Fantasy NPC: Goranar, The Pyrotechnician

   

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Goranar, The Pyrotechnician

A slim, tall but slightly stooping half-orc in thick robes of lacquered leather.

CR 6; 2,400 XP

Male half-orc alchemist 7

CG Medium Humanoid (human, orc)

Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Perception +10

Defense
AC 18, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +4 Dex)
hp 42 (7d8+7)
Fort +7, Ref +10, Will +3

Offense
Speed 30 ft.

Melee dagger +5 (1d4, 19–20/×2)

Ranged bombs +10 (4d6+7 fire)

Special Attacks bombs (17/day, flash bomb, glitter bomb, smoke bomb)

Alchemist Extracts (CL 7th)

3rd (2/day)—fly, haste

2nd (4/day)—cat's grace, eagle's splendor, levitate, resist energy

1st (5/day)—ant haul, cure light wounds, disguise self, endure elements, enlarge person, expeditious retreat, jump, true strike

Statistics
Str 10, Dex 18, Con 13, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 10
Base Atk +5; CMB +5; CMD 19
Feats Brew Potion, Extra Bombs (×3), Skill Focus (Perform [fireshows]), Throw Anything

Skills Appraise +14, Craft (alchemy) +14 (+21 crafting alchemical items), Disable Device +14, Fly +14, Perception +10, Perform (fire-shows) +13, Sleight Of Hand +14, Use Magic Device +10
Language Common, Dwarven, Duc, Elven, Goblin, Orc

SQ discoveries (flash bomb, glitter bomb, smoke bomb), mutagen

Notable Gear cloak of resistance +1, headband of vast intelligence +2, studded leather +1 (covered in alchemical oils protecting it from fire), goggles, supply of alchemical fireworks and alchemical components, wagon carrying supplies and an alchemical lab pulled by a donkey

Goranar lives by making shows of fire, light, and colors. He is a traveling maker of fireworks, though his real heart is in turning their discharge into complex performances. The bigger, the more colorful, the more picturesque, the better. He often finds his work sought after to be framework for other performances, part of bigger festivals or theatrical shows. He doesn't mind, as long as he gets to do his job.

As his fireshows can be very captivating and noisy, it's only a matter of time when someone decides to use his performance as a distraction to cover some cunning plan, a jest, or an intrigue. With or without his cooperation.

New Alchemist Discoveries

Flash Bomb*: When the alchemist creates a bomb, he can choose it to work like pyrotechnics spell (with the bomb acting like its own source of fire), filling area equal to twice the bomb's splash radius. Additionally, the alchemist can set any of his bombs to produce explosions of unusal color, including complex patterns of color. An alchemist must possess smoke bomb discovery before selecting this discovery.

Glitter Bomb*: When the alchemist creates a bomb, he can choose it to work like glitterdust spell, filling area equal to twice the bomb's splash radius. Additionally, the alchemist can set any of his cloud-producing bombs to have unusual color, including complex patterns of color. An alchemist must possess smoke bomb discovery before selecting this discovery.

Fantasy NPC: Vix, The Puppeteer

  

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Vix, The Puppeteer

The proprietor of the show is small and chubby, with eyes resembling beads of blackest obsidian.

CR 5; 1,600 XP

Azan wizard 6

LE Small Humanoid (azan)

Init +0; Senses low-light vision; Perception +10

Defense
AC 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10
hp 23 (6d6)
Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +9

Offense
Speed 20 ft.

Melee dagger +2 (1d4–2, 19–20/×2)

Special Attacks bolster (7/day), command undead (7/day, DC 17)

Wizard Spells (CL 6th, concentration +10)

3rd—fly, lesser animate dead (×2), major image

2nd—command undead (×2), invisibility, minor image (×2)

1st—cause fear (DC 16), mage armor, shield, unseen servant (×2)

0—detect magic, ghost sound, mage hand, prestidigitation

Statistics
Str 6, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 18, Wis 14, Cha 18
Base Atk +3; CMB +0; CMD 10
Feats Mage Tattoo, Spell Focus (Necromancy), Telepathic Commands

Skills Craft (puppets) +13, Disguise +10, Knowledge (arcana) +13, Knowledge (religion) +13, Perception +10, Perform (puppetry) +10, Spellcraft +13
Language Abyssal, Azan, Common, Duc, Infernal, Necril

SQ arcane bond (scepter), arcane school (undead focused school)

Notable Gear cloak of resistance +2, a large number of various Tiny and Small skeletons (in the range of 20 or more HD of creatures at any one time) wearing carefully crafted costumes and disguises, wagon pulled by two horses, doubling as a theater stage

Vix is the owner, the director, and the main performer of a wandering puppet theater. The theater might not be worth mentioning, except all the puppets involved are really Tiny or Small skeletons wearing carefully crafted shells made of scented clays, papier-mache, and cloth. They perform somewhat crude and brutal shows on-stage and serve as stage-hands and walking advertisement.

Vix maintains a steady selection of the puppets, replacing damaged ones regularly. Because of irrational superstitions of others, the nature of the puppets is not advertised, and their construction kept confidential ("buisness secret"). Humanoid skeletons are avoided, except for little savage creatures that are not considered people in civilized regions.

New Feat: Telepathic Commands

You can issue commands to your minions without speaking.

Benefit: You can direct your summoned creatures or undead that are under your control as if you had telepathy with 100 feet range, instead of relying on verbal commands.

Fantasy NPC: Dagga, The Singer

 

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Dagga, The Singer

A stocky, busty dwarven woman with long, well-tended to hair.

CR 4; 1,200 XP

Female dwarf aristocrat 6

CE Medium Humanoid (dwarf)

Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., stonecunning; Perception +10

Defense
AC 15, touch 10, flat-footed 15 (+5 armor)
hp 51 (6d8+24)
Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +6; +2 vs. posion, spells, and spell-like abilities

Offense
Speed 20 ft.

Melee unarmed strike +5 (1d3+1 nonlethal) or dagger +5 (1d4+1)

Ranged light crossbow + (1d4)

Statistics
Str 13, Dex 10, Con 18, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 10
Base Atk +4; CMB +5; CMD 15 (19 vs. bull rush and trip)
Feats Endurance, Skill Focus (Perform [sing]), Strong Voice

Skills Intimidate +13, Knowledge (history) +10, Knowledge (local) +10, Perception +10, Perform (sing) +16
Language Common, Dwarven, Duc

Gear +1 glamered chain shirt

Dagga is a singer known for her powerful voice and rough demeanor. She is also greedy, vindicative, petty diva, willing to take advantage of her fame and clebrity status to get her way. Those who worked with her are aware of that, but those who decide to hire her, either don't care or are convinced that her behind-the-scenes reputation is a malicious gossip of her less talented and popular peers.

Good luck having to stand her while protecting her, being hired by her managers or nobility wishing to hear her sing.

New Feat: Strong Voice

You trained your lungs for singing extensively.

Benefit: You can apply either your Constitution or your Charisma modifiers to Intimidate and Perform (sing) checks. You treat both skills as class skills. If you wish to, your voice carries twice as long as usual, halving the Perception penalties to hear it, allowing you to be clearly heard in battle, across crowd, or in other unfavorable conditions.

Fantasy NPC: Elthamiel, The Dancer

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Elthamiel, The Dancer

A tall and handsome man with a hint of elven blood, wearing elegant tight shirt, with much looser sleeves, and loose pants.

CR 3; 800 XP

Male half-elf expert 5

LN Medium Humanoid (elf, human)

Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +10

Defense
AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 10 (+4 Dex)
hp 27 (5d8+5)
Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. Enchantment

Immune magical sleep

Offense
Speed 30 ft.

Melee unarmed strike +3 (1d3 nonlethal) or whatever was at hand –1 (1d4)

Ranged thrown whatever +3 (1d4)

Statistics
Str 10, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 13
Base Atk +3; CMB +3; CMD 17
Feats Endurance, Greaceful Dancer, Run, Skill Focus (Perform [dance])

Skills Acrobatics +12, Diplomacy +9, Knowledge (local) +9, Knowledge (nobility) +9, Perception +10, Perform (dance) +15, Ride +12, Sense Motive +8, Swim +8
Language Common, Duc, Elven

Elthamiel is a master dancer, once a former lead performer in a troupe of wandering entertainers, though these days he is more often found teaching aristocratic youths a variety of dances, both courtly and performative. His reputation and resume opens many doors to him, though it also puts him in uncomfortable position when he gets entangled in noble intrigues, most often small affairs (often literal affairs), though sooner or later, someone might wish to leverage his personage for something bigger.

Elthamiel lives for the limlight of the stage and the thrilling trembling of the dance floor, though he also adores courtly life and all of its pleasures. All of them. He also happens to be easy to push around, with little courage or ability to stand for oneself (which explains why he so often finds himself in rather passive roles in various courtly plots). Regardless, he is most discreet unless really pressed with the combination of right questions and threats.

New Feat: Graceful Dancer

You are really good at moving with grace and agility.

Benefit: You can apply either your Dexterity or your Charisma modifiers to Acrobatics and Perform (dance) checks. You treat both skills as class skills.

Fantasy Monster: Thunder Bush

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Thunder Bush
A large bush with silvery leaves and coppery bark, moving on multiple root-like appendages.

CR 2; XP 600
N Medium Plant
Init +0; Senses low-light vision; Perception +2

Defense
AC 14, touch 10, flat-footed 14 (+4 natural)
hp 19 (3d8+6)
Fort +5, Ref +1, Will +3
DR 5/metal; Immune electricity, plant traits

Offense
Speed 15 ft.
Melee 2 slam +4 (1d4+2)

Special Attacks thunder burst

Statistics
Str 14, Dex 10, Con 14, Int —, Wis 15, Cha 3
Base Atk +2; CMB +4; CMD 14 (can't be tripped)

Ecology
Environment warm forests
Organization solitary, pair, grove (3–10)
Treasure standard

Thunder Burst (Su) Every 1d4 rounds in combat, at the start of its turn a thunder bush releases a thundering burst of sparks that deal 1 point of electricity and sonic damage for each time it was hit with an attack or was dealt electric damage since its last thunder burst, damaging creatures within 15 feet radius. A thunder bush releases its last thunder burst when it drops to 0 or less hit points, regardless of the time passed since its last burst.

Thunder bushes are aggressive, motile plants that attract and charge themselves with electricity during storms and then use accumulated power to defend themselves and their territory from intruders, particularly those who would damage surrounding vegetation.

Packs of thunder bushes occassionally live nearby fey glades or druidic groves, either naturally or deliberately placed there as guards.

Fantasy Monster: Crocogyps

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Crocogyps

This beast has a body and limbs of a hyena and three naked vulture heads on long scaled necks.

CR 4; XP 1,200
N Medium Magical Beast
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light, scent; Perception +10

Defense
AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +4 natural)
hp 42 (5d10+15)
Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +3

Immune disease, nausea, sickness

Offense
Speed 50 ft.
Melee 3 bites +8 (1d4+3 plus festering bite)

Statistics
Str 16, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 7
Base Atk +5; CMB +8; CMD 21 (25 vs. trip)
Feats Combat Reflexes, Endurance, Run 
Skills Perception +10

Ecology
Environment warm and hot savannah and deserts
Organization solitary, pair, pack (2-10)
Treasure standard

Festering Bite (Ex) Each time a living creature is wounded by a crocogyps bite, its wounds become infected. Each time a creature recover hits points for a number of times the creature suffered festering bites, the infection surges up, dealing 2d6 points of damage. Casting remove disease removes a number of untriggered festering bites equal to its caster level. This is a disease effect.

Crocogypses are wild beasts that might be somehow related to griffons, like them fusing qualities of mammals and birds of prey. Unlike griffons they have only animal intelligence, on par with animals they resemble. They resemble their composite animals in lifestyle as well, being primarily scavengers of carrion. They occasionally kill weak, wounded, or starving prey, though they can be very patient, often following a lone animal or a lost traveler and waiting for them to perish of exposure. When following larger groups, they scrounge through refuse and leftovers, and may even sneak into camps at night if the guards are particularly sloppy, to steal supplies, animals, or even children.

Occasional tales recount encounters with much larger and threatening specimens, though there are no hard proofs for existence of such beasts. Yet.

Fantasy Monster: Snowlin Gremlin

  

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Gremlin, Snowlin
An impish creature whose body is partly covered in a white fur, and partly with a bluish carapce resembling ice.

CR 2; XP 600
CE Tiny Fey
Init +6; Senses low-light; Perception +8

Defense
AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 12 (+2 Dex, +2 size)
hp 18 (4d6+4)
Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +5

DR 2/cold iron; Resist cold 10

Offense
Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft., icewalk
Melee 2 claws +4 (1d4)

Ranged snowball +6 touch (2d6 cold plus blindness)

Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.

Special Attacks freezing gust

Statistics
Str 10, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 7, Wis 13, Cha 13
Base Atk +2; CMB +2; CMD 12
Feats Endurance, Improved Initiative
Skills Acrobatics +9, Climb +8, Perception +8, Stealth +17, Survival +8

Languages Auran, Sylvan

Ecology
Environment arctic, mountains
Organization solitary, avalanche (2–5), blizzard (6–20)
Treasure standard

Freezing Gust (Su) A snowlin can direct a gust of freezing wind at sources of nonmagical fire to extinguish them, unattended objects to cover them with ice (freezing liquids in unattended containers), or to form 10-ft. bridges or patches of ice over moving or standing water. This ability has 60 feet of range.

Icewalk (Ex) A snowlin moves over snow and ice without penalties.

Snowball (Su) A snowlin can quickly grab some snow and throw as a magical snoball with the range of 60 ft. On a successful ranged touch attack it deals 2d6 points of cold damage and blinds the target for 1d4 rounds. A successful Reflex saving throw (DC 13) renders the target dazzled for 1 round instead. The saving throw DC is Charisma-based.

Snowlins are a species of gremlins dwelling in regions covered in snow and ice, the more dangeorus, like mountain glaciers, the better. Like most other kinds of gremlins, they are cruel and vicious, stalking natives and travelers, destroying their supplies, triggering avalanches, fraying climbing ropes, replacing signs and warning, and trying to lead them to death from exposure or fatal fall.

Fantasy NPC: Daromir, The Gift-Gremlin

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Daromir, The Gift-Gremlin

This entity is a little more than a messy beard with a pair of beady eyes, and thin scaly limbs ending in sharp claws.

CR 2; 600 XP

CN Tiny Fey
Init +6; Senses low-light vision, detect magic; Perception +9

Defense
AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 12 (+2 Dex, +2 size)
hp 21 (6d6)
Fort +2, Ref +7, Will +5

DR 5/cold iron or magic; Immune nausea, sickness, sleep

Offense
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.

Melee 2 claws +5 (1d4)
Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.

Special Attacks pounce, rake (2 claws +5, 1d4)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th, concentration +7)

Constant—detect magic

Statistics
Str 10, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 11, Cha 13
Base Atk +3; CMB +3; CMD 13
Feats Acrobatic Steps, Improved Initiative, Nimble Moves

Skills Bluff +10, Climb +8, Disable Device +11, Escape Artist +11, Perception +9, Perform (sing) +10, Sleight Of Hand +11, Stealth +19, Use Magic Device +10
Language Common, Sylvan

SQ beard of holding

Beard Of Holding (Su) Daromir's beard is capable of holding a lot more than its size suggest. It can store up to 100 pounds of things that have widest dimension not exceeding the beard's length (1 foot).

Daromir is a sort of well-meaning gremlin that desires nothing more than give presents... Of course, as it is typical with gremlins, it doesn't work nearly as good as it sounds—Daromir is enamored with the idea of gifts, but the gremlin's mindset has problems with judging what makes a good gift and when. The best of Daromir's gifts are useless trash, others are trinkets stolen from others and hidden in the recipient's things (or left blatantly in sight, if Daromir wandered off with a new gift in mind). And then, there are the presents that are borderline dangerous or shocking, like a freshly digged out skull of a relative. Or someone completly unrelated but fitting according to the unpredictable gremlin logic. If a gift doesn't cause troubles or distress then it probably didn't came from Daromir.