Mephit James

“Look ‘ere, Darius! This li’l bugger thinks he can play with the big boys! Whatcha gonna do wit’ that tiny sword, buddy?”-A drunken tiefling to James, moments before finding that 'tiny sword' hilt-deep in his gut.

Sigil is known as the Center of the Multiverse; a title that many might dispute. Most planars are familiar with the self-assured primes who wander into the Cage and try to assert the authority of their home plane. These Clueless are passed off and usually sent with a few new scars for their arrogance. Among Cagers, though, some think that the Upper Planes should be given more preference than the Lower Planes, or that the Spire is a more accurate central point. And then there’s the mercenary who calls himself Mephit James.      Many decades ago, a barmy mage in his secluded demiplane study created an ice mephit as a servant. He named the impish creature James, after himself, and set him about to keep the place clean. Soon he specified his servant’s name to be Mephit James “to avoid confusion.” The mephit worked hard, but slowly grew to realize that his creator was growing rapidly crazier and also was a strict and harsh master. At his first chance, the mephit made his escape attempt, bolting for an escape portal when he thought that James the Mage was asleep. When the wizard jumped up from his chair with a cackle to block the mephit’s path, Mephit James acted on instinct and threw a lit candelabra at his master. While the spellslinger panicked and tried to put out his burning robes, the mephit, panicked and desperate himself, grabbed a heavy bookend and cracked James the Mage in the head.  The old man collapsed dead.      Coming to his senses, Mephit James put out the flames before they could light the rest of the study on fire. He quickly gathered some supplies (mostly shiny amulets and a sack to carry them in) and ran out the exit portal. He found himself in the City of Glass on top of a tall corral building. After gaping for a long while at the bustling metropolis, Mephit James glided down to the city’s bazaar and began to explore. Before long he heard a commotion in the middle of a plaza. Flitting above the crowd to a balcony, James saw a group of adventurers battling a large hezrou. The party’s sorcerer was capturing most of the crowd’s attention, but James focused on the two fighters, superb swordsmen who were confounding the tanar’ri with a whirl of blades. Making short work of the demon, the adventurers grabbed a scroll case off of the fiend’s body and ran for an alley. With the advantage of flight, James had little trouble following them, and eventually approached them when they stopped running to rest and check for pursuit. At first sight of the mephit the party readied for another fight, but James held his hands out in a peace gesture. He didn’t want to fight, only to know if the swordsmen might teach him to fight so well.      Laughing hard, the adventurers told the mephit to take off until the crafty James pulled out two particularly nice amulets from his sack. The adventurers crowded around to look at the magic items, which the sorcerer had identified as very valuable pieces, and eventually the party agreed to take the mephit along with them as long as he behaved and paid for himself. Bartering some of his other valuables for a fine rapier and some other items, James began his mercenary career.      At first, he was happy to just watch and learn, occasionally convincing the warriors to teach him a bit. The adventurers traveled throughout the Inner Planes, on an extended quest to find a series of items. James excelled quickly and became a true asset to the party, but was never treated as anything more than a curious nuisance. They would never commend him, just tell him to stay out from underfoot and try to be useful. Frustrated, James began to grow angry with the adventurers and took increasing time away from them when they arrived in towns. When the party finally left to return to the Outer Planes, James followed reluctantly.      In the face of the headstrong and arrogant Outer Planes, Mephit James’s anger strengthened considerably and he soon left the group, taking his share of the loot with him. Spending some time in Sigil, James made a name for himself as a skilled swordsman and reliable mercenary, but his true mission in the Cage is to help and win over all Inner Planers he comes across. He believes strongly in the superiority of the Elements and frequently recites orations of the achievements in the Inner Planes.      Mephit James is business-like and curt to anyone not from the Inner Planes. He rarely takes jobs on the Outer Planes and only stays in Sigil to have better access to jobs. When meeting someone of elemental heritage, however, James opens up considerably and is extremely generous and happy to help. He sees all elemental individuals in the Outer Planes as kindred spirits and will generally side with them in spite of philosophical or motivation clashes. The only clash he won’t tolerate is a disdain of the Inner Planes: any employers who make disparaging mephit remarks will be flatly turned down. On more than one occasion, James has tried to kill Outer Planers who are especially superior. Despite this, James is considered a valuable mercenary and has a large number of consistent employers.

Mephit James(Pl / male ice mephit / fighter 7, duelist 3 / CN)

Ice Mephit: CR 13; Small Outsider (Air, Cold, Extraplanar); HD 3d8+7d10+3d10+13; hp 81; Init +6; Spd 30 ft., fly 50 ft. (perfect).; AC 20 (+1 size, +4 Dex, +4 natural, +1 canny defense), touch 16, flat-footed 15; Base Atk +13/+8/+3; Grp +10/+5; Atk +22 melee (rapier 1d4+6), Full Atk +22 melee (rapier 1d4+6), +12 melee (claw 1d3 +1 + 1d4 cold damage) or +12 melee (rapier 1d4+6); SA breath weapon, spell-like abilities, summon mephit; SQ canny defense, damage reduction 5/magic, darkvision 60 ft., enhanced mobility, fast healing 2, fire resistance 10/-, immunity to cold, improved reaction, vulnerability to fire; AL CN; SV Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +3; Str 13, Dex 19, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 9, Cha 14.      Skills and Feats: Balance +8, Climb +5, Jump +5, Knowledge (Inner Planes) +3, Listen +5, Perform (Oratory) +6, Search +5, Sense Motive +3, Swim +5, Tumble +12. Alertness, Augment Summoning, Blind Fighting, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Mobility, Spell Focus (Conjuration), Weapon Finesse.      Mephit James speaks Auran, Aquan, Ignan, Planar Common, and Terran.      Breath Weapon (Su): Once every 1d4 rounds, as a standard action, James can breathe a 10-foot cone of ice shards, dealing 1d4 cold damage to all inside (Reflex save DC 12 for half). Living creatures in the cone that fail their Reflex saves are tormented by frostbitten skin and frozen eyes unless they have immunity to cold or are otherwise protected. This effect imposes a -4 penalty to AC and a -2 penalty on attack rolls for 3 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +1 racial bonus.      Canny Defense (Ex): When not wearing armor or using a shield, James gains a +1 dodge bonus from Intelligence to AC. If he is denied his Dexterity bonus, he is also denied this bonus.      Enhanced Mobility (Ex): Mephit James’s Mobility bonus is increased to +8.      Fast Healing (Ex): As an ice mephit, James heals only if he is touching a piece of ice of at least Tiny size or if the ambient temperature is 32°F or below.      Spell-Like Abilities: James has the following spell-like abilities: 1/hour— magic missile (caster level 3rd); 1/day— chill metal (DC 14, caster level 6th). The save DC (12 + spell level) is Charisma-based.      Summon Mephit (Sp): Once per day, James can attempt to summon another ice mephit, much as though casting a summon monster spell, but with only a 25% chance of success. Roll d%: On a failure, no creature answers the summons that day. A mephit that has just been summoned cannot use its own summon ability for 1 hour. This ability is the equivalent of a 2nd-level spell. James’s summoning has an increased DC (15) from Spell Focus and summoned ice mephits gain a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength and Constitution from Augment Summoning.      Equipment Carried: Cape of the Mountebank, 4 elemental gems (one for each elemental plane), thunderous cold iron rapier +5, ring of minor fire resistance.

Credits:Author: Colin WilsonEditor: Rob MooreArtist: Sergio Rodriguez