Fantasy NPC: Master Ekkert, Arcane Ghost

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Master Ekkert, Arcane Ghost

A distinguished elderly gentelman in academy official's robes, slightly translucent and frayed at the edges.

CR 7; 3,200 XP

LN Medium Undead (incorporeal)

Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +14

Defense
AC 20, touch 12, flat-footed 18 (+4 armor, +4 deflection, +2 Dex)

hp 90 (12d6+48)
Fort +12, Ref +10, Will +14

Defensive Abilities incorporeal, rejuvenation; Immune undead traits

Offense
Speed fly 30 ft. (perfect)

Melee disrupting touch +9 (7d6 plus dispel, suppress, or disrupt)

Special Attacks disrupting touch (DC 20)

Statistics
Str —, Dex 14, Con –, Int 19, Wis 15, Cha 19

Base Atk +6; CMB +6; CMD 25
Feats Combat Reflexes, Fly-By Attack, Improved Initiative, Lunge, Magical Aptitude, Skill Focus (Spellcraft), Weapon Focus (touch)

Skills Fly +25, Knowledge (arcane) +19, Perception +14, Perform (oratory) +16, Profession (administration) +17, Spellcraft +29, Use Magic Device +20

Language Celestial, Common, Draconic, Giant, Infernal

Disruptive Touch (Su) Master Ekkert's incorporeal touch disrupts flow of magic, dealing 7d6 points of damage and causing one of the following effects: dispels one magic effect of Master Ekkert's choice as if dispel magic spell (CL 12th) was used, suppresses one magic item for 1d4+1 rounds, or disrupts magical abilities, forcing affected creature to make concentration checks (DC 20 plus twice the spell level) when they attempt to cast spells for the next 1d4+1 rounds. A successful Will saving throw (DC 20) halves the damage and prevents secondary effect. The saving throw DC is Charisma-based.

Eternal Separation Master Ekkert, Arcane Ghost can't affect his staff in any way. The staff can't perceive Master Ekkert through any means or senses, even if given new ones through temporary or permanent means. Master Ekkert also becomes completely invisible and inaudible to anyone who sees the staff.

Ghostly Attire (Su) Master Ekkert still benefits from the ghostly version of his robes of resistance +4 and bracers of armor +4, gaining their respective bonuses to saving throws and AC.

A renowned scholar of arcane arts, respected teacher, bold innovator, and superb artificer, Master Ekkert was getting worried about his legacy, seeking a way to extend his life and continue his quality work. The solution he finally decided on, was to bind his spirit to a magic staff of his own creation, living forever on in an immortal and durable form, instead of frail and failing flesh.

It didn't work quite like intended. The staff that was to be his receptacle awakened an intelligence and sense of self, inheriting Master Ekkert's memories, but it did not absorb his soul. Instead, the Master Ekkert's spiritual essence, deprived of his considerable magical power, became a ghost, lingering behind but unable to complete the process.

Master Ekkert has no way of having the staff became even aware of him, less so acknowledge him as its creator, and its function as being unfulfilled. He is bemused by the fact that the staff impersonates him, though at least he feels that he did good job imprinting his memories and personality onto the staff, if not his full array of magical powers and knowledge...

... which are nowhere near the arcane prowess that Master Ekkert remembers commanding while alive... Are they bound within the staff, merely unused so far, or maybe locked out without his actual soul to harness them? Are they gone forever, lost to the mists of afterlife, or is there some sort of deeper mystery about their disappearance?

Fantasy NPC: Master Ekkert, Doctor Of Arcana

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Master Ekkert, Doctor Of Arcana

An intricate staff with its headpiece carved into a semblance of an actual head of a bearded man floats through the air.

CR 7; 3,200 XP

LN Medium Construct

Init +6; Senses arcane sight, darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +12

Defense
AC 20, touch 12, flat-footed 18 (+4 armor, +2 Dex, +4 shield)

hp 85 (10d10+30)
Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +8

Defensive Abilities narrow frame; DR 10/adamantine; Immune construct traits

Offense
Speed fly 60 ft. (perfect)

Melee slam +12 (1d6+2)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th, concentration +12)

Constant—fly, mage armor, shield, greater magic weapon

At Will—arcane mark, dispel magic, mage hand, make whole, open/close, prestidigitation, scorching ray (2 rays, +12 ranged touch, 4d6 fire), unseen servant (1 active at a time)

1/day—charm monster (DC 16), telekinesis (DC 17), teleport

Statistics
Str 10, Dex 14, Con –, Int 19, Wis 15, Cha 15

Base Atk +10; CMB +12; CMD 22 (can't be knocked prone)
Feats Combat Casting, Hover, Improved Initiative, Magical Aptitude, Toughness

Skills Craft (alchemy) +14, Fly +25, Knowledge (arcane) +14, Perception +12, Spellcraft +18, Use Magic Device +16

Language Celestial, Common, Draconic, Giant, Infernal

Enhanced Resistance (Ex) Master Ekkert has imbued its new frame with +3 resistance bonus to all saving throws (already included in the stat-block).

Narrow Frame (Ex) As an animate staff, Master Ekkert has a very narrow frame that is harder to hit than a typical Medium-sized target, easily throwing the opponent's reflexes off, and bestowing 20% miss chance on anyone trying to hit if he moved on his last turn.

A renowned scholar of arcane arts, respected teacher, bold innovator, and superb artificer, Master Ekkert was getting worried about his legacy, seeking a way to extend his life and continue his quality work. The solution he finally decided on, was to bind his spirit to a magic staff of his own creation, living forever on in an immortal and durable form, instead of frail and failing flesh.

The truth is that Master Ekkert had failed—his creation inherited most of his memories and awakened sapience that thinks it is the Master Ekkert, but the magician's actual soul had passed on into afterlife, and Master Ekkert the intelligent staff is nowhere near as capable when it comes to magic in comparison to the original Master Ekkert.

Regardless, the staff is deeply convinced to be Master Ekkert, trying to continue his work, maintain his reputation, and reap the accolades owed from the magical academic community. It will dismiss or ignore any circumstantial evidence that real Master Ekkert truly died, though is forcibly faced with strong evidence that it is not him, it might suffer a deep personality crisis, potentially shattering its sense of self.

Fantasy Monster: Reverend Bastard

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Reverend Bastard

A withered cadaver in opulent priestly robes sits on a hovering throne.

CR 14; XP 38,400

LE Medium Undead

Init +9; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +28

Aura unholy aura (20 ft.)

Defense
AC 29, touch 19, flat-footed 29 (+5 armor, +4 deflection, +5 insight, +5 natural)
hp 210 (20d8+120)
Fort +15; Ref +15; Will +23

Defensive Qualities channel resistance +4, unholy providence; DR 10/good; Immune undead traits; SR 25 against good spells and good spellcasters

Offense
Speed fly 20 ft. (perfect)

Special Attacks channel negative energy 10d6 (DC 27), spiritual weapon (+20/+15/+10, 1d8+5 force, 19–20/×2 or ×3)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20th, concentration +25)

Constant—spiritual weapon (60 ft. range), unholy aura

Statistics
Str 10, Dex 10, Con —, Int 15, Wis 21, Cha 21
Base Atk +15; CMB +15; CMD 39 (can't be tripped)

Feats Channel Surge, Command Undead, Defensive Combat Training, Improved Channel, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Persuasive, Selective Channeling, Selfish Channel, Toughness

Skills Fly +31, Diplomacy +29, Intimidation +32, Knowledge (religion) +25, Perception +28, Spellcraft +25

SQ ecclesiastic council

Ecology
Environment urban, ruins
Organization solitary, pair, or conclave (3–12)
Treasure standard

Channel Negative Energy (Su) A reverend bastard's heart is a conduit for negative energy, allowing him to channel negative energy at will as 20th level cleric. Channel Surge permits the reverend bastard to use channeling as a full-round action and increase its effect by 50%. Selfish Channel increases healing received by 50% when uses negative energy to heal himself and only himself (either because there are no other Undead in range, or he excluded all of them with Selective Channeling). Both of those increases can stack for +100% healing.

Ecclesiastic Council (Su) A reverend bastard can use Aid Another action to provide advice to a divine caster serving the same power, deity, religion, or pantheon, granting +1 bonus to caster level of the next divine spell the recipient starts to cast before the start of the reverend bastard's turn. The reverend bastard needs to keep taking Aid Another action until the spell casting is finished. Bonus granted by multiple reverend bastards stacks. Additionally, reverend bastards can grant stacking +1 bonus to skill checks made as a part of performing occult rituals, though because of their corrupted state, they can't perform occult rituals themselves.

Unholy Providence (Su) A reverend bastard gains insight bonus to AC, Reflex saving throws, and initiative equal to his Wisdom bonus.

Reverend bastards in life held positions that tied spiritual and temporal power—they were bishops, abbots, influential royal clerics, king-priests, and theocrats of all sorts, and all of them succumbed to corruption, abusing their position, and their blessings for personal gain, vainglorious projects, and questionable goals.

Now, their wretched shells haunt the places of power they once held so tightly, often monuments to their very success, hubris, and corruption. Some manage to retain that power, usually covertly, but a rare few managed to keep their position openly, despite their death being publicly know.

Fantasy NPC: Amber-Eyed Devil-Princess

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Amber-Eyed Devil-Princess

A short and plump young woman, with bright scarlet skin, golden eyes, a crown of tiny horns, and long flowing golden hair.

CR 7; 3,200 XP

LE Medium Outsider (devil, evil, lawful)

Init +2; Senses see in darkness; Perception +14

Defense
AC 20, touch 16, flat-footed 17 (+4 armor, +3 deflection, +2 Dex, +1 dodge)

hp 85 (10d10+30); regeneration 5 (chaotic)
Fort +7, Ref +9, Will +10; +4 vs. compulsions, –4 vs. charms

DR 10/chaotic; Immune fire, poison; Resist acid 10, cold 10; SR 18

Offense
Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (perfect)

Melee 2 claws +12 (1d6+2)

Ranged 2 hellfire bolts +12 touch (4d6)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th, concentration +12)

Constant—fly, mage armor, shield of faith

At Will—call servant, word of recall (her chambers in her father's palace)

Statistics
Str 14, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 15

Base Atk +10; CMB +12; CMD 27
Feats Dodge, Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Point-Blank Shot, Toughness

Skills Fly +24, Knowledge (local) +14, Knowledge (nobility) +14, Knowledge (planes) +14, Perception +14, Profession (whatever is her current hobby) +14, Spellcraft +14

Language Abyssal, Celestial, Draconic, Infernal; telepathy 100 ft.

Call Servant (Su) As a full-round action, Amber-Eyed Devil-Princess can conjure someone to serve her. In 1d4 rounds appears either one of her servants (1-2 on 1d4 roll), a petty devil (3 on 1d4 roll), or a random and likely-disoriented resident of her father's realm (4 on 1d4 roll).

Hellfire Bolt (Su) Amber-Eyed Devil-Princess can throw a bolt of hellfire as a standard action or two as a full-round action, against targets within 60 feet, with no range increment, dealing 4d6 points of unholy damage. It can ignite flammables as if it was fire.

Amber-Eyed Devil-Princess father harnessed the darkest of dark magics to rip his realm out of material plane and turn it into a pocket hell, transforming himself, his family and kin, his court, and a significant fraction of his subjects into devils, becoming self-proclaimed Sovereign Devil-Emperor.

The Princes herself has only the vaguest memories of that event, barely remembering being a mortal child. Now, she is a somewhat spoiled glutton, rather bored of being a member of sort-of immortal court forever stuck in mostly ceremonial role besides her father. She tries to alleviate that by trying new hobbies, sparking short-lived enthusiasm but she has short attention span and lacks patience, shifting her interests often. While she is not a real sadist or deliberately abusive, she can be casually cruel, being far too self-centered to even consider feelings and well-being of others—she has deeply internalized the lesson that those beneath exist merely to serve those above, and being daughter of the Sovereign Devil-Emperor clearly (in her mind) puts her at the very top.

While she can be easily swayed with subtlety and sweet talk, she can be very stubborn and resists anything that she perceives as direct coercion.