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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

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Excinder (Censor Archon)

Mortals require protection from forbidden knowledge and heretical texts. Anywhere across the planes, an exscinder might arrive to claim, confiscate, and destroy the dangerous thoughts within. Considering themselves avatars of the virtue of temperance, exscinders repeat the lesson that the cautious tongue refuses to speak wicked words. Though they pass on these words, it's rare for them to take much note of ordinary mortals. The danger is not necessarily the person who learns, but the evil knowledge itself. It's the weed that grows beyond the words on the page and must be torn out by its roots.

Recall Knowledge - Celestial (Religion): DC 36
Unspecific Lore: DC 34
Specific Lore: DC 31

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

ExscinderCreature 13

Rare Huge Archon Celestial Holy 
Source Monster Core 2 pg. 37
Perception +25; darkvision
Languages Aklo, Chthonian, Diabolic, Draconic, Empyrean, Necril, Sakvroth, Utopian; telepathy 100 feet, truespeech
Skills Arcana +24, Heaven Lore +26, Intimidation +26, Library Lore +26, Occultism +24, Religion +27, Society +26
Str +8, Dex +6, Con +6, Int +5, Wis +8, Cha +7
Items confiscated texts
AC 33 all-around vision; Fort +23, Ref +21, Will +25; +1 status to all saves
HP 240; Immunities fear; Resistances fire 10; Weaknesses unholy 10
Archon's Protection [reaction] Trigger An enemy damages the archon's ally and both are within 15 feet of the archon; Effect The ally gains resistance 15 to all damage against the triggering damage, and the archon can make a Strike against the enemy.
Speed 30 feet, fly 50 feet
Melee [one-action] binding chains +27 [+22/+17] (disarm, finesse, holy, magical, trip), Damage 3d8+11 bludgeoning plus 2d6 fire and censorious lashRanged [one-action] blazing sigil +25 [+20/+15] (fire, holy, magical, range increment 40 feet, spirit), Damage 5d6 fire plus 3d6 spiritSpells DC 33, attack +25; 7th divine immolation, interplanar teleport, rewrite memory (at will), ring of truth; 4th heal (at will), translocate (at will); 2nd invisibility (at will); 1st sure strike (×3); Cantrips (7th) light, message; Constant (5th) truespeech
Censorious Lash (divine, incapacitation, mental) When the exscinder hits a creature with a binding chains Strike, that creature must attempt a DC 30 Will save. On a failure, it's controlled by the exscinder for its first action on its next turn (or controlled for its entire next turn on a critical failure).Change Size [one-action] (concentrate, divine, polymorph) The exscinder changes size to their choice of Huge, Large, Medium, or Small.Temper thy Words [one-action] (auditory, concentrate, divine) The exscinder chooses one written text within 120 feet. They don't need to be able to observe the text, but they can't target one that's deliberately concealed. The exscinder censors the text, modifying it to their wishes. The text can't be referenced, making it useless for functions like Casting a Spell from a scroll, preparing spells from a spellbook, or consulting a scholarly journal. If the text is attended, the creature possessing it can attempt a DC 33 Will save; an unattended text automatically gets a critical failure.
Critical Success The text remains uncensored.
Success The censorship lasts 1 round.
Failure The text is censored for 1 day.
Critical Failure The text is censored permanently. It can be restored only with a wish ritual or similarly powerful magic.

Sidebar - Advice and Rules Censorship Is... Holy?

Censorship is a contentious topic, as it's often used as a method of control. The exscinder has the holy trait, but its actions—censoring and confiscating texts—can be upsetting and even condemnable. Keep in mind, however, that they exist in a world with magical texts that can be deadly when read! This doesn't mean they can't cross the line into actions that mortals consider to be wrong, nor that they might not clash with mortals due to a lack of nuance.

All Monsters in "Archon"

NameLevel
Aesra (Legion Archon)7
Archon Bastion16
Bastion Archon20
Excinder (Censor Archon)13
Giylea (Wheel Archon)16
Gnokesh (Codex Archon)5
Hound Archon4
Kadamel (Gate Archon)17
Lantern Archon1
Okenevem (Bowed Archon)15
Qarna (Horned Archon)4
Rekhep (Shield Archon)10
Star Archon19
Trumpet Archon14
Zoaem (Ring Archon)1

Archon

Source Monster Core pg. 26 1.1
Archons are guardians of Heaven and enemies of corruption. Before gods and their servants set foot in the celestial planes, archons already resided in Heaven, the original inhabitants of the realm. Upon meeting, the archons and divine angels quickly discovered they were of a kind, holding justice and righteousness in their hearts. An alliance was formed, and archons now serve as stalwart allies to all celestials and mortals they find worthy.

While the first archons coalesced from the immense seven-tiered mountain of Heaven, they choose willing and worthy Heaven-bound souls to join their ranks. These mortals hear and answer the call of a mysterious voice, manifesting in the Garden at the mountain's peak. There they swear to forever serve the cause of justice and transform into their new archon forms.

Though deeply concerned with defending mortal life and willing to sacrifice themselves in battle against fiends, archons often feel rote and inscrutable to others, and their forms can border on frightening and bizarre. For this reason, they often have issues with interacting with mortals, or with the free spirited azatas. Despite this, archons draw great strength from others, especially those who exemplify virtue.

Beyond their celestial allies, archons also maintain ancient ties with aeons. The inscrutable factions can still be seen working together to defend long- forgotten secrets and enforce rules that predate mortal life. Archons explain these missions as necessary without further elaboration, leaving even their angelic allies frustrated with archons' obstinance.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Archon Aesthetics

While archons do not seek to gather or maintain wealth, they do appreciate beauty and art, and their domains are often decorated with valuable crafts and creative works. They themselves are similarly ornate, and they always take time for proper maintenance after battle. Archons value care—and thus tidiness—in all things.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Archon Divinities

As with angels and azatas, the most powerful archons count among a group of demigods known collectively as empyreal lords. Each archon empyreal lord is a unique and powerful creature who keeps a domain somewhere in Heaven and is worshipped on mortal worlds. Archon divinities serve a variety of goals and focus on different aspects of righteousness. Some, such as Arqueros, hold influence over the defense of the innocent, while others, like Damerrich, demigod of executions, emphasize the punishment of unrepentant wrongdoers and seek to obliterate evil in all its forms.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Crime And Punishment

Archons enforce law and order as their most fundamental duty. Not terrestrial laws—those concern archons little. The cosmic order, on the other hand, is baked into their very being. Most archons find themselves unable to consciously break cosmic laws, though some who were once mortal petitioners can call up an echo of their past autonomy. Though they enforce cosmic laws, archons still prefer to bring lawbreakers to redemption. Within the mountain of Heaven, the Chambers of Repentance hold fiends and lawbreakers they believe can still be redeemed. Whenever possible, they choose this path over destroying a foe, even if the law would justify doing so.

Sidebar - Locations Heavenly Mountain

Though they can be found anywhere in their endless battle against fiends, archons originate in Heaven, a plane that appears as a single massive mountain. Heaven is broken into seven tiers, with most archons occupying the second level, Proelera, their base of army operations, or the sixth level, Iudica, the administrative heart of Heaven.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Order And Preservation

Though it's part of archons' core identity, the order of the cosmos isn't treated as inviolable dogma. Archons consider the philosophy behind their laws and the value of enforcing them. Though they remain aligned in purpose, archons often debate the laws and their roles within the celestial machinery. A frequent argument asserts that one of the great goods of preserving order is protecting the fruits of creation from entropy and the forces of destruction. Archons appreciate aesthetics and the beautiful things mortals create. What fiends might see destroyed or controlled, archons fight to preserve.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Unknowable Bearing

Gnokesh and exscinder archons have frequent reasons to associate with mortals. This challenges mortals, as most find it difficult to comprehend the thoughts and desires of archons. Even a scholar who studies the same topic as a gnokesh needs to adapt the way they present questions and information to communicate with their archon guide. Exscinders present an even harder challenge, as they're usually encountered while on duty, with the purpose of confiscating or destroying forbidden texts. This means someone first meeting an exscinder is likely attempting to convince them not to destroy a tome containing rare knowledge or even their life's work in scholarship or literature.