Kolyarut

The stealthy kolyaruts aren’t the strongest inevitables—but they are among the most interesting, and (to my mind) the most likely to be encountered by PCs.  Zelekhuts chase those on the lam…but they have the aid of a multiverse of watchmen, bounty hunters, and inquisitors.  Maruts and lhaksharuts are more likely to go after PCs’ long-lived and planar-breaching enemies.  (A PC who cheats death enough to rouse a marut’s ire will likely have roused her pantheon’s anger already…and likely suffered level or Con loss as well.)  But bargains get made—and broken—ever day.  Oaths get sworn and forsworn.  Adventurers are particularly bad about saying what they need to say to get out of a jam, trusting their swords to free them from the consequences later.  Kolyaruts are those consequences…and with their powers of invisibility and disguise self, PCs may not even see them coming before it’s too late.

Seven winters ago, a disguised kolyarut arrived at the court of King Aelfred II, announcing that it was searching for an oathbreaker who would soon be arriving.  But the man never showed.  In the years since, the kolyarut has acted as an informal protocol adviser to the somewhat rough-and-ready borderland king, using its knowledge of the continent’s customs to polish the airs and graces of the king and his courtiers.  Now King Aelfred’s castle is a shining example of the Rule of Law and a social hub for nobility of all kinds…but the kolyarut still inspects every visitor, and has offered hints that its hunt may soon be over.

Carstomides of the Fiery Writ is a contract devil who specializes in buying up broken contracts of all kinds.  Through axiomite agents, he sends hired kolyaruts to find and subdue the offending parties.  He then offers the vulnerable mortals a choice—pay up, receive retribution from the kolyarut, or get three wishes…for the price of their souls.  His success rate is staggering.

Adventurers who free a noble djinni are unknowingly bound to his lamp due to an ill-considered promise.  Soon they find themselves whisked to the Outer Planes by a single rub from the lamp’s new bearer.  As mortals they are not compelled to follow the orders of the bearer, but if they don’t an inquisition of kolyaruts appears to attempt to put geasa on them.

—Pathfinder Bestiary 2 163

If it’s not clear by now (you all: Duh, dude, it’s totally clear), I dig lawful adversaries.  It’s so much fun to throw the same inevitable who helped the group vs. a demon after their azata (eladrin, for you 3.5 folk) ally in the next heartbeat.  And I also like adversaries who can be defeated by a good argument or legal loophole as well as by sword.  (My old GM—hey Graham!—will proudly note this is my Vampire heritage showing through.)