Fantasy - Neutrals 50 Yana Risad Bored Prankster “Your ale has been salted? How might that have happened? If I hadn’t had to nurse the pinches and slaps you have given me all night, I might have been able to pay better attention.” Appearance: Yana is an attractive and petite young woman with shoulder-length black hair and a high forehead. She speaks with a high-pitched voice. Her clothes are always bespoke, but never fancy. Roleplaying: She feigns paying attention to people, while handling their possessions to find out which ones they care about the most, so that she can target them later in a prank. Personality: Yana is impish, and loves to play jokes on people to watch them get mad. She can’t hide her laughter, which reveals that she is the cause of the prank. She is never serious and, just after the target becomes upset, she will undo what she has done. Motivation: She is bored and detests that her father has put her to work. Her pranks are her way of entertaining herself while she fulfills her father’s wishes. Background: Yana is the teenage daughter of the head of the merchant guild. She grew up expecting to live a privileged life. Instead, her father insisted that she get a menial job so that she would learn to appreciate her wealth. Now she toils at a job she hates and pulls her pranks knowing that her father’s money or influence will get her out of trouble. Traits: (PV) Laborer, political, wealthy Porter Shingles Ruthless Thug “Just tell me what needs doin’, and I’ll see that it’s done. So long as I don’t hafta cross my friends and I gets my cut, I’m your man.” Appearance: He has rugged features with a bulbous nose bent to the right after being broken many times. With a patchily whiskered chin, he always looks in need of shave. He walks a bit hunched over and favors his left leg. Even in baggy clothes, his massive arms and fists are evident. Roleplaying: Just before walloping someone, Porter repeatedly pounds his fist threateningly in his other hand, giving them a last chance to comply. Personality: On the job, he’s always ruthless. With those dearest to him, though, he has a heart of gold. He doesn’t think of himself as a criminal. The people who hire him as a leg-breaker might be, but not him. He’s turned down a few jobs—not many, just those that involve his friends. Motivation: Despite the toll of passing years, he still relies on his fists. It’s all he knows. Background: A dock worker in his youth, Porter picked up extra cash as a prize fighter. When he got too old for the ring, he hired himself out as muscle to a dockside gang chieftain needing a collection agent and earned grudging respect for how he worked. His strength beginning to give way to his age, he lets his reputation as a prize fighter do most of the intimidation work for him. Traits: (TT) Criminal, laborer, warrior Desa • Diedre • Dimitri • Djazzica • Domino • Douglas • Drahin These NPCs aren’t neutral in the sense that they don’t take a stand, or that they’re boring or dull—quite the opposite. From spies and prostitutes to museum curators and sages, and even a messenger girl who rides a giant dog, the characters in this section will enliven any fantasy campaign. Neutrals work well both as side characters and in more important roles, and you’ll find that many of them are just a bad year away from becoming a villain, or a helping hand away from becoming a staunch ally. 84 85
Fantasy - Neutrals Demier • Den • Deriggosa • Desmont • Devonshire • Devotian • di Carzetti 51 Jarrod Marriott Charismatic Pretender “How YOU doin’?” Appearance: His dazzling smile and long locks of golden brown hair make women weak in the knees. Twinkling green eyes show a hint of amusem*nt. Breeches complement a silken blouse which reveals a manly, hairy chest. Roleplaying: Jarrod is quick-witted with an easy air about him. A disarming smile is always on his face and nothing seems to bother him. Personality: Outwardly, he is a flatterer and a smooth-talker. Underneath, Jarrod is playing for his next big score. He gives a good story but is quick to fold under pressure. He has few scruples beyond ensuring his own survival. Apparent lack of intelligence is a play on his part. Motivation: A swindler and con man, Jarrod will sell anyone into the dungeon if it’ll advance his financial position. Lecherous, he uses the affection of others to advance his personal gain. Background: Charming and handsome, Jarrod has a penchant for being both recognizable and forgettable depending on his needs. He floats from alias to alias with practiced ease, going from one erstwhile lover to the next, all the while cleaning out their purses. His sordid background has made him a jack of all trades; he slides into assumed roles with little difficulty. Underneath it all he’s unashamedly a coward and will readily admit it. A lover, not a fighter, Jarrod flinches at the mere mention of violence. He’s well connected with the “word on the street.” Traits: (DM) Beautiful, criminal Melissa Tobin, Queen of Adelmark Defiant Queen “Take up your bill hooks and form lines. Let us each take a dozen of the enemy with us to eternity!” Appearance: She normally wears practice gear of beaten iron around the palace; her black hair has been cut short for a helmet, but her eyes are still intensely blue and her famed hawk’s beak nose still dominates her face. She’s still plump, but her limbs have slimmed down as training has brought out definition. Roleplaying: Melissa only dresses formally for court; the rest of her day is filled with drills in weapons and battle strategy. Protocol is only for court; she has ordered her instructors to ignore her titles and just teach her as quickly as possible. Personality: She’s resigned that she’ll lose the war when the enemy returns, but she intends to make the enemy pay dearly. Motivation: Her responsibilities to the kingdom drive Melissa. Grief and fear swamp her whenever she loses focus, so she buries herself in military studies. Background: Her husband’s army broke when he died in battle. Everyone expected the enemy to storm the castle and put her family to the sword. Instead, the enemy turned to the south and continued their conquest, ignoring Adelmark. Melissa feels like she’s been living on borrowed time ever since. She hopes the armorer will complete her mail before battle comes again. Traits: (SM) Eccentric, royalty, warrior Janorra of the Glade Cursed Recluse “My pride cost me more than my beauty. It cost me my freedom as well. Now I serve a will greater than my own, and my soul has discovered peace through that service.” Appearance: She is dressed in the ragged remains of what was once a royal gown. Her skin is covered with sores from which small vines and plants are budding. Roleplaying: Janorra will not look directly at anyone, and covers her face with her hands so as to hide her disfigurement. Personality: Timid and shy, she is ashamed of herself, but she has found solace in her role as caretaker of the forest. Motivation: She lives to nurture the plants and trees of the forest as she has been commanded to do. Background: Janorra was once a princess, spoiled and cruel. When she heard of a beautiful golden sapling tree in a glade near her palace, she demanded that it be cut down and brought to her. Her servants refused for fear that destroying the sapling would anger the spirits of the forest, so Janorra forced them to take her to the glade, where she chopped down the sapling herself with a hatchet. The sapling began to bleed, and the blood seeped into Janorra. She began to sprout small plants from her flesh and was cursed to be the caretaker of the forest for the rest of her life. Traits: (PB) Hideous, occult, outdoorsman The Domino Enigmatic Symbol “Hail and well met! I cannot help but notice that you have a group of the king’s guards mere minutes behind you. Perhaps I may be of some assistance?” Appearance: A red half-mask over his eyes and nose conceals the features of this man. He wears dark polished riding boots, leather breeches, and a padded leather doublet. A red-lined black cloak completes the ensemble. A sword and dueling dagger hang from ornate sheaths at his waist. Roleplaying: He is quick with a greeting and carries on in a carefree manner. His accent is subtle and he shows an interest in protecting those of the fairer sex. Personality: Underneath this debonair persona is a steely hardness. He’s chivalrous to the extreme and prone to take unnecessary—but fanciful—risks for his cause. Motivation: The Domino is dedicated to protecting the innocent and those without means to protect themselves. Ultimately he seeks to overturn tyranny but requires allies for such lofty goals. Background: Little is known of the man, but in a few short years the Domino has become a thorn in the side of the local authority. The peasants revere him and speak his name in hushed whispers. It is said that the Domino was previously a for-hire mercenary adventurer who turned his back upon a town desperate for assistance. After their slaughter, the adventurer abandoned his lifestyle and took up the mask of the historical hero, the Domino, as penance. Traits: (DM) Adventurer, mysterious 86 87 88 89
Fantasy - Neutrals 52 Drammin • Drohst • Durgo • Edwardo • Eldridge • Eleanor • Elisha Lady Saundra, Chancellor of the Exchequer Dedicated Noble “Our nation is harmonious when each of us does our part, striving for individual and common good.” Appearance: Saundra is short and slightly plump, but her staff does a masterful job: Rubies sparkle in her hair, she wears flattering and beautiful dresses, and she is made up with skillfully applied cosmetics. Roleplaying: Impeccable and precise, Saundra insists on proper titles and forms of address. Any hint that she is not noble, that she toils like a peasant, or that she is not competent at managing the nation’s finances will lead to immediate dismissal and utter financial ruination. Personality: Though born to noble parents, rumor dogged Saundra, slyly naming her bastard just out of hearing. To combat such rumors, Saundra carries herself as noble—showing, by her actions, that such suspicions are utterly baseless. Motivation: Saundra strives twice as hard to quell the rumors that she imagines still exist. She intends to be the best chancellor ever to serve the nation. Background: She was hurt by childhood rumor, and focused on mastering noble skills all the quicker. Saundra studied closely at her father’s side, ran his manufactories while he was away, and later established herself near court to operate new businesses. After her father’s death, another lord served as Chancellor of the Exchequer, but failed miserably. She was gratified when the king defied convention and turned to her to restore the kingdom’s finances. Traits: (SM) Business, notorious, white collar Aldus Vaiyle Tragic Former Hero “Adventurers, huh? They bring nothing but trouble! I bet there’s a goblin horde about to overrun us!” Appearance: An older man, Aldus’ thinning hair is just wisps of white, except for his bushy eyebrows and scraggly beard. His armor hangs loosely about his emaciated frame and even the short sword he carries seems too big for him. Roleplaying: Aldus has a nervous twitch. He’s anxious and nervous all the time, believing that danger will come any second. When encountering strangers, he keeps looking past them to see what nastiness is following them. Personality: When he can calm his nerves, Aldus is pleasant and hospitable. Unfortunately, he is anxious most of the time and refuses to let his guard down, lest the monsters take him without a fight. Motivation: He wants one last shot at being a hero. Background: Aldus is a tragic figure. He was once a great warrior, but his glory days are long past. He cares only for his village, but it hasn’t seen real trouble in decades. In an effort to keep his combat prowess intact, Aldus sees danger behind every corner and constantly trains for the moment he is needed. Unfortunately, the townsfolk pity him for the insane old man he is, allowing him to think that he is still their steadfast protector. Traits: (WC) Humorous, police, warrior Aasiyah Hotep Exiled Queen “My children can never rest at peace until the throne is restored. That task is mine alone to see through.” Appearance: Though a hard life has taken its toll, Aasiyah exudes an air of confidence and true nobility. Roleplaying: Unbowed by her exile, she seems almost delusional in her confidence that she will return to power. Personality: Born to rule, she carries herself with an air of nobility. She is smart, confident, and willful, but also gracious and proper. Motivation: She will do almost anything to return her family to the throne. Background: Born into nobility, Aasiyah was raised to rule. She was married to the crown prince in her teen years, and trained at his side until he ascended to the throne. But her husband the king was selfish and unstable, and he used his power to indulge his many hungers. Queen Aasiyah did what she could to keep his worst excesses at bay, but a series of economic disasters and his poor handling of them triggered a revolution, which was quickly co-opted by a neighboring country. When the palace was stormed, Queen Aasiyah was popular enough to be granted exile as opposed to execution, but her husband and all of their children were put to death. Upon leaving the country, she had a powerful vision of herself seated on the throne, pregnant. This vision has often recurred, and drives her desire to restore the throne. Traits: (KS) Famous, focal, leader, political, power hungry, royalty Artist: Avery Liell-Kok Aasiyah Hotep 90 91 92
Fantasy - Neutrals Drakenthorn • Dunn • Dunwaith • Embari • Enbura • Enghon 53 Mother Wendy, Keeper of Lost Souls Talkative Philanthropist “I hope that you enjoyed my story. Who knew an hour could fly by so quickly! What is that? Oh yes! A donation is greatly appreciated for the cause. Thank you! Now, now, don’t leave yet! I was just about to tell you about my trip to the dwarven lands…” Appearance: Mother Wendy is a middle-aged woman with her hair pulled into a tight bun at the top of her head. She wears a proper gown and jacket with white gloves at all times in public. Roleplaying: She talks constantly, even in her sleep. She tells people about her extensive travels helping war orphans. Even after she has won a person over, she continues talking about her efforts to help children in war-stricken lands. Personality: She’s polite, but relentless. Her passion is evident at all times. Motivation: She wants every child to have a loving home, and travels the world trying to make it so. Background: Lady Wendy was born to a privileged life. Pretty, spoiled and self-absorbed, she was naïve and sheltered until she married a young officer. Through the years, her husband rose to the rank of general and would often send for Lady Wendy upon securing victory in a distant land. She saw the cruelty of war and its aftermath when she discovered orphans on both sides – homeless, frightened, and scavenging for food. She became determined to help these children, and has earned the affectionate title of “Mother.” Traits: (PB) Political, saintly, white collar Fattias Carter Unlucky Drover “The rain I could live with, but this hail is uncalled for. Ah, and now I see what appear to be brigands up ahead.” Appearance: Stout and fat from years of sitting on his cart, Fattias has the deeply lined face of a man who lives outdoors. His expression of resignation rarely changes. Roleplaying: Fattias is fond of pointing out that things can always get worse. He approaches every situation with dogged acceptance. Personality: Fattias views the world as part of a vast conspiracy to make him miserable, and has for years. Though he grumbles often, he’s a patient, honest man who tries to do his best—and who makes the best of what’s thrown at him. Motivation: Secretly, Fattias is convinced that his bad luck is the result of a magical curse. He soldiers on because he’s certain that someday he’ll find someone who can identify and break it. Background: His ill fortune started when his parents named him, and hasn’t let up since. Fattias has never missed a day of work despite frequent potential excuses: illness, bad weather, broken wheels, lame horses, traitorous guards, and just plain bad luck. If it’s regrettable, it’s happened to him. Fattias can add color and excitement to a caravan-based adventure, or he can be used as the perfect cover for transporting something important—because no one in their right mind would ever entrust something of value to him. Traits: (MR) Humorous, laborer, notorious Ezekiel Michaelmas Mercenary Mascot “That’s a deep dent in your helmet. I’ll grab the hammers— you can tell me how you got it while I pound it out.” Appearance: At 12 years old, Ezekiel is a scruffy kid with a bright smile. He is clean, dresses in well-patched hand-me-downs, and has tousled brown hair and green eyes. Roleplaying: He asks childishly innocent or school-logical questions that cut to the moral heart of an issue. Ezekiel is the troop’s mascot, like the water boy at a football game; his eyes are bright just being there. He responds instantly to commands and requests, happy to be helping. Personality: While Ezekiel always longed to be a warrior, he got a solid monastic education first. He tends to ask unintentionally piercing questions using the logic he was taught. Motivation: His mother always told him that his father was a warrior; he wants to be one too. Background: He grew up in a monastery as a cast-off child. He learned sums, logic, and proper worship, but he always dreamed of being a warrior. One day a squad of troops marched along the abbey’s road; that night he grabbed his things and snuck out to join them. He marched behind them for a day, and then volunteered that night. The captain took him in and put him to work, enjoying the kid’s bright spirit. His cheerful enthusiasm brightens the men, too. Traits: (SM) Child, military Princess Adari, the Unseen Queen Mysterious Benefactor “Shhh… Accept this small gift. It is but a few coins, but enough for you to eat well and sleep with a roof over your head.” Appearance: Adari is of average height, and wears long purple robes with a gold-trimmed cowl. She wears a porcelain mask and long gloves. Roleplaying: She speaks softly and slowly. She will take a person’s hand when she gives things away. Personality: Adari is a kind woman who struggles with the guilt of her privileged life. Motivation: She started giving to the poor and desperate out of a sense of obligation for her wealth and position. It has grown into a sense of duty. Background: The Unseen Queen is a legend; the indigent people of the city say she has been around for generations. She appears to the poor out of the shadows and gives them a small amount of coin. The truth is that the Unseen Queen is a role that has been passed from queen to princess for many generations. The purpose is to teach the young princess compassion for the less fortunate, and to keep goodwill among the poor. Currently the Unseen Queen is the princess Adari, who has developed a strong compassion for her wards, and feelings for the young cleric who tends to the poor in the city. She has on more than one occasion almost spoken to him. Traits: (PV) Mysterious, royalty, stealthy 93 94 95 96
Fantasy - Neutrals 54 Elleen • Elody • Elora • Erik • Erissa • Erland • Erlim Charlotte Morgan Anxious Functionary “What do you mean the flowers are pale magenta, not soft mauve? The feast will be ruined!” Appearance: Charlotte is of average height and build, with short blond hair. She dresses impeccably in an understated style. It’s common for her to fade into the background until needed. She carries a number of journals, notebooks, inks, and quills, and is constantly making notes. Roleplaying: It’s obvious that Charlotte worries about every detail. Always nervous, she frequently wrings her hands and chews on her lower lip. She often jumps and sends papers flying when startled. Personality: Charlotte is a perfectionist who is paralyzed by the thought of losing her job. She’s always under-valuating her performance, and thus is always trying to nail down a host of final minutiae. She records everything to ensure that everything goes perfectly. Motivation: More than anything, she would like to regain her former position of importance instead of being stuck pushing papers and planning tiny events of no importance. Background: For years, Charlotte held a major position with many important duties resting on her shoulders. After making a critical mistake, Charlotte’s confidence was so damaged that she couldn’t concentrate. She made error after error, until finally her superiors had no choice: they demoted her. With her constant written records, she has managed to turn around her trend of mistakes, but is unwittingly recording a lot of potentially sensitive information. Traits: (MN) Business, royalty, white collar Izzy Moran Street Hustler “Hey, you want potions? I got potions, plenty of potions. This one? Heals wounds and makes the next person you see lust after you. Don’t drink it now; you ain’t my type.” Appearance: A skinny guy in a cheap knock-off of the latest fashion pesters passers-by with his latest pitch. Roleplaying: He’s so eager to impress that he usually uses the wrong words, and often talks himself into a corner. His hand movements and facial expressions are exaggerated. Personality: A natural-born street hustler, he is always out to make a buck on the latest fad or Next Big Thing. Motivation: He chases the quick buck and likes staying out of jail. Background: After a very short career in outright crime, Izzy decided that he’d be better served (and serve less time) working the gray areas of the law. Since then, he’s followed an endless string of entrepreneurial opportunities, from baby dire rabbits (“They grow up?”) to faux leather armor (“But it didn’t chafe, did it?”), usually with disastrous results. Somehow, he always survives his schemes, and manages to find a new one. Because he’s always chasing the next opportunity, he’s got a very good sense of what’s going on in the city’s underworld, and can be an excellent source of information on its vices. Traits: (KS) Business, charming, humorous, merchant Sophronia “Sophie” Cullen Downtrodden Prostitute “Get out while you can. This place steals your joy, one day at a time.” Appearance: The smile she offers to customers is a mask. Her heavy-lidded eyes are dark-rimmed and sad. Her hair is tousled. Even wearing the fine lingerie of an upscale escort, her lean figure appears worn out and weary. Roleplaying: She wastes her days, losing them to intoxication or self-destructive pursuits, and then resigns herself to nights spent whoring. Personality: Sophie regrets many decisions in her life and yearns for a way to change it, but sees no way to do it. She hovers just above true desperation, not quite reaching bottom or the impetus needed to start over. Filled with guilt over the life she might have led, she now despairs of ever changing her lot. Motivation: Every day is a struggle to survive bouts of depression and anguished despair. Background: Sophie was once the toast of the capital city, a courtesan who entertained the powerful and wealthy. Her trust was repeatedly betrayed by false promises. Then, she fell victim to thieves who took her expensive gifts. The thing that grieves her most, however, is her own poor judgment. She had a son, but was unable to provide for him after those misfortunes. Not seeing a way out, she delivered the infant to the orphanage, and then left for this dreary town, joining a bawdy house in its red-lantern district. Traits: (TT) Criminal, entertainment Amithel Ashtrian Bardic Spy “Among the willows, standing white and bare, among the willows...” Appearance: Amithel stands 5’3”, with a very thin but still shapely build. Her face is cute, with a small nose framed by long, beautiful hair woven with a dozen small silver bells. Wellcalloused fingers normally hold a finely crafted lute. Roleplaying: When she’s being enchanting, Amithel lilts and half sings her responses, making it sound like a tale or song. In private, her vocabulary reflects years of travel at her father’s side on the road; the bawdiest phrases slip out when she’s angry. Personality: She’s a consummate entertainer, able to complement a court’s high tone with precise dress, restraint, and poise. Motivation: Amithel grew up the daughter of a wandering minstrel; now she wants something more dignified for herself and her future children. Background: When Amithel approached the duke, asking to be his court bard, she was still rough from her roving youth. Her ambition was obvious; he didn’t accept the offer directly, but apprenticed her to his court bard. Between music lessons, she learned observation and ciphers from the duke’s seneschal. Several months later, she staged a fight with the duke’s bard. Now she travels the halls of power, looking for a new patron—one she can report on to the duke. Traits: (SM) Crafter, entertainment, power hungry 97 98 99 100
Fantasy - Neutrals The Engineer • Erets • Etrum • Evansen • Everlasting • Faede • Fawneye 55 Andrea Nichols Hardened Carriage-Driver “We can cut him off in the market! Too crowded? That’s just part of the fun!” Appearance: Broad-shouldered, tough, and muscular, Andrea has close-cropped dark hair and hardened darting eyes. She stands on her cab when driving, her muscles strained and tensed, leaning into curves and shouting commands to her horses. Roleplaying: Andrea seems like entirely separate people on and off the job. Usually she is sluggish, lost in her own thoughts and unsure of herself; when she mounts her cab she transforms into an alert, tense predator ready to run down her target. Personality: Chasing the same people night after night has left Andrea wondering if the work of the guard is doing any good. She still thrills at the high-speed pursuit itself, but questions its effectiveness. Motivation: Andrea lives for the adrenaline fix she gets on a daily basis from her job. Background: As a young thief, Andrea found her stolen cab commandeered by the city guard during a citywide pursuit. Forced to drive them after a fleeing suspect through crowded city streets, Andrea discovered that the thrill of the chase far exceeded the excitement of a life of crime. Abandoning the cab in a side street, she joined the guard the next morning and became one of their best rapid response carriage drivers. Traits: (MN) Pilot, police Drohst the Anvil Rebellious Blacksmith “Did that guard give me a suspicious look? No? Oh, good. I thought he might know about the armory in my cellar.” Appearance: Built like a barrel on legs, Drohst has bushy black eyebrows, a manly beard, and callused hands. Roleplaying: Drohst has a gentle manner that belies his size. He jokes often about what might happen if the kingdom were taken over by an evil wizard, and will show off his preparations to anyone he trusts. Personality: Calm, sensible, and easy to get along with, Drohst loves being a smith, but he knows it’s not what destiny has in store for him. He’s earnest and naïve, but has the charm of a natural leader. Motivation: Drohst takes the measure of everyone he meets, trying to see what role they might play in a rebellion. He rarely puts down his hammer. Background: A skilled blacksmith, Drohst’s true calling is uprising: He fancies himself to be a future rebel leader, running a resistance movement out of his smithy. The catch is that he doesn’t have anything to rebel against—but he can’t get the idea out of his head. He’s spent so much time thinking about and planning for his fictitious rebellion that, if a rebellion was warranted, he’d actually make an excellent resistance leader. He’s widely respected, has a large cache of weapons, and knows everyone in town. Traits: (MR) Business, charming, crafter, humorous, leader, merchant Ridella Greenbow Forest Guardian “Honor the gods of these woods, and I will honor your privacy. Dishonor the gods, and you won’t have to worry about their vengeance. You’ll be too busy dealing with mine.” Appearance: She keeps her blond hair bound tight in a single long braid with small flowers woven into it. Her leather armor has many gashes, and her bow is strung with a thin green vine. She carries neither arrows nor sword, but when she needs either, she reaches into the brush and retrieves one carved of wood. Roleplaying: Ridella is polite, smiles often, and is very friendly. She occasionally substitutes bird chirps and animal sounds for a spoken word. Personality: She is in harmony with nature, and that harmony extends to how she treats others. The only time she shows rage is when something threatens her forest home. Motivation: She lives to protect the wilderness, and she claims to be a protector chosen by the gods themselves. She will not choose sides in other conflicts. Her only concern is the wilderness area that she protects. Background: In reality, Ridella has no idea how she came to live in the forest and has simply been its defender for as long as she can remember. Her reputation as a fierce warrior is widespread, and outdoorsmen in local villages will warn others not cross swords with the guardian of the woods. Traits: (PB) Charming, notorious, outdoorsman, religious Annis Stallworth Ruthless Financier “Two percent? Don’t think my lack of a penis makes your offer any less absurd.” Appearance: A short and portly woman, Annis waddles slightly. She’s adorned with gaudy jewelry and badges of her station. Roleplaying: She’s gruff and to the point, a businesswoman incarnate. She drives towards the deal and counters everything with a proposal of her own. Annis listens carefully for a sign of weakness to exploit in her dealings. Personality: A mammoth chip rides on her stout shoulders. Disregarded and taken for granted most of her life, she constantly looks to demonstrate her business acumen. She has a knack for numbers and runs probabilities in her head. Motivation: She considers the larger picture over the short-term gain. A sizable return on her investment is her ultimate goal and every interaction is an investment of time, money, or information. Annis represents her clients with great zeal...until their portfolio has outlived its usefulness. Background: The youngest of four siblings, her brothers bought into the family business. Annis was crushed to be excluded due to her gender. This never sat well with her, and, after building her own financial empire, she put her brothers out of business. Thus, her notorious reputation as a cutthroat businesswoman was born. Many have underestimated her to their chagrin. Annis represents a business consortium and seeks to maximize profits—from which she gains a percentage of all deals as a consultant. Traits: (DM) Business, leader, notorious 101 102 103 104
Fantasy - Neutrals 56 Esmikri • Eydis • Ezekiel • Fae • Fattias • Fiona Artist: Matt Morrow Ulfgar Bartreson
Fantasy - Neutrals Fell • Fergessen • Fiorina • Florin • Foxwhistle • Fraimd 57 Reena Spidros Arrogant Librarian “Why, certainly we have the ‘Epic of Brightfeather’, although I find Durmok’s commentary to be far more enlightening. Would you like me to read it to you?” Appearance: Reena is well dressed for a city librarian, elaborate without being ostentatious. She might be attractive if her face wasn’t a permanent scowl and her nose wasn’t held quite so high. She wears electrum jewelry, as “any academic knows electrum is the metal of choice for noble jewelry.” Roleplaying: She speaks as if she is the foremost authority on any subject. If indulged, Reena can be very helpful, understanding what a patron really needs rather than what he asks for. If scoffed at, Reena is dismissive. She’ll do her duty, but no more. Personality: She feels that her position sets her apart from other commoners. Her arrogance is a bit of an act, as she can’t bear for someone to catch her misinterpreting an ancient scroll or misunderstanding the main point of an essay. Motivation: Reena is hungry for knowledge. Background: Reena comes from a wealthy commoner family. Most attention was paid to her older sister, who became a potent mage. Reena’s position as the royal librarian is mainly in gratitude for her sister’s work. Once at the library, Reena began to soak up knowledge like a sponge. Unfortunately, her hunger for knowledge means that she speed-reads most material, grasping some basics, but never fully understanding what she’s read. She enjoys showcasing her knowledge to patrons. Traits: (WC) Academic, scholar Mr. Abrum Tuncarvit Covetous Miner “Dungeon to the east? You want me to help you navigate the caves that lead to it? Alright, but I want rights to all mining operations there, and half of all the treasure you find.” Appearance: Abrum is stocky and muscular with bulging biceps. He carries a pickax and a hooded lantern. He is filthy with the dirt and soot of his work. Roleplaying: He is quiet unless there is talk of treasure or lands fit for mining; then he becomes a ruthless negotiator with a shrewd tongue as he tries to acquire a piece of the action. Personality: Hard working and honest, he prefers straight talk to silly formalities and patronizing speeches. Motivation: He wants to be the most successful miner that he can be. He loves his work, and loves profiting from it even more. Background: Abrum learned how to be a miner from his father. But, unlike his father, Abrum was willing to take more risks by working in dangerous locations. He has helped guide many an adventuring party through dangerous caverns and underground ruins, and charges a tidy sum to do it. He currently has been granted more rights to mine the nearby lands than any of his competitors, and he has a dedicated crew of loyal miners who depend on him to maintain a steady flow of work. Traits: (PB) Adventurer, business, laborer, power hungry Amille Sarsis Thrill-Seeking Burglar “Such a pretty picture! A shame it’s hidden away here where no one can see it.” Appearance: She wears trousers, a blouse of bright yellow trimmed in velvet green, and a flowing cloak. Her curly red locks pour down from beneath a large, wide-brimmed hat with a golden feather plume. Shoulder-length velvet gloves mask her dainty hands. Roleplaying: Always smiling and carefree, Amille rarely seems interested in much of what is discussed around her. She’ll fauxyawn to move the conversation along. Personality: Amille is gregarious and aloof. Easily bored by academics and politics, she is often heard discussing the latest fashions or recent purchase in her painting collection. She’ll show signs of interest when it comes to fine arts, but pretends to not know much about the topic. Motivation: Her passion is the thrill of capture and appreciating the artistry of the crime. She has a fondness for paintings but sees them as a means to ply her tradecraft. Background: Her adventuring days behind her and her coffers overflowing with the spoils, she’s resigned herself to a mostly boring life of luxury. She does engage her one passion: acquiring fine paintings by way of her own roguish skills. Highly valuable paintings will mysteriously disappear—and then reappear— mysteriously within the area. For Amille, it is less to do with the paintings or their value, but the thrill of the crime and the knowledge that she can get away with it. Traits: (DM) Criminal, dilettante, notorious, wealthy Ulfgar Bartreson Virile Blacksmith “Of course I can fix it. The blow might have killed the man wearing this, but there’s nothing I can’t repair.” Appearance: Strong and muscled from working the bellows and hammer, Ulfgar keeps his head shaved but leaves his singed beard intact; it keeps itself short if he gets the fire high enough. Roleplaying: He fears nothing and never backs down from a challenge. There is little that Ulfgar feels can hurt him, and there are few he feels that can out-drink him. Personality: Ulfgar is as strong and tough as the metal he bends. If there is a softer side, it has been tempered away. Motivation: He possesses an alpha male personality and tries to prove his superiority in any way he can. Background: Ulfgar was smaller than most of the boys in his part of the city. He was always being picked on. Then his growth spurt came early and he gained strength and toughness that the other boys wouldn’t get for a few more years. Teaching the other boys a lesson they wouldn’t soon forget, Ulfgar set himself out as the leader of the pack. When his father died of pneumonia, Ulfgar had to find work to support his mother. Apprenticed to a local smithy, he put his muscles to good use and bulked up even further. Ulfgar is fairly gruff when dealing with customers, only becoming friendly once he’s determined the worth of the other person. Traits: (JA) Business, laborer, merchant 105 106 107 108
Fantasy - Neutrals 58 Forgrim • Fran • François • Gabriel • Gaspar • Ghul-Fan • Ginnie Kenneth Jackson Faithful Warrior “This reminds me of the passage where Gerard, confronted by a bear, whispered of paradise and made it a friend.” Appearance: A disturbingly attractive man with dark hair, soulful, deep brown eyes, and a soft gaze, Kenneth is usually clad in travel-worn monk’s robes. Roleplaying: He smiles with an honest ease that makes others feel at peace. He’s always bent over a book, reading a scrap of paper, or otherwise captivated by text. Personality: He serves as a warrior though he yearns to copy books, inspires lust yet remains celibate, and is set apart from his comrades by his sincere faith. Kenneth is always the odd man out. Motivation: The call of service has led Kenneth along a winding path, but the right one for him. He longs to read and copy the words of the prophets, but that reward will come. Background: Kenneth was called to serve his deity and joined a monastic order. He found surety and peace in the scriptorium, copying the sacred texts, but his unearthly beauty distracted the other monks. His order pushed him to work with the temple knights, hoping he would fulfill his calling by defending the faithful. There he has met many who enjoy the quality of training, but few whose souls reverberate at the deity’s voice. Traits: (SM) Beautiful, religious, scholar, warrior Doctor Silas Geremtrad Unwholesome Purveyor “Don’t let the skeletons and zombies disturb you. It’s the living you can’t trust.” Appearance: Silas wears the dark browns and grays of a common laborer. A peddler’s cap covers a balding top, but long, dark stringy hair hangs down on all sides. The right side of his face is afflicted with Bell’s palsy, making it slack and unexpressive. Roleplaying: The palsy impedes his speech somewhat, causing slurring. Silas stands impassive in the face of the most gruesome necromancy experiments, and even around the walking undead. Personality: He’s honest if a bit cold. Looking into Silas’ eyes, there always seems to be a creeping sense of darkness within. Motivation: He seeks recognition of his surgical prowess. Background: A brilliant surgeon in his own right, Doctor Geremtrad was always drawn to the underworld of those who provided cadavers and test subjects on the sly to medical students. When he was afflicted by the palsy, he lost all the patients from his legitimate practice. With few other prospects, he turned to his connections in the seedy world of corpse peddling to sell to necromancers and their ilk. With his medical knowledge giving him a clear advantage over his competitors, Silas now moves freely among practitioners of necromancy and dark magic. He is sometimes used as a mediator or broker involving disputes among gang leaders and practitioners of the dark arts. Traits: (TT) Business, hideous, medic Isilmore Baroque Repentant Senator “I say, what a generous donation to the cause. The people will rally to your name!” Appearance: Isilmore is a thin man with a dark mustache and slicked-back black hair. He wears a velvet doublet and the golden necklace of the council. Roleplaying: His accent is subtle and refined. He speaks with honesty and a directness that others find appealing. Isilmore is approachable and gregarious when the situation calls for it. Personality: Refined and well bred—but not of nobility—he carries himself better than the common man. He seeks to do good with his position and is remarkably well-informed. Motivation: A former cat burglar, Isilmore legitimately wants to improve others’ standing in life. To that end, he champions those without a voice but strives to protect himself from discovery. Background: Previously a burglar of some notoriety—the Gray Fox—Isilmore reinvented himself after leaving his life of highend crime. He realized that his previous motivations were entirely self-serving and sought to represent the common man. This led him to a position of public office. He is incredibly popular with the people; they see him as an example of how the common man can rise above. In reality, his background and lineage are a sham. His thievery skills still see occasional use, but only to glean information to better wield his political influence. His ill-gotten gains have mostly been redistributed to the needy. Traits: (DM) Famous, political, stealthy Vikos Kullwood Reformed Thug “I should kill you, but I’m a nice guy now. We’ll be friends, instead.” Appearance: Vikos is seven feet tall and wears his hair in a waistlength braid. His face is heavily tattooed, and his nose has been broken so many times that it’s mashed flat. Roleplaying: Vikos speaks in short, clipped sentences. He always takes the shortest route to his goal, obstacles notwithstanding. Personality: Vikos is a simple man who takes pleasure in hitting things and who likes to take a direct route through life. He practices meditation, and now has a very long fuse. Until the end of that fuse is reached, he’s a gentle giant; set him off, and he’s a holy terror. Motivation: Vikos wants to lead a peaceful, untroubled life, and he tries to help others as a way of atoning for the sins of his past. Background: Formerly a thug and blackguard through and through, Vikos once sacked a temple and forced the oracle to tell his fortune. He never speaks of what he saw in his vision, but from that day forward he was a changed man. After traveling to a new land, he began trying to wipe out his past by committing good deeds in the present. Every so often, his true nature emerges again—with disastrous consequences. He remains a fighter by trade, and a supreme badass, but now he fights only for causes he believes in, rather than just for money. Traits: (MR) Adventurer, outdoorsman, warrior 109 110 111 112
Fantasy - Neutrals Franchesco • Gamelin • Geremtrad • Gofannon • Graviani • Green • Greenbow 59 Dimitri Xarot Proud Archivist “Welcome to knowledge’s domain, traveler. Let the world burgeon and swell with our seed.” Appearance: Dimitri has a noble stamp on his features— dark hair, piercing eyes, and a hawkish nose. His features are aristocratic and he’s in good shape for a man in his thirties, despite ink-smudged hands. Roleplaying: He has an air of command, giving clear orders that carry without being loud. He stands with arms folded against each other before him, briefly pointing and returning to a pose of supreme calm. Personality: Dimitri is still a king’s son, proud and prickly about interference. When he speaks, he expects deference and bristles at interruption. Motivation: Born and trained to rule, Dimitri wants to provide the kingdom with his gift: knowledge. Background: Third son to the king, Dimitri will never bear the crown. His mother pushed him into the church, where he advanced rapidly. His climb stalled when his lack of true faith surfaced. Unwilling to reject royal blood, the church made him chief archivist. Dimitri quickly realized that most of the books in his care were destined to sit unread on a bishop or pious merchant’s shelf. New histories of the kingdom, translations, and treatises on mathematics, logic, and philosophy are coming from his scribes now. Nearly all of them are destined for the marketplace, where the hoi polloi can appreciate them. Traits: (SM) Royalty, white collar Kaye Haduk Rejected Warrior “Turning me down was their mistake. I’m the best duelist in the land. En garde!” Appearance: An average-looking woman with a slim, athletic build, Kaye keeps her head shaved for religious reasons. She prefers armor that leaves her arms and legs free, covering them when necessary. She is never without her dueling blades. Roleplaying: Kaye is very bitter over being rejected for the royal guard. She goads everyone she meets to a duel in order to prove that they made a mistake. Personality: She is upset and depressed. She fights to prove to herself that the captain of the guard was wrong to reject her. In happier times, Kaye was quite arrogant about her skills. Motivation: She secretly hopes that the Royal Guard will reverse their decision. In the meantime, she’s going to continue to show them what they threw away. Background: Kaye has been practicing with a sword ever since she was old enough to pick one up. She became a swordswoman in the royal army in order to prove herself worthy to be in the Royal Guard. After many campaigns proving her skill, Kaye was given an opportunity. Unfortunately, for a reason she never discloses, the captain rejected her. Kaye now carries the shame with her and is extremely bitter about the incident. Traits: (WC) Aggressive, warrior Istan Feral Child “My pack is my pride. My pack is my family. My pack is my life.” Appearance: He appears to be about ten years old. He wears only a loincloth made from the pelt of a small creature. He carries a hunting knife made from a bone and he shaves his head with it every day. Roleplaying: Istan behaves like a wolf. He growls at things that displease or threaten him and sniffs at things that rouse his curiosity. Yet, Istan does have basic social skills and can function in a limited manner when in a community. Personality: He is curious, but cautious. He prefers to hide rather than to fight, but he will defend to the death the pack of wolves that adopted him. Motivation: He lives for the survival and well being of his pack. Background: Istan’s natural family were merchants who were attacked by bandits when he was just five years old. The bandits slaughtered his family, but Istan escaped unscathed by crawling into a small den. Inside the den was wolf nursing her cubs. Istan feared that he would be mauled by the she-wolf, but for reasons he did not understand, the wolf accepted Istan as one of her own cubs. Under her care, he was brought into a much larger pack of wolves, where he learned how to hide in the forest and to move about unseen until the moment of attack. Traits: (PB) Child, primal, stealthy Olivari Ten-Eyes Unpredictable Rake “You there, do you want to steal the Eye of Rogash? No? Then how about we stop at that tavern for pastries?” Appearance: Olivari wears his black hair long and ties it back with a bow. He sports an enormous mustache, suitable for twirling, and has sparkling sea-green eyes. Roleplaying: Constantly looking around in all directions, Olivari only occasionally focuses his gaze on whomever he’s talking to. His mannerisms are outlandish and overblown. Personality: Named for his habit of looking in all directions at once, Olivari has the attention span of a hyperactive ferret. When persuaded to focus on one task or goal—especially one involving beautiful women—he slows down and can actually be quite capable. Motivation: Olivari wants to see as much as possible, and live as much as possible, all at once and at high speed. Background: Seventeenth in line for the throne, Olivari has wealth without responsibilities. A notorious ladies’ man, adventurer, and gambler, he’s game for anything that sounds like fun. He jumps from one novelty to the next so often that he’s never developed strong skills in any area save one: womanizing. Olivari can palm coins, play guitar, hold his own with a rapier, be passably sneaky, and speaks a smattering of four languages. Despite his many glaring faults, he can be tough to dislike as he is charming and surprisingly modest. Traits: (MR) Adventurer, charming, dilettante, famous, humorous, royalty, wealthy 113 114 115 116
Fantasy - Neutrals 60 Gordy • Griffon • Gunnick • Hammill • Hannah • Hardy • Harmony Hannah Sadis Aloof Master of Sacrifices “Which of the rest of your gods spares your people by smiting your enemies?” Appearance: A sturdy woman who bears large scars from an old battle with a disfiguring disease, Hannah’s advanced age has only intensified her unattractiveness. She wears the crimson robes of her god. Roleplaying: Hannah is stern and disciplined. She’s accustomed to people questioning her god’s place in society and her position of chief executioner, but she refuses to justify them or apologize for their necessity. Personality: Not violent by nature, Hannah appreciates the chance to serve her god and community whether in battle or at the altar. Motivation: Hannah’s faith drives her to bring new converts to the church and to remove threats from the immediate area. She wants this work to lead to increased acceptance of her religion. Background: As a young girl, Hannah caught a disfiguring, typically fatal disease. Saved from death by a priest of her reviled god, Hannah devoted her life to serving the ominous deity. During her years of service, she rose through the ranks to become an important figure in her cult, and oversees all of the church’s sacrifices. Though her god calls for sentient offerings, and thus is usually outlawed, her branch has adopted the practice of sacrificing captured humanoids from raids on nearby dangerous settlements, making them unlikely defenders of the people and enabling them to continue to observe their grisly rites. Traits: (MN) Abhorrent, adventurer, hideous, magical, notorious, occult, religious, zealot Artist: Avery Liell-Kok Hannah Sadis 118 Myra Ales Flighty Sculptor “I’m so sorry dear, but you’re not doing it for me anymore. I’m afraid our session will have to be over.” Appearance: Myra is athletic and wears mud-spattered clothes that won’t get in her way while she sculpts. Though not a great beauty, she has an animal magnetism and a seductive grace about her. Roleplaying: Ever on the lookout for subject material, Myra studies everything with a piercing, almost intimate gaze. She shifts her stance and position often, checking multiple angles. Personality: Myra is excitable and passionate. She eagerly throws herself into new activities and experiences, even ones that a more prudent person would avoid. Motivation: Blaming her lack of performance on the quality of her inspiration, Myra searches for her perfect muse, one that will capture and hold her attention forever. Background: Thanks to a limited ability to concentrate, Myra’s love life is full of weeklong flings with new lovers, and her workshop is full of half-finished sculptures of them—both abandoned for newer attractions once someone else catches Myra’s eye. This inability to stay on task and finish projects means that, though critics acknowledge her talent, Myra remains forever a minor player in the art world. Traits: (MN) Artist, charming, eccentric Guardsman Nafor Unshakable Patriot “I helped to build this wall to protect the kingdom. I’ll die on this wall in the defense of the kingdom. It is an honor to do both.” Appearance: Nafor is middle-aged and has a wiry build that gives him a tense look. He wears chain mail and a royal army tunic. His shield and sword are always polished and ready. Roleplaying: His motions are rigid and precise. He is a soldier to the core, and it shows in his mannerisms. Personality: Nafor is mindful of his manners and of protocol, and he expects others to be the same. He won’t hesitate to point out the shortcomings of those who fail to do so. Motivation: He has found meaning through military service. He’ll do whatever he is asked by his superiors in service of the kingdom. Background: As a child Nafor was put to work building the huge stone wall that he now watches over. He was an orphan, and the soldiers treated him fairly well, often giving him bits of food in exchange for performing various tasks. Nafor learned how to care for weapons and armor, and by the time the wall was finished, he was ready to become a soldier. If it wasn’t for that wall, Nafor believes he would have died young. Traits: (PB) Laborer, military, warrior, zealot 117 119
Fantasy - Neutrals Greenfellow • Gremmins • Grey • Greymane • HíZollern • Haduk 61 Henri Pierce Immortal Entertainer “‘Do I know that one?’ Sir, I have played it literally thousands of times.” Appearance: Henri looks like a young man but his eyes betray his true age and his clothing is centuries out of style. Roleplaying: Henri’s mannerisms and expressions are as old as his wardrobe. His eyes scan every detail of both his surroundings and those around him, and he eavesdrops on nearby conversations. Personality: Though he forces himself to be quick with a kind word and a smile and to perform eagerly for any who ask, Henri is world-weary and constantly exhausted. Motivation: Henri’s quest for death leads him to wander aimlessly, performing for any and all who will listen. Background: As a young traveling entertainer, Henri sang and played for a stranger at a crossroads, only to discover the man was a god in disguise. Granted immortality for his extraordinary performance, Henri has traveled the world ever since. Under dozens of assumed names, Henri has written dozens of the world’s most famous and popular musical pieces, plays, and other performances. After several centuries, Henri began to view his eternal youth as more of a curse than a blessing. Now he searches the world for a cure for his condition. Traits: (MN) Ancient, charming, entertainment Rak the Wolf-Boy Duped Barbarian “Ceril says that if I keep killing the animals with my hands, and eating them like I did growing up in the wastelands, we will have enough coin to return home.” Appearance: Rak is a teenage boy with a thin but wiry build. His hair is light brown, thick, and matted. He wears tattered clothes and never wears shoes. Roleplaying: He walks hunched, never fully standing up. He speaks with a growling voice and clenches his fists when he is excited. Personality: Rak is a good but impressionable young man. He makes friends quickly and tends to do anything his friends ask. Motivation: He wishes to make enough money to return home to support his family. Background: Born in the wastelands and raised by a barbaric and impoverished tribe, Rak is a natural hunter, able to sneak up on most prey. He left the tribe and traveled to the civilized lands hoping to find work to help his family. There, a hustler named Ceril found Rak and created a freak show around the tribesman, wherein he hunts small animals with his bare hands for the amusem*nt of the crowd. Rak acts the part, growling and eating the animals raw. Ceril keeps nearly all the money and has convinced Rak that he will need to keep working, and will need to kill larger animals, if he wants to make the “big money.” Traits: (PV) Child, entertainment, outdoorsman, primal, stealthy Mesmora Laceweave Scandalous Widow “Yes, I married him for the money. Quit acting so shocked. He knew what he wanted and so did I. He died, I’m rich, and there was no foul play. Now go think your small-minded thoughts elsewhere.” Appearance: Fiery red hair, creamy skin, luscious lips, and cold dark eyes set Mesmora apart from all others. Since the death of her husband, she has worn nothing but black gowns—at first in mourning, now because they contrast dramatically with her pale skin and suit her taste for the morbid. Roleplaying: Mesmora knows she is gorgeous and works it to her advantage. She will flirt with her eyes while scolding with her tongue and tease with her hands while her words remain cold. Keeping others confused is her specialty. Personality: She finds comfort in the darker things in life. A rainy day lifts her spirits while a sunny one saddens her. She has a strong sense of justice, though, and never compromises it. Motivation: Mesmora enjoys making others in higher offices uncomfortable with her presence. She also enjoys beating them at their own game: politics. Background: A wealthy and elderly nobleman married Mesmora for a purely physical relationship. Many underestimated her mind, though, and when he passed away Mesmora ensured that she inherited all of his lands and titles. Now she continues to outwit the ruling class in all manner of politics. Traits: (PB) Beautiful, notorious, political, power hungry The Oracle Prophetic Manipulator “The tides of change are rising.” Appearance: The Speakers—the “faces” of the Oracle—dress in plain red robes trimmed in yellow and gold. The distant look in their eyes seems drawn from dreams. Their combined voice has an eerie, resonating quality. Roleplaying: Speakers are drugged, sluggish to physically respond, and speak slowly and deliberately. Their voice echoes with an otherworldly effect that is disconcerting. They stare blankly into the distance. Personality: The Speakers lack any individuality, but the Oracle is resilient and defiant in her conviction. She gives no quarter and will not yield. She will recognize gains to be made or a superior idea and seek compromise. Motivation: She seeks to overthrow the establishment and to restore the natural order. Power corrupts and civilization is a powerful, corrupting force to be disrupted through any means. Background: The Oracle is a mysterious entity that the characters will never interact with directly. Instead, by virtue of her admiration for Mother Gaia she uses her vessels to communicate. Those initiated into the Order of the Oracle partake of mindaltering potions that open their consciousness to the will of the Oracle. As such, these Speakers serve as her remote voice and her far-reaching hands. She speaks and acts through them. Ultimately the Oracle seeks the restoration of balance and of the natural way, casting aside the trappings of civilization. Thus, many of her machinations may align with those of the PCs; her plans are far-reaching and take years to bear fruit. Traits: (DM) Mysterious, political, stealthy 120 121 122 123
Fantasy - Neutrals 62 Hartzell • Hatar • Henri • Herez • Hilda • Hortencia • Hubert Terrin Young Bumbling Successor “Knock over your apple cart? Well YOU’RE the one who put it here in my way. What did you expect me to do? Go around it?” Appearance: He wears a shaggy mop of light brown hair and a sharp grin. His stature is slender with freckles and twinkling blue eyes. A small dagger rests at his side and his plain clothes are of exceedingly high quality. A blue sash around his waist flows carelessly in the breeze. Roleplaying: Terrin talks with his head co*cked to the side, chin down slightly. His conversation is marked with expressive eyebrow movements. He leans back comfortably and waves his hand in wistful thought—and then probably falls over from losing his balance. Personality: He’s impulsive and very quick to anger or find offense. Because he’s royalty, Terrin rarely considers the consequences of his actions, nor cares about those consequences. As he’s a bit of a klutz, this tends to result in all manner of misadventures. Motivation: He wants to demonstrate that he’s not the clueless dolt his father believes him to be. (Unfortunately for Terrin, he is.) Background: Terrin is a lot of bluster with very little bite. He has spirit, but only threats to back it up. Most tolerate him because of his lineage and wisely choose not to tempt fate. Terrin is quite friendly, and a good companion and resource, but is prone to cause more trouble than he’s worth. Companions will frequently find themselves having to bail him—unknowingly—out of trouble. Traits: (DM) Humorous, royalty Russell Clifford Grizzled Treasure Hunter “You’re going about that all wrong. Don’t you know anything?” Appearance: Russell is aging and stooped, though still in excellent physical condition. He keeps a fancy pair of gloves with him that he insists are magical. Roleplaying: No one escapes his observations about what they’re doing wrong. He is arrogant and has a quick, often condescending answer for everything. Personality: Russell has seen it all and has an opinion about most of it. He’s old. He’s done his share of favors for everyone he knows, and, as far as he’s concerned, that gives him the right to be an insufferable ass about pretty much everything. Motivation: Most days, Russell just wants to get out of his house and stretch his legs with a walk around town. This gives him a chance to fulfill his other burning desire: getting away from his wife. Russell describes her as “an insufferable nag,” though most people who’ve known him any length of time suspect that she’s as sick of Russell as he is of her. Background: Russell was once a highly successful treasure hunter, bringing many objects of value home to his village. Now retired, he wants to enjoy his twilight years in his own way and expects the townsfolk to put up with his eccentricities out of gratitude for their earlier years of economic prosperity. Traits: (MN) Adventurer, ancient, eccentric, famous, humorous, stealthy Atellis Noussian Street Preacher “Listen, brothers and sisters, it is about all of us living together in the light!” Appearance: His black hair and beard are scraggly, and he wears smudged, worn robes and carries a staff adorned with the symbol of his deity. Roleplaying: Atellis holds his shoulders high and always has a warm smile on his face. Personality: He is friendly and loving, without exception. Motivation: Atellis seeks to spread the love of his deity and help those in need. Background: Atellis is the first son of a wealthy family. Growing up he had the best and wanted for nothing. His siblings were always jealous, because as first son he stood to inherit everything. When he was 20, he encountered a wounded woman in the streets. She had been set upon by ruffians and left to die. No one else stopped to help her, but Atellis broke from the pack of other wealthy merchants’ children, and helped her up. Once she had been attended to, he felt changed. The trappings of his wealthy life wore on him. The more he had, the more he hated himself. One day, he left his family, city, and country and traveled to a poor monastery. There, he learned the ways of his deity and settled down to a monastic life. Many years later, he felt a calling to spread goodwill, and left to travel the world. Traits: (JA) Charming, impoverished, religious Coryn Arana Incompetent Wizard “Oh yes, that does look quite ancient. Now I have a spell that will identify it, if I could only find my vial of powdered bone, and for that matter, my spell book…” Appearance: Coryn is stunning. She is tall with flowing blond hair, and a figure that commands attention. She is in her midthirties but only appears to have become more beautiful with age. Roleplaying: She speaks as if she is quite knowledgeable, but is often wrong, and when corrected she will become flustered and then use her looks as a distraction. Personality: A rather incompetent mage, she knows she doesn’t have the discipline to be any good, and that she can use her looks to compensate. Motivation: Coryn knows she will never be a mage of any notoriety, and her shop is just getting her by. She wishes to marry someone wealthy—like an adventurer. Background: Born to a typical family, Coryn dreamed of being a mage. She was able to find an apprenticeship with a lecherous older wizard, who took her in because of her beauty. She was able to learn some minor magic, but never enough to take up adventuring. She eventually opened a shop where she sells minor magic items and spell components, and performs simple spells. Traits: (PV) Beautiful, business, magical 124 125 126 127
Fantasy - Neutrals Hallsman • The Hand of Blood • Hara • Harmon • Harr • Harrigan • Hayes 63 Shalla Hearthmoor Unscrupulous Innkeeper “For that much money, you could buy this place and burn it down, if you liked.” Appearance: In her sixties, Shalla has broad arms, an acnescarred face, and small ears, making her look somewhat like a toad. She wears a studded leather breastplate under her apron. Roleplaying: Brusque and matter of fact, Shalla comes across like a no-nonsense grandmother. Her gaze quickly notes anything of value in the vicinity. Personality: Shalla learned early on in life that scruples don’t put food on the table, and discarded all but two of hers: She hates the city watch, and she won’t tolerate murder. Motivation: She looks out for herself and no one else; self-interest is her only true interest. She’ll do anything if her cut is large enough. Background: Shalla runs the Besmirched Ettin inn, a sprawling, ramshackle place well-known as a hangout for thieves, cutthroats, and other ne’er-do-wells. She offers her guests private dealmaking rooms, temporary lodging in the inn’s many crawlspaces and hidey-holes, and the latest gossip and information on potential jobs. In return, she gets to keep her fingers in numerous pies, taking little pieces of the action herself. Her one unbreakable rule is that anyone who commits murder under her roof is never welcome at the Ettin again. She’s not above fleecing or doublecrossing adventurers if she thinks she can get away with it, but she’s equally happy to help them out if their coin is good. Traits: (MR) Business, criminal, merchant, notorious Mistress Harmony Whitethorn Informed Madam “Your wife serves a superior pie, your lordship. I would hate to mar our friendship in any way.” Appearance: A fading rose, Harmony is still attractive and quite capable of seduction—but she normally dresses as a hostess, elegant and unapproachable. Her hand with cosmetics is flawless, subtly emphasizing her gold-flecked green eyes and soft ruby lips. Roleplaying: Smiles and charm, smiles and charm. Harmony moves with a genteel elegance—think Gone with the Wind, sipping lemonade on the veranda. Her smile is the seal of the confessional. Personality: Mistress Harmony is the center, the spider collecting information. Her people are loyal to her, even after they move on to better circ*mstances. Motivation: She wants security and influence, and works to cultivate a staff that’s garnering both. She’s protective of her people, knowing that it builds their loyalty and keeps them confiding their secrets to her. Background: Harmony worked her way through the brothel, beginning young. As her mentor reached retirement age, more of Harmony’s days were taken up with learning the business side—and fewer of her nights were assigned. Since she took over, the Cape and Casket has done extremely well, expanding twice and establishing itself as the finest club in the city. She’ll do what she must to remain central—blackmail, entice, corrupt, and have girls kidnapped from the countryside for her brothel. She’s an information broker, saleswoman, and city booster, all in one. Traits: (SM) Counselor, entertainment, focal General Calviticus Hara Inspiring Hero “Mark my words: We will stand with you in this campaign and see it through to the end. Once we begin there is no turning back!” Appearance: He is a tall, massive man with large hands and an iron grip. His clothing is dirty and a diagonal scar crosses from his right cheek to his jaw. His red beard is flecked with gray. Roleplaying: Calviticus speaks with a booming baritone voice, using his sizable hands to punctuate his statements. He will slam a fist upon a table or into his open palm to underscore his conviction. He often speaks of prior campaigns to illustrate a point. Personality: Years of service have taught the general to achieve victory at any cost. He is steadfast in thought and bound to his word by honor. He relishes a good battle but goes to great pains to avoid confrontation. Motivation: He never leaves a man, woman, or child behind. Victory is righteous, but not at the expense of personal honor. Background: Forged in steel, General Hara is a great military mind and skilled leader, which is demonstrated both on and off the field. While war does not rage on as it once did, the general finds it hard to disappear into the quiet night. The people and his troops respect him and look to the general for leadership “one more time.” Traits: (DM) Famous, leader, military Drammin Na Ket Wandering Mage “Ah yes, just one more stitch and this spell shall be complete.” Appearance: Drammin’s burgundy robes hang loosely on his medium frame. His unkempt brown hair swings in loose waves. His spellbook is held in a rope sling at his side. Roleplaying: He doesn’t warm to people easily, but is friendly and kind once he does. He presents himself as a tailor, revealing his magic abilities only when he trusts a person. Personality: Drammin is quiet and mild. He has found that keeping himself unnoticed keeps him safe. Motivation: He seeks a relic stolen from his wandering clan many years ago. Background: Drammin was orphaned as a young boy and remembers very little of his true parents. He was found walking along a road by a wandering caravan, who fed and sheltered him, and made him one of their own. Taking the wanderer surname Na Ket, meaning “The Gathered,” Drammin came to live with an old man who had recently joined the wanderers. The old man was a mage who saw talent in Drammin and taught him the mystic arts, bequeathing his spellbook to Drammin on his deathbed. One night, a thief snuck into the camp, slaughtered many of the wanderers, and stole one of their artifacts. Vowing to return the artifact, Drammin set out into the world. He has taken the guise of a traveling tailor, seeking out information wherever he can find it. Traits: (JA) Adventurer, magical, mysterious, occult 128 129 130 131
Fantasy - Neutrals 64 Hvarri • Ian • Icabod • Iona • Isabella • Isilmore Lurika the Soul-Stealer Deluded Hedge Wizard “Don’t test me, boy, or I’ll swallow your soul! <maniacal laughter>“ Appearance: Lurika wears ragged robes covered in sigils, a necklace of animal skulls and talismans, and far more jewelry than necessary. Roleplaying: She gives everyone the evil eye, squinting with her left eye and widening her right eye into a creepy stare. Lurika hobbles despite being in perfect health, and feigns an ambiguously “foreign” accent. Personality: Affecting weirdness has made her weird. She’s also occasionally convinced that she is actually a powerful wizard— one who chooses not to use her magic because of its possible dangerous consequences. Though a little bit insane, she’s mostly harmless. Motivation: She craves recognition more than power. As long as everyone fears her, and children grow up thinking she’s going to eat them, she’s happy. Background: Growing up as a woodworker’s daughter, Lurika dreamed of one day becoming a great wizard. Without much talent for magic, she became a hedge wizard instead—but her ambition never dimmed. So she moved out into the woods, built herself a shack on giant wooden chicken-leg stilts, and began cultivating her reputation as a Baba Yaga-like figure. She has most people in the area fooled, but is in for a rude shock the first time a party of capable adventurers comes to remove her as a dire threat to the region—or if the wizards’ guild comes knocking. Traits: (MR) Crafter, eccentric, humorous, magical, primal Forgrim the Silent Quiet Warrior “Aye, Forgrim’s a right powerful blade. But he dinna speak, not even when he got his arm near tore off. Just dropped his shield, and kept swinging. It was a sight. And right after that battle, he just left.” Appearance: A burly warrior presents quite a sight. He is completely bald, but covered in tattoos and ritualistic scars. His armor and shield are dull gray, and he carries a variety of melee weapons. Roleplaying: Silent and largely expressionless, he communicates through hand signals and the occasional drawing, but never through speech. Personality: Fearless in battle, he leads a very spartan life, and shows little interest in anything else. Motivation: He serves his god through battle. Background: Call it a curse or call it a blessing, but Forgrim underwent a rare ritual of binding to an obscure warrior deity. The ritual covered him in tattoos and scars and took his voice, but granted him superhuman skill and courage in battle, and bound a spirit of protection to him. The spirit grants him supernatural abilities, and leads him on the righteous path. Because of the spirit’s direction, his actions often seem capricious and arbitrary, and he has left allies for no apparent reason. If hired, he expects pay, but nobody knows what he does with it. He may sacrifice it, or just give it to charities, but he definitely doesn’t spend it on himself. Traits: (KS) Impoverished, magical, mysterious, primal, warrior Roderic Greenfellow Bloodthirsty Hunter “Why yes, I can lead you through the forest to…wait, is that a blue unicorn?” Appearance: Roderic has two faces. One is the scruffy outdoorsman with a wild mane and hunting clothes, the other is a well-groomed country squire. In both cases, his lustrous black hair has streaks of gray and he has piercing blue eyes. He proudly bears the scars of his kills; his left hand and right eye are magical replacements. Roleplaying: When meeting others in the wilderness, Roderic immediately asks them what they’ve encountered. He is happiest when discussing hunting and quickly steers other conversations back to killing beasts. Personality: Roderic enjoys the thrill of the hunt. While not a sad*st, he does enjoy seeing them die. Ironically, Roderic’s blood thirst does not carry over to humanity, and he’ll do everything in his power to save human lives. Motivation: He wants to kill new exotic beasts and add them to his collection. Background: Roderic had a comfortable life growing up. His father was a soldier who’d retired on a plot of land that he bought from his spoils. He taught Roderic how to live off the land and hunt. Roderic relished his kills so thoroughly that he wanted to look his beasts in the eyes as they died (as if part of some twisted honor code). He is an excellent outdoorsman and knows the lay of any land; if a party can pull him from his passion, Roderic could provide critical information. Traits: (WC) Outdoorsman, stealthy Elleen Lasondiere Drunken Noblewoman “What? You’ve never sheen a drunk woman before? No, you musht have—becaushe your mother’sh a drunken whor*.” Appearance: Plain but not unattractive, Elleen has a high forehead and intelligent eyes. With sallow skin and a staggering gait, she’s generally tipsy, drunk, or falling-down drunk. Roleplaying: Elleen is almost always inebriated. She slurs her speech, falls over frequently, and insults everyone around her. Personality: As a drunk, Elleen is angry, bitter, and never stops feeling sorry for herself. Sober, she’s sharp, motivated to help the common folk, and believes in honest government. She’s weakwilled, though, and this has proven to be her downfall. Motivation: Elleen drinks to forget her past, her loneliness, her station, and her responsibilities. She lashes out at those around her because it makes her feel better about herself. Background: If it weren’t for her drinking, Elleen could be a capable courtier and politician. She has a head for intrigue, a knack for spotting alliances that are about to shift, and a deep knowledge of politics. Unfortunately, when her parents and siblings were killed in a tragic riverboat accident, she turned to alcohol for solace—and hasn’t looked back. Her wealth and station have shielded her from the consequences thus far, but that won’t be true forever. If she were sobered up and convinced to overcome her grief, she could be a capable, conscientious leader again. Her region needs her, and showing her that might just do the trick. Traits: (MR) Focal, leader, political, royalty 132 133 134 135
Fantasy - Neutrals Hearthmoor • Herzog • Hones • Hotep • Hraska • Illuak 65 Gabriel Shepard Stable-Boy Prince “That dapple’s a real beauty—I’ll take good care of her.” Appearance: Gabriel is a blond haired kid with green eyes and an impish smile. He is 14 years old, 5’5”, and strong from lifting bales. Roleplaying: Gabriel is a hard-working kid. He is earnest and occasionally wise by chance. His voice hasn’t broken yet, which embarrasses him. Sometimes he shuffles his feet through the straw; he blushes when he’s caught doing it. Personality: He’s a good kid, does what he’s told, and works hard to earn his keep. He loves his parents openly and doesn’t backtalk—but he is curious about who his real parents are. Motivation: He enjoys being treated as an adult, which usually happens when he works. Gabriel also knows that his parents were really good to take him in—despite reassurances, he worries that if he crosses them, they’ll get rid of him. Background: After a prophecy about a divided country was pronounced at his birth, the king and queen left baby Gabriel exposed in the sacred circle. His nursemaid stole him away after the royal family returned to the palace. She returned to her homeland and turned him over to old friends of her family, the innkeepers, claiming that he was her child. She poses as an aunt and will reveal the truth when he turns eighteen, or when circ*mstances demand it. Traits: (SM) Charming, focal, mysterious, royalty Suaul Mercatio Shifty Procurer “The adamantine dove of Shier-al-Khar? Of course I know of it—and its guardians. For a price, it can be yours.” Appearance: Short and so skinny he appears to be wasting away, Suaul has a hunched back and walks with a scuttling gait. His right arm is withered and near useless, blackened as if by fire. Roleplaying: Suaul is always smiling, even while he talks. He often scratches his chin with his withered arm. Personality: He is a shifty little weasel, always on the lookout for the next caper. He views the world as his personal cabinet of curiosities, and loves nothing more than the challenge of collecting them. Motivation: Suaul is motivated by curiosity, the rush of acquiring something that should have been impossible to steal, and a fascination with antiques and oddities. Background: Suaul is a procurer of antiquities, curiosities, and treasures—not a thief, but the man who pays thieves to bring back what his customers are looking for. If you make it worth his while, he’ll procure anything, but his specialty is strange and unusual artifacts (magical or otherwise). The greater the challenge, the more his interest is piqued. His peculiar gift lies in ferreting out the location of things that others want, and in connecting buyers with suppliers. Those suppliers are often adventurers. He finds it quaint that people think they can protect their treasures; few can keep them safe from him. Traits: (MR) Criminal, merchant, scholar Artist: Christopher Reach Suaul Mercatio 136 137
Fantasy - Neutrals 66 Istan • Izzy • Jacad • Jack • Jai • Jane • Janorra Lady Nysha Hones Naïve Negotiator “You call them savages, but I believe that they can be reasoned with. I have learned their language, and I am prepared to forge a treaty with these people.” Appearance: Nysha is in her early fifties, with graying hair that falls softly on her alabaster shoulders. Her figure has softened over the years, but retains the curves of her youth. Roleplaying: She speaks with her head tilted to one side, her hands clasped together. Personality: Plainspoken, Nysha never softens her words or covers anything up, yet she does so with an infectious charm. She believes everyone speaks as plainly as her. The only defense she has is her keen intellect, which has more than once steered her out of trouble. Motivation: Nysha believes that she has a gift to help people who are in trouble. She is in a position where she can be effective, and she uses that to get involved wherever she can. Background: The Lady Hones is from a minor house, but one that has favor with the king. Nysha has always been someone who has helped people through their problems. She has been the intermediary for a number of house squabbles. Now she believes that she has found her role as a mediator, and has charmed the king into letting her negotiate with a savage enemy – an enemy not as naïve as she is, nor as smart. Traits: (PV) Charming, genius, royalty Burnell Dunn Stingy Farmer “Well, I don’t right know what I’d pay ya t’clear the beasties. A copper a head?” Appearance: A lean older man, dressed in simple worn clothes, Farmer Dunn is usually working on something. Roleplaying: Though rural and simple on the surface, Burnell is neither ignorant nor stupid. Personality: Through hard work and a tight purse, Burnell Dunn has built a thriving farm over several decades. He may be simple, but he’s honest and a hard worker. And he expects the same of others. Motivation: Above all else, Burnell wants to hand his farm down to his children. Background: A late last child of a starry-eyed sharecropper couple, Burnell saw his parents and older siblings waste their lives following unrealistic dreams. He turned his gaze downwards, working the land hard enough to sock away some money. When his landlord had a cash-flow crisis, he bought some of the land he was working and improved it. After a few more productive growing cycles, the landlord offered to let him buy all of the land over time. The land is now paid off, and Burnell and his family tend it. They are protective of their land, and very suspicious of outsiders. Although their trust is not easily gained, they are honest folk, and their word is trusted in the community. Traits: (KS) Business, laborer, outdoorsman Dockmaster Abel Thornton Scheming Bureaucrat “They say a lucky man waits for his ship to come in. Mine comes in twice or three times daily, and each one must pay for the right to load and unload cargo on my dock. That’s how you get rich quick.” Appearance: In his thirties, Abel abstains from rum, and he’s been rewarded with good health. He prefers to wear a stiff coat with rows of fancy buttons, bright tights and buckled shoes. A tricorn hat rests atop his powered wig. Roleplaying: He sniffs the air indignantly at anyone who scoffs at the high fees he charges. Personality: Abel has a plan, and so far, he’s stuck with it. He’s astute at working the system of bureaucracy to his advantage by gleaning a portion of the dock fees for himself. But he’s growing impatient for his investments in privateers to pay off in a big way. Motivation: He wants to get rich and live like a gentleman— especially in a place far, far from here. Background: Born in the colonies, Abel wheedled his way into an apprenticeship with the previous dockmaster. He’s accumulating a fortune by charging docking fees and by investing in the cleverest and boldest privateer captains. With bribes to key officials, he’s maintained his posting over the objections of the ship owners. Keeping informed about privateer prize ships has enabled him to stay abreast of news. Traits: (TT) Business, power hungry The Oracle of the Sea Disturbed Visionary “The waters speak to me. Each wave has its own voice. Each tide sings a melody. Each storm is a cry of anguish. It is unfortunate, but it is the storms that speak to me with the most clarity.” Appearance: The Oracle is a young woman of incredible beauty with pure white hair. Her eyes are a very deep blue, and they match the color of the linen toga that she wears. Roleplaying: The Oracle is shy and avoids contact with people. When someone makes physical contact with her, she sees a vision of their future and it is quite painful for her. If touched by another, she screams and collapses in tears. Personality: She is frail and always on the verge of a nervous breakdown. She knows she is destined to live a very long life of service to her people, and it has left her lonely and with little hope. Motivation: The Oracle has seen her future and, so far, every attempt to stray from it has only led her back to her destiny. Still, she is desperate to escape her fate. Background: Before she was born, her predecessor announced her coming. Her people have always relied on the oracles to foretell when their ships should sail, and by what routes they should travel. She knows that she will have all of her needs attended to until the day she dies, and she hates it. She is imprisoned by fate. Traits: (PB) Beautiful, leader, occult 138 139 140 141
Fantasy - Neutrals The Indomitable • Induri • Inteccion • Ironbrow • Ironface • Irongut • Isker 67 Bertrand Sardonus Mischievous Guard “Look, it was only a bit of fun. Don’t tell the captain, eh?” Appearance: Young and stout, he can’t help but smirk at his own jokes. Roleplaying: Bertrand is constantly smiling and laughing. He makes fun of anything and everything. Personality: Mischievous and capricious, Bertrand makes an odd fit for a town guard. Motivation: Bertrand only wants to inject a little fun into life. Background: He didn’t want to be one of the gate guards, but it was better than working in the quarry like his dad. Bertrand joined up with a friend, and is constantly goofing off. He is always up for a little joke, and is usually horsing around while on duty. This makes for easy passage through the gates for some, but his jokes often rile and annoy those who might smuggle something into or out of the city. His jokes and curiosity have uncovered illegal goods and weapons more than a few times. These coincidental successes are not enough to keep the guard captain off him, and he is often chastised in front of people entering and leaving the city. A good way to play Bertram is to make him intensely curious about the PCs. He’ll joke around and make fun of a cleric’s robes, a warrior’s battle scars, or anything else he can target. If the PCs take it well, he might provide information; if not, other guards might notice and cause issues for the PCs. Traits: (JA) Eccentric, humorous, military, police Captain Rose “The Thorn” Etrum Superstitious Pirate “Aye, we had a deal and to break a deal is bad luck. You get to live accordin’ to our bargain. But you lied to me, and for that I’m takin’ one of your eyes out of your head. Nothin’ personal, but to let a liar double-cross you and then get away unscathed is bad luck, too.” Appearance: Her skin is tanned and leathery. She has bits of bone and silver braided into her graying hair. Her captain’s uniform is tattered and worn. Roleplaying: She has many strange rituals; among them: She kisses one of the pieces of silver in her hair when she needs good fortune, and she wears a finger bone from anyone she kills in her hair to protect herself from their vengeful spirits. Personality: Despite her profession, Captain Etrum is a very genteel person. She only uses violence when she has to, but she uses it extremely well. Motivation: She has enough treasure that she could retire, but she keeps sailing and looting ships anyhow. She seems to believe that if she stops, her accumulated bad luck will catch up to her. Background: Rose Etrum was the daughter of a naval commander. She was taken prisoner when pirates attacked and boarded her father’s ship. Years later, she emerged as the captain of her own vessel. She has never explained how that came to be. Traits: (PB) Abhorrent, criminal, eccentric, mysterious, pilot Chandra Viola Elderly Merchant “Thirty denari? In my day, a man would be ashamed of taking advantage of an old woman like that! I could see 54...” Appearance: Chandra is an elderly woman, with a crooked spine and bright blue eyes. She is still quite fit from hauling and driving a team, but her energy is good only for an hour before she needs recovery time. Roleplaying: Chandra takes advantage of her grandmotherly features, reinforcing them with “my dear” and other quaint phrases. She appears reluctant to part with possessions, but that’s only a haggling tool. She brings up her very skilled and recently deceased husband gingerly—usually praising his skills and wondering how his trading is going in the afterlife. Personality: Chandra is loyal in an old-fashioned, even-deathwon’t-stop-me way. She is nice—but only when it’s going to get her a better deal. Motivation: Chandra enjoys trading and feels close to her dead husband when she haggles well. She continued trading after his death to fulfill contracts he’d signed, but enjoys the sentimental connection enough to keep going. Background: Chandra learned salesmanship while at her husband’s side for almost 30 years. She has been a devout worshiper of the merchant god since she converted at her wedding, so she’s continuing his work after her husband’s death. While she could go live with her daughter, she enjoys trading—and how backwater people act so scandalized when a woman haggles them out of their clothes. Traits: (SM) Ancient, merchant Lissa Cochrane Disfigured Investigator “See here? The angle of the bolt suggests that it was fired from up yonder. With some time I can tell you who made the weapon.” Appearance: A deep scar across this young woman’s face is immediately apparent. It crosses the bridge of her nose, separating flesh from bone, travels down her cheek, and has torn the corner of her mouth apart. Her face is disfigured, but her light brown eyes and dark hair show something of her original beauty. Roleplaying: She slurs slightly when she talks and favors her “good side,” the left side of her face. Lissa looks down or away quite often, speaking softly. Personality: She’s used to the stares she receives but takes great pride in her work. While working, she’s the model of efficiency and talks with confidence. In social situations, Lissa retreats out of fear. Motivation: She endeavors to apprehend offenders—like the one that disfigured her—and make the streets safer for everyone. Background: Lissa could have been considered pretty, but a brutal robbery at a young age left her horribly disfigured. Her attacker was never identified. Seeking odd evening tasks for coin, she took up with the local militia, where her near-photographic recollection helped her secure a job reviewing crime scenes. Now, she works as a full-fledged member of the militia, re-creating the execution of crimes through crafting and simple investigative techniques. Her opinion is highly regarded among enforcers of justice. Traits: (DM) Crafter, hideous, police 142 143 144 145
Fantasy - Neutrals 68 Janus • Jared • Jarrod • Jasper • Jebediah • Jerome • Johan Dannith Nottingshire Adamant Wanderer “Repent? Nay! There is no salvation for you, for when the earth is torn asunder and the brog come, a great many will know what it means to purify by fire, I tell you!” Appearance: Disheveled rags cover a woman who smells of sewage. Wild, unkempt black hair and milky eyes give her an unnerving appearance. Yellowed fingernails and caked-on dirt decorate her hands. Roleplaying: She leans heavily to the right, giving the appearance of a hunchback. Her neck twists to the left to compensate and she moves with sudden, jerky movements. She blinks and squints frequently, trying to clear the visions from her head. Personality: Dannith holds a tenuous grasp on reality and speaks fervently of death and salvation. Her portents are generally too vague to be useful, but sometimes just specific enough to give someone pause when they turn out to be right. She’s prone to fits of violence. Motivation: She seeks the absolution of sin from others who reek of it. Dannith pays no mind to taking on the sins of others and rationalizes her faults for the greater good, stooping to killing as necessary. Background: Previously a roaming acolyte and adventurer, Dannith’s fall from grace was particularly swift. Having grievously offended her deity with her hubris, Dannith was so overcome with grief that madness soon followed. In the wasteland of self-pity she sought to “save” others from meeting the same fate. Traits: (DM) Adventurer, impoverished, religious Cassie and Moose Adorable Delivery Team “Are you sure about this guy, Moose? He looks dangerous to me.” Appearance: Cassie is a tiny girl with dirty blond hair that frizzes at the slightest bit of humidity in the air. She carries a leather satchel almost as big as she is and straddles Moose, her hands clutching the massive dog’s plush red fur. Roleplaying: Cassie is well aware of her position on the food chain and hides behind Moose when she’s unsure of others’ intentions. She double-checks identities before making deliveries and keeps relationships strictly on a business level. Personality: Alone and uneasy, Cassie is extra careful but relaxes when Moose seems to trust someone. Motivation: Cassie and Moose want to perform their jobs well enough for their reputation to keep them fed, but otherwise push to stay beneath the notice of anyone who would make their lives more difficult. Background: Raised in an orphanage, Cassie found Moose in the street, hid him in her room, and fed him table scraps. Eventually, the administrators discovered her smuggled pet and ordered Cassie to abandon him. Refusing, she ran away; the two of them have been running odd jobs and deliveries ever since. Cassie saves what money she can and keeps it well hidden for the day when she and Moose will be able to rent their own place. Traits: (MN) Business, child, humorous, impoverished, pilot Artist: Avery Liell-Kok Cassie and Moose 146 147
Fantasy - Neutrals Jackson • Jones • Kalhal • Kang • The Keeper of Lost Souls • Kensor 69 Lady Corinna, Marquessa of Verdstaat Sharp-Tongued Noble “You would make a fine lord someday, if only you weren’t such a coward.” Appearance: A thick, matronly woman with well-styled raven hair, Corinna wears elegant but tasteful clothes for a noble of her age and stature. Roleplaying: Corinna is always smiling, no matter what comes out of her mouth. She is a stickler for etiquette and enjoys ritualized greetings that can last several minutes. Personality: She is a perfect lady with one particular flaw: She’s very blunt. She doesn’t couch her assessment of someone with platitudes or even diplomatic phrasing. Her blunt assessments do not affect how she treats someone. Motivation: Having lost her youthful beauty, Corinna enjoys being the belle of the ball with her wicked assessments. Background: Corinna was a beautiful young noblewoman who had her pick of men after she came of age. She enjoyed the attention and found that young, beautiful women could get away with blunt language. After seeing several suitors, she finally settled on the dashing Marquess of Verdstaat. They made a handsome couple, but he died just after Corinna entered middle age. Corinna discovered that her widowed status and her age enabled her to get away with her blunt assessments just as they did when she was young. Interestingly, the other nobles don’t mind and actually respect her candor. Traits: (WC) Dilettante, eccentric, political Rodus Mosden Aggressive Constable “Why you did not see me is because you’re sloppy and stupid. Now put the sword down and your hands out. Let’s see how you do as a prisoner.” Appearance: Rodus is angular in every sense, with sharp shoulders, a hard chin, and a hawkish nose. He is more muscular and imposing than his average height suggests. His hair is short and he has a large, well-groomed mustache. Roleplaying: He speaks at people, not to them. Rodus looks everyone in the eye with a burning stare. Personality: With Rodus, everything is done with complete intensity. He is aggressive, and doesn’t wait for someone to make a decision or take an action if he can take one first. Motivation: He is a dedicated individual who loves his city and wishes to defend it against all who threaten it. There are days when he believes that life in the city would be much better if he ruled it all. Background: Rodus lived in a poor section of the city, and used to be robbed, beaten, and exploited by criminals. He volunteered for the city guard to escape his neighborhood. In the guard, he fully adopted the spirit of the city and duty asked of him. He moved up the ranks of the guard and in time became a senior inspector. He often works alone while sitting in the shadows, hunting criminals, and bringing them to justice—though he is equally comfortable if they wish to resist. Traits: (PV) Aggressive, military, police, stealthy Gunnick Blackhaven Exiled General “General Gunnick? No, you must have mistaken me for someone else. I’m Gunnick the hermit.” Appearance: Though 74, Gunnick looks like a rugged man of fifty, with a cleft chin, bushy eyebrows, and a crooked smile. Roleplaying: Gunnick moves like a soldier but speaks like a sage. He’s humble, patient, and helpful to those he meets. Personality: Still prone to losing his temper, Gunnick has nonetheless mellowed over the years. He feels deep shame over his past, and has embraced his exile as a chance to become a better man. He’s happiest with his nose buried in a book or out on long walks in the woods. Motivation: Gunnick wants to live out his days in peace, and to be remembered as a scholar, not a general. His curiosity about the world is limitless. Background: Thirty years ago, Gunnick was a decorated general with unlimited career potential, until, in a fit of rage, he murdered an enlisted man. In recognition of his service, the king exiled Gunnick instead of executing him, and he’s lived out the past three decades as a hermit. He used his savings to build a modest fortified house far from civilization, and he interacts with others only when he’s seeking out new books to add to his library. In addition to being a brilliant tactician, Gunnick has become a scholar of history and the natural world—but he sometimes longs to be back on the battlefield. Traits: (MR) Famous, leader, military, scholar, warrior Patrizia Costa Sensuous Courtier “You speak of spies and plots and intrigue. Perhaps you think they are mother’s milk where I am from. But you are mistaken if you think I am interested in such things. I have come to this country to relax, take in the fresh air, see the highlands, sip wine, and be free of the complications of court. I am on holiday. Surely, you can help me indulge in your local flavor.” Appearance: Her raven hair and olive complexion accent her allure. She is shorter than average, but so exotic-looking that she stands out even in the company of other beautiful women. The more resplendent the gown she wears, the more beguiling she appears. Roleplaying: She never gives offense and flirts constantly. She has an easy, sensual manner that draws admirers. Personality: She has a zest for life, and passion for every affair. Intrigue is second nature to her. Motivation: She is completely loyal to her mother country. Background: Patrizia is a minor courtier hoping to advance her position by acting as a spy. She plays the role of a foreign emissary on holiday, seeing the sites, sampling local wines and foods. She entertains local nobles with salons and parties, engaging in affairs and dalliances. She is here to make an account of the duke’s troop strength and the competency of his local commanders. She is also here to gauge the sentiment of the common folk to the crown and see if she can sow discord. Traits: (TT) Beautiful, charming, mysterious 148 149 150 151
Fantasy - Neutrals 70 Johann • Julie • Julius • Justina • Kaduchi • Kale • Kal’yne Darlah “The Plan” Demier Brilliant Memory Thief “... and get O’Neil for the vault, Harris to cover your escape. Any questions?” Appearance: There’s usually a reek coming from Darlah’s clothing—days of sweat soaked in without a change. Her rustcolored hair is twisted and tangled, and her green eyes are glassy and crazed with red lines. Roleplaying: Darlah stares off into the middle distance, eyes unfocussed, with a dried trail of drool at the corner of her mouth. When a plan finally clicks, she blinks and looks around as if seeing things for the first time. Personality: Intensely focused, Darlah lives in her mind, ignoring the world around her. She is brilliant, crafting cunning plans, and is motivated by a good puzzle. Motivation: She wanted more, so she walked up and negotiated it. Along the way, she got lost in stolen memories and magical backlash, addicted by the rush of adding one more mind to her own. Background: Darlah grew up an unwanted daughter, one more brat to feed. She figured out how to steal memories quite young, and her brilliance let her interpret and extrapolate, building plans. She deduced who ran the local thieves, snuck in, and volunteered her services when she was nine. She’s been the resident scholar for the last dozen years, and has survived two changes in leadership. Traits: (SM) Abhorrent, criminal, magical, scholar Roberto Deriggosa World-Ending Genius “Repositioning the aleph foundation will increase the mana flow rate sevenfold. These diagrams document the process.” Appearance: Roberto looks unassuming; he’s a gaunt man with hollow cheeks and black-rimmed eyes from lack of sleep. His voice is still strong, and he cuts a dashing figure when he resorts to beauty glamours. Roleplaying: He seems older than his 28 years; so often he loses track of the world outside his books and notes that he has forgotten to eat. He has vision and drive—dangerous and practical motivation always on the verge of accomplishment. Personality: Roberto has a few friends who listen quietly and convert his plans and theories into action. He has a knack for seeing things and extrapolating patterns, of cutting to the truth beneath the world of façades. Motivation: Magic is his lifeblood; when he succeeds, everyone will live and breathe magic too. He has no desire for recognition of the change he’s making; he’s content to rely on his disciples. Nevertheless, when people do encounter him, they’re often awestruck by his gravity and calm. Background: Roberto has long had a tremendous gift, amplified by serving some of the most prestigious mages of the previous generation. After years of small-scale experimentation, he’s ready to put his ideas to the test. His allies and disciples travel the world, embedding the land with responsive magic that will leap into action at his summons. Traits: (SM) Focal, genius, occult, leader, magical Zorian Waymer Scheming Politician “Ah, the throne. No, no, I have no ambitions to sit upon the throne. Only a fool would desire it.” Appearance: With an enormous pinched nose, small eyes, and a receding hairline, Zorian looks like a scavenger bird. His gray hair is swept back from his face, and he wears gold spectacles. Roleplaying: Zorian isn’t charming, but he’s a good listener who turns his full attention to the conversation at hand. He adjusts his spectacles frequently. Personality: Though not evil, Zorian is unscrupulous, ruthless, and fond of taking the low road. He believes that scheming, and the resulting fallout, is just a part of politics. Motivation: He wants power for himself and wealth and security for his family, all without getting his hands too dirty. Background: Zorian is a politician on the rise, and that rise has been fueled by bribery, scheming, intimidation, and skillful maneuvering. Those at court who have crossed Zorian have learned that he’s as patient as a serpent, and just as quick to strike when the moment’s right. Zorian prefers to stay at least twice removed from any unpleasantness that his schemes require. He’ll neither wield the knife, nor pay someone to wield it—he’ll manipulate someone else into paying the wielder of the knife. His ultimate goal is to rule the entire region. He could oppose the PCs, aid them, or simply catch them up in one of his schemes. Traits: (MR) Political, power hungry, white collar Archaea Zareth Wealthy Museum Curator “I see you noticed the columns. A bit disturbing, admittedly, but their historic importance is not to be overlooked. They are an exact replica of those in the private quarters of Emperor Thot-am-Karil of Orobus, which is modern-day Arberos.” Appearance: A slightly overweight woman, dressed in archaic fashions from a bygone era, Archaea carries a looking-glass to examine scrolls. Roleplaying: Archaea is verbose and talkative, and shows a real passion for the ancient world, often going off on tangents. Personality: She’s very cerebral and friendly, but has few interests outside her area of expertise. Motivation: She lives to recover and study ancient historical artifacts. Background: The daughter of an adventurer, Archaea was surrounded by artifacts from an early age. She often helped her mother identify and sell the goods her father brought back— becoming quite adept at identifying the various items and finding interested buyers for them. Her parents have retired, and Archaea has taken over the family business. She uses her extensive resources to identify likely sites, hires adventuring parties to recover the artifacts therein, and splits the proceeds with them. Because of her ability to identify items and find buyers for them, the parties she hires are willing to let her handle the post-adventure bookkeeping. Between her own wealth and the high standing of many of her clients, her home and museum are extremely well protected. Traits: (KS) Academic, eccentric, scholar, wealthy 152 153 154 155
Fantasy - Neutrals Kern • Kestrel • Kiraly • Kullwood • Laceweave • The Lackey • Lancaster 71 Weland Gofannon Child Prodigy “The steel from my forge is the best. You don’t have to take a mere boy’s word on it; test it against any other armorer in the land.” Appearance: A young boy works the forge, gripping the tongs with both hands while assistants follow his every command and a priest watches over him. Roleplaying: At work, he’s all business, demanding much from himself and his assistants. Away from work he’s just another eightyear old boy, until he has another idea and heads back to the forge. Personality: Like many prodigies and artists, he’s temperamental and driven to get things exactly right. Motivation: His destiny to be the best armorer in the world conflicts with the knowledge that he should also just be a boy. Background: Rumors abound of coincidences at his birth: that the king’s armorer died the moment he was born, that a meteor shower blessed the skies, or that he was born with a hammer in hand. But the truth is a bit less palatable. For whatever reason (an upcoming war, a priest’s request, or a wager), the gods of the forge gifted him to channel the essences of great armorers of legend. Weland simply knows things that even experienced craftsmen don’t know. His life will be tumultuous; his weapons are almost legendary, and his skill is still improving. Word is spreading and will soon reach power hungry ears. Traits: (KS) Artist, child, crafter, focal, genius, occult Iona Drakenthorn Dragon-Crazed Sage “The music is bright, and the dance fine, though I’d rather be dancing through the air.” Appearance: Iona sways when she walks, trailing her hands in shimmering circles to emphasize her gold painted nails and the slithery sound of her scaled cloak. She stands 5’2” and is thin enough to show ribs and bone everywhere; her green eyes are vivid and accented with kohl. Roleplaying: She deliberately cultivates an air of the otherworldly, emphasizes her sibilants, and moves with confidence. While she’s trying to attract dragons, some men are drawn to the same traits. Personality: Dragons fascinate Iona; they call to her on a primal level. She wants to seduce and mate with one. Motivation: She wants to be invited to run wild and free through the sky with dragons, so she listens to all the legends and spends all her money on dragon books to ensure that she’s as prepared as possible. She’d happily leave humanity behind, if only the dragons would invite her. Background: Her mother fed her on tales of dragons, swearing that their sorcerous blood runs in her family. She loved those tales, and read the only book they owned several times over, fascinated by the chapter where dragons danced on the wind. These days Iona works as a scribe, often spending her last coin on a scroll, book, or necklace with properties a dragon might find attractive. Traits: (SM) Eccentric, impoverished, scholar, white collar Livinous Adal Disenfranchised Advisor “Proof? It’s as obvious as the nose upon your face! Forgive me! I was too hasty!” Appearance: His gray robes are dingy and tattered from long wear, the edges frayed and brown. His hair is receding and he smells as though he were born in a stable. Roleplaying: Livinous has a small stutter that causes him to pause and collect himself before continuing to speak. He is overconfident in his knowledge and presents opinion as fact, though he’s quick to apologize. Personality: Now persona non grata, Livinous is quite humble and seeks to remain in the good graces of others. He’s apologetic and contrite—borderline groveling at times. As such, he’s quick to share his considerable knowledge to garner some pity and prove his usefulness. Motivation: He seeks the restoration of his good name and academic standing, be it through financial means or some discovery that furthers his position. Background: Livinous was a scholar by trade. He once believed that the acquisition of knowledge was an end in itself and that the dissemination of knowledge should proceed unfettered. Confident in his facts, Livinous would present all his thoughts with pride, paying little heed to the consequences. That is, until he shared too freely the truth about corruption in the barony. A scandal erupted, the baron was disgraced, and Livinous took the fall. His credentials were stripped, his finances seized, and his wife left him. He now sleeps in the stables. Traits: (DM) Academic, impoverished Kimes Pellegrin Energetic Bard “This next little reel is one I learned in the southern lands. I used it to banish a demon and save my soul. It makes a good dance tune, don’t you think?” Appearance: Kimes’ long russet hair and beard are often twirled into small braids with beads in them. He wears his lute and fiddle on each side of his pack and bears daggers on his bracers. Roleplaying: He’s always moving around and jumping from place to place. Even after a long day of walking or a few days without sleep, Kimes seems to be full of energy. He often strikes dramatic poses and pauses to give his words effect. Personality: Kimes has never met a person who he couldn’t befriend and has never found a time when he didn’t have energy to try. He likes entertaining people and smiles all the time. Motivation: Never bored by anything, Kimes can’t wait to see what’s around the next corner. He feels that if he slows down, he’ll miss something around the next bend. Background: Kimes’ family was forced from their home by wildfires, and Kimes became dispirited with his family’s misfortune. A traveling bard filled his head with great stories of adventures in far off lands and something triggered within Kimes. Knowing his parents couldn’t feed all their starving children, he apprenticed under a bard and set out on his own journey, entertaining people and helping them out when he can. Traits: (JA) Adventurer, humorous, outdoorsman 156 157 158 159
Fantasy - Neutrals 72 Katarina • Kaye • Kenneth • Ketah • Kilp • Kimes Duke Merkton Religious Laborer “Wealth can kill a man, but hard work will keep him strong.” Appearance: The duke is a man creeping into his elder years. He is bald with a large thick mustache. He rarely wears his royal attire, and prefers work clothes. Roleplaying: He listens more than he speaks, and when he does speak, he is a bit vague. This helps him to avoid obligations that are not aligned with his motives. Personality: He is easily annoyed by people or things that keep him from his work as a master stonemason. He respects the responsibilities that come with his title, but he avoids frivolous events such as royal balls and ceremonies whenever possible. Religious ceremonies are an exception, as he is a man of great faith and devotion. Motivation: Duke Merkton believes that by building roads, temples, mills, and other structures needed by his people, he is fulfilling his obligation to the gods. He does not merely design the structures, though, as he is hands-on with every project— shaping the stones alongside his workers. Background: The young duke was a drunk exploiting his great wealth. He fell ill due to his heavy drinking, and his father threw him into a labor camp to correct his attitude and behavior. There, he learned how to shape stones, how to love the holy texts, and the connection between them. The duke emerged from the camp as a man devoted to both his craft and his faith. Traits: (PB) Laborer, religious, royalty, wealthy Rachel Ashburry Disenfranchised Noble “The Sea is a mother who never lets go of her children.” Appearance: Rachel was clearly refined at one point and comes from noble stock, but years of manual labor at the docks have made her lean and hard. Though covered with grime and dust after a day’s work, regular bathing keeps her cleaner than her coworkers. Roleplaying: Distrustful of anyone she doesn’t know, Rachel is a recluse who leaves her rooms only for work. She is touchy and cranky when disturbed. Personality: Rachel’s exile from her noble house leaves her annoyed, depressed, and listless. Her work is necessary to survive, but it also serves as an escape from her melancholy. Motivation: She wants to travel to new and exciting places and leave the memories of her home behind. Background: Her family arranged a marriage for her older sister to cement an important political agreement, but her sister’s fiancée insisted on getting Rachel as a mistress as part of the deal. When Rachel refused, her family disowned her. They forever barred her from her noble heritage and claimed she was dead to save the lucrative arranged marriage. Her new life enables her to save money and learn about shipping. She plans to leverage her superior education into a record-keeping position aboard a trade ship in order to travel the world. Rachel hopes the future will erase the pain of her past. Traits: (MN) Impoverished, laborer, mysterious, royalty Kal’yne the Mountain Hermit Enigmatic Shaman “Oh, you have come far and must be cold. Come, sit, and have some goat’s eye stew. I insist. Now sit!” Appearance: Kal’yne is a strange young woman. She might have once been pretty, but her facial tatoos and wild hair braided with the bones of small animals spoil her comeliness. Roleplaying: Kal’yne has no social graces. She orders people around rather than offering or making suggestions. She looks at everyone with her head tilted, if anyone makes eyes contact, she will bark, “What?!” Personality: Kal’yne only understands force of presence, and thus is very intimidating. Years of living alone has skewed her social graces, making her seem very strange to any normal person. Motivation: She needs very little. She prefers to be left alone and dislikes the company of people for any length of time. Background: No one knows where Kal’yne came from. She moved to the mountain 10 years ago and built a small house in the mouth of a cave. She practices a form of nature magic and possesses the ability to speak to spirits, both of men and of the elements. People who wish aid from her gifts visit her. She has no need for coin, but rather is interested in the more unique or strange objects that people possess. She will often request that people find her strange items, sending them on difficult and dangerous quests. Traits: (PV) Eccentric, magical, occult, primal Deego Spracket Apprentice Librarian “Did you know that the horn-tailed swallow can hold its breath for up to a minute? And can fly 500 miles without stopping?” Appearance: Befitting a man who spends every waking moment indoors reading by candlelight, Deego is pale and hunched, with a mop of brown hair, a perpetual squint, and ink-stained fingers. He wears glasses and carries a magnifying glass around his neck. Roleplaying: Deego peppers his conversation with random facts, goes on at length about trivial topics, and is generally a giant nerd. Personality: He’s happy to go wherever the river of life takes him. He wants nothing more out of life than the chance to spend every waking hour studying books and illuminating manuscripts, and sharing what he knows with others. Motivation: Completely happy with his lot in life, Deego’s only aspiration is to learn absolutely everything about everything. Background: Deego’s parents were both content as quarry workers, but unlike his siblings, Deego wasn’t interested in working in the quarry. He wanted to study science, magic, history, heraldry—every topic under the sun. Superstitious and fearful of Deego’s evident intelligence, his parents shipped him off to a monastery where he found that the ascetic lifestyle fit him like a glove. A voracious knowledge-sponge, he eventually left the monastery to become an apprentice librarian at the largest library in the world, and found that that fit him even better. In addition to his scholarly talents, Deego is also an expert manuscript illuminator. Traits: (MR) Academic, counselor, crafter, genius, religious, scholar 160 161 162 163
Fantasy - Neutrals Lashvale • Lasondiere • LaTierson • Lawbringer • Lawson • Le Petomane 73 Bernardo Leuthold Stingy Supply Warden “What are you whining about? You ate yesterday!” Appearance: With rolls of fat visible under his loose-fitting clothing, Bernardo has a sneer on his face for anyone who looks at him. Roleplaying: Tiredness and weariness are the underlying layers of Bernardo’s psyche, but he shows only a crusty exterior in order to maintain control over this tough situation. Personality: Bernardo cares about the people he feeds. However, his job as the supply warden is to make the meager rations last, and if he feeds every starving whelp that isn’t going to happen. Motivation: Bernardo doesn’t particularly like being so stingy with the food he is handing out; he doesn’t even take rations himself most days, but he has to harden his heart for the good of the war-ravaged refugees. Background: When the war bypassed their small country, everyone gave a collective sigh of relief. But when the refugees started to pour in, and the queen gave the order that none should be turned away, things turned bad. The refugees washed in like a human tsunami, and Bernardo was drafted into service to keep as many of them fed as possible. With these strict orders in mind, Bernardo made a hard decision. He would single out the ones most likely to survive and make sure they had enough. Developing a complex system of numbered chits, he is able to manipulate things for what he perceives to be the greater good. Traits: (JA) Business, merchant, political Rinaldo Crafty Courier “Yes, m’lord. I shall see that this is delivered promptly and intact.” Appearance: Rinaldo wears the lightly woven garments of a courier in the colors of the house livery. His shoes are a kind of slipper, allowing him to move swiftly and silently. He is lean and long-legged. At rest, though, he appears quite at ease. Roleplaying: By keeping a neutral, even bored expression, he never divulges that the content of a given message is important. He saves his smile of satisfaction for those moments he breaks a code or unlocks a message vault. Personality: He might confide that while everyone trusts him to deliver messages, no one actually considers him trustworthy. Motivation: Rinaldo wants to keep secrets, as well as to uncover them. He knows it’s a dangerous game. Background: He served as an apprentice to an artisan whose hobby was constructing portable message vaults. From this artisan he learned all the tricks of the trade. Once he proved his skill, his master introduced him into a secret society of freethinkers who, in turn, helped him gain employment in the merchant house. Breaking—then reaffixing—wax seals is child’s play. Rinaldo is an exceptional forger, knowledgeable of the qualities and properties of various inks and papers. He is adept at unlocking the puzzle boxes, portable vaults, and sealed scroll cases that high priority dispatches come in. Given time and resources, he is equally adept at breaking ciphers. Traits: (TT) Crafter, criminal, genius, stealthy Monsieur Cascanon Self-Indulgent Intellectual “Ladies, there is no need to fret. Once I am done addressing the court, I will make the time to address each of you directly and intimately. Or perhaps you would prefer to be addressed as a group?” Appearance: Ruggedly handsome with long brown hair, he sometimes wears a magical cologne he concocted for seducing women. When a woman smells the cologne, she will see the stars of the cosmos in Cascanon’s hair and eyes, and he will appear radiant. Roleplaying: He winks at women of all types, and he will make no attempt to hide his advances unless he has reason to fear for his well-being. Personality: When working, he is focused and brilliant. Away from his work, he is interested solely in the physical pleasures that he can give to and receive from a woman. Motivation: His driving concern is the pleasures of the flesh. Background: Cascanon at an early age exhibited an intelligence to rival the greatest minds of his time. He was quickly put to work in the king’s court to advise on all matters. The only thing that rivals his intellect is his libido. Luckily, he has been smart enough to avoid conquests within the royal family, but many a nobleman prays that one day Cascanon falls out of the king’s favor and loses his royal protection. The number of enemies he has is equaled by the number of his lovers. Traits: (PB) Beautiful, charming, genius, political Artist: Avery Liell-Kok Monsieur Cascanon 164 165 166
Fantasy - Neutrals 74 Kyle • Lana • Landwehr • Leallia • Lerald • Liende • Lissa Chavan Algat Friendly Smuggler “It’ll take time and silver to get that outside the walls, my friend.” Appearance: Dark, slicked-back hair tops a tall, thin man dressed in rumpled velvet pants and a sleek gray shirt. He has an unwavering smile stuck on his face under a pencil thin mustache. Roleplaying: Chavan agrees reflexively, then backpedals and caveats. He nods to himself, nervously moving his hands from folded in front of himself to draped at his sides, and back again. Every sentence ends with “my friend.” Personality: Chavan’s a wheeler and dealer, eager to make friends or profit by his old ones. Given a shortcut, Chavan will take it. Motivation: He’s all about conserving effort, often by foisting his responsibilities off on underlings. Coin spends just as well whether it takes five minutes or five years to earn. Background: Chavan was raised as a businessman, but found that it takes a lot of effort to do things right. These days, his business smuggles items that are more profitable and greases palms to ensure less-than-thorough inspections. Sometimes he’ll take more risk or less profit, just to get one over on the authorities. Traits: (SM) Business, eccentric, stealthy Liende Strand Bored Noblewoman “It’s been a long time since I’ve met anyone as interesting as you. Won’t you join me for the evening?” Appearance: Liende is the most beautiful woman most people have ever met, with full lips, a stunning figure, and a palpable aura of sensuality. Roleplaying: Liende knows the effect she has on people, especially men, but pretends not to notice. She’s a frighteningly keen observer. Personality: In a sense, Liende is too smart for her own good. She doesn’t have to try all that hard to succeed, so she winds up bored and always on the lookout for something—or someone—to hold her interest. Motivation: Brains, beauty, wealth, power, charm—Liende Strand has it all. She believes in fully experiencing pleasure in all its forms, but especially the forms that involve other people: verbal sparring, sex, politics. Background: Famous throughout the region for her grace, style, and wild parties, Liende’s greatest asset is her intellect. She uses her sexuality as a weapon when she has to, but she much prefers to keep herself in a position of power that enables her to enjoy life without too much effort. She’s succeeded so well at this that she’s often bored, and consequently she likes to dally with interesting people. Anyone who catches her eye is of interest, and she’s used to getting her way. If she ever turned her mind to the acquisition of power, she would be unstoppable. Traits: (MR) Beautiful, charming, dilettante, famous, focal, genius, mysterious, royalty, wealthy Shandar the Engineer Brilliant Techno-Magician “Magic is but one of the laws of the universe. We master them all.” Appearance: Shandar is an austere woman whose bespectacled face is generally covered in grease. She wears overalls and a tool belt. She would probably clean up nicely if she ever bothered. Roleplaying: She is pleasant but standoffish. Should someone show interest in her work, Shandar becomes much more animated and enthusiastic. Personality: Shy and bookish in her youth, Shandar is now more confident and ready to share her often strong opinions. Motivation: She enjoys unlocking the secrets of the universe. Background: Shandar grew up in a magical city where she was ridiculed for her radical ideas. Shandar had a brilliant mind that enabled her to dream up fantastic machines. She believed that magic, which is expensive and controlled by powerful guilds, could be replaced with cheaper technology. The mages’ guild ran her out of the city and tried to kill her, but a few technological tricks and a sympathetic mage saved her life. Shandar joined a group of inventors who incorporate magic into technological designs to create great wonders. She also married the young mage who fled with her. Shandar is suspicious of outsiders, as she still believes the guild is out to get her. She’ll only share her designs and other information with those she trusts. Traits: (WC) Crafter, eccentric, genius, scientist Rondal the Showman Temperamental Artist “For this act, I need six pears and you brought me six apples! I know I told you six pieces of fruit, but you are supposed to do what I mean and not what I say! How hard is that?” Appearance: He wears a matching kilt, coat, and hat which are all adorned with costume jewelry and worthless colored glass “gemstones.” Tall and lanky, he carries a lute with colored strings. Roleplaying: He tries to add a bit of flourish to everything that he does, whether dancing, acting, or even eating a bowl of soup. Every gesture he makes is exaggerated for show, even when it shouldn’t be. Personality: A legend in his own mind, Rondal will make outrageous demands and then throw a tantrum when he doesn’t get his way. Motivation: He seeks fame and fortune as a bard and conjurer, and believes that to be a success, he must act like one. Apparently, successes act like arrogant jerks. Background: Rondal ran away from his peasant family at an early age because he knew that he was destined for greatness. He is very talented as a bard, but his arrogance and ego have hindered his career. He adventures when he needs money, but still believes that one day he will headline the greatest theaters in the entire world. Traits: (PB) Adventurer, artist, eccentric 167 168 169 170
Fantasy - Neutrals Lemore • Leuthold • Levony • Limnsman • Lionsbury • Logan • The Lucky 75 Justina Sweetblade Enigmatic Thief “I’m bored. Want to rob the local treasury?” Appearance: Deeply tanned with short and curly dark hair, she has a small and athletic frame. She wears dark colors and has blackened all of her gear so as to increase her ability to hide from view. Her dark green cloak helps her blend in with the lush forests. Roleplaying: She keeps her statements short and to the point. She enjoys a good heist, loves a wild party, and everything else is boring to her. Personality: Justina has absolutely no loyalty to any institution. She plans nothing in advance—one reason the authorities have such difficulty catching her. She is spontaneous to a fault. Motivation: Justina robs for the thrill of it. She has a treasure horde large enough for her to relocate, assume a new identity, and live in comfort for the rest of her life. She just doesn’t care about the treasure, though, and has even given some of it away to strangers. Background: Justina is a mystery. She does not talk about her past. She has never mentioned a family, and she has no close friends. Some suspect that she is the missing daughter of a noble knight from a nearby land, and others claim that she is actually a refugee from an enemy nation, but there is no evidence to support either story. Traits: (PB) Criminal, outdoorsman, wealthy Ommor Chak Loyal Quartermaster “It is of utmost importance that every shield be accounted for before we break camp. If anyone of you thinks of selling your shield for extra coin, I will bring you before our lord for thievery.” Appearance: A plump man with thinning hair and thick sideburns, Ommor walks with a limp that favors his left leg. He carries a simple hardwood cane and wears a worn cloak. Roleplaying: Ommor huffs after any physical exertion, and rubs his leg often. Personality: He cares most about being as frugal as possible with his lord’s money. He is above reproach, and he follows the law, and orders, without question. Motivation: Ommor is a dedicated servant to his lord. He relies on the belief that his dedication will be justly rewarded. Background: He is a second-generation servant to his lord’s family. Ommor was raised in the keep and given a decent education. He became friends with the young lord, and the two grew up together, until the young lord took his rightful position. The lord made Ommor his quartermaster, and Ommor proved to be exceptional. Ommor treats his lord’s coin as if it is his own, always finding ways to get more mileage out of his lord’s money. He has received just compensation for his work, and lives better than most. He has now gotten on in age, and is starting to long for the day when his services will no longer be required. Traits: (PV) Military, saintly, white collar Tanaka Chan Wannabe Adventurer “I was sparring with myself in the park, and came up with this really awesome move. I just know it’ll kill some orcs.” Appearance: Tall for his age, he’s easily mistaken for a teenager. Roleplaying: Childhood eagerness competes with the desire to be taken seriously. Tanaka is alternatively talkative and dour, depending on his self-awareness. Personality: A dreamer whose sheltered life has kept his fantasies intact, he has very high expectations of life. Motivation: He wants to be a heroic adventurer, just like in his stories. Background: As the youngest child of a poor farming family, Tanaka was groomed from the start to become a priest, and was sent to a large temple in a big city. Initially eager to please his parents and teachers as a righteous and noble priest, he quickly grew bored with his studies, and instead began to read lurid tales of daring adventurers. When he failed out of the priesthood, his parents shipped him off to a monastery to become a monk. Despite some talent with physical skills, Tanaka found meditation and rote memorization boring, and failed out again. Because of his extensive knowledge of literature, however, the temple has allowed him to stay on as the librarian’s assistant. Recently, Tanaka has begun “borrowing” armor and weapons from the armory, and wearing them into the city in the guise of his fictional heroes. Traits: (KS) Child, dilettante, humorous Amalia Fiorina Aging Socialite “Oh, now there’s a scrumptious morsel.” Appearance: From a distance, it appears Amalia has cultivated the striking good looks of a much younger woman. Up close, the powders and charms can’t hide the crow’s feet, early wrinkles, and dyed hair that one would expect of a woman in her upper middle years. Her clothes, while fashionable, convey a sense of youthfulness that isn’t quite appropriate to her age. Her wedding band holds an extremely large gemstone. Roleplaying: Amalia has playful—roaming—hands. They are the vanguard of her affectionate intentions: She lightly touches a man’s arm, then tries to hold hands, rubs his shoulder and back, or twiddles with his ear. Personality: Outgoing to a fault, she knows the other women gossip about her “scandalous” and “lewd” behavior. If asked, she likens her pursuits to courtly love, like the knights of old. A target’s marital status is no barrier to her affections. Motivation: She’s on the prowl for younger male companions. Background: She married a merchant prince who seemed to sleepwalk through their relationship. In fact, he seemed oblivious to her affairs, always prattling on about a business deal. She became bored with being a trophy wife. As she grew older, she yearned for conquests of her own and turned her focus to helping young men. Once she’s fixed on a target for her affections, she will ply him with gifts and material favors, even promises to help his career, until he relents. Traits: (TT) Beautiful, charming, dilettante 171 172 173 174
Fantasy - Neutrals 76 Lissia • Livinous • Lora • Loran • Lucian • Luiras • Lurika Alyssa Herzog Bartender’s Daughter “I’ve never been on an adventure before. Will you take me on one?” Appearance: Her auburn hair is often tied back behind her head. She wears a typical barmaid’s dress. Roleplaying: Highly contemplative, Alyssa isn’t sure exactly where she wants life to lead yet, but she wants to find out. Personality: She is friendly, determined, and adventurous. Her spunk is undeniable. Motivation: Alyssa wants to get out and see the world. Background: Life is boring for Alyssa. She is old enough to crave independence and knows she was never cut out to be a barmaid. She doesn’t know what she wants to be, but she definitely wants to find out. Last week, Alyssa was absolutely enchanted with the life of messenger girl who came into the bar. The week before that, Alyssa kept going on about all the herbs she learned about from a traveling apothecary. This week, who knows? Alyssa sees a lot of people come through her father’s bar, and any strong female role model instantly catches her eye. Alyssa could excel in a lot of roles. She is smart and willing, and while she might come off as flighty initially, she definitely has the follow-through to carry out a strong decision and won’t give up easily. Alyssa might latch onto one of the PCs as her new favorite person, or she might run off following someone more dangerous, necessitating a rescue. Traits: (JA) Child, entertainment Sir Lerald Enghon Jaded Nobleman “Her? No effort. Her? Boring. Hello…now there is one with some potential. Let’s hope she does not disappoint.” Appearance: Lerald looks very manly with a hint of boyish charm. He has a touch of gray in his hair, in a way that only enhances his looks. He is clean-shaven, wears well-made clothes, and smells of fine cologne. Roleplaying: In the presence of women, his manner is charming and forward—flirtatious on the verge of scandalous. With men, he is not as charming and will comment about how he has seen it before, no matter what “it” is. Personality: Lerald is very jaded; nothing is a surprise to him anymore. He has a compulsion for women and makes his intentions towards them quite clear. Motivation: He likes nothing more than to find something or someone that he hasn’t seen before. When he does, he’s driven to possess his new fancy, and will go to great lengths to do so. Background: Lerald was born into the royal family. His position and wealth allowed him to see and try anything he wished. He has met great heroes, acquired fantastic items of art, and bedded women of many nationalities. He now has a sizable area under his direct rule, but finds all of it boring. He will meet with anyone who has something novel to share. Traits: (PV) Aggressive, royalty, white collar Eydis Brynja Foreign Courtier “Listen to me going on and on; you must be bored to tears! You simply must tell me how your projects have been coming along.” Appearance: Short and voluptuous, Eydis has a luxuriant mane of copper-colored hair. Her sparkling eyes and broad smile display her playful nature. Accustomed to colder temperatures, she usually dons light dresses that show off her curvaceous figure and accessorizes with the fur mufflers common in her northern homeland. Roleplaying: Eydis is outgoing and keeps a mental catalog of information she has learned about others, which she uses to draw them into conversation. Leaning in close, she uses physical contact to enhance intimacy. Personality: An artful beguiler, Eydis does her best to endear herself to everyone she meets. In spite of how hard she works convincing others to appreciate her, Eydis is a genuinely amiable person—though difficult to have an even relationship with. Motivation: Eydis attends court to gain political influence for her homeland. Background: An envoy from the frozen north, Eydis represents her people in matters of court and policy, but she has few official duties beyond sending and receiving couriers and encouraging goodwill towards her homeland. Because of her exotic beauty and engaging nature, Eydis is often the center of courtly intrigues. She considers these amusing distractions but defuses them before they can interfere with her work. Rumors occasionally surface that portray her as a fey fox maiden; Eydis greets these with helpless giggles. Traits: (MN) Beautiful, charming, political Artist: Avery Liell-Kok Eydis Brynja 175 176 177
Fantasy - Neutrals The Madame of Whispers • Marks • Marriott • Martine • Marxon • The Mask 77 Marissa LaTierson Bored Debutante “My, what a quaint look. I guess that is the height of fashion where you come from, but it is barely peasant dress around here.” Appearance: Marissa only wears the finest clothing. Her blond hair is always done in the latest style, and she always has a look of bored disinterest on her face. Roleplaying: Marissa holds her head high and looks down her nose often. She doesn’t even bother to use her good looks to play coy or charming to get what she wants, as she was raised to believe she is already superior to everyone. Personality: She could not care less about much of anything, and she is always derisive of anything others have. Motivation: Marissa just wants something new and exciting, but she wants to be the first to have it. If she sees something exciting or unique on someone else, she makes sure the rest of high society believes it to be droll and useless. Background: Being rich gives you access to everything, until eventually nothing seems fun. Marissa has tasted the best food, drunk the best wine, and worn the best clothing. Nothing meets her standards and nothing ever will. In direct line for succession, Marissa doesn’t want responsibility, rather only the best and newest things. She might hire an adventuring party to recover unique jewelry, only to pay them double to leave the country and never come back so she doesn’t have to share the esteem. Traits: (JA) Beautiful, royalty, wealthy, white collar Viddo Thrak Corrupt Harbormaster “Of course I can’t let that into port. If, however, I was distracted by several small shiny objects…” Appearance: Viddo was once a strong dockworker, but his body has softened with his promotion to harbormaster. He nurses a large stomach and sports a bulbous, reddened nose. He is fond of good spirits and often has them on his breath. Roleplaying: While the wine stains on his shirt say otherwise, Viddo always acts as if too busy to talk. He has no time for chitchat while there’s coin to be made. Personality: He looks out for number one. He’s a schemer and is only kind to those useful to advancing (or hiding) his schemes. He’ll turn on an old friend as soon as it suits him. Motivation: Viddo is an executive, pure and simple. He’s as crooked as they come and always angling to enrich his pockets. Background: He was a respected dockworker who climbed up the ranks to harbormaster. Having been cut in on a few deals while working the docks, Viddo used this information to ensure his promotions. As harbormaster, Viddo is constantly scheming. He takes bribes to allow contraband in and out of the port. Even so, he’s not a villain; Viddo would never allow anything truly dangerous through his watch. Because of his position and schemes, Viddo can be a useful informant if one greases his palm first. Traits: (WC) Business, criminal, merchant “Bratton” (Bryce Kiraly) Discredited General “I once knew something of integrity and honor. Fates willing, I will again.” Appearance: He’s fit for an older man, and carries himself well, but his eyes occasionally have a haunted look about them. Roleplaying: Although he is using the false name of Bratton, his military bearing is obvious, and the occasional military phrase slips out. Personality: He’s cautious and haunted by his past, but confident in his abilities. Motivation: Bryce seeks redemption. Background: Many know about the Massacre at Bullette Run, where General Kiraly ordered his troops to kill thousands of peaceful villagers. Very few know that the villages were also enemy outposts used to smuggle spies and materiel into the country. Only the general and the field marshal know that Kiraly initially refused the order. The field marshal threatened to have him hanged if he didn’t proceed as commanded. Even so, General Kiraly was the one blamed for the massacre. The people called for his head to account for the slaughter of innocents, the law came after him, and the general fled. He is plotting to regain his reputation by discrediting the field marshal, and is seeking out trustworthy allies to assist him in that task. He will not tolerate the deaths of any more noncombatants; his reputation is not worth it. The party may first encounter him while they are working for the field marshal. Traits: (KS) Leader, military, mysterious Catherine Yandre Seductive Courtesan “Mayhaps it be that way, my Lord. I fancy a different position, one with a more…pleasurable resolution.” Appearance: Strawberry blond hair drapes over her fair, pale shoulders framed with a low-cut bodice and matching skirts of green and yellow. A golden hairpin is visible from the side and a cluster of rubies dangles seductively in her décolletage. The faint smell of apples surrounds her. Roleplaying: She speaks often in double entendre and tactile expression; she will touch another’s hand or arm during conversation to initiate a personal connection. Personality: Catherine is delightfully witty and seductively charming. Under this veneer she is a ruthless purveyor of secrets and is adept in wresting them away. She responds poorly to threats or insinuations and rarely allows another to gain the upper hand. Catherine has an uncanny ability to notice and process the slightest, seemingly innocent, detail. Motivation: She sells information to the highest bidder for personal gain. She has little concern for king or country and has a more pragmatic approach to life. She’s not entirely motivated by money, however, and will allow her feelings to cloud her judgment on occasion, exposing her altruistic side. Background: Born of humble beginnings, she’s elevated herself through wit and guile. Her network of contacts is vast, made possible through greasing palms, but she does pay well to stay informed of any goings-on within her domain. Traits: (DM) Business, charming, genius 178 179 180 181
Fantasy - Neutrals 78 Lydila • Mallory • Marcus • Marguerite • Marissa • Marla • Martain Yav Cursed Pilot “I know what you are wondering. You are looking at my ‘arm’ and wondering if I am capable of getting you through the wastelands. I’m the only captain who can, because…I was born there.” Appearance: Yav is a plain-looking woman with short black hair and black, pupil-less eyes. Her right arm is a tentacle. Roleplaying: Her tentacle writhes slowly as she talks. When she is excited, it begins to flop uncontrollably, causing her to hold it in check with her left hand. She is self-conscious of her appendage when in the company of people. Personality: Yav is pleasant and easy going. She is a bit uncomfortable in the presence of civilized people, but she internalizes most of it. She is a hard worker and is most happy when she has a job to do. Motivation: Yav would like to have a normal life making an honest living. Background: She was born in the wastelands and cursed with strange eyes and a tentacle in place of one arm. Like others in her village, she has an aptitude for magic. As a young adult, she discovered a formation of floating rocks she could control with her magic. She anchored a broken boat to the top of one of the rocks and now captains it in and out of the wasteland, for a price. Her business has not done well, as many potential clients are wary of her looks. Traits: (PV) Business, hideous, impoverished, magical, pilot Governor Caoli Florin Insane Ruler “That was a wonderful pageant; you should all be rewarded for your acting skills... On second thought, I didn’t like the caricature of the demon. Guards, please execute them.” Appearance: A rotund middle-aged man whose tunic bears the stains of his sumptuous lifestyle, Caoli always wears a confused expression, as if he’s constantly second-guessing his thoughts. He’s accompanied by many servants and consorts, all of whom are quite afraid of him. Roleplaying: He receives every visitor with a grand welcome. Unfortunately, it isn’t long before he decides that he doesn’t like them, or believes that they are out to assassinate him. Personality: Caoli is completely bonkers, but he’s also a surprisingly capable administrator and his underlings know that once Caoli makes a decision, they should move quickly before he changes his mind. Motivation: He enjoys being an administrator and dutifully sends taxes back to the Emperor. Background: The Emperor’s cousin, Caoli’s sole duty is to collect taxes and protect the borders of his far-flung province. While Caoli does this well, something here has snapped his mind. Caoli can go from loyal governor to absolute hedonist to subversive rebel and back in a matter of hours. Caoli’s plotting and shenanigans are mostly harmless, as his underlings ensure that death sentences and tortures are carried out discreetly, so the victims can be released without Caoli knowing. He often changes his mind anyway, so sparing lives generally isn’t a problem. Traits: (WC) Eccentric, leader, political Constable Parins Lenient Lawman “Come now, you’ve had too many of our ales! They are the finest ales in the world! You behave while in the stocks and I’ll take you to the pub upon your release.” Appearance: A large man with a beer belly, his strolling gait conceals how quickly he can move. His long gray hair is braided, and his belt pouch contains leather straps to restrain offenders. Roleplaying: Parins always tries to get both sides of the story before detaining anyone. If a matter can be settled without him having to take official action, he will allow it. Personality: He is a mountain of a man with the tenderness of a child. He can get rough if needed, but prefers to use his words to stop a fight instead of his fists. Motivation: He enjoys his job, but Parins’ real passion is ale— specifically the brews of his homeland. It is the one area where he is admittedly biased, but he doesn’t care. He brews small batches of ale for himself and friends. Background: As a child, he traveled with his father, a logger. He remembers fondly how his father worked hard and always enjoyed a pint or two of ale at the end of the day. As he grew older, he saw the town develop out of the forests that his father cleared. He became the constable out of a sense of pride and obligation to the home his father had helped build. Traits: (PB) Dilettante, police Shonda “Shon” Everlasting Itinerant Actress “Name the play and I guarantee we will fit the bill.” Appearance: Tall and broad-shouldered, with a square jaw and high cheek bones, she is an imposing female presence. She wears her shoulder-length, brown hair beneath a pill hat. She’s often seen in men’s attire or in a skirt cut for riding. A rapier is always belted at her side. Roleplaying: She is quick to boast of her company’s prowess, then follow with a disarming smile. When threatened, her hand rests reassuringly on her sword hilt. Personality: She doesn’t know the meaning of the word “quit.” Her company is her family, and she is as devoted to them as a mother is to a child. Motivation: Shonda wants to keep her company working, well fed, and curtail their mischief to manageable levels. Background: Shon has a zest for life and a zeal for performing. Her sword is no mere prop—she is as skilled in three schools of fencing as she is at stage fighting. A former adventurer, she trained with master swordsmen. After discovering a knack for storytelling, she settled into the life of touring with a company of players. She eventually came to lead the group. They approach theaters, offering their services for lead and supporting roles, or to fill out larger productions. Drama is in the company’s repertoire, but it excels at farces of mistaken identities and gender. All the players fill male and female roles as required. Traits: (TT) Eccentric, entertainment 182 183 184 185
Fantasy - Neutrals Matrell • Melíseurat • Mercatio • Merkton • Merrill • Michaelmas • Moore 79 Phaedra Grey Hardened Prostitute “Yes, they are farmers and the bandits will likely slaughter them all. The villagers did not pay me to protect them. What business of it is mine?” Appearance: Phaedra is a tall woman with stern features and her hair pulled back in a ponytail. Her arms and legs are covered in brown and green runes and patterns. She is never without her longbow. Roleplaying: She’s all business. She’ll dismiss anyone not looking to meet her fee. Personality: Phaedra firmly believes that a person is only worth what they can command. She is a true mercenary. Motivation: She uses her skills for money. Background: Phaedra’s callousness comes from her upbringing, when her father sold her to a merchant in return for needed goods. Phaedra spent most of her life being sold from one person to the next, until her skill with a bow enabled her to buy her freedom. She now uses her skill to afford a comfortable lifestyle, but has little concept of love, mercy, or charity. On those rare cases when emotion does bubble up inside her, Phaedra runs from it. Having true feelings for someone else would greatly shock and confuse her. She’ll initially assume that any overtures are merely a prelude to a negotiation to purchase her for an evening. Traits: (WC) Outdoorsman, warrior Angakkuq Illuak Native Guide “And this ship, this house made of many tall bushes, it float on water? How?” Appearance: When Angakkuq pulls back her white fur hood, she reveals a weathered face. She greets strangers in a pidgin dialect, with a contagious grin on her face. Roleplaying: Cheerful and talkative despite her poor language skills, she constantly asks questions about those she travels with, and about the outside world. Personality: Her newfound job as a guide across the tundra has stirred her curiosity about the world outside her lands. Her sense of humor is irreverent and she is endlessly amused. Motivation: Someday, she wants to see all the lands she has heard about. Background: Born with an excellent sense of direction, Angakkuq was her tribe’s guide across the trackless tundra for many decades. A few years ago, a new tribal leader took power. Offended by her cheeky attitude, he thought that one in such a position should be more stoic and respectful. Because her husband died on a hunt years before, and her eldest daughter had inherited her internal compass and could guide the tribe, Angakkuq decided to leave. She now guides outsiders across the tundra for money that she sends back to the tribe. Mostly she escorts small merchant caravans, but she has guided adventurers, emissaries, and other travelers. She has become enthralled by their tales of places strange and wonderful, and is in awe at how a world she already found massive keeps getting bigger. Traits: (KS) Humorous, impoverished, outdoorsman, primal Marcus Hayes Drunken Ex-Soldier “Get out of my face before I take yours off with my sword!” Appearance: Marcus looks ragged and worn out. He smells of liquor. Roleplaying: He slurs his words and often seems mistrustful. Personality: Paranoid and quick tempered, Marcus harbors many ghosts. Motivation: Marcus is trying to drink himself into peace. Background: Marcus Hayes was once a proud soldier in a mercenary company. The pay was good and he was decorated many times by the countries he fought for, but the life of a soldier, even a noble one like Marcus, is never easy. Like many soldiers, his entertainment matched the ferocity of his work, and a good drink always steeled his nerves for the next battle or quelled the rush of images before he slept. When a poison-tipped arrow found its way into his gut, Marcus was paralyzed and forced to watch his comrades get slaughtered and routed. Surviving, but never overcoming the painful wounds, the only medicine that could kill the pain and memories was found at the bottom of a bottle. Marcus has tried to reenlist with other mercenaries, but his wounds make him unemployable. His former friends all dead, he wanders from bar to bar and bottle to bottle, yelling at anyone who gets in his way. Marcus moves from yelling to feeble attacks quickly, and is no stranger to the inside of a jail cell. Marcus is pitiable, but dangerous—one of many sad stories created by the wars. Traits: (JA) Abhorrent, outdoorsman, military Doctor Xavier Trevant Last True Mage “That’s a rare insight; only the smartest dozen of my protégés noticed that in their first year.” Appearance: Doctor Trevant looks ageless—with a relatively young body, few wrinkles, clear eyes, a short-trimmed blond beard and a head bald as an egg. Roleplaying: His habits are centuries old; dislodging him from routine is an epic task. He moves with caution, uses antiquated vocabulary, and weighs souls with a glance. His perspective doesn’t match anyone else’s, which makes it hard for Xavier to interact with ordinary people without feeling manipulative. Personality: His brothers and sisters are long dead; only fierce commitment keeps him going. He picks a few key people to teach each generation; invariably, their insights throw the existing order into chaos. Motivation: He won’t die just because it’s convenient for someone else. He sublimates his passions into teaching, hoping to kindle a peer or befriend a young god. Background: Born in an era long past, Xavier walked with the gods when they were all young. Empires have risen and fallen since then, many begging him to take their side against history’s tide. He remains aloof—even from the cult that has dedicated itself to him. Traits: (SM) Ancient, occult, magical 186 187 188 189
Fantasy - Neutrals 80 Maximus • Melissa • Merrill • Mesmora • Mickey • Micklin Dame Zaza Outrageous Performer “I am gaga / I am Zaza / I am you!” Appearance: Her hooded cloak of silver and white, studded with (fake) diamonds, glitters gaudily. She wears a form-fitting white bodysuit made of leather and a mask of feathers. Her lips and eyes are emphasized with makeup. A troupe of midget acrobats surrounds her at all times. Roleplaying: Privately, she speaks softly and is quite shy. Rarely does she make eye contact, demurely looking away. Onstage, Zaza is outgoing and her voice resonates while she gyrates aggressively and tumbles about. Personality: She is flighty and surreal, making just enough sense that her sanity is only rarely questioned. Zaza embodies a persona, and it’s difficult to see where the persona ends and the person begins. Motivation: Her goal in life is to entertain and express the power of performance. Over time, her platform has expanded to peddle her personal agendas: questioning the nobility and animal rights. Background: Born as Stephanie Duall, the struggling singer and trained actor initially had little success. She found her way to a traveling troupe of actors, and as part of their over-the-top, interlude dancing performance she took the stage name “Dame Zaza” and achieved modest success. She later left the troupe, and began a solo singing and dance act so outrageous that she once climbed inside an animal carcass and was “born” on stage, highlighting animal husbandry rights. Traits: (DM) Entertainment, famous Hortencia Evansen Unlucky Seamstress “Not to be indelicate, but it is possible you are gaining a little weight. Not to worry, I’ll let out the stitching and the dress will be as good as new. Let me call my assistant. Aristo! Get in here now!” Appearance: Her most striking feature is her eyes: one is green and the other is hazel. She is fairly attractive, with an angular face and thick brown hair. Roleplaying: She is a pleasant salesperson, attentive to customers and capable of filling their orders. Personality: Hortencia remains generally cheerful but is starting to fray around the edges as her workload becomes increasingly overwhelming—especially with regard to the color-changing dresses she sells. Motivation: She wants to maintain the success of her business and keep the true nature of Aristo’s involvement a secret. Background: She was, until recently, a moderately successful but not very imaginative seamstress. Then she met Aristo Kontos, an impish fey creature who made her a bargain. Inspired by her eyes, he agreed to design and create dresses made of an ethereal, colorchanging fabric. They were an immediate hit, allowing Hortencia to relocate to a fashionable part of the city. Unfortunately, the stunning visual effects come with a price. The stitches on Aristo’s magic dresses slowly tighten, effectively “shrinking” the garment, forcing Hortencia to constantly make alterations. Traits: (TT) Business, crafter, magical Barton Thorncroft Ornery Farmer “Ain’t nobody told ye not t’do that? T’ain’t gonna work. Leastways, not for long.” Appearance: A crabby-faced middle-aged farmer, Barton scowls at everyone like they just farted in church. Roleplaying: He delivers his harshly critical judgment in a thick rural accent, occasionally spitting for emphasis. Personality: Straightforward and borderline bitter, he considers manners and civility to be pointless. Motivation: Barton wants only to keep his farm running. Background: A farmer from a long line of farmers, Barton has lived a rough life. He has lost all of the other members of his family to humanoid incursion, disease, accidents, and childbirth. One of his children even ran away. He hasn’t taken it well, burying his grief deep inside and working his farm from dawn to dusk, only hiring help when absolutely needed. Despite the setbacks in his life, Barton’s farm is very successful—a testament to his work ethic, if not his social skills. He’d even be a good marriage prospect, if anyone could take living with him. (After all, he is younger than he looks.) Hidden behind his brusque exterior is a sharp mind, a strong heart, and a long life of rural experience to draw on. While his advice is usually poorly delivered, it’s almost always accurate. Traits: (KS) Business, genius, laborer, outdoorsman Desa Abani Wise Widow “Please come in. It’s great to meet you. Oh, don’t be so stoic. A hug is better. Now come, have a seat and let’s talk about what you found in those ruins.” Appearance: Desa is an older woman whose age has enhanced her beauty. She has flowing silver hair, and fine age lines around her eyes and mouth. She’s tall, with a figure that rivals women half her age. Roleplaying: Everything she says is upbeat. She hugs everyone that she meets, and always finds something positive to say about them. Personality: She is a jovial woman who loves people. Desa is most comfortable when she is able to help someone or make their lives better, often by providing advice from her years as an adventurer. Motivation: Desa is lonely and works only to be in contact with people. She goes out of her way to made contact, seeking out adventurers especially. Background: Desa was a barmaid who fell in love with a very successful adventurer and traveled the world living the adventuring life. Eventually the two settled down in semiretirement, enjoying the treasure they earned over the years. They never had any children. One day, her husband left on an important quest and never returned. Lonely, with no need to work and with a network of friends, Desa decided to help young adventurers by advising them on opportunities and aiding them in selling their finds. Traits: (PV) Beautiful, business, counselor 190 191 192 193
Fantasy - Neutrals Moran • Morgan • Morkani • Mortimer • Mosden • Mosser 81 Yeris Prusun Rotten Acolyte “While you are older, and yes, you have saved a number of lives through divine power, your knowledge of the sacred scrolls is embarrassing; a clear sign that you should have spent more time in a temple than rooting around some dank dungeon.” Appearance: Yeris is a 10-year-old girl, with long, brown hair in a single long braid that runs the length of her back. Her cheeks are rosy and plump. She wears simple dresses in muted colors. Roleplaying: She never misses a chance to slight someone by pointing out his or her faults, or correcting a misstep. Personality: Yeris is a mean girl who is not afraid to harm others, both emotionally and socially, to get the things she wants. She is only interested in her own welfare. Motivation: One day, she hopes to be the head of her order, because she will be able to command everyone beneath her. Background: Yeris has always been a disagreeable child. Her parents enrolled her in religious study in hopes that theology might make her a nicer person. This has not been the case. She has come to learn that the church is made up of its own factions, and that she can advance quickly at the expense of her peers. She now works for a cleric as his assistant. When he is around she is quite agreeable, but in his absence, her true self shows. Traits: (PV) Child, religious, scholar Norkis Akella Impetuous Surgeon “Hold still or this will take me longer than it should!” Appearance: Covered in the blood of botched surgeries, Norkis has a disheveled appearance and a disturbing glower. Roleplaying: Constantly twitchy and scowling, Norkis is always chomping at the bit to get a surgery over with. He rarely waits for proper sterilization, even by medieval standards. Personality: Norkis always appears to be inconvenienced by his clients. He never has a kind look or smile, and he seems impatient and dissatisfied with whatever he is doing. Motivation: He never wanted to be a surgeon, but it was the family trade and he is good at it, when he doesn’t rush through the delicate procedures. Background: Norkis’ mother was a cleric and his father was a surgeon in the army. While Norkis never had any care for either of these professions, he was particularly nonreligious. Apprenticed to his father at a young age, he grew distasteful of the job and tried to leave many times. His father kept pulling him back in, partially because it was the family business and that’s how things are done, and partially because he was so damn good at it. Many owe their lives and limbs to Norkis’ fine work, but age has made him more impatient. If Norkis’ impetuousness can be overcome, his skill shines through, but more often than not his rushing worsens conditions or ends lives, something he rarely cares about. Traits: (JA) Business, genius, medic Artist: Matt Morrow Norkis Akella 194 195
Fantasy - Neutrals 82 Moose • Mortissa • Myra • Mysterioso • Najir • Nal • Naomi Remmy Cadigan Diabolic Researcher “If you had the capacity to understand what we’re doing here, you’d go away and let us get back to work.” Appearance: Remmy is a skinny man of indeterminate age. Despite his constant cold from handling corpses, his rheumy blue eyes sparkle with inner fire. Roleplaying: Worn down from the tedium of research and constant disturbances from adventurers, Remmy has little time for small talk. He is brusque and impatient, with a habit of rubbing the bridge of his nose when others are wasting his time. Personality: A cold anger underlies Remmy’s drive to discover answers about the body and soul. Often his curiosity pushes him to ask questions about even the smallest details. Motivation: He searches for the ultimate understanding of the human body and spirit. He wants the skill set that will enable him to save people—including his deceased wife, who he secretly hopes to return from the dead. Background: Remmy had a promising career as a court wizard when his wife contracted a horrible wasting disease and passed away. Grief-stricken, he quit his job and used his government contacts to obtain building and research permits for a tower outside of town. There, he studies necromancy and the diabolic arts in an effort to understand the human condition. Though he and his assistants are making slow progress, the constant harassment from well-meaning adventurers makes their work all the more difficult. Traits: (MN) Abhorrent, genius, notorious, occult, scholar, scientist Twarra Isker Daring Cat Burglar “Hmm. 460 feet to the tower, and 200 feet up. Give me…a minute and a half.” Appearance: At 20 years old, Twarra is short and slight, with long fingers and a pointed nose. By day, she dresses brightly in the garb of a foreigner; by night, she dresses for stealth. Roleplaying: Twarra’s fingers are always moving: drumming the table, tapping against her thighs, or manipulating a gold coin. Personality: Meticulous by nature, Twarra believes that planning is the key to being a successful thief—and she’s very successful. She scouts every target at least twice and has a backup plan for her backup plan whenever possible. Motivation: She likes nothing better than a challenge. Show her something that can’t be stolen, and she’ll find a way to steal it— and get away clean. Background: Twarra is a cat burglar: sly, stealthy, and never happier than when she’s dangling a hundred feet up on a thin silk rope. She lives to steal, though she rarely keeps her prizes; once the job is done, she loses interest quickly. Twarra never pulls a job without planning it in advance, mapping out escape routes, and then making two—or three—contingency plans. She’s unobtrusive and easy to overlook when she wants to be, and pretends to be an itinerant trader in order to gain access to areas near her latest target. A freelancer, she prefers to keep moving in order to avoid the attention of thieves’ guilds. Traits: (MR) Criminal, stealthy Djazzica H’Zollern Idle Noble “Get married? And become another pawn in the game of thrones? No, I think I’d rather enjoy my life.” Appearance: This young woman is a study in contrasts: very attractive but inappropriately dressed, and well-spoken but tactlessly blunt. Roleplaying: Djazzica speaks articulately and with a noble accent, but keeps up a running commentary of blunt criticisms. Personality: She is curious about what makes people tick and what is outside the walls of her palace, but becomes easily distracted. Motivation: Bored with her sheltered life, Djazzica finds amusem*nt in challenging the assumptions of those around her. Background: As the youngest daughter of the very large royal family, Djazzica lacks the assigned roles her older siblings have. At an early age, she rejected courtly machinations and focused on learning about the world around her. A natural student, she’s studied magic, fencing, performance arts, languages, and history, and has spent time in nearly every corner of the palace (and beyond). She has extensive knowledge of many unexpected subjects, from the hidden areas in the palace to the secret history of her family. Easily bored, she enjoys being a challenge—and occasional thorn in the side—to those around her, and her penchant for mockery is rarely welcomed at any social event. Djazzica may “adopt” a party of adventurers, but may also quickly become bored with them, and lead them into a very inappropriate situation, just to see how they adapt. Traits: (KS) Beautiful, eccentric, genius, royalty, wealthy Herez Wolfkin Barbarian Freedom Fighter “Our kin cry out for freedom. Grab your spears and follow me!” Appearance: Herez is ruggedly masculine, about 5’6” with a lean muscled frame and deeply tanned skin. His fingers are nut-brown and powerful, cording when he makes a fist. Roleplaying: He moves with efficiency, placing his feet carefully and pausing before taking each step. He speaks gravely in a deep voice, with a quirk of his lips when he’s joking or putting one over on strangers. Personality: Herez believes strongly in right and wrong, and forcefully supports right. While he’s not hasty, he’s also not one to dismiss his concerns. Oratory doesn’t impress him. Motivation: Too many of his people have given up the old ways, leading them to a life of begging, or slavery for the least fortunate. Herez has sworn that he will right this—that they remain clan, even after they depart. Background: The second son of the clan leader, Herez and his older brother fought often. Herez was wary of outsiders, which saved him when a wasting disease infected his father and brother after a conference with traders. He led a war party to take vengeance on the traders and found many of his people trapped in the traders’ city. They killed a trader and freed a few clansmen— but fled before the steel-clad guards. Now he seeks to reclaim all of his lost brethren. Traits: (SM) Charming, eccentric, leader, primal 196 197 198 199
Fantasy - Neutrals The Mountain Hermit • Murr • The Mysterious • Na Ket • Nafor • Nagendra 83 Kaduchi Invulnerable Tribesman “I do not like your tone. If you wish to leave alive, change it.” Appearance: Muscular and intimidating in appearance, Kaduchi is covered in minor scars and tattoos. Roleplaying: He is uncompromising and coldly fierce. Personality: Kaduchi is as unyielding as a rock and speaks plainly. Motivation: He believes his strength exists only for the purpose of protecting the village. Background: Kaduchi is the strongest warrior in the village that lies in front of the grave of the gods. When he was a toddler, he wandered away from his mother and into the grave. For three days he couldn’t be found, but then he appeared in his crib, as joyous as any baby. From that day, Kaduchi showed strength, speed, and stamina beyond the other boys. By the age of 12, he could outdo the village men at any physical task. Kaduchi believes it is his sacred duty to protect the grave of the gods, and that they have granted him power to do so. When outsiders come to the village, he does not let them pass until the shaman has judged them. No outsider, despite the magic or steel they wield, has felled Kaduchi. The strongest blows glance off him, and his strength has never been bested. There are a few who have called upon great powers to damage him, but when this occurs, he calls forth his voice of thunder and dispels them like gnats in a hurricane. Traits: (JA) Magical, primal, mysterious Elisha Bradon Overeager Reporter “The guard sergeant is the one responsible for the murders? The Gazette is gonna love this!” Appearance: Elisha’s olive skin is smooth and unblemished. Dark, bouncy hair frames her plump, pudgy face. Roleplaying: Constantly running after a story, Elisha is often breathless. She is unable to hold still, fidgeting restlessly as the enthusiasm of her youth is barely contained. She asks probing questions regardless of others’ feelings, decorum, or potential dangers. Personality: Elisha is hasty, easily excited, and eager to uncover secrets. She chases after a story without proper consideration for what she knows or potential problems that might crop up. Motivation: A burning curiosity drives Elisha to find the truth behind the stories she investigates and then to share it with everyone she can. Background: Consumed by her passion for hunting down stories and selling them to anyone who will publish her work, Elisha is reckless and constantly flirts with danger. She has a special love for pestering adventurers, as they usually have a wealth of juicy information. Because she refuses to grant anonymity, cut deals, or concern herself with the reputation of her informants, she rarely works with the same group more than once or twice. It’s only a matter of time before she will annoy someone ruthless enough to come after her. Elisha might (and only might) then discover that it may not have been prudent to irritate so many potential allies. Traits: (MN) Entertainment, humorous, white collar, zealot Captain Alvina Ardecorn Cautious Guard “Perhaps he is the baron’s cousin, but I still don’t trust him. Keep a guard on watch by his door and have the priest bless the food that Sir Edmund brought before anyone tastes it.” Appearance: Alvina is a comely woman who wears the knightly brand on her shield arm. When not at war she prefers leather jerkin, but changes to half-plate if trouble is brewing. She keeps her blond hair at shoulder length. Alvina is never without her curved, rune-covered long sword. Roleplaying: She is always suspicious. Every question is a probe for information. She never quite trusts someone and won’t hesitate to tell her baron that a traveler is dangerous, even in the traveler’s presence. Personality: Alvina never relaxes completely; she has seen complacency get too many people killed. She is constantly worried that the castle will be attacked when she least expects it—so she always expects it. Motivation: She wants to keep her lord and his family safe. Background: Alvina grew up in a knight’s house. She lost her parents when a group of bandits came to the baron’s castle. Alvina barely escaped. Following her father’s example, she attached herself to another baron. Everyone around her thinks she’s overly cautious, but Alvina’s preparations have saved the castle many times over the years. Traits: (WC) Military, warrior Verelle Franchesco Quirky Milliner “My latest creation was meant for you. Truly. I can see this hat on no other person. You must trust me on this.” Appearance: Verelle is handsome, if somewhat unremarkable, and favors outlandish costumes. Roleplaying: He flatters every customer, but rich clients get extra special attention. He affects a foreign accent, cultivating the personality of an “artiste.” Personality: He tries to do the unexpected, such as opening his shop at odd hours, whimsically changing the prices of his wares and shifting his stock around. His personal charisma and charm are hard to resist. Motivation: He wants to sell as many hats as he can and hopes no one discovers how ordinary he truly is. Background: Hoping to take advantage of sumptuary laws requiring head coverings, Verelle opened a milliner’s shop. Along the way, a magic hat box came into his possession. Putting an unadorned hat and other decorative objects in the box causes the various elements to assemble in a strange and new way. The magic only works once a day, but the results have influenced his other designs. It also inspired him to create his “artiste” personality. Having discovered that people respond favorably to his weird hats and his outlandish persona, he fears the day when the magic of the hat box runs dry. Traits: (TT) Business, crafter, magical 200 201 202 203
Fantasy - Neutrals 84 Nattick • Naud • Nessie • Nestor • Neva • Norkis • Norman Erik Lemore Cynical Veteran “Oh, they’ll come alright. And when they do, I’ll be there to watch them get ya!” Appearance: This broad-shouldered man has chiseled features and dark stubble underneath dark, sunken eyes. His chest piece is dented and devoid of luster; the nicks upon his sword betray years of use. Roleplaying: He looks defeated, his head hung and his voice weary. Erik constantly picks at his fingernails, and times of great stress will leave them bleeding. He’ll curl his fingers and use the pain to keep himself alert at night. Personality: Erik has seen enough battle to know how things are going to end. He’s dark and brooding, commenting on the worst of things. He’s not one to give up, but he sets expectations low with his cynical outlook. He’s typically ready for the worst-case scenario. Motivation: He only hopes to live through the next trial. He hopes he’s wrong and things don’t go as bad as he expects, but just in case, he’s made sure he’ll survive. Background: Years of fighting have dulled his conscience and the gallons of blood he has spilled have dampened his morale. That said, he’s a skilled fighter and worthy to have at your side in a pinch, but his constant prattling and cynicism can grate on anyone’s nerves. Interestingly enough, his approach does make it easier to plan an opponent’s likely path of attack. Traits: (DM) Adventurer, aggressive, warrior Ravlox Ironface Charitable Noble “Greetings, I am Ravlox, leader of this band of merry ruffians. To what do I owe the pleasure of meeting one as beautiful as you? Please join us by the fire. Can I get you something warm to drink?” Appearance: A mess of bandages and sores, Ravlox and his men are suffering from a disease that was cured only after the damage had been done. He walks with a stiff gait but is surprisingly accurate with a crossbow. Roleplaying: Contrary to his appearance, Ravlox is very charming and personable. He’s accommodating and does his best to make people feel welcome. He politely ignores comments about his condition. Personality: Ravlox decided long ago not to lose his humanity along with his appearance. He is mourning inside, but puts on a happy face so that others won’t shun him. He doesn’t want to spend the rest of his life alone. Motivation: He simply wants to be accepted by society. Background: When the Red Plague ripped through the kingdom, the lucky ones died immediately. Others, like Ravlox, ended up with pus-filled blisters all over them. While a cure was found, it couldn’t completely heal Ravlox. A minor noble, Ravlox set up his manor as a community for others like him. Ravlox’s band protects the southern border of the kingdom; the border’s only breach is a mountain pass that terminates at his manor. Traits: (WC) Charming, hideous, leader Senael Dakerin Divine Healer “I won’t leave until you are better. Don’t worry. Everything will be alright.” Appearance: She has a soft and kind face, and her clothes are constantly kept clean. Roleplaying: Sincere caring and compassion flow from Senael’s every pore. Personality: Kind and friendly, Senael always gives her best to her charges. Motivation: She seeks to soothe the ills of the world. Background: Senael came to the holy orders when a cleric saved her father from a plague. She was intensely interested in this organization that sought only to help others. She started out as an acolyte, and then became a nun. Eventually, she became a full-fledged cleric and learned the healing arts of her god. Senael then took up a position in the order’s healing wing, tending to all manner of injury and illness. She is not nearly as good as others at calling forth the holy powers to aid the wounded, but many prefer Senael’s care because of the warmth it brings them. She is never without a kind word for her patients. Those she cares for, despite her lack of mastery, often recover more quickly than those who get greater divine aid. “Senael” means sunlight in an ancient tongue, and some in the order believe Senael may be destined for greater things—a sun yet to have its sunrise, but whose rays spill over the horizon, warming the people. Traits: (JA) Beautiful, charming, religious, saintly Artist: Avery Liell-Kok Senael Dakerin 204 205 206
Fantasy - Neutrals Nar • Naranji • Nembahlek • Newhouse • Nichols • Nievelle • Nimz 85 Adamus D’Maio Aspiring Bard “With your heroics and my songs, we could both be famous!” Appearance: A poor but energetic young man with a lute slung over his shoulder, he is often seen furiously writing down a story being told to him. Roleplaying: Adamus eagerly asks questions about the party’s adventures, and takes notes. Personality: He’s convinced that his big break lies on the other side of a heavily embellished version of an actual event. Motivation: He wants to get famous, preferably while also getting rich. Background: Brought up on his grandfather’s old heroic songs, Adamus left home at a young age to become a traveling bard and sing his own songs, but his overly fantastic tales were met with scorn or laughter. Realizing that the enduring epics were based in something more than pure fantasy, Adamus decided his songs ought to be inspired by actual events. To that end, he courts adventuring parties—giving generously of drink refills and compliments in order to loosen their tongues—and records their exploits. He then retells their stories through song, amplifying already exciting events into epic sagas. What Adamus hasn’t considered is that this technique might have unintended consequences. A tale of heroes who defeat a massive dragon and haul off its mountain of loot might well lead to an ambush or assassination attempt over that loot, and a tale of untold riches in an ancient king’s burial chamber may well convince any number of fools to look for it. Traits: (KS) Artist, entertainment, impoverished Zelma Thieving Washerwoman “A pearl is missing from milady’s dress? We’ll scour the laundry for it, of course, but a tiny thing like that could have come off anywhere.” Appearance: She is rather ordinary and wears a bland expression. In smock and scarf, Zelma is indistinguishable from the other women who work in the laundry. Roleplaying: When questioned directly, she is inscrutable. She makes a point of saying—with much conviction—how fortunate she feels to have this job. She even goes so far to say that anyone who would put it in jeopardy by engaging in theft is an ungrateful fool. Personality: She feels neither guilt nor remorse over helping herself to finery and reselling it. Motivation: Zelma just wants to take her fair share. Background: Zelma steals adornments—one bauble and silkthreaded stitch at a time—from the clothes of nobles sent to the laundry. Before taking a job in the castle laundry, Zelma never had an inclination to do anything dishonest. But when she saw first-hand the immense wealth of the nobility compared with the peasantry, she decided that she was entitled to a portion of that wealth, too. She works like a skilled embezzler. Zelma is clever enough to “find” lost items and turn them in to assuage suspicion. She secretly steals from garments that she had no role in handling, and she plants stolen items on servants who work outside the laundry to divert attention. Traits: (TT) Criminal, laborer Princess Sonja Foolish Noblewoman “We have nothing to fear. The people love royalty, and respect a monarch. None will dare to oppose us.” Appearance: Barely in her teens, she is a frail-framed girl with alabaster skin and raven hair. Her crown is a solid gold band with a single large emerald in the center. Roleplaying: Princess Sonja is prudish and tries her best to never show any sign of emotion. She is demanding, but not selfish; she just behaves in the manner that she believes royalty should. Personality: Her only identity is her title. She carefully weighs every word she speaks, action she takes, and decision she makes based upon her royal training. She is actually a very dull and uninteresting person, but no one dares to tell her this. Motivation: Her motivation is to be perfect. In her mind, to show fear or hesitation to anyone for any reason is a mistake. To be royalty is to be infallible. Background: Since her birth, she has been protected and sheltered from all outside influences that her parents considered to be improper (playing with other children, for example). Nearly a year ago, her parents were assassinated, and upon reaching adulthood she will take the throne. She steadfastly believes that this is a preordained event, and will not entertain the ridiculous notion that any of her royal subjects would attempt to assassinate her. This causes her security detail substantial grief. Traits: (PB) Focal, leader, political Nattick Newhouse Wandering Minstrel “Your troupe is truly impressive, especially the beautiful lady. Might I travel in your company for a while, for my protection and your edification?” Appearance: Nattick is a spry and handsome young man, with a confident smile and a lute over his shoulder. Roleplaying: Quick with a joke or appropriate phrase, he is full of energy and emotion, and seems to be constantly “on stage.” Personality: Nattick has all of the energy and passion of youth, along with a level of confidence rarely found among the young. Motivation: Like all performers, he wants his audience to love him. Subconsciously, he’s looking for a woman worthy of his love, but his own issues get in the way. Background: Born into a bordello, Nattick grew up surrounded by women. From a young age, he provided musical entertainment for the customers. As he grew, his work took him to the streets as a crier, singing songs of the various ladies’ talents. Upon leaving the bordello, he began his career as a minstrel, wandering from town to town. While he truly wants to find lasting love, his childhood gave him a deep distrust of women. Nattick will fall head over heels in love with a woman, seduce her with his music and considerable charm, and then dump her over some small slight (real or imagined). Even after repeated cycles of this, Nattick is unaware that he is the cause of his failures. Traits: (KS) Artist, charming, entertainment 207 208 209 210
Fantasy - Neutrals 86 Nysha • Octavia • Olivari • Ommor • Onias • Ophelia • Oreamnos Vicar Morkani Meticulous Priest “Every detail of the temple must be attended to. Nothing can be out of place. There! All done. No, not quite. These candles are…wrong. They must be replaced!” Appearance: Morkani is a short, plump man with a flushed face and a weak chin. He wears a black suit with polished boots and a large-brimmed hat. Roleplaying: He constantly adjusts things as if they are never quite in the right spot. He cites religious doctrines regarding proper presentation and protocols for nearly everything. He gives generously to the poor, but uses every opportunity to preach about proper behavior. Personality: The Vicar is obsessed with details and is never satisfied. He finds fault with everything and does not hesitate to point it out. He doesn’t do this to be cruel, but because of a compulsion to correct all things. Motivation: He lives to help others, and he has founded several successful businesses, operated by the temple, that aid the poor with their profits. Background: As an apprentice, he served at the high temple. He annoyed his superiors with his constant corrections of even the most trivial things. As a “reward” he was given charge of a temple in one of the poorest parts of the kingdom. To everyone’s surprise he soon made a difference by using his attention to detail in matters of business. Many years later, his superiors praise his miraculous work, but they still keep his stays at the high temple brief. Traits: (PB) Academic, merchant, saintly Fae Willow Ethereal Spirit “The rain dampens not the spirit, but the ground, returning the circle of life.” Appearance: She is tall, slender, and exceedingly beautiful. Her long, brown hair is pulled back severely, revealing her angled brown eyes. Her lips are full and flush with a youthful exuberance. A lingering scent of daisies seems to follow her. Roleplaying: Fae is outgoing and bubbly—perhaps too much so. She can and will ramble incessantly about any subject, from the arcane to the speculative. She’ll point out little known facts, ambush conversations with quips, and steer a conversation off course with little effort. She smiles warmly when she speaks. Personality: Her effervescence belies a wisdom that is without peer. Great knowledge is locked away behind her childish personality. She always sees the good in others and is genuinely intrigued by the world around her. Motivation: Fae drifts from cause to cause—never settling on one for any great length—but each endeavor is undertaken with the utmost sincerity and enthusiasm. At one point she may seek to encourage love in others, becoming a poet; the next, offer herself for flagellation to absolve the innocent of their sins. Background: Fae’s name is fitting because she is a mystical creature of the Fae, although she does not know this. Absorbing the spirits around her, she is a vessel of renewing wisdom and ideals who flutters about the world. She is a force for good, but her flighty nature could easily put her at odds with the PCs. Traits: (DM) Ancient, magical Tilden Addicted Apothecary “There’s nothing wrong with me. Just a little under the weather, that’s all. I’ll be right as rain as soon as the weather changes.” Appearance: He is gaunt, wearing clothes clearly made for a beefier figure. Dark circles frame his eyes and he has bad teeth. He wears a skull cap and a necklace emblem denoting his training as an apothecary. Roleplaying: Tilden feigns suffering from a slight illness, affecting a cough, to explain his rapid weight loss. At other times he exhibits the many symptoms of withdrawal, such as abdominal pain, sweating, irritability, and mood swings. He becomes defensive and offers fierce denials if a customer enters his shop and suggests that he has a drug problem. Personality: He is smart enough to recognize the addiction in himself, but doesn’t have the willpower to free himself of it. Motivation: He wants to get through the day so he can spend the night in the drug’s embrace. Even if presented with a way out, he may not take it. Background: He was a competent apothecary privileged to set up shop in the castle courtyard. Then a stranger enticed him into indulge in recreational drug use. Now he is addicted to this stranger’s power. This blackmailer threatens to tell the authorities of his drug problem unless he continues to be paid off in money and pharmaceutical ingredients. Traits: (TT) Criminal, scientist Zachary the Phoenix Daring Spy “If you die on the way out, no one comes looking for you later.” Appearance: Nondescript and average in almost every way, Zachary makes every effort to blend in wherever he goes. Roleplaying: In both his personal life and on the job, Zachary keeps his voice, actions, and gestures even and measured. He does his best to not stand out for either extreme. Personality: Crafty, cunning, and always as many steps ahead as he can manage, Zachary is aware of his surroundings, options, and anything that might be useful to him. He’s almost impossible to surprise. Motivation: Zachary tries to be the absolute best spy he can, not only to fill his coffers, but also for the thrill and challenge of making off with others’ closely guarded secrets. Background: Tired of clearing dungeons with groups of loud, clunky, and, worst of all, unprofessional adventurers, Zachary took his skills to the merchant princes. He steals carefully guarded secrets for huge payments by posing as a nondescript, disposable employee, discovering what he needs, and then by covering his escape by faking the death of his assumed personality. He’s learned a host of tricks from gadgets to magic to make him a better operative. Traits: (MN) Business, criminal, power hungry, stealthy, wealthy 211 212 213 214
Fantasy - Neutrals Norman • Nottingshire • Noussian • Olivia • The Oracle • The Oracle of the Sea • Orsh 87 Ustan Oughmoskim Judgmental Boatman “There’s only one way down the river without being killed, and I am sure that there is no way you would figure it out. A few coins is all I ask, and I will take you.” Appearance: Ustan is short, hairy, and rather unattractive. His looks hint at his upbringing in the wastelands. He has several noticeable scars, and more hide beneath his clothes. Roleplaying: He always calls people out for their actions, especially if it they do it poorly. Given a choice, people are always in the wrong. Personality: No one does anything to Ustan’s satisfaction, and he isn’t afraid to let people know it. Because of his judgmental attitude, he has a terrible time making a living; people only work with him once. His skill intimidates them—or so Ustan has convinced himself. Motivation: He enjoys showing people how smart and talented he is. He loves to point out the bad decisions people make, and the foolish things they do. Background: Ustan grew up in the wastelands. He is an excellent guide and hunter. He moved towards more civilized lands but was unable to find any work, blaming it on prejudice. He was able to get enough coin to purchase a small but meager boat, and is able to make a little coin by ferrying people to the wastelands. The boat is always in need of repair, making him more desperate for work. Traits: (PV) Impoverished, outdoorsman, pilot, primal Rosalyn Tesera Cuckolded Noblewoman “I know my husband is faithful, there is no way he would not be…right?” Appearance: Rosalyn is an attractive middle-aged woman; her beauty has only just begun to fade, and her hair has barely begun to gray. Roleplaying: Though composed at most times, wistful looks and small quivers betray her sadness and nervousness. Personality: Rosalyn is trusting and naïve, rationalizing away her husband’s flings. Motivation: She seeks to be a devoted wife and please her husband. Background: Rosalyn is a dutiful wife who has yet to see through her husband’s lies about his whereabouts at late hours of the night. He has told her that he attends to secret business for the king, but in reality he is philandering with any maiden he can find. Rosalyn was raised to believe that marriage was a sacred institution, blessed by the hearth gods. She doesn’t believe her sweet devoted man would ever do her wrong, but there are so many times when he doesn’t come home. Since Rosalyn and her husband hold a position of minor nobility, the tales he spins have been plausible enough, but they have begun to grow too grand. There are holes in his tales, and Rosalyn believes there is much her husband keeps from her. Though he is working for the king and holding secrets, some things are not meeting up. When she unravels the truth, she may remain mild and meek, or she may explode in fury. Traits: (JA) Dilettante, royalty, white collar Calla Startrella Peculiar Fortune Teller “The future is knowable. Maybe.” Appearance: Calla is a young, fair-haired woman in her midtwenties. She often wears an expression of wide-eyed innocence, appearing neither particularly wise nor insightful. Roleplaying: In addition to unorthodox fortune-telling methods, she has conversations with her pet porcupine. She will stop to listen to what the porcupine is supposedly saying, which observers take as silence, then respond as if the conversation has taken a new direction. Personality: She often seems detached from the swirl of excitement around current events and she likes that people wonder about her. Motivation: She genuinely wants to help people who come for advice or to have their future read. She doesn’t think her methods are strange. Background: Calla doesn’t talk about her past. She came to the castle in her middle teens. It’s whispered she was raised by a witch coven in the dark forest. The accuracy of her foretelling is hotly debated. Instead of a crystal ball, she “reads” the future from the glass chimney of a lit oil lamp. She reads palms by examining the backs of hands, and divines the future from tarot cards that are placed faced down. Before she conducts any reading, she pricks the subject with a porcupine needle to get a spot of blood. Traits: (TT) Eccentric, occult Belamy Taldiss Tactless Bard “That’s a gorgeous dress! I’ll bet it would look even more fetching on a smaller woman.” Appearance: Belamy has high cheekbones, an olive complexion, and she wears her hair plaited into beautiful, complex braids (a different pattern every day). Roleplaying: Belamy’s wit outpaces her manners. She’s unintentionally rude, puts her foot in her mouth at every opportunity, and offends most people she meets. Personality: Oblivious and tactless, Belamy is convinced that she can charm her way through any problem, despite ample evidence to the contrary. People tend to want to like her, but she doesn’t make it easy. Motivation: More than anything, Belamy wants to make a few really good friends. Background: Most bards are charming and musically talented; Belamy is musically talented. Born without a sense of diplomacy, and seemingly incapable of developing one, she’s been run out of a dozen towns in the past six months. Always on the move, she can take care of herself, plays the lute like she was born holding one, and has a keen sense for when the crowd is about to turn ugly— an instinct that’s served her well many times. She’s a nice person once you get to know her, but her lack of civility often prevents her from making friends. She became a bard to meet more people, but that’s backfired on her. She finds traveling a lonely affair, but has little choice but to keep moving. Traits: (MR) Artist, entertainment, humorous 215 216 217 218
Fantasy - Neutrals 88 Orlando • Orson • Osusk • Oxbar • Patience • Patrizia Bree Willowpatch Fearful Witch “I can’t get involved. If the Hierophant knew, he’d burn my whole family.” Appearance: Bree is waif-like in appearance and looks a few years younger than her actual age (she’s just turned twenty). She has hidden pockets sewn into her peasant dress that contain the ingredients she needs for magic. Roleplaying: She is suspicious of outsiders and tries to ascertain whether they are church agents. She never entirely trusts anyone unless they can perform magic, too. Personality: When allowed to be herself, Bree is full of wonder and dreams of a better life. Unfortunately, church policy against sorcery makes her afraid of herself; it consumes her with fear that she might put everyone in jeopardy. Motivation: She wants to help others, but she’s afraid to get involved in affairs that don’t concern her village. Background: Bree was born with a natural gift for magic. Unfortunately, the church considers such children “born with sin” and expects them to be sent to the Hall of Righteousness for training. Her parents hid her gift so that she could remain with them. As Bree grew older, her mother revealed that she was also a “witch” and trained Bree both how to use her powers and how to hide them. With the village’s remote location, the villagers can’t get ready assistance from church sorcerers. Without local witchcraft, life would be much harder for them. Traits: (WC) Magical, medic, mysterious, stealthy Mortissa Deigja Undead Magician “As you wish, highness.” Appearance: An ancient and shriveled old woman, dressed in faded clothes of a bygone era, she looks through people with cold, lifeless eyes. Roleplaying: Mortissa speaks in a slow, strained whisper, using archaic phrases, but when casting a spell or protecting the throne she moves with preternatural swiftness. Personality: She is cursed to serve the whim of the current monarch and has no wants of her own. Motivation: She will protect and serve the monarch at all costs. Background: Over a century ago, the young, power hungry enchantress sought the title of court magician, intending to ensorcel the monarch and thus rule the kingdom. She charmed her way into an apprenticeship with the sitting court magician with a façade of selfless service. When she felt the time was right, Mortissa stabbed the magician with a cursed dagger, and began a ritual to enchant the king and bind her soul to the throne forever. Her master’s final act was to sacrifice himself to bind her soul not in power, but in service. Ever since, she has been cursed to use her considerable magical talents as the eternal servant and guardian of the rightful monarch, even as her body wastes away. She is now in a grotesque state, though the curse is still in effect. An unknown (but suspected) aspect of her curse applies when there is no rightful monarch; she then serves and guards whoever was last seated upon the throne. Traits: (KS) Ancient, hideous, magical, occult Tanserus Balkanor Boisterous Merchant “My table is your table! My food is your food! My wives are my own, though!” Appearance: Tanserus is large and bulky. He dresses in fine clothing and surrounds himself with luxury. Roleplaying: He is constantly smiling and his laughter is deep and boisterous. Personality: One can’t help but feel the friendliness and generosity pouring out of Tanserus. Motivation: He only wants to share and enjoy the riches he has gained. Background: Traveling long trade routes between remote areas, dealing in rare goods, and carefully managing his resources, Tanserus quickly increased his wealth and made many friends. Always generous, Tanserus sometimes succumbed to misfortune, but more often developed strong bonds that helped him prosper. His friendliness, size, and generosity have only grown with his fortune. Tanserus has married many times, each marriage adding to the number of wives constantly surrounding him. Also in his entourage are the many servants and merchants who work for him, carrying out his business and walking his old trade routes. A good judge of character, Tanserus rarely succumbs to the wiles of those who would trick him. He is constantly traveling with his huge caravan of goods, and, through a complex system of messages, his merchants always know where to find him. While this often attracts bandits, he deftly defuses the situation and the bandits leave with bellies full of wine and food, vowing that no harm shall ever come to Tanserus’ men or friends. Traits: (JA) Charming, merchant, saintly, wealthy Raish Blackspine Ruthless Druid “I’ve killed harder men than you. Step aside.” Appearance: Though only 30 years old, Raish looks like a man of 70. He has straggly gray hair and sunken eyes that blaze with anger. His gaunt frame is covered in whip scars and war wounds, and he hobbles like an old man. Roleplaying: Raish’s voice is almost a growl, and he always sees the worst in people. Around those who’ve suffered as he has, he becomes remarkably tender. Personality: Raish is ruthless, single-minded, and largely amoral. He feels great remorse for whatever sins he committed during his “lost years,” but also believes the best way to atone is to kill slavers, strike at nobles who abuse their vassals, and hunt down anyone who uses mind control on human beings. Motivation: Revenge is Raish’s lifeblood. It will take more than a lifetime to make up for his dark years as a slave, but he means to try. Background: The last of the Blackspine druid sect, Raish spent 15 hard years as a mind-controlled slave, and he has no memory of what he did during that time—though periodic, haunting dreams have made it clear that he committed atrocities in the name of his masters. Now free, though ravaged, he crusades against those who would oppress their fellow men. The rest of the Blackspines were wiped out while he was a slave, and he dreams of rebuilding the sect. Traits: (MR) Aggressive, magical, outdoorsman, primal, zealot 219 220 221 222
Fantasy - Neutrals Oscamedes • Oughmoskim • Parins • Pathfinder • Patrella • The Peace Bringer 89 Artist: Matt Morrow Raish Blackspine
Fantasy - Neutrals 90 Paulette • Peneford • Peregrine • Peri • Phaedra • Pickett • Porter Griffon Undertoe Passionate Diviner “Look closely at this detail work. See? Representative of the second generation, I’ve no doubt! You’ve quite the find, my friend!” Appearance: Griffon is a smallish, stocky man with short, curling black hair and large, dopy eyes. He dresses in a simple white cotton shirt and with a black, leather waistcoat and breeches. Roleplaying: Griffon is an accomplished liar, but his largest tell is when he inadvertently scratches or rubs his nose. He has a fake accent and discusses items using broad generalities. Personality: He has a knack for identifying antiquities and an equal knack of falsifying them to make quick coin. Griffon does have a weak spot for those who are down on their luck, and has been known to show generosity or help right a wrong. He has a heart of gold (that he’d sell, if he could) but he’ll never admit it. Motivation: Like a moth to the flame, he’s helpless against the draw of an antique or a mysterious object. Their secrets must be discovered. Background: A semi-skilled artisan by trade, Griffon soon found that he had an innate ability to identify valuable antiques. Unfortunately, his poor financial decisions rarely allowed him much to show for this talent. He’s often on the wrong side of the law, perhaps in an antique scam, or falsifying the providence of a 300-year-old vase he just helped craft, to swindling a bullying noble who stole a similar antique from a gentry’s death estate. Traits: (DM) Crafter, criminal Darl the Beast Feral Gladiator “After this many years, most think that I fight for the adoration of the crowds. They are wrong. I fight for spirits of the animals, and that is why I have survived.” Appearance: Darl is of average height with rippling muscles, and is covered in thick black hair. His long hair is gathered into five thick braids. His face is scarred, and his left eye is only a blackened socket. Roleplaying: Darl has no manners. He snorts and growls, and he will flash with anger at the slightest insult. Personality: He is the alpha male. He never passes a chance to make that fact clear or to defend his position from those who wish to usurp it. Motivation: Darl’s motivation is to maintain his alpha male position and to honor the nature spirits. His sense of worth derives from these things. Background: Sold into slavery as a child, Darl was raised in captivity. In his adolescence, his captors trained him for gladiatorial combat. Darl’s earliest combats were not glorious; his second fight cost him his left eye. Despite his many wounds, he did not die, and he continued to fight. He credits is long life and his success in combat to the spirits of the animals, which he venerates before each fight; after each victory, he presents them with a part of his kills. Today, Darl has no interest in being free; he lives now to fight. Traits: (PV) Hideous, famous, occult, outdoorsman, primal Brother Angul Tordok Corrupt Priest “The gods do favor your daughter. Perhaps if she spent a night in church…to pray, of course…you might find a few coins returning with her in the morning?” Appearance: Angul is a short man who’s constantly sweating and out of breath. He wears the vestments of a local priest and carries a short sword for protection. He has a holy symbol painted on his forehead. Roleplaying: He’s always out of breath from constantly moving around the rough terrain of the remote town, using his position to obtain free meals, free wine, and free services. He is also willing to bargain for what he wants, and he’s used his position to absolve sins for ever-increasing fees. Personality: Angul revels in his position and uses it to satisfy his many vices. When he first meets someone, he assesses their potential worth to him and treats them accordingly. Motivation: He cares only for his own comforts. Background: Angul entered the priesthood because he saw an opportunity for a carefree lifestyle. Once he graduated, he was assigned to a parish that had to feed and clothe him in return for acting as a pastor. Angul does not take his duties very seriously and looks for ways to streamline ceremonies so he can dispense with them more quickly. He is always angling to make his own life more comfortable and is loath to involve himself in anything that could threaten his current situation. Traits: (WC) Notorious, religious Brianne Martine Incomprehensible Carpenter “If it doesn’t make you think, it’s not worth building.” Appearance: Brianne is getting on in years. She walks with a stoop and her white hair is thinning. Her clothes and hair are constantly covered in a thin layer of sawdust; her pockets contain a myriad of badly stained handkerchiefs, and she smells of wood and chemicals. Roleplaying: Despite her age, Brianne’s voice is steady and her eyes are clear. She’s pleasant and playful, and enjoys treating young people like her own children. Personality: Brianne is clever and likes to outsmart people, especially those who are full of themselves. Motivation: Though already acknowledged as a master, Brianne is never satisfied with her carpentry skills and seeks to learn new techniques and work with new materials. Background: Brianne has been a master craftsman building ornate furniture for the rich and powerful for decades. In that time she’s trained dozens of apprentices, spawned her own school of style, and created central pieces for almost every family who could afford her work. Her true love is hiding subtle messages, symbols, and secrets in her works. She has inserted clever commentary, secret panels, and hidden puzzles into dozens, if not hundreds of pieces. Rumor has it that a trickster god was so impressed with Brianne’s work he bestowed upon her a divine secret that now lies hidden in a complex web of puzzles within puzzles, scattered across the limits of the known world. Traits: (MN) Crafter, religious, wealthy 223 224 225 226
Fantasy - Neutrals The Peeper • Pellegrin • Pendergras • The Phoenix • Pierce • Preston • Prusun 91 Orlando Trimeste Cowardly Impostor “You dare raise your blade to me? Are you aware of whom you are challenging?” Appearance: Orlando is a dashing young man in excellent shape. He wears his dirty blond hair shoulder-length and has an impeccable sense of dress. Roleplaying: He is quite charming, especially to ladies he fancies. He doesn’t like to display his prowess with a blade, as “that would be bragging.” He does everything possible not to fight, as “it wouldn’t be gentlemanly to put you down like a rabid dog.” Personality: Orlando is a lothario and a coward. Both his bravado and combat skills are acts. He constantly lives in fear that he’ll be found out and has several escape plans ready should he need them. Motivation: He enjoys using seduction and his reputation to gain benefits for himself. If found out, his only motivation is survival. Background: Orlando is a minor noble’s son and a lover of women. Unfortunately, one of his lovers was married to the greatest swordsman in the realm. When he caught Orlando in bed with his wife, he intended to run him through. Instead, the wife slew her husband. She told Orlando that it would be their secret and created a story about Orlando besting her husband in a duel. Now, Orlando has a reputation for being the greatest swordsman in the realm; it’s a reputation he didn’t earn, but it has provided food, women, and a roof wherever he goes. Traits: (WC) Beautiful, charming, famous Erland Nimz Power-Mad Wizard “I just love dusty, dank dungeons. If it were not for the fact that the Tome of Shalzar was rumored to be here, I would be content researching in my tower.” Appearance: Erland is a man of average height, with shoulderlength brown hair and a closely trimmed beard. He wears an open gray robe over natural-toned trousers, a tunic, and knee-high boots. He wears a hat and carries a glass orb in his right hand. Roleplaying: Erland prefers to cast big, impressive spells or spells that empower his companions; he detests melee combat. When he casts a spell he will be animated, cheering as his enemies fall, or as his enchanted comrade slays a foe. Personality: Lively and opinionated, he enjoys sarcasm and often annoys his companions with his commentary. He has no tolerance for anything mysterious or cryptic. Motivation: Erland craves arcane power in all forms. When he is not adventuring for artifacts, he researches new spells. Background: The son of a sage, Erland started his arcane career in his teens, showing great proficiency. Early in his career, he joined an adventuring group and made his initial fortune on several dangerous expeditions, including one that involved the thwarting of a demigod. Today, he continues his research, adventuring now in search of specific artifacts for a project he is trying to complete. No one knows exactly what the project is, but many suspect he is pursuing his own path to becoming a demigod. Traits: (PV) Adventurer, magical, power hungry Orson Sanders Wise Falconer “A hawk knows when to soar, to circle, to swoop down, and to be still on a perch. Folk would do well to heed that example: Take the proper action at the proper time.” Appearance: Orson is older but still vigorous. He wears an eye patch over his left eye covering an injury that predates his service. Some say his gaze from the right eye is like that of the hawks he tends—capable of peering into a man’s very soul. Roleplaying: He nearly always frames his advice in terms of stewardship, using phrases related to birds or the natural world. Personality: He is usually willing to impart wisdom to those who befriend him. Like any good counselor, Orson is perceptive, attentive, understanding, and capable of giving advice—even the harshest sort—so that it is well received. Motivation: He loves birds. He loves the outdoors. It’s his nature to be helpful. Background: Orson is custodian of the monastery’s aviary, charged with taking care of messenger birds. He also is a falconer. Years ago, when the temple was looking for a caretaker, he stepped forward to accept the position, even though he is of another faith. Years of dedication to the aviary have earned for him the respect and admiration of everyone who lives and works there. Even the high priest goes to him for advice. Traits: (TT) Counselor, religious Albertus Fergessen Absent-Minded Naturalist “I must say, I have never seen an immature specimen like this in the field. The colors are so vibrant! I can easily approach it, you see, because they are docile when young. Which is why the adults are so extremely protective.” Appearance: A slim, sloppily dressed older man wearing spectacles, he is usually reading, writing, or simply staring off into space. Roleplaying: Prone to prattling on, he can be easily distracted by anything he finds fascinating, often to the point of forgetting about more important things. Personality: Albertus has a childlike fascination for the natural world, and studies it endlessly, sometimes forgetting about food, sleep, or other things in the process. Motivation: He wants to learn as much about the natural world as possible. Background: City born and bred, Albertus was a poor and bookish child with a fascination for learning how various animals lived in the city. Spending hours watching animals may not be good for one’s social life, but when Albertus used his considerable knowledge of the structure of rat colonies to rid a bakery of its infestation, it won him a wealthy widow’s patronage. Albertus solved a few more vermin issues before his patron passed away, leaving him a tidy sum. Using his newfound wealth to hire adventuring parties as guides, he’s studied many more creatures in their natural habitat, although his insistence that they not be harmed has frustrated and endangered more than a few of his guides. Traits: (KS) Academic, eccentric, genius, scientist 227 228 229 230
Fantasy - Neutrals 92 Preston • Quinn • Quorra • Rachel • Raish • Rajnish • Rak Nessie Angelthorn Chipper Innkeeper “Ye’ll taste many a fine stew in your journey, Birgid bless, but this is the finest ye’ll eat tonight.” Appearance: Nessie wears a dress embroidered with hearth fire, matched by a shock of blond hair radiating from her head like the sun’s rays. She’s pleasantly plump, wears a broad smile, and often invokes the goddess with a quiet gesture. Roleplaying: A renowned hostess, Nessie always has food on hand. She is quietly faithful to her goddess, often gesturing or whispering thanks for the small blessings in life. Personality: Today is good, with even better tomorrows coming. Nessie runs her household firmly, but with obvious love. Motivation: Nessie is devoted to her family and will do almost anything for them. She’s confident that today’s effort will be paid back many fold. Background: Nessie runs the inn while her husband serves as reeve. Her family is large and growing; seven youngsters, from 10 years old down to a newborn, keep her hopping, as do patrons. She’s often tired, but thankful for the good fortune she’s had in such heaping measure. She is the lay leader devoted to the goddess of increase, and begins her day in the fields with other devotees. Traits: (SM) Counselor, entertainment, religious, Artist: Matt Morrow saintly Nessie Angelthorn 231
Fantasy - Neutrals Purille • Quartermaine • Quickmire • Rameris • Rankins • Rawlins 93 Paulette Strummings Secretive Librarian “I’ll be with you in a bit. I’ve, uh, got this little thing to take care of here in the stacks first.” Appearance: She is a young woman with an athletic build, evident even in a monk’s robes. She is fair-skinned and wears her hair pulled back neatly in a pony tail. Her concealed tattoo, a pinwheel of barbed vines resting between her shoulder blades, identifies her as a member of a secret society of treasure hunters. Roleplaying: She is an inattentive librarian preoccupied with combing the stacks for her own personal research project. Personality: Paulette is outgoing and tenacious, and seems out of place amid the dusty old stacks of a monastery library. She often comes up with elaborate excuses to cover the fact that she is not at all versed in the tradition of the religious order of monks she serves. Motivation: Her current goal is to infiltrate the library, conduct research, and leave at the earliest opportunity. Background: She is a member of a secret society of treasure hunters. She is well-traveled, despite still being a young adult. She infiltrated the library by presenting herself as an adherent of the monastery’s faith. Her knowledge of ancient languages makes her an insightful researcher. She keeps her desk stacked with obscure scrolls from the repository—not materials usually requested by library patrons. Traits: (TT) Academic, adventurer, scholar Bradley Logan Greedy Chosen One “I would love to bless your business, but we only have a limited supply of holy candles, and they are quite expensive... “ Appearance: Bradley is a fat-cheeked boy with a long ponytail and a winning smile. He wears fine robes that contrast with his comfortable walking shoes and staff. His parents, a small team of monastic tutors, and a train of hangers-on follow him on his travels. Roleplaying: Thanks to his tutors, Bradley is able to converse intelligently on a wide variety of topics. He has perfected the calm, quiet attitude of a monk. Personality: Though overly obsessed with money, Bradley is an otherwise normal young boy. Motivation: Because of his family’s poverty, few things are more important to Bradley than the money to take care of his parents. Background: Bradley’s family were poor farmers on the verge of starvation when he was visited by a group of monks claiming that he was a chosen one destined to do great things. They offered him an excellent education at their monastery. Though his parents agreed, Bradley refused to cooperate, demanding the monks teach him during a pilgrimage across the country. Along the way, he has taken any opportunity to earn money from his newfound fame. Although he has more than enough money to see to his family’s needs at this point, there is always more that he wants to give them. Traits: (MN) Charming, child, famous, merchant, religious, wealthy Welnae Barrow Tough City Guard “I see the problem here—you must have mistaken me for someone who can’t cut you in half and use the pieces to beat your friends to death.” Appearance: Short, broad-shouldered, and attractive, Welnae is used to people not taking her seriously as a city guard until her sword comes out. She smiles rarely, except when among friends. Roleplaying: Welnae has a chip on her shoulder, and it gets larger with every passing day. She brooks no fools, takes her job seriously, and doesn’t know the meaning of the word “outnumbered.” Personality: Welnae makes it a point to start a bar brawl once a week—twice if she’s had a bad week. She rarely loses, never pays for drinks, and will gladly punch first and ask questions later. She’s wound pretty tight, and it shows. Motivation: Accustomed to being told she can’t do “men’s work,” Welnae approaches every situation as a chance to prove that she can, and better than anyone else—man or woman. Background: Orphaned at a young age, Welnae grew up on the streets. She saw crime and blight every day, and vowed to do something about it when she was old enough. As a city guard, she patrols the toughest neighborhoods, stares down criminals twice her size, and knows everyone’s business. Cross her, and you’ll pay the price; respect her, and you might just earn a friend. She’s tough as nails and twice as sharp. Traits: (MR) Aggressive, police, warrior Jack Rawlins Scornful Lawyer “What you said makes sense, but can you unpack that a bit, m’lord?” Appearance: Clean-shaven, neat, and well-groomed, Jack dresses in the finest robes and wears a powdered wig. There’s always a question in his eyes. Roleplaying: Jack has a piercing stare and often murmurs a probing “Hmmmm” when interrogating people. Personality: Stern and inquisitive, Jack is perpetually unbelieving. Motivation: Jack has a compulsion to uncover the truth in any situation. Background: Few are better at determining guilt than Jack Rawlins. Possessing an incredible ability to root out a person’s guiltiest thoughts through keen perception and an understanding of the human psyche, Jack is a fierce lawyer in his country’s courts. When he places himself against the corrupt lords and merchants of his land (for the peasants are rarely given trial), he seeks to understand why they would perform these heinous deeds and to ensure they are not free to commit them again. Jack insists on meeting with every defendant before being assigned to a case by the country’s magistrates. If he can sense no guilt in them, which rarely happens, he will refuse the case and offer his services to the defendant free of charge. In these instances, he turns his scorn on the witnesses and fellow prosecutors, rooting out their guilt through piercing glares, razor-sharp questions, and deft jabs. By the time he is finished, whether prosecuting or defending, few truths are left untold. Traits: (JA) Counselor, political, scholar 232 233 234 235
Fantasy - Neutrals 94 Ramona • Ravlox • Rebald • Reballah • Rebekah • Reena • Remmy Friar Julius Norman Cursed Friar “Please don’t get too close. I think I might have a bit of a cold.” Appearance: Friar Norman’s skin is translucent and his hair is mostly gone. He’s simultaneously bloated and skeletal, and he has weeping lesions on his neck. Roleplaying: When Julius talks to people, he stays at arm’s length. His voice is thick and phlegmy. Speaking usually prompts a wracking fit of coughing that’s often followed by a bout of dizziness. Personality: Erudite and compassionate, Friar Norman helps others to the best of his abilities. Motivation: Julius wants to share his knowledge with his flock as long as he is able. Background: For decades, Friar Norman has been the leader of his religious community. A few years ago, he became very ill; a devil visited him, promising immortality if only Norman would betray the trust of his followers and lead them into folly. In a moment of weakness, Julius agreed. He immediately regretted the agreement and never honored his end of the bargain. Cursed with a slow, painful demise, Friar Norman does his best to make the rest of his life count. Each day, the devil returns and offers to remove Julius’ disease if only he’ll honor the original deal. He worries that one day he will lack to strength to resist or that someone else will find out about these visits. Traits: (MN) Counselor, hideous, leader, religious, saintly Arlem Tros Scandal-Plagued Singer “Harlot? Deviant? I have been called all of those things and worse, and they have been justified. But my music comes from passion, and tonight you are my passion.” Appearance: Arlem is of average height, with a small bust, rounded hips, and long, curly black hair. Her brown eyes are piercing, and her attractiveness transcends the physical with an aura that projects beauty. Roleplaying: She is drawn to any attractive men in a room. She will flirt regardless of who is around and, if rebuked, will move to the next man with no malice. Personality: Arlem is an amazing singer and composer, known for several famous songs. Her inspiration is a string of male lovers, an indulgence she needs in order to feel alive enough to compose or perform. Motivation: It is hard to say which rules Arlem more: her passion for music or her passion for men. At this point, she has twisted them into a chimera that now rules her life. Background: Arlem has always been fond of boys, driving her father sick with worry as she shamelessly chased every boy in town. She had always been a good singer, but after her first lover bedded her, it ignited in her a passion that she funneled into her singing talent. Soon, she moved to the city and began composing her own music. In the course of her career, she has had several disastrous affairs and has made enemies of many wives. Traits: (PV) Artist, beautiful, entertainment, notorious Pickett Amoral Fence “Yeah, I can sells dat. Don’t care where y’got it; wotcher need? Gots a nice dagger here, see th’ filigree?” Appearance: Utterly forgettable, he’s of average height, build, and appearance; his only recognizable feature is his voice. Roleplaying: With staccato delivery and a strong accent, he will bargain for anything. Personality: Pushy and aggressive when it benefits him, he also knows when to back off and change the subject. Motivation: He’s greedy for anything that can be converted to money, but isn’t above taking favors, especially if they can be traded to someone else. Background: A true child of the city, “Pickett” grew up in many orphanages. He quickly learned not to pick sides in a conflict, but to diplomatically stay available for everyone. After all, nearly everyone eventually needs to unload or acquire something quickly and quietly, right? Upon coming of age, he left the orphanage, picked a name to represent his occupation, and started playing in the big leagues. Over the decades, Pickett’s amoral approach has let him work his way into comfortable relationships with many underworld organizations, and he has quite a reputation. He’s traded in nearly everything, from legitimate goods to child slaves. He does not trust anyone else, but runs his own trades, relying on an innate ability to remain unnoticed in a crowd. Although he’s lost his fortune many times, Pickett himself has never been convicted or punished for his crimes. Traits: (KS) Abhorrent, criminal, merchant, notorious, stealthy Jared Harmon Gutless Guardsman “Sounds like trouble! You keep an eye on the situation. I’ll go for reinforcements.” Appearance: Jared is compact and heavily muscled. Tattoos sleeve his arms, and he carries a large sword with an extra-long hilt. Roleplaying: Prone to boasting, Jared greatly exaggerates his abilities, posturing and preening to give others a false sense of his importance. Personality: Jared is secretly afraid of having to perform in dangerous situations. He invents a multitude of excuses to avoid his responsibilities. Motivation: Pushing for a promotion to a desk job, Jared hopes to avoid the most dangerous aspects of his profession. Background: Jared became a guard to satisfy family tradition, not because he has a passion for the work or a desire to help others. He spends most of his time avoiding confrontation and looking the other way whenever a situation might turn dangerous. Plenty of criminals are aware of Jared’s timorous nature and seek out his patrol routes to commit their crimes. They know he won’t have the guts to stop them. Unbeknownst to Jared, other guards and supervisors have noted his incompetence and they have begun campaigning for his removal. So far, his father has used his position to protected Jared, unwilling to believe his son lacks the ability to do his job. Traits: (MN) Humorous, police, warrior 236 237 238 239
Fantasy - Neutrals Redshire • The Red Sash • Redtail • Renzler • Reyes • Risad • Riworar 95 Madame Selena Bouvier Brothel Owner “Come in my darlings, there is always room under my red lights.” Appearance: Madame Selena is plump, curvy, and attractive despite her age, with dark curly hair. Roleplaying: Madame Selena stretches her syllables and laughs both deeply and coyly. Personality: Very expressive in action, she was once an incredible beauty, but age is beginning to tame her–not that she’ll admit it. Motivation: Keeping her girls safe and paying off the corrupt landlord are her only concerns. Background: Madame Bouvier is the owner of the Shaded Lamp, one of the most popular brothels in the city. While not particularly upscale, as prostitution is not looked upon kindly, the Lamp is very clean and pleasant for its visitors. The Lamp is exclusive, for the part of town it is in; those who have caused trouble or who refuse to shower are turned away by the two large bouncers. Madame Bouvier greets every guest and gives the impression that she is more than willing to keep her hand in the game. Despite being popular amongst the wealthy and nobles, who covertly visit through secret entrances, the brothel is under pressure from its corrupt landlord. Madame Bouvier conceals these worries and always has a friendly smile and pat on the back for a new client. Though she is not a fighter, she keeps a dagger on her person at all times, a practice she has taught to every one of her girls. Traits: (JA) Aggressive, dilettante, entertainment, merchant The Most Reverend Vargas Inteccion Ambitious Priest “Do your duty to the gods, and you will be rewarded.” Appearance: Reverend Vargas is almost always the tallest person in the room. His most distinguishing feature is a hawkish nose. Roleplaying: He rarely smiles, but his eyes convey sincerity. When deep in thought, he presses hands to his lips and nose, clasped as in prayer. Personality: Vargas is even tempered, so much so that some remark that he lacks the righteous zeal befitting a priest. Generally, he is patient and kind. When he makes a suggestion or advocates a position, it is always after giving the matter due consideration. Never acting in haste, he allows events to unfold, and acts when the opportunity is of the greatest benefit to him or the temple. He believes that, ultimately, he knows what’s best to advance the temple’s message and standing in the world, though he never openly criticizes the decisions or positions of the high priests. Motivation: Vargas wishes to navigate the politics of the temple and, eventually, attain a leading position within the church hierarchy. Background: As a child who was brought to the temple to worship, he always believed in its tenets: indulge not in violence and serve the good of your fellow man. Noticing his natural generosity, pacifism, and leadership potential, his instructors encouraged young Vargas to pursue his priestly vocation. Traits: (TT) Power hungry, religious Diedre Cindall Shadow Mage “You cannot comprehend the power that I wield, nor the responsibility that I bear.” Appearance: Tall and muscular, she wears dark clothing and carries a longsword at her side. Underneath her hood are the sharply contrasted features of her alabaster skin and short locks of black hair. A raven perches on her cloaked shoulder. Roleplaying: Diedre is brooding to the extreme, speaking softly and saying no more than absolutely necessary. She will speak down to others, underscoring her superior intellect and skills. She exudes strength. Personality: Confidence flows through her and her decisions are based on logic. She commands the magical arts but just as readily can use the sword. She keeps a great many secrets. Diedre does not open herself to others, save a select few that she protects to the death. Motivation: Diedre seeks the accumulation of power for her own ends, and to feel a measure of safety. Her goals are mostly benign, except when she is crossed by those that seek to deprive her of power. Background: Raped and left for dead, her family slaughtered, Diedre took up the magical arts in part to protect herself. This led to an adventurer’s life, where she has been thrust into the spotlight. A wielder of corrupting shadow magic, Diedre struggles to reign in her darker shadow-self, which whispers to her. At one point she took on an apprentice and erstwhile lover. She abhors vampires and seeks their destruction at any cost. Traits: (DM) Adventurer, genius, power hungry, magical Cosetta Levony Adventurous Prostitute “Oh, don’t leave—come play, my lord.” Appearance: Young and comely, with long red hair, Cosetta is attractive in all the right ways and a few of the wrong ones. Roleplaying: Cosetta has her come-hither look down pat. She purses her lips and moves her shoulders seductively. Personality: Bright and bubbly, coy and shy, she molds to her clients’ wants. Motivation: She wants to protect her siblings from the life she was forced into, but is beginning to enjoy her work. Background: Cosetta works at the Shaded Lamp under the protective eye of Madame Bouvier. Her mother died young and her father was left to raise his three children alone. Working himself into illness, he soon passed. Cosetta, the oldest of the three, was forced into prostitution when the house was taken over. Cosetta made the decision to embrace the lifestyle she was forced into, in order to prevent her siblings from having to make that choice. She is often requested at the Shaded Lamp, and entertains the landlord with his “special requirements” whenever he puts pressure on the brothel. Lately, Cosetta has found herself slipping into the role she donned more and more often. Though at first she saw it as a necessity, she feels comfortable only when the stakes are raised and there is some pain on the table. Cosetta’s main reasons for embracing her choice have always been providing for her brother and sister, but this might be changing. Traits: (JA) Beautiful, charming, entertainment 240 241 242 243
Fantasy - Neutrals 96 “Revolution” • Ridella • Rinaldo • Roberto • “Rock” • Roderic Vivian Desmont Ruinous Alchemist “The most powerful reactions are the least stable. We have to find a way to counteract the worst of the backlash.” Appearance: Vivian is a delicate and spindly woman with pale skin and luxurious black hair. Roleplaying: Shy and more interested in matters alchemical than social, Vivian is quiet and introspective. Her clumsy blundering is usually not a problem, except in her lab where it can become a danger. Personality: Vivian is brilliant and makes connections between facts quickly. She enjoys quiet and solitude, which help her think. Motivation: Driven to unlock the secrets of alchemy, Vivian fulfills contracts for high-paying clients to afford her research. Background: Vivian has studied the alchemical arts since she was a young apprentice, and, after years of research, she discovered a line of extracts that endowed the drinker with preternatural strength, stamina, or other extraordinary abilities. Unfortunately, their use rapidly burns out the body of the user; all but the most suicidal of warriors use her discovery sparingly. Recently widowed, Vivian has thrown herself into her work to distract from her grief. She is working under contract with a militaristic government to perfect new versions of her famous serums that produce stronger effects. Traits: (MN) Academic, crafter, genius, magical, merchant, military, scholar, scientist Tasinka Naranji Self-Described Expert “You shall see that even these savages instinctively know how to treat nobles such as ourselves.” Appearance: An elegant lady of high breeding and expensive fashion, Tasinka regards others with some amusem*nt. Roleplaying: Claiming extensive knowledge of just about any subject, she generously offers her advice and information to anyone listening. Personality: She is firmly convinced that her insights are far greater than those of mere commoners. While she can be stubborn and condescending in her own way, she always maintains civility and decorum. Motivation: She wants everyone to acknowledge that she is right all the time. Background: The only child of doting but distracted nobles, Lady Naranji has led a life of luxury and learning. She speaks many languages, some long-extinct, and has an extensive library. While this may be the foundation of a well-read individual, much of her reading has been of fanciful and romantic books which reinforce her own prejudices. She is not a stupid person, nor necessarily ignorant, but much of her extensive knowledge is based on frighteningly inaccurate sources, which she has taken to be gospel truth. Her romantic readings have also convinced her that the heroes always win, and that all tales have a happy ending. She can be both an excellent resource and a source of much bad information. Traits: (KS) Dilettante, royalty, scholar, wealthy Jai Purille Spiritual masoch*st “Can’t you feel it? The rush? It’s the ultimate expression of being truly alive!” Appearance: He is covered in multi-colored tattoos and bold patterns of scarring. Studs and rings decorate his nose, ears, tongue, eyebrows, and every other part of his body he could get a needle through. His worn hide jacket and loose breeches look simple by comparison. His bald head is also a pallet of expression, covered in ritual scars and pictograms. Roleplaying: Jai has an intense expression and quick verbal manner. He cracks his knuckles and plucks at his piercings idly during conversation. He’s a bit of a zealot and preaches when given the opportunity. Personality: He’s quite sane and friendly, but his appearance is intimidating. Jai is exceedingly eager to experience new things and dutifully catalogs his adventures, and vivid reactions, in a well-worn journal. He actively seeks out new sensations to endure. Motivation: Jai is moved by the achievement of pleasure through pain, and by sharing his enlightening research with others. Any adventure is an opportunity to experience new sensations and catalog them. Background: Briefly an adept while growing up, Jai turned away from the philosophical practice of religion and inward towards self-enlightenment. He is very much a masoch*st and engages in scarification and self-modification to achieve altered states of consciousness. During these periods of lucidity, Jai professes to have visions, the accuracy of which is open to interpretation. Traits: (DM) Hideous, scientist, zealot Fiona the Dancer Cunning Pickpocket “You are putty in my hands; is that so bad? Just relax and enjoy the performance.” Appearance: Fiona is strikingly beautiful and wears dancing clothes and scarves that leave little to the imagination. She moves fluidly and dances even when she isn’t dancing. Roleplaying: She is always seductive and sultry, even when just exchanging greetings. She does her best to put those she meets at ease. She showers compliments on them and pretends to be interested in their stories. Personality: Fiona is more than a dancer; she’s also an enchantress and a thief. She is an artful schemer, using her abilities to get what she wants without anyone being the wiser. Motivation: She simply wants to enrich herself and have fun doing it. Background: Fiona was born on the streets, where she learned to dance to get money, and to pick pockets while doing it. While many such street performers eventually were caught, Fiona had the luck of picking the pocket of an enchantress. When the enchantress caught up to Fiona, she offered to teach her magic. Fiona now uses her magic to seduce her audience and numb their minds, making it easier for her to pick their pockets and leave before they realize what’s happened. Oftentimes, Fiona ends up taking something important, only to sell it before the owner catches up with her. Traits: (WC) Beautiful, criminal, entertainment, magical 244 245 246 247
Fantasy - Neutrals Rodale • Romelain • Ross • Rothir • Ruega • Russo 97 Madam Autumn Sylvania Unreasonable Meddler “I bought 17 cows to milk and to make cheese from. The cows are dry, you say? Sell them to be butchered. The cows are too underfed for butchering? Sell them to the local militia to use as targets for archery training. Do I need to solve all of the problems around here?” Appearance: Though frail, wrinkled, blue-haired, and hunched over, she dresses in fine gowns and furs. She wears expensive jewelry and is accompanied by bodyguards. Roleplaying: She feigns being absentminded and senile when it helps her, but she is actually quite sharp. Her downfall is that she ignores bothersome details instead of dealing with them. Personality: She interferes in the business of others and won’t listen to opinions that differ from her own. Motivation: Madam Sylvania wants to be revered and respected. Unfortunately she is considered a bit of a joke due to her poor decisions and her failure to take responsibility for them. Background: Autumn Sylvania was always a stubborn child who refused to listen to her parents and tutors. Fearing that the family business would be destroyed in Autumn’s charge, her father found her a brilliant husband. Through hard work and smart investments, her parents and her husband grew the business and became very wealthy, but Autumn never bore children and when her parents and husband passed on, she took over the business at last. Now others hope that she will die before all the money is spent. Traits: (PB) Aggressive, business, dilettante, wealthy Drahin Amrou Cross-Dressing Madam “The next time you are too rough with one of my girls, I will twist this arm clean off. Now away with you, you caused me to rip my dress.” Appearance: Drahin has a strong build with no curves. She wears too much make-up. Her clothes are handmade and attempt to show off a figure that just isn’t there. Roleplaying: She’s soft-spoken and overly pleasant. She calls every one “darlin’.” Personality: Drahin is really a man, but has long abandoned masculine dress and attitude and adopted the mannerisms of a woman. She becomes hostile to the point of violence with anyone who challenges her gender. Motivation: Regardless of her gender decision, Drahin is very fixated on prosperity and the safety of her girls. They are the only family she has. Background: Drahin grew up in a small town and eventually served in the kingdom’s army. While a competent soldier, on the inside he felt that he was in the wrong body. After a raid on a village, he pillaged several women’s dresses for himself. He deserted the military and sunk into the seedier side of the city. There he put his martial skills to use protecting several ladies of the night who took a liking to him. They eventually helped him to transform into a woman. In return, she became their madam, protecting and helping them. Traits: (PV) Criminal, focal, leader Aribeth Redshire Ambitious Merchant “2,900 gold coins is a fair price. I know you would pay 3,100, but I would rather deal with you fairly and earn your trust.” Appearance: Aribeth dresses richly, but not ostentatiously, and carries a wooden case containing bills of sale and other paperwork. She has a sharp nose and a small chin. Roleplaying: She speaks in terms of facts and figures, and considers all sides of a situation before acting. She’s polite and respectful to a fault. Personality: Cool, calculating, and practical, Aribeth has a head for figures. Schooled from childhood in every aspect of her business, she’s an experienced trader with an eye for recognizing both good bargains and deals that are too good to be true. She treats everyone fairly and kindly, until given cause to do otherwise, and will never cheat someone out of their money. Motivation: She wants to make the Redshire Trading Coster the greatest merchant house in the entire world—without sacrificing the family’s reputation or her own morals in the process. Background: Aribeth recently became the head of the Redshire Trading Coster, a wealthy merchant house known for fair dealing, well-guarded caravans and ships, and throwing lavish parties for the nobility. Whereas her father, the previous head of the coster, was as ruthless—and as compassionate—as a rattlesnake, Aribeth is a both fair and kind. Her younger brother, Rosibar, wants her seat as the head of the coster, and might kill to get it. Traits: (MR) Business, leader, merchant, wealthy, white collar 248 249 250 Gordy Tannerson 251 Brash Young Boy “Why do we just let the knights take what they want?” Appearance: A ten-year old boy with a bowl haircut, Gordy wears peasant clothes and carries a wooden sword as well as a real knife. He also wears a holy symbol around his neck. Roleplaying: He says what he means and means what he says. He’s bold and honest. He listens to his parents when admonished. Personality: Like any child, Gordy sees problems in his world and wonders why, often aloud. He is quite bold for a young lad and has no problem questioning the sources of the problem, even when he risks being killed for it. Motivation: He wants the bad things in his life to change for the better. He knows that he can’t do it alone, so he tries to inspire the adult villagers to do it for him. Background: The son of the village tanner, Gordy sees the burdens the local lord puts on the villagers and wonders why they accept it. After not receiving satisfactory responses, Gordy has gone to the sources of the problems. He’s already questioned the tax collector, several knights, and even the lord himself. Fortunately, his young age has protected him from the consequences of his insolence. He has also learned a lot of information about these sources that could be useful to an adventuring party. Traits: (WC) Child, impoverished
Fantasy - Allies 98 Benny the Bard Tactless Troubadour “You’re quite beautiful, even with that ugly mole on your forehead.” Appearance: He has finely chiseled features, a handsome face, and a winning smile. He dresses fashionably and is well aware of his charms. Roleplaying: Benny is always the first to initiate a conversation, greeting people with a winning smile and initial complements. After an exchange or two, he always manages to blow it with a brutally honest assumption or observation. He delivers such lines in a matter-of-fact way. Personality: He is friendly and outgoing, but, unfortunately, also brutally honest. Motivation: He wants to find inspiration for his songs, as well as romance. Background: Benny the Bard is a great musician and has many other talents helpful to his adventuring friends. Unfortunately, Benny’s assets are always outweighed by his single liability: He can’t help but blurt out brutally honest comments that invariably insult the person to whom he’s speaking. Benny blames this on a curse, but no one that knows Benny can ever remember him not being that way. Oddly, Benny doesn’t generally criticize his traveling companions. Occasionally, Benny’s “curse” indirectly reveals useful information. For example, he once insulted an ambassador by commenting on his “duplicitous” eyes. As it turned out, the ambassador was involved in a plot to assassinate the local duke. Traits: (WC) Adventurer, charming, entertainment Rodett • Rodus • Roland • Rondal • Rosalyn • Rose • Russell Allies aren’t assumed to already be aligned with the PCs, but all of these NPCs are potential friends, supporters, patrons, and adventuring companions. That doesn’t mean that they’re all paladins in shiny gold armor who never use bad words, though—you’ll find plenty of criminals, schemers, and other strange but fascinating bedfellows in this section. Whether their allegiance is temporary and circ*mstantial or long-lasting, your players will want to encounter these NPCs in your game. Tristan Energetic Child “So how many monsters do you think we’ll get to kill today?!” Appearance: Tristan is a young boy with a huge, warm smile. His dirt-covered clothing is a byproduct of his exuberance. Roleplaying: Tristan always wants to help, but there are so many interesting thin—ooh, what’s that?! Personality: Like all children, he is highly distractible and full of energy. He is perpetually curious. Motivation: Tristan wants to find adventure and fun, but rarely realizes the danger involved. Background: The night that Tristan was born, there was something peculiar in the air around the campsite of the traveling theater group. A passing faery decided to fly into the window of one of the wagons and gift the newborn Tristan with the ability to understand the ancient and forgotten language of a once-powerful race. As Tristan grew, his strange babblings seemed little more than childish play and no one realized their significance, save the few academics who briefly wondered why the young boy’s songs sounded oddly familiar. Tristan is a quintessential “chosen one,” but he hasn’t realized or grown into his role yet. Fate decreed he be important to the world in some fashion, and that has caused the PCs to run across or be lead to him. While they need his help, his age is problematic and his curiosity is hard to handle. However, he is lovable and engenders feelings of protection in those around him. Perhaps another of the faery’s gifts? Traits: (JA) Child, entertainment, focal, magical 252 253
Fantasy - Allies 99 Oreamnos Surefoot Wandering Merchant “Trade draws men closer, dispels their prejudices, and makes both sides richer in both purse and soul.” Appearance: It’s difficult to say which is more notable, his expensive religious raiment, exceedingly proud demeanor, or elaborate goatee. Roleplaying: He lectures with a near-condescending tone while stroking his goatee. Personality: He’s not evangelical, but is dedicated to his mission, and he becomes stubborn when he has a goal in sight. Motivation: He is sworn to travel the world, explore unknown regions, and establish trade missions. Background: Drawn to the god of trade at a very young age, Oreamnos was selected for the difficult and important Exploration Ministry. The Explorers forsake all goods except those they can carry, and travel the world to establish trade routes. Oreamnos has been in his position for decades, and has the best gear money can buy. Everything else he makes goes to the church, although he often requisitions equipment and transportation. His extensive travels and broad range of skills make him a knowledgeable resource and excellent traveling partner, but his lecturing tone can be wearing, and many have parted ways over his insistence on investigating every trade opportunity. Traits: (KS) Famous, merchant, outdoorsman, religious Sadis • The Salty • Sanders • Sardonus • Sarsis • Shepard • Shingles Mrs. Arabella Devonshire Quaint Shopkeeper “You have excellent taste. May I show you something? It will be the perfect accent to that ensemble.” Appearance: A middle-aged woman, she balances dainty spectacles on the end of her nose. She dresses in a buttoned up, high-neck blouse and a bustle with skirts draping to the floor that only show a dash of lace. Roleplaying: Arabella is precise in her diction but often uses outdated, even formal, turns of phrase. Though she speaks in short sentences, her delivery is never flat nor clipped, but always respectful. Personality: She prizes good manners in an old-fashioned way. Prim, but never prudish, Mrs. Devonshire insists on proper behavior, and instills it in all her customers by her own demeanor. Mindful of her proximity to the bawdy women, many of whom are her best customers, she mostly offers items that draw a clientele of a higher class. The decor of her shop is an extension of her personality: scented and dainty, but never overpowering. Motivation: She sells perfumes and tasteful personal adornments from a small shop located just a stone’s throw from the tawdry red-lantern district. Background: There never was a Mr. Devonshire, though she cultivates her role as a widow, attributing a fictional inheritance as the means for opening the shop. In truth, she was a bawdy woman in another town and came here to start over. Though she’s tried to distance herself from her past, she remains helpful to “the girls.” Traits: (TT) Business, merchant Xeet, the Bearer of Pain Intimidating Warrior “I have faced death on many occasions. I have yet to succumb to it. This time will be no different.” Appearance: Heavily scarred on every inch of his massive frame, Xeet’s skin is like a patchwork quilt of wounds that have been stitched back together. Roleplaying: He constantly rubs his hand across the back of his neck, as it has never healed properly from an attempt to decapitate him. Personality: Xeet is quiet and appears to be annoyed by everything. In truth, he is in constant agony from the years of battle that he has faced. He wants nothing more than to retire from this life, but he knows no other trade. Motivation: He enters battles in order to end them as quickly and as humanely as possible. If that means charging past the front line in order to cleave a field commander in half, so be it. Background: Xeet left his family’s farm at an early age to find adventure. He was quickly recruited into the local army due to his physical prowess and imposing stature. His exceptional skill on the battlefield has kept him alive through years of war and horror. Now a middle-aged man, he is no longer fit for regular service, but he is still hired for mercenary work. He privately weeps for anyone who falls in battle, both friend and foe. Traits: (PB) Adventurer, hideous, military, warrior 254 255 255 256 Artist: Christopher Reach Oreamnos Surefoot
