Fantasy NPC: Ferran Dahl, The Pain-Wrecked Patrician

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Ferran Dahl, The Pain-Wrecked Patrician

An old man in impeccable clothing, marred by signs of great distress. His brow is covered with sweat, his teeth clenched, his arms tremble as he moves.

CR 4; 1,200 XP

Male human aristocrat 10

NE Medium Humanoid (human)

Init +0; Senses normal; Perception +11

Defense
AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+2 deflection, +2 natural)

hp 45 (10d8); regeneration 5 (chaotic, good)
Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +9

Defensive Abilities tormented immortality; Immune aging

Offense
Speed 15 ft.

Melee mwk cane sword +4/–1 (1d6)

Ranged mwk light crossbow +4 (1d8)

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

Base Atk +7; CMB +3; CMD 19
Feats Diehard, Endurance, Iron Will, Skill Focus (Knowledge [local]), Skill Focus (Knowledge [nobility]), Skill Focus (Profession [merchant])

Skills Craft (alchemy) +6, Diplomacy +11, Heal +6, Knowledge (local) +11, Knowledge (nobility) +11, Perception +11, Profession (merchant) +17, Sense Motive +11

Language Common, Duc, Infernal, two other local languages; telepathy 100 ft.

Notable Gear amulet of natural armor (+2), cape of resistance (+2), ring of protection (+2), bulk supply of potions of lesser restoration and painkillers of all sorts

Tormented Immortality (Su) Ferran Dahl doesn't age and can't be killed. A Kyton's Heart implanted in his chests heals all the damage and keeps him alive. It isn't a pleasant life, though, for the heart floods his body with constant intense pain. He suffers –4 penalty to attack rolls, saving throws, ability checks, and skill checks (already included in the stat blocks). He can't sleep for long, never gaining benefits of rest, and has to make concentration checks to complete actions that require concentration. Additionally, his movement speed is halved as if his legs were seriously injured. He can never benefit from immunity to pain effects. If he would ever gain immunity to pain, the heart would stop working for him, violently disconnecting from his flesh and burst out of his chest.

Ferran Dahl was a successful merchant turned landlord and industrialist. While he was no saint, he wasn't a terrible person either. His wealth provided for him and his family and even  funded some benevolent local projects.

It all changed, when he received a bequest from a distant relative, which he accepted despite rumors of strange happenstances, and mysterious circumstances behind the vanishing or deaths of other heirs. The black box, adorned with silver motifs was sealed shut. After some time of research and experimentation, the magician hired by Ferran managed to open the box, and promptly tried to kill him and steal the object stored inside—a gray, slowly beating heart, bound with golden wires and pierced with multiple silver spikes...

Ferran would die of the mortal chest wound inflicted by the traitorous hireling, if not for the  strange item itself. His physician, following some sort of weird inspiration, somehow managed to replace his damaged organ with the one from box.

Initially, Ferran was not bothered by the pain—he survived a mortal wound, it was obvious that it needs time to heal and get better. But despite the passing days, weeks, and months, the pain didn't diminish. In fact, it felt worse and worse—though it might be matter of Ferran's patience and stamina slowly seeping away.

Now years have passed since that incident, and Ferran lives in constant pain, untouched by age, and feeling that he doesn't really have to worry about injuries, but barely sleeping and not handling his woes well. He spends more and more money on various medical and not so medical painkillers, seeking any way to end or at least abate the suffering. He is not suicidal, though, his desire to live is still stronger than the torments he goes through, but now he is willing to do—or more likely pay someone else for doing—things he would find abhorrent back then. His compassion for others is definitely gone.