Category: Character Creation

Non-Player Character Profile

Name: Gretz
Race: Human
Location: The Tanin’s Camel Inn
Episodes: 1 (Series 1, episode 2)
Appearance:  Middle-aged, rough features although his modest clothes are clean and kept in good condition.  He has an oily voice and long dark tangled hair that is balding on top.

Personality: Private, helpful but without any innate charm.

Background: Gretz and his wife took over the Tanin’s Camel after the previous owner disappeared. Being the only other staff on the premises they continued to run the place and their ownership has never been challenged.   They did however board up the previous owner’s bedroom, which was discovered to contain a passage to a Well of Souls
underneath.  Unfortunately, this was not discovered in time to prevent two guests from developing strange behavioral changes and his wife from developing large cat whiskers on her face.

Strengths:  Shrewd and can keep things close to his chest.

Weaknesses:  Not a charismatic individual.

What Happened: Gretz tended to the party who were in the employ of Elstan.  He caught them in the barricaded master bedroom, having also damaged three paintings.  He couldn’t persuade them to leave and stop them exploring the entrance to the well but he was reimbursed for the three paintings.

Chance of recurring in future episodes:  Medium. He still runs the inn, so it depends on the party’s  movements.

Non-Player Character Profile

Name: Lanier the Merchant
Race: Human
Location: The docks of Nis-Ton
Episodes: 2 (Series 1, episodes 1-2)
Appearance:  Tall, strong and a little overweight.   He wore travel clothes of fine quality silk and a turban and gave the appearance of being both rich and efficient.
Background: Lanier Whilst Elstan provided the money, Lanier provided the business and administrative acumen that Elstan lacked.  He was loyal and completely trusted by Elstan; so much so that he balanced the accounts and had access to all the funds.

Strengths:  Focussed and strong.

Weaknesses:  Lacking in diplomacy and patience.

What Happened: Lanier hired the party to protect their cargo.  He was impressed by their fighting prowess when they defended the cargo against orcs, but was betrayed in his trust when they attacked him in his bedroom at the Tanin’s Camel.  Lanier was then thrown, unconscious into the Well of Souls.

Chance of recurring in future episodes:  Low. He is not technically dead, but if they encountered the person once known as Lanier he would seem quite different.

Character Portraits used:
60 Terrible Character Portraits for Creative Commons Release by ‘A Terrible Idea’

Non-Player Character Profile

Name: Elstan the Merchant
Race: Human
Location: The docks of Nis-Ton
Episodes: 4 (Series 1, episode 1-4)
Appearance:  Serious-looking with thin facial features and smartly dressed.

Personality:  He looks down on those he feels are beneath him, and is calculating.

Strengths:  Business savvy and rich.

Weaknesses:  A mixture of blunt honesty and small-mindedness could upset some.

Background:  Elstan made his name in trading through hard work adding ports to his trading route.  DaNis is a recent addition and although small is worth a visit during gatherings such as the Mid-Nis festival, where although the inhabitants are relatively poor, he had managed to make a good profit on less fashionable items.

What Happened:  He asked his fellow merchant, Lanier, to recruit some labourers to move and protect their cargo on the journey to Mid-Nis.  He heard them murder Lanier and so he sent a message to the guards of Mid-Nis to ask for their arrest.  At their impending trial, they escaped their cells and murdered him.

Chance of recurring in future episodes:  Nil.  He’s not coming back after that fight.

Player Character Profile

Name: Long Vernal

Played by: Rob

Race: Human
Sex: Male

Class: Barbarian

Strengths: Strength

Weaknesses: Charisma

Background: Outlander. I ran 25 miles to warn the clan of an orc horde. I’d do it again.

Ideals: It is a person’s responsibility to make the most happiness for the whole tribe.

Bonds: I suffer awful visions of a coming disaster and will do anything to stop it.
Flaws: No room for caution, live life to the full.

Additional Notes from Player: Long Vernal, from the Clan of Badenoch, a settlement in a natural basin about 540 square miles of it. It consists of almost entirely beautiful mountainous country, many hills exceeding 3,000 feet, and contains in the forests of Alder, Drumocher, Gaick and Feshie some of the best deer country in the region. The clan comprises of 300 males and females whom frequently battle the elements and the occasional hordes of Orc. Their symbol is of a stag crushing an orcs head which is tattooed on a clan member’s chest at an early age. The clan leader is called Angar Lupin whom is rumoured to be a werewolf! Long Vernal was thrust into exile after a particular nasty attack from an Orc horde. The Clan was butchered and scattered in all directions. Long Vernal believes his leader is still alive, as he appears in Long’s dreams. The search continues…

Development during series 1: This contains a spoiler alert… Long followed his clan instincts loving the wide plains and outdoor adventure and detesting enclosed, unnatural spaces. His high energy and lack of room for caution meant that he got into more scrapes than any other member of the party. He encountered more visions of his clan leader, Angar Lupin, in the build up to the ‘Summit’ and saw the ground swallow him up. This turned out to be an apt vision for Long himself and yet even at the end, his heart leaped to freedom from his damaged body.

Character Portraits used: 60 Terrible Character Portraits for Creative Commons Release by ‘A Terrible Idea’

Player Character Profile

Name: Ikki
Played by: Ralph

Race: Aarakocra

Sex: Female

Class: Monk

Strengths: Dexterity and Flight

Weaknesses: Intelligence

Background: Outlander. I’m driven by wanderlust that led me away from home.
Ideals: Change, life is a constant change and we must change with it.

Bonds: My family is the most important thing in my life, even when they are far from me.

Flaws: Violence is my answer to almost any challenge.

Unique features: Being an Aarakocra makes Ikki very unique outside of the mountains. But it’s not just her hawk headed appearance and talons, it’s also her wings, which allow her to fly up to a distance of 50ft every turn (6 seconds).

Additional Notes from Player: On starting the campaign Ralph had the idea of creating an Aarakocran Pro Wrestler, inspired by a picture on the web. A goal Ikki mentioned would be to defeat the Undertaker at Summerslam.

Development during series 1: So far Ikki has been very much the outsider looking on and resolving disputes with violence, which is very much in line with her background. She is also receiving visions of an impending Trial of the Talons, a fight to claim an Aarakocra partner that links her fate to that of her family as it was her sister who instigated it.

DM Note #4

Reordering and Recycling

This refers to Episode 4, Confined: Part 1 of Agora Core:

In DM Note #2 I mentioned that the players actions and decisions took the plot in an unpredictable direction and set things in motion that meant it would be impossible for them to visit the town of Mid-Nis unless they were disguised or seeing it through the bars of their prison cells.  This meant that for me as a Dungeon Master (DM) many plot elements would go unused and also more work was needed to prepare for the next episode.

Fortunately for me, we were missing a few players in Week 3, so I made more of the remaining journey to Mid-Nis and that provided more time for creating and setting up scenes and characters online in Roll20.

The prison cell was a brand new section which would make use of the town guards (already created). The part which was recycled or re-appropriated was the Non-Player Character (NPC) known as Belstogley. Belstogley is a barbarian and is the current fighting champion of the Mid-Nis Festival of the Clans and was meant to be in the ring defending his title against brave Player Characters (PCs) should they dare to fight.  However, with that plot highly unlikely, another chapter in Belstogley ‘s life was being written in.  It turns out that this hardy fighter also liked his drink and occasionally got himself into trouble.

The interaction between the players and Belstogley made me very glad that I did this.  Sure, it wasn’t what was originally intended, but it is the players who dictate where the plot goes and not the DM.  Of course, just because he is working with them, doesn’t necessarily mean that the NPC is a suitable party member.  Fortunately, Belstogley did manage to provide the party with some useful information about the guardhouse.

Belstogley will make another appearance in Part 2 of Episode 4.

 

Player Character Profile

Name: Orix Crota
Played by: Finn

Race: Human
Sex: Male

Class: Wizard

Strengths: Dexterity and Intelligence

Weaknesses: None

Background: Criminal. The best way to get me to do something is to tell me I can’t do it. I don’t pay attention to the risks in a situation. Never tell me the odds.

Ideals: Freedom. Chains are meant to be broken, as are those who would forge them.
Bonds: I’m guilty of a terrible crime. I hope I can redeem myself for it.

Flaws: If there’s a plan, I’ll forget it. If I don’t forget it, I’ll ignore it.

Development during series 1: Orix lived up to his chaotic neutral alignment, sometimes trying things just to see what would happen. His curiosity has brought him both good and bad results. The visions he experienced as the ‘Summit’ approached were of his college days when he helped expel a fellow mage student, Vian by getting him into trouble. Could this be the terrible crime he feels guilty of? In the visions he say Vian approach the mysterious Mara Society in the north with some apprehension.

Character Portraits used: 60 Terrible Character Portraits for Creative Commons Release by ‘A Terrible Idea’

Player Character Profile

Name: Nomo
Played by: Terry
Race: Male
Class: Monk
Strengths: Dexterity (very high)
Weaknesses: Intelligence and Charisma

Background: Hermit. I am utterly serene, even in the face of disaster.  I’m oblivious to etiquette and social
expectations.
Ideals: Greater Good. My gifts are meant to be shared with all, not used for my own benefit.
Bonds: My isolation gave me great insight into a great evil that only I can destroy.
Flaws: I like keeping secrets and won’t share them with anyone.

Additional Notes from Player:  Nomo Naurehta doesn’t know what name his Elvish parents gave to him. His mentor, Ereb Noldo, found him standing outside the smoldering ruins of a remote outpost near Orcish territory. Nomo was a toddler in Elvish terms, badly scarred by the fire and unable to speak. While there were no elves there, Ereb believed some elves had been captured and taken as slaves or hostages.

A half-elf monk living in self-imposed exile, Ereb raised Nomo as he himself had been raised in the monastery, training him in martial arts and how to master his fear of fire, always focusing on becoming as swift and nimble as forest animals and birds, and as aware of his surroundings. Ereb’s favourite question was “Is it better to absorb a blow, or to be elsewhere when the blow falls?”  Ereb was nearly 200 years old when he died, and he encouraged Nomo to seek others who would value his gifts.

Development during series 1: Nomo has had to wrestle with the greater good of his party and the conflicting influences of Hector and Long.  He has been a stable, consistent force the others could depend on and very useful in combat.  Nomo experienced visions of an orc attack he witnessed when very young and this resulted in his fire scars.  This took place at a now abandoned monastery to the south of DaNis.

Character Portraits used:
60 Terrible Character Portraits for Creative Commons Release by ‘A Terrible Idea’

Player Character Profile

Name: Pevel
Played by: Dan
Race: Human
Sex: Male
Class: Rogue
Strengths: Charisma and Dexterity
Weaknesses: Strength and a weasely disposition, described by the player as ‘pathetic’.

Additional Notes from Player: Dan describes Pevel as “a weasely blub of cowardice.  A young man that would betray all his friends to avoid being bullied again, a fat Rincewind, an adolescent Falstaff with the humour, pathetic.”

Development during series 1: Pevel has indeed been cowardly, but his survival skills have allowed him to be sneaky and do anything to avoid near-death experiences.  We also learned in series 1 that Pevel comes from the town of Mid-Nis, which proves useful when the group have to make haste.

Character Portraits used:
60 Terrible Character Portraits for Creative Commons Release by ‘A Terrible Idea’

Player Character Profile

Name: Hector Nyrna
Played by: Ben
Race: Dark Elf / Drow
Sex: Male
Class: Rogue
Strengths: Dexterity
Weaknesses: Intelligence

Unique features: A drow is an uncommon race on the surface world and so will attract attention.

Additional Notes from Player: Hector is a moody, vain, arrogant, durable fighter with a few tricks up his sleeve.  Background: A dark elf living in an underdark city. Has dreams of Ezakina, Archfey, lady of the Fey. They strike up a relationship. He is told that a medallion of hers is kept by someone high up in the drow ranks, She says she wants him to take and wear it. Will strengthen their connection. In exchange for entering her service, he will be rewarded. He sneakily steals it and flees the underdark to the upper lands…..

Development during series 1: Hector has lived up to his arrogant and durable fighter status.  He is not afraid to speak his mind or sleep if his surroundings do not interest him.  His visions show that the drow are seeking him and the medallion that he stole. Ben has provided plans for his level ups and as a Warlock, he may well encounter Ezakina again.

Character Portraits used: 60 Terrible Character Portraits for Creative Commons Release by ‘A Terrible Idea’