NPC: Saperli
"Lily" Puppet
In the city of Ullengrove, capital of the frigid Kingdom of Belia, lived a young goblin girl. Abondoned at an early age, she faced many different trials and hardships just to survive, living on whatever stolen goods she could get her hands on. One day however she would steal a coin purse from one Gérard Puppet, a high ranking member of the Belian Syndicate. Despite this crime committed against him, he decided to take pity on the young girl and take her in, impressed by her quick hands. He would go on to raise her like a daughter, taking her into the business of running a gang and giving her a name, Saperli "Lily" Puppet.
Saperli Puppet would go on to train not only with Belian instructors and thiefs to hone her fighting and pilfering skills, but also picked up tricks and tools used by the shinobi of the far off islands of Fuujioshima. These tools gave her an edge in the thievery trade while also closely skirting around the Belian beliefs of technology being blasphemous.
Fall From Grace
After mastering her own techiques and tools based on the various sources she learned from, Saperli was considered to be one of, if not the best thief in the Syndicate. At the height of her career, she was given a task by her adopted father to steal a very important set of documents from a group of explorers and scholars. These documents were the long lost Life Grafter texts, a series of pieced together books and scrolls that were the basis of many practices of Bioarchitecture and rumored to contant instructions to create many mythical creatures such as the fearsome Owlbear, the acidic Black Slime, and even the terrifying Tarrasque. After infiltrating the group as a bodyguard and securing the documents in the Kingdom of Omon capital of Alicaster, she made her escape to Belia. However, she never made it to Belia and was instead ambushed and left unconcious in the streets with the texts missing.
Picking Up the Pieces
Saperli was stuck between a rock and a hard place. She couldn't stay in Omon and be arrested and she can't return to Belia empty handed as she would face a terrible fate for such a massive lost to the Syndicate. Disgraced and with no options left, she fled and hid in Port Azulia of the Daryion Empire. Here she became a gig theif, stealing the odd trinket here and there for a price, and even made friends in the form of the Fuujioshima immigrant Sung and the shrimp chef Kuruma. Here in this port town she continues to search for the Life Grafter texts, hoping to reclaim her prior title as the greatest theif of the Syndicate.
Saperli as an Ally or Enemy
Adventurers who come across Saperli have the choice of either trying to convince her to aid them in a quest of theirs in exchange for either gold or items. Depending on the request her rates will change, often starting at around 100 gold pieces for more simple jobs and can go up to 1000 or more for more labor intensive or dangerous ones. If the party offers up information regarding the whereabouts of the Life Grafter documents or other items that might interest Saperli, this might increase her willingness to help or lower her rates.
Additionally, should the party's morals and alignment not match with Saperli's, she might try and backstab the party. Generally while motivated by coin, she is kind at heart and will try to help more often than not and avoid unnecessary or cruel actions.
Saperli "Lily" Puppet
Small humanoid (goblin), Chaotic Neutral
- Armor Class 16 (leather armor)
- Hit Points 83 (11d8+33)
- Speed 30 feet
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 8 (-1) 20 (+5) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)
- Saving Throws Dex +9 Int +6
- Skills Sleight of Hand +13, Stealth +13, Investigation +10, Acrobatics +9, Insight +9
- Condition Immunities charmed, frightened
- Senses passive Perception 11
- Languages Common, Goblin, Thieves’ Cant
- Challenge 11 (10,000 XP)
Evasion. If Saperli is subjected to an effect that allows she to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, Saperli instead takes no damage if she succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if she fails.
Master of Stealth. When Saperli is moving in dim light or darkness, she gains an additional 20 feet to her movement speed. Additionally, if she enters combat while hidden, she gains +3 to her initiative.
Sneak Attack. Once per turn, the Saperli deals an extra 14 (4d6) damage when she hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 feet of an ally of Saperli that isn't incapacitated and she doesn't have disadvantage on the attack roll.
Actions
Multiattack. Saperli Puppet can make two weapon attacks with her Shinobi Blade or daggers, or one weapon attack and one use of her Tools of the Shadows
Shinobi Blade. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target within Saperli's range. Hit: 11 (1d10+5) slashing damage. Target must make DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 11 (2d10) acid damage and become poisoned for 1 minute. This effect can be used oncer per long rest.
Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft. or 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d4 + 5) piercing damage.
Tools of the Shadows (5/Day). Saperli uses her practices and skills of a shinobi to create one of the effects listed below.
Blinding Haze. Saperli summons a cloud of dirt, ash, or broken glass and force any creatures within a 10 foot radius in a spot within 30 feet of Saperli to make a DC 17 Dexterity or Constitution saving throw (their choice), on a failure they are blinded until the end of Saperli's next turn
Grease Trap. Saperli breaks of bottle of slick liquid on the ground. In a 10x10 foot area within 30 feet of her, the ground is slick and forces any creatures in the area or end their turn there to make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw, being knocked prone on a failure. Regardless of failing or succeeding, all creatures treat the area as difficult terrain. This lasts for 1 minute or can be cleaned up using an action for each 5 feet.
Breath of Flame. Saperli flings a wad of material that she has set ablaze. A creature within 15 feet of her has to make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw, on a failure they take 12 (2d6 + 5) in fire damage, and take an additional +5 fire damage at then end of their turn for 1 minute or until they take an an action to pat themselves down and end this effect.
Bonus Actions
Cunning Action. Saperli can take the Dash, Disengage or Hide actions as a bonus action on her turn.
Suggestions When Running Saperli
If you are having trouble with thinking on how you want to play Saperli in your games, here are a few suggestions. She tends to be pretty serious while in a high stakes job, however in less serious and dangerous scenarios she tends to be a bit more chaotic. She often makes light hearted jabs at others and will bite people she likes, and feel free to take your own spin on other things she would do.
Created by Hicks Homebrew
Edited and helped by the wonderful people of the Discord of Many Things server.
Art by Rika Rini