Planar Bestiary
Among the hierarchical living constructs of Mechanus, rogue modrons sometimes arise. The common understanding is that the rogues are defective because they aren't forced to act in lockstep with every other modron, ensuring a never-changing routine of absolute discipline. However, a lesser-known interpretation is that they routinely pop up as a sort of self-corrective function in the larger modron hive. These outliers can see unlikely solutions and potential threats that the average modron is unable to notice.
Modron deadfalls are just such a variety of rogue modron.
Modron deadfalls, which somewhat resemble large cubes with humanoid features and limbs, have hit on an interesting method of learning new information from other creatures. They interrogate lone travelers, looking for news or other interesting knowledge, by trapping them in place with their bulk. They do so by falling from the sky like square-shaped boulders off a mountain, pinning targets into place. If the interrogation goes well, the deadfall may release their trapped victim. Other times, modron deadfalls have been found still pinning the bones of a long-dead victim beneath them.
If the modron deadfall dies, their body disintegrates into dust, leaving behind their weapons and anything else they were carrying.
Motive: Collect information
Environment: Anywhere in the multiverse
Health: 12
Damage Inflicted: Major wound (10 points)
Armor: 5 (5 against falling damage)
Movement: Immediate; long when flying
Modifications: Speed defense as level 3 due to large size; persuasion, stealth (when flying overhead), and detecting lies as level 5
Combat: The modron falls from a short distance above a target, performing a "deadfall slam" using their whole body as a weapon. A successful attack inflicts 10 points of damage and traps the target. The trapped target can't move or physically act, other than to answer questions and/or attempt a level 6 Might task to escape as their action. If the modron chooses, the trapped target takes 5 points of damage from the modron's crushing weight on any given round.
Whether the modron misses or traps a target, they normally take no damage from their own fall. If they miss or the modron's trapped victim escapes, they fly up and try again on their next turn, assuming they decide to press their attack.
Interaction: Typically, a modron deadfall quizzes a trapped target for about a minute, asking general questions about the target's purpose, any interesting news they might know, and so on, inflicting damage only if the target lies or tries to escape, or if the target's companions continually attack the modron deadfall. Once satisfied, the modron deadfall releases the target and flies off, looking for new sources of information.
Use: Some modron deadfalls don't gather information to feed back to their less-imaginative fellows on Mechanus, but instead strike out on their own, working as guardians or assassins for pay, or taking to a life of exploration.
Loot: Modron deadfalls often carry a few cyphers, such as a potion of mind meld and an amulet of mind stabilizer. A few also carry an artifact shaped like a petrified eye that, when activated, allows them to perceive invisible or out-of-phase creatures and objects for 10 minutes (level 4; depletion: 1 in 1d20).
GM Intrusion: A piece of information a character provides the deadfall upsets them, and they immediately inflict another 5 points of damage.