Faceted Scorpion

Small construct, unaligned

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 4 (2d4-1)
Speed 30 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
2 (-4)	15 (+2)	7 (-2)	7 (-3)	10 (+0)	3 (-4)

Skills Perception +1, Stealth +3
Damage Immunities poison, psychic
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages understands the languages of its creator but can’t speak
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Transform. A creature attuned to the faceted scorpion can speak its command word to cause the scorpion to transform into a necklace, a small piece of jewelry, or back into its true form. Its statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying, other than its venom cartridge, isn’t transformed. While in the form of a piece of jewelry, the scorpion can’t move, take any actions or reactions, or manipulate objects. While transformed, the scorpion is indistinguishable from an ordinary piece of jewelry.
• Venom Cartridge. The scorpion has a chamber that holds a vial of poison, the effects of which are applied to its attack and remain potent until consumed. A creature proficient with tinker’s tools or an alchemist’s kit can use their action to replace the contents of this vial with another liquid. If empty, this vial automatically fills with basic poison during a long rest. This basic poison loses its potency if removed from the scorpion. While in jewelry form, the venom cartridge takes on the appearance of a gem the color of the liquid contained within.
• Scorpion’s Tail. A creature attuned to the faceted scorpion can speak its second command word, causing the scorpion to transform itself into an ornate dagger, immediately applying the poison held in its venom cartridge and reducing itself to 0 hit points.

ACTIONS

• Sting. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage. A creature that is damaged by this attack suffers the effects of the poison held in the scorpion’s venom cartridge, and the cartridge is emptied in the process.

ABOUT

Faceted scorpions are constructed to be as beautiful as they are deadly. Inlaid with precious metals and stones, these clockwork assassins can reassemble their form into a lethal weapon or take on the almost impenetrable guise of a masterwork piece of jewelry.

Schematics for faceted scorpions include formulae for the highly refined poison they produce, and often designs for the over three hundred different adornments the scorpions can assume as a disguise.

The amount of skill and work required to construct faceted scorpions makes them rare commodities, even in black markets and other underground trade.

Deadly Ornamentation. Although they may be used in petty murder plots, faceted scorpions are primarily procured for the purpose of political assassination.

Some scorpions are gifted as fine jewelry, only to be found later on their wearer’s corpse, while others are simply worn behind closed doors where other weapons may be disallowed. While a faceted scorpion is capable enough of taking out targets on its own, some assassins prefer to wield them in their weaponized form, adding their own deadly skill to the scorpion’s potent venom.