![[Skab.png]] ### Skab - The Elegant Skeletal Merchant **Origins:** Skab's story begins centuries ago when he was a wealthy merchant in life, known for his impeccable taste and unrivalled charisma. Traveling across kingdoms, Skab amassed a fortune through cunning deals and an innate ability to procure rare and exotic goods. However, his insatiable ambition led him to a forbidden deal with a lich. In exchange for wealth and success beyond mortal comprehension, Skab promised his eternal service should he ever meet an untimely end. Fate intervened when one of his rivals betrayed him. Poisoned and left for dead in a shadowy alley, Skab awoke to find himself cursed—now an animated skeleton bound to fulfil his contract with the lich. Rather than despair, Skab embraced his new form, using his undead nature to continue his mercantile exploits indefinitely. --- **Appearance:** Skab is a skeletal figure of sophistication. He wears a tailored purple suit, a black waistcoat, and a black top hat, all meticulously maintained despite his skeletal nature. His polished bone structure gleams faintly, hinting at a magical aura that keeps him intact. The wardrobe strapped to his back is massive, ornate, and enchanted to hold far more than its appearance suggests, brimming with wares ranging from mundane trinkets to priceless artifacts. --- **Personality:** Charming, witty, and sharp, Skab has an undeniable flair for salesmanship. He combines his suave demeanour with an undercurrent of mystery, making him both alluring and intimidating. He’s a conversationalist who enjoys exchanging tales as much as he enjoys haggling. While Skab is a savvy businessman, he has a strict code of ethics when it comes to trade, never cheating his customers—though he may drive a hard bargain. --- **Goods and Services:** Skab specializes in rare and unconventional items: - **Cursed Artifacts:** Dangerous but powerful tools for the daring. - **Forgotten Tomes:** Books containing forbidden knowledge or ancient spells. - **Enchanted Trinkets:** Useful, whimsical, or outright bizarre magical items. - **Potion Ingredients:** Hard-to-find components for alchemy. - **Custom Wares:** Skab is known to procure specific items for adventurers willing to pay a premium. --- **Abilities:** 1. **Magical Wardrobe:** The wardrobe on Skab's back is an extradimensional storage space, enchanted to hold his vast inventory and defend him if necessary. It can animate to shield him or attack foes. 2. **Ethereal Movement:** Skab can phase through walls or objects to escape danger. 3. **Trade Pact:** Any deal struck with Skab is magically binding, ensuring both parties fulfil their end of the bargain. 4. **Necrotic Immunity:** As an undead being, he is immune to most forms of necrotic damage and cannot be poisoned. --- **Reputation:** Legends about Skab spread across the realms. Some see him as a saviour, providing vital tools and knowledge to those in need, while others view him as a harbinger of doom, tempting the desperate into making deals they later regret. Adventurers, kings, and scholars alike seek him out, though finding Skab is no easy task—he appears where he chooses, often in the dead of night on forgotten roads or abandoned marketplaces. --- **Goals:** While Skab is primarily driven by his love of trade and wealth, there are whispers that he seeks to outwit the lich who cursed him. By collecting powerful artifacts, he hopes to free himself from his eternal contract and reclaim control over his own fate. ---