Buy me a coffee“Warden of the Silent Dynasty: The Terra-cotta Horseman”
“Terra-cotta Horseman: The Clay Sentinel That Charges From the Shadows of History.”
Forged from ancient clay and bound by relentless magic, the Terra-cotta Horseman rises from tombs and battlefields alike—a stoic cavalry figure whose unwavering charge enforces forgotten oaths and punishes intruders with unerring precision.
Appearance
A life-sized clay warrior mounted on a rigid steed, the Horseman is sculpted with ceremonial armor, flowing robes, and a stoic, expressionless face. Cracks vein its earthen surface, and faint remnants of faded paint shimmer under torchlight. The war-steed beneath it bears flared nostrils and sculpted reins, every detail frozen mid-march. Together, rider and mount radiate a silent, regal menace—motionless yet eternally watchful.
Behaviour
Methodical and unflinching, the Terra-cotta Horseman patrols its territory with mechanical precision. It reacts instantly to intruders, obeying its last command as though time itself cannot erode its loyalty. Never speaking or hesitating, it embodies the perfect soldier—silent, patient, and inexorably bound to its purpose.
Habitat
The Horseman dwells within ancient tombs, ruined temples, long-forgotten battlegrounds, or sacred necropolises steeped in history. It stands sentinel over burial halls and cursed monuments, often accompanied by other earthen warriors, eternally defending the resting places of kings, generals, or sorcerers.
Modus Operandi
Excelling in mounted combat, the Terra-cotta Horseman charges with the full weight of enchanted stone. Its weaponry—clay-forged lances, swords, and shields—strike with supernatural precision. It pursues intruders relentlessly, coordinating seamlessly with fellow Horsemen, and spares no mercy unless commanded.
Motivation
Driven by ancient enchantment and unwavering duty, the Terra-cotta Horseman exists to fulfill forgotten oaths, guard forbidden relics, and uphold the will of its creator long after mortal memory fades. It neither questions nor falters; time and decay cannot break its devotion. It is not alive, yet it endures—an eternal testament to the power of command.
Terra-cotta Horseman 5e 2024
Terra-cotta Horseman, Pathfinder
Terra-cotta Horseman
Large Construct, Lawful Neutral
Armor Class 19 (terra-cotta lamellar armor)
Hit Points 168 (16d10 + 80)
Speed 50 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 (+5) | 12 (+1) | 20 (+5) | 10 (+0) | 14 (+2) | 11 (+0) |
Saving Throws Con +8, Wis +5
Skills Athletics +8, Perception +5
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities poison, psychic
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 30 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages understands the languages of its creator but cannot speak
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +3
Bound Guardian.
The Terra-cotta Horseman cannot willingly move more than 1 mile from the site it was created to protect. If taken from its domain, it becomes inert until returned.
Construct Nature.
The Horseman doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep. When destroyed, it crumbles into shards of hardened clay that slowly reform over 24 hours unless purified by divine or radiant magic.
Terra-cotta Lamellar Armor.
Forged from interlocking ceramic plates lacquered in crimson and umber, this ancient armor deflects mortal blows. When it takes bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage from a nonmagical attack, roll a d6; on a 5–6, it reduces the damage by 7 as the plates shift and reseal.
Trampling Momentum.
If the Horseman moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and hits it with a melee attack, that creature must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the Horseman can make one Hooves attack against it as a bonus action.
Magic Resistance.
The Horseman has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Immutable Form.
The Horseman is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.
Actions
Multiattack.
The Horseman makes two attacks: one with its glaive of the dynasty and one with its hooves.
Glaive of the Dynasty. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) slashing damage plus 7 (2d6) force damage.
Hooves. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage.
Lance of the Ancients (Recharge 5–6).
Channeling the will of forgotten emperors, the Horseman’s weapon burns with amber light. The next melee attack it makes before the end of its turn deals an extra 21 (6d6) force damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or be knocked 15 feet away and prone.
Earthen Shockwave (Recharge 6).
The Horseman drives its glaive into the ground, releasing a seismic pulse. Each creature within 20 feet must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, taking 28 (8d6) bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much on a success. The ground in that area becomes difficult terrain until the start of the Horseman’s next turn.
Reactions
Clay Reformation.
When reduced to 0 hit points, the Horseman can make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a success, it drops to 1 hit point instead as molten seams glow and rapidly harden across its armor. Once used, this feature can’t be used again until it finishes a long rest.
Legendary Actions
The Terra-cotta Horseman can take 2 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn.
- Detect. The Horseman makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.
- Clay Step. The Horseman moves up to half its speed without provoking opportunity attacks, briefly merging with the earth.
- Shattering Charge (2 Actions). The Horseman gallops up to 30 feet in a straight line. Each creature in that line must make a DC 16 Strength saving throw or take 14 (4d6) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone.
Lore
Once guardians of an ancient emperor’s necropolis, Terra-cotta Horsemen are sculpted warriors fused eternally to their steeds—symbolic of loyalty and warlike virtue. Each is animated by a fragment of divine mandate and bound by runes carved into its clay heart. The artistry of their creation is both martial and sacred: every plate of their lamellar armor bears prayers for vigilance, and every steed’s flank is etched with sigils of endurance.
When the living empire fell to dust, its silent sentinels remained—standing eternal watch over the tombs, temples, and cursed battlefields of forgotten dynasties. Though centuries have passed, their oaths still hold power. Those who desecrate imperial sites, plunder relics, or disturb the geomantic harmony of ancient lands awaken these tireless guardians.
Legends whisper that their loyalty is not blind: a Terra-cotta Horseman will kneel to a living heir who bears the true imperial seal, serving until its clay form crumbles under divine exhaustion. Some sages claim that entire legions of such horsemen sleep beneath the world, awaiting the call of a reborn empire.
Adventure Hooks
- The Emperor’s Vigil: A buried valley stirs after an earthquake reveals a forgotten mausoleum. The awakened Terra-cotta Horsemen now patrol nearby villages, mistaking living settlers for tomb robbers.
- The Clay Legion Rises: A rival kingdom’s vizier unearths a method to mass-reanimate Terra-cotta soldiers—but the magic spreads uncontrollably, animating every statue in the province.
- The Heir of Dust: A player character inherits an ancient seal said to command the Terra-cotta Horsemen. The artifact glows in their presence—but the constructs are divided between reverence and vengeance.
- The Buried Warhorse: Rumors tell of a lone Terra-cotta Horseman wandering the desert wastes, endlessly circling the site of a lost battle, waiting for a command that never came.
Terra-cotta Horseman
[This content is based on content mentioned but only partially described by Paizo Publishing.]
| Terra-cotta Horseman CR 7 |
| XP 2,400 N Large construct Init +7; Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Low-Light Vision; Perception +10 |
| DEFENSE |
| AC 20, touch 11, flat-footed 18 (+2 Dexterity, +9 natural, -1 size) hp 85 (10d10+30) Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +3 DR 5/bludgeoning; Immune construct traits, fire; SR 18 |
| OFFENSE |
| Speed 30 ft. Melee lance +17 (1d8+12/x3) or 2 slams +11 (1d6+7) Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with lance) Special Attacks keen weapons, rank fighting, trample (1d6+4, DC 18) |
| STATISTICS |
| Strength 24, Dexterity 14, Constitution -, Intelligence 1, Wisdom 11, Charisma 1 Base Atk +10; CMB +17 (+19 bull rush/overrun); CMD 29 (31 bull rush/overrun, 33 vs. trip) Feats Improved Bull Rush, Improved Initiative, Improved Overrun, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (lance) Skills Perception +10 SQ undersized weapons |
| SPECIAL ABILITIES |
| Keen Weapons (Su) After it has engaged in at least 1 round of combat, a terra-cotta horseman’s weapons automatically gain the benefits of keen weapon (CL 6th). This effect persists until the end of the battle. Rank Fighting (Ex) Whenever a terra-cotta horseman is adjacent to another terra-cotta horseman, it gains a +2 Dodge bonus to its AC and a +2 bonus on saving throws, attack rolls, and damage rolls. Undersized Weapons (Ex) Although this creature is Large, its upper torso is the same size as that of a Medium humanoid. As a result, it wield weapons as if they were one size category smaller than their actual size (Medium). |
| ECOLOGY |
| Environment any Organization solitary, troop (3-12), or army (13+) Treasure incidental (lance, other treasure) |
Terra-cotta Horseman
Construction
A terra-cotta horseman’s body is made from 600 pounds of clay, fired with rare and magical glazes worth 500 gp.
CL 9th; Price 19,000 gp
CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
Craft Construct, animate objects, cat’s grace, geas/quest, keen edge, creator must be caster level 9th; Skill Craft (pottery) or Craft (sculptures) DC 14; Cost 10,000 gp
A terra-cotta horseman is crafted from clay and fired into ceramic, and is usually sculpted to resemble an armored human horseman, although terra-cotta horsemen resembling other races, such as hobgoblins, tengus, or even demons and oni, are also common. Terra-cotta horsemen are often created to guard the tomb of powerful rulers, standing in silent ranks to guard their liege even after his or her death. These horsemen stand vigil for centuries, animating only to defend the tomb and its riches from tomb robbers. Terra-cotta horsemen are typically painted with colored lacquer, though this decoration is often worn away from use or faded with age.
Section 15: Copyright Notice – Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 3
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 3, © 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors Jesse Benner, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, James Jacobs, Michael Kenway, Rob McCreary, Patrick Renie, Chris Sims, F. Wesley Schneider, James L. Sutter, and Russ Taylor, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.