Ancients Alive/NPCs

X Worldbuilders:

GM James R

Aria Valenford

Elder sister of Ynnis Valenford. Aria is one of the few cleric/bards in her city of Jewelspar, and was an expert at both musical magic and health and spiritual magic. She operates a clinic ("Aria Health") in the city, where her brother Ynnis and his friends just happened to be visiting.

Besides her practice, Aria has a son (Ynnis' nephew) and a family who live in a small estate in the city. When Ynnis' friend Andif screwed up some bardic magic, Aria was asked to step in and reverse the process. Which she did so, in return for Ynnis and his friends babysitting the young Valenford. The players did so, but ran into difficulty when the kid stepped into one of Jewelspar's many ripples of shadow that pass into its shadow city, Shadespar.

Eventually, she reversed the effects of a bardic spell that caused Andif to become Enlarged.

Bravery

Bravery was a tiefling who showed up in a single session when the team was faced with the magical darkness of the Banites. They could not look through the Banite's chambers to see their secret society mission, but luckily for them, by writing "HELP WE NEED MAGICAL DARKVISION" on a sign and busking on the streets of Galik they crossed paths with a helpful Tiefling, who's Devil's Sight allowed them to see the destruction of Bruneld Redmane, the head of the dragonborn who would later become The Crown of Empyrosis.

Brontalo

Brontalo was a Galik painter working at the plaza Rue Delour. He worked with Radonis (the owner of Yro) at first, but Radonis revealed to Brontalo that all of his paintings were shams---pieces inherited from his ancestors that he would then "present" as if he'd painted them himself. Pitying Radonis, Brontalo first tried to teach Radonis how to paint, but ultimately, in return for part of his wages, Brontalo would paint for Radonis and let him take the credit.

For a while, Radonis and Brontalo were close, but as Radonis tried to take back more of his own wages, the two got distant, various cover stories were concocted and rumors spread, but ultimately it came down to talent, wages, and compensation. However, Radonis did convince Brontalo to do one more painting of him before he stopped. Brontalo's final painting for Radonis was a "self-portait" which had him wearing Yro the crown.

About 5 days later, Brontalo entered the house as Radonis had been expected to pay Brontalo for the final painting, but instead he found Radonis dead near the painting. Yro, discovering that Radonis was risking its existence, killed its owner. Brontalo, worried he would be framed, stashed the body and the Self Portrait away, attempting to sell the city guard on the idea of Radonis "going off on some sabbatical". To make up for the wages he would never get, he would sell the (incredibly mythological and important) Crown to a lowly pawn shop.

When Croach put Yro on at the Pawn Shop, he was instructed on how to find Brontalo, and told to give Brontalo the crown. Upon touching Yro, however, Brontalo fell dead on his kitchen floor, kicking off the great mystery: What is this Crown, what power does it hold, and what to do with it?

"How's the Bungalow business going?"

Cethfhas

Cethfhas (pronounced kay-os.), was the bickering sister of Caoilfhoinn , but when Cethfhas was lost at sea on a Sparklemas Barge, Caolifhoinn showed she did care about her sister, rushing to her side after finding out she was rescued. They did fight, but ultimately the two could return back to their homeland in Osugbo to celebrate the next year's Sparklemas with their parents.

Colwan and Garrison

Colwan is a Human, Garrison is a Elf. The two of them were Ynnis Valenford's friends before he became cursed. They were actually there when he got the curse, and lied to his college and family to cover for him.

Since then have made up about a dozen stories about what Ynnis has been up to because people ask them about him.

Stories include:

• Inventing a new type of Bacon
• Practicing Puppetry
• A hero in the "Battle of Three Bops" in Osugbo
• Reviewing Bungalows around the world

Coseismus

Status: Departed Returned, Engaged!

Dahlia

Dahlia was the former partner of Blumenthal, who eventually had their enemy Dendro Orchei killed. At the very end of the campaign she returned to recruit Blumenthal, only to find more recruits than she expected in Red and Croach.

Detective Agotcha

Detective Agotcha is on the case!

Status: Dead

A Galik-based Firbolg detective who helped the party investigate leads and conduct research. He was one of the very few who suspected that the sudden appearance of Banites, Thriskarn, and the fires of Rue Delour were connected. In a secret banite hideout under the burned Rue Delour he found banites talking about the Crown of Empyrosis. He attempted to kick the adventurers out of the mystery when he realized the stakes, but was instead knocked unconcious, only to return later on when the Lyreguard deemed him smart and quick thinking enough to join the new group known as AFEW.

Unfortunately, when the Banites launched their attack on the Aegirian temple outside of Galik where AFEW was hiding out, Agotcha was killed by an aspect of Iyachtu.

Dorbug Corbina

Logo of Corbina's shop

Dorbug Corbina was an artificer gnome in Galik who specialized in orbs. He ran a shop called Exorbitant Orbitants. Members of the team, investigating leads on the Orb of Gales, went to Corbina and bought his most powerful storm orb. His shop's inventory included all of the below.

Not much can be said of Dorbug himself, but he tended to act much more higher class than he actually was. He might have had a passing resemblance to PM David Cameron.

Plain Orb	Used as spellcasting focus for mages	25 GP
Scroll of Chromatic Orb	Allows the casting of Chromatic Orb (only useable by spellcasters)	60 GP
Orb of Direction	Always shows North	300 GP
Orb of Time	Reveals whether it is morning, afternoon, evening, or night.	240 GP
Orb of Gonging	Mechanisms allow the orb to turn on and off, making a loud gonging sound.	800 GP
ArchCrystal Orb	Contains the spirit of a historical and now departed scholar	5K GP
Orb of Circulation Devastation	Use with Caution and away from populated areas.	12K GP
Orb of Inflammation Devastation	Use with Caution and away from populated areas.	12K GP
Orb of Saturation Devastation	Use with Caution and away from populated areas.	12K GP

Dutharr

Status: Dead

Eddie the Kobold

Status: Dead

A gregarious Kobold who hosted Kurrtlzaarfaask festivities on Amusa for which Kobold tribes made pilgrimage from all across the realm. Eddie was a particularly useful kobold as he was one of the few present who could also speak common. Adventurer Red had taken a liking to him and invited Eddie to join her and the others in Galik to help investigate a lead...unfortunately, within a week, the battle known as The AFEW Ambush took place, leaving Eddie one of the dead.

Father Chonszul

Status: Dead

An Istishian Archcleric in Galik that sought to destroy the Crown. He opposed, then aided the party for a brief time. Chonszul and the other Istishians made a last grab for the Crown of Empyrosis in Nestle before they were talked into joining a larger alliance of earth, fire, and water clerics. Chonszul joined AFEW, but shortly after he met his end at the hands of the Banites in The AFEW Ambush.

Kugutsi

Kugutsi was the Majordomo of Golkont the Hawk Mage (see above). Kugutsi was a summoned Arcanaloth that followed all of Golkont's commands. Kugutsi eventually sunk the Ellipses through powerful water magic. Golkont used Kugutsi as much as possible in public so that people attributed him as a close associate of Golkont. This was because Golkont himself was a disguised Arcanaloth, and if ever caught without his disguise, many would simply think Golkont was Kugutsi.

Lucian DiGennaro

Lucian DiGennaro was Andif's master and trainer at the Laergul school of Bardic Arts. Andif ran away from school, and from his tutelage, as he seemed to prize her powers in unnatural ways. Andif's great potential never missed Lucian, and he tried everything to get her back to the school so he could mold her great powers. After Andif played at a city formal in Galik, Lucian had this message sent her way.

Andif,

News has reached me of a particular public performance in Galik that no doubt bears certain brown markings of my education. When I heard someone was using this dirty magic in public I knew immediately that you must be in the city. If this reaches you, I hope you hear me out this final time. You are my most powerful protégée and the loss of you from the Bardic College is a loss for all of us. Your training isn't complete and imagine just how many more things I can still teach you. As a favor and to entice you to return to finish your bardic college degree, I've included the second half of the Nota Marrone composition, allowing you to enhance the piece with your arcane abilities.

I am where I have always been, and am delightfully your servant in training,

Lucian DiGennaro

Mahabhuta

Mahabhuta was an 800 years old Winter Eladrin artificer and one of few surviving eladrin in the PR era of The War of Essence. An incredible magician, Mahabhuta is also able to create Devastation Orbs of Air, Water, and Fire, though her mentor died in the essence war before she could learn earth.

Mahabhuta had come to Warukami with her granddaughter Frori to meet at the Demon-Exorcist's exhibit (see Master Hyder, below). Hopiong to forgive and befriend the inner demons of her life. Unfortunately for her, in her current feeble state, she could not control the monster, and it has fled the town and out into the world. Now even weaker after the exhibition, she is relying on her granddaughter and former student Frori to track down the demon.

The party encountered her in Warukami, where her inner demon had taken a material form and frozen the harbor, rendering the port inaccessible. Upon retrieving and defeating the demon, the party learned that Mahabhuta had actually used the Orb and created a great storm long ago but struggled with the guilt that she felt over those actions. Her inner demon vanquished, she was finally able to conclude her Final Winter and pass on peacefully.

Later in the adventure, the team learned much more about Mahabhuta and the other Eladrin sent to Quelmar from the Feywild by the Seelie Court. She and the others fought in the War of Essence, where it was her specific duty to create a colossal storm in order to summon the Orb.

Master Hyder at work.

Master Hyder

Master Hyder was a traveling Exorcerist (and secret Barbed Devil) who was touring the Troverth domain, due to the long standing history of Troverth people and demon superstition. Mahabhuta (see above) had come to Warukami to have her life's sins exorcized, to give her peace before she died. As strange as he was talented, he performed at least two procedures while he was in town: Mahabhuta, and Chet Sexton.

Hyder has also performed in Xender City and Galik in his tour of Amusa. The team never discovered he was a Barbed Devil during the course of this campaign.

Midnight

Status: Dead (soul in Crown)

Midnight was the chosen daughter of Kossuth who was tasked with carrying the Smothering Pendant and soothing the enraged Crown of Empyrosis. Unfortunately, despite being Kossuth's chosen, Midnight quickly developed a chosen one complex, leading to her making more rash decisions, believing her actions to be righteous in the name of Kossuth.

Kossuth was killed by the Banites in the temple of Grumbar known as The Howling Crag. Midnight was buried with the The Crown of Empyrosis, which inadvertedly transferred her consciousness into the crown.

Mong

Mong was a storm giant chief, who was impressed by Grindseed's wreckless determination to save the realm, ultimately curbing his attempt at destroying the team, and deciding to hear them out. It was Mong who revealed that Golkont had been paying the storm giants to create a storm...which was secretly Golkont trying to summon the orb.

Later on, Grindseed would call upon Mong's aid, and Mong (plus a small team of storm giants) would arrive to help at the Arctic Altercation, which ended the Arctic Autumn and finally stopped X (The Paladin).

Muddy Hillcloak's menu, which contained a second menu if folded in half along a certain line.

Muddy Hillcloak

Full name Muddatin Hillcloak, Muddy was a traveling barkeep with an official "Road-Housed Roadhouse" License which he named "The Bar From Afar". It's forged in dwarved metals, super valuable, and proves he underwent rigorous testing to ensure he can brew and serve no matter the weather or location. Inside his cart was a small tavern with enough room to sit 5 or 6 customers at a time, and Muddy himself worked as barkeep.

Muddy's "Bar from Afar" sold a number of drinks, but also useful "drinks" that people on the ride could use, such as potions of healing, or Moonflowers.

Nim the Jewelspar Street Rat

Nim

A orphaned or abandoned child who lived in Jewelspar. He began to exhibit abyssal traits (horns, wings) from a young age and is bullied and excluded by his peers because of them. He looks up to Maverick as an adult who succeeded in life in spite of his Tiefling features. In exchange for help sneaking around the city Maverick agreed to foster the child.

Nim had a best friend Clancy who was also an orphan in the city. Clancy would later prove to be the key to Rowan Buckman understanding that some Tiefling are special, they don't show their heritage until a "coming of age" or another event causes the lineage to appear.

Radonis Calfenris

Radonis was dead the second the campaign started. It was his death that returned the The Crown of Empyrosis to the general public, and when Croach and Wanda teamed up with Luther and Solum to investigate the mystery around Rue Delour, they inadvertently stumbled into Radonis' house, discovering an old letter to Radonis you can find on the The Crown of Empyrosis page (alongside more info on Radonis).

Roanna and Shalia Redmane

Roanna Redmane was an NPC who lived in Ravendale, and asked for the team's help in recovering her daughter Shalia Redmane who was kidnapped by goblin bandits in the area. After the team recovered Shalia, the two were reunited, but then unfortunately captured again by Banites. Roanna and Shalia were originally sought after by the team due to their family name Redmane showing up on ancient documents referring to some of the earliest followers of Kossuth in prehistory. As it turned out, the Redmanes worship of Kossuth went back even further into Prehistory, and Shalia and Roanna were in fact descendants of Bruneld Redmane, the spirit inside The Crown of Empyrosis.

Salreen

Salreen was an Istishian cleric and con artist who managed to work her way into the secret group known as AFEW. She was first encountered during Galik's great blackout.

Tia Ma

Tia Ma (real name Tiane) was a long retired human adventurer who took up in her later years running the tavern of Warukami, a place known as Drihaol. Her grandson, Tyr, was her right hand man, and even though he was 15, he did most of the labor running around the place. Tia Ma and Tyr were both crucial to the team discovering the source of Warukami's strange weather, and the incorporation of Frori Predestine into the team.

The Escapals

A rival team of adventurers who claimed to share the goal of safeguarding the Crown, and felt that they could do a better job. Considering they lost, it would be logical to conclude that they were wrong. The Escapals were Free Defenders in Galik, and used their position to get close to the Lyreguards after learning about the crown in the Galik Gazette.

• The team chased the Crown back down to Ambleside where it was being used by Rowan Buckman, and then, in their most successful action, were able to take the bartender of neighboring Nestle hostage, hoping to interrogate and get information out of her about the Crown. However, before they got far into the interrogation, the group was ambushed by allies of Rowan and Edna, who managed to kill half the team and escape.

Thirty Two Tooth Tommy's Bounty

Members:

• Saph Fire - A Whisper Bard Half Elf, presumably the leader of the group. Status: Dead
• Borina the Destructive - Storm Barbarian Dwarf. Status: Dead

• Robin Banks - Rogue Inquisitor Human, excellent sneak and even better liar. Status: Dead - Survived the initial attack that left Saph and Borina dead, and instead starting working for the Banites, later helping to execute the attack known as The AFEW Ambush, where he was slain.

• 32-Tooth Tommy - Status: Incarcerated - 32-Tooth-Tommy survived the ordeal that killed the others, but went on the run, causing a bounty to be placed on him for the following reasons:
  • Breaking and entering in Ravendale
  • Selling fenced goods
  • Wielding multiple weapons in Galik
  • Suspect in the murder of Carsley Arvan
  • Total reward estimated 1400 GP

After his brief stint in prison, 32-Tooth-Tommy, a lizardfolk ranger, joined in the final assault against The Paladin, eventually making right by his friends by securing their names in the history books.

Wanted posters of Thriskarn were placed all over Galik after his attack on the church of Istishia.

Thriskarn

Thriskarn was a Dwarf veteran of the The Cavalry Rush who was living retired in the villa of Rue Delour alongside Brontalo and Radonis (see above). Thriskarn put on The Crown of Empyrosis after it was left in his house by Croach in an attempt to be rid of the manipulative headwear. Unfortunately, with Thriskarn being an accomplished warrior, and the crown being freshly reinvigorated with a new spark for violence, the resulting amalgamation creature was a danger to entire city of Galik. The first action Thriskarn-Yro took was to suppress all fire in the city, enabling Thriskarn to sneak around unseen in the night as Thriskarn guided the crown towards the churches of Istishia and Aegir, the most aquatic of the city's religions.

Thriskarn-Yro was successful in destroying both churches, but in the ruins of the Aegerian church, Thriskarn was ambushed by a combination of the Lyreguard, the Free Defenders, a cult of Banites, and opportunistic adventurers. At the end of the epic encounter, Thriskarn had the crown knocked off his head by Grindseed with a well placed bolt, freeing Thriskarn of the crown' s influence as he fell unconscious. Thriskarn was recovered by the Lyreguard and interrogated by a group later known as AFEW. He would then be placed in medical care.

Vorrow the Shaman

Vorrow was the resident shaman and advisor to the Warukami Mandador (the town leader). Vorrow was a crooked man in shape and demeanor, and took dark magic seriously, using it whenever possible to ensure he got what he wanted. Tasked with removing a clan of Sahuagin who had taken up residence on the town's coast, Vorrow posted bounties that he knew fiesty adventurers would take up. When the posting, labeled "WANTED: Powerful People who are great at fishing out trouble!" , it brought several interested parties to town, including Chet Sexton, the gnome Caoilfhoinn, and Jedit.

Unfortunately for all parties involved, Vorrow also tricked all parties involved into signing a Contract of Nepthas, meaning if they failed to remove the fishfolk, they would be rendered blind, deaf, and mute.

Luckily for Vorrow, and for the heroes, they succeeded, and he paid them for their work.