The Monkey King

Thrown out of the plane of beasts for his endless chaotic pranks, the Monkey King answers to many names, among them Hanuman, Bacchus and Agent of the celestial court of heaven, but he likes plain 'Monkey King' best. As a man he is a merry master of disguise, often decked in a jester's bright patchwork. As a monkey he favors jewelry or a crown. In both shapes he carries a long staff, his magical sceptre.

Unarmed, he fights in a lurching, wildly unpredictable style that lands two blows a round for 1d6 each, and any hit also lets him try to Pick Pockets. Hanging from a branch or anything else overhead, he can use his long, nimble prehensile tail to pick pockets or trip a foe. In human form he may swing the staff instead, once a round for 2d6+4.

Given a full round to hoot, jeer, pull faces and pelt a target with scraps of food and filth, he produces the effect of a taunt spell.

His telepathy never switches off, so he cannot be surprised or fooled. When his life is at stake he has a 90% chance of a 'bad feeling' and a 25% chance of knowing exactly what is coming. He can use anti-magic shell three times a day and plane shift and teleport as well, and his charm person works on anyone fond of monkeys. Three times a day he can call 2d6 monkeys, who always come. Charm effects and magic that compels action, such as geas, never affect him. He has a keen nose and a monkey's speed and balance, performs every thief skill, reading languages and magical scrolls included, at 95%, and climbs walls without fail.

He watches over monkeys on every world and plane and defends troops that humans threaten. He loves warm weather, sweet fruit and idle days, yet no comfortable spot holds him for long. Beyond food and shelter he needs adventure, mischief and trickery, and that itch has pulled him out of many safe havens into the wild.

He is never without his sceptre, which shifts at will into a wand, staff, cane, spear, shovel or any other long tool made at least partly of wood. With it he can pole-vault over any obstacle or float up to stroll across the clouds, as with air walk. A thief bold enough to steal it can use it normally for one day, which is time enough for its owner to track it down as long as it stays on the plane where it was taken. After that it does nothing until the Monkey King touches it again.