Fantasy NPC: Crabgrass And Bindweed

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Crabgrass And Bindweed, Tiny Garden Gargoyles

A pair of little stone-red gargoyles with greenish moss overgrowth and well pronounced horns.

 

CR 5 (as a pair); 1,600 XP

CN Tiny Outsider (earth, native)

Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +5

Defense
AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+2 Dex, +1 natural, +2 size)
hp 30 (4d10+8)
Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +5

DR 10/magic; Resist acid 10, fire 10

Offense
Speed 20 ft., fly 40 ft. (average)

Melee 2 claws +6 (1d3), bite +6 (1d3), gore +6 (1d3)

Special Attacks smite good (1/day, +1 to attack rolls and AC, +4 damage)

Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.

Statistics
Str 10, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 5, Wis 13, Cha 13

Base Atk +4; CMB +4; CMD 16
Feats Improved Initiative, Lunge

Skills Fly +13, Knowledge (local) +2, Perception +5, Profession (gardening) +5, Sleight Of Hand +9, Stealth +10; Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth amongst the garden's or mansion's ornaments

Language smattering of Common, Infernal, and Terran

SQ agile flier, freeze

Agile Flier (Ex) While flying, Crabgrass and Bindweed can make Fly checks to move through threatened area or enemy space without provoking attacks of opportunity.

Freeze (Ex) Like other gargoyles, Crabgrass and Bindweed can take 20 on Stealth checks by remaining still and pretending to be stone statues.

Crabgrass and Bindweed are two miniature gargoyles that live in Millian Mossveil's garden—and Millian isn't a kind of fellow to ask about the exact nature of their connection to his gardener Thistle, despite their clearly shared fiendish nature, and the gardener's inconsistent and unpredictable behavior toward the two. While he loudly proclaims his annoyance at the stupidity and petty malice of the clearly immature gargoyles, and willingness to murder them over the slightest provocation, he never follows up on the threat, and has clearly a soft spot for them, despite his claims to the contrary.

Beyond their mischievousness, Crabgrass and Bindweed are lazy, gluttonous, and not terribly bright. The latter might be the reason why Thistle's attempt to incite them into cruelty has failed so far.

Fantasy Monster: Electropus

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Electropus

A vivid blue octopoid creature covered with white and yellow patterns crackling and pulsating with energy.

CR 5; XP 1,600
N Small Aberration (aquatic)
Init +10; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +13

Defense
AC 18, touch 17, flat-footed 12 (+6 Dex, +1 natural, +1 size)
hp 52 (8d8+16)
Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +8
Defensive Abilities electric shield; Immune electricity

Offense
Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 40 ft.
Melee bite +9 (1d4+2), 2 tentacles +7 touch (2d6 electricity)

Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with tentacles)

Special Attacks arcing pulse (30 ft., 5d6 and staggered, Fort 16 partial)

Statistics

Str 14, Dex 22, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 11
Base Atk +6; CMB +7; CMD 23 (can't be tripped)
Feats Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Multiattack, Nimble Moves
Skills Climb +10, Perception +13, Stealth +10, Swim +10

SQ hold breath (1 hour)

Ecology
Environment any aquatic
Organization solitary, pair, or a group (3–6)
Treasure standard

Arcing Pulse (Ex) As a full-round action, an electropus can discharge electricity in a 30-ft. radius burst (or a 30-ft. radius sphere centered on the electropus underwater) dealing 5d6 points of electric damage and staggering exposed creatures for 1d4 rounds. A successful Fortitude saving throw (DC 16) halves the damage and prevents being staggered. After using this ability, an electropus can't use it again for one hour. The saving throw DC is Constitution-based.

Electric Shield (Ex) Any creature hitting an electropus with an unarmed strike, natural attack, or a non-reach melee weapon is struck back by a jolt of lightning dealing 2d6 points of electricity damage.

An electropus is a strange and exotic creature that seems to be related to more mundane octopuses, though it is obvious there is more to this creature—its body glows and crackles with electric charge. Electropuses are also capable of surviving in fresh water and occasionally come out of water for a short time, where they move much more vigorously than stranded cephalopods.

Young electropuses sometimes form swarms (CR 7, Tiny, AC 20, 12 HD, 90 hp, Fort +6, Ref + 10, Will +10, 3d6 swarm electric damage).

Fantasy NPC: Thistles, The Obnoxious Gardener

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Thistles, The Obnoxious Gardener

A grotesquely squat and scruffy dwarf, bald and beardless, aside of very thick and messy red sideburns. He wears a dirty work suit and handles a big sickle with surprising grace.

CR 5; 1,600 XP

LE Small Outsider (devil, evil, lawful)

Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., see in darkness; Perception +13

Defense
AC 18, touch 13, flat-footed 16 (+2 Dex, +5 natural, +1 size)
hp 59 (7d10+21); regeneration 5 (disintegration and other effects that destroy the body)
Fort +8, Ref +4, Will +8

Defensive Abilities anchored; DR 10/good or silver and magic; Immune fire, poison; Resist acid 10, cold 10

Offense
Speed 20 ft., burrow 20 ft.

Melee oversized sickle +10/+10/+5 (1d6+2)

Special Attacks favored enemy (animals +2, plants +4), sickle-work

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

At Will—create water, detect animals and plants, diminish plants, plant growth, spike growth (DC 12)

Statistics
Str 14, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 17, Cha 9

Base Atk +7; CMB +8; CMD 20
Feats Combat Reflexes, Nimble Moves, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Profession [gardening])

Skills Knowledge (dungeoneering) +11, Knowledge (local) +11, Knowledge (nature) +11, Knowledge (planes) +10, Perception +13, Profession (gardening) +16, Stealth +16

Language Common, Infernal, Sylvan, Terran; telepathy 100 ft.

Anchored (Ex) Thistles is bound by magical contract to serve as gardener for Millian Mossveil until the latter's soul descends (in duly legitimate conditions as listed in the contract) to hell. Until that very unlikely moment, Thistles treats the garden as his native environment and can't be banished. If his body is destroyed, it will grow back up within 2d12 hours. If he leaves or is forcibly taken from the garden he returns back within 2d12 hours as if using word of recall. As his services are exclusive, he can't be called or contracted until the contract with Millian Mossveil is legitimately ended.

Sickle-Work (Ex) Thistles is deadly with sickles—he can wield sickle suitable for Medium creature without penalties, and can make one additional melee attack at the highest Base Attack Bonus when he makes a full attack. He always keeps one at hand.

Thistles is a devil bound by a contract to serve as a master gardener for one Millian Mossveil. That seemed as a simple task at first, just sit there, do you job for a few dozen years in relaxing, if boring circumstances, and be back home soon. Until that naive spineless pushover got himself turned into a vampire. That seriously messed up the contract! Now Millian won't die naturally—which would release his soul for its destined place in the hell and finalize the contract—and Thistles is forbidden from helping him to the other side, or even aiding others dispose of Millian, under the pain of dissolution.

After many years of servitude, Thistles is jaded, obnoxious, and rude, wisecracking at his employer, visitors, and intruders alike. What could his boss do to discipline him anyway? He can't fire or send him away after all. Despite his off-putting attitude, he remains superb gardener, priding himself on quality of his work. He won't admit it under any circumstances, but he actually enjoys his job, finding its peaceful serenity a pleasant change of peace from the frantic struggles of lower tier devils in the depths of Hell.

In his spare time he started reading workers literature and at the same time he is contemptuous of and interested in certain labor movement ideas.

Fantasy NPC: Millian Mossveil

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Millian Mossveil

A plain, middle aged, balding man, in a coat long out of fashion.

CR 6; 2,400 XP

Male human vampire aristocrat 6

LE Medium Undead (augmented humanoid)

Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +13

Defense
AC 20, touch 13, flat-footed 17 (+1 armor,  +2 Dex, +1 dodge, +6 natural)
hp 45 (6d8+18); fast healing 5
Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +9

Defensive Abilities channel resistance +4, hide from plants; DR 10/magic and silver; Immune undead traits; Resist cold 10, electricity 10

Weakness vampire weaknesses

Offense
Speed 30 ft.

Melee slams +8 (1d6+5 plus energy drain)

Melee (changed shape) 2 claws +8 (1d6+4) and bite +8 (1d6+4)

Special Attacks blood drain, children of the garden, energy drain (2 levels, DC 15)

Statistics
Str 16, Dex 15, Con —, Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 14

Base Atk +4; CMB +7; CMD 20
Feats Alertness^B, Combat Reflexes^B, Dodge^B, Improved Initiative^B, Lightning Reflexes^B, Prodigy (Craft [calligraphy] and Profession [gardening]), Skill Focus (Knowledge [nature]), Skill Focus (Profession [gardening]), Toughness^B,

Skills Bluff + 10, Craft (calligraphy) +5, Fly +11, Handle Animal +11, Knowledge (local) +12, Knowledge (nature) +15, Knowledge (nobility) +12, Perception +13, Profession (gardening) +17, Ride +11, Sense Motive +13, Stealth +16

Language Common, Duc, Infernal, Sylvan

SQ change shape, gaseous form, shadowless, spider climb

Change Shape (Su) Millian Mossveil can shift his form into a monstrous amalgam of a human and a bat with bite and two claw attacks and flying speed of 30 feet with average maneuverability. Millian Mossveil is too deeply embarrassed by this terrible visage to use it frivolously, only the most dire of circumstances might force him to don it.

Children Of The Night Garden (Su) Once per day Millian Mossveil can summon 1d4+1 bat swarms, 1d3 wasp swarms, or a single shambling mound. The creatures arrive in 2d6 rounds and serve Millian for up to 1 hour.

Hide From Plants (Su) Plant creatures can't naturally sense Millian Mossveil. Even extraordinary or supernatural senses can't detected him. If he touches or attacks a plant creature, the effects are suppressed for 1 round.

Vampire Weaknesses Millian Mossveil seems to be unaffected by garlic and mirrors—though it is hard to say if part of his personal peculiarities or the shared qualities of his bloodline. He has tendency to be fascinated by roses.

Gear ring of resistance (+1), ring of mighty fists (+1)

Millian Mossveil was an outlier among his peers—despite his gentle birth, he had no ambition and little sense of entitlement for more than he already had. As a rather shy and mellow individual, he preferred spending time tending to his beloved garden than engaging in politics, gossip, social entanglement, or debaucheries his class is famous for.

He would be happy to live his life until its natural end, and then be buried somewhere in his beloved gardens surrounding his mansion, but one day, a renowned solicitor approached him and while complimenting his gardens, off-handedly mentioned that he no longer needs services of his own gardener, and recommended that man to Mr. Mossveil. Little Mr. Mossveil knew, that his new employee wasn't a mortal, but a literal devil in a human guise. Faced with inhuman confidence and just a little bit of omission here and there, Millian Mossveil discovered he signed off his soul for services of a marvelous, if rather moody and temperamental gardener... At least the gardens got expanded.

Millian quickly resigned himself to spending eternity in hell and spend the next few years enjoying his gardens while he still could... And then another unexpected breakthrough happened in his life. A mysterious woman came to visit him and see his gardens. She was charming, understanding, and seemingly interested in the workings of the gardens. Over the following evenings of her visit she slowly got out of Mr. Mossveil details of his deal—and once she knew Millian's secret, she revealed him one of her own mysteries. By turning him into a vampire. That was probably even more unexpected for poor Millian than his accidental deal with the Hell, but again, he went on with the flow.

The infernal gardener took it much worse—apparently, his contract was binding him to serve Millian until the latter's soul would pass into the Hell after his death. Except as Millian was now a vampire, his soul was quite stuck where it was. And there was a rather complex legalistic safety clause in the contract preventing the devils from expediting his soul to hell by murder or destruction.

Long years has passed since that time, with Millian acclimating himself to his new existence quite well, thank you. He is still the same shy fellow who has problems with small talk, showing confidence, or even saying no. But he has his gardens and he has all the time in the world to enjoy them. The gardener is even more obnoxious and unruly than ever, but you can't have everything, can you? Millian rarely leaves his ground of his mansion, and almost always to feed—as gently and peacefully as he can—on one of his tenants in the surrounding villages.