Fantasy NPC: The Old Baron Of Leshiskovo

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The Old Baron Of Leshiskovo

An older gentleman wearing a mismatched combination of pajamas and clockmaker apron with tools. He doesn't look too well, however. In fact, he's sort of translucent and flickers on the edges...

CR 9; 6,400 XP

Venerable human male ghost warrior 9

N Medium Undead (augmented humanoid, incorporeal)

Init –1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +3

Defense
AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+5 deflection, –1 Dex)
hp 103 (9d10+54)
Fort +11, Ref +2, Will +8

Defensive Abilities channel resistance +4, incorporeal, rejuvenation; Immune undead traits

Offense
Speed fly 30 ft. (perfect)

Melee corrupting touch +6 (9d6, Fort DC 19 half)

Special Attacks command clocks (DC 19), turn the clocks

Statistics
Str –, Dex 8, Con —, Int 18, Wis 16, Cha 20

Base Atk +7; CMB +7; CMD 21
Feats Clockmaker, Improved Iron Will, Iron Will, Master Craftsman (Craft [clockwork]), Skill Focus (Craft [clockwork]), Toughness

Skills Craft (clockwork) +21, Fly +18, Knowledge (engineering) +13, Knowledge (local) +13, Knowledge (nobility) +13, Profession (engineer) +12, Use Magic Device +14

Language Aklo, Common, Duc, Gnome, Infernal, Sylvan

Command Clocks (Su) The Old Baron can issue simple commands to clockwork constructs as a standard action unless they succeed a Will saving throw (DC 19). A successful saving throw renders the target immune to further commands for the next 24 hours. The Old Baron can also interact with clocks and clockworks to wind them up, set the time, and repair them, as if he was corporeal and had adequate set of tools at hand. The saving throw DC is Charisma-based.

Corrupting Touch (Su) The Old Baron's corrupting touch can age objects and constructs, dealing its normal damage to them.

Turn The Clocks (Su) The Old Baron can take a standard action to either stop or accelerate all the clockworks within his castle. The former causes the clockwork devices to stop in their tracks without moving and lose their Dexterity bonus to AC for 1d4+1 rounds. The later grants them +2 bonus to attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, and skill checks, as well as an additional attack at their highest base attack bonus when taking full attack action and +30 feet enhancement to all their movement speed modes (to a maximum of twice their normal speed) for the same time. The Old Baron cannot use it again until the previous effect expired and he can only use the opposite effect afterwards.

When the good Old Baron Of Leshiskovo died, his people were too distraught with the veil of eternal night that fell on their city just a few years earlier to truly mourn their somewhat distant but mostly benevolent ruler. His way of attempting to deal with that final issue with more mechanical contraptions hadn't exactly captured their hearts either.

What most denizens don't remember anymore, is that the Old Baron wasn't a blood heir of his predecessor—he was a common man by birth, and a guardsman by trade, though his true love was the art of making clocks. The previous baroness was impressed by his intellect and adopted the gifted soldier and made him her heir. No one cared about it then, but after his death this caused a succession crisis, as the side branches of the family started to struggle over the inheritance of the castle, the township, and the barony—with little regard for the issues troubling the lands and their subjects.

The Old Baron is not really aware of those issue though, roaming the castle that he called his own, taking care of his beloved clocks and throngs of clockwork minions of various shapes and functions he build over the years to man the castle, even though they are nowhere near as reliable and obedient as they were when he was alive.

If anyone comes asking—hopefully avoiding the clockwork guardians instead of wracking a path of destruction through them—the Old Baron doesn't have any recollection of the last few years before his death—he only vaguely remembers coming of the eternal night to his city, and doesn't remember constructing the Dreamkiller at all. In fact, if he would ever be presented with accurate description or a likeness, he would be certain that creation of such device far exceeds his knowledge and skills.

New Feat: Clockmaker

You have mastered the art of making clockwork devices and now they can work on their own.

Prerequisites: Master Craftsman (Craft [clockwork]).

Benefit: You can craft clockwork constructs and devices as if you had Craft Construct and Craft Wondrous Items feats. You can substitute your number of ranks in Craft (clockwork) skill for your total caster level.