Fantasy NPC: Mirror-Mirror

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Mirror-Mirror

An ornate mirror, with a beautifully intricate frame and perfect crystal surface.

CR 6; 2,400 XP

CE Medium Construct

Init +9; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +16

Defense
AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 10 (+5 Dex)

hp 75 (10d10+20)
Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +7

Defensive Abilities all-around vision, dazzling defense, hardness 8; Immune construct traits

Weakness vulnerable to bludgeoning and sonic damage

Offense
Speed 30 ft.; float

Melee 4 slams +10 (2d4)

Special Attacks cunning council

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th, concentration +16)

1/day—make whole, shatter

Statistics
Str 10, Dex 20, Con —, Int 15, Wis 15, Cha 21

Base Atk +10; CMB +10; CMD 25
Feats Alertness, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Run

Skills Bluff +25 , Diplomacy +15, Perception +16, Sense Motive +16, Stealth +5; Racial Modifiers +10 Bluff

Language Abyssal, Common, Infernal

SQ cowardice, images in the mirror

Cowardice (Ex) Mirror-Mirror is a sapient construct, immune to most mind-affecting effects, but it has very strong sense of self-preservation and can be threatened and manipulated with Intimidation skill, and can be made shaken, frightened, panicked, or cowering with fear effects.

Cunning Council (Ex) Mirror-Mirror can always aid another by advising, without making a check, having appropriate skills or even being capable of succeeding on the action itself. When doing so, it can either grant +4 bonus or –4 penalty to the skill check, though the recipient never perceives it as a hindrance.

Dazzling Defense (Ex) Attacks against Mirror-Mirror are made with –4 penalty as long as the attacker sees Mirror-Mirror.

Float (Su) Mirror-Mirror floats a few inches above the ground, ignoring difficult terrain caused by the condition of the surface itself, such as ice or grease, and can even float above surface that is not capable of supporting Mirror-Mirror, like water or narrow beams.

Images In The Mirror (Su) Mirror-Mirror can show whatever images and produce corresponding sounds, including comprehensible speech, as it desires. It communicates by showing speaking images, often animating and distorting reflection of the person it is speaking to, or showing a person important in some way to speaker.

Mirror-Mirror is here to help, to advise, to nudge things in the right direction... The unspoken part, though, is that this sapient mirror is a cruel trickster, paragon of schadenfreude, desiring nothing less than to see (and hear stories of) the others failing and suffering. Personally, publicly, globally, it doesn't matter, Mirror-Mirror can be very petty, enjoying personal and family drama, though it does dream of seeing the world burn—the established order being uprooted, the unworthy lifted to the highest positions only to fall even lower, the innocents and guilty suffer alike.

Mirror-Mirror will be happy to subtly direct and corrupt others, to give them the right push, but if the matters go really hot, it will do whatever it needs to continue its existence—fleeing, lying, betraying its masters and pawns, humbling itself, or pretending to be a mundane mirror—to avoid destruction.

Fantasy NPC: The Jewel-Maker

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The Jewel-Maker

A smiling phantom with piercing sapphire eyes, shining faintly with a glow of molten gold. Most details of his shape outside of his face might be indistinct and blurry, but his fingers are clearly adorned with numerous splendid rings presenting only the finest craftsmanship.

CR 6; 2,400 XP

CE Medium Undead (incorporeal)

Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., analyze dweomer 10 ft.; Perception +14

Defense
AC 17, touch 19, flat-footed 19 (+3 deflection, +4 Dex)

hp 67 (9d8+27)
Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +10

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

Offense
Speed fly 30 ft. (perfect)

Melee corrupting touch +11 (6d6, Fort. DC 17 half)

Special Attacks purposeful possession

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 9th, concentration +12)

Constant—analyze dweomer (limited to 10 feet range)

Statistics
Str —, Dex 18, Con —, Int 15, Wis 14, Cha 17

Base Atk +6; CMB +10; CMD 23
Feats Craft Wondrous Item, Forge Ring, Iron Will, Master Craftsman, Skill Focus (Craft [jewelry])

Skills Appraise +14, Bluff +15, Craft (jewelry) +19, Fly +24, Knowledge (arcana) +11, Perception +14, Stealth +24, Use Magic Device +15

Language Abyssal, Common, Infernal

SQ dark craft, trade secrets

Dark Craft (Su) When the Jewel-Maker crafts an item while possessing a host, the item has one or more unexpected quirks, a minor curse, unexpected powers with a catch, or a malicious intelligence. Roll 1d10: (1–4) that many quirks, (5-7) a minor curse, (8-9) an additional hidden power, and a curse, (10) the item gains evil and/or chaotic intelligence.

Purposeful Possession (Su) With a touch, the Jewel-Maker can possess willing targets or those who have been wearing a ring of his making for at least 24 hours and are currently sleeping or unconscious. The Jewel-Maker has to start creating a magic item within the next 24 hours and the possession automatically ends when the Jewel-Maker finishes, aborts, or pauses the project. The Jewel-Maker has to spend eight hours each day working on the project but is free to act as he wishes over the rest of the day—the possessed body doesn't seem to need sleep for the duration, though it is almost invariably exhausted for extend period of time afterwards (typically one day for every two days the possession lasted), catching up with the missing rest. The Jewel-Maker can't possess the same host twice in a row without possessing someone else in between.

Rejuvenation (Su) The Jewel-Maker existence is bound to one or more of his creations, though even he doesn't exactly know which.

Trade Secrets (Ex and Sp) The Jewel-Maker has extensive knowledge of magic, jewelry, and rings in particular. In his life, he somehow managed to transcends the normal limitations of magical craftsmanship and Master Craftsman feat, and learned Forge Ring despite not being a caster, and now can recognize and analyze magic items on sight. He also automatically senses his own creations when they are within 10 feet.

The Jewel-Maker is a ghost of a renowned jeweler, a creator of splendid trinkets sought after by rich merchants, aristocracy, and even royalty. His death denied him his pursuits to a certain degree, though he prepared for that, pouring a little bit of himself into each of his works. While he can't work with precious metals and gems directly anymore, he can possess those who will lend him their bodies for a time needed to forge a new item—though it is on the host to gather the necessary supplies beforehand, for the Jewel-Maker is an artist, not a quartermaster.

What the Jewel-Maker doesn't tell to those willing to make a deal with him, is that in his life, aside of being a superb and widely-sought artisan, he was also a cruel sadist and a serial killer, and death only expanded his options, allowing him to be more reckless because the only life on stake is his current host's (or so he thinks). Still, when he finds a willing host, he struggles between satiating his darker urges and the need for completing the new work—and succumbing too deep to his urges will likely end the possession anyway, if he fails to continue his work.

Fantasy Monster: Judgmental Owl

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Judgmental Owl

A big owl with rather vivid feathers and gnomish face.

CR 7; XP 3,200
LN Tiny Fey

Init +9; Senses low-light vision; see invisible; Perception +27

Defense
AC 20, touch 18, flat-footed 14 (+5 Dex, +1 dodge, +2 natural, +2 size)
hp 81 (18d6+18)
Fort +7; Ref +16; Will +13

DR 10/cold iron and magic; SR 18

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

Melee 2 wing slaps +16 (1d4)

Special Attacks curse of gloom, phantom feathers (10d4, DC 20 half)

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

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 18th; concentration +19)

Constant—see invisible

At will—ghost sound

Statistics
Str 10, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 11, Wis 15, Cha 13
Base Atk +9; CMB +7; CMD 24

Feats Alertness, Dodge, Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative, Mobility, Skill Focus (Knowledge [arcana]), Skill Focus (Knowledge [local]), Skill Focus (Knowledge [nature]), Wind Stance

Skills Fly +34, Knowledge (arcana) +24, Knowledge (local) +27, Knowledge (nature) +27, Perception +27, Sense Motive +27, Stealth +13

Language Common, Sylvan

Ecology
Environment forests, plains, rural, and urban touched by the Otherworld
Organization solitary, pair, or chorus (3–6)
Treasure standard

Special Abilities

Curse Of Gloom (Su) Judgmental owls can put a curse on a creature they saw breaching one of the local taboos, mundane or otherworldly. They can also invoke this curse on their attacker when they are reduced to 0 or less hit points as an immediate action, unless the offensive action disintegrated them or was a death effect. The target is cursed with a dark and sorrowful thoughts, unable to benefit from bonuses granted by emotion-based effects, including morale bonuses, and doubling the penalties bestowed by emotion-based effects. Any judgmental owl can remove this curse if the victim appeases the entity by performing locally prescribed contrition and purification activities while showing proper deference and decorum. This is a language-dependent curse effect. The DC of removing it through magic is 28.

Phantom Feathers (Su) Judgmental owls can create bursts of vivid, razor-sharp feathers as a standard action, covering a 30-ft. cone-shaped burst or a 15-ft. radius circular burst centered on themselves. All creatures caught within the burst suffer 10d4 points of piercing and slashing damage (a successful DC 20 Reflex save halves the damage). The saving throw DC is Charisma-based.

Judgmental owls are silent, or not so silent witnesses and judges of ancient taboos. Solitary judgmental owls tend to be shy and merely observing whatever happens, until they utter their dreaded condemnation of taboos being broken. Groups of judgmental owls tend to be more vocal, following would-be offenders, commenting on their deeds and sometimes arguing the details and minutia of taboos.

While judgmental owls only occasionally share their knowledge of local customs and taboos of their own accord, they always answers direct questions about them.

Fantasy Monster: Pot-of-Storms

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Pot-Of-Storms

A big brass cauldron moves around carried by figurines carved into its sides, spewing wind, rain, and lightning.

CR 8; XP 4,800
N Large Construct

Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +0

Aura of storms (100 ft.)

Defense
AC 21, touch 11, flat-footed 19 (+2 Dex, +10 natural, –1 size)
hp 96 (12d10+30)
Fort +4; Ref +6; Will +4

Defensive Qualities hardness 10; Immune construct traits, electricity

Offense
Speed 20 ft.

Space 10 ft.; Reach 0 ft.

Special Attacks lightning storm (1d8 or 1d12 targets, 5d10 electricity, DC 18 negates), resounding thunder (20 ft., 10d6 sonic and stagger, DC 18 partial), static charge

Statistics
Str 20, Dex 14, Con —, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 1
Base Atk +12; CMB +18; CMD 30 (48 vs. trip)

Skills Perception +0

Ecology
Environment urban, plains
Organization solitary or pair
Treasure standard

Special Abilities

Aura Of Storm (Su) Pot-of-Storms constantly spews wild wind, rain, and lightning. Any ranged attacks aimed at targets with the aura suffer –4 penalty to attack roll and 20% miss chance and all ranged attack made from outside the aura suffer –10 penalty and 50% miss chance when aimed at targets within 50 feet of the pot-of-storms. Any Medium or smaller creatures moving within the aura halve their speed.

Lightning Storm (Su) When the pot-of-storms turn starts, 1d8 nearest creatures are struck by lightnings dealing 5d10 electricity damage (DC 18 Reflex save negates). The pot-of-storms may sacrifice its standard action to affect 1d12 nearest targets instead. Each potential target is only struck once. When multiple targets are at the same distance, they should be picked randomly until all the remaining strikes are discharged. The saving throw DC is Dexterity-based.

Resounding Thunder (Su) A pot-of-storms can release a deafening boom as a standard action, dealing 10d6 points of sonic damage and staggering everyone within 20 feet for 1 round. A successful Fortitude saving throw (DC 18) halves the damage and negates the staggering. The saving throw DC is Dexterity-based.

Static Charge (Su) Anyone within the aura of storm taking an action that would normally provoke attacks of opportunity collects a potent static charge that makes them vulnerable to electricity (+50% electricity damage) until the start of their following turn.

Pot-of-Storms were creation of a sect of druids, who used them as guardians, and later, as weapons against those who would dare to deny the uncaring and destructive power of wild nature.

Those sects might be gone, but their creations carry on, and the design for their construction occasionally remerges among more bitter or desperate druids, bringing more pots-of-storms into existence.

Constructing pot-of-storms

The creation obviously starts with procurement of custom-made cauldron of the right size, costing 3,000 gp.

CL 14th; Price 35,000 gp

Requirements Craft Construct, call lightning storm, control weather, heat metal, either summon nature's ally VI or summon monster VI (must be capable of summoning huge air elemental); Skill Craft (metalworking); DC 25; Cost 19,000 gp.