Important People

Rauxes and Surrounds

Darlack Ruhick, Commander of the Companion Guard

Fighter level 16

Ruhick is 32, a Princeling of Naelax, commander of the guard. Tall at 6' 4", the black-haired man has a permanently jaundiced complexion and suffers periodic outbreaks of sores over his back and shoulders, which are horribly painful. The similarity to Ivid's skin lesions does not go unnoticed. Ruhick oversees security at the palace together with Karoolck. Ruhick is greatly feared on account of his cold, controlled sadism; he has thrown in his lot with Ivid because he reasons (correctly) that if Ivid falls, his life won't be worth a copper common. However, if he could be assured safe haven outside Rauxes, it is not impossible that he might become a turncoat. He is a clever, though not creative, military commander, leading an elite pursuit squad of a dozen cavalry all of whose stallions have the same magical horseshoes as his own mount. Dispatched rarely, this squad has a superb record for bringing back those who have managed to flee Rauxes for suitable punishment.

Current Situation: When the Citadel was in danger of falling, Ruhick fled with elite soldiers, out of the city to Castle Rifter, where he is holed up with other forces loyal to Ivid. This castle is currently under siege by Darmen forces and hired mercenaries.

Elliast Moroneth:

Priest of Pholtus 6

Elliast is a mere 22 years old, 5' 9", with sandy-blond hair and light hazel eyes. Elliast cares for the wretches of the Viper Tenements, curing disease both by spell and by virtue of an otherwise humble mace +1 which has this power once a week. He has no illusions about his sermons; he knows few will convert. Still, he is moved by a sense of pity for those he sees around him. Elliast is quite a simple soul, one of the few of the Pholtus priests to escape their doom here. But he isn't easily deceived. He is wary of any who offer him help, fearing imperial spies. Elliast has extensive maps of the Undercity, and he knows a handful of other good-aligned refugees who manage to hide out in abandoned houses, disguise themselves in the slums, or in the Undercity.

Erthara (Kallarn):

Thief 9

Small at 5' 1" and slender of build, Erthara (almost always known by her first name alone) is 37 years old, with long wavy auburn hair and hazel eyes. She owns a short sword +3, a blowgun +2 with abundant venom of various types, and a ring of free action and a ring of invisibility. Erthara's father is a captain among the Sea Barons, and she still manages to get some goods smuggled into Rauxes through that route and via Roland. She has to pay the Town Guard, but she can afford that from her looting of many nobles' houses in the past.

Erthara is an important council member of the Thieves' Guild (long driven underground by Ivid). The other council members are Inkeren Kalarn (a distant cousin; 12th-level thief), Flandar Llanderen (11th level), and Pitchain Delarenden (8th-level). Erthara is a good "street level" contact within Rauxes. She has maps of Undercity areas and knows the patrol times of the Town Guard in various sections of Rauxes. However, she is thoroughly unprincipled, and she is not above informing the Town Guard of one or two subversives from time to time. Dealing with her is safest if one can offer some magical aid to disguise her (especially a permanent magical item). Such an item would be useful for her forays into the city.

Ishainken, Prince of the House of Naelax:

Thief 6 Aristocrat 4

Ishainken is 29, 5' 9", with light brown hair and brown eyes; his skin is pitted and his lank hair is greasy. Ishainken is utterly nihilistic, hateful and spiteful, and wholly unprincipled. Only the promise of some more extreme stimulus to jolt his jaded system into arousal interests him now. Ishainken's entourage at Zelizar's house includes half a dozen fighters and a pair of thieves, most of whom were killed by Darmen forces when they assaulted various locations in the city of Rauxes. Ishainken was able to escape and joined up with Ruhick at Castle Rifter.

Jipzinker:

Priest of Nerull 13 Expert 3

Jipzinker is 33 years old, 6' exactly, with thinning dark brown hair and slightly protuberant green eyes. He has a slight tremor in his hands and speaks with the hint of a stammer. He poses as a one-time dealer in art curios and Suloise relics, with sage proficiency in old Suloise legend, and he is deliberately inconspicuous in dress and behavior. But there is something more to the man...

Karoolck

Pyrannden, Patriarch-General of Hextor

Rillikandren: High Priest of Boccob

North Province

Anxann, Prince of the House of Torquann:

Fighter 9 Aristocrat 3

Seclusive and obsessional, Anxann has no political dealings with other rulers. Anxann is 40 years old, but looks around 60, with wrinkled and weathered skin; he has very fine white hair and brown-hazel eyes and looks shorter than his 5' 10" true height, since he tends to shuffle and stoop when walking. Anxann has taken to wearing robes decorated with astrological symbols. He owns a two-handed sword +3 and a ring of shooting stars and is believed to have a rod of rulership, a family heirloom.

(Sir) Berrensen Astraden:

Fighter 7 Aristocrat 2

Berrensen is just 25 years old, 6' tall, with light auburn hair and hazel eyes. Berrensen is acknowledged leader of the Knights of Sun and Moon, not least on account of his high Charisma. In Luvern, he and five other of his order work at humble and menial tasks, often as merchant laborers. They avoid any actions which might reveal their true allegiances or identities; they have fled from other Aerdy towns and cities to escape the anti-Pholtus pogroms which so many rulers mounted. Berrensen is less inflexible than so many of his following. With his group, his initial aim is simply to free Luvern from its cruel ruler and strengthen the town. They know that Luvern is strategically important, and if they could control it, they would rapidly acquire funds from tithes on the trade there. Berrensen has a distant claim to land ownership himself, through marriage into the House of Torquann (his wife died some three years past). Berrensen has begun to make contact with Parren Ludern of the Adri forest and the rangers of the Lone Heath, and he believes he could use that money to supply them with weapons and mercenaries. If the worse came to pass, the knights could flee to one or other of those places (though the rangers of the Lone Heath might not appreciate them). This group is rather naive, truth be told. They are all young (16-25 years) and of low levels (2-6, other than Berrensen). However, they are not without resources.

Elkerst, Prince of the House of Torquann:

Fighter 12 Aristocrat 3

Elkerst is 37 years old, 6' 2", and powerfully built. His long brown hair has a curious white streak just behind his right ear, though his full beard has no such odd feature. His brown eyes are large, and his strong forearms bristle with thick hair. Elkerst is renowned for his singing defender longsword +4, which twice a day can emit a wave of sound in a 120-degree arc to a range of 120'. All hostile creatures within the area of effect must make a saving throw versus spells or else be affected as by a symbol of persuasion. Elkerst also owns a trident of fish command and a ring of regeneration.

Elkerst is a hard ruler, but fair, and Atirr has prospered under his leadership. Some speak of him as the next ruler of North Province, though he has no such ambition. He would be content with Grenell, if only the Herzog would sweep the orcs from the land. Elkerst had hoped to marry Anxann's sister, Siskinama, to unite Kaport Bay and Atirr and create a powerful eastern land. He was fostered by Anxann's father, and thus is fond of him—or, rather, fond of what Anxann was. Thus, he hates the overking deeply, and an alliance with other factions seeking to attack Ivid might appeal to him. However, he has his worries about the Twin Cities, and is in no hurry to expend Atirr's strength in needless conflict.

Grenell (His Radiant Grace), Herzog of the North:

Fighter 8 Priest of Hextor 5 Holy Vindicator 5

Grenell has been a survivor all his 62 years. His severely-cropped iron-gray hair, hooked nose, strong chin and jawline, and piercing blue eyes make him look more look a bruiser than a priest. The grizzled old man is wise and crafty. He is a good warrior and archer too.

Grenell is an odious man, overbearing and callous, treating most of his retinue as if they were congenital idiots. He believes keenly that his temporal authority is beginning to slip away, even though his dissenting nobles such as Elkerst and Shalaster still pay taxes and tithes to him. Though Lawful, Grenell will use almost any resource—humanoids, poisons, assassins, or worse—to unify his kingdom.

Grenell has ensured his unquestioned preeminence, and there is no obvious successor. He has no goal of ruling Aerdy, believing that the Great Kingdom is sundered for ever, but the evilhearted old man with the grip of iron has evaded Ivid's clutches and plans to rule in North Province for years to come.

(Patriarch) Halldrem:

Priest of Hextor 14

Halldrem is 5' 6", brown-haired and gray-eyed, 43 years of age; and he is malodorous, ugly, and fat. He is greedy for magical items and owns many, including the ring of free action and ring of mind shielding he always wears, and no few magical wands. He is known to have wands of enemy detection, fear, and magic missiles among others. He is also believed to have a libram of ineffable damnation and seeks to trade this for a suitably powerful magical item he can use. Halldrem is a born bully-coward. Grenell chose him to administer Bellport because Halldrem is scared witless of the Herzog and can be trusted to do exactly what he is told. He tends to solve problems by hiding in his vestry and hoping they will go away, but he is also wantonly cruel to his subordinates. His retinue of junior priests are noteworthy for their extreme ugliness (which makes Halldrem seem less ugly, something he is very sensitive about since the ghastly priest actually fancies himself as a born rake and ladies' man). On the positive side, Halldrem does have a good tactical sense in battle and an intuitive sense of what enemy armies may be planning which borders on the precognitive.

Hastern, Prince of the House of Naelax:

Thief 12 Aristocrat 4

Hastern stands only 5' 6" tall, but he looks slightly younger than his 35 years. He owns a short sword of speed in addition to numerous magical items prized by thieves. Hastern is a true Naelax Prince. That is to say, he acquired his lands by marrying the only daughter of the previous landowner. Tragically, one evening when Hastern was conveniently far away, his wife and father-in-law, together with everyone else who might have had a claim to the land, died in a great outbreak of food poisoning. Hastern swiftly took over, with a forged set of imperial documents, and has remained in control since.

Hastern stayed in control at first because he increased taxes, paid the neglected soldiers at Edge Field half as much again as they had been paid before, and used the treasure maps he had obtained during his thieving years to locate lost wealth in the Blemu Hills. This gave him acquaintance with orcs as evil as himself, who now serve happily in his army since they get to do all the pillaging and marauding they want within the Adri.

Hastern has recruited more such from the Adri itself. Hastern hates Ivid with a ferocity which is almost unequalled. Hastern has many pleasures of wine, women, song, and abusing the weak and helpless. Hastern is chaotic and given to occasional outbreaks of random and terrifying violence. He has learned the wisdom of maintaining a captive dungeon of helpless slaves beneath his mansion rather than taking out such rages on his troops and advisers.

Recently, with the coming of the Finder and partial destruction of Edge Field, Hastern gathered all the wealth and elite soldiers he could and fled to a country estate which has since been fortified. He now has little or no control over his lands and it is said a Darmen force with heavy mercenary support materialized out of nowhere and marches to depose him and take over his lands.

Morrkend:

Enchanter 18

Morrkend is mostly bald, with watery gray eyes.

Plandarn Relshefer:

Bard 10

Plandarn is 6' 1", 34 years old, very fair-haired, with blue eyes and a fetching smile. In Edge Field, he poses as a fop and dandy, a successful merchant who has retired from the east coastal provinces but keeps his hand in by brokering some deals on Adri produce. He feigns being less smart than he is, and he doesn't make himself too conspicuous.

Rinshern, Prince of the House of Naelax:

Thief 4 Aristocrat 3

Rinshern is 30 years of age, 5' 11", slim of build, with long and rather effeminate wavy brown hair and weak brown eyes. Rinshern and his predecessors have been liegemen to the rulers of Edge Field for generations, and have been as feeble and cowardly a family line as can be imagined. Rinshern was about to desert his fief, taking his treasury with him, when Halstern dispatched the mage Zebbenen to make sure Rinshern did nothing of the sort. The thief is wholly controlled by that mage now, and has no independent volition.

Sasquand, Marshal of North Province:

Fighter 17

Sasquand is technically commander of all armies of North Province; he looks the part at 6' 9" and 297 lbs., with little fat on his frame. His age, 46, is beginning to show in the lines on his face, but not too much; he has a full head of auburn hair and his green eyes are still alive, alert, and watchful.

(Baron-General) Shalaster:

Fighter 15

Shalaster stands 6' 5", and at 39 he is still in his prime. His thick black hair is untouched by gray, and his brown eyes grip a viewer with an intimidating gaze. Shalaster's plate mail allows him to create an aura of persuasion once a day for 3 turns (+1d4 Charisma). He hefts a two-handed sword +2, +3 vs. orcs, goblins, and hobgoblins, +4 vs. trolls and giants. Shalaster looks majestic on his war wyvern, but in battle he has been seen to dismount and race to the fray with his magical boots. Shalaster has his army and is content. He's a military man through and through, and doesn't use his title of prince. He feels the nobility rank alienates his men. Shalaster maintains harsh discipline, but the morale of his troops is maintained not least because of Shalaster's providing the highlanders with magical items of real value; the regiment has drums of panic and a horn of blasting commissioned by Shalaster from Morrkend of Eastfair.

There are a few priests of Hextor among their number, but they are not allowed any role other than providing battle magic. Shalaster is known to detest the cowardly ruler of Stingen and his lord, the ruler of Eastfair, but he also has the sense not to challenge them openly. Hence he bides his time, fending off the orcs around his castles. He grows richer from forays into the Blemu Hills, and plans to strengthen his forces with mercenaries and more magical items bought from Morrkend. He has little time for other Garasteth nobles and has a fierce contempt for Lakaster of Winetha.

Sheleern Valander:

Thief 10

Sheleern is 28 years old, with straight blond hair cut to the base of her neck, blue eyes, and a figure men have dueled as well as drooled over. A petite 5' 2", she plays the role of the slightly dumb blond good-time girl to the full, but most around Eastfair know her better. It's mostly adopted these days to dupe outsiders. Sheleern might rob them, cut their throats, and loot their tavern room, or just enjoy the company of a charismatic male for a night on the town (so long as he does all the paying). Sheleern is actually rather bored with city life. Eastfair she knows too well, and it knows her too well; she can't use her ring of telekinesis at the gaming house tables now, everyone knows about it. The nobles she used to blackmail have grown too jaded and evil to care about exposure any longer, so that source of revenue is drying up. Sheleern looks for adventure, and makes a good companion; she does not, as a matter of principle and pragmatics, rob, betray, or backstab fellow adventurers.

Tharndon, Prince of the House of Torquann:

Thief 5 Aristocrat 3

Tharndon is 37 years old, 5' 10", with very light brown hair and brown-hazel eyes. The administrator of Luvern kow-tows to Grenell and obeys all his dictates, but he is looking to take his monies and flee to Greyhawk City, Dyvers, or some point westward beyond the Herzog's reach. He plans to do this after the coming harvest, when he has extracted a high tithe from his people. There promises to be civil disorder when Tharndon announces those high tithes, so he's keeping them a secret for the time being. Luvern could become a flashpoint of anarchy once its ruler departs, if his plan is successful.

(Patriarch) Verminek:

Priest of Hextor 12

Verminek is small at 5' 3", slim of build, 49 years of age, bald with beetling eyebrows, brown eyes and large jug ears. He may be unprepossessing of appearance, but he is wily, cunning and smart. He prefers the undead to living people (they're easier to control), but he has a handful of acquaintances among sages. Grenell tolerates his maverick nature because Verminek often reports tidbits of useful information, such as demon dealings with Ivid. Verminek is a very evil creature, but he also has much knowledge and many extraplanar contacts and often seeks knowledge for its own sake.

Zebbenen:

Wizard 10

Zebbenen is not what he appears. Swathed in long yellow robes and breeches, with a hood covering his face, the mage looks strangely boyish for one with his skills. That's because Zebbenen is a woman of 27 years, an ex-apprentice of Xaene. She is tall enough (5' 7") to get away with the pretense of being a male, and keeps her blond hair cut short. Zebbenen's real name is Alyshizia, and she knows well enough that if Xaene seeks to find her he will, pretense or no; the disguise is simply convenient for throwing less determined and skillful pursuers off the scent. She has an amulet of proof against detection and location which certainly helps with this. Alyshizia now effectively controls the town of Stringen, and the demons among the troops are certainly her doing; she has not forgotten what she learned from Xaene. What her longer-term goals are, she isn't saying.

Prince Delglath Torquann

Priest of Erythnul 14

Prince Grendemmen of House Garasteth

Prince Lakaster, Archmage of House Garasteth

Lakaster is chronologically 67 years of age, but due to two potions of longevity and his possession of an amulet of perpetual youth he is biologically only 30 (this becomes 47 if his amulet is removed). He is an imposing 6' 5", slim, graceful; the blond archmage has boyish good looks, a broad white-toothed smile, and friendly hazel eyes. He is a thoroughly evil power-maniac, however. Still, he is brilliant and urbane, and he is worldly-wise. He knows the value of alliance, having time to develop one's strength when facing an enemy—and of the value of one well-planned, lightning-swift, devastating strike (preferably with a streak of wanton cruelty).

Personalities of the Adri Forest

Immonara, Archdruid of the Adri:

Druid 17

Immonara is nearly 90 years old but, with her resistance to aging, appears to be in her mid-thirties. She has very long blond hair, plaited down her back, and pale blue eyes. At 6' 3", she is an imposing figure, and Flan blood is strong in her. Immonara works quietly to avoid conflicts between those who seek to protect the forest. She talks with both ranger factions, and makes quiet overtures to Ehlonna's priesthood, often appearing in changed form to take on a form pleasing to those she speaks with. Immonara also takes an interest in events in other great forests; the Celadon, Gamboge, Grandwood, and farther afield.

Karasin, Countess of the House of Garasteth:

Wizard 9 Aristocrat 5

Karasin is 47 years old, but even without magical aids she looks a decade younger. She has red-blonde hair and deep green eyes, and stands 5' 1" tall. She is self-conscious of her lack of height, so she wears shoes with raised heels and wears her long hair bound into a topknot and circled with a silver tiara. The effect is certainly dramatic; the countess is a fierce and temperamental woman. Karasin is determined to hold on to her lands and sees herself as a powerbroker within the Great Kingdom. She has no love for Strychan of Dustbridge, but she fantasizes about being his queen. She is confident he is the best human candidate for the malachite throne.

Insightful about people and highly observant, Karasin is nonetheless a vicious individual with an especially bleak and cruel sense of humor. Save for General Levialen, who is too smart and powerful to play games with, she specializes in tormenting her advisers and leaving them uncertain of how they truly stand with her. Her more depraved personal tastes are noted in the description of Dustbridge.

(General) Levialen Commander of the Innspa Regiment:

Fighter 13

Levialen is 44 years old. He is not especially powerfully built, but he looks his full 6' 3" in his typical upright, stiff posture. The man always seems to be standing at attention. He has light brown hair and hazel eyes, his left eye partially scarred from a duel. Levialen has a heavy lance +3 which he uses to great effect when charging on his massive warhorse. He backs Prince Strychan's claim to the malachite throne, and keeps his troops in a good state of readiness for battle. Still, he preserves their numbers and strength by avoiding skirmishes with the Bone March humanoids prowling the lands northeast of the Flinty Hills. Levialen is not a politician, and he trusts Karasin in such matters. He dislikes her self-indulgent nature, but he has regard for her shrewd brain and knows she is not famous for backing losers.

Lisara Elmhern:

Priestess of Ehlonna 11

Lisara is 30 years old, 5' 6", with dark brown hair and mismatched eyes; her left eye is emerald green, the right is hazel-brown. Her chaotic nature is best reflected in her occasional tempers. She doesn't often lose her temper, but when she does the effect is pyrotechnic. Lisara is rather torn between affiliations. She favors aggressive defense of the Adri, sniffing out planned invasions and heading them off. However, this is a view shared by Parren but not by Prisstyne among the rangers whom Lisara regards as her best allies. She tries hard to persuade Prisstyne to be more forceful and aggressive, without great success. On the other hand, she chafes at the militaristic organization in and around Elversford. She prefers to prowl border areas with junior priests and a handful of rangers and foresters with superior fighting talents who form the backbone of the Warriors of the Huntress (Ehlonna being, of course, the Huntress-Power).

Lukan the Boar:

Bard 10 Barbarian 3

The 37-year old Lukan is huge; 6' 4", 285 lbs., and he looks like a crazed barbarian. Red-brown hair seems to grow all over him; he has a huge bushy beard, a mane of head hair, and thick, almost furry body hair. Lukan has a huge enjoyment of life. He eats like a horse, and his capacity for ale is legendary. He is especially proud of the rounded belly he has acquired from pouring endless gallons of it down his throat, and likes to sit by the fire with his hands crossed over his stomach, patting it contentedly from time to time. He's vain, of course, and he has an eye for a fine silk shirt or blouson. If he has any lapse of aesthetic sense, it is that one with a stomach so large should not really wear leather britches quite so tight-fitting. Lukan is a warrior-bard. He doesn't sing romantic ballads or lament the tragedy of the human condition. His superb baritone voice is used to declaim stirring epic tales of might, valor and the triumphs of the good and great. Likewise, Lukan doesn't use magic for show. He uses ice storms, lightning bolts, fireballs, and magic missiles (though he will not use spells within the forest which might harm it, especially fire-based spells).

Lukan might thus be expected to be amongst an army, but he loves the Adri and its people, and he is happy at Elversford given Parras's building of its defenses and militias. Lukan also travels to outlying villages and hamlets, steeling the morale and resolve of folk with his singing and powerful poetic recitations. He knows the forest as well as any ranger, and most people like, trust, and value this larger-than-life character.

Parren Ludern:

Ranger 13

Parren is 5' 11", wiry and slim, with dark brown hair and gray eyes. He looks slightly older than his 31 years; his skin is weathered and he has crow's feet around his eyes. Parren owns a prized three-person carpet of flying. His own followers include a nosy and friendly black bear, Hector, the pixie Shillifandi, who spies around Elversford, four human fighters (levels 3, 4, 5, 6) and two human rangers (of 3rd and 4th level). Elversford is his stronghold. Parren is a decent man who seeks alliance with Nyrond. He trains the forester militia in camouflage and ambushes, and drills the burgeoning ranks of Elversford's defenders. He is especially proud of the bowmen there, whom he trains individually.

Prisstyne Carnhuis:

Ranger 12

Prisstyne is 29, 6', willowy to the point of thinness. Her light brown hair is cropped short on top and at the sides, and she has a long, lustrous pony tail. Prisstyne's bright green eyes are almost startling at first sight, as are her hands—very large for a woman, with long fingers and almond-shaped nails. Prisstyne wears rings of free action and sustenance, and also boots of the north. She has a small tree house lair hidden deep in the forest, and some of her followers will usually guard this. She regards her followers as companions, and they are free to come and go as they wish, though they are deeply loyal to her. Two human male rangers (levels 3, 6) maintain the tree houses, and two brownies (brothers who are constantly arguing with each other) prowl the forest. Prisstyne's huge wolf Harquan usually accompanies her on her roaming. Finally, a seclusive young wood elf priest (5th level) of Rillifane. Rallathil is an exceptional member of her entourage, a very rare exile from the wood elf homelands. He is young, shy, and speaks little to anyone other than Prisstyne. Prisstyne has faith that the factions beyond the Adri will tear themselves apart, and the forest people will be left to go their own way. She fights when she must, but she doesn't look for trouble and she fears that organized, aggressive action by the forest folk will create more problems than it will solve. She is fiercely independent and respects the free will of all sentient creatures. Among her followers is a pegasus who offered service, but she did not wish to see such a creature tied to her circle. The pegasus visits periodically to see if Prisstyne needs his help, and sometimes she soars on his back above the forest to spy on movements beyond her forest home.

Personalities of the Naelax Lands

(General) Kalreth:

Fighter 14 Magus 4

Kalreth is only 5' 9" tall, but he is massively muscled and powerful of stature. His brown curly hair is cut short, and he has a very lined forehead above the thick, bushy eyebrows which dominate his face. Kalreth is a general of the Companion Guard. He regards anything other than complete fealty to Ivid as treason, and he is uncompromising and brutal. Kalreth's character has been changed irrevocably by his ownership of the spear of sorrow.

Krennden

Priest 14 of Hextor

Krennden is surprisingly youthful-looking, fresh-faced and clear-eyed; he could pass for much younger than his 38 years. He is elegantly tall at 6' 2", of medium build, with pleasing mannerisms and an agreeable smile. Auburn-haired and green-eyed, Krennden can be charming and sociable when he wishes. However, he is fired with the faith of the true zealot.

Krennden knows that Ivid's days are done, and he despises the weakness of the patriarch-general for not seizing effective control of Rauxes from Karoolck. Krennden thus plays a double role as an exile. First, he is drawing to himself as many clergy of Hextor as possible to aid an overthrow of Ivid and the patriarch-general. Second, he works behind the scenes to test who is the best man to replace Ivid. Originally, he had considered Montand his best bet, but increasingly he comes to think that Strychan is the stronger and better candidate. He has had two recent clandestine meetings with Karasin of Innspa, and Krennden is now working to recruit priests, mercenaries, and the armies of minor nobility as far afield as the southern reaches of North Province. Krennden's dangerousness lies in his combination of good tactics and organization, and his high Charisma. He would make an excellent charismatic priest-demagogue adjutant for an army marching on Rauxes, and he knows it.

Montand, Prince of the House of Naelax:

Fighter 13 Aristocrat 2

Montand has ruled Delaric for 25 of his 50 years, and the time is beginning to show on his face. Gray-haired and balding at the crown, Montand does not have the energies of his youth, which is why he no longer has any ambition to be overking. Rather, the slightly stooped prince has the conservative ambition simply to hold his powerful city, though he wants at all cost a Naelax overking to replace Ivid. Montand is overcautious and does not act hastily.

Montand's only son, Haragern, is apparently as passive as his father, but ambition lurks within the 19-year old princeling. One day soon the princeling might take the traditional step of ambitious sons of his house and take rulership of Delaric for himself.

Nightsong:

Bard 19

Nightsong is somewhere between 50 and 75 years of age; he isn't saying, and he looks almost timeless. Very tall, 6' 5", and slim, he has gray hair with a widow's peak and craggy, imposing features. He is animated, swift, and energetic beyond his years. Nightsong is consumed by a passionate desire for knowledge of all things and matters magical and mythical. With his amulet of the planes he has gathered lore and treasures from far beyond Oerth's confines. Nightsong knows the burial laments for the victims of the Invoked Devastation, the poetry of the necromatic invocations of the Ur-Flannae, and he can sing the whispering hymns of the long-dead Wind Dukes of Aaqa. Among his many magical items is a gold pendant which allows him to duplicate his own voice in harmony, an effect he uses rarely but to powerful impact.

Nightsong is also thoroughly evil. He believes that all things come to nothingness in the end, though as usual with such nihilists he shows a marked dislike for the prospect of his own death. He reveres Tharizdun as the embodiment of this principle, though he does not actively worship him.

Montand allows Nightsong to stay in his city not least because of his fear of the bard. While he is in the city Montand can keep tabs on him. Should he exile him, he would not know where the bard might go, but he could be certain that Nightsong would have his revenge. Nightsong plays at life. He enjoys vanities, jewelery, fine wines, and amusements and distractions. But it is just play; Nightsong almost has no heart. He has passions, but they are cold and cruel ones.

Strychan, Prince of the House of Naelax:

Wizard 13

Strychan is a small man, a mere 5' 5" and slimly built, with almost effeminate soft features and cool blue eyes. His handshake is firm, though, and there is steely ambition in the man. He enjoys his amusements and recreations, but they are only distractions. The real business is politics, and taking the throne. Strychan is a master logician. He knows where every one of his spies is, and what they are up to. He can detail the provisioning, morale, and equipment of all the forces available to him at any given time. And he will soon be seeking skilled mercenaries through emissaries as far away as Carnifand, Jalpa, and even Rel Deven when the time comes. Strychan is sizing up Montand, Hastern of Edge Field, and even Grenell as allies. But he has rejected Grenell on the grounds that the old man would try to seize Rauxes himself rather than allowing Strychan to become overking. So, Strychan is in no hurry. He is building up allies, forces, and resources for when the time is right. Strychan is a major power-player in Aerdy. His spies and agents work in the nearby lands, employing mercenaries to sabotage the overking's lines of supply and to acquire men and monies for the future.

Personalities of the Sea Barons

Lord High Admiral Sencho Foy

Fighter 13 Rogue 2

Baron Jamzeen

Fighter 10 Rogue 4

Jamzeen is 71. Lean as a rake, the stooping figure of the 6' Baron is still impressive, for he has a full head of crisp white hair and his gray eyes still express vigilance and intelligence. Jamzeen was a notorious rake in his youth, and still is; his triplet sons Jamair, Jaqiran, and Nandain are but 19 years old. Jamzeen has had a succession of "wives" in his long life. Other offspring have left the isles, seeking their fortunes elsewhere, or are dead, often at the hands of jealous siblings. Jamzeen always has been happy to be Number Two. It made for an easier life.

Livensten

Mage 11

Levensten is 5' 5', slim of build with dark brown hair and hazel eyes. Unprepossessing of appearance, the 51-year-old mage neglects himself to the point of periodically suffering eczema through not bathing properly. Standing next to him in hot weather is not a pleasant experience. Livensten is obsessed with researching instruments and devices connected with time and travel. He has a library of lore on such matters of startling breadth, including sacred works of deities which as Labelas and Lendor. He constantly fiddles in his laboratory with new ways of measuring and recording. His astrolabe is one of his more successful inventions, and his folding boat, which he hires to captains in return for very large security deposits, is a greatly prized item. Livensten has Foy's support and patronage, so he does not have to worry about earning a living as such.

Baron Pamdarn

Fighter 9 Rogue 1

Pamdarn is young and inexperienced in rulership, but he is learning fast. He, like Jamzeen, dislikes slavery, because somewhere inside him a youthful love of freedom resents it. But he keeps quiet about this. Pamdarn knows that he has a certain amount of leeway in the court of the lord high admiral, and he doesn't push his luck; he uses the tolerance he gets to allow his captains greater freedom to sail the oceans than those of the other Barons. Pamdarn is relatively impoverished, since he has been saving funds to purchase the caravel Starflier and has also bought instruments of Livensten's devising. Pamdarn is 6' 1", well-built, with very fair hair and blue eyes. Some mutter that there is Suel blood in his veins (actually, he has more Flan blood than anything else). His father died but a year ago, and Pamdarn is just emerging from the depression this brought on him. The company of his friend Yendrenn has also done much to cheer him. Nonetheless, Pamdarn is no pleasant soul. He is ambitious and unscrupulous. If he has some idealisms, he is also quite unconcerned about how he achieves his ends. Because of his lack of monies, he recently had an Ountsy merchant executed on a trumped-up charge of sedition and arson, confiscating his vessel and goods in the bargain.

Walfrenden:

Fighter 7 Expert 4

Walfrenden is 71, 5' 5", wholly bald with gray eyes and a notable tremor these days. Still, the old captain has a hungry energy within him. Maimed by an infected seawolf claw many years ago, so that his left leg is almost useless and he walks with a heavy stick, Walfrenden took to the design and building of ships. He rose swiftly in his profession so that he is now the master shipwright of the barons. All his life, Walfrenden longed to set sail under the starry night skies and head forever eastward. He is a freedom-loving spirit, and he chafed at having to patrol and protect the Aerdy coastline. His caravel design delights him, for the vessel's combination of high seaworthiness and small size, allowing it to navigate close to coastlines and up river estuaries, is perfect for oceangoing and the exploration of new lands. Secretly, Walfrenden longs to take the first voyage on Starflier himself, so he can end his days under the stars with a chart of new lands explored in his hands. He has received a down-payment for the caravel from Pamdarn, and a condition of delivery is that Walfrenden is allowed to travel on the vessel. Walfrenden knows well the history of the eastern Aerdy lands. He has met virtually everyone of any power in the isles over the years, and he also has the finest set of maps and charts of the coastline anywhere. He has a set of seaman's tales more varied and outrageous than anyone's, but he narrates them with panache and a real love of storytelling. Sea captains who, as children, sat on his knee and thrilled to tales of savage Hepmonaland or the orcs of the Pomarj (Walfrenden has sailed all of the Azure Sea), are every bit as ready now to bring the old man a tankard of ale and hear the same tales again.

Yendrenn

Fighter 12

Yendrenn may be only 25 years old, but he has had command of Seawolf for seven years, and his men regard him as the finest captain on all the seas of Oerth. A distant cousin of Pamdarn, he lost his own father a year before the young Baron, and thus the two have a shared experience and a strong bond between them. Yendrenn is handsome, fair of skin and hair, 6' 3", and always well-groomed, with his silk blouse unbuttoned to the navel. He is vain, but his vanity is not excessive. Yendrenn strongly loves freedom. He also has a real feel for history. He loves old maritime maps and charts; even if they are inaccurate, he just loves to take in their sense of history, bygone days, and the sailors who drew them. He regularly begs Walfrenden for copies of his maps, and no little of Yendrenn's gold has gone to the old shipwright in payment for such. Yendrenn also studies the myths and legends of the islands, and has an encyclopedic knowledge of them.