Fantasy NPC: Ghost of Ikhaylas Ordi, The Drowned Merchant

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Ikhaylas Ordi, The Drowned Merchant

A blue-tinged phantasm of a dark skinned man wearing many layers of wet clothing, with pieces of algae and scum all over him. A silver chain extends from his wrists to a small chest.

CR 4; XP 1,200
Male human restless ghost expert 3
LG Medium Undead (augmented human, incorporeal)
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +17
Aura scourge of dishonesty (60 ft.)

Defense
AC 17, touch 17, flat-footed 17 (+7 deflection)
hp 38 (3d8+21)
Fort +8, Ref +1, Will +7
Defensive Abilities channel resistance +4, incorporeal, rejuvenation; Immune undead traits

Offense
Speed 30 ft. (perfect)
Melee corrupting touch +2 (4d6, Fort DC 18 half)

Statistics
Str —, Dex 10, Con —, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 24
Base Atk +2; CMB +2; CMD 19
Feats Entrepreneur, Skill Focus (Diplomacy), Skill Focus (Profession [merchant])
Skills Appraise +8, Diplomacy +16, Fly +8, Knowledge (geography) +8, Knowledge (history) +8, Knowledge (local) +8, Linguistics +8, Perception +17, Profession (merchant) +12, Sense Motive +9, Stealth +8
Language Common and five others fitting local trading routes
SQ merchant's lockbox

Merchant's Lockbox (Su) The chest that Ikhaylas used to keep his savings is focus of his unlife. It has hardness of 15 and can take 30 hit points before shattering into pieces. If it is ever destroyed, Ikhaylas will be overcame with madness, turning into a malicious, violent spectre. He never veers more than a 100 feet from the chest. If it is moved quickly, teleported or taken to another plane, he will reappear next to the chest within 1d4 rounds. The chest is capable of holding more than its size would suggest, with capacity matching bag of holding (type I). Ikhaylas can manipulate objects within the chest as if using mage hand. If the merchant's ghost is ever released and passes on, the chest loses its properties and likely fall apart.

Scourge Of Dishonesty (Su) Ikhaylas was a honest merchant and proud of it, and now, he projects an aura that hinders those who would laugh at his virtue. Anyone who commited a breach of contract within the last 24 hours suffers from sickened condition while within 60 feet of Ikhaylas. Anyone who carries an object borrowed or stolen from a living being or a grave less than a hundred years old leaves a trail of salt water while within the aura. Anyone who commits a violent crime within the aura suffers 1d4 points of Charisma damage.


Ikhaylas knows well he is dead and yet, he stays behind for he failed miserably. A honest and yet moderately successful merchant in life, now he haunts the wreckage of the ship that bore his wares back home. The wares that would bring a hefty profit to him and all those neighbors who entrusted their savings to him are long destroyed now, however, leaving Ikhaylas without means of compensating his investors—which pains him more than his own demise. He remains restless now, bound to an old but sturdy (and slightly magical) chest that he always used to keep his monies safe. The few meager coins that are left within won't suffice to pay even a fraction of what he is due to his partners (or more likely their descendants), though.

Releasing Ikhaylas is theoretically easy. His would-be benefactors only need to help him earn a small fortune and repay his debt to his investors and their families... Good luck tracking them all after so many years, though.
New Feat: Entrepreneur
You have the aptitude for making your enterprises profitable.
Benefit: Double the amount earned with Profession skill. When you make an investment, you can increase your normal returns by 1d3%. When you occupy a leadership role within a kingdom, you grant the kingdom additional +1 bonus to its Economy.
Special: If you take this feat at 1st level, you start the game with additional 50 gp of easy to sell trade goods fitting your skills and background.