Spiritbound Aluum

Whereas most aluums are animated by the souls of volunteers loyal to Katapesh, the Pactmasters created a handful of more capable (and deadly) aluums powered by the souls of a dozen or more dangerous criminals. These spiritbound aluums are rarely used as peacekeepers, instead serving as assassins, elite bodyguards, or riot control during times of martial law.

A spiritbound aluum has a dull blue crystalline focus that stores constituent souls, surrounded by a host of smaller gems used for trapping souls the Pactmasters wish to deny from entering the Great Beyond. Spiritbound aluums rarely use this soul-binding ability except when instructed by their masters. However, the murderous or embittered souls within the aluum sometimes exert control and willfully consume a departing soul either out of malice or to incorporate it into the construct's core. If not relieved of its trapped souls in a timely manner, a spiritbound aluum can develop enough will to overcome its masters' orders and even awaken to full sentience. These rogue aluums typically lose the mindless trait, are evil, have an Intelligence modifier of -2 or higher, and gain several skills with bonuses ranging from +25 to +32.

Aluums are powerful metal and stone constructs originally created by the Pactmasters to maintain order in Katapesh. The construction of each aluum includes the creation of an @UUID[Compendium.pf2e.equipment-srd.Item.Aluum Charm], a brass pendant set with a blue crystal designed to control that particular construct. The charm constructed at the same time as an aluum is called its linked charm.