Sir Robert Gleaning
As it’s Medium Week and we’ll be talking about this class all week, there’s no better way to start things off than a brand new medium NPC. in addition to being a powerful medium, This week’s new NPC is also a psychic detective, one of my all time favorite characters. While all my favorite psychic detectives are either consultants, con artists, or both, this week’s new NPC, Sir Robert Gleaning, is actually far from either. Sir Robert is both a lawfully appointed authority figure and skilled investigator, burdened by stress from the real world and the spirit world. I hope you find a great deal of joy in this fun NPC, who is useful in a variety of situations. He can be used as an ally of the PCs to help them on an investigation, or as a potential quest-giver, or you could make him a thorn in your PCs’ side as he investigates them, looking for the truth behind their shady adventuring ways.
The stats presented here assume Sir Robert is currently channeling the guardian spirit, and some of his abilities will change depending on which spirit he is channeling; these are denoted with an asterisk. You should keep in mind that Sir Robert must always fight defensively when channeling the guardian spirit, and this has not been factored into his stat-block. For more information, see Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Occult Adventures.
Sir Robert Gleaning
This stocky man is exceptionally tall for a dwarf, and his determined face is wrinkled with age, stress—or both. He dresses in a well-used suit of mail armor, bearing the symbol of the local lord on his surcoat. At his side is a very serviceable axe which appears to cut as sharply as his stern, no-nonsense stare. His voice commands your attention, though you can tell it is touched by weariness.
SIR ROBERT GLEANING, SPIRIT DETECTIVE CR 14
XP 38,400
Male dwarf medium 15
LN Medium humanoid (dwarf)
Init -1; Senses darkvision; Perception +30
DEFENSE
AC 35, touch 15, flat-footed 35 (+12 armor, +2 deflection, -1 Dex, +7 shield, +1 natural, +4 spirit bonus*)
hp 112 (15d8+45)
Fort +11*, Ref +9*, Will +15
Defensive Abilities sudden block*
DR 7/–*; Resist acid 7*, cold 7*, electricity 7*, fire 7*, sonic 7*
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft.
Melee +1 axiomatic dwarven waraxe +15/+10/+5* (1d10+6* plus 2d6 vs. chaotic)
Special Attacks haunt channeler (7d6), spirit surge (1d8), wrath of the guardian
Spells Known (CL 15)
0—detect magic, detect psychic influenceOA, flare (DC 12), open-close, read magic, resistance
1st (4/day) — command (DC 13), comprehend languages, disguise self, detect undead, protection from chaos, true strike
2nd (3/day)—aid, blur, haste, invisibility, knock, paladin’s sacrificeAPG*, zone of truth (DC 14)
3rd (2/day)—detect scrying, dimension door, dispel magic, greater invisibility, locate creature
4th (1/day)—break enchantment, plane shift, true seeing
STATISTICS
Str 16, Dex 8, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 14
Base Atk +11; CMB +14 CMD 26*
Feats Alertness, Iron Will, Persuasive, Skill Focus (Intimidate, Perception, Sense Motive), Toughness, Weapon Focus (dwarven waraxe)
Skills Diplomacy +24, Intimidate +30, Perception +30, Sense Motive +30, Spellcraft +19
SQ ask the spirits, astral journey, connection channel, favored of the guardian, location channel, propitiation, shared séance, spirit (guardian, 1 influence point), taboo, trance of three
ENCOUNTERS
Entourage solitary
Gear +1 axiomatic dwarven waraxe, +3 full plate, +3 tower shield, amulet of natural armor +1, cloak of resistance +1, ring of protection +2
Boon Sir Robert will allow characters he trusts to join in his séances, granting them the séance bonus. Additionally, he will use his ask the spirits, connection channel, and location channel abilities to aid any character in the pursuit of justice.
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Favored of the Guardian (Su): Sir Robert is favored by the spirits of the guardian legend and he can always channel those spirits, regardless of where he is. He treats all places as the guardian spirits’ favored locations.
Wrath of the Guardian (Su): For every point of influence a guardian spirit has over him, Sir Robert gains a +1 bonus on all attack rolls and a +2 bonus on all damage rolls.
Background
Sir Robert Gleaning is a dwarven knight in service of a dozen or so minor lords and barons throughout the idealistic human kingdom he dwells in. Though a dwarf, Sir Robert Gleaning chose a human name for himself and prefers to think of himself in a purely human context, having abandoned much of his dwarven heritage in favor of pleasing those he keeps company with. An accomplished medium, Sir Robert has made a great name for himself by solving crimes in which the victims have died, or in which the witnesses refuse to cooperate. Relying on his otherworldly contacts and ability to call up dead spirits, Sir Robert has proven able to find the truth where no one else could, a fact that earned him the favor of the nobility and ultimately led to his rise in station. Now Sir Robert commands a large law enforcement organization, empowered by mutual cooperation between the nobility to ensure smooth and able enforcement of the law. Though he prefers to keep out of most day-to-day affairs and manage things from afar, Sir Robert occasionally ventures into the field when his talents are required, lending his considerable efforts to high profile and interesting cases. Even with limited action, Sir Robert suffers under a great deal of pressure, brought on by normal job stress and challenges unique to his special brand of investigation, and he has often turned to strong dwarven-made drinks for relief, his last concession to his heritage. This has led many who meet him to find him grumpy, weary, and often inebriated, causing some to question his talents, and in turn forcing Sir Robert to prove himself on the field.
Sir Robert began humbly enough, as a proud member of a dwarven guard attached to the now-deceased Lord Hammerton’s bodyguard. When he reached his middle years, he began to see ghosts and other spiritual beings, which led the other dwarves in his guard to spurn him. Though shunned, Sir Robert continued dutifully in his service and one day, after his lord's brother had been assassinated, he saw the brother's spirit and was able to make peaceful contact with it and learned of his killer. Acting on the spirit’s information, Sir Robert saw that justice was served and earned great esteem with his lord, who elevated him to greater status. Happy to be of service, Sir Robert eagerly leapt at the chance to serve as a prestigious investigator for human lords, spurning the dwarven heritage that had rejected him. For many years, Sir Robert solved high-profile crimes and was eventually elevated to knighthood. In the time since, however, his talents have begun to take a toll on Sir Robert.
Now Sir Robert lives in dread of the next time his skills are called for, hoping instead to rest, but willing to act if called upon. Though Sir Robert only works on high-profile cases now, he commands numerous agents to oversee law enforcement within the kingdom and it would be impossible for him to be involved in every case; still, his seeming seclusion has led some to errantly believe him to be an unjust tyrant, only interested in his next drink. When possible, Sir Robert prefers to leave things up to his underlings and allows them to operate with a good deal of autonomy, but certain threats are sure to bring him into action, including his arch-nemesis, a viscous and clever killer known only as the Ankh, a moniker earned for a unique brand with which he mutilates his victims.