Fantasy NPC: Old Man Heat

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Old Man Heat

A tall, gnarly man clad in tatters weaves of dried straws, with a wide-brimmed straw hat.

CR 11; 1,600 XP

CN Medium Fey

Init +5; Senses low-light vision; Perception +38

Aura oppressive heat (100 ft.)

Defense
AC 25, touch 25, flat-footed 20 (+5 deflection, +5 Dex, +5 insight)

hp 132 (24d6+72); regeneration 10 (cold)
Fort +11, Ref +19, Will +15

Defensive Abilities eternal summer; DR 10/cold iron and magic; Immune fire

Weakness hatred of cold

Offense
Speed 30 ft.

Melee staff +17 touch (10d6 nonlethal plus heatstroke)

Special Attacks heatstroke (DC 22)

Statistics
Str 10, Dex 20, Con 16, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 11

Base Atk +12; CMB +12; CMD 
Feats Acrobatic Steps, Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Defensive Combat Training, Diehard, Endurance, Improved Initiative, Nimble Moves, Skill Focus (Knowledge [nature]), Skill Focus (Perception), Skill Focus (Sense Motive), Weapon Finesse 

Skills Knowledge (nature) +33, Perception +38, Profession (agriculture) +28, Sense Motive +38, Stealth +32, Survival +28

Language Auran, Common, Sylvan

Eternal Summer (Ex) As long as Old Man Heat has a piece of summer itself, he will return, just like summer does every year.

Hatred Of Cold Old Man Heat hates being chilly. While he went far to shield himself from natural cold, he can still be forcibly exposed to magical coldness. When he fails a saving throw against cold effect he becomes staggered for 1d3 rounds. If the effect already causes staggered condition he becomes dazed for 1 round instead.

Heatstroke (Su) When Old Man Heat strikes anyone with his staff, he deals 10d6 points of nonlethal damage and the target becomes fatigued on a failed Fortitude saving throw (DC 22).

Oppressive Heat (Su) Old Man Heat is surrounded by a mantle of summer that fills the air with cloying, thick, humid heat, banishing fog and rain wherever he goes. All living creatures within area that lack protection against hot environment or 20 or more of fire resistance become fatigued until they leave the aura. All magical cold effects used within the area have to overcome spell resistance of 29.

Old Man Heat hates being cold, so he carries a piece of the hottest summer he ever experienced with him everywhere he goes. This way his aching joints don't have to experience the unbearable chill of winter, or fall, or spring.

While not outrightly malicious, Old Man Heat has little regard for wellbeing of others, either unwilling or incapable to understand that the heat he brings everywhere is too much for most people. He might lash angrily against anyone who would try to cool the area where he is as a reprieve — it might take a gentle touch and a bit of trickery to get him moving to liberate the local denizens from his presence.

Fantasy Monster: Hedge Dog

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Hedge Dog

A massive canine-looking beast with a mane of sharp spines

CR 4; XP 1,200
N Medium Animal

Init +3; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +9

Defense
AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +4 natural)
hp 45 (6d8+18)
Fort +8; Ref +5; Will +5
Defensive Ability mane of spines (2d4)

Offense
Speed 50 ft.

Melee bite and slam +8 (2d4+4 plus 2d4)

Statistics
Str 16, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 2, Wis 17, Cha 11
Base Atk +4; CMB +7; CMD 20 (24 vs. trip)

Feats Combat Reflexes, Nimble Move, Weapon Focus (bite and slam)

Skills Perception +9, Stealth +9

Ecology
Environment plains, forests
Organization pair or pack (3–7)
Treasure none

Special Abilities

Mane Of Spines (Ex) A hedge dog has a mane of surprisingly strong and sharp spines. Any creature attacking a hedge dog with a natural or unarmed attack, attempting a bull-rush, grapple, or overrun check, or struck by hedge dog's bite and slam attack suffers 2d4 points of piercing damage. When a hedge dog takes total defense action, its mane of spines damage is doubled until the start of its following turn. Any creature that swallows a hedge dog whole suffers mane of spines damage on the start of the swallower's turn, and on the start of the swallowed hedge dog's turn. Mane of spines damage dice scale with the size of the hedge dog, like a natural attack.

Hedge dogs are canine-looking beasts that live in small packs competing with much larger and much more dangerous monsters over living space and prey. While they might not be exactly able to take down big monsters easily, the spines that grow over their heads, necks, and backs can be efficient deterrent, tilting their chances a bit. Many monsters sooner or later learn that hunting hedge dogs is not worth the injured snouts, paws, and gizzard.

Hedge dogs tend to be rather aggressive and even seemingly overconfident, but they can be, with difficulty and with a lot of shed blood, tamed and trained.

There is a degree of confusion is hedge dogs are actual dogs, a stray branch of hyaenas, or maybe even more exotic lineage.

Fantasy Monster: Waxen Blob

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Waxen Blob

A blob of half melted wax slithers across the floor.

CR 4; XP 1,200
N Medium Ooze

Init +2; Senses blind, blindsight 60 ft.; Perception +10

Defense
AC 17, touch 12, flat-footed 15 (+2 Dex, +5 natural)
hp 45 (6d8+18); fast healing 5
Fort +5; Ref +4; Will +4

Defensive Abilities halve weapon damage suffered, melting wax, ooze traits

Weakness vulnerable to fire

Offense
Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft.

Melee slam +6 (2d6+3 plus 2d6 fire)

Ranged 3 spit scalding wax +6 touch (2d4 fire and entangled for 1d4+1 rounds)

Statistics
Str 14, Dex 14, Con 16, Int —, Wis 15, Cha 1
Base Atk +4; CMB +6; CMD 18 (can't be tripped)

Feats Acrobatic Step^B, Nimble Moves^B

Skills Climb +10, Perception +10, Stealth +10; Racial Modifiers +8 Perception, +8 Stealth

Ecology
Environment ruins, urban
Organization solitary, pair, or group (3—10)
Treasure incidental

Special Abilities

Melting Wax (Ex) A waxen blob easily melts when exposed to fire, suffering additional damage, but at the same time, it becomes agitated and overactive, doubling its speed, fire damage inflicted, and fast healing for the next 1d4+1 rounds.

Spit Scalding Wax (Ex) A waxen blob can spit an orb of scalding wax as an attack action, or up to three orbs as a full attack. Scalding wax has  60 ft. range with no range increment and sticks to its target for 1d4+1 rounds after a successful ranged touch attack, dealing 2d4 points of fire damage per round and entangling the target. An orb of scalding wax can be removed as a standard action by the victim or a helper taking Aid Another action (the helper suffers 2d4 points of fire damage). Once the wax cools down, it crumbles away on it own.

Waxen blobs are oozing masses of molten wax, forming where significant quantities of wax are exposed to residual magic, alchemical pollution, elaborate experiments, and weird accidents.

While mindless like majority of oozes, waxen blobs are surprising mobile. Fire melts them quickly, but at the same time energizes them, which can lead to a nasty surprise for those who would hope to get rid of them easily.

Fantasy Monster: Waxen Scholar

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Waxen Scholar

An anthropomorphic figure made of wax, clad in linen robes, with a flame where its head should be.

CR 6; XP 2,400
LN Medium Construct

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

Defense
AC 19, touch 15, flat-footed 17 (+4 armor, +3 deflection, +2 Dex)
hp 75 (10d10+20); fast healing 5
Fort +5; Ref +9; Will +7

Immune construct traits

Weakness vulnerable to fire

Offense
Speed 30 ft.

Melee 2 slams +10 (1d6 plus 1d6 fire)

Ranged 2 scorching rays +12 touch (4d6 fire)

Special Attacks flickering flame, waxen splash

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th, concentration +13)

Constant—comprehend languages, greater resistance (+2 resistance bonus to saving throws, already included in the stat block), mage armor, shield of faith

At Will—detect magic, scorching ray

3/day—quench

Statistics
Str 10, Dex 15, Con —, Int 15, Wis 15, Cha 16
Base Atk +10; CMB +10; CMD 25

Feats Acrobatic Step, Combat Casting, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Nimble Moves

Skills Knowledge (arcana) +12, Perception +12, Spellcraft +12, Use Magic Device +13

Languages understands all languages, does not speak

Ecology
Environment ruins
Organization solitary, pair, or college (3—10)
Treasure standard

Special Abilities

Flickering Flame (Su) A waxen scholar can change the color of its flame as a swift action, the sudden flare up dazzling anyone seeing the waxen scholar for 1 round, and shifting the damage type of the waxen scholar's scorching ray and slam energy attacks, as well as vulnerability bestowed by waxen splash between fire (the default red flame), cold (blue flame), and electricity (bright yellow flame). As a weird side-effect, a waxen scholar can lit or extinguish any number of candles, torches, censers, and lamps within its line of sight when using this ability, and all the invisible, incorporeal, and ethereal creatures within line of sight are outlined with a glow for 1d4+1 rounds.

Waxen Splash (Su) As a standard action, a waxen scholar can spray molten wax in a 20-ft. cone or 10-ft. radius spread. The wax acts as a difficult terrain and bestows vulnerability to fire to all creatures standing within until it cools down within 1d4+1 rounds.

Waxen scholars tend to crumbling libraries and archives of ancient kingdoms, going through the motions of ancient protocols and academic traditions, lashing against those who would disturb their work and their collections. While not innately hostile, they are unpredictably rigid in their customs and adherence to their perceived duties, and they clearly fail to grasp that the world moved on—any attempts to gain their help, or at least non-interference, require playing along.

Groups of waxen scholars seem to be able to rebuilt their destroyed colleagues out of melted wax and linens in a few hours, though it is likely they can't replace those that were disintegrated or taken away.

Fantasy Monster: Fairy Maid

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Fairy Maid

A little maiden with pastel skin, little pink horns, and moth wings wearing a rather fancy and colorful variation of a typical servant attire.

CR 3; XP 800
N Small Fey

Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +11

Defense
AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 11 (+4 Dex, +1 size)
hp 27 (6d6+6)
Fort +3; Ref +9; Will +5

DR 5/cold iron

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

Melee feather duster slap +2 touch (1d3–2 nonlethal)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th; concentration +9)

At will—animate tools, magic missile (3 × 1d4+1), mending, plant growth (limited to potted plants and gardens in a residence tended to by the fairy maid), prestidigitation

Statistics
Str 7, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 11, Wis 11, Cha 17
Base Atk +3; CMB +0; CMD 14

Feats Alertness, Hover, Skill Focus (Profession [housekeeping])

Skills Fly +17, Knowledge (local) +9, Perception +11, Profession (housekeeping) +12, Sense Motive +11, Stealth +17

Language Common, Sylvan

Ecology
Environment houses, manors, and fey courts
Organization solitary, pair, or staff (3–10)
Treasure standard

Special Abilities

Animate Tools (Sp) Fairy maids can animate nearby nonmagical objects belonging in the residence they take care of by concentrating on them—controlling up to six Tiny or smaller objects (such as feather dusters or tableware), three Small objects (brooms or larger tableware, stools and chairs), or one Medium object (armchairs, smaller tables). Two fairy maids can concentrate to control a single Large object, usually when they need to move around furniture. The animated objects can perform actions related to their usual use, move around at 10 feet per rounds, or cause a general nuisance acting as difficult terrain or obstacles, depending on their size, but they don't move fast enough to attack directly (aside of dropping from shelves). This is an equivalent of a 2nd level spell with casting time of 1 full round and close range (40 ft.) that lasts as long as the fairy maid concentrates.

Servants to more powerful fey, fairy maids were shaped by the Lords and Ladies of the Otherworld to play the role of housekeeper and caretakers of the fantastic manors and palaces, according to whatever fashion and style particular Noble One prefers.

Or maybe they are a new manifestation of much older lineage, a group of fey that crept closer to mortal dwellings when they were built for the first time, observing and mimicking tasks and actions that mundane folk performed inside, never fully grasping the purpose of those tasks and actions, but bringing those customs back to the Otherworld judging them important based on the amount of time dedicated to them.

Whatever their true origins are, fairy maids play their role diligently—unless the circumstances of particular dramatic event require otherwise. While they are rarely the primary protagonist of Otherworldly story, they often play important background role, providing tidbits of gossip mixed with useful information, concealing, or revealing presence of intruders and nosy guests at the most dramatic or hilarious moments.

Some fairy maids travel to the mortal world, usually gravitating to serve at households of mighty and powerful, though occasionally, a fairy maid can repay kindness and help of common people by serving families of low standing for a time, or even for generations...