Klen Friedson, Retired Ghost
Klen was born in a small town in an obscure part of the country, the son of a butcher. Klen’s father originally tried to get the boy to follow in his footsteps, but when he found that his son had no interest in the trade he began apprenticing his son to anyone in town, hoping that he would find his true calling. Years past, and each year Klen’s master found him to be un-teachable and returned him to his father. Eventually, Klen had tried every profession in the town, and still had no interest in any of them. Klen’s father died believing that his son would grow up to be a beggar.
A month after his father’s death, Klen found that his meager inheritance was running out, and that he would soon have to find a way to survive. By a stroke of luck, a passerby named Janip Abney came into town and needed a place to stay. Klen let Janip stay at his house, and listened to his story. Janip’s father had also died recently, and had left him an inheritance six times as large as Klen’s. Janip planned to use it to start a shipping company, which would run from a large city, through Klen’s hometown, and to the sea. Unfortunately, on the way, Janip had been robbed by ogre bandits, barely escaping with his life, but losing all of his inheritance that he had intended to use to start the company. Klen immediately volunteered to use his meager resources to fund the company, and in exchange got a full partnership. “Abney and Friedson’s Shipping” opened, using Klen’s home as a base of operations.
The company was a huge success, and became one of the largest companies in the city. Klen spent most of his time traveling between their office in the city, his home town and the port they used for shipping. Eventually, Janip died while accompanying valuable cargo when the ship sank, making Klen the sole owner of the company. Still, he kept the name, out of respect for his deceased friend. In his elder years, Klen married a young wife and had a daughter. His wife died in childbirth, and Klen was left to raise the child alone. For twelve years he juggled his company and his daughter, but ten years into it he developed a terminal disease. His nerves were dying randomly, causing great pain and even blinding him in one eye. Two years after developing this disease, Klen retired to spend the rest of his days caring for his daughter. He sold the company for a small fortune, on the condition that the name never change.
Klen spent the next year devoting all of his time to his daughter and slowly dying. However, as though by a miracle, one day Klen woke up and felt completely rejuvenated. There was no more pain, and most amazingly of all, Klen could see again. He leapt out of bed and ran down the stairs, only to see his living room filled with mourners. Klen had passed away in the night and was found by his daughter. However, Klen was not done with the mortal world, and his will kept him on this world as a ghost.
Though Klen was jarred by this realization, he took his transition from life to undeath fairly well. He is grateful to finally be free from his disease, and considers the lost of a few of the niceties of life to be a fair trade for being relieved of his sickness. Klen’s daughter, and even the rest of the town, has become accustomed to their undead resident. Klen is known for throwing the best parties, and is considered to be a particularly good parent, cheating even death to continue raising his daughter. Most of the villagers are very protective of Klen, as a handful of good-intentioned monster hunters have tried to exorcise the ghost in the past. Klen has never resorted to violence to defend himself, and has simply convinced all intruders that he does not pose a threat, and that he really does simply want to continue his retirement in peace. Klen’s mansion bears a striking resemblance to a typical haunted house, at least from the outside. This is due to Klen releasing the staff that took care of the house from his employ soon after his death, after he realized that he no longer needed to eat, and could not leave the house, so there was little point in taking care of the gardens. Klen spends most of his time reading, though by now he had read every book in his library at least once, and taking hot baths. Klen finds that he quite enjoys being able to feel things again, and when in hot enough water it almost feels like he is in a normal bath.
It has been five years since Klen’s death, and his daughter Alice is ready to be married. Klen has reserved a lucrative dowry for her, and has been meeting with potential suitors. Alice has her own house in the town now, where she practices painting, but brings every suitor to have dinner with her father. Klen has scared away most of the suitors, not due to malicious intent, but because of his undead nature. Most of all, Klen wants his daughter to be happy, but he also hopes that she will chose a husband that will take her to see the world. As such, he is fond of inviting adventurers to meet Alice. Alice is very fond and caring towards her father, and comes by the mansion often to bring him a new book or to fill up his bathtub. She is reluctant to leave her father, who she is convinced cannot get by without her help. It is possible that Klen will move on to the afterlife once Alice is married, but he might also stay around to see his grandchildren.
Lawful Good male ghost (medium undead)
Expert 5th
Hit Dice: 5d12 (38 hp)
Initiative: -1
Speed: Fly 30 ft
Armor Class: 15 (-1 dex, +6 deflection)
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+1
Attack: None
Damage: None
Space/Reach: 5ft/5ft
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +0, Will +6
Abilities: Str 7, Dex 9, Con -, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 22
Skills: Profession (sailor) +10, Profession (business) +12, Comprehend Language (4 languages), Ride +7, Diplomacy +14, Sense Motive +12, Knowledge (local) +11, Knowledge (business) +13, Knowledge (history) +11
Feats: Skill Focus (profession [business]), Skill Focus (knowledge [business]), Skill Focus (sense motive)
Equipment: Klen had no equipment, instead he has a 9,000 gold piece dowry set aside for Alice.
Special Attacks: Manifestation, Telekinesis
Special Qualities: Rejuvenation, Turn Resistance +4