Clockwork Beast

A clockwork beast is the result of hundreds of hours of work, a machine crafted from thousands, sometimes even millions, of tiny gears and wires, all in the pursuit of creating the perfect predator. Created by master artisans from the outer planes, a clockwork beast is viewed by some as an incredibly deadly work of art, and others as a good to be sold on the market for high sums. While the exact shape of a clockwork beast varies between creators, there are a few machines distinctly recognizable as the work of famed engineers.   Relentless Hunters These powerful machines are built to last a lifetime, never stopping once started, to be used to hunt a quarry across vast distances, including across planar boundaries. To ensure their machines never fail, the power source of a clockwork beast is often magical in origin, but not always. Some master artificers prefer to work with no magic at all, instead designing a clockwork beast to run on nothing but the power of it gears, wound only once, but continuing to move across ages. It is said that the artificer credited with the creation of the original clockwork beast thousands of years ago eventually became so proficient in their creation, that before their death, they finished a clockwork beast which still runs today, without a hint of magic.   Black Market Reputation Originally created to serve as guardians for important locations, sold to those who could afford them, the creatures often proved too uncontrollable for use in guard duty, resulting in tragic accidents involving uninformed servants and unsuspecting passerby. However, the relentlessness inherent in the beasts quickly carved a niche for them in the market of mercenary work and bounty hunting. When dealing with exceptionally dangerous renegades or bounties which seem to always slip through the cracks, a mercenary might bring in a clockwork beast to aid their hunt. These transactions are not always legal, and while the sale of such a dangerous machine might be formally outlawed, they are always easy to find in black markets which traffic in wares from the outer planes.   Rechargeable Efficiency While incredibly dangerous up close, the true reason for the popularity of clockwork beasts are the efficiency with which they hunt their quarry. A clockwork beast requires no rest, and unlike other machines dedicated to seeking out prey, they can go for extended periods of time without issue. In an extended hunt, a clockwork beast has no issue following its prey, but once in direct combat, they quickly slow down, losing efficiency as the fight continues. But this slow-down is planned, and a clockwork beast always keeps a small amount of kinetic energy in reserve, using this remaining energy to kickstart a series of gears deep in its core. When this happens, a clockwork beast pauses only momentarily, before picking itself back up to once again fight at full efficiency. This moment of pause is often the best time to strike when fighting one, as during it, the beast is rendered incapable of moving or attacking. However, the machines are often so adept at clearing the area around them, this moment of pause rarely presents a problem for them.