Virtue (3.5e Monster)
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| “ | The name of the holy Virtues signifies a certain powerful and unshakable virility welling forth into all their Godlike energies; not being weak and feeble for any reception of the divine Illuminations granted to it; mounting upwards in fullness of power to an assimilation with God; never falling away from the Divine Life through its own weakness, but ascending unwaveringly to the superessential Virtue which is the Source of virtue: fashioning itself, as far as it may, in virtue; perfectly turned towards the Source of virtue, and flowing forth providentially to those below it, abundantly filling them with virtue. | ” |
| —Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, De Coelesti Hierarchia | ||
Standing before you, garbed in purest white that constantly moves and flows to the touch of a non-existent wind, is a female of haunting beauty around whose form the very fabric of space and time seems to distort. Her lips move discordant with the whisper that is her voice, filling the air in tranquil Celestial that flexes and weaves the gossamers of reality.
If the Powers are the administrators of the mortal realm, the Virtues are the keepers of the heavens. They ensure the continued motion of heavenly bodies as is writ, and maintain the tenuous balance between the inner and outer planes. Virtues preside over the stars and astrological signs, and are oft named for constellations of particular influence and importance within mortal culture.
Unlike the stringent and martially inclined Powers, the Virtues are tranquil and nurturing. They do not carry armor, and their form is dressed in white robes that seem to be fashioned of solidified light, ornate with esoteric patterns and glyphs that constantly move around. They take the shape of women whose hair is long and flowing, and blends ethereally into their surroundings. Virtues stand about 7 feet tall, and weigh in at about 180 pounds. They do not have wings, but they can fly by gliding into the air. Furthermore, they can walk upon thin air as desired.
Combat[edit]
Unlike most of its lower ranked kin, a Virtue prefers ranged combat over direct physical confrontations, and use a +6 composite longbow of evil-outsider dread that create arrows that may be imbued with spell effects when drawn.
Virtues are masters of so-called Celestial Body magic, a form of magic that allows them to array the celestial spheres and create effects that influence, create or destroy matter and space. Celestial body magic goes beyond the power of mortals, and can cause creation and destruction on a stellar scale.
A Virtue is treated as a 32 HD creature when targeted by HD-dependent effects, and its natural weapons and any weapons it wields are treated as good-aligned and epic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Celestial Body Magic (Ex): A Virtue's magic can shape and alter the very heavens. Unleashing only a small portion of that power on the material plane can have dire consequences. Celestial body spells create, destroy and influence matter and space-time, and are considered deific spells, incapable of being replicated, suppressed, or dispelled by mortal spellcasters. Celestial body spells are effective 15th level spells. Associated caster levels are 25th. All associated save DCs are Charisma-based with a +2 racial bonus (DC 45).
To cast a celestial body spell, the Virtue momentarily sacrifices one rank of its effective divine power. Doing so causes its divine bonuses to Armor Class, attack rolls, damage rolls, saves, and skill and ability checks to decrease in size by 1 point for each rank expended, to a minimum of +0. The Virtue's special attacks and save DCs are unaffected by this 'loss' of rank, and it is still effectively a rank 5 celestial for any other purpose. Ranks so expended return at a rate of 1 per minute.
A Virtue's celestial body magic takes the following shapes:
More to come.
- Maelstrom (1 rank): Functions as a widened singularity spell heightened to 15th level.
- Meteora (5 ranks): The greatest display of power a Virtue can create, this spell calls down a massive, spherical stone from the heavens. The meteor itself has a radius of 30 feet. Once the spell is cast, the meteor materializes within the upper atmosphere, steadily descending upon the ground below. The meteor will finish its descent within the next 2d4 rounds. Any creature or object that occupies a square that the meteor impacts must make a Reflex save or be obliterated. The force of the impact creates a massive explosion that deals 100d6 adamantine bludgeoning and 100d6 fire damage (Reflex half) to any creature within 200 feet (including those that saved against obliteration). Creatures between 200 and 1,000 feet instead take 50d6 adamantine bludgeoning and 50d6 fire damage, creatures between 1,000 feet and 1 mile from the epicentre take 25d6 adamantine bludgeoning and 25d6 fire damage, and creatures between 1 and 3 miles from the epicentre take 10d6 adamantine bludgeoning and 10d6 fire damage.
- Buildings and objects within the blast range are scuttled or completely destroyed, depending on sturdiness and size. Within the first 200 feet from the epicentre, no object remains standing. The impact leaves a 200-ft.-radius crater that is 50 feet deep. The severe heat melts earth and stone, creating patches of molten rock within the ground. 50% of all squares within the crater are bubbling with lava, dealing 20d6 points of fire damage every round of contact (a DC 30 Reflex save followed by a move action at the start of your next turn move out of the lava halves the damage dealt). A meteor impact on a fault line has a 100% chance of causing a volcanic eruption within the next 1d4 minutes, wherein lava will expand from the blast epicentre at a rate of 20 ft. per round, filling up the crater within 1 minute and overflowing into surrounding regions.
Divine Aura (Ex): A Power's divine aura hedges out all spells and spell-like abilities of level 5 or lower.
Divine Presence (Ex): A Virtue's divine presence extends out in a 60-foot emanation. Its frightful presence effect affects all non-good creatures, frightening those of 12 HD or less, and rendering others shaken. A DC 40 Will save negates the effects.
Regeneration (Ex): Evil-aligned epic weapons and spells with the Evil descriptor deal normal damage to a Virtue. If a Virtue loses a limb or body part, the lost portion regrows in 3d6 minutes. The Virtue can reattach the severed member instantly by holding it to the stump.
Smite (Ex): A Virtue's attacks deal extra damage to evil creatures as per the holy smite spell, caster level 6th.
Spell-Like Abilities: At will—stifle, 3/day—spellburke 1/day—phenomenon rejection. Caster level 18th. Save DCs are Charisma-based.
Spells: Virtues can cast divine spells as 18th-level clerics. A Power has access to two of the following domains: Air, Good, Nobility, and Protection (plus any others from its deity). The save DCs are Wisdom-based.
Typical Cleric Spells Prepared (6/5/5/5/5/4/4/3/3/2 plus domain spells; save DC 24 + spell level)
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| Alignment | Always neutral good + |
| Author | Sulacu + |
| Challenge Rating | 27 + |
| Environment | Good aligned outer planes + |
| Identifier | 3.5e Monster + |
| Level Adjustment | — + |
| Rating | Undiscussed + |
| Size | Medium + |
| Subtype | Extraplanar +, Good + and True Celestial + |
| Title | Virtue + |
| Type | Outsider + |
