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.

Fantasy NPC: Mr. Pinch

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Mr. Pinch

A gaunt, spindly elf with a creepy grin, and unkempt, thinning bluish hair. He wears a top hat that seen better days, and a spotted coat.

CR 5; 1,600 XP

NE Medium Outsider (daemon, evil, extraplanar)

Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +12

Defense
AC 18, touch 16, flat-footed 14 (+2 armor, +2 deflection, +4 Dex)
hp 57 (6d10+24)
Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +8

Defensive Abilities mask of mundanity; DR 10/good or silver; Immune acid, disease, poison, sleep; Resist cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10

Offense
Speed 30 ft.

Melee 2 claws +10 (1d6+4) or sword cane +10/+5 (1d6+4)

Ranged thrown bombs +11 (4d6 acid, cold, electricity or fire damage plus 4 splash damage)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th, concentration +7)

At Will—detect poison, mending, polypurpose panacea, prestidigitation, spark

Statistics
Str 18, Dex 18, Con 18, Int 13, Wis 17, Cha 13

Base Atk +6; CMB +10; CMD 26
Feats Improved Initiative, Skill Focus (Craft [alchemy]), Throw Anything

Skills Bluff +10, Craft (alchemy) +13, Knowledge (arcana) +10, Knowledge (local) +10, Knowledge (planes) +10, Perception +12, Sense Motive +12

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

SQ vile chemistry

Alchemical Bombs (Su) Mr. Pinch can pull alchemical bombs from various pockets of his coat and use them as thrown splash weapons with 20 feet range increment, dealing 4d6 points of acid, cold, electricity or fire damage and 4 points of splash damage within 10 feet splash radius. Unlike a mundane alchemist, Mr. Pinch isn't limited in number of bombs he can use each day, but he tries to avoid using more than seven in a single encounter unless desperate.

Mask Of Mundanity (Ex and Su) Mr. Pinch appears as a mundane, though rather creepy mortal and registers as such to divinations of lower potency than true seeing. He retains a faint aura of evil, adequate for a highly skilled but unscrupulous tradesman of evil alignment and his surface thoughts match the overall image.

Vile Chemistry (Ex and Su) Mr. Pinch can craft alchemical items using improvised tools—a few bottles and pots will usually do. He doesn't even have to bother with keeping them clean. If he is in possession of souls, he can substitute them for required costly components. He can also procure a mixture that duplicates effects of polypurpose panacea (of his choosing) on the drinker (requires 1 gp of components and an hour of his work to craft a dose).

Mr. Pinch doesn't know what caused the eternal darkness haunting the township of Leshiskovo, neither he knows what caused the plague of nightmares that spawn from the minds of the denizens of this town afterwards, but he knowns an opportunity when he sees one. The rigorous policies enforced within the settlement by that Dreamkiller automaton restricting time people can dedicated to sleep, associated curfew, and prohibition on dreaming make the citizens willing to help themselves ease the strain with a little bit of chemical aid. Some seek help falling asleep while the other would rather not sleep at all. Mr. Pinch can offer remedies that help with either. He doesn't mention that his medicines have tendency to have unpleasant side effects when abused—including but not limited to addiction, psychotic attacks, heart failures, and strokes. He is an opportunistic nihilist deep inside so it doesn't bother him at all.

Fantasy NPC: Dreamkiller

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Dreamkiller

An anthropomorphic figure of brass and iron, with a faceplate resembling a knightly helmet, scythe-like blades extending from its arms, and two rows of vertical pipes coming out of its back.

CR 10; 9,600 XP

LN Medium Construct

Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, sense dreams; Perception +16

Defense
AC 24, touch 18, flat-footed 20 (+4 deflection, +4 Dex, +6 natural)
hp 114 (12d10+48)
Fort +10, Ref +14, Will +14

Defensive Abilities superior toughness 4; DR 10/adamantine and magic; Immune construct traits

Offense
Speed 40 ft.

Melee 2 armblades +20 (2d6+7, 19–20/×2)

Special Attacks enhanced armblades, pounce

Statistics
Str 22, Dex 18, Con —, Int 19, Wis 19, Cha 19

Base Atk +12; CMB +18; CMD 36
Feats Combat Reflexes, Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (armblade)

Skills Knowledge (arcana) +16, Knowledge (local) +16, Knowledge (planes) +16, Perception +16 Sense Motive +16

Language Aklo, Common, Duc, Sylvan

SQ horns of awakening, internal clock

Enhanced Armblades (Su) Dreamkiller's armblades are natural melee attacks that have +1 enhancement bonus to attack and damage, and ghost touch weapon property. They are made of combination of silver and cold iron and count as bane weapon against creatures that come from or are innately related to dreams, such as awakened dreams, dreamsippers, bushyasta divs, and certain ghosts.

Horns Of Awakening (Su) As a full-round action, Dreamkiller can pump air through the pipes on its back producing a very low, far-reaching buzzing that can easily awaken sleeping creatures within up to 1 mile. Each round Dreamkiller blows the horns, each still sleeping creature has to make a Perception check (DC 10), waking up on a success. Each creature under a magical sleep effect within 1 mile is subject to a single greater dispel magic (dispel check bonus is 11+the number of rounds the horns were blown). This is a sonic effect.

Internal Clock (Ex) Dreamkiller is perfectly aware of flow of time, current time, seasons, and the position the sun and moon should be occupying in the sky.

Sense Dreams (Su) Dreamkiller senses all sapient creatures sleeping within 60 feet and knows which of them are currently dreaming. It can also detect dream-creatures as if possessed blindsense with the same range.

Superior Toughness 4 (Ex) Dreamkiller has 4 additional hit points per HD and gains +4 bonus to all saving throws.

Not one of the denizens of Leshiskovo expected how their lives would change when the darkness fell on their quaint township. The sun's failure to rise in the mornings disturbed their daily routine but the local baron—a benevolent if detached ruler—quickly found a way, constructing the magical watchman whose main role was waking up the citizens at regular intervals so the everyday life could continue despite there being no actual daylight. He also funded new web of lanterns and many other conveniences helping people deal with the eternal night.

It worked for a time, until the good baron's demise. Well, the cracks in the façade of normality started showing earlier, with more and more people suffering from nightmares, more and more people unwilling, or unable to get up at the prescribed times. Before his death, the baron tinkered with his watchman more and more, making it more durable, making its horn louder, and making it more dedicated to its mission. When the good baron finally succumbed to his age, the things turned to the worse—the nightmares started to reach beyond the veil of dreams and started to manifest in the town. At that time, the watchman took further steps to tinker with its own construction growing to become protector of the city from the rogue dreams.

It worked, for a time. The old baron instilled in his creation utter dedication to the mission given, but didn't took into account that the mechanical mind doesn't really understand mortal needs, corporeal or spiritual. The watchman instituted a global curfew and a strict wake up signal, repeated four times a day, disrupting nightmares and benevolent dreams alike and earning itself the name of Dreamkiller from the population. In mean time, the inheritance of the baron's seat got entangled in legal hurdles, direct heirs being unwilling to take over afflicted township, other heirs expecting to receive tribute from the town without any obligations on their part.

For now, the Dreamkiller keeps its watch over city enforcing the rules regarding the daily cycles, sleep, and dreaming, without much regard for the strain it puts on the citizens.

Fantasy NPC: Queen Mother Unseen

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Queen Mother Unseen

An unseen presence, a sweet voice whispering in your thoughts that makes you think of a beautiful woman taking care of you like a mother.

CR 7; 3,200 XP

LN Medium Fey (incorporeal)

Init +8; Senses low-light vision; Perception +21

Defense
AC 19, touch 19, flat-footed 14 (+4 deflection, +4 Dex, +1 dodge)
hp 54 (12d6+12)
Fort +5, Ref +12, Will +10

Defensive Abilities incorporeal, invisibility, protect my son

Offense
Speed fly 30 ft. (perfect)

Melee unseen grasp +10 touch (staggered 1d4 rounds)

Special Attacks unseen grasp (stun for 1 round, DC 19 Will negates)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 12th, concentration +16)

Constant—invisibility

At Will—dancing lights, detect poison, dispel magic, guidance, lullaby, mage hand, mending, prestidigitation, resistance, unseen servant

1/day—entice fey (any number of her fey subjects with total HD not exceeding 12, none of which might have more than 3 CR, instead of payment she accepts their services as the tribute they owe her)

Statistics
Str —, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 15, Cha 19

Base Atk +6; CMB +6; CMD 25
Feats Alertness, Bodyguard, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Skill Focus (Knowledge [nobility])

Skills Fly +27, Knowledge (local) +16, Knowledge (nature) +16, Knowledge (nobility) +19, Perception +21, Sense Motive +21, Stealth +19

Language Common, Duc, Infernal, Sylvan; telepathy 100 ft.

Protect My Son (Ex) When Queen Mother Unseen uses her Bodyguard feat to protect her son, its effects are greatly enhanced—the boy uses her AC and saving throws in response to any attacks and effects that force saving throws instead of his own. If the effect normally deals half damage or produces a partial result on a successful saving throw, its effects are completely negated.

Unseen Grasp (Su) Queen Mother Unseen can reach with her spectral hands to strike against anyone who would hurt her son. On a successful melee touch attack, the target becomes staggered for 1d4 rounds. On a failed Will saving throw (DC 20), the target is stunned for 1 round. The saving throw DC is Charisma-based.

King Leifhen was getting desperate late into his reign—he needed a heir to succeed him, but but all the marriages suitable at the time that could give him a legitimate scion had strings attached that he'd rather avoid. Until one of his allies, a bard and a priest of the old ways lead him to meeting with a fey lady that offered him a deal—a secret marriage that would made her a queen and to him, it would give a child. He agreed and thus Leifheric was sired and born on the night of their wedding ceremony. The king brought and presented the boy to the court, and despite many objections, made his heir.

The newly empowered fey queen reigned in her small court, but after a time passed, she discovered to her surprise, that she longed to see the boy, to keep him safe, and watch him succeed. She came secretly to the castle of her one-time husband and lover only to discover that by then Leifhen was already dead, having failing to an unexpected disease, and the boy is under care of the royal court, supervised by oft quarreling regency council composed of aristocrats and highest magistrates of the court, torn by strife and conflicting interests, with only few really caring for the young king's well-being.

That made her decide to stay secretly at the court and protect Leifheric from threats, internal and external. Now, she is an unseen presence roaming the court, though preferring to stay close to her son—while the courtiers are unconvinced, the servants and guards started to tell the stories that the boy-king's mother ghost might be watching over him, as there was a number of unexplained incidents happening nearby. Other blame them on surprising number of petty fey hanging around recently.

Fantasy NPC: Crabgrass And Bindweed

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Crabgrass And Bindweed, Tiny Garden Gargoyles

A pair of little stone-red gargoyles with greenish moss overgrowth and well pronounced horns.

 

CR 5 (as a pair); 1,600 XP

CN Tiny Outsider (earth, native)

Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +5

Defense
AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+2 Dex, +1 natural, +2 size)
hp 30 (4d10+8)
Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +5

DR 10/magic; Resist acid 10, fire 10

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

Melee 2 claws +6 (1d3), bite +6 (1d3), gore +6 (1d3)

Special Attacks smite good (1/day, +1 to attack rolls and AC, +4 damage)

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

Statistics
Str 10, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 5, Wis 13, Cha 13

Base Atk +4; CMB +4; CMD 16
Feats Improved Initiative, Lunge

Skills Fly +13, Knowledge (local) +2, Perception +5, Profession (gardening) +5, Sleight Of Hand +9, Stealth +10; Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth amongst the garden's or mansion's ornaments

Language smattering of Common, Infernal, and Terran

SQ agile flier, freeze

Agile Flier (Ex) While flying, Crabgrass and Bindweed can make Fly checks to move through threatened area or enemy space without provoking attacks of opportunity.

Freeze (Ex) Like other gargoyles, Crabgrass and Bindweed can take 20 on Stealth checks by remaining still and pretending to be stone statues.

Crabgrass and Bindweed are two miniature gargoyles that live in Millian Mossveil's garden—and Millian isn't a kind of fellow to ask about the exact nature of their connection to his gardener Thistle, despite their clearly shared fiendish nature, and the gardener's inconsistent and unpredictable behavior toward the two. While he loudly proclaims his annoyance at the stupidity and petty malice of the clearly immature gargoyles, and willingness to murder them over the slightest provocation, he never follows up on the threat, and has clearly a soft spot for them, despite his claims to the contrary.

Beyond their mischievousness, Crabgrass and Bindweed are lazy, gluttonous, and not terribly bright. The latter might be the reason why Thistle's attempt to incite them into cruelty has failed so far.

Fantasy Monster: Electropus

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Electropus

A vivid blue octopoid creature covered with white and yellow patterns crackling and pulsating with energy.

CR 5; XP 1,600
N Small Aberration (aquatic)
Init +10; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +13

Defense
AC 18, touch 17, flat-footed 12 (+6 Dex, +1 natural, +1 size)
hp 52 (8d8+16)
Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +8
Defensive Abilities electric shield; Immune electricity

Offense
Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 40 ft.
Melee bite +9 (1d4+2), 2 tentacles +7 touch (2d6 electricity)

Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with tentacles)

Special Attacks arcing pulse (30 ft., 5d6 and staggered, Fort 16 partial)

Statistics

Str 14, Dex 22, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 11
Base Atk +6; CMB +7; CMD 23 (can't be tripped)
Feats Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Multiattack, Nimble Moves
Skills Climb +10, Perception +13, Stealth +10, Swim +10

SQ hold breath (1 hour)

Ecology
Environment any aquatic
Organization solitary, pair, or a group (3–6)
Treasure standard

Arcing Pulse (Ex) As a full-round action, an electropus can discharge electricity in a 30-ft. radius burst (or a 30-ft. radius sphere centered on the electropus underwater) dealing 5d6 points of electric damage and staggering exposed creatures for 1d4 rounds. A successful Fortitude saving throw (DC 16) halves the damage and prevents being staggered. After using this ability, an electropus can't use it again for one hour. The saving throw DC is Constitution-based.

Electric Shield (Ex) Any creature hitting an electropus with an unarmed strike, natural attack, or a non-reach melee weapon is struck back by a jolt of lightning dealing 2d6 points of electricity damage.

An electropus is a strange and exotic creature that seems to be related to more mundane octopuses, though it is obvious there is more to this creature—its body glows and crackles with electric charge. Electropuses are also capable of surviving in fresh water and occasionally come out of water for a short time, where they move much more vigorously than stranded cephalopods.

Young electropuses sometimes form swarms (CR 7, Tiny, AC 20, 12 HD, 90 hp, Fort +6, Ref + 10, Will +10, 3d6 swarm electric damage).

Fantasy NPC: Thistles, The Obnoxious Gardener

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Thistles, The Obnoxious Gardener

A grotesquely squat and scruffy dwarf, bald and beardless, aside of very thick and messy red sideburns. He wears a dirty work suit and handles a big sickle with surprising grace.

CR 5; 1,600 XP

LE Small Outsider (devil, evil, lawful)

Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., see in darkness; Perception +13

Defense
AC 18, touch 13, flat-footed 16 (+2 Dex, +5 natural, +1 size)
hp 59 (7d10+21); regeneration 5 (disintegration and other effects that destroy the body)
Fort +8, Ref +4, Will +8

Defensive Abilities anchored; DR 10/good or silver and magic; Immune fire, poison; Resist acid 10, cold 10

Offense
Speed 20 ft., burrow 20 ft.

Melee oversized sickle +10/+10/+5 (1d6+2)

Special Attacks favored enemy (animals +2, plants +4), sickle-work

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 7th, concentration +6)

At Will—create water, detect animals and plants, diminish plants, plant growth, spike growth (DC 12)

Statistics
Str 14, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 17, Cha 9

Base Atk +7; CMB +8; CMD 20
Feats Combat Reflexes, Nimble Moves, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Profession [gardening])

Skills Knowledge (dungeoneering) +11, Knowledge (local) +11, Knowledge (nature) +11, Knowledge (planes) +10, Perception +13, Profession (gardening) +16, Stealth +16

Language Common, Infernal, Sylvan, Terran; telepathy 100 ft.

Anchored (Ex) Thistles is bound by magical contract to serve as gardener for Millian Mossveil until the latter's soul descends (in duly legitimate conditions as listed in the contract) to hell. Until that very unlikely moment, Thistles treats the garden as his native environment and can't be banished. If his body is destroyed, it will grow back up within 2d12 hours. If he leaves or is forcibly taken from the garden he returns back within 2d12 hours as if using word of recall. As his services are exclusive, he can't be called or contracted until the contract with Millian Mossveil is legitimately ended.

Sickle-Work (Ex) Thistles is deadly with sickles—he can wield sickle suitable for Medium creature without penalties, and can make one additional melee attack at the highest Base Attack Bonus when he makes a full attack. He always keeps one at hand.

Thistles is a devil bound by a contract to serve as a master gardener for one Millian Mossveil. That seemed as a simple task at first, just sit there, do you job for a few dozen years in relaxing, if boring circumstances, and be back home soon. Until that naive spineless pushover got himself turned into a vampire. That seriously messed up the contract! Now Millian won't die naturally—which would release his soul for its destined place in the hell and finalize the contract—and Thistles is forbidden from helping him to the other side, or even aiding others dispose of Millian, under the pain of dissolution.

After many years of servitude, Thistles is jaded, obnoxious, and rude, wisecracking at his employer, visitors, and intruders alike. What could his boss do to discipline him anyway? He can't fire or send him away after all. Despite his off-putting attitude, he remains superb gardener, priding himself on quality of his work. He won't admit it under any circumstances, but he actually enjoys his job, finding its peaceful serenity a pleasant change of peace from the frantic struggles of lower tier devils in the depths of Hell.

In his spare time he started reading workers literature and at the same time he is contemptuous of and interested in certain labor movement ideas.