Bone Lion
Cost: 30 motes
Target: One automaton
A human victim is hung, blinded, bled and eviscerated over a pit while the necromancer chants dreadful incantations for 30 minutes. At last, the necromancer casts a pair of diamonds carved to look like eyes (worth at least Resources 4) into the pit of viscera, and shapes white and crimson Essence with the Lion Mudra. The earth cracks open, and the bone lion leaps out through the draining blood. The skeletal lion stands the height of a man at its shoulders, with a mane of bone quills. The diamonds gleam in its deep black eye sockets. Its talons are the size of sickle blades, and its fangs are like daggers.
The necromancer holds out an item with the target's scent as an arcane link. The lion consumes this item, bows once to the sorcerer and then bounds off in pursuit of the target. The lion neither rests nor halts until the target is dead, for it knows that it has only 101 days in which to accomplish its task. The lion moves as the "horseback, tireless" entry under "Supernatural Travel" on the Average Travel Times table on p. 264 of Exalted, and it swims as fast as it runs.
The bone lion attacks when it finds its target. If it kills its target, it crumbles into a cairn of bone atop the target's corpse. If it is destroyed, it collapses into a pile of bone and diamonds. Unless every trace is burned, though, the bone lion springs back to life in a flash of white and crimson Essence the next sunset, with full strength and an even greater lust to destroy the target. On the sunset of the 101st day of its existence, it crumbles into dust.
Bone Lion
Motivation: To destroy its prey
Attributes: Strength 12, Dexterity 6, Stamina 10; Charisma 0, Manipulation 2, Appearance 1; Perception 4, Intelligence 1, Wits 6
Virtues: Automaton: Never fails Valor checks, never makes others.
Abilities: Athletics 4, Awareness 5 (Spot Target +3), Dodge 4, Martial Arts 4, Presence 5 (Intimidation +3), Stealth 4, Survival 5 (Stalk +3)
Join Battle: 11 (14 if prey is present)
Attacks:
Bite: Speed 4, Accuracy 12, Damage 14L, Parry DV —, Rate 2
Claw: Speed 4, Accuracy 11, Damage 16L, Parry DV 5, Rate 2
Soak: 10L/15B (Bony exterior, 5L/5B; Hardness: 5L/5B)
Health Levels: -0/-0/-1/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Incap
Essence: 1
Other Notes: The bone lion can run day and night without slowing, at the speed of a tireless horse (it can move 20 yards per tick, or 60 yards as a Dash action). It has no need of air, food or water, and it can swim across the surface of any body of water without needing to stop. The bone lion is a construct of Essence and is destroyed if its health levels are fully depleted by damage. It is a creature of low animal intelligence but tremendous cunning. If a frontal assault fails, it will stalk its prey and look for an opportune moment to strike.