(Neogi Merchant/Mage)
by Terry HawkinsBelow is an NPC and his henchmen that I used in my Astromundi Cluster campaign. It is a way to get the players a ship is they cannot find another way to get one (such as signing on with a merchant house).
AC 3 (Stone Skin for 8 hits), MV 6, HD 5, HP 40, THAC0: 15, claws 1d4/1d4, bite 1d6 + slow poison, KNOWN SPELLS: Magic Missile (3 missiles), Shocking "Bite", Charm Person, Enlarge (usually on Umber Hulk), ESP, Web, Stinking Cloud, Vampiric Touch, Hold Person, Black Tentacles. Vulgron also wears an amulet of spell turning.
Umber Hulk AC 2 (Stone Skin for 6 hits), MV 6, br 1, HD 8+8, hp 68, THAC0: 11, Claws 3d4/3d4, Bite 1d10 + paralytic poison bite , SPECIAL ATTACK: gaze causes confusion, Vulgron has hollowed out his mandibles so that they can hold one dose of poison. Vulgron's tatoos of ownership are etched into the forehead and cheast.
Vulgron is a strange neogi that is a little too friendly for comfort. His constant smile shows his sharp teeth and pieces of his last meal. His hide is covered with metal piercings indicating that he has closed many business deals in the past. He is always looking for a profit in anything he does (nothing is for free, but if he really wants something else from the party, it will be very cheap).
Vulgron may offer the party the use (for rent) of a ship; tradesman with minor helm. (He is not concerned about the PC's stealing it since he has Wizard Mark on it in several places and can locate it with Magic Mirror at any time. If anyone steals his property he hires assassins to go after them. He also has invisible explosive runes on the hull which are only triggered if the ship enters the phlogiston.) Rental on the ship is 500gp per month, plus 10% of any profits from its use. Vulgron may also hire PC's for various missions throughout the Cluster but will warn them to not betray him or leave the cluster (if they should find a way). He has the PC's sign a contract that says nothing about a promise to return the ship, but rather; if they break theircontract that their owner/relatives/benefactors cannot seek retribution or legal revenge against he for what happens the PC's (this should be a hint). He always insists on sealing each contract by exchanging body piercing with the leader of the party (Bottem of Page 14 in The Celestial Almanac). Vulgron can provide provides the rings for a mere gold piece each.
Other spells Vulgron has access to include: Detect Magic, Identify, Mending, Read Magic, Wizard Mark, Hypnotic Pattern, Locate Object, Misdirection, Wizard Lock, Knock, Clairvoyance, Dispel Magic, Explosive Runes, Non-Detection, Suggestion, Charm Monster, Detect Scrying, Illusionary Wall, Magic Mirror, Stoneskin, Vacancy.
The Elements of Suprise, A group of assassins that Vulgarian gathered and trained to work together as his agents. He paid a xixchil to make several "modifications" on these agents.
