NPC, Roxon

Didn’t I warn you? This land is never kind to those who don’t know how to play its games.” 

Appearance

Lord Roxton is a tall, rugged man with a commanding presence. His once-noble features are now hardened by years of survival in the Lost Lands. He wears a charming, confident smile that conceals the darkness within. Roxton's voice is smooth and persuasive, capable of convincing almost anyone to trust him, even in the most dire circumstances. His charisma is his greatest weapon, allowing him to lure unsuspecting adventurers into his web of deceit.

Background

Current Sketch

Roxton is driven by an insatiable hunger for power, wealth, and control. His desires are paramount, and he will go to any lengths to fulfill them, regardless of the cost to others. Whether it’s hunting rare creatures, acquiring powerful artifacts, or exploiting others for his gain, Roxton’s actions are always motivated by what benefits him the most. The Plateau, a place where the natural order is already twisted, is the perfect stage for Roxton’s lawless behavior.

When new visitors arrive on the Plateau, Roxton often will watch from the shadows, observing their movements and weaknesses before making a dramatic entrance. He may leap from the trees to save an adventurer from a charging dinosaur, rolling to his feet and offering a charming grin, weapon in hand. He may even quip something like “Just in time, wouldn’t you say?” casting himself as a daring hero.

Roxton presents himself to outsiders as a gruff yet knowledgeable hunter, offering his services as a guide through the dangerous wilderness of the Plateau. He speaks of hidden treasures, ancient secrets, and potential escape routes, all designed to pique the interest of those he encounters. In truth, Roxton desires only one of three things from those who cross his path: the valuable items they carry, a means to break his curse, or the chance to indulge in his darker urges—cannibalism or hunting them for sport.

Roxton’s nature is one of inevitable betrayal. He is cursed to constantly deceive those who place their trust in him, leading them into perilous situations or using them to achieve his own ends. He might promise to guide adventurers to safety, only to abandon them at the most crucial moment, or lead them into a trap where he can take their belongings—or their lives. This tendency isn’t always rational—sometimes, Roxton will sabotage his own chances of success simply because he cannot resist the urge to ruin or sabotage something or betray someone.

Despite his sinister intentions, Roxton is skilled at maintaining the facade of a gruff but reliable ally for an extended period of time. 

He will share tales of his own survival, offer seemingly helpful advice, and even assist in battles against the Plateau’s many dangers, all to build trust. But when the moment comes, Roxton will strike without hesitation, revealing his true nature.

Roxton understands that his success relies on newcomers arriving with no knowledge of his true intentions. Each group he encounters must see him as a savior, not as a hidden predator. For this reason, when the time comes to betray the adventurers, he does so with ruthless efficiency, making sure no one lives to tell the tale. If a lone final survivor manages to escape the fate that he has prepared for their companions, Roxton will hunt them down relentlessly, using his intimate knowledge of the Plateau to track and eliminate them. His immortal endurance means he will pursue them until they are silenced. His voice echoes through the jungle as he closes in: “You can’t hide from me. This place is mine, and so are you.”

Confronting Lord Roxon

Roxton can be introduced as a seemingly invaluable ally to the characters, offering guidance and support as they navigate the perilous Plateau. As the characters become more reliant on him, Roxton will begin to subtly manipulate them, steering them towards situations where he can betray them to his advantage. The characters may uncover hints of his true nature—stories of previous adventurers who vanished under mysterious circumstances or unexplained disappearances in his presence—leading to a tense confrontation when they finally realize who Roxton truly is.

His ability to induce frenzy in the very creatures he hunts adds a dangerous element to any encounter, as his new 'allies' may suddenly find themselves overwhelmed by a rampaging horde of dinosaurs. Meanwhile, his delayed poison makes him a master of subtlety and deception—he can shake hands with someone, only to activate the deadly toxin hours later, ensuring their demise at a time of his choosing.

A firm handshake as he introduces himself, a reassuring pat on the back, or tending to a wounded adventurer’s injury—all are potential moments for Roxton to administer his Delayed Poison ability secretly.

Smooth Talker (Ex): Roxton gains a +4 bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks when interacting with non-hostile creatures. His charismatic nature allows him to deceive and manipulate others with ease, often leading them into traps or ambushes.

The jungle becomes a conspirator, its dense embrace ensuring that whatever happens within those shrouded confines remains a mystery known only to the land and its Darklord. These twin abilities allow Roxton to maintain the fearsome illusion of heroism by erasing the evidence of his betrayals. Parties who challenge or flee him will find that allies who disappear are never discovered.

The Plateau’s Complicity (Sp): Roxton often mused aloud, “Nature takes back what it’s owed.” If Roxton spends 1 minute focusing his will on the scene of a betrayal, the land fully absorbs the evidence, leaving behind nothing but natural foliage and disturbed ground that reveals no signs of struggle or foul play. Likewise, the remains of any creature killed by Roxton are swiftly hidden by the jungle. Vines, underbrush, and moss grow unnaturally fast, covering bodies and bloodstains within 1d6 minutes. Survival or Investigation checks to uncover traces of what happened suffer disadvantage and require a DC 20 check to succeed. Also any locate creature or divination spell cast within 1 mile of an area Roxton has “cleansed” has a 50% chance of failure. Roxton can invoke this ability up to three times per day as a conscious act; otherwise, the Plateau’s natural properties will hide evidence passively within 1d6 hours. This effect effectively grants Roxton +10 advantage on any Stealth or Deception checks related to concealing his actions.

The Finality of Silence (Sp)

Ability Type: Spell-like Ability (Sp)
Activation: Immediate Action
Range: 30-foot radius centered on Roxton
Duration: 1 minute
Cooldown: 3 times per day

Description: The Plateau of Shadows itself conspires with Lord Roxton, responding to his lethal intent to preserve his secrecy and ensure the isolation of his prey. As Roxton moves with deadly intent, a cold mist slithers through the underbrush, blanketing the area and obscuring sight. The rustle of leaves and the sudden, sharp calls of night birds drown out all sound, silencing any cry for help. When Roxton moves to kill or incapacitate a creature under specific conditions, the environment shifts to shroud the area in an unsettling mist and a cacophony of jungle sounds. This supernatural phenomenon muffles all noise and creates a visual barrier that obscures the scene from any nearby creatures. When the ability ends, the mists dissipate slowly, leaving behind only silence and the sense that the jungle itself has closed around the scene, concealing whatever horrors transpired.

Activation Conditions: Roxton can use only this ability when:

• • He is alone with his target(s), at least 30 feet away from any other creatures.

and/or

• • He is initiating a stealth attack or is already concealed (e.g., under foliage, inside a tent at night, hidden behind natural cover)

Mechanics:

• Muffling Sound: All attempts to scream or call for help are swallowed by the mists and drowned out by sudden, loud animal calls. Creatures within 30 feet of the targeted area must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw to hear or discern any distress signals. On a failed save, the noise is completely masked, preventing communication beyond whispers.

• Obscuring Vision: The mists heavily obscure the area, imposing disadvantage on any Perception checks and attack rolls involving sight within the radius. This effect makes it difficult for other creatures to identify Roxton’s actions or locate the source of any disturbance.

• Stealth Advantage: Roxton gains advantage on any Stealth checks made within the affected area due to the combined cover of mists and noise. He also benefits from a +5 bonus to any Deception checks to conceal his actions during or after using this ability.

Frenzy Induction (Su): Roxton has the supernatural ability to induce a frenzied state in dinosaurs or other animals within a 120-foot radius. As a standard action, Roxton can force all creatures of the Animal type within range to make a DC 18 Will save or enter a berserk frenzy for 1d4+2 rounds. Frenzied creatures gain a +2 bonus to Strength and attack rolls but lose 2 points of AC due to recklessness. However, Roxton risks losing control over them, and there is a 50% chance that frenzied animals will attack him as well as others indiscriminately. Roxton often makes use of this ability to create sudden and spontaneous stampedes, which he can then use to his advantage. 

Delayed Poison (Su): Roxton can deliver a delayed-activation poison through a simple handshake or prolonged touch. He may also choose to incorporate it subtly into a drink or food ration. The poison remains inert in the victim’s system until Roxton wills it to activate, which he can do as a free action within 72 hours after the initial contact. The poison has the following effects: - **Type:** Injury or ingested - **Save:** Fortitude DC 18 - **Initial Damage:** 1d6 Con - **Secondary Damage:** 1d6 Con - **Activation:** Roxton must be within 100 feet of the victim to activate the poison. If he does not activate it within 24 hours, it becomes inert and harmless. Roxton may deign to only induce the Initial damage, while saving the Secondary damage for later (should he choose), as a way of giving his victims 'just a taste of death.'

Predator’s Awareness (Su):  As a gift from the Dark Powers, Roxton instantly senses when outsiders have entered his Domain. He automatically becomes aware of their presence the instant they cross into the Plateau. This awareness also to their general location, allowing Roxton to track them with unnerving precision. He can pinpoint their location within a 5 mile radius, with the sense growing stronger as he closes in. Roxton gains a +4 bonus on all Survival checks to track these outsiders. If Roxton should mark any of them with his Delayed Poison ability, all of these ranges and bonuses are doubled for the ability's duration.

Roxton rarely relys on sheer brute force he is clearly capable of except a final confrontation; he is skilled at making deaths appear as accidents or results of the Plateau’s inherent dangers. Adventurers or NPCs might fall victim to staged rockslides, sudden attacks by frenzied beasts he’s secretly induced, or traps disguised as natural hazards. These tactics allow him to maintain plausible deniability.