Spellward Talisman Servant

Making a spellward requires a powerful wizard working with a priest of 17th level or higher. It is the most refined talisman servant: an athletic, animal-headed humanoid of stone plus steel, mithril or silver, usually robed as a high priest of the goddess of magic or armored in the livery of an old militia. Unlike a gladiator servant, its eyes gleam with intelligence and purpose, and its long ears are pointed and alert. The talisman is normally a silver necklace or medallion in the form of a shield or eight-rayed star (a pair of servants uses earrings or bracers), engraved with the joined symbols of the goddess of magic and a protective deity.

Built to guard a treasure, place or person, it never deserts its post. No construct is more aware: it grasps complex orders, works manual traps, plans shrewdly, is seldom tricked and never forgets a thief's face. It always bears a magical polearm (+1, +2 vs. thieves) and can bite with stone jaws if disarmed.

Its gaze is its best defense, and each has one of two powers, used at 14th level. One is a paralyzing glare: the target saves vs. petrification or is held as by hold person or hold monster for only as long as eye contact lasts. The other is an enhanced wizard eye, useless in a fight, that shows the master everything the servant sees; when the link opens he rolls system shock or suffers vertigo for one round. A pair always has one of each.

It ignores spells of fear, illusion, invisibility and mind control. Sharp hearing means it is surprised only on 1-2, and it can be harmed only by +2 or better weapons. It never chases a fleeing enemy more than 240' from what it guards and cannot enter homes or holy ground. Yet a thief who takes its charge or its master's talisman while leaving the servant intact is tracked, with a 7th-level ranger's skill, until the item is returned. Sanctuary is no refuge; it may wait decades, its gaze at the window each time the thief looks out.

Only 5% are prone to self-activation. Occasionally one wakes on a 'hunch' and prowls restlessly within 240' for 1-8 rounds, then shuts down.

In the old empire spellwards secured wizards' fortresses and priests' temples. Now a few guard the sanctums and treasuries of the rare temples to the gods of magic, wizardry and vigilance in the northern lands, or serve in a handful of distant wizard-ruled realms that need incorruptible guards. One protecting a person may turn into a fussy mother hen, embarrassing its ward and delighting onlookers. Besides its ward, it keeps company only with its partner or master.

It needs no rest, food, drink or air and barely touches its surroundings. Apart from whatever it guards, its treasures are its polearm and its eyes, gems valued at 1,000 gp or more apiece.