the vault’s master who wish toaccess the inventory must destroy the vault to do so. If avault is destroyed, all the objects and creatures storedwithin immediately emerge.COMBATThe living vault has no melee attack forms, but it certainlybenefits from a variety of magical attacks anddefenses.Imprisonment (Sp): As a free action twice per day, aliving vault can project a 60-foot cone. Creatures caughtin the cone must make a Will save (DC 58) or beaffected as by the imprisonment spell, except creaturesare stored within the vault’s interior. The living vaultcan hold two Gargantuan creatures, eight Huge creatures,thirty-two Large creatures, one hundred twentyeightMedium-size creatures, and so on. This assumesthat the rest of the vault is also relatively empty, so alarge hoard of treasure reduces the number of creaturesa living vault can hold at any one time.If freedom is later cast upon the very spot where thevictim of imprisonment disappeared, the victim is freed,though it doesn’t appear where it disappeared, but in aspace adjacent to wherever the living vault is currentlyphysically located.Recognition (Ex): Once made, a living vaultresponds only to its owner; no other being can accessthe vault’s interior. The vault is not fooled by disguisedcreatures, and can distinguish between its true masterand false duplicates, even penetrating disguises usedin conjunction with shapechange, alter self, change self,polymorph, seeming, and simulacrum and similar effectsThe vault does, however, respond to the product of aclone spell.Safekeeping (Sp): At will, a living vault can use apower that combines the effects of sequester and planeshift to render the vault invisible to any form of sight ordivination, and at the same time transfer it to a randomportion of the Astral Plane. When in safekeeping mode,the living vault responds to a sending by its master,returning to the location from which it left and becomingtangible once again.Creatures and objects that are stored within the vaultare treated as if under the effects of sequester, whetherthe vault itself is or not. Often, creatures are broughtinto the vault via imprisonment, but sometimes unconsciousor otherwise subdued creatures are stored as anobject, in which case they receive no saving throw toresist the effect.Construct Traits: Immune to mind-affecting effects(charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and moraleeffects), and to poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease,death effects, necromantic effects, and any effect thatrequires a Fortitude save unless it also works on objects.Cannot heal damage (though regeneration and fasthealing still apply, if present). Not subject to criticalhits, subdual damage, ability damage, ability drain, orenergy drain. Not at risk of death from massive damage,but destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points or less;cannot be raised or resurrected. Darkvision 60 ft.Magic Immunity (Ex): A living vault is immune to allmagical and supernatural effects, except as follows. A freedomspell cast on it causes it to defer the use of its ownimprisonment power for 10 rounds.MERCANELarge Outsider (Lawful)Hit Dice: 7d8+21 (52 hp)Initiative: +2 (Dex)Speed: 30 ft.AC: 15 (–1 size, +2 Dex, +4 natural)Attacks: Masterwork falchion +9/+4 meleeDamage: Falchion 2d4+3Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft.Special Qualities: SR 25, spell-like abilities, telepathySaves: Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +8Abilities: Str 15, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 20, Wis 17, Cha 15Skills: Appraise +19, Bluff +12, Diplomacy +16, GatherInformation +12, Innuendo +15, Intimidate +9, Knowledge(arcana) +13, Knowledge (the planes) +13, SenseMotive +13, Spot +9Feats: Expertise, Improved DisarmClimate/Terrain: Any land and undergroundOrganization: Company (1–4 mercanes and 3–18 5thlevelfighter bodyguards) or progression (1 mercane, 3204