Fantasy NPC: Ithillor The Imaginary

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Ithillor The Imaginary

A tall and lithe figure with elfin features, wearing long, splendid robes resembling those of priests.

CR 7; 3,200 XP

CE Medium Outsider (chaotic, demon, evil, extraplanar, incorporeal)

Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +14

Defense
AC 20, touch 20, flat-footed 15 (+4 Dex, +1 dodge, +5 deflection)
hp 75 (10d10+20)
Fort +5, Ref +11, Will +10

Defensive Abilities incorporeal, material connection, persistent invisibility; Immune electricity, poison; Resist acid 10, cold 10, fire 10

Weakness can't hurt sleeping or unconscious beings

Offense
Speed fly 30 ft. (perfect)

Melee 2 incorporeal claws +14 incorporeal touch (4d6)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th, concentration +15)

At Will—aid, analyze aura, detect poison, guidance, mage hand, neutralize poison, prestidigitation, subtle suggestion (DC 18)

Statistics
Str —, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 21
Base Atk +10; CMB +10; CMD 30
Feats Blind-Fighting, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Iron Will

Skills Bluff +18, Fly +25, Diplomacy +18, Intimidate +18, Knowledge (any) +6, Perception +14, Sense Motive +14, Stealth +17
Language Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Infernal; telepathy 100 ft.

SQ lore

Lore (Ex) Ithillor The Imaginary can make Knowledge checks untrained with half his HD added as a bonus to the check.

Material Connection (Su) As long as The Diary Of Lady Shadowblossom exist, Ithillor can't be permanently banished or destroyed, and will reform somewhere near the book within 1d4 days. Destroying the book severs the connection that holds Ithillor to the Material plane. If Ithillor is banished to Abyss after the book is destroyed, it is likely that he will evolve, becoming vastly different from his current spiritual self.

Persistent Invisibility (Ex) Ithillor The Imaginary is naturally incorporeal and invisible, though those who read The Diary Of Lady Shadowblossom, or whom Ithillor injured can see the demon clearly.

Subtle Suggestion (Sp) Ithillor can use suggestion at will, but only limited to influencing the performance of the target's existing duties and everyday life and can't contradict explicit orders given by the target's superiors. Ithillor often uses it to hide or reveal illicit activities taking place, such as sending the servants to clean right/wrong chamber at a right/wrong time, or misplace or unearth key items when doing so for example. Ithillor sends the instructions telepathically overcoming the restriction of shared language, though the target still has to know and be capable of using at least one language. The saving throw DC is Charisma-based.

Ithillor The Imaginary was a dream, a wisp of cruelty and corruption, a seed of an abyssal spirit that watched mortals and savored their misdeeds. Until it wasn't a speck of evil anymore, becoming a fully fledged entity—still devoid of a physical body, though. A young lady, gifted—or more aptly, cursed—with a second sight that she poorly understood, rich inner life, demanding and unloving family, was thrown into a courtly life full of intrigues, social backstabbing, hypocrisy, bootlicking, and contempt. Faced with the ruthless reality, she sought refuge in her imagination, dreaming of better place, and inadvertently giving form that Ithillor hijacked, shaping for his purposes... And being shaped by it in return. Or was there more to that? Was there a greater power acting behind the scenes than a minor, untrained talent desperate for companionship?

Now, long after her death many years ago, Ithillor stays around, enjoying his ability to watch and manipulate mortals in their petty courtly intrigues, though more and more often he feels there are others acting from behind the scenes as well.

Ithillor avoids direct confrontation using Stealth against those might be capable of detecting him with such pesky spells like see invisibility or even worse true seeing. He is well aware those whom he hurts become part of his story and can see him—he only causes direct harm when running out of options and usually tries to make sure they will die as soon as possible—unless they can be made into entertaining pawns. Interestingly, injuries left by his incorporeal attack appear to be wounds made by an elegant sword of (possibly) elven design.

Since the times of Lady Shadowblossom, Ithillor developed a twisted fondness for socially awkward debutantes, occasionally taking interest in their growth and adaptation to the courtly society, even going as far as protecting his protegee from intrigues that would end their life... Before his desire for excessive drama is fulfilled.

The Diary Of Lady Shadowblossom is the memoir that the young sweet noble girl was writing during her life, interlacing actual events with her dreams of a helpful but mysterious elven priest that helped her cope with the ruthless demands of courtly life. Those who read the book will be able to see Ithillor in his imaginary form, though there is preciously little that could reveal his fiendish nature. He can be easily mistaken for a capricious but mostly benevolent ghost. Destroying the book would sever the Ithillor's connection to mortal realm and allow his banishment to Abyss or destruction. That is easier said than done, though, as The Diary is effectively a minor artifact that require an extensive effort to destroy—for example, it might need to be burned page by page on the grave of Lady Shadowblossom... Others overly dramatic methods fitting the romantic notions held by its creator in her life might also work.