The Little Lad

In the autumn of 1887, a garrulous young vagrant stumbled upon a gingerbread cottage deep within the Sussex moors, drawn by the aroma of confections and the promise of a warm meal. The cottage's owner, a reclusive confectioner named Margot Sweetwell, initially welcomed him with open arms, but his incessant prattling—leaping from topic to topic with maddening unpredictability, accompanied by fits of piercing, uncontrollable laughter that lasted entire minutes—gradually eroded her sanity like water upon stone. After three days of his relentless verbal torrent, Margot finally snapped, cursing him with her dying breath to remain forever suspended in the body of a plump nine-year-old, forever forced to walk the world as a child while his mind aged without end. Now, over a century later, The Little Lad drifts through existence as an eternal student, condemned to sit in schoolhouses with actual children who find him simultaneously baffling and unbearable, a fate he laments bitterly and at exhausting length. His only respite comes when he encounters his singular obsession—berries and cream—which sends him into an ecstatic, high-stepping dance accompanied by rapturous chanting, a phenomenon as inexplicable as it is involuntary. Despite his physical fragility and his monstrous curse, he survives through cunning and his peculiar gift for storytelling, using his bardic talents to manipulate those around him while remaining fundamentally indifferent to the suffering his presence causes.

Strength

10, modifier 0

Dexterity

14, modifier +2

Constitution

14, modifier +2

Intelligence

16, modifier +3

Wisdom

12, modifier +1

Charisma

18, modifier +4

Charming Chatter

The Little Lad can speak endlessly, distracting one creature within 30 ft. They must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed for 1 minute.

Berry Dance

Upon consuming berries and cream, The Little Lad performs a jig. All allies within 30 ft. gain advantage on their next attack roll.

Annoying Laughter

The Little Lad can unleash a shrill laugh, forcing all creatures within 15 ft. to make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be incapacitated until the end of their next turn.

Eternal Youth

The Little Lad cannot age or die from natural causes, but is vulnerable to harm.

Obnoxious Presence

Creatures within 10 feet must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or be distracted, imposing disadvantage on their next attack.

strength

+0

dexterity

+2

constitution

+2

intelligence

+3

wisdom

+1

charisma

+4