Guardian Warrior

Guardian warriors and their ceramic horses are constructs made to protect places and people. Usually a dull red, they wear gear in the style of some earlier era. Their faces are blank and plain, never finely carved or beautiful, and on stone or marble floors both soldier and steed give off a hollow, unsettling clop.

A warrior strikes with its ceramic weapon, typically a broad sword, but every hit deals 1d12 regardless of the weapon. It can follow simple commands from an animator of matching alignment but cannot handle complex orders or battle plans.

Fire does not harm guardians, though it makes them glow a menacing dull red for a turn. Acid cannot hurt them either, nor can mind-affecting magic such as friends and sleep, and, lacking working eyes, to sight-based spells like light and darkness. Edged and piercing weapons deal only 1 point per hit, though the wielder believes full damage was done; blunt weapons hurt them normally.

Originally these figures were just ceramic statues placed as symbolic guards at tombs and holy sites. Few know the formula to wake them, though it may turn up on a scroll or beautiful jade tablets (1,000 gp value). The final step is pouring a liquid over the statue, and the liquid sets its alignment: acid yields chaotic neutral, clean water neutral, and brine lawful neutral.

A guardian whose basic alignment matches its animator's (lawful with lawful, say) obeys faithfully. One step apart, such as neutral and lawful, it ignores commands. Opposed alignments, lawful against chaotic, mean it savagely attacks the animator the moment it is complete.

Guardians serve as bodyguards or defenders of treasures, temples and refuges and have no role in nature. About 10% of warriors and horses have gem eyes, usually rubies or garnets, worth 1d6x100 gold pieces each.

Guardian horses share the warriors' immunities and are awakened the same way. They fight with two heavy ceramic forehooves (1d6 each) and a vicious bite (1d4). A site usually holds as many horses as warriors, serving as their mounts, and an animator of suitable alignment can order them to carry other riders, the animator included.