Harm the Guard [CR 12]

Harm

Fighter 12
Warforged, Medium Living Construct, LN
HD: 12d10+60 (158 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares)
Armor Class: 24 (+8 armor, +3 natural, +2 deflection, +1 dexterity), touch 13, flatfooted 23
Base Attack/Grapple: +12 / +18
Attack: melee +2 Harmonium Halberd: +22/17/12 (1d10+15, 19-20/x3);
melee unarmed Slam: +20 (1d4+9) 
Space/Reach: 5 ft. / 5 ft.
Special Qualities: Light Fortification (Ex), Composite Plating (Ex) + Adamantine Body (damage reduction 2/adamantine - see Notes below)
Immunities: poison, sleep effects, paralysis, disease, nausea, fatigue, exhaustion, energy drain
Saves: Fort +15, Ref +7, Will +9
Abilities: Str 22, Dex 13, Con 20, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Climb +10, Craft (Origami) +1, Jump +8, Ride +10, Swim +8
Feats: Adamantine body, Armor Proficiency: heavy, Armor Proficiency: light, Armor Proficiency: medium, Cleave, Dodge, Greater Weapon Focus: Halberd, Greater Weapon Specialization: Halberd, Improved Critical: Halberd, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Mobility, Power Attack, Shield Proficiency, Simple Weapon Proficiency, Tower Shield Proficiency, Weapon Focus: Halberd, Weapon Specialization: Halberd  
Environment: City
Organization: Harmonium
Possessions: +2 Harmonium Halberd (32,310 gp, 86,810 gp; see description below); Amulet of Natural Armor +3 (18,000 gp); Bracers of health (+4) (16,000 gp); Belt of Giant Strength +4 (16,000 gp); Helm of Glorious Recovery (see Notes below); Cloak of Resistance +2 (4,000 gp); Ring: Protection +2 (8,000 gp) 

"Get out of Harm's way," goes the local saying. Harm with a capital 'H', and quite possibly short for Harmonium, though the bodily variant may also apply. Nobody knows much about him. Well, Harm is a local guard. He keeps the streets safe, but never says much. And he never goes anywhere without that halberd of his. As far as I know, he never receives orders - nobody would dare give him any - and yet he always seems to move with a sense of... purpose. 

Harm is a warforged, a living construct created in ancient times with a single purpose - to fight and die for his master. But that was long ago. He has since become his own master and has joined the ranks of Harmonium (a faction from the Planescape setting). Regardless of the setting in your game, Harm can be stationed anywhere in place of a normal town watchman, even when that town has no (obvious) ties to planar factions or even other watchmen. He can guard a busy marketplace or a wealthy merchant, stand at the city gates or battlements, charge tolls on a town bridge. He may seem to take commands from the local ranking officers (who hesitantly tolerate his presence, but dare not turn him away), but his armour insignia and mannerisms will reveal otherwise - his true loyalty lies with the Harmonium. 

Harm may seem harmless at first, no pun intended. If he spots a light crime being committed (for example, a thief cutting purses in the market, or somebody trespassing on private property), he will give ample warning to the perpetrator and a chance to either pay a fine or return from whence they came. However, if provoked by insubordination or heavy crimes (theft of items over 10gp in value, bodily harm, murder) he will make an attempt to arrest the perpetrator and take him or her to the local barracks/prison. Should the criminal resist arrest, Harm will proceed to execute him and anyone who interferes.

Harm always carries his Harmonium Halberd (see below), and is sometimes seen quietly chatting to it. Careful listeners may even hear the halberd answering back. It is in fact a magical halberd with a mind of its own, and Harm's partner of sorts. It sometimes notices things that Harm does not, and warns him accordingly. It also helps him apprehend escaping criminals. 

At times, Harm seems to become lost in thought. Since warforged do not sleep, he is known to pass the while by folding origami animals and monsters. Of course, this could also be a ruse so that criminals would let their guard down. Unbeknownst to them, Harm's halberd also never sleeps, and carefully observes everything in sight.

Harmonium Halberd
This halberd is heavily enchanted and infused with the soul of a former Harmonium Factol. Its full ablities are only revealed to a member of the Harmonium; anyone else can use it merely as a +2 Halberd: Axiomatic. In the hands of Harm (or another faction member) its stats are as follows:  

+2 Intelligent Halberd (LN; Ego: 20; Int 18, Wis 18, Cha 10); Axiomatic (+2 vs. Chaotic enemies); Senses: Darkvision 120 ft., Blindsense, Hearing; Communication: Speech, Telepathy (with the wielder);  Skills: +14 Listen, +14 Sense Motive; Powers (Caster Level 12): Hold Person - 3/day, Slow - 3/day, Dimensional Anchor - 1/day.

All these abilities place the item's full price at 86,810 gp, but it will resist scrying attempts. Should a player cast Identify upon the item, the item will attempt to resist it. The caster can sense the resistance, and a battle of wills may begin: the caster and the item must throw Wisdom checks (the Halberd's modifier is at +4, but it will be +6 vs. chaotic casters). If the caster wins a check, the item reveals one of its powers at random, and another check may be made. If the caster fails, the item remains immune to other attempts from that same caster for the next 24 hours. However, even a fully identified item may choose not to cooperate - it may help lawful characters for a while, but it will ultimately seek to return to a member of the Harmonium.

Selling the item at full price should not be too easy: a) most merchants will see it as a mere +2 Halberd: Axiomatic, b) any who do realize that it is a Harmonium weapon will probably be reluctant to anger the faction because c) the Harmonium will want the weapon back. Should the players get their hands on the Harmonium Halberd by either stealing it or killing Harm, the Harmonium will pursue them and seek justice.

-- Notes --
1. Adamantine Body: As a warforged, Harm does not wear armor - it is already built into him. By taking the Adamantine Body feat at 1st level, a warforged is counted as wearing an Adamantium Full Plate (+8 to Armor Class, damage reduction 2/adamantine, -5 armor check penalty, +1 maximum Dexterity modifier, speed reduced to 20ft., 35% arcane spell failure). Because it is part of his body, this armor cannot be salvaged and used by anyone else, nor can Harm take it off.
2. Warforged and their characteristics were introduced in the Eberron Campaign Setting and later presented in Monster Manual III. Warforged do not need to sleep. When reduced to 0 hp, Harm can still make one move or standard action per round without risking further injury. At -1 to -10 hp, Harm becomes inert. In case of a critical hit or a sneak attack, there is a 25% chance that Harm will negate the additional damage.
3. Helm of Glorious Recovery: This item cures Harm 1/day 2d8+3 hp on command. This already takes into account that Warforged receive only half the healing effects. If Harm is reduced below 0 hp, the helm automatically heals him 1 hp per day until he retains consciousness (at 0 hp). The helm is part of Harm's body armor and cannot be removed.
4. Harmonium: As mentioned (and linked) earlier, the Harmonium are a Planescape faction that represents law and order, and seek to achieve it by any means necessary.

--

Character build by Domigorgon

Illustration by Clone-Artist