ᛖᛁᚱ ᚲᛖᛗᛈᚨ

Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire (also known as the Roman Empire), is a city of wonders, and no one can blame adventurous young warriors from the Viking petty kingdoms for wanting to travel all the way to the South to see those wonders and to serve the Emperor. Many brave young men and women of Vestfold and other Viking kingdoms have already done so, and many more will continue to do so. Constantinople, with its culture, sophistication, and miracles, is the exact and precise opposite of the towns of the Viking petty kingdoms. Who could resist traveling to see that?

One of the wonders of Constantinople are the clockwork warriors who guard Emperor Michael III and patrol the streets enforcing the general peace. These clockwork warriors are in roughly human shape but are made of a combination of exposed 
brass and iron gears, levers, and rods, all covered in armor. They are tireless and clever in a fight. Legally, they are forbidden from leaving Constantinople except under direct orders from the Emperor, but clockwork warriors have on occasion been seen in battlefields outside of the Byzantine Empire. Perhaps one will be seen during the Viking Invasion? They aren’t supposed to be thinking beings, as far as anyone knows, but one hears stories to the contrary.

Medium construct, orderly

Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
Hit Points 120 (16d8+48)
Speed 30 ft

Str 17 (+3) Dex 14 (+2) Con 16 (+3)
Int 3 (-4) Wis 10 (+0) Cha 1 (-5)

Skills Perception +3, Stealth +5
Senses blindsight 60 ft (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 13
Condition Immunities bleeding, charmed, distracted, dreamy, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, weakened, woozy
Damage Immunities disease, necrotic, poison, psychic
Languages understands Latin but cannot speak it
Reaction to curiosity, mostly, until the NPC sees the clockwork warrior in action, then fear
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)

Clockwork Nature. The clockwork warrior doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep. 

Magic Resistance. The clockwork warrior rolls with advantage on saving throws against spells and magic effects.  

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The clockwork warrior attacks twice each turn, once with its clockwork long sword and once with its war hammer. 

Clockwork Long Sword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target. Hit: 8 (1d8+3) slashing damage. If the target is a living creature, it must succeed on a DC 14 CON saving throw or suffer one random effect (roll a d6):

• 1-2: Confusion. On its next turn, the target must use its action to make one weapon attack against a random creature it can see within 30 ft of it, using whatever weapon it has in hand and moving beforehand if necessary to get in range. If it is holding no weapon, it makes an unarmed strike. If no creature is visible within 30 ft, it takes the Dash action, moving towards the nearest creature. 
• 3-4: Paralysis. The target gains the paralyzed condition until the end of its next turn. 
• 5-6: Poison. The target takes 14 (3d8) poison damage. 

War Hammer. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target. Hit: 8 (1d8+3) bludgeoning damage, and the target must make a DC 14 CON saving throw or gain the woozy condition until the end of its next turn. 

MOTIVES

Clockwork warriors don’t have motives. They are programmed to do things—usually fighting things—and they do those things until they succeed or are destroyed. That’s all. 

ALLIES

The clockwork warrior usually appears in the company of other hired or summoned creatures.