Fantasy NPC: The Great But Not So Large Tortoise

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The Great But Not So Large Tortoise

A tortoise with a multi-hued shell and a surprisingly expressive snout.

CR 1; 400 XP
LN Tiny Magical Beast
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +9

Defense
AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+2 natural, +2 size)
hp 13 (2d10+2)
Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +4
Defensive Abilities shell up

Offense
Speed 10 ft.
Melee bite +4 (1d4)
Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks magic bite

Statistics
Str 10, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 19, Wis 19, Cha 13
Base Atk +3; CMB +1; CMD 11
Feats Arcane Strike^B, Breadth Of Experience
Skills Knowledge (history) +8, Knowledge (local) +8, Knowledge (any other) +6, Perception +9, Profession (any) +6, Sense Motive +6, Spellcraft +6, Stealth +13
Language Common, Draconic, Sylvan, Terran
SQ old, slow metabolism

Magic Strike (Su) The Great But Not So Large Tortoise's gains an Arcane Strike as a bonus feat and uses his HD or his master's caster level to determine damage bonus.

Old (Ex) The Great But Not So Large Tortoise is very-very old and ignores usual prerequisites for his Breadth of Experience feat.

Shell Up (Ex) When The Great But Not So Large Tortoise uses total defense action as a full round action, he gains additional +2 bonus to AC and all his saving throws until the beginning of his following turn. If he continues to maintain total defense, the saving throw bonus applies continuously, including the effects that require saving throw at the beginning of his turn. While using shell up The Great But Not So Large Tortoise can't make 5-ft steps.

Slow Metabolism (Ex) The Great But Not So Large Tortoise needs to eat and drink a minuscule amounts of food and water, and doesn't suffer from starvation or thirst for up to a month. He can survive in hot and very hot environments without ill effects. In cold conditions he is even more sluggish than usual. His potential lifespan is unknown, but certainly extends well over a millennium.


The Great But Not So Large Tortoise is an ancient and wise tortoise that served as a familiar to many not so long-living and not so wise magicians. Those who listened to his sagacious advice thrived, and those who didn't... Ah, well, there are always new protegees to adopt.

The Great But Not So Large Tortoise might be wise and learned, but humility is not one of the qualities he acquired with experience. He berates his master when his advice is not followed, and he gets grumpy and offended when not following his advice shows positive results.

The Great But Not So Large Tortoise can become a familiar for a  caster with Improved Familiar feat, requiring caster level 3 to bind. Unlike some other familiars, his bond seems to be based on mutual consent and can be passed to another master if all the parties involved agree (he can be easily swayed to agreeing if he is passed to a less experienced magician for purpose of "helping the new student reach full potential"... or if he and his current master are really getting on each others nerves). He can act as a familiar for a witch, though when passed between witches, the spells he learned are useless for the new witch and have to be-relearned again.