Marut

Description

(From D&D 3.5e Monster Manual I - 2003):

Maruts represent the inevitability of death. THey confront those who would try to deny the grave itself.

Any who use unnatural means to extend their life span (such as a lich) could be targeted by a marut. Those who take extraordinary measures to cheat death in some other way (such as sacrificing hundreds of others to keep oneself safe from a plague) might be labelled transgressors as well. Those who use magic to reverse death (raise dead spells, for example) aren't worthy of a marut's attention unless they do so repeatedly or on a massive scale.

When a marut has identified its target, it walks surely and implacably toward the foe, never resting.

Combat: Once it has found its target, a marut brings it the death it has been trying to avoid. Those who defile death through necromancy may instead receive a geas and/or mark of justice to enforce proper respect. It typically uses wall of force to shut off any escape routes, then opens up with chain lightning while it closes to melee range. Once there, it strikes with its massive fists, using circle of death if beset by numbers of defenders. It hits spellcasting opponents with repeated uses of greater dispel magic, and it uses dimension door and locate creature to track down foes who flee.

A marut's natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Fists of Thunder and Lightning (Su): A marut's left fist delivers a loud thunderclap whenever it hits something, dealing an extra 3d6 points of sonic damage and causing the target to be deafened for 2d6 rounds (Fortitude DC 31 negates the deafness). Its right fist delivers a shock for an extra 3d6 points of electricity damage, and the flash of lightning causes the target to be blinded for 2d6 rounds (Fortitude DC 31 negates the blindness). The save DCs are strength-based and include the marut's Ability Focus feat.

Spell-like Abilities:

At will - air walk, dimension door, fear (DC 18), greater command (DC 19), greater dispel magic, mass inflict light wounds (DC 19), locate creature, true seeing;

1/day - chain lightning (DC 20), circle of death (DC 20), mark of justice, wall of force;

1/week - earthquake (DC 22), geas/quest, plane shift (DC 21).

Caster level 14th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Skills: A marut has a +4 racial bonus on Concentration, Listen, and Post checks.

(From Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes - 2018): 

The nigh-unstoppable inevitables serve a singular purpose: they enforce contracts forged in the Hall of Concordance in the city of Sigil. Primus, the leader of the modrons, created maruts and other inevitables to bring order to dealings between planar folk. A wide array of disparate creatures, including yugoloths, will enter into a contract with inevitables if asked.

The Hall of Concordance is an embassy of pure law in Sigil, the City of Doors. In the hall, parties who agree to mutual terms—and who pay the requisite gold to the Kolyarut, a mechanical engine of absolute jurisprudence—can have their contract chiseled onto a sheet of gold that is placed in the chest of a marut. From that moment until the contract is fulfilled, the marut is bound to enforce its terms and to punish any party who breaks them. A marut resorts to lethal force only if a contract calls for it, if the contract is fully broken, or if the marut is attacked.

Inevitables care nothing for the spirit of an agreement, only the letter. A marut enforces what is written, not what was meant by or supposed to be understood from the writing. The Kolyarut rejects contracts that contain vague, contradictory, or unenforceable terms. Beyond that, it doesn’t care whether both parties understand what they’re agreeing to.

(From Planescape - Monstrous Compendium Appendix I - 1994): 

Maruts are the servants of the powers throughout the Upper Planes. They go forth from Mechanus and spread the powers’ will across the Outer Planes. 

In his book Magic and Mystery of ind, Vimalanda Rey tells a legend of the marut. 

“In the Plague Year, Rudra visited death upon the once-mighty city of Dharaputta. ”Prince Rajavahana claimed that with his wealth and power he could deny death, dismay Rudra, and lock out the plague. He locked himself in his high-domed palace. Guards kept away all sickness, and even the healthy who would see the Prince were bathed in strong smelling herbs and given magical treatments to insure their health. The sages of Rajavahana warned him that he could not avoid the maruts, but he pai wizards vast amounts to set certain powerful seals upon his doo that would keep the onyx gian from entering his palace.

“As the plague reduced his great city to ruin, the prince amused himself by parties and dances. One day he organized a trip to the treasure room of his great-grandfather. There he found a statue of a marut. For a moment he felt afraid, but the oldest dwellers of the palace assured him that the statue had been there since his grandfather’s time. He had the statue taken to his ballroom to show his victory over Rudra. 

“During his next feast, with all his guests around, Prince Rajavahana stood in front of the figure and taunted it. To his horror, the statue spoke! ‘Know, 0 Prince, that the decrees of fate are set aside by no man. Patiently 1 have waited since the time of your grandfather to bring you this.’ Whereupon the marut breathed out a silvery breath. 

“Coughing, the Prince cried, ‘What of my guards? what of my spells?’ “‘Spells and guards are as naught to fate.’ 

“In an instant all had died the Silvery Death, and the marut, unhampered by spells to prevent its leaving, returned to Mechanus.“

Mamts look like red-eyed, unliving giants carved from a single piece of polished stone with no discernible joints or seams. Maruts wear golden armor with wide plates on the shoulders and armbands.

Maruts speak only in response to direct questioning, save when relaying messages given to them. They understand all languages. 

Maruts spread the will of the power they serve, whether a god of disease, love, or magic. They interact with others only if it directly involves the service they are currently performing or if hindered from prforming that service. Otherwise they seem oblivious to what occurs around them. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Maruts are highly intelligent and keenly alert to their environment.

Although maruts seem evil, they are only servants who obey the will of their masters to the absolute letter. WHen the situation warrants it, their masters may even send them to aid a power of another alignment. Of course, when the maruts’ actions no longer serve their master’s will, they leave the scene immediately.

Maruts are enchanted constructs that the god of disease, Rudra, has imbued with intelligence and sentience. The marut body itself is made of pure onyx and is worth hundreds of thousands of gold pieces.

Maruts exist only to spread the will of their masters or to serve those their master has chosen. They spread the will of their master even when assigned other tasks.

All maruts were created directly from the will of Rudra but have changed hands many times since. Because Rudra spreads disease, his own maruts harm their environment by causing disease in plants, animals, and sapient creatures. The god has given maruts to fellow powers as gifts for services rendered. In fact, at times it serves Rudra’s enemies ends to assist the causes of good. In those times, his maruts directly serve a good deity.

Combat: Maruts are awesome opponents. Their punch alone can fell all but the most powerful opponents (8d10 damage).

Maruts have the following spell-like powers: animate object, blink, cause disease (against any one target within 60’) continual light, control minds (3 times per day), deafness, earthquake (once per day), hold person, lightning bolt (8d6 damage), and shades.

Maruts are immune to attacks from weapons of less than +3 magical enchantment. They regenerate 5 hp per round. Maruts are immune to acid-based attacks. They take half damage from cold and fire-based spells. Trap the soul and related magics do not affect the maruts. They also are immune to death spells.