Player characters, even in their fl edgling days, have heard inspiring stories of these mighty folk. Once characters have completed a few adventures, they will likely hear from one of these famous people. Each is listed below with an introductory quest.
- Saint Castigere Villaroyas Antares: ^saint-castigere-villaroyas-antares
- Location: Bramford Abbey area
- Widely Known: For over 400 years, Castigere has dwelled in the veil between life and death, lingering in the mortal realm to fulfi ll a vow to honor the dead. He is the saint of the grave, the giver of alms to the lost, the guide from life to death’s reprieve.
- Quest: The Dead of Stormfoot Woods: Castigere appears as an apparition, hovering a few feet above the ground. He asks that heroes investigate a legion of wandering skeletons in the forest southwest of Jay’s Rock. ‘I fear some evil has risen these souls from their dulyearned sleep. Please, help me root out this doom!’
- Greentooth ^greentooth
- Location: The Bleeding Tree near Blood Manor
- Widely Known: Greentooth is the older sister of Bloodwing the Destroyer. She is, perhaps, the oldest being in The Holds. She takes the form of a colossal green dragon and a withered old woman. Her hut is seen now and then in the deepest of forests… a bubbling stew cooking. She is kind and watchful, but ethereal… having lived and died many lifetimes. Thus, she seeks allies to aid her causes.
- Quest: The Blood of Kellos: After a recurring dream of Greentooth soaring over the Stormkeepers, heroes are mysteriously drawn to the old woman’s hut near the Bleeding Tree. She explains that deep below the forest, an ancient evil is growing, poisoning the roots of the old oak with congealed blood-ichor. Taking dragon form, she offers to shuttle the heroes to a remote crag of solid bedrock in the hills south of the tree, where a great fi ssure has opened a path into the cavernous realm below. ‘Down and through and under the stones, seek the eye of Kellos and all his blood-soaked bones, to root out the poison and heal the tree… go in the darkness to fi nally see.’
- Elayna of the Redwoods ^elayna-of-the-redwoods
- Location: Forestheart
- Widely Known: Elayna is the queen of the Red Woods elves, wife of King Ithamel, keeper of the Heart of the Forest. She was once a wild elf, betrothed by Ithamel after the Bloodwing War. She is widely loved in all The North, spending her days helping good people.
- Quest: The Ring of Ashes: A royal writ is received by our heroes. Queen Elayna seeks a team of adventurers to discreetly enter the burned ruins of the old elven capital, in hopes of retrieving chipped or broken-off dragon claws. A contact awaits in Old Watch to outfi t the adventurers on arrival. ‘If dragons are to return to our lands, these fragments will help us know how and when…’
- Raka Galmorn ^raka-galmorn
- Location: The Wolf Lands
- Widely Known: Once mortal, Raka now wanders Pyros, the dimension of fi re, in search of his quarry: Orgidex the Watcher. He is a cryptic fi gure, appearing when matters of fl ame are at hand.
- Quest: The Spark: When wildfi res ravage several huge swaths of forest throughout the realm, Raka is blamed by most folk. By order of a local lord, our heroes are sent to fi nd him where last sighted: The Wolf Lands. Is Raka part of the plague of fl ames, or the solution? ‘Yes, I am Raka. Fire is a living thing, friends. Let’s go hunting.’
- Lord Pickins, Mayor of Slimshire, Herald of the White Bird ^lord-pickins-mayor-of-slimshire-herald-of-the-white-bird
- Location: Slimshire, Mayor’s Manor
- Widely Known: Lord Pickins is a benevolent fi gure, widely credited with the golden age of the south. In recent days, darkness has fallen on his family, as his daughter has been affl icted with undeath.
- Quest: The Cure for Vampirism: Desperate to save his daughter, Lord Pickins employs our heroes to fi nd a cure for the affl iction of undeath. This quest is no simple thing. Pickins offers a few clues: the research of Fairfi eld Abbey nuns, the blood-drinking entity hiding below Slimshire, and ultimately the evil of Blood Manor. ‘There must be a connection in all this… a way to help her! Time is running my friends, I beg of you.’
- Zipler’s Ghost ^ziplers-ghost
- Location: Ruinmoor
- Widely Known: Zipler was a warrior bard beloved by all The Holds in his day, during the breaking of the Bloodwing War. By strange fate he came to wield Ruin, the starfallen sword of legend. When affl icted by the vampiric curse, he hid Ruin and let himself be destroyed in the plane of fi re… finally free of the urge to kill for food. Now, rumor spreads that Ruin has been found by the prophet Threya, and Zipler’s ghost has risen with dire warnings.
- Quest: The Starfallen Sword: Encountering or seeking out Zipler’s phantom, our heroes will be asked to help with the retrieval of the deadly weapon, that it may be safeguarded once more. Zipler is barely visible, weak with departure from the land of the living, but desperate to see Ruin stashed away. His only clue? A woman named Threya carries the blade… lurking somewhere in the endless crumble and corridors of Ruinmoor tower. ‘That blade is not of this world, and has no place here… it must be found.’
- High Princess Kaylia Enzerill, Keeper of Dragon Tooth ^high-princess-kaylia-rnzerill-keeper-of-dragon-tooth
- Location: Thryn / Dragon Tooth
- Widely Known: The Princess is known far and wide, especially for renowned appearances at the King’s Field tournaments. She is a competent warrior, but more so a scholar of dragonkind. She is the heir of Thryn, but chooses a life of adventure, to the chagrin of the High King of elves.
- Quest: The Brood of Hydranax: Awarding our heroes a royal commendation for their recent efforts, the Princess takes them aside, asking if they could serve the crown of Thryn. She requires a group of adventurers to infi ltrate and investigate Dragon Tooth tower. Her plan? Lure the dragon guard out with court politics. The reason? A strange dragon was sighted during a new moon, barely visible in the lightless sky, visiting Dragon Tooth. Since then, a brood of eggs has appeared. If all this be true, it can only mean one thing: Hydranax the Hungry has returned to Dragon Tooth, and means to roost there. If the dragon guard is hiding this, they are already corrupted by the blue dragon’s magic. ‘Go to the highest crags and fi nd what you can. All depends on this.’
- Iron King Thromm, Lord of Stonemark ^iron-king-thromm-lord-of-stonemark
- Location: Stonemark Hall
- Widely Known: King Thromm is lord of the Eastern dwarves, guardian of Runnminir, master of the Hammer Host. He is a famous reveler, alequaffer, and holder of ancient, honorable values.
- Quest: Locking the Vaults: Fully engaged with fighting back invading orcs at Runnminir Gate, Thromm implores our heroes to embark on a risky mission into the depths of the undermountain. Using his Stoneborn Ring, they are to access the perilous Door of High Rock, and use newly cut passages to delve far below the mountain. There, ancient vaults holding evil things great and small have been damaged or opened by the orc incursions. The vaults must be closed and locked once again! ‘It will be a deadly, lonely, terrible journey… your chances of success are thin and of survival even thinner! So, what do you say?’
- Sir Jormund Osrigard, Grand Champion of Thenne ^sir-jormund-osrigard-grand-champion-of-thenne
- Location: Kaargfort
- Widely Known: Sir Osrigard has won the all-realm tournament on King’s Field for the last three years. He has been decorated in a half dozen wars, and completed a number of near-immortal deeds many thought impossible. Pulling back from the spotlight to train a wave of young squires, he now resides in the cheese capital of Kaargfort, where his journey began years ago.
- Quest: A Humble End: Hearing of our heroes’ deeds, Osrigard sends an invitation to the log-tossing festival at Kaargfort, promising the greatest revelry the realm has to offer. In truth, he seeks an errand from the adventurers. After a lifetime of heroism, he now wishes only to settle down and be of use to his community. He takes our heroes aside, revealing a secret… much of his power and success is owed to a magic jade pebble. This arcane stone was loaned to him by an old hermit who lives in the remote area of Greenstone. He begs the heroes to venture there, and to return the stone to the old man for him, with utmost discretion. He has so many admirers and dreamers around him, he would hate to disappoint them with knowledge of the pebble. ‘Will you take this back to the old man? Will you offer this knight one fi nal request… that I may know a humble end?’