The Depraved and the Devout

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The great thing about this weeks adventure is that its NPC heavy, but any NPC can do. The idea behind this is that all NPCs can be a suspect but only a few of them are actually the cause of the complete acquiescence that has encaptivated the city.

Brother Amed Kazzadim

Amed Kazzadim is one of the watchers, the legendary paladins of Helm that call the city of Brightkeep home. Amed and his loyal assistants, the shadows, have been travelling and quelling corruption and injustice for over a decade. But recently they felt as though Helm’s grace was waning and they hurried home to Brightkeep to investigate what the cause could be. Upon arriving they found the city in different states of depravity.

Many of the populace had given into opulence, some just seeking wealth and delicacies but there was others where their deprave nature was deeper. The city guards, once devout followers of Helms justice had also turned a blind eye and many of the faces present were new.

Something was corrupt in the city and Amed sought out his orders home, the temple to Helm, to find that it had been cleared and defaced for some time. Within the temple he also noticed some adventurers, foreigners to the city who he could feel was being guided by justice. Perhaps they could be devout allies in his cause to save this city?

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Henry Bassel

A young son of a wealthy merchant Henry spent most of his life learning to work hard in order to get what he wanted. However the items his fathers shop sold started to become the most popular item in Brightkeep. Soon his father had retired and moved out of the city to enjoy his riches quietly and Henry inherited the highly lucrative business.

Now a young man he has employees who run the shop and he is free to spend his wealth how he see’s fit. Attending parties, spending money on clothes, food, drink and women he is a man of luxury now and is regularly invited to join the elites of the city. However his focus on business keeps him from attending those gatherings of utter debauchery and indulgence. He has a business to run after all and despite the constant offers his fathers words echo in his mind.

“Work smarter. Appearance is everything. If people see you as something valuable, something indispensable so you will live in comfort with want for none.”

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Sister Kate Blanwell

One of the shadows of Helm, Sister Kate Blanwell was one of the paladins who didn’t manage evoke the justice that Helm offers provides. Instead she was offered a different path in which to serve helm and mete out justice. A shadow is the name of those who follow the Paladins, operate from the shadows to see the world for what it is.

Kate is adept at reading people and understanding the different shades of right and wrong. Able to detect a lie or motives she determines the judgment that Helm should cast before Amed and the other Paladins deal it. In fact together with Amed, Kate has been the critical point in almost all missions the paladin has been on. Perhaps Helms grace and power that the paladins can evoke has eluded her because of the keenness of her sense of right and justice. In fact, perhaps she is the closest to helm out of all the order.

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Lemren DeChantel

Being the daughter of the lord of Brightkeep Lemren was born to near-nobility. Over the past year she has gradually stepped up to run the city and make decisions whilst her parents become more focused on reaping the benefits of what they have earnt. Headstrong and determined Lemren is showing traits of a good Lord of the city. However, who attentions turn to the parties, displays of wealth and other distractions that her parents have fallen to.

Regardless of her natural proficiency with running a city she bores of the day to day chores. In fact even she has begun to slowly find ways to slip away from important meetings to flitter amongst the people on the streets and enjoy the life that her parents power has befitted her.

Thoughts

This week has collection of those offered depravity, those seeking devotion and those who are seeking one, both or neither. As I mention this week any NPC can fit into this adventure and tomorrow we may introduce another one, or few, that will act as our antagonists this week.

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The people of Berkshire

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As we set up the adventure for this week we are introduced to the people of Berkshire tonight. But more to the point we are introduced to the leaders of the city, the Governor and the guard captain. However I hope to show that even great leaders can give the wrong order and get things wrong. Last night I gave you the first part of the adventure as our party attempt to take wolf ridge, and do so with ease. But, I have more, so much more in the words for this little town.

Governor Casey Dae

Although Casey wasn’t born to Berkshire he came in wanting to be integral to the little town. Having many of his business ventures in a larger city fail he escaped debt and persecution from those he owed money too and found his way to Berkshire. But while here the quiet life of working for someone wasn’t to his liking and he convinced the town to make him Governor. This was partly because of the friendship he formed with Luke, a retired military veteran who he instated as guard captain.

But his endeavours at becoming a governor weren’t all smoke and mirrors and with no competition he was able to grow the township and it expanded from a few households, a single inn and a general store to something a bit more. When the Tribe of the wolf who lived on the aptly named Wolf Ridge started to threaten the town he built up he quickly acted.

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Luke Chard

A veteran from a military conflict some time ago Luke sought out the quiet life in Berkshire. However the war he fought in never quite left him and it drove him to drink and to squander away the meagre amount of money he had managed to save. That was until Casey arrived and gave him purpose.

Being captain of the growing guard of Berkshire gives him regimental discipline as well as the purpose of commanding the other guards. Under his guidance the guards are well respected and fair in their dealings. But, the level of control of the guards from Casey through Luke is something that is questionable.

Thoughts

Tonight I have purposely put both Casey and Luke as, somewhat well respected people. Neither of them are malicious or have ill intentions however both of them are the causation of the calamity of what will happen in Berkshire this week. But having these two work for the people of Berkshire will give us a solid foundation to build from.

I am excited to put the party in the same place with these two to give them a strong contrast from some of the other one shots. Having nothing Inheritantly wrong with them makes it hard for their actions to be questionable which further adds to the adventures intrigue.

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The Gullible and the Gambler

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Who do we have with us tonight? I wanted to focus on the who with tonight’s addition to the adventure and we have two very similar NPCs tonight. One on the beginning of their journey and one, I feel, who has been through it all.

Now this week we will have our party approached by one NPC to help them with the other one. Tomorrow night we will reveal who is who so let’s see how we go setting up tonight’s background information for the NPCs.

Simon Herds

Born to an average household Simon had to learn the hard way that life doesn’t always go the way we want it to. By the age of nine he had support his ill mother to get the medicine to cure the sickness that claimed his father during the previous winter. However because of his age and upbringing he didn’t have the required skills, strength or stamina that was required for many of the jobs locally. So he did what he had to do in order to get by.

Small games of chance to win enough coin to buy food and put some aside for the medicine. When his luck came good when he was approached by a local businessman. The man learnt about Simons mother and his upbringing and offered to source the medicine. Simon jumped at the prospect and quickly came under their employ to earn enough to get the medicine. However Simons luck ran out when the business man was murdered in broad daylight, the money taken from the shop and Simon left to hide out in a crate of hazardous, defective merchandise that he was getting ready to turn over to the harpers guild.

The turn

But the funny thing with luck is, you always have it, it doesn’t always go in favour but sometimes it does. This is just the luck of the roll. One of the items that was to be turned over to the harpers was a curiosity. It was meant to be a lucky charm of sorts. An item that fed off someone’s fate, someone’s pool of luck and tipped it in the favour towards balance. In the hand of most people it meant that they packed a hooded cloak on a day it would rain. But for those who were already naturally lucky it brought their rampart luck into check.

So when Simon accidently fumbled when he was climbing out of the crate and rolled the lucky charm, his rampart bad luck caused the artefact, a dice, to cause a magical phenomenon. The thugs that had murdered his boss for a few coin appeared in the door way and his boss greeted them.

Quickly thinking he grabbed the knife he used to pry into boxes and crates and rushed into the front room, throwing the blade the exact moment they lashed out at his boss. Now he was a notorious poor shot. But with the lucky charm the thrown, mostly blunt blade connected with the outstretched hand, forcing the weapon the man was preparing to swing to fly from his hand. The thrown dull blade then lodged itself in the mans neck whilst his own weapon spun out of control and killed his partner. An impossibly lucky throw.

Luck ebbs and flows

But the charm was not done yet. To cement the balance of luck both assailants fell into the street where a guard, who knew these two to be assassins for a gang leader, saw them. Not only did the guard award the merchant with the bounty on the men, but Simon’s boss lived.

Joyous with the outcome of the day Simon ran home, medicine in hand. But, luck has a funny way of balancing out. His mother had passed during the time he was working for the merchant.

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Raff Tamale

No amount of money, power or material possessions would satisfy Raff. A self made man he runs several businesses within the city. But the normally calm man has a jealous streak that is beyond famous. To make matters worse is his hunger for more. If there is something that he wants, or something someone else has that he wants he will do all within his power to balance out the hand he has been dealt.

Bribing, buying, blackmailing or worse. Nothing is off the table with Raff and he is famous for being a ruthless business man and for getting what he wants. But, he wasn’t always like this. After a difficult upbringing on the streets he owned a general store and eventually married and settled down. But, his wife wasn’t content with the lifestyle that he was able to provide and had an affair with a rival business man. Raff swore that he wouldn’t let someone else take anything of his again and built an empire to prove it.

Thoughts

Tonight is all about perspective and trust. Who the party believe, who is deemed to be gullible and who is a gambler, who will they end up assisting. I think these are things that we can gleam tonight but I also hold a small twist for tomorrow.

I believe that making both the NPCs in an adventure like this relatable or in some way admirable can make decisions that were clear hard for the party. There shouldn’t be someone who is wrong or someone who is right this week. I have made it as such so the party will need to make a call, and only after meeting them both will they find out who is who. I am looking forward to it!

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The Patron and the Poachers

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Now Sasha, her motivations and overall personality are fit for the adventure. However if Tarbin isn’t to your liking any NPC can do there as long as they can fit the bill. There is always a twist with my adventures and this week is no different. In fact I have a few other NPC portrait throwbacks for potential allies and adversaries. The aim of all NPCs I produce is that they can fit into other campaigns and other adventures. To produce reusable content is part of my goal for this blog after all.

Sasha Flerr

Now the patron of the party this week is a cunning businesswoman who has worked her way up from nearly nothing. Sasha is a driven businesswoman who is passionate about protecting the people of her city as well as the environment. She has worked for many years to get to where she is today and she is expected to be made a noblewoman in the coming weeks. That is if she gets the support of the crown and council.

Despite her drive to cement her legacy she has also formed a bond with the druids and shepherds of the Gibbering woods. Once living nearby to them she understands the danger and wonder that the woods can produce. She grew up with several experiences working with the patrons and the poachers. All of who had worked the woods for personal gain. Yet, despite some of her wealth being generated from it, she wants its protected.

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Tarbin Longshot Amarog

Now Tarbin has been a hunter for most of his life and most of that was in the Gibbering woods. Hunting and trapping animals isn’t the only thing he has aimed his longbow at and he is known to also pick up bounty hunting as well. Although not an evil person he dislikes what the law is doing to his business and that of his men’s livelihood. So when someone approached him offering him a job that would pay him twice as much as what he could earn in a year he couldn’t refuse.

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Henchmen and acquaintances

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Guests of the Queen

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Now the queen had a cunning plan in coming up with the masked ball. This enabled the king, is guard and one of the maids to pose as each other. Park would pretend to be the King, a maid, Este, would be the queen and the king would pretend to be the guard. The kicker, the party are unaware of the ploy being undertaken as to ensure that its believable.

Maid – Este

Este has worked in the castle for some years now and attends the king and the empty bedroom where the queen is meant to reside. Despite looking young Este had elf blood in her ancestry and has seen more winters than many in the castle. Despite her station, the King and Park have grown to trust her and her ability to sense the intentions of people.

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King Joseph Daroan

No one would dispute the kindness that King Daroan has shown the people of the kingdom. Elected king after he defeated the previous king, a tyrant, he fought for the people and is known as a capable warrior. However with the battle for his crown over many attempts at his life had been made and one such one a few years ago left him not quite the same. Since then he started to celebrate his wife’s birthday, and refer to her being present in all things. Despite this the people are fiercly loyal to the king.

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Guard Captain Park

Present when Joseph Daroan defeated the tyrant and principally responsible for the prevention of the majority of the attempts on his life Captain park is the kings oldest friend and ally. Despite the apparent decline in his mental health and sanity Park remains loyal to his friend but has faced his anger a few times when he questions his wife’s existence.

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Lark Grundfello

Little is known about Lark, however he is one of those attempting the both murder the king and queen as well as steal their greatest treasure during the queens birthday feast. Lark however would tell you that the King is not what he seems and that he is a freedom fighter coming to rid the kingdom from a ruler that is corrupt and twisted by the foul powers that once tried to kill him.

Influence enough for all

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Now despite the cult of the lizard taking up residence at the base of lathanders steps this doesn’t mean that they are welcome. There are some people who want to see it removed from the progressive city of Shirkwall. However the people of this fine city know that its not logic, reason, magic or even science that holds power, it’s influence. It’s no surprise that many of the upper-class citizens of Shirkwall have connections in high places, or themselves are one. It also shouldn’t be a surprise that many religions, or in this case a cult, have very influential people within their ranks.

Tonight we meet three people. One cultist, one neutral party and someone vehemently against the cult of the lizards propaganda. Who’s who will be for another night soon.

Lady Jessica Vorr

Jessica was born into nobility, well pseudo nobility. Her mother and father had both been explorers of the older parts of the city and had uncovered some of the secrets of the society that lived here before. Her father had proven that they had been murderers obsessed with human sacrifice and driven mad with bloodlust. This had fuelled his argument and proposal to build over, rip down and replace the old forsaken ruins with new, modern buildings in the name of progress. While her father built a case to rip down the old, her mother had uncovered evidence of strange creatures that had lived with these forgotten people in harmony. A society that lived amongst giant beasts and acted as their servants and pets, not the other way around. She promoted the collection, study and cultivation of history of the city.

The two different viewpoints had put a strain on their relationship and this causes a bit of a disjointed upbringing for Jessica. However after some time they settled back down and doted on their daughter who had merged with high society perfectly and was the focus of a lot of attention. A beacon of influence for those who looked at the potential of science, study and cultural debate.

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Ritley Tane

Now some say that Ritley is a bit of an extremist. At the age of twenty he had managed to become the sole provider of sacred artefacts from the culture lost to time. He proclaimed that the relics that he had obtained from the ruins of the city had granted him blessings. In fact longer life, better eyesight, a stronger drive for, well what most men hope for was just the tip of the list. Business was booming and any time another shop started to sell similar relics or talismans they were quickly absorbed into his growing empire.

Now this makes him a cunning businessman but when the city started to remove the past, destroy or build over the ruins. Well this was bad for business. He became a frequent debater on the importance of the past, that progression at the cost of the loss of history was for the benefit of the rich, not the poor. As his debates grew so did his influence with the common folk of the town. In fact this is attributed to the growth of the public debates and spreading of proper gander from several temple steps. As common folk, and those who didn’t have a means to influence the masses, gained confidence so did business grow for Ritley. Everyone wanted charms, relics and totems that bolstered ones confidence and believability. Almost everyone that is.

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Elise – Captain of the Guard

From a young age Elise knew she wanted to be a guard. In the service to the city she loved and grew up in she felt at peace with her position. She earned her name by guarding the debate steps and stopping riots, assassinations and other plots to silence the right to free speech that the city had built up. After a few short years of proving her ingenuity, reflexes and her instincts she was put in charge of the district’s watch and was named captain.

However after a few years she got used to it. The job had no more surprises for her and she wanted to go where there was something to unravel, mysteries to solve. Her previous captain had moved to take on murders and robberies in the high districts and often boasted about his endeavours. However without something to cement her name in fame it would be unlikely that she would ever get to that position. She would need to either get lucky or orchestrate her own rise to fame and power.

Thoughts

Three different people tonight. Someone born into influence, someone who cunningly twisted their way into it and a third who worked hard to gain the limited influence they have, but with a hunger for more. This week each player will take part in the over all adventure in a different way. Tomorrow night we meet a few more people and look at what is really taking place in Shirkwall.

The heart of Heartsfern

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Now the beating heart of any small town isn’t a place or even a thing, it the people that call it home. The Town of Heartsfern is small and so the people within the fenced fields are close, more family than neighbours. However more than most there are a few who are staples of the town. These people, the heart of Heartsfern are tenacious, kind and resilient folk. The farmer, Trent and store owner, Shelly are two such people.

Trent Barrowrought

Trent’s earliest memories are working the farm with his pa and their trusty barrow. This soon became the norm as he moved here to live with his grandparent when he was a teenager. This was to avoid him being conscripted as his grandfather was getting older and needed help in the farm.

His grandpa lived for a few dozen more years before the reins of the old trusty farm-beast and the keys to the farm became his. Having spent most of his adult life on the farm he has helped many folk, his Pa always encouraging him to help his neighbours. This soon gave him a sense of belonging to the community and when he was suddenly, but not surprisingly found by himself in the old house the community banded around him.

He owes a lot to the people here, Shelly most of all for she was his childhood friend. In fact she was his only friend for a good number of years and despite it never growing into something more they are still very close. As he has made a name for himself for being reliable and helpful many of the town rely on him to help tend their own land. In return they share with him what he needs. But he never wants for more and believes that being in this community is enough reward.

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Shelly Underbranch

Born and bred in Heartsfern her parents and their parents before them were the beating heart of Heartsfern. The small town is all she has even known except for when Trent visited. He would bring with him tales of cities, distant lands and people that she would dream about visiting. But she lost her parents quite early and with her grandparents stepping in to help run the general store she quickly fell into step.

Running the general store at the age of sixteen was difficult. But she always could rely on Trent to sort out have her back if she needed help. The two of them quickly became the centre of the town. Trent helping with the farms and Shelly helping with everything else that he couldn’t do.

This didn’t change when she met Buck, her now husband, and after a lengthy courtship they wed. Trent was both the best man of Shelly and Buck and the three of them formed a close bond.

Thoughts

Setting the scene for this weeks encounter is important. In fact a close knit community is what this weeks adventure is about. Shelly and Trent, with the unmet buck, will form the trifecta of plot hooks, twist and and the ones to drive the encounter towards the end.