Hey There, Scouts and Rakes,
Inspired by Seuss's inquiry on this forum, I'm going to release some of the Spectral Boston materials for FREE, right now.
Here are stats for Passaconnawaw and Aspinaquid, two key NPCs in the Commonwealth region. Note that I use the newer stat blocks (which I like):
Passaconnawaw, Greater Sachem of the Pawtucket CR 15
Human First Ones Male Aristocrat 3/Sorcerer 13, Social Rank 49
LN Medium Humanoid
Init +1; Senses Listen +4, Spot +2
Languages: Penacook, English
AC 22, touch 12, flat-footed 20
HP 87 (16 HD; 3d8+9 + 13d4+39)
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +7, Will +13
Speed 30 feet (6 squares)
Melee +5 thundering greatclub +17/+12(1d10+7/20) or unarmed +12/+7 (1d3+3 nonlethal)
Ranged +3 throwing axe +15/+10 (1d6+3/20)
Base Atk + 10/+5 Grp +12
Atk Options: none
Special Actions Summon 1d3 black bears as standard action, as summon nature’s ally III, for a duration of 16 rounds, 1/day; use cloak of the great sachem to cast charm person and emotion, 1/day each, as a 9th-level sorcerer.
Combat Gear: +5 thundering greatclub, 2 +3 throwing axes, +4 hide shield, cloak of the great sachem, chant of stoneskin, chant of fly, chant of summon monster IV, totem of mage armor (30 charges), totem of lightning bolt (8th level, 22 charges), potion of cure serious wounds, potion of neutralize poison, tattoo of mind shielding, tattoo of protection +5
Sorcerer Spells Prepared (CL 12th, 5% arcane spell failure chance):
6th (4/day) — bear’s endurance, mass; chain lightning,
5th (6/day) —dismissal, permanency, sending
4th (7/day) — greater invisibility, minor creation, polymorph, summon monster IV
3rd (7/day) — dispel magic, fly, major image, soft body*
2nd (7/day) — detect thoughts, eat fire*, protection from arrows, rope trick, summon swarm
1st (7/day) — alarm, burning hands, hypnotism, internal creature*, mage armor,
0 (6/day) — daze, detect magic, detect poison, ghost sound, mage hand, mending, message, prestidigitation, ray of frost
*see New World Adventures p.150-152 for description
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 19
Special Qualities:
Penacook Sorcerer: Personal manito; wildshield +1 AC/Reflex in forest terrain; proficient in and treated as having Weapon Focus (greatclub, throwing axe); can use greatclub one-handed with Exotic Weapon Proficiency; black manito familiar (rattlesnake)
Advanced Bear Ancestry: +1 Fortitude, +1 to unarmed damage, +2 Climb; scent as extraordinary ability; can summon 1d3 black bears as summon nature’s ally III, as 16th level druid, 1/day
Feats: Advanced Bear Ancestry, Bear Ancestry, Compose Chant, Craft Totem, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (greatclub), Inscribe Tattoo, Maunetu Sorcerer
Skills: Bluff +7, Climb +3, Diplomacy +10, Forgery +7, Gather Information +9, Handle Animal +10, Hide +5, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (Arcana) +7, Knowledge (Geography) +3, Knowledge (History) +8, Knowledge (Local) +8, Knowledge (Nature) +7, Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) +4, Knowledge (Religion) +4, Listen +4, Move Silently +2, Perform (Oratory) +5.5, Profession (Military) +9, Spellcraft +13, Spot +2
Possessions: combat gear plus belt pouch, formal cape, formal headdress, tattoo kit, 200 gp
Passaconnawaw (“Son of the Bearâ€) is the greater sachem of the Penacook, a group of First Ones sachemdoms occupying the valley of the Merimacke River, north of Boston. A powerful maunetu sorcerer and effective political leader, he rose from his initial position as sachem of the Pawtucket nation to become a regional player in the struggle for New England. In a major departure from the policy of his predecessors, he has made an alliance with the Witchlings of Naumkeag against the Commonwealthers, in order to contain northward expansion of the Puritans and to secure a trading partner who can supply him with guns and other Uropan goods in exchange for furs, timber, and hides. This decision is typical of his pragmatic approach to governing, making political moves based on strategic advantage rather than ideology or conscience.
His realm includes the fertile valley of the Merimacke itself, as well as the flat pinewoods of Piscataqua to the north. His northern frontier is under threat from Ab’naki and Vinlanders; to the west, he has faced assault from Mohawk raiders, and although not yet in open war with the Commonwealth to the south, he is under constant pressure from attempts to found new Puritan settlements within his lands. He maintains allegiance through personal magnetism and displays of his sorcerous might. He personally trains all maunetu sorcerers within Penacook lands and uses them as his principal agents; their annual congress at his summer court on the bank of the Merimacke is the greatest display of First Ones arcane power in New England.
Passaconnawaw is a man of late middle age: short, stocky, with penetrating dark eyes. His powerful build, nimble hands, and regal posture contribute to an aura of mastery and assurance that compels even his foes to treat him with deference and awe. He typically wears an eagle-feather crown and the turkey-feather cloak of the great sachem and carries a greatclub as a symbol of his office. Protective tattoos of his own making cover his arms and chest, and his black manito rattlesnake familiar is often seen wrapped around his neck or forearm.
In battle, Passaconnawaw prefers to take cover behind a screen of maunetu sorcerers and pniese paladin bodyguards. Flanked by his son Kancamagus and the elder powwaw Aspinaquid, he unleashes chain lightning spells and summoned monsters against his foes. Only a challenge to a personal duel by another sorcerer or Commonwealther divine spellcaster is likely to draw him out from this protective cordon — his pride in his own arcane might is said to be his greatest weakness. The blood of bears runs strong in him, and when threatened personally, he calls upon his animal ancestors to send bear allies to protect him.
Despite his prowess and prestige, Passaconnawaw is approachable by even low-level PCs, and graciously receives most visitors at his court. He even allows Commonwealthers to enjoy his hospitality, providing that they can swear via one of his powwaws’ discern lies spells never to have taken up arms against his people. PCs with spellcasting ability might be challenged to a nonlethal contest of their abilities, either with the sachem himself or with one of his sorcerer entourage. He loves to engage Uropan clerics and other worshippers of the Uropan deity in discussions about their respective faiths, and knows the tenets of Uropan religions in surprising detail.
He is most likely to enter an adventure when the PCs have been drawn into the political struggle in the north between the Penacook confederacy and the Witchlings on one side and the Commonwealth on the other. As an ally, he expects concrete results from the PCs’ efforts and rewards good tactics with additional support in the form of magic items and NPC spellcasters. As an enemy, he uses all his arcane and military resources to remove the PCs as a threat, often preferring to have them captured and brought before him to have sentence passed upon them or to see if they can be of use to him.
See also Northern Crown: The Gazeeteer, pages 79, 80.
Chilao, Rattlesnake Familiar CR 6
N Tiny Animal
Init +7; Senses Listen +6 Spot +6
--------AC 27, touch 15, flat-footed 24
HP 43 (13 HD)
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +12
Speed 15 feet (3 squares), climb 15 feet, swim 15 feet
Melee Bite +15/+10 (1 + poison)
Base Atk + 10/+5 Grp –11
Atk Options: poison: Injury DC 13, initial damage 1d6 Con, secondary damage sickened for 1d3 days, 1d6 Str
Abilities: Str 4, Dex 17, Con 11, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 2
Special Qualities: scent, alertness, improved evasion, share spells, empathic link, deliver touch spells, speak with master, speak with animals of its kind, SR 18, scry on familiar 1/day, tattoo of protection +3, personal manito qualities.
Feats: Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse (bite)
Skills: Balance +11, Climb +11, Hide +15, Swim +5
Passaconawaw’s familiar Chilao (“Angryâ€) is a black rattlesnake with gray eyes. He is typically found coiled around the great sachem’s neck or forearm. His master has favored him with an intricately drawn tattoo of protection +3 that is barely visible against its black skin. As a manito, the snake grants him the benefits of all personal manito. Passaconnawaw is fond of creating an illusory double of the snake while sending the real creature to spy on his guests or deliver touch spells to an unsuspecting enemy.
Aspinaquid, Elder Powwaw Druid of the Penacook CR 15
Human Penacook Male Druid 15, Social Rank 42
NG Medium Humanoid
Init +x; Senses Listen +4, Spot +4
Languages: English, Penacook
AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 13
HP 106 (15 HD; 15d8+30)
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +7, Will +13
Speed 30 feet (6 squares)
Melee unarmed +16/+11/+6 (1d6+5) or +3 longbow/+2 arrow +18/+13/+8 (1d8+5)
Base Atk + 11 Grp +14
Atk Options: Stunning Fist 3/day (DC 21)
Special Actions: Wild shape 5/day (huge)
Combat Gear: amulet of mighty fists +2, +3 longbow,20 +2 arrows, belt of mishinawba strength +6, tattoo of protection +3, tattoo of major energy resistance (fire), chant of cure serious wounds, chant of summon nature’s ally V, potion of true seeing, potion of cure serious wounds
Druid Spells Prepared (CL 15th)
8th — whirlwind
7th — greater scrying, true seeing
6th — mass bull’s strength, mass cat’s grace, transport via plants
5th — awaken, call lightning storm, cure critical wounds, summon nature’s ally V
4th — discern lies*, divination*, restoration*, restore natural power*, scrying
3rd — call lightning, cure serious wounds*, greater magic fang, neutralize poison, remove disease, water breathing
2nd — animal messenger, cure moderate wounds*, diagnose natural power*, spider climb, summon swarm, tree shape, wood shape
1st — entangle, hide from animals, jump, longstrider, obscuring mist, speak with animals
0 — detect magic, detect natural power*, detect poison, know direction, light, purify food and drink
*indicates a spell not on the standard druid spell list. See New World Adventures, page 148.
Abilities: Str 11, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 15, Wis 18, Cha 15
Special Qualities:
Penacook Druid: Personal manito; wildshield +1 AC/Reflex in forest terrain; proficient in and treated as having Weapon Focus (greatclub, throwing axe); can use greatclub one-handed with Exotic Weapon Proficiency; bonus spells from cleric list; detect evil in boreal forest environment
Druid: Animal companion (wolf), nature sense, wild empathy, woodland stride, trackless step, resist nature’s lure, wild shape 5/day (huge), venom immunity, a thousand faces, timeless body
Feats: Augment Summoning, Compose Chant, Improved Unarmed Strike, Inscribe Tattoo, Pawwaw Druid, Spell Focus (conjuration), Stunning Fist
Skills: Craft (bowmaking) +5, Handle Animal +17, Heal +18, Hide +2, Knowledge (History) +17, Knowledge (Local) +13, Knowledge (Nature) +14, Knowledge (Religion) +6, Listen +4, Move Silently +2, Spot +4, Survival +12
Possessions: combat gear plus formal cape, formal headdress, belt pouch, 200 gp
Aspinaquid is the senior powwaw druid of the Penacook confederacy and chief advisor to their greater sachem Passaconnawaw. His base of operations is the sacred hill Agamenticus in the country of Piscataqua, upon the northern borders of the confederacy. There, he trains young powwaw for service in Penacook communities, and receives those of good or neutral alignment who come seeking his wisdom, local and historical lore, and powers of divination.
Aspinaquid shares Passaconnaw’s vision of a strong front against Uropan expansion, but is not happy that the greater sachem has made a treaty with the Witchlings of Naumkeag. He fears that should the coven of Naumkeag be wholly corrupted by evil, that its influence could taint the Penacook also. He has privately shared these doubts, but has not sought to undo them, because of his extreme loyalty to his leader and respect for his office.
A number of animals and trees in Piscataqua have been awakened by Aspinaquid’s efforts, including several of the tallest white pines around the foot of Agamenticus, and a pack of approximately twenty wolves, led by a 6 HD male wolf named Pebonkas (“Winter Moonâ€). These awakened beings serve as the outer ring of Aspinaquid’s defenses. The entire hill and immediate surroundings have very strong natural power, allowing druids in the area to cast spells as if they were two levels higher than their actual level, regarding level-dependent aspects of the spell, such as range, duration, and damage.
N’gadopi, Wolf Animal Companion CR 12
N Large Animal
Init +2; Senses Listen +3 Spot +3
--------AC 27, touch 15, flat-footed 22
HP 79 (12 HD; 12d8+24)
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +1
Speed 50 feet (10 squares)
Melee Bite +13/+8/+8 (1d8+5)
Base Atk +9/+4 Grp +17
Atk Options: Trip (with +2 bonus from Ability Focus feat)
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 20, Con 15, Int 4, Wis 12, Cha 7
Special Qualities: low-light vision, scent, link (Ex), share spells (Ex), devotion (Ex), multiattack, improved evasion (Ex), 6 bonus tricks
Feats: Ability Focus (trip), Improved Natural Attack (bite), Improved Trip, Track, Weapon Focus (bite)
Skills: Hide +2, Listen +5, Move Silently +8, Spot +8, Survival +1
Aspinaquid’s animal companion is a large gray wolf named N’gadopi (“I’m Hungryâ€). She is a constant presence at her master’s side, often idly chewing on a bone from a moose or deer. She can perform the following tricks: attack, come, defend, down, fetch, guard, and heel. In combat, she uses her improved trip ability to bring down her foes and attempts to pin them before biting. Her one weakness is a burning jealousy toward any other animals to whom her master shows favor, especially wolves. At these times, she growls and yips until assured that she is Aspinaquid’s favorite.