NPCs#

Characters the party has encountered.

Ansom Lang#

Key Info

  • Sister Petra was captured by ratlings at Rat’s Nest Tavern
  • Ratlings use delerium-tipped weapons
  • Worships the old gods, not the Sacred Flame

Log

Armin Gainsbury#

Key Info

  • Delerium handling safety (detailed in pamphlet)
  • Monster harvesting techniques
  • Sewers are dangerous but potentially rewarding
  • Delerium can capture monster “animus” for crafting

Log

  • Session 1
    • Sold the party delerium handling guides and equipment (gloves, vials, picks).

August Elderfire#

  • Role: Amethyst Academy mage; field researcher
  • Location: Champions Way crossroads (active fieldwork); otherwise at Eckerman Mill
  • Description: Wears ornate robes with silver and gold trim; has at least two apprentices
  • Affiliation: Amethyst Academy

Log

  • Session 6
    • Encountered at the Champions Way crossroads with two apprentices, setting up Delerium-crystal tripod devices
    • Sent by River to study arcane anomalies; studying whether outer-city Delerium can be used to trigger and stabilize anomalies in a controlled setting
    • Theobroma assisted with a Flaming Sphere cast through the device; power mismatch caused the experiment to reflect back on apprentice Alfie (burns, healed with a potion)
    • Determined from the failure: all contributing spells must be equal level; first-level magic alone is insufficient

Key Info

  • Experimenting with arcane anomaly triggering in a safer outer-city location
  • Dispatched by River; further contact should go through River or Eckerman Mill

Mentions

  • River: Sent August to the crossroads; told him help would be coming

Blackjack Mel#

Key Info

Log

  • Session 2
    • Cory visited on Zayn’s recommendation. Mel told her to prove herself by bringing back delerium.
    • Party returned with a delerium chip. Mel acknowledged the deed and offered information about contacting the Queen.
  • Session 5
    • Not present (went home around 3am). Party was told he can sponsor Cory for a bout in the Smee’s Palace fighting pits against Dorian Dare.

Bloodhound#

Log

  • Session 5
    • Witnessed defeating a heavily armored human challenger in the pits. Took no visible damage.

Brother Katja Braun#

Log

  • Session 6
    • Led a small group of Falling Fire acolytes to the Chapel of Saint Brenna on Nathaniel Flint’s instruction
    • Had been blocked at the iron portcullis in the chapel undercroft before the party arrived
    • Agreed to guard the chapel entrance while the party descended
    • Told the party that Lucretia Matthias will grant a boon at Saint Selena’s Monastery if the scepter is delivered

Key Info

  • Parting blessing: “May the flame guide your blade”
  • Confirmed that Saint Selena’s Monastery is within the inner city of Drakkenheim

Christian Lament#

  • Known as: Mr. Lament
  • Role: Patron of the arts; talent booker; Smee’s Palace financier
  • Location: Smee’s Palace, Buckledown Row, Drakkenheim
  • Description: Tall, blond elf in very ornate clothes. Front-row regular at every performance. Fastidiously opinionated about art — dismissive of crude comedy, intrigued by refined giant poetry and observational humor.
  • Affiliation: Wounded Hearts / Queen’s Men

Log

  • Session 5
    • Politely rejected Margareta’s pitch for hill giant physical comedy but was intrigued by storm giant observational humor.
    • Watched Margareta’s open mic set with guarded approval; politely clapped.
    • Told Cory that joining the Wounded Hearts requires besting champion Dorian Dare in the fighting pits, with a sponsor (e.g. Blackjack Mel) arranging the bout.

Key Info

  • Books all talent for Smee’s Palace personally; finances the establishment on the Queen’s behalf
  • Open mic slots available after the main event each evening; sign-up list fills up quickly
  • The Wounded Hearts’ pit champion is Dorian Dare
  • Prefers cloud giant poetry and storm giant observational comedy over anything “hill giant”

Log

  • Session 4: Party was informed by Petra Lang that he leads the garrison; Petra offered to put in a good word with him regarding the party’s trustworthiness and potential for future missions
  • Session 6: Cory revealed that her brother died under Drexel’s command — she came to Drakkenheim specifically to get revenge on him; she believes Drexel’s policy of never going in to rescue personnel is directly responsible

Key Info

  • Military commander of the Hooded Lanterns faction
  • Oversees all operations from Shepherd’s Gate, the primary stronghold for reclaiming order in Drakkenheim
  • Controls access to garrison resources and deeper inner city strongholds
  • Responsible for vetting new allies and assigning operations

Mentions

  • Petra Lang: Recommended the party to Drexel as potential allies
  • The Firefighters: Party seeking his approval and mission assignments

Emma Crowe#

  • Role: Tour guide, blacksmith’s daughter
  • Location: Emberwood Village
  • Description: ~10 years old, ginger hair, soot-covered, enthusiastic, saving up for a sword

Key Info

Log

Mentions

Eren Marlowe#

  • Role: Wagon driver, provisioner
  • Location: Tonsberg → Emberwood Village
  • Description: Lean, mid-forties, shoulder-length brown hair, leather cap, shabby wool jacket

Key Info

Log

Mentions

Flamekeeper Bella#

  • Role: Priestess
  • Location: Chapel of St. Ardenna, Emberwood Village
  • Affiliation: Sacred Flame (neutral between factions)

Key Info

  • The Falling Fire believe the meteor is the Sacred Flame made real
  • The Silver Order believe the meteor is an arcane abomination
  • High Flamekeeper Ophelia Reed (Silver Order) visits the chapel
  • Nathaniel Flint (Falling Fire) can be found at Hendrix Farm
  • Holy sites: St. Vitruvio’s Cathedral, St. Selena’s Monastery, Chapel of St. Brenna

Log

Francis#

  • Role: Janitor; aspiring gang member
  • Location: Skull and Sword, Emberwood Village
  • Description: Approximately 16 years old; puffs himself up when asked. Goes by “Frank.” Wants a gang pseudonym before joining up.

Log

Key Info

  • Knows the rough location of Buckledown Row: east of the crater, follow the road running a quarter mile south of the Drann River
  • Asked the party to put in a good word with Mel

High Flamekeeper Ophelia Reed#

Key Info

  • Can cast a purge contamination spell (beyond a level 3 paladin’s ability)
  • Seeks the Scepter of Saint Vitruvio — a Sacred Flame artifact
  • Will waive the contamination purge fee for fellow flame worshippers who agree to help retrieve the scepter
  • “We cannot allow the scepter to fall into the hands of thieves or cultists”

Log

  • Session 2
    • Visited Chapel of St. Ardenna with Silver Order knights
    • Met Heda, purged his contamination, and tasked him with retrieving the Scepter of Saint Vitruvio
    • Departed northeast toward Camp Dawn

Kosta Stavros#

Log

  • Session 1
    • Party inquired about rooms (25gp/night). Margareta’s talk of jumping on beds concerned him.
  • Session 2
    • Margareta formally apologized. Kosta accepted — no harm was done since she didn’t actually jump on any beds.

Ludwig von Graf#

  • Role: Noble adventurer
  • Location: Encountered on road, fleeing Drakkenheim

Key Info

  • Sought family deed in inner city but couldn’t reach it
  • Monsters ambushed them with delerium-tipped arrows
  • Companion’s tongue fell out from contamination

Log

  • Session 1
    • Met party on the road. One of his companions was secretly mutating.

Mamba Jones#

  • Role: Pit fighter; assassin
  • Location: Fighting pits, Smee’s Palace, Buckledown Row
  • Description: Halfling. Unremarkable in appearance — black leather armor, no cobra insignia except a small pauldron badge — yet draws the loudest crowd reaction of anyone in the pits. Moves with uncanny speed and near-invisibility in combat.
  • Affiliation: Catacomb Cobras / Queen’s Men

Log

  • Session 5
    • Witnessed defeating an elven challenger in the pits in under two seconds: appeared behind the elf before the bout started, cut the backs of his legs, then held a knife to his throat.

Key Info

  • Theobroma suspects possible use of poison to enhance pit performance; unconfirmed
  • Has not been seen to lose; bookies offer 10-to-1 against him for good reason

Nathaniel Flint#

  • Role: Chaplain, local chapter of the Followers of the Falling Fire
  • Location: Hendrix Farm (base); visits Emberwood Village
  • Description: Laid-back, earnest, speaks in a casual register (“yeah, man”). Genuinely passionate about the Falling Fire’s mission of “embracing the flame.”
  • Affiliation: Followers of the Falling Fire

Log

  • Session 5
    • Flamekeeper Bella introduced him to the party outside the Chapel of St. Ardenna.
    • Asked the party to retrieve the Scepter of Saint Vitruvio as part of reassembling Saint Vitruvio’s vestments; directed them to the Chapel of Saint Brenna.
  • Session 6
    • Sent Brother Katja Braun and acolytes to the chapel; they were stymied at the portcullis before the party arrived
    • Party retrieved the Scepter of Saint Vitruvio; decision on delivery to Falling Fire pending

Key Info

  • The Falling Fire’s chapter is based at Hendrix Farm to the south; party is welcome to visit anytime
  • Wants Saint Vitruvio’s vestments (including the Scepter) to aid the Falling Fire’s mission
  • The Falling Fire use delerium for knowledge and research; their pamphlet also mentions restoring the royal families of Drakkenheim
  • Chapel of Saint Brenna: north on Champion’s Way, approximately one mile into the city, just south of where the road forks

Mentions

  • Flamekeeper Bella: Told Heda to speak with Nathaniel before committing to the Silver Order

Petra Lang#

Log

Mentions

  • Ansom Lang: His sister, leading expedition when captured by ratlings

Pluto#

  • Role: Adventurer, self-proclaimed monster hunter
  • Location: Gilded Lily, Emberwood Village
  • Description: Travels with a hooded ranger and a scholarly companion writing a book about Pluto’s exploits

Key Info

  • Part of a three-person adventuring party (originally four — “Frankie didn’t make it”)
  • Claims to be a “famous Caspian monster hunter”
  • Performs at the Gilded Lily’s open mic nights, regaling audiences with adventure stories
  • Advised the party to check the sides of buildings for delerium rather than the picked-clean main streets
  • Mentioned dwarves operating a mining site at the Scar on the far side of Drakkenheim

Log

  • Session 2
    • Met the party in the streets of Drakkenheim while they were harvesting monster parts. Gave advice on finding delerium.
    • Sparred with Heda against Old Rattlecan behind the Bark and Buzzard.

River#

Key Info

  • Previous mages sent to Drakkenheim have not returned — the last group (seasoned veterans) disappeared two weeks ago
  • Academy business conducted at Eckerman Mill, not in the hotel (too many prying eyes)
  • Academy’s ultimate goal is to reclaim the Inscrutable Tower; many arcane devices within are powered by delerium
  • Knows about a large delerium deposit under the Rat’s Nest Tavern — offering 1,250gp for its retrieval

Log

  • Session 1
    • Theobroma met her at the Red Lion Hotel. Initially dismissive, then apologized for rudeness.
    • Told Theobroma to meet at Eckerman Mill at sunrise for academy business.
  • Session 2
    • Met the party at Eckerman Mill. Tasked them with surviving in Drakkenheim and bringing back delerium.
    • Accepted a delerium chip as proof, but asked the party to bring the full haul before selling in future.
    • Gave each party member a potion of healing.
  • Session 4
    • Party met her at Red Lion Hotel carrying a recovered artifact (possibly the Scepter of Saint Vitruvio, related to the Sacred Flame)
    • Requested that the party stop conducting official business at the hotel to maintain her low profile and cover
    • Arranged to meet at Eckerman Mill at noon on future business days
  • Session 6
    • River sent August Elderfire to the Champions Way crossroads to conduct Delerium anomaly experiments; he mentioned River would be finding him capable assistance

Rose Carver#

  • Known as: Rose
  • Role: Leader, Rose and Thorns
  • Location: The Old Imperial, Buckledown Row, Drakkenheim
  • Description: Commands a table in the raised section of the Old Imperial, flanked by women armed with daggers, spears, short swords, and other sharp implements. Businesslike and direct; wastes no time on pleasantries.
  • Affiliation: Rose and Thorns / Queen’s Men

Log

  • Session 5
    • Heda approached to inquire about joining; Rose offered standard terms and welcomed him to the Old Imperial.

Key Info

  • Rose and Thorns terms: 5% commission on any jobs Rose sends the party’s way, plus the standard Queen’s monthly dues (100 gold in the well)
  • “I think you’ll find the queen takes good care of those who take good care of her”
  • Jobs include procurement, enforcement, and information gathering

Saint Brenna#

The woman for whom the chapel is named. She is depicted in the western alcove of the chapel sanctuary performing the miracle of resurrection. Her body was preserved in the deep crypt below the chapel according to Sacred Flame rites — preserved rather than cremated, in the belief that the faithful may one day need their earthly bodies again.

Log

  • Session 6
    • Party opened her sealed crypt during the search for the Scepter of Saint Vitruvio
    • Her mummy rose — tormented, muttering fragmented Sacred Flame prayers she could not complete; her eyes glowed red
    • Dreadful glare ability paralyzed Margareta and Heda at various points (Wisdom save, failing by 5+ causes paralysis until end of her next turn)
    • Defeated by Heda with a greatsword strike empowered by Divine Favor (12 total damage)
    • Her body bears richly adorned jewelry with rubies embedded; left undisturbed

Key Info

  • Was the chapel’s founding flame keeper — not a saint of broader Sacred Flame canonization
  • The chapel’s inscription for her: “Saint Brenna, be you surrounded in light eternal. Rest as one with the sacred flame.”
  • Western alcove statue shows her performing the miracle of resurrection
  • Her tormented state may indicate the chapel’s corruption, or simply the haze’s effect on preserved undead

The Queen#

  • Role: Leader of the Queen’s Men
  • Location: Unknown — court location is a closely guarded secret; believed to be somewhere within Drakkenheim
  • Description: Identity unknown. Known only by title.
  • Status: Active — alive and present in the city

The ruler of the Queen’s Men criminal organization and de facto sovereign of Buckledown Row. Her true identity is unknown. She has “eyes everywhere” across the city and is said to take good care of those who take good care of her.

Whether she has any connection to Drakkenheim’s missing royal family is an open question.

Log

  • Session 5
    • Tilda described her as someone who “runs the city better than any of the previous royals ever did”
    • Cory paid initial dues into the well at Smee’s Palace; party is now recognized as contacts

Key Info

  • Location of her court is closely guarded; even Tilda doesn’t know it
  • All five Buckledown Row crews operate under her rules and pay 100 gold monthly dues
  • The Hooded Lanterns consider her claim to Drakkenheim illegitimate
  • “You never know when the queen’s around — she’s got eyes everywhere” — Tilda

Tilda#

Log

  • Session 5
    • Seated the party and explained the layout of Buckledown Row: the five gangs, the monthly dues, and the Queen’s rules.
    • Warned the party that any affiliation with the Hooded Lanterns is dangerous in the Row.
    • Led the party to the fighting pits under Smee’s Palace.

Key Info

  • All five Row gangs follow the Queen’s rules; in return they operate safely
  • The Queen is present in the city; location of her court is a secret
  • The Hooded Lanterns consider the Queen’s claim illegitimate
  • Pins and Clubs (Padlock Tavern) have the lowest bar for entry of any crew

Tobias Crowe#

Log

  • Session 1
    • Party sold him a hand crossbow and mace for 40gp.

Mentions

  • Emma Crowe: Her father, “best blacksmith in 100 miles”
  • Role: Druid alchemist, herbalist
  • Location: Forest dwelling north of Emberwood Village, near a shrine of the primordial gods
  • Description: An elderly woman, hunched over, dressed in tattered robes and a hood. Shorter than medium height. Lives a solitary life in the outskirts, away from the chaos of the city.
  • Affiliation: Worshipper of the old gods, particularly the primordial deities
  • Status: Active, living in voluntary seclusion

Log

  • Session 4: Party visited her dwelling seeking alchemy resources; she allowed Theobroma to use her workshop for free

Key Info

  • She does not follow the newer faiths like the Sacred Flame, instead honoring the primordial gods through offerings of flowers and small sacrifices
  • She learned alchemy through communion with the old gods rather than formal training
  • As a druid, she can cast spells to help heal those hurt by delerium contamination
  • Her alchemy lab is carved from stone with a heated fire pit for mixing potions; made from materials found within 100 feet of her dwelling
  • She believes most people have forgotten the old gods and lamented this to the party
  • She is familiar with the Giant Frost Ordinance and knows they have many worshippers of Annam at their stronghold

Services

  • Potion crafting: Can produce potions of healing and greater healing for payment
  • Spell casting: Can cast healing and purification spells for those contaminated by delerium
  • Alchemy workshop: Allows qualified practitioners (such as Theobroma) to use her lab for free

Mentions

  • Heda Zlathrak: Discussed the old gods and Annam with Zoya; learned that giants have their own god and cultural order
  • Theobroma: Used Zoya’s alchemy lab to craft potions; fellow practitioner of the craft