The Aeternum

I've written before about how Chaos are the bad guys. That doesn't mean Law can't be the bad guys either. 

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The Aeternum is a radical sect of the Church of Law rapidly gaining prominence in the wake of the Seven War period. They preach the doctrine of stasis: let nothing change. Without the possibility of change, there is nothing to dispute the ineffable and unyielding truth of Law. All things which seek to challenge Law will yield to its inexorable plan.

Ask a member of the Church and they'd say the Aeternum of course do not actually wish to freeze the world in its current state, but rather achieve, or perhaps usher in, some sort of figurative spiritual revolution, and this member, depending on their disposition, will be sure to tell you that while they don't condone the manner in which the Aeternum go about their practice, they're dedication is commendable.

Ask a member of the Aeternum and they would say there is nothing figurative about their plans—the world of men can only serve the Lords of Law in a state of perfect, eternal stillness. For are not the Lords themselves unchanging? Are our notions of order and reason not but the earthly emanations of their transcendent, perpetual forms?

Philip Jackson

Naturally, the Aeternum aren’t too keen on adventures awakening slumbering horrors and recovering reality-altering artifacts from ages past.

How are they antagonizing the PCs today?

1. Sealing the entrance to a dungeon 
2. Quarantining their base town for a reported chaos incursion
3. Mandating they surrender their magic items. "Scoundrels like you can't be trusted with them!" 
4. Attempting to press them into service hunting heretics. Refusal is proof the party is in league with Chaos.
5. Capturing peasants and forcing them to convert or be put to death
6. Burning a giant symbol of stasis in the middle of the city. Significant property damage deemed a worthy tradeoff for nebulous long-term goals. 

Aeternum

HD: 1 AC: 5 Attacks: 1 x mace (1d6) Move: 90'(30') Saves: as Cleric 1 Morale: 10 Alignment: Lawful Number appearing: 2d8+2 (war band) / 1d6x10 (caravan transporting artifacts/prisoners/treasure) / 2d20 accompanying 1d10x10 0 HD followers (pilgrimage to holy site) 

War bands are led by a 4 HD Perpetuant. Caravans and pilgrimages include 1 Perpetuant per 10 Aeternum and are led by a 6 HD Permanence. 

AETERNAL POWERS (Treat these as level-less spells, usable by members of the Aeternum once per day for every 2 HD they possess.) 

1. Edict. Issue a simple command a number of creatures up to the Aeternum's HD must save or be compelled to obey.
2. Grasp of Eternity. Holds (as the spell) a number of creatures equal to the Aeternum's HD. Lasts until the Aeternum moves or is moved. 
3. Suspension field. Freeze missiles in the air. Protects a number of creatures up to the Aeternum's HD.
4. Preserve. A single object is safe from all forms of rot and decay for a number of months equal to the Aeternum's HD. 
5. Reversion. The effect of a number of rounds equal to the Aeternum's HD are undone. Only targets the caster, so they recove any hp lost and consumables spent but everything else remains the same.  
6. Static zone. Everything within a radius equal to the Aeternum's HD x10' is under the effect of a Slow and Silence spell. Lasts until the Aeternum moves or breaks full concentration. If 10 or more HD-worth of Aeterna are participating, the area of effect is measured by only the highest-HD Aeternum and also negates magic. 
7. Contrition. Creature suffering from a curse, disease, or mutation take 2d8 damage and is freed from its affliction (if the creature has multiple curses, diseases, etc. only one is removed). Unwilling creatures may save vs. spells to resist the effect, with a penalty equal to half the Aeternum's HD rounding down. 
8. Negentropy. Counter another spell cast this round. If the spell countered is level 4 or greater, the caster gets a save vs. spells to resist. 
9. Eternalize. Flesh to Stone or Stone to Flesh. Unwilling targets who fail their save are affected for 2d6 rounds, but the effect is permanent if cast by an Aeternum with 8+ HD. Members of the Aeternum regularly use these abilities on themselves and others as part of their many esoteric ritual practices. 
10. Gaze of the Inexorable. Detect Magic, Detect Evil, and Know Alignment wrapped into one. Targets a radius equal to the Aeternum's HD x10'. Lasts for one round. 

kzlkid

Treasure

1. Marble halo. A ring of marble that, when worn over the head, turns the wearer to stone until the halo is removed.
2. Immovable rod. 
3. Crosier of Cancelation. Touch a magic item and expend a charge to fully disenchant it. The Crosier has 1d6+2 charges. Effect last for 2d6 days.   
4. Eternity egg. An egg big enough to fit a human child made of perfectly smooth white stone, kept in an ornate cage of gold and pearl. Feels hollow and incredibly cold to the touch. The egg slows time in the local area, approximately one one-hundredth of a second per second, compounding imperceptibly with each passing moment. The oldest known egg is located in a special chamber within the Basilica Aeterna, which makes time flow at half the speed in a three-mile radius from the megastructure. Of course, the difference is imperceptible to those within the radius.  
5. Trapped lightning. Stored in a quartz cylinder. Releasing it deals 5d6 damage to everything in a straight line, save vs. breath for half. 
6. Tincture of Sustention. Prevents aging and level drain for 10 years. '
7. Negation Hammer. Warhammer +1, struck creatures must save vs. wands or lose the ability to cast spells for the next hour.