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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

Pathfinder RPG (1st Edition) Pathfinder RPG (2nd Edition) Starfinder RPG

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Abilities | Monsters | NPCs

Shou "Old" Matsuki, Popular Local Old-Timer

At the tender age of 10, Shou Matsuki was already part of the family carpentry business and participating in the construction of the monastery. A few weeks short of being 99 years old this year, Shou is the only human left in Willowshore who has experienced the village's entire history in person. He fondly remembers the vibrant days when pilgrims filled the streets, speaks highly of his fellow migrant workers in the decade when they sought work outside the village, and grumbles about Lung Wa's takeover.

Outwardly, Old Matsuki is a belligerent elderly man who prefers alcohol over tea, thinks the Northridge faction is always up to no good, and laments at the brothel's transformation into an inn. In private, everyone knows he has a soft spot for the future of Willowshore's culture, traditions, and people. During the monster invasion, his mind remains sharp and focused as he organizes Southbank to fortify their position, buying precious time for the surviving villagers to figure out how they might take Willowshore back.

Campaign Use

If Shou Matsuki becomes Willowshore's interim governor, he favors Southbank's farmers and traditions. This development makes it easier for the PCs to prepare the town's food stores for the coming winter, but at the cost of not having a head start at shoring up the town's defenses in the coming months.

Once the town of Willowshore is safe at the start of Chapter 3, the PCs can attempt to interact with Old Matsuki using the Influence subsystem. An influence encounter with Old Matsuki is a 3rd-level challenge, and an influence round with him takes 1 hour. If any attempt to Influence him results in a critical failure and the PCs have fewer than 5 Influence Points with him, he uses his Respect your Elders! ability against that PC soon thereafter.

Recall Knowledge - Humanoid (Society): DC 30
Unspecific Lore: DC 28
Specific Lore: DC 25

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

Shou "Old" MatsukiCreature 5

Unique NG Medium Human Humanoid 
Source Pathfinder #196: The Summer That Never Was pg. 92
Male human carpenter
Perception +12; cataracts, wood-grain speaker
Languages Common, Hwan, Minkaian, Tengu
Skills Crafting +13, Diplomacy +12, Nature +12, Society +11, Willowshore Lore +13
Str +2, Dex -1, Con +1, Int +4, Wis +3, Cha +3
Cataracts Old Matsuki's deteriorating eyesight imposes a –2 circumstance penalty to vision-based Perception checks.
Wood-Grain Speaker Old Matsuki gains a +2 circumstance bonus to Perception when examining wood items, structures, and trees. He can use Crafting to Identify Magic for items primarily made of wood. This ability isn't affected by Old Matsuki's cataracts.
You Know, They Say... Old Matsuki can use Willowshore Lore in place of Arcana, Medicine, Occultism, or Religion to attempt Recall Knowledge checks with a –2 penalty. He has the effects of the Dubious Knowledge feat for Recall Knowledge checks attempted in this way.
Items +1 striking staff, sterling carpenter's artisan tools, calabash bottle worth 20 gp
AC 18; Fort +10, Ref +8, Will +12
HP 70
Speed 25 feet
Melee [one-action] staff +11 [+6/+1] (magical, two-hand d8), Damage 2d4+4 bludgeoningA Drink for Good Luck [three-actions] (emotion, enchantment, fortune, mental, occult) Frequency once per season; Requirements Old Matsuki has a drink in hand; Effect Old Matsuki toasts to good fortune, then selects up to six other creatures within 30 feet before he drinks his drink. He, and all creatures that drink before the end of their next turn, become infused with good luck. Once before the end of the current season, each target can reroll a failed saving throw as a free action, taking the second result.Respect Your Elders! [three-actions] (auditory, emotion, enchantment, linguistic, mental, occult) Frequency once per day; Effect Old Matsuki publicly chastises a character he can see and who's within 30 feet for being disrespectful, not just against him or Willowshore's other elders, but against Willowshore's traditions. Whether or not his reprimands are justified, the target of this tirade must attempt a DC 22 Will save.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected and immune to Respect Your Elders! for 1 week.
Success The creature feels a momentary bout of shame, becoming stupefied 1 for 1 round.
Failure Feelings of shame and doubt nag at the creature, distracting them enough that they become stupefied 1 for 1 hour.Wait, Give Me a Moment... [reaction] Trigger Old Matsuki fails a check to Recall Knowledge; Frequency once per day; Effect Old Matsuki realizes his error, then rerolls the triggering check with a +2 circumstance bonus.