The Transformation Ritual

CONSTRUCTS AND CREATURES

Special Qualities: A spectral savant retains all the base creature's special qualities and gains those described below.

Resistances (Ex): A spectral savant has resistance to cold 10 and electricity 10.

Turn Resistance (Ex): A spectral savant has turn resistance +4.

Undead Traits: A spectral savant is immune to mindaffecting spells and abilities, poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save unless it also works on objects or is harmless. It is not subject to extra damage from critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability damage to its physical ability scores, ability drain, energy drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or death from massive damage. It cannot be raised, and resurrection works only if it is willing.

Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Dex +2, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +4. As an undead incorporeal creature, a spectral savant has no Strength score and no Constitution score.

Skills: Spectral savants have a +8 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot checks.

Environment: Any, usually same as base creature.

Organization: Solitary, pair, or troupe (12 plus 35 psion/psychic warrior pupils).

Challenge Rating: Same as base creature +2.

Treasure: Standard.

Alignment: Any.

Advancement: By character class.

Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +4.

SPECTRAL SAVANTS AS CHARACTERS

The process of becoming a spectral savant on purpose is extraordinarily taxing. No good-aligned creature undertakes the process willingly. Sometimes spectral savants spontaneously arise when a psion is killed in a particularly egregioius fashion, or when a psion is killed prior to accomplishing an important quest. When savants arise in this fashion, they are not automatically evil. If they drain energy or siphon psionic power from three or more good-aligned creatures, however, their alignment shifts to evil.

A spectral savant retains all class abilities it had in life, except it can no longer recover power points simply by resting. THE TRANSFORMATION RITUAL

The transformation ritual first requires that the psion or erudite (page 153) obtain or create a cognizance crystal capable of storing 17 power points, plus acquire a number of mundane crystals whose combined value is no less than 10,000 gp. The character must also be able to manifest 6th-level psionic powers. Once the prerequisites are met, the character can begin the ritual. Once the ritual begins, the mundane crystals are destroyed over the course of one night and the cognizance crystal is subsumed into the body of the character. The character also expends 4,500 XP to complete the ritual. When the character finishes the ritual, he arises as a spectral savant, at which time his power points are totally expended. He must find another psionic character or creature to gain additional power points as described above.

ECOLOGY

Spectral savants exist in all manner of locations and planes, each one seeking to fulfill its own ambitions. As undead creatures, they are technically immortal until slain.

Typical Physical Characteristics: Height and weight varies from creature to creature, depending on what race the creature was in life.

SOCIETY

Within the scope of the game, a spectral savant has a number of potential roles. A non-evil spectral savant can serve as a guide to a living psionic character, siphoning off power points (and withholding its energy drain) only after making a deal with the character ahead of time. Some spectral savants even agree to instruct lesser psions or erudites in return for daily power point transfers. On the other hand, evil spectral savants seek out other psionic creatures and ambush them, siphoning off their power points and killing them simultaneously.

Alignment: A spectral savant's alignment varies, but most are (or become) evil.

TYPICAL TREASURE

Spectral savants carry no treasure with them, though one can have a cache of treasure appropriate to its Challenge Rating in the home it had while living.