Ecology of the Modron by Brian R

Ecology of the Modron By Brian R. James Illustrations by Julie Dillon and Victoria Maderna

As any learned blood knows, the Great Axioms of the Mul- tiverse are eternal and immutable; they simply exist and cannot be manipulated. Or so I once believed! I’m telling you now, berk, that the universe we perceive around us is mere illusion, an elaborate construct devised by enigmatic beings beyond our ken. You’ve heard of the Far Realm, the plane of nightmares and madness, yes? Well, it has a twin, a realm of law and orderly thought distilled to its purest form. It is from this plane that reason and judgment were born, gifts to us from the Prime Architect. I have communed with the Architect’s minions, glorious beings of ordered thought and perfect reason. They appeared before me in the guise of geometric clockwork entities, bizarre hybrids of metal and flesh. They spoke of a vile malignancy spreading throughout their order, a plague of emotion and dissonance that has erupted into a great civil war. Even now, the conflict threatens to spill into our own cosmos. Listen and heed my words! Everything we believe to be real is a lie. Awaken to the truth before it’s too late! The unraveling of our reality is nigh. Pray not to the gods for salvation, for even they are powerless to stop the Great March of the Modrons. —Ravings of ex-factol Habaro, the Fraternity of Order

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THE MARCH OF TIME Enraptured by this vision of perfection, the Prime Thus the modron race was born. Architect began to shape the Elemental Chaos on The horde of newly created modrons mobilized Living constructs of geometric design, modrons are a massive scale. The first phase of the grand design into a hierarchy, then quickly spread across the paragons of absolute order and largely alien to mortal required distilling the chaotic maelstrom into four cosmos to seal the remaining breaches to the Far comprehension. Since time immemorial, these enig- base elements: air, earth, fire, and water. To achieve Realm. Once this task was complete, they shifted matic beings have retreated from the cosmos for this end, the Architect enlisted four mighty elemen- themselves to the Accordant Expanse en masse. centuries at a time only to reemerge periodically on tal lords as overseers. As the framework took shape, There they set immediately to work engineering a an epic scale—tens of thousands of them gating in the elemental lords in turn tasked their subordinates, home for their kind, a bizarre realm of gears and cogs from their bizarre clockwork dimension to march the archomentals, with crafting the latticework of the they named Mechanus. a grand circuit across known existence. As planar final structure, incorporating mixtures of the base Year by year, decade by decade, and century by scholars and doomsayers are quick to point out, the elements. century the modrons toiled, constructing their capital end of the next cycle is nearly upon us. If history is At last the Prime Architect beheld its momentous city at the heart of Mechanus. Sixty-four interlinking any indicator, a modron incursion is imminent, and creation, raw elemental power molded by symmetry cogs rest atop each other like a colossal, mechanical woe to any who stand in its path. and order. By drawing on this cosmic arrangement ziggurat to form the clockwork metropolis of Regulus. of elements, the grand creations of the primordials At the heart of their clockwork home the modrons Prime Architect could persist, allowing mortal life to flourish at last. erected a grand cathedral in honor of the Prime Architect. Then, the four highest-ranking among Many cultures of the mortal world have myths Rise of the Modrons them submerged themselves in a scintillating pool recounting the origins of the universe. Though the of pure Order and conjoined, triggering an unex- details of these legends are colored by cultural bias, Even as the Prime Architect proudly surveyed its pected apotheosis. From the pool arose the vestige of most share key events, such as the war between gods handiwork, subtle blemishes began to mar the the Prime Architect, given new flesh and purpose: and primordials. Yet few can recount the story of an nascent realms. At first barely perceptible, the minute Primus, the One and the Prime. even earlier time in the history of the multiverse, the imperfections began to multiply rapidly, forming epoch that witnessed the molding of the Elemental fleshlike strands of corruption writhing in bluish Chaos itself. slime. The Prime Architect watched in mute horror The Great Modron March Accounts chronicled by the Fraternity of Order in as a nearby world was dragged into the mass of ten- It took the modrons 289 years, calculated to the Sigil speak of a time in which the Elemental Chaos drils and devoured by a colossal wormlike entity millisecond, to complete construction of their city. was still in its infancy, an Age of Creation when lurking within. Finally shaken from its immobility, Termed a Grand Cycle, this precise measurement of primordials shaped and destroyed worlds at whim, the primordial moved quickly to intercept the aber- time equals seventeen standard cycles, each being the unchallenged by the gods. It was an era of wondrous rant behemoth before it could chew its way farther seventeen-year period needed for the largest of Regu- invention on a cosmic scale, but without a frame- out of its dreadful Far Realm. lus’ sixty-four gears to make one rotation. At the end work to give them permanency, these creations were Fraternity documents are sketchy on the details of each Grand Cycle, the modrons march forth from fleeting. of this colossal battle with the entity now called the Mechanus, thousands upon thousands of them, on a One primordial stood apart from the others. This Nine-Tongued Worm, but in the end the Prime Archi- trek through the cosmos. being’s true name is lost to the ages, but Fraternity tect proved victorious. Just barely. It was mortally The purpose of the Great Modron March remains archives name it the Prime Architect. It is written wounded, no longer able to stabilize the Elemen- an enigma. No one other than Primus knows it, that this primordial was the first to peer beyond the tal Chaos. It called one last time on the Accordant although the excursions appear to be primarily infor- veil of the Elemental Chaos to behold something Expanse, bathing in the cosmic energy of absolute mation-gathering exercises. The modrons have also Outside—a region of perfect order and harmony the Order. The Prime Architect surrendered its flesh and been observed sealing off or collapsing planar portals Prime Architect named the Accordant Expanse. was re-created as innumerable mechanical life forms, and gates along their route, for reasons they have yet each a distinct entity but inseparable from the whole. to reveal.

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The route is determined before the march leaves PHYSIOLOGY magical in nature and others powered by psionic Mechanus, and the modrons do not deviate from it. energy, allowing vision even in complete darkness. Their tortuous path is inscrutable to onlookers, and Modrons are a physical manifestation of order. They Hearing: Modrons do not possess auditory organs. more than one town has been trampled under the have a decidedly clockwork appearance, their pecu- Instead, they detect sound through artificial sensors relentless procession. Though unfeeling, modrons are liar geometric bodies fashioned of gears, plates, and fused to the skull plate or exoskeleton. These sensors not senseless—they won’t fling themselves mindlessly rivets forged from rare metallic alloys. Modrons are are linked, providing acute directional information over a cliff, for example. not wholly artificial, however. Living tissue is inex- that surpasses that provided by the hearing of most Each march is unique in duration and route. Some tricably fused with their metallic exoskeletons. Their living creatures. last as little as a few months and cover only a handful most disturbing feature is their eyes; great bloodshot Scent: Very few modrons have olfactory organs, of planar sites, while others have gone on for decades orbs that stare uncaringly. and these are vestigial at best. Most modrons neither and traversed every known region in the cosmos. possess nor require a sense of smell. A march never stops once it has begun. The lower Living Constructs Taste: Despite having mouths, modrons orders of modrons do not need to sleep, and the experience no sense of taste, nor do they require sus- others that do push themselves far beyond normal As living constructs, modrons incorporate both tenance. They do possess tongues, which they employ limitations. When one absolutely must sleep, it is car- mechanical and biological components; the two are for verbal communication. In their home plane of ried on a litter . inseparable. Much of their fleshly being is vestigial Mechanus, communication is primarily telepathic. This cycle of processions has repeated every and nonfunctional, but they retain many features of Since telepathy is not an innate ability among all 289 years, like clockwork—until 189 years ago, mortal creatures. The lowest orders of modrons are modrons, their ability to communicate telepathically when Primus inexplicably initiated the great march the closest to purely mechanical beings and do not on Mechanus appears to be a feature of the plane, but early. Unlike all those before, this procession took a require sleep; those above them in the hierarchy still one that affects modrons only. Primus is responsible senseless, chaotic course through the planes. Many need to rest from time to time, though they can go for this “gift,” since it greatly expedites tasks. thousands of modrons became stranded in remote without sleep for long periods when necessary. Touch: Modron flesh is infused with both nerves corners of the multiverse. Some modrons continually strive to improve the and artificial sensors to perceive physical contact. Now the Grand Cycle is once again counting efficiency of their race. These inventive beings are Modrons can feel pain, to be aware of physical harm, down its final years, and one facet is of particular able to finely manipulate the latent power of Mecha- but can voluntarily suppress this sensation when concern to planar scholars. The recent invasion by nus’s energy pools to craft spells and devices unique necessary. In battle this ability allows them to forget plague demons from the malign parallel universe of to their physiology. Examples of such modron devices about the damage they’re taking and focus on victory. Voidharrow left countless dimensional cysts eating include mechanical limb extenders, magnetic clamps, and winglike appendages. away at the fabric of the cosmos. Since that outbreak, Circulatory and modrons have been appearing at these sites in num- bers as never before. This vanguard appears to be Sense Organs Digestive Systems losing the fight against the malignant cysts, and Like other living creatures, modrons can sense their In a mortal creature, a circulatory system (heart, scholars fear that Primus will direct the next Great environment. The instruments of perception might lungs, and blood vessels) is necessary to disperse Modron March through the heart of the planes to be fleshly or mechanical, or combinations of the two. oxygen and essential nutrients throughout the body. eradicate the demonic infestation once and for all. Vision: All modrons have eyes. Hierarchs (see In addition, most living beings have a digestive tract “Hierarchy” below) typically have two, facing for- for breaking down and extracting nourishment. In ward, while base modrons can have anywhere from modrons these systems are largely vestigial, since one to ten eyes, depending on type. Certain modrons they have no need to eat, drink, or even breathe. enhance their vision with mechanical lenses, some Modron bodies are fueled by a psychomor- phic substance found only in the Accordant

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Expanse—concentrated, raw cognitive energy given monodrone up to pentadrone, while the hierarch MODRON HIERARCHY tangible form. This fuel has the appearance and caste contains ten, including the singular Primus. BASE MODRONS ROLE consistency of royal jelly, and it glows with inner A modron is permitted to communicate only Monodrone General laborer luminescence. Little is known about the fantastic with others of its own rank or of adjacent rank. This Duodrone Skilled laborer properties attributed to this substance, but aberrant segregation is not the result of elitism, but a simple Tridrone Supervisor entities such as aboleths have been striving for mil- byproduct of efficiency. Most modrons are not even Quadrone Manager lennia to unlock its secrets. capable of comprehending the existence of higher Pentadrone Law enforcer In Mechanus, the fuel is harvested by modron ranks beyond their immediate superiors; likewise, laborers and collected into vast pools. A small dollop those lower in the hierarchy than their immediate HIERARCHS ROLE of the potent substance is enough to sustain a laborer reports simply do not exist to them. For example, a Decaton Administrator for weeks; higher-ranking modrons require a corre- pentadrone considers a decaton to be the ultimate Nonaton Arbiter spondingly larger amount. The ruler of the modrons, form of its kind and cannot imagine anything greater, Octon Mayor Primus, bathes eternally in a vast pool of this gel, in but when it looks upon a tridrone, it does not see Septon Inspector which new modrons are birthed. a modron at all—nor can it even classify what it’s Hexton General observing. Quinton Councilor CULTURE Thus, the very existence of Primus is secret to all Quarton Governor modrons other than the secundi who directly serve it. Tertian Judge As alien as the forces of chaos can be, the forces of Commands from the One and the Prime are passed Secundus Viceroy order can be equally strange—if not more so. When down through the ranks, progressively translated into Primus Absolute ruler dealing with modrons, “order” does not necessarily a form that the lower (and less intelligent) forms can equate to “logic”—at least, as mortals understand the comprehend. Whenever a modron receives instruc- The transition for a promoted modron is trau- concept. tions from a superior, it never suspects that those matic—not only does it undergo a wrenching commands originated even higher up. transformation into a new form, but the resultant Society From least to greatest, the ranks of the modron being must also reconcile the knowledge and memo- hierarchy are enumerated in the table below. No ries of its prior selves with its current form. To understand modron society, one must abandon scholar has yet attempted to produce exact figures for When a modron dies, no corpse is left behind. It the idea of the self. Although each modron is an the total population of modrons in the multiverse, but simply vanishes, its corporeal essence returning to individual, it is one part of a vast collective and does they likely number in the millions. the central pool, where it forms into a new mono- not grasp the idea of separation. Thus, only scholars drone. Only in rare regions of “dead space,” where the who do not observe through the distorting lens of Death and Promotion Accordant Expanse does not intersect with the rest individuality can see the truth. It is said that those of the cosmos, does this rebirth fail. Here, one might able to strip their souls so bare can become modrons Even the size of modron society is rigidly fixed. Each find the remains of a dead modron, but such a discov- themselves. rank contains only a set number of modrons. Should a member of any rank die, available candidates ery is exceedingly rare. Hierarchy from the next lowest rank are “promoted.” In turn, modrons from the rank below fill in the void created Classification is a fundamental tenet of modron soci- Outlook and Psychology by those so promoted, and so on. Monodrones, having ety. Modrons assign everything to category, especially With a given rank, all modrons have a similar no castes below them, reproduce by fission to replace themselves. Their society is divided into two primary appearance, and they think as a collective, but they lost members, drawing on the energy of Regulus’s castes: the base modrons, who are primarily labor- are not exact copies of each other. Each has unique central pool. ers of low intelligence, and the hierarchs, who direct life experiences that, though subtle, give it a distinct and plan. The base caste contains five ranks, from

August 2012 | DRAGON 414 4 Ecology of the Modron personality and quirks. Such differences are more Rogue Modrons Rogue Monodrone Level 4 Defender apparent among hierarchs than base modrons. Medium immortal animate, modron Like cancer in a living body, disorder can strike indi- As incarnations of reason, modrons always attempt HP 52; Bloodied 26; Healing Surges 13 Initiative +5 vidual modrons. Such uncontrolled modrons might to bring order out of chaos. Many hierarchs are con- AC 21, Fortitude 17, Reflex 17, Will 17 Perception +4 go rogue. A few rogues develop identities and seek vinced that with proper study and analysis, they can Speed 5 objectives apart from Primus’s desires, but others T unlock the hidden logic within apparently senseless malfunction or keep following old orders. O Deflective Defender ✦ Aura 1 phenomena. To most other beings, modrons come Such an event is most common among base Allies have partial cover against ranged attacks while in across as passionless and frustratingly bureaucratic. modrons. Since hierarchs are each composed of mul- the aura. Their overriding goal is to organize, clarify, and regi- Implacable tiple modrons, all of a hierarch’s constituent modrons ment. They view free will as a blight that must be An enemy cannot enter the monodrone’s space by any would need to malfunction before it went rogue. purged from an ordered universe like an infection. means. Other modrons hunt down and capture rogues, Modrons are especially concerned with the prolif- S A which are then either destroyed or subjected to an m Short Sword (weapon) ✦ At-Will eration of portals across the planes. They see these as arduous regimen of rehabilitation. This process strips Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +11 vs. AC weak points in the fabric of the cosmos, riddling exis- away all memories of being an individual, and most Hit: 1d6 + 5 damage. tence like worms burrowing through a rotten apple. ✦ rogues do not survive the experience. Wall Tactic At-Will They insist that anytime a being passes through a Effect: Until the start of the monodrone’s next turn, it is immobilized and gains a +5 power bonus to all defenses. planar portal, the very structure of the cosmic fir- Rogue Modron Companions mament is weakened. Thus, modrons have begun M A ✦ to appear at portal mouths to contest the passage of Rogue modrons make interesting companions for Battle Wrath (stance) At-Will Effect: The monodrone assumes the battle wrath stance. other creatures until they can “repair the wound.” the characters. A rogue modron might join a party of Until the stance ends, the monodrone gains a +2 power Some contingents have started collapsing such pas- adventurers for any number of reasons. It might wish to study the characters and see what makes them tick; bonus to the damage rolls of basic attacks using a sages wherever they find them, no matter the purpose weapon. it might need protection against superiors who seek to of the portals. Defend the Line (stance) ✦ At-Will rehabilitate it; or it might be confused and searching Effect: The monodrone assumes the defend the line stance. Modrons in Combat for purpose beyond what modron society has to offer. Until the stance ends, whenever the monodrone hits an Some rogue modrons, given the chance to explore enemy with a basic attack using a weapon, the enemy is As the vanguard in the fight against entropy, modrons their individuality, desire to belong to something slowed until the end of the monodrone’s next turn. battle chaos and its minions wherever they find them. greater than themselves, and the adventuring party Str 16 (+5) Dex 16 (+5) Wis 14 (+4) Slaad lords have a particular hatred for modrons, becomes a temporary substitute for the order and Con 19 (+6) Int 12 (+3) Cha 12 (+3) and their conflicts over the millennia are legend- Alignment unaligned Languages Common structure that Mechanus provides. ary. Modrons fight without remorse or compassion, Equipment short sword Rogue modrons have trouble understanding using logic and proven battle stratagems to win the emotions or concepts such as friendship, loyalty, day. Individually they are capable warriors, but they and deception. They are, however, able to think for are most fearsome when they gather into regiments. themselves and arrive at certain conclusions based Fighting together, modrons form a heartless, unstop- on first-hand observations and experiences. A rogue pable killing machine. In larger-scale conflicts, modron might ally with a group of adventurers out modron hierarchs never hesitate to employ wave tac- of a desire to learn more about other creatures in the tics, sacrificing thousands of base modrons to achieve multiverse, but once it believes it has nothing more their objective. to learn, it moves on. Thus, modron companions are often “flighty” and can leave the party without so much as a goodbye.

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Rogue Duodrone Level 8 Defender ABITAT Medium immortal animate, modron H HP 76; Bloodied 38; Healing Surges 13 Initiative +8 Modrons are not creatures of the natural world, nor MECHANUS TRAITS AC 25, Fortitude 21, Reflex 21, Will 21 Perception +6 are they even native to what most think of as the Speed 5, fly 5 (clumsy) cosmos. The clockwork realm they call Mechanus is Type: Extraplanar realm (the Accordant T Expanse) O ✦ just one of many bizarre realities that coexist within Ordered Defense Aura 2 Size and Shape: A cube-shaped void roughly While in the aura, enemies take a –2 penalty to attack rolls an even greater planescape that scholars name the 10,000 miles on each side, filled with many against creatures other than the duodrone. Accordant Expanse. Implacable Kin to other anomalous planes such as the interlocking gears. The upper and lower reaches An enemy cannot enter the duodrone’s space by any Far Realm or the Plane of Mirrors, the Accordant of the void are bounded by a thick metallic means. Expanse exists outside the comfortable structure of casing. S A the cosmos. Its inhabitants claim their reality to be Gravity: Each massive clockwork gear has m Halberd (weapon) ✦ At-Will the true universe and all other existence to be a mere gravity relative to its horizontal plane. The Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +14 vs. AC bounded walls of the realm also have normal Hit: 1d10 + 7 damage. If the target shifts before the start construct of their invention, a malignant wasteland of gravity. of the duodrone’s next turn, the duodrone can use this chaos and emotion. The rare individuals who claim attack against it as an opportunity action. to have gazed through a breach to the Accordant Mutability: Divinely mutable (Primus). Primus M A Expanse describe the divide as something akin to a is able to shape Mechanus at its whim. Cleaving Assault (stance) ✦ At-Will shattered mirror—beyond the broken reality shards Effect: The duodrone assumes the cleaving assault stance. lies a vision terrifying for the mortal mind to process. Until the stance ends, whenever the duodrone hits with a melee basic attack using a weapon, one enemy adjacent Mechanus is a plane of ultimate law, the very to it other than the target takes 4 damage. Mechanus antithesis of the Elemental Chaos and every bit as Measured Cut (stance) ✦ At-Will A plane of rotating gears and clicking cogs, inextricably alien to mortal minds as the Far Realm. Light and Effect: The duodrone assumes the measured cut stance. linked together with massive pulleys and stretching in all dark exist here in equal measure, as do heat and cold. Until the stance ends, whenever the duodrone hits an All matter here has its place, where it remains irrevo- enemy with a melee basic attack using a weapon, the directions as far as the eye can see. cably. Mechanus harbors no passion, illusion, or pain. duodrone can shift 1 square as a free action. M A Mechanus is a great void filled with unimaginably Individual consciousness is temporary, serving only Modron Shift ✦ Encounter huge wheels, each interlocking with the next, like the while needed and then subsumed into the whole. Effect: The duodrone ends any slowing or immobilizing internal cogs of an ornate clock. The plane is filled effect on it and shifts up to 5 squares, ignoring difficult with thousands of these clockwork disks, the larg- Regulus terrain. Sixty-four interlinking cogs at the heart of Mecha- Str 17 (+7) Dex 18 (+8) Wis 15 (+6) est having a diameter of more than 1,000 miles. The nus form the metropolis of Regulus. The cogs of the Con 19 (+8) Int 12 (+5) Cha 13 (+5) slow revolution of this titanic wheel is picked up by Alignment unaligned Languages Common adjacent cogs and transferred to others throughout modron capital rest atop each other, like a colossal, Equipment halberd Mechanus, setting the entire plane in motion. mechanical ziggurat. An enormous rod runs through Both surfaces of each circular realm have their the center of each sector gear and is apparently the own gravity, so disks can meet at right angles without agent of rotation. disturbing the inhabitants of either one, and crea- Each sector is ruled by an octon and periodically tures on opposite surfaces of the same disk are drawn inspected by a septon, which in turn reports to a to the surface by their own gravity. The void between hexton, and so on, until the report reaches a quarton wheels contains breathable air. regional governor. Deep in the heart of the modron metropolis is the government sector, Regulus Prime.

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There stands the Cathedral of Order and the Tower of Primus, demesne of the supreme one. PRIMUS: THE ONE AND THE PRIME Modron Cathedral: This towering edifice seem- An enigmatic being of godlike power, Primus alone familiarizing itself with its new existence, then begins ingly defies all natural laws—it’s much too slender for sits at the pinnacle of modron society. As both the directing underlings according to its inscrutable plan. its height, and its interior is far vaster than its exterior supreme ruler of modrons and the literal embodi- A century past, the One and the Prime met an suggests. Inside, stone walls support vaulted ceilings ment of the race, Primus represents the ideal of unscheduled demise. Seeking his lost rod, the demon that spring into the sky, their upper reaches lost in perfect logic. Its true goals remain inscrutable, but lord Orcus infiltrated the tower of Primus and disinte- shadows from below. Balconies on hundreds of floors many presume it seeks to spread logic and the rule grated the supreme ruler with a word of power. Orcus ring the open space in the center, with thousands of of law throughout the multiverse. then bent the modrons to his foul purpose. Once the modrons moving about on their errands. The central In its natural form Primus is a being of gargantuan would-be god had gleaned all he desired, Orcus cast feature of the Cathedral is the Orrery, a mesmer- size, dwelling within the pool at the apex of its tower off his façade and abandoned the leaderless modrons. izing latticework of gears that constantly spin and in Regulus. Humanoid in shape, Primus is silent and Yet, as has happened innumerable times before, a move about. Those knowledgeable in such things can impassive, its face devoid of emotion. Its upper torso secundus quickly rose up to claim the mantle of the recognize the Orrery as a model of the multiverse, and head appear fashioned of solid gold, its lower One and the Prime and restore order. incredibly detailed and infinitely complex. body fading into the energy of the pool. This new Primus, seeing Mechanus invaded, Adventure Hook: Using a passkey provided by the According to obscure planar lore, individual its city in ruins, and its subjects corrupted, turned the Fraternity of Order, the adventurers are tasked with modrons are merely components of the vast distrib- modrons’ attentions inward, calling all survivors back infiltrating the Modron Cathedral and retrieving the uted body that is Primus. At the end of each Cycle, to Regulus before sealing the borders. Few modrons fabled Nexus Cube—a modron relic rumored to grant the One and the Prime undergoes disassembly and had been seen in the century since, but inexplicably its bearer immunity against aberrant creatures. renewal. This process gives rise to thousands of thousands have been spotted more recently. Primus Tower of Primus: A fantastically complex clock- new modrons, replenishing those that perished in is clearly up to something, but its motives remain work fortress, the Tower of Primus is a forty-one-story the preceding Cycle. The new Primus, formed from mysterious. structure composed of rectangular blocks, each one of the secondi that attend it, spends some time stacked slightly askew from the previous one to form a spiral hovering within the sky over Regulus Prime.

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The skin of the tower shifts from black as night to Tridrone Watcher Pentadrone Farstalker bright and shiny, seemingly at the whim of its master. At the heart of the floating structure dwells the One Given their enhanced vision and ability to levitate, Fanning out across the cosmos in small squads, pen- and the Prime in its energy pool, connected to the tridrone watchers are commonly used as scouts. A tadrone farstalkers are charged with hunting down collective through the Infinity Web (see the sidebar). watcher’s three eyes are forever alert, its torso con- and executing rogue modrons. Farstalkers are patient Adventure Hook: Information obtained from Shem- stantly rotating to better observe its surroundings. and introspective while on the hunt, pursuing their eshka the Marauder in Sigil suggests that one of the Watchers are also accomplished forward command- quarry methodically and with precision. In combat, seven pieces of the fabled Rod of Law is held in the ers, continually adjusting squad tactics as events they leap into melee with alacrity and savageness to Tower of Primus under the protection of Secundus unfold on the battlefield. catch opponents off guard. Rex, Viceroy of Law. Tridrone Watcher Level 8 Artillery Pentadrone Farstalker Level 10 Skirmisher Medium immortal animate, modron XP 350 Medium immortal animate, modron XP 500 BESTIARY HP 73; Bloodied 36 Initiative +9 HP 105; Bloodied 52 Initiative +12 Contrary to common wisdom, no two modrons are AC 22, Fortitude 20, Reflex 20, Will 20 Perception +6 AC 24, Fortitude 22, Reflex 22, Will 22 Perception +7 Speed 0, fly 6 (hover) Darkvision Speed 7 Blindsight 10 the same. A given rank has a set of responsibilities. T T Within each rank, individuals are tasked with dis- All-Around Vision All-Around Defense tinct functions, requiring different attributes. Enemies can’t gain combat advantage by flanking the The farstalker does not provoke opportunity attacks when The following modrons illustrate the similarities watcher. it moves. and differences of this diverse race of beings. Sta- Implacable Implacable tistics for other modrons can be found in “Creature An enemy cannot enter the tridrone’s space by any means. An enemy cannot enter the farstalker’s space by any Incarnations: Modrons,” by Greg Bilsland and Bruce S A means. m Javelin (weapon) ✦ At-Will S A Cordell (Dungeon 186). Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +13 vs. AC m Steel Fist ✦ At-Will Hit: 2d6 + 4 damage. Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +15 vs. AC r Pinning Javelin (weapon) ✦ At-Will Hit: 2d10 + 7 damage. Attack: Ranged 20 (one or two creatures); +13 vs. Reflex M Spinning Flurry of Blows ✦ At-Will THE INFINITY WEB Hit: 2d6 + 4 damage, and the target is immobilized (save Effect: The farstalker shifts up to its speed and can make ends). the following attack at any point during this movement. The hub of the largest network of information C Raking Whirlwind ✦ Recharge when first bloodied Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +13 vs. Reflex in the cosmos, the Infinity Web is a mesh of Attack: Close burst 1, or 2 if the watcher is bloodied (ene- Hit: 2d10 + 2 damage. mechanical sensors and fleshy strands acces- mies in the burst); +13 vs. AC C Psychosomatic Ether (charm, psychic) ✦ Encounter sible by Primus within the sanctum of its tower. Hit: 3d8 + 11 damage. Attack: Close burst 2 (enemies in the burst); +13 vs. Will Through this device the One and the Prime Miss: Half damage. Hit: 2d8 + 4 psychic damage, and the target is dazed and senses all modrons under its command, and M A immobilized (save ends both). Modron Shift ✦ Encounter M A through it Primus’s orders are passed down Effect: The watcher ends any slowing or immobilizing effect Modron Shift ✦ Encounter through the complex chain of viceroys, gover- on it and shifts up to 5 squares, ignoring difficult terrain. Effect: The farstalker ends any slowing or immobilizing nors, captains, and so on to reach every modron, Str 17 (+7) Dex 20 (+9) Wis 15 (+6) effect on it and shifts up to 5 squares, ignoring difficult no matter where it might be in the multiverse. Con 19 (+8) Int 12 (+5) Cha 13 (+5) terrain. Alignment unaligned Languages Common Str 21 (+10) Dex 20 (+10) Wis 14 (+7) Equipment 9 javelins Con 17 (+8) Int 14 (+7) Cha 14 (+7) Alignment unaligned Languages Common

August 2012 | DRAGON 414 8 Ecology of the Modron

Nonaton Arbiter Nonaton Arbiter Level 11 Elite Brute (Leader) About the Author Large immortal animate, modron XP 1,200 Origins and ENnie nominated game designer Brian R. Explorers from outside caught within the Accordant HP 216; Bloodied 108 Initiative +7 James lives in Seattle with his wife, four children and a Expanse are typically intercepted and detained by AC 23, Fortitude 23, Reflex 23, Will 23 Perception +10 house full of geek paraphernalia. His game design credits pentadrone sentinels until the trespassers can be Speed 5 Blindsight 10 include The Grand History of the Realms™, Open Grave: Secrets properly interrogated by a nonaton arbiter. Captives Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1 of the Undead™, Demonomicon™, Monster Vault™: Threats to ™ are then exiled or exterminated at the nonaton’s T the Nentir Vale , and most recently Menzoberranzan: City of ™ discretion. Implacable Intrigue . Follow Brian online at twitter.com/brianrjames. Though rare outside Mechanus, nonatons have An enemy cannot enter the arbiter’s space by any means. Precision of Order Additional Design been spotted with increasing frequency at the site of The arbiter cannot be surprised, and it can swap any two Christopher Perkins planar breaches opening to the Far Realm. A non- creatures’ positions in the initiative order at the beginning aton is always accompanied by a regiment of lesser of an encounter. Developers modrons, overseeing them as they seal the breach Threatening Reach Tanis O’Connor, Chris Sims The arbiter can make opportunity attacks against creatures and clean up any residual aberrant contamination. Editor within 2 squares of it. A nonaton is formidable in close combat, lumber- Jennifer Clarke Wilkes ing into melee on three elephantine legs, slashing S A m Barbed Tendrils ✦ At-Will everything it passes with nine barbed, whiplike ten- Managing Editors Attack: Melee 2 (one or two creatures); +16 vs. AC Kim Mohan, drils. Foes gazing into its large single eye are racked Hit: 2d12 + 11 damage. Christopher Perkins by nightmarish images that are incomprehensible by C Nine-Tailed Spin ✦ Recharge 5 6 mortal minds. Attack: Close burst 2 (creatures in the burst); +14 vs. Development and Fortitude Editing Lead Hit: 4d8 + 9 damage, and the target falls prone. Jeremy Crawford Miss: Half damage. M A Senior Producer R Discordant Gaze (charm) ✦ At-Will (1/round) Christopher Perkins Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +14 vs. Will Hit: The target grants combat advantage (save ends). Producers T A Greg Bilsland, Stan! From One Come Many ✦ Encounter Senior Creative Director Trigger: The arbiter drops to 0 hit points. Jon Schindehette Effect (No Action): The arbiter is destroyed, and three tridrone watchers appear in its former space or in unoc- Art Director cupied squares adjacent to that space. These tridrones Kate Irwin act on the arbiter’s initiative and are worth no experience points. Illustrators Skills Arcana +13, Dungeoneering +15 Julie Dillon, Str 16 (+8) Dex 14 (+7) Wis 20 (+10) Victoria Maderna Con 23 (+11) Int 17 (+8) Cha 17 (+8) Alignment unaligned Languages telepathy 20 Digital Studio Consultant Daniel Helmick

Publishing Production Manager Angie Lokotz

August 2012 | DRAGON 414 9