2 Credits & Dedications Original Concept and Design: Martin Ralya Project Manager: Phil Vecchione Design: John Arcadian, Patrick Benson, Walt Ciechanowski, Don Mappin, Scott Martin, Matthew Neagley, Kurt “Telas” Schneider, Troy Taylor, Phil Vecchione Trait Design: Matthew Neagley Authors: John Arcadian, Patrick Benson, Walt Ciechanowski, Don Mappin, Scott Martin, Matthew Neagley, Martin Ralya, Kurt “Telas” Schneider, Troy Taylor, Phil Vecchione Lead Editor: Dan Von Holten Editors: Sara DeNunzio, Brian Nowak Assistant Editor: Martin Ralya Developer: Martin Ralya Art Director: John Arcadian Graphic Designer: Darren Hardy Layout: Darren Hardy Cover Artist: Christopher Reach Cover Designer: Darren Hardy Interior Artists: Avery Liell-Kok, Andrew McIntosh, Matt Morrow, Christopher Reach Border Artwork: Peter Szmer Indexer: Matthew Neagley NPC Groups: Robert M. Everson Proofreaders: Robert M. Everson, Daniel Milne, Samuel Mustain Capitalist Tool: Kurt “Telas” Schneider With special thanks to C.M. Cline for writing “The 7-Sentence NPC” in Dragon® Magazine #184 (August 1992), which inspired this book In memory of Jack Vasel and Amber Blackburn John—To the characters whose lives I have shared over the years—time in your shoes gave me perspective on my life and helped me shape myself into the person I wanted to be. Patrick—Dedicated to my wife Karen whom marrying was the best thing that I ever did, my daughter Calen for teaching me serenity, and my son Liam who is a character unto himself. Walt—To my parents, who encouraged me to harness my creativity. Without their support, I may have missed out on an enjoyable and fascinating hobby. My contribution to Masks would not be possible without them. Scott—I dedicate this book to all the characters in my life— from Dad, to Jennifer, Eric, and my game groups. None of my characters are you, I swear! Matthew—To my wife, the best GM ever, and my daughter, whose imagination is limitless, and to the rest of the gnomes for being a positive influence on both my games and my projects list. Martin—To my wife, Alysia, who puts up with my many quirks; my mom and dad, who raised a huge geek; and my daughter, Lark, who will grow up thinking that publishing books is normal. Kurt—For my mother, who encouraged my gaming. For my non-gaming wife, who selflessly enables my gaming. For our children and all the players out there, here is a plaything that will never wear out. Troy—To the Betty Boopster, my sounding board and anchor; and the Central Illinois Gamers Alliance, whose members bring their fantastic characters to life every Saturday morning. Phil—To all the great characters that have inspired and entertained me in the games I have run and played: Alex, Arion, Erland, Drake, Gabe, Merik, Spenser, Owen, Tai-Nu, and Tessa. Thank you. We’d also like to collectively dedicate this book to the readers of Gnome Stew and all of the GMs who bought our first book, Eureka. Without all of you, Masks wouldn’t exist. You rock! Masks: 1,000 Memorable NPCs for Any Roleplaying Game, Engine Publishing, the Engine Publishing logo, and the truncated gear device are trademarks of Engine Publishing, LLC. Masks: 1,000 Memorable NPCs for Any Roleplaying Game is copyright © 2011 as a whole, including all artwork, by Engine Publishing, LLC; all rights reserved. Each author’s contribution (listed in the author index) is copyright © 2011 by that individual author, and is used with permission; all rights reserved. Gnome Stew, The Game Mastering Blog, and the Gnome Stew logo are trademarks of Martin Ralya. The Engine Publishing logo was designed by Darren Hardy. Published by Engine Publishing, LLC in July 2011. enginepublishing.com PO Box 571992 Murray, UT 84157
3 contents Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Game Mastering Advice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Finding the Perfect NPC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 What’s in the Book? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Anatomy of a Masks NPC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Adapting and Re-Skinning Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Making Your Characters Memorable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Genres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Traits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 The Invisible Keywords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Fantasy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Villains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Neutrals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Allies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Sci-Fi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122 Villains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 Neutrals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 Allies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196 Modern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220 Villains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222 Neutrals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246 Allies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294 Indexes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318 NPCs by Traits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319 NPCs by Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322 NPCs by Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327 NPC Groups Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328 Contributor Bios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
4 ForeWord Whether you call yourself a game master, dungeon master, referee, judge, or keeper, you have one most important skill: You can show off a character in half a dozen ways. It could be a funny accent, a facial tic, standing in a hunched posture, a bobbly nod from the goblin servant, or a fierce growl when it’s time for the orc captain to demand surrender. The players are the heroes, but you make the world come alive. The joy of taking on the judge’s chair is the sense that, really, you can be anyone and everyone in a single night. In fact, it’s expected. So, you feel the joy of improvisation when a new NPC is thrust into the spotlight, and the rush of having the party question exactly the character you’ve fully prepared and thought through. You get the satisfaction of seeing the players follow the plan and love the ride. It’s an entirely different and much more panicky rush when the players take a sudden left turn and leave your plans in ruins—“Wait, they want to talk to the beggar prince instead of the wizard offering a treasure map? Eep!” In those instances, a novice game master may say “But you can’t do that!” or “That’s not the adventure!” The experienced game master says, “Well, are you sure?”—and then proceeds to go off on a wild excursion with new faces that become regulars, or foes whom the players learn to fear. Ultimately, all roleplaying games are about imaginary people and places, and the people part is the crucial one. Players rarely dwell on descriptions of scenery, but they parse every clue from a villain’s speech, and they will thoroughly question an evil high priest’s servants and followers for hints of his plans. Even the good-guy NPCs can really set the mood of a game session: the faithful armorer, the innkeeper who offers ale and a song to the conquering heroes, the arch-wizard who always, always turns someone into a frog. These are the friendly faces your players are praying their characters will see again when they miscalculate their odds against a dragon. So, a well-rehearsed game master is always the man or woman of 1,000 faces, and can play any part with full details, hooks, quirks, and weaknesses, enough so that the NPC’s voice or manner alone will tell the players who is speaking. Whether you do everything in-character or through description, you are the actor or director giving life to well-rounded, well-loved, well-respected, and well-feared voices. Nothing is more useful to mastering that sort of toolkit than a wide selection of stock characters, and this volume offers you that in multitudes. Read it cover-to-cover or browse it as needed, and bookmark the ones you know you’ll use next week. For the most jaded grognards among us, let me throw out a challenge: Choose a character archetype that’s not your usual style and see whether you can pull it off. You will certainly surprise your players. You may surprise yourself. A new character is like an introduction at a party: Anything might happen. So, read on and then make some introductions! Your players will surely be pleased to make their acquaintance. Wolfgang Baur Kirkland, WA June 2011
5 Introduction Welcome to Masks: 1,000 Memorable NPCs for Any Roleplaying Game, the second book from Engine Publishing and the authors of Gnome Stew—and thank you for buying it! I’m Martin Ralya, the founder of Engine Publishing and the owner of, and one of the contributors to, the game mastering blog Gnome Stew (gnomestew.com), and I’d like to tell you a little bit about Masks and why it’s so damned huge. After our first book, Eureka: 501 Adventure Plots to Inspire Game Masters, received rave reviews, became a PDF bestseller on DriveThruRPG (www.drivethrurpg.com), exceeded our wildest sales expectations, and was nominated for a 2010 Golden Geek Award for Best Supplement, and Gnome Stew won the silver 2010 GenCon EN World RPG Award for Best Blog, we thought to ourselves, “Oh, sh*t. Now people will expect us to do this again!” We’re passionate about GMing, and about system-neutral resources, and as it happened we had a sexy idea for another book: this one, our second swing for the fences. Before Eureka came out, we were told that a system-neutral book of adventure plots would be a tough sell; afterwards, some folks pointed out that it would have sold better as three separate books, one for each major genre. And you know what? It probably would have. As three separate books, we could have sold each miniEureka for more than a third of the price of the big book, and likely made more money. So why didn’t we? Because Eureka was conceived as the ultimate adventure toolkit, a resource for every GM of every skill level, and was based on the premise that you can easily adapt a plot from one genre to suit another genre. Splitting it up would have gone against those ideals, and the same is true of Masks. We believe that this is the ultimate NPC resource, a book that can find a happy home on every GM’s bookshelf, and that it’s useful in part because it’s insanely comprehensive and works well irrespective of what game or games you play. When we started working on Masks, I knew in the back of my mind that if we didn’t hit the ball harder and farther with this product, people would call our first book—and our amazing creative team, and this company—a flash in the pan. So we went big: Compared to Eureka, Masks is longer, hardcover instead of softcover, includes nearly double the amount of interior artwork (81 pieces vs. 41), and was produced by a bigger team (22 people vs. 19). Packed into this massive tome are a thousand distinctive, fascinating characters that you can use in any RPG, as well as indexes to help you find the ones you need and advice on making your portrayal of these and other NPCs unforgettable. To the best of our knowledge, it’s the largest resource of its kind—big, ballsy, nerdy, and made with a great deal of love. Producing Masks was a hell of a ride. We hope you’ll enjoy it for years to come. Martin Ralya Salt Lake City, UT June 2011
7 When you portray a character, it’s like putting on a mask: your mannerisms change, and your players perceive you differently in their imaginations. In this chapter, we’ll show you how to put on the 1,000 “masks” in this book and how to deliver a performance your players will never forget. This is a big book, but it’s also designed to be as easy to use on the fly as it is during game prep: Just flip to any NPC page, read some or all of one entry, and you’ll have enough information to play that NPC to the hilt. The template we designed for Masks makes it a breeze to use the book this way. To help you get the most out of Masks, we’ve provided GMing advice, tips, tricks, and tools in the seven sections of this chapter: How to Use this Book, Anatomy of a Masks NPC, Adapting and Re-Skinning Characters, Making Your Characters Memorable, Genres, Traits, and The Invisible Keywords. We wrote these characters, but it’s you who will bring them to life, work them into your games, and hopefully use Masks for the rest of your GMing career. Artist: Andrew McIntosh
Game Mastering 8 How to Use This Book If you want to dive in and start using Masks: 1,000 Memorable NPCs for Any Roleplaying Game right away, you can skip this chapter—this book is designed to be used on the fly, with no prep or delays. But if you’re not in a hurry, you’ll find a wealth of GMing advice, as well as information on how get the most out of Masks, in this chapter. What Is a Mask? When you portray a character in a roleplaying game, it’s like putting on a mask. You act differently, assuming a persona to match the mask, and your players perceive you differently in their mind’s eyes—just as if you were actually wearing a mask. This book provides 1,000 masks—a thousand vivid, memorable characters and the details you need to portray them convincingly to your players. Finding the Perfect NPC Whether you need a non-player character (NPC) right this hot minute or for next week’s game night, we’ve made it easy for you to find the kind of character you’re looking for. Here’s how Masks NPCs are organized: • Genre: Characters in Masks are divided into three intentionally broad genres: fantasy (334), sci-fi (333), and modern (333). Because the core elements of a great character have nothing to do with genre, you can use almost every character in this book in your game regardless of genre. Genre makes a good starting point, though, especially if you’re in a hurry. • Role: Masks NPCs fall into one of three general roles: villain, neutral, or ally. Villains are likely to be opposed to the PCs, while allies are inclined to be friendly or helpful to the party. Neutrals aren’t positioned in relation to the PCs in the same way that villains and allies are, and make up the bulk of any campaign world. With a little tweaking, though, you can turn any neutral NPC into an ally or villain—which is why Masks is 50% neutrals, 25% villains, and 25% allies. • Traits: Traits are brief descriptors like beautiful, police, and charming, and every NPC has at least two of them. Traits come in three general flavors—description, organization, and skill set—and all 47 traits are described in this chapter. You can also use the trait index (p. 319) to find NPCs with specific traits. The Name Ribbon If you need a name on the fly, or for inspiration, you can always pull one from any NPC entry in the book—but you can also use the “name ribbon” that appears at the bottom of every page in chapters 2, 3, and 4. Just flip to any page in the chapter of the appropriate genre—fantasy for fantasy names, for example—and you’ll find given names and nicknames on the left-hand, even-numbered pages and surnames and titles on the right-hand, odd-numbered pages. The names in each chapter are drawn from the NPCs found in Masks, and by combining a given name and a surname you can quickly generate a complete name on the spot. Naming conventions vary widely from game to game, so you may find names you like in chapters outside of your campaign’s genre, too—and with over 1,900 given names, surnames, and nicknames/titles in the name ribbon, there are a lot of names to choose from. Abbreviations and Terminology You’ll find a handful of common abbreviations used throughout Masks: • GM: Game Master • PC: Player Character • NPC: Non-Player Character • RPG: Roleplaying Game In writing Masks, we used the most universal terms for the person who runs the game (“GM” or “game master”), the events of one gaming session (“adventure”) or a linked series of sessions (“campaign”), and the PCs (“party”). Some games use different terms, like “scenario” instead of adventure, but we’re all talking about the same things. We also used gender-neutral terminology wherever possible, like “actor” to refer to both male and female actors, rather than “actor” for men and “actress” for women. The only exception is the outdoorsman trait—we couldn’t find an alternative term that was as elegant and efficient as “outdoorsman.”
Game Mastering 9 Gender and Ethnicity Masks features 500 female and 500 male NPCs, following roughly the same population split as the real world. For layout reasons, you won’t find strict male/female alternation from NPC to NPC, but the overall breakdown in each genre (and the whole book) is 50/50. The core elements of each NPC, however—their personality, motivations, quirks, and background—are almost entirely gender-neutral. You can use virtually any Masks NPC as a character of the opposite gender with little or no tweaking, apart from changing the pronouns. Most Masks NPCs are described without making any specific reference to their ethnicity, or to their skin color, although we didn’t explicitly avoid mentioning either element. This is intentional, as these characters are designed to be easy to fit into your game without a lot of work on your part. You can make them members of any ethnic group you like, or change any other aspect of these characters, to make them suit your game. Race 100% of the NPCs in Masks are written as human characters. We took this approach because virtually every RPG includes humans, but not every RPG features characters of other races, like elves, orcs, gnomes, or sentient dolphins. We want this book to be as useful as possible to as many GMs as possible, and it’s much easier to convert a human NPC to a character of another race than it is to go in the other direction. If you want to make any NPC in this book a member of another race, it’s usually as simple as saying “She’s an elf” or “He’s a Martian” and making a cosmetic change or two. Your players will never know that the character was originally written as a human. To provide inspiration for transforming Masks NPCs into members of other races, the artwork found throughout this book depicts both humans and non-humans. Every portrait in Masks illustrates a specific NPC, sometimes as written (as a human) and sometimes as a non-human. Masks: A Table Book and a Prep Book Masks is intended be used both as a “table book” and as a “prep book.” A table book is a resource you can bring to every gaming session to refer to during play, while a prep book is one that you use primarily between sessions, when you’re prepping for an adventure or a campaign. Many game mastering resources fill one role or the other; Masks fills them both. If you want to use Masks on the fly, there’s more than enough information in every NPC entry to enable you to portray a convincing, memorable character with zero prep. At the same time, not having pages and pages of information for each character makes it easy to bring these characters to life in a way that suits your game world—each NPC is a solid foundation for you to build on. What ’ s in the Book? Here’s what you’ll find in each chapter of Masks. Chapter 1: GMing Advice In the first section of this chapter, Anatomy of a Masks NPC, you’ll find a breakdown of the simple-yet-powerful template we use to describe every character in this book. We look at the common structure of each NPC in detail, and give you the tools you need to make the most of that format. You can also use our template in your campaign, adapting it to suit your GMing style. Adapting and Re-Skinning Characters gives you the tools you need to turn a fantasy NPC into a modern one, a modern NPC into a sci-fi character, a sci-fi NPC into a fantasy one, and so forth. With relatively little work, you can use any NPC in this book with any genre, and in any RPG. In Making Your Characters Memorable, we’ll explore how to wring every drop of roleplaying goodness out of your NPCs. The best character is a memorable character, whether you love them or hate them. Your players will remember how your NPCs act, look, and interact with them, not how high their Strength scores are. We’ll cover how to make your portrayals as vivid as possible in this section. The Genres section offers a brief discussion of the three broad genres in Masks (fantasy, sci-fi, and modern), and touches on the sub-genres that fall under each larger genre. In the Traits section, you’ll find complete descriptions of all 47 traits used in Masks. Every NPC is described in shorthand by two or more traits, from aggressive to dilettante to medic, and you can look characters up by trait in the index (p. 319). The Invisible Keywords rounds out the first chapter with a peek behind the curtain at the 83 personality keywords that were used as seeds to create every NPC in Masks. They don’t appear in the NPC entries because, having served their purpose, they were no longer useful—but they can be a handy tool when you want to create an NPC of your own.
Game Mastering 10 Chapters 2, 3, and 4: NPCs This is where the rubber meets the road: Masks features 1,000 NPCs divided into three genres, with a chapter for each genre—Fantasy, Sci-Fi, and Modern. Characters are further broken down by role, with a section for each role (villains, neutrals, and allies) in every chapter. No two characters are exactly alike, and they’re all written so that you can begin using them immediately—no prep required. If you introduce three new NPCs into your game every week, Masks will keep you in fresh characters for your next 333 gaming sessions. We designed this book to be useful for the rest of your GMing career, and we hope it will be. Chapter 5: Indexes The final chapter features three indexes to help you find exactly the character you need: NPCs by Trait, NPCs by Name, and NPCs by Author. Need a truly hateful villain? Look up the abhorrent trait, and you’ll have plenty to choose from. Remember a character’s name, but not which chapter she appeared in? You can look up NPCs by name. If you find that one author’s style gels particularly well with your game, you can also locate NPCs by author. You’ll also find an appendix of NPC Groups in this chapter. This appendix lists Masks NPCs who would work well as members of common groups, like a city watch unit for a fantasy game, the crew of a starship for a sci-fi game, or ordinary townsfolk for a modern game. If you need to populate a tavern with interesting NPCs on the fly, this appendix can help. Need Adventure Plots to Go with Your NPCs? Masks is the second book produced by Engine Publishing and the authors of Gnome Stew, and if you like this book, chances are you’ll also enjoy our first book, Eureka: 501 Adventure Plots to Inspire Game Masters. Eureka provides 501 complete, system-neutral plots for fantasy, sci-fi, and horror adventures, each of which includes enough material for an evening of gaming. Eureka plots are more than adventure seeds but less than complete adventures—they’re somewhere in between, providing enough material to cut down on game prep, but not so much that you waste a lot of time altering them to fit your campaign. Like Masks NPCs, Eureka plots are extensively indexed, and they’ll serve you well for years to come. You don’t need one book to enjoy the other, but they do complement each other—and when combined, they cover two major components of game mastering: creating NPCs and writing adventures. Anatomy of a Masks NPC In creating Masks, our goal was to convey as much immediately useful information about an NPC as possible in as little space as possible—and to make the end product vivid, memorable, and fun to play and interact with in the game. Every NPC in Masks is described using the same template— a template designed to be used both for roleplaying a character straight out of the book, with no prep at all, and as a foundation for creating fully fleshed-out characters. It looks simple on the surface, and it’s easy to use, but there’s a lot of design work behind this template. Most gaming books that focus on NPC descriptions take one of two approaches: They provide “character seeds,” brief write-ups just a sentence or two long, designed to spark your imagination; or they provide a page or more of detailed information about each character, generally including game mechanics. Character seeds are great for getting inspiration, but they leave a lot of the details to you to create—too many to really enable you to use those characters on the fly. Long write-ups are excellent when you want as much information about an NPC as possible, but not so hot when you need a character on the spot. Masks is different. The NPCs in this book are the middle ground between “too long” and “too short,” and they’re explicitly designed to be used both as a source of inspiration when writing adventures and as a resource at the gaming table. If you need an NPC on the fly, you can flip open Masks, read even just one or two elements of an entry, and you’ll know enough to improvise from there. But if you want to design the central villain for your entire campaign, you’ll find that Masks NPCs include enough detail and enough depth to serve as a solid foundation for creating a fully fleshed-out character. What makes that possible is the template used to describe each NPC—let’s take a look at it in detail. Name Each NPC has a name, generally including both a given name and a surname. Depending on her background, an NPC may also have a title, a nickname, or a secret identity, which will be listed here as well. Names are genre-appropriate, though they might need a bit of tweaking to fit into your game. You’ll also find every name in the book in the “name ribbon” at the bottom of each page in chapters 2, 3, and 4— so if all you need is a name, that’s the place to look.
Game Mastering 11 Capsule Description Every entry includes a brief, two-part description, usually in the form “[adjective] [noun],” as in “Evil Alchemist,” “Vengeful Starship Designer,” or “Obsessive-Compulsive Priest.” As with most other sections of the template, sometimes this will be all you need to get your creative juices flowing. If you’re short on time, “Obsessive-Compulsive Priest” actually gives you quite a bit to work with—chances are, you’re already visualizing that character. If you’re skimming the book, this section is also a great way to decide whether you should pause to read a particular entry. Lastly, crucial details that aren’t explained fully until later in an entry are included here, like “Possessed Cleric”—being possessed is an important detail, and we want you to know about it up front. Quote Below the NPC’s name is a snippet of dialogue spoken by that NPC, which serves as shorthand for conveying important elements of the character. The quote can also be used to inform the way you roleplay that NPC: Does the character use a lot of slang or jargon? Or does he speak in short, clipped sentences? If you’re an experienced GM, you can even pull a whole characterization out of the quote alone. Number Every entry is numbered, from 1 to 1,000, for easy reference. You can also use these numbers as shorthand in your notes (if you grab a Masks NPC on the fly, for example, and don’t want to forget which one you used). Appearance When you see this character, what stands out most? Key aspects of the NPC’s appearance are noted in this section. Remember that race, gender, ethnicity, and all other aspects of an NPC’s appearance can be changed to suit your game, generally without doing too much work. Roleplaying This section of the template includes “stage directions” for you to use in portraying the character: mannerisms, quirks, movements, favorite phrases, and other cues. Playing up these mannerisms will help to make the NPC memorable for your players, particularly if you adopt the character’s mannerisms every time you’re playing that character. Personality Personality is one of the core elements of every NPC—in many ways, it’s the most important part of the template. Consider your favorite character from a game, movie, or book: What do you remember most about them? Most likely, you remember them because of their unique personality—and the same is true of Masks NPCs, and of memorable NPCs in general. It’s not a character’s job, milieu, or trappings that make them interesting, although each of those elements can contribute to making them stand out—it’s who they are and what they’re like. Motivation If you’re using a character on the fly and you only have time to read one section, make it this one. The Motivation section is generally only a sentence or two long, but it gives you a powerful tool for portraying the NPC. If you know what a character wants, what drives them, then you can improvise their response to just about any situation—which is essentially what your players do in every session. Background This section describes the character’s story, and usually includes two of the following elements (and sometimes all three): past, present, and future. Knowing at least two of those aspects of an NPC’s background gives you useful information to work with, as well as engaging hooks to build on. You’ll also find GMing notes, tips, or other advice in this section, if applicable. If you’re running a Masks NPC straight Artist: Christopher Reach
Game Mastering 12 out of the book, without having read the entry beforehand, you can usually skip this section; if you’re fleshing out a character in detail, you’ll definitely want to read it. Traits Finally, each NPC entry includes two or more traits—short tags like humorous, political, and pilot—as well as a tag denoting the author of that character (in parentheses). Traits convey information in their own right, but they’re primarily useful as a tool to find the kind of character you need. Every trait has its own entry in the index (p. 319), so you can easily locate characters that share that trait. Traits are also described in detail in the Traits section in this chapter. Inspiration and Conciseness Masks was inspired by “The 7-Sentence NPC,” an article by C.M. Cline in the August 1992 issue of Dragon® Magazine, #184. Two decades on, this remains one of the best Dragon® articles ever published—it’s well worth tracking down. As you might guess from the title, it lays out a template for describing NPCs in just seven sentences, using one sentence apiece in categories like Occupation & History, Attributes & Skills, and Distinguishing Feature. Both our approach and C.M. Cline’s share the mission of providing a lot of useful, inspiring information about a character in as little space as possible. Both templates constrain character length, as well—ours by word count, C.M. Cline’s by sentences—and that constraint is important. Without a hard limit on how long each entry can be, it’s easy to find yourself writing a three-page NPC background that turns out to be all but useless as a reference during play. Having a constrained length for each entry avoids this problem, forcing you as the GM (and us, as authors) to find efficient, expressive, and concise ways of conveying a lot about a character in a small space. Movies do this all the time: They introduce a new character in such a way that, in one brief scene, you get a pretty complete picture of what that person is like, what they want, and what they’re all about. Combine that with the structure that comes from having to complete every element of the Masks template—which forces you to think about the character from multiple angles, and to really consider what makes them stand out—and you have a powerful tool for creating your own NPCs. It might seem difficult to use a template like this at first, since you have to fight the instinct to always write more—but it works. We hope you’ll put our template to use when creating characters in your home game. Even with 1,000 characters to choose from, it’s still possible that you won’t find an exact match for your game. We understand that your game is unique, and with a few simple tricks you can alter any of the characters in Masks to create a custom character to fit your needs. We like to refer to these tricks as “re-skinning.” Much like a video game uses skins over a polygonal wireframe model to create its visuals, you can customize any Masks character with the “skin” of your choice. There are three easy ways to re-skin a Masks character: • Change the character’s genre • Convert the character from human to non-human • Polarize the character—replace one of the NPC’s traits with its polar opposite These methods take no more than a few minutes to employ, and with enough practice, you will be able to use them on the fly. Let’s tackle them in order. Genre: Explaining the “How” The three genres that are covered in Masks—fantasy, modern, and sci-fi—represent just a few of many possibilities for the setting of your game. Each genre is such a unique and wonderful animal that it may be hard to imagine that a character written for one genre can be used in another with just a few minor tweaks. Yet changing the genre of a character is the easiest of these three tricks to apply. You just need to understand what it is that the genre provides in your game: Genre explains how things are accomplished within the game world. Let’s take a simple premise, like a ranged attack, and modify it to fit each of the three broad genres in Masks. In the fantasy genre, a crossbow could explain how a character might have a ranged attack. In a modern game, that same attack could be accomplished using a pistol. The ranged attack might be in the form of a ray gun in a sci-fi adventure. None of these devices need a great deal of explanation as to how they work within their associated genre—each one sufficiently, and simply, explains how a ranged attack can be made in that genre.
Game Mastering 13 Now we need to take a step back and apply that same logic to the characters in a game. Characters fulfill different roles within the game world. To convert a Masks character from one genre to another, you just need to identify the role they filled in their original genre, and then re-skin the character with the equivalent role in your game. For example, “constable” is a common role in the fantasy genre. The constable walks the streets of the town or village to prevent wrongdoing and to protect the locals. The items that the constable uses might be a simple club for intimidation purposes (and actual use against the more lively troublemakers) as well as some rope for restraining people when needed. Swap that club for a police baton and the rope for handcuffs, add a revolver and a badge, and now that fantasy constable character is the local beat cop in a modern game. Upgrade the baton to a stun rod, change the handcuffs to neural inhibitor restraints, and replace the revolver with a plasma pistol (but keep the badge), and that beat cop is now the security enforcer for Space Sector Seven in your sci-fi campaign. It’s that easy to change the genre of a Masks character. Identify the role the character was originally written to fill and an equivalent role in your game; then, identify what tools and traits need to be altered to fit the new genre. Change those tools and traits, and you’re set. Species: A Reflection of Human Nature Fantasy games feature elves, dwarves, orcs, and goblins, just to name a few of the many species that are common to the genre. Sci-fi stories often focus on alien beings and highly advanced robots. Even a modern game can push the envelope with vampires, intelligent chimps that speak in sign language, and artificial intelligence. Obviously, many RPGs feature non-human characters—so why are all of the NPCs in Masks written as humans? They’re all written as humans because just as changing the genre of a character is a simple matter, it’s also easy to switch a character from human to non-human. It’s easy because all characters are reflections of humanity. Think of the nonhuman characters that are found in books, television, and film and you’ll notice that many of them exhibit isolated and exaggerated human qualities. Elves tend to exemplify human grace, and in some cases, elves also represent the vanity of the human race. Dwarves, on the other hand, display strength and tenacity and embrace labor and craftsmanship, but they also exhibit the stubbornness and close-mindedness found in humans. Orcs are the symbol of our barbaric sides, and goblins are examples of the vile trickery that we are capable of. And those are just a few examples from certain styles of fantasy games—you will find examples of this trend in other genres, as well. In order to convert a Masks character to another species, use the NPC’s traits as a starting point and combine them with the genre of your game. Perhaps you are running a sci-fi game and the character that you wish to convert has the primal trait. The primal trait might suggest an alien that lives on a hostile world where survival of the fittest is the only rule, so you decide to re-skin that NPC as an alien. The character is described as having exceptional reflexes and athletic abilities, so you decide that the NPC is an alien whose species resembles the large jungle cats of Earth—only humanoid in appearance. They have developed high-tech hunting gear to take down the massive beasts that inhabit their home world. With just the genre, a keyword—the trait—and a quick readthrough of the NPC’s entry, we have transformed him from a human being into a member of a powerful feline species with cunning intelligence and a fierce nature. We simply exaggerated certain qualities and then transformed them from human to non-human, while keeping them applicable to the genre. Take a few moments to apply this technique to any of the characters in Masks and you will quickly discover just how simple it is to turn them into something no one would recognize as human. Artist: Christopher Reach
Game Mastering 14 Polarizing: Two Sides of the Same Coin This book supplies you with 1,000 characters, but upon mastering the art of polarizing a character you will instantly double that number. Polarization is a trick that has an immediate payoff, and it’s an easy trick to perform. Think of polarizing a character as if you were photographing a person with a film camera (not a digital one). The photograph is the fully developed picture that displays the person exactly as she appeared at the time that the picture was taken, but in addition to the photograph you also have the negative from which it was developed. When you look at a negative the qualities of the photo are reversed: The areas that are dark in the photograph appear light in the negative, and vice versa. The negative is in many ways the visual opposite of the photograph. Polarizing a character is similar: Just replace some of the qualities of the NPC, as written, with their opposites. As with changing the species, we can use the character’s listed traits as a tool for polarization. If a character has the leader trait, you can re-skin him as a follower incapable of commanding others; a character with the military trait can be transformed into an anarchist who despises the very idea of rank. You can also go beyond traits and apply the trick of polarizing a character to any aspect of a Masks NPC. If the character’s background describes a lonely childhood, then polarize it: Describe that NPC as always being surrounded by friends and family. If the character’s motivation is to get a promotion at work, switch that around so that the character wishes that she could go back to an easier job that she held in the past. You can even apply this trick to character descriptions. If a character is described as tall, overweight, and having thick hair, change the character to be short, skinny, and bald. Just switching the gender of a character instantly re-skins the character. Polarizing a description is an easy way to recycle a favorite Masks character for use in another game. Master these simple tricks of changing a character’s genre, species, and traits, and you will discover that Masks offers many more than just 1,000 characters. It might be more accurate to say that Masks offers you 1,000 starting points from which you can develop your own custom characters as needed. On top of that, you can use all of these tricks with characters drawn from any source that you can think of, not just the ones found in Masks. Like the Masks template itself, re-skinning is a powerful tool to add to your GMing toolkit. Making Your Characters Memorable Think of your favorite character from any movie or story. I’m betting it wasn’t hard to do—memorable characters have a way of connecting with us from the first time we see them on the screen or read their description in print. They capture our attention, and long after the story has ended we still think about them, do imitations of them, and tell stories about them to our friends. As game masters, we want our NPCs to be memorable, as well. We want to create and portray NPCs that are so memorable that our players can’t wait to interact with them again. We want our heroic NPCs to shine and our villainous NPCs to be reviled. We even want our players to remember the shopkeeper in the next town over. Our goal is to make that NPC more than just statistics and flavor text, and breathe life into them in a way that makes a connection with our players. What makes a character memorable? We know that some characters are more memorable than others. Therefore, those memorable characters must possess one or more qualities which set them apart from every other character in the story. The qualities that make these characters memorable are also qualities that we can apply to NPCs. While there is no single, definitive list of those qualities, some do tend to appear more often in memorable characters. Attitude From the street fighter who cracks his neck before a fight to the sultry stare of the femme fatale, attitude is a quality that attracts us to a character. It can run the spectrum from hostile to passionate. In memorable characters, their attitudes stand front and center and permeate their every action. For the viewer, the character’s attitude becomes the label for the character: the badass, the scoundrel, etc. For an NPC, attitude comes through the expression of the GM. You convey it in the way you speak, the way you look at your players, and in the way your NPC acts. The NPC’s attitude should be overt, and a memorable NPC will have an abundance of it. If your NPC is a badass, then have her throw a punch when no one would expect it—in other words, remind your players about the NPC’s attitude through action.
Game Mastering 15 Style Handmade silk suits, expensive sports cars, and opulent castles are the hallmarks of characters with style. Similarly, a handmade skirt made from neckties or an old, but carefully patched winter coat can express a sense of style without also conveying wealth. Style is frequently expressed in the way a character is dressed and groomed, the possessions he owns, and the way the character moves. The style of the NPC is not in action, but in description. Your description of an NPC needs to convey who that character is. When describing the NPC, refer to iconic characters from books, movies, and other media to help evoke those images of style—for example, “He has a Clooney-like smile.” Style is something that changes from setting to setting, so at times you will need to be overt with your players about the significance of an NPC’s style. For instance, “The Daimyo’s kimono is embroidered with gold threads; a sign of his lofty position and his favor from the Shogun.” One final point: The best styles are those that are not trendy, but timeless. Depth From the scoundrel with a heart of gold to the unfeeling warrior who is great with kids, depth is what makes a character transcend stereotype and become believable. Depth often appears in the form of layered emotions or needs, and it’s best when those layers are in conflict with one another, or are opposites of one another. An NPC’s depth comes from what the NPC says, does, and in many cases, what they do not do. Depth comes from presenting an outward persona for an NPC and then creating a different one underneath that exterior. Your players will learn of the exterior persona through their interactions with the NPC. Then, at the right moment, peel back the exterior and for just a moment reveal that second layer. Take the warrior NPC who has just laid waste to an army of enemies, and put her in conflict with one of the PCs. They battle, and the NPC wins the fight; the PC lays at her mercy, awaiting death. Instead of slaying him, the NPC lowers her sword and tells the PC that her soul cannot bear anymore killing this day…and then walks away. That character has depth, and your players will never forget her. Visuals Implanted mirror shades, full-body tattoos, a horrific, disfiguring facial scar—these are visual images that memorable characters burn into your mind’s eye. Visuals can be tied to style, or they can be interesting or unique features about a character. These visuals can be beautiful or horrific, and they are often on display to the world. Like an NPC’s style, you describe their visuals to your players. When describing the important visual elements of a character, be detailed and graphic in your description. During a scene with an NPC, make references to the visual element several times in order to reinforce the image you’re trying to convey to your players. Once the image is set, you can describe the NPC later using only one reference to that visual element and your players will know exactly who you are talking about. The other trick to visuals is to give an NPC no more than one or two strong visual elements. If you make everything about the NPC visually stunning, you will drown your players with descriptive prose. Uniqueness Some characters are truly unique, breaking the mold and inspiring dozens of derivatives. Characters this unique often have some interesting combination of traits that do not go together naturally. The combination of these traits draws us in, as they challenge our stereotypes and force us to imagine the character outside of our comfort zone. For the NPC, uniqueness is often lightning in a bottle: It happens more often by accident than through careful planning. If you do try to plan for uniqueness, consider the juxtaposition of traits and breaking stereotypes: A barbarian who abstains from all vices, a not-so-bright wizard, and an AI who despises machines are all on the path to becoming unique. Tagline The tagline—a catchphrase or snippet of speech associated with a character—is a quality that will often be remembered even if the character himself goes largely unremembered. A strong tagline can sum up an entire character. A good tagline is not only about the words themselves, but also how they are delivered. It is the emotion, the tone, and the delivery that etches the words into our minds and makes us imitate them repeatedly. Conversely, an overused tagline can be cliché, and, said at the wrong time, can be jarring. Taglines are all about the right words said at the right time. To come up with a tagline for an NPC, you first need to find a “voice” for the NPC. Start with an understanding of who the NPC is and how she speaks. The best taglines are those that match the personality of the NPC. If the NPC is a grim warrior, then his tagline should be about combat or violence. A steampunk engineer, however, should have a tagline associated with inventions and discovery. Unless you running a game set in modern times, avoid trendy slang at all costs.
Game Mastering 16 Tips and Tricks There is no one formula for creating a memorable character. While focusing on the elements presented so far is one good approach, it’s also handy to have a grab bag of techniques for making your NPCs stand out. Pick a technique or two from this section that sounds interesting, try them out, and add the ones that work best for you to your GMing toolkit. The Hook A memorable NPC is the bait on the adventure hook—and that means designing the character to be just that. It doesn’t matter if the character is an ally, villain, interloper, damsel, or patron; the NPC’s purpose—jump-starting or advancing the story—is more vital than her role or any other descriptor. The trick is to design NPCs like this to appeal to at least one player, if not several. Find out what characters the PCs want to defeat, help, or be aided, taunted, or challenged by and you’ll be well on your way. The NPC then becomes the doorway to an encounter, session, or even an entire campaign. Trademarks Every memorable character has an element or characteristic you can replicate each time you present him—a trademark. It’s all part of giving an NPC a definable “voice,” a reminder your players can latch onto and that you can deliver with certainty. Whether it’s an accent or speech pattern, a mannerism such as making grand sweeping gestures when talking, or a simple prop like a hat or fake mustache, give each NPC at least one thing to mark them in your players’ minds. All are recognizable visual or audio clues that reliably say, “She’s back!” One fun payoff from using this technique: Imagine the dramatic impact of a player overhearing a treasonous plot, and recognizing the prince’s stutter… It’s worth noting that you don’t actually need a prop to use one, either. Props are nice, but it is often not possible to collect the perfect object for every NPC. Pantomime is a perfectly useful tool. If your NPC is nervous and fidgets with her hat while talking, then pretend you are holding a hat and turning the brim in your hands. With a little imagination, you can create all the props you need. The Feel Getting a feel for a character is critical to making that NPC memorable—focus on the feel rather than the details. Think of an iconic character from a movie or book, and chances are it’s the feel that you remember first. Without knowing the character’s occupation, what her father was like, or the name of her childhood dog, you “get” what a memorable, iconic character is just by looking at her. The minutiae are much less important than what the character conveys as a whole. When creating or portraying an NPC, try to get an idea for the feel of the character and let your subconscious bring out the details naturally. Take Shortcuts “Cast” your NPCs. Use a celebrity as a template, and your players will automatically know what the NPC looks and sounds like without you needing to provide much description. Even if you’re uncomfortable roleplaying the NPC, your players’ minds see and hear the celebrity rather than you. Remember that you aren’t limited by time or profession, either: A celebrity can be anyone from any point in history. Names Whatever you do, choose a name everyone at the table can pronounce. Nothing derails a dramatic moment like stopping to spell an NPC’s three times while your players try to write it down… Artist: Matt Morrow
Game Mastering 17 Looking Like an Idiot You’re going to look like an idiot when you act out an NPC, but do it anyway. The kinds of extreme movements, facial contortions, and unrealistic voices that actors use are necessary to adequately convey the characters they play to the audience. The same thing holds true when you, as the GM, are acting out an NPC for your players. To get players to interact with a NPC, you need to act out the personality of that NPC in extreme ways. You might look funny playing a character to the hilt, but that’s okay. Your friends, the players, won’t think twice about the extreme oddity of your actions; they’ll only remember the snarky guardsman or benevolent cleric they just interacted with. Watch Your Players You know you’ve succeeded in making a memorable NPC when your players say things like, “Oh, she’s going to say X” or “He’s totally going to do Y.” If you think an NPC is memorable and your players aren’t doing that, the NPC probably isn’t very memorable—and you need to do more to make them stand out. A memorable NPC is a tremendous asset for your campaign, one that should be nurtured and developed over time. With that in mind, it’s important to note that boring NPCs can be saved. Change things about them that your players don’t know yet, give them focal scenes, have them help or hinder the PCs in a specific, over-the-top way, and don’t get hung up on the fact that they didn’t work right out of the gate. Creating a boring NPC doesn’t make you a bad GM. You may also notice that the NPCs your players love (or hate) and care about aren’t the ones you wanted them to care about—in which case, trust your players: Put the NPCs they do care about in the foreground, and move the ones they care less about into the background. Patterns People have inertia: We get in ruts and we fall into patterns. Give your NPCs patterns and they will feel more realistic— and be more surprising when they break that habit. Ruts can include the stories they tell when a particular subject comes up, the route they take to work, and what they order for dinner on Thursdays. Limited “screen time” can make the line between an NPC with a pattern and stereotype difficult to tell apart. That’s okay. Because RPGs are interactive and unpredictable, a barkeep that starts as a stereotype can develop personality, and a fully fleshed-out character can die before she reveals her depth. Help Yourself Out NPC screen time is a composite. Most NPCs get limited play time; sometimes even the villain driving the plot only gets a few lines before the stabbing begins. Have friendly NPCs discuss, anticipate, or dread the arrival of other characters, and you can create a more rounded view of the NPC than direct interaction with the PC will allow. Having other NPCs mention flaws and concerns about an ally will help make both NPCs feel more realistic—the ally for having flaws, and the commenting NPC for being opinionated. Good Villains and Allies A good villain is more than just a challenge based upon the game’s mechanics. Players cannot interact with a collection of statistics, and no one will care what type of gear the NPC is using (apart from wanting to acquire it as loot). Even being attacked by an NPC carries little weight in the long run. However, the NPC thatinsults the PCs publicly, calls them out over an unfair debt, or betrays them is sure to be remembered. To make it stick, you have to make it personal. Great allies have something at stake, too, and an NPC who risks her highest priorities in order to help the PCs should make this clearly known. The peasant who risks execution for smuggling food to the PCs, or the nobleman who may become a political outcast for speaking out on the party’s behalf should not be wallflowers about the dangers that they face. The players need to know that their PCs’ role in the game world is supported by NPCs. Make Them Matter Ensure that each NPC has the ability to influence the game world, if only a little bit.An NPC who has no real impact on the game world is just an extra, and extras aren’t all that interesting. It’s easy to make major characters matter—the big villain is usually out to destroy the world, after all—but the minor ones should matter, too. For example: When your players piss off Trader Jim, the only merchant in town, they’ll be without a source of supplies until they can either patch things up with him or find another source. Don’t Fall In Love Even though your goal should always be to make every character memorable, remember that NPCs exist to support the campaign, not to steal the limelight away from your players and their characters. Focus on what the purpose is for an NPC in a particular scene and, once the purpose is fulfilled, get them off stage. An ally who always outshines the PCs or a villain who always gets away after bloodying the PCs becomes an annoyance rather quickly.
Game Mastering 18 Genres Masks NPCs are divided into three genres: fantasy, sci-fi, and modern. These are intentionally broad divisions, intended to cover the vast majority of RPGs. Why so broad, though? Why not break down Masks NPCs into multiple sub-genres? Because when you get down to it, genre is one of the least important elements of a great character. It’s not unimportant, though—for one thing, it’s difficult to write up a character without having a genre in mind. (Don’t take our word for it: Try to write a compelling genre-neutral character, and you’ll see what we mean!) Genre makes a good foundation or starting point, but the elements that make a character memorable often have nothing to do with genre. They have much more to do with that character’s personality, quirks, drives, and background than they do with what genre the character happens to fit into. From a GMing perspective, this is great: it means that with very little effort, you can move an NPC from one genre to another. Masks is designed to take advantage of this, giving you a huge pool of characters that are likely to match your genre of choice as-is while also making it simple to use characters from all three genres in every game you run. That’s why genre matters—because it gives you, the GM, an easy way to get a handle on a character, especially when you’re using that character on the fly. With that in mind, let’s look at the three genres in Masks. Fantasy The majority of fantasy RPGs are grounded, at least to some extent, in the Middle Ages—usually an idealized version that includes monsters, magic, and adventurers. But “fantasy” is such a broad term that it covers everything from epic tales of world-altering significance to grim and gritty games where the PCs have to struggle just to survive—and all points between those two extremes. Just as most fantasy RPGs aren’t set in our world (though some are), the majority of the fantasy NPCs in Masks are assumed to exist in a world other than our own. Broadly speaking, there are four major sub-genres of fantasy in RPGs: traditional, high fantasy, grim and gritty, and swashbuckling. The lines between those genres tend to blur in most games—and there’s even some blurring with the post-apocalyptic sub-genre of sci-fi, which tends to feature what are essentially re-skinned fantasy tropes and characters. Sci-Fi If fantasy is a broad genre, sci-fi is doubly so. Science fiction encompasses everything from space opera to cyberpunk to modern-day supernatural thrillers. Sci-fi games often feature futuristic settings, advanced technology, faster-thanlight travel, aliens, and psychic abilities—though not always. There’s no default setting assumed for sci-fi NPCs, and they can work equally well in sci-fi versions of our world or farflung visions of the future that have few, if any, connections to the real world. Within the sci-fi umbrella, most RPGs fall into one of six sub-genres: space opera, cyberpunk, hard sci-fi, post-apocalyptic, steampunk, or supers. Given that cyberpunk games are usually set in the near future, and supers games are most often set in the modern world, there’s quite a bit of overlap between some sci-fi sub-genres and some modern subgenres. Modern “Modern” is more of a catch-all category than an actual genre—no one sits down to play a modern game, they play an espionage game, a horror game, or a game about plucky high school students fighting the supernatural. It’s a useful catch-all, though, as many RPGs are set in the modern world. Modern NPCs in Masks won’t look out of place in a game set at any point in the past century or so, or in the near future. Modern NPCs also have a default setting: our world, or at least a world that looks a lot like ours. That means that they usually won’t use magic, have superpowers, or otherwise be more than human (though there are a few exceptions). Those elements tend to be specific to certain kinds of game, and they’re often easier to add to a character after the fact than they are to remove.
Game Mastering 19 Traits Traits are one-word descriptors of defining aspects of the NPCs in Masks, such as eccentric for a strange old woman or medic for a doctor. Referencing an NPC’s traits can help you find a character with particular characteristics, allow you to find NPCs similar to one you already like, or simply help spark new ideas. If you need a specific type of NPC, pick the trait that best encompasses what you’re looking for and check the trait index in the back of the book (p. 319) to find a list of NPCs that share that feature. If you need an aged NPC, search for the ancient trait; for a hardened mercenary, try the warrior trait; and for an exceptionally repugnant villain, you could search for the abhorrent trait. If you’re looking for an NPC similar to one you’ve already selected, find the trait that best captures what you want to duplicate and check the index for other NPCs with that trait. In this way, you can locate copy-cat killers, red herrings, family members, co-workers, or long lost twins. You can also use traits to lead you to NPCs who can inspire new adventures. Scan the list of traits for one you haven’t used recently, and then check the index to find a few examples of NPCs who embody that trait. While the focal trait specifically denotes the NPCs who play a dramatic role in the world around them, every NPC holds the potential to inspire a new scene. For example, you might select the police trait, pick a law enforcement NPC, and build a scene in which the PCs need to convince the cop to give them a piece of confidential information. From there, answering the questions “What information do the PCs need?” and “Why do they need it?” can easily lead to the premise for an entire adventure. Trait Categories Traits are grouped into three categories: description, organization, and skill set. All 47 traits used in Masks are described below, and you can search for NPCs by trait in the trait index (p. 319). You’ll also find an author’s initials listed in the trait section of every NPC entry, and there’s an index of NPCs by author (p. 327) that will be useful if you find that a particular author’s style closely matches your own. Description Traits in this category call out a notable and defining aspect of an NPC. Because it’s not possible to provide a trait for every possible feature of all 1,000 characters in Masks, we’ve provided only those that are the most useful, the most frequently applied, and that we believe you’re most likely to search for. abhorrent: An abhorrent NPC behaves in ways that are deemed strongly repugnant by the standards of most societies—serial killers are a good example. Abhorrent NPCs often feature elements that may be distasteful to some players and that may be inappropriate for some age groups. These are not nice people, and it’s worth considering how your players will react before using these NPCs. aggressive: These NPCs pursue their goals or impulses with dogged and domineering persistence, and they often have an in-your-face attitude. Bikers, salespeople, and Mafia thugs all fall into this category. ancient: Ancient NPCs are just that—very old. beautiful: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so NPCs with this trait encompass many kinds of beauty, from male models with chiseled abs to plump, curvaceous young women. This trait is used to describe both women and men. child: These NPCs are literally children, and no older than their late teens. NPCs who are childlike, but not children, will likely have the eccentric trait, instead. eccentric: Eccentric NPCs engage in behavior that is odd but not necessarily offensive or dangerous. They might be insane, or they might just be quirky. famous: A famous NPC could be a household name throughout the world, or they might be a minor local celebrity—fame is relative, and depends on the nature of your setting and your game. Political figures, celebrities, sports stars, and bored socialites all share this trait. focal: These NPCs are well-suited to being the focal point of an entire story arc or campaign. An NPC who is focal in one type of game—the mayor of a town in a campaign set in that town, for example—might not even register in another kind of game (like an epic fantasy campaign in which the PCs are all gods), but if an NPC could be focal in their own kind of game, they’ll have this trait. genius: The NPC is exceptionally intelligent—well beyond smart, in most cases. In Masks, this trait is shared by brilliant scientists, gifted inventors, and inspired conquerors alike. hideous: Awful or offensive to look at, hideous NPCs are deformed, twisted, inhuman, or just plain ugly. There’s no moral component to this trait—you’ll find hideous villains as well as hideous saints.
Game Mastering 20 humorous: NPCs who can easily be used as comic relief are labeled with this trait. They often have funny quirks or amusing backgrounds, but their use isn’t limited to comedy games. impoverished: Impoverished NPCs have little in the way of money or resources, often making it difficult both for them to help themselves and for the PCs to ignore their needs. mysterious: A classic trope common to many RPGs, mysterious NPCs are perfect for delivering clues, handing out missions, providing red herrings, or just adding suspense to your game. notorious: Notorious NPCs are well-known for their crimes or heinous behavior—they’re famous, but for bad reasons. As with the famous trait, a notorious NPC could be known on any scale, from worldwide to local. power hungry: NPCs with this trait desire more influence, political power, or status—they’re after power of some sort, whether on a small scale or on a global or interstellar level. saintly: These NPCs are exceptionally good, and are often holy, although there isn’t always a religious connotation to this trait. The saintly trait attests to the goodness of a character’s actions, not their affiliation; martyrs and good Samaritans alike can possess this trait. (For religious NPCs, try the religious trait.) wealthy: When you want an NPC with money, the wealthy trait is the way to go. Some wealthy NPCs can simply afford to pamper themselves, while others can buy and sell entire worlds. zealot: The zealot trait generally implies an unhealthy, overthe-top, or slavish devotion to an ideal or concept—perfect for when you want an NPC who’s unwavering and unreasonable in his beliefs. Organization These traits indicate the kind of organization that the NPC works for or belongs to; it can also indicate occupation, and there’s a bit of overlap between the Organization and Skill Set categories in this area. Though the majority of NPCs in Masks have one of these traits, it’s generally easy to “drift” this trait, tweaking a character to fit into a different organization or profession. academic: These NPCs work in schools, think tanks, or other organizations that are focused primarily on the use and acquisition of knowledge. adventurer: This trait describes both adventurers proper (and in the RPG sense) and those NPCs who have exciting, fast-paced, high-risk careers. business: NPCs who are involved with a business, big or small, have the business trait. This includes everyone from mom-and-pop store clerks to multinational CEOs. criminal: Criminal NPCs are lawbreakers of one stripe or another, and sometimes part of a formal criminal organization. This trait covers everyone from Mafia thugs to talented professionals who steal for the thrill. entertainment: From actors to movie stars to bards and troubadours, these NPCs make a business of entertaining others. military: Military NPCs belong to a military or paramilitary organization, at any level. Though most also have the warrior trait, many are experts of another type as well. occult: This trait designates NPCs who deal with the occult, paranormal, or outré. Many NPCs with the occult trait also have another organizational trait—being a cultist or an expert in vampire lore is rarely one’s sole occupation. police: Law enforcement officers, support staff, and specialists are all listed with the police trait. This trait is also used for security officers, guards, and the like. political: Every NPC in the political machine—from the lowliest courtier in a fantasy game to a presidential candidate in a modern campaign—has this trait. Nobles generally have the royalty trait instead, though some NPCs have both (and it’s easy to drift characters from one to the other). primal: Members of cultures that exist close to nature and have limited access to technology, as well as other individuals who exhibit these characteristics, have the primal trait. religious: NPCs who belong to a religious organization of any type have the religious trait, regardless of their devotion, faith, or piety. For an especially holy NPC, try the saintly trait instead. royalty: The royalty trait applies to all members of the nobility, from dukes to emperors. The royalty and political traits are different in focus, but drifting NPCs from one to the other is usually quite simple. Skill Set A skill set defines the area of a character’s expertise and includes the talents, knowledge, and skills associated with it. Often, a given NPC will have more than one skill set trait, denoting several areas of expertise. Skill sets are easy to add or subtract from an NPC, even if the end result seems a bit odd. For example, a professor without the scholar trait might be incompetent, with no real mastery of the subject he teaches, or a pacifist with the soldier skill set might have seen so much suffering during her last tour of duty that she swore off violence forever.
Game Mastering 21 artist: Artist NPCs create works with aesthetic appeal. Masks makes no distinction between material and performance art, though there is occasionally crossover between the artist and crafter traits. charming: These NPCs are easy to get along with, and usually possess skills related to persuasion or seduction. This trait is often found enhancing other traits, such as counselor or leader. counselor: An NPC whose role is to console, guide, calm, or provide psychological care will have the counselor trait. crafter: Crafter NPCs create or repair goods which primarily provide utility, so both a mechanic and a blacksmith would possess this trait. If these goods also have an aesthetic quality, the NPC may also have the artist trait. dilettante: NPCs with the dilettante trait have no significant marketable skill set, or they dabble in many areas without being an expert in any of them. laborer: Laborer NPCs have jobs requiring physical work and limited specialization and training. leader: These characters lead, command, and motivate their subordinates. NPCs with this trait can be inspiring beacons or abusive bullies. magical: NPCs whose primary skills involve spellcasting, rituals, or divination have the magical trait. This trait also applies to characters with psychic powers or supernatural abilities, which is why you’ll find modern and sci-fi NPCs with this trait, not just fantasy characters. medic: Medic NPCs are healers skilled at repairing injury, curing disease, and first aid. Their effectiveness may vary by situation and available equipment. merchant: These NPCs have skills geared towards the sale of goods—on any scale and employing a variety of methods. outdoorsman: Skilled in hunting, survival, tracking, and a wide range of other wilderness skills, NPCs with the outdoorsman trait may be generalists or specialists. pilot: NPCs whose skill set involves transportation in any of its various forms have the pilot trait. If a pilot is skilled in vehicle combat they will usually also have the warrior trait. In general, it’s easy to drift a pilot from one genre to another just by changing their vehicle (or mount) of choice. scholar: Scholar NPCs possess skills involved in recalling, researching, and comparing knowledge on a given range of topics. In most cases, scholars deal in raw knowledge, not applied knowledge, which is covered by the scientist trait. scientist: Specializing in applied knowledge, NPCs with the scientist trait use knowledge to produce discoveries, inventions, and prototypes. Raw knowledge is covered by the scholar trait, and production and maintenance of standard goods is covered by the crafter trait. A scholar might have extensive knowledge of automobiles, while a scientist designs the next generation of vehicles, and a crafter maintains those already on the market. stealthy: The stealthy trait covers a wide range of skills: stealth, assassination, tracking, sleight of hand, etc. Which subset an NPC possesses depends on what is appropriate to their role and the needs of the game. warrior: An NPC with the warrior trait is skilled in combat. The weapon and fighting style of choice is largely irrelevant and easily tweaked to suit your game. white collar: White collar NPCs are primarily “desk jockeys,” office workers, and the like, dealing with paperwork and employed in jobs that analyze knowledge or facilitate other positions. Artist: Christopher Reach
Game Mastering 22 The Invisible Keywords With 10 authors and the goal of writing 1,000 distinctive, memorable characters, we knew we needed a framework to keep ourselves from creating 500 angst-ridden dark elves and 500 erotic bakers (the natural conclusion sans framework, of course!). Splitting the book up into thirds by genre is one element of that framework; further dividing them by role was another—but we felt like something was missing. When we wrote our first book, Eureka, we used the themes from Georges Polti’s The Thirty-Six Dramatic Situations, a fascinating 1917 book that posits that there are only 36 basic plots for dramatic works—period. The framework provided by those themes gave the book character, forced us to think about plots in a different way, and ensured a diverse mix of plot types. So when we sat down to write Masks, we naturally looked for an analog for characters—but we couldn’t find one. The closest we came was The Characters, a study of character sketches written by Theophrastus over 2,000 years ago. But while The Characters was suitably nerdy, it didn’t include the right mix of character types for a book like Masks, nor did it have the right feel. So we created our own list of 83 personality keywords, 42 of them positive and 41 of them negative. Now, you might be thinking, “Hey, that means there are only 83 personalities in Masks,” and you’d be right—sort of. We used these keywords as starting points, as core personality traits that should be visible in the finished NPC—not as rigid constraints. Artist: Matt Morrow
Game Mastering 23 With 83 keywords split among 1,000 NPCs in three roles within three genres, each keyword was used in the creation of approximately one villain, two neutrals, and one ally in each genre—and those four NPCs were almost always written by four different authors. That ensured that all 12 instances of each keyword (give or take) were spread throughout Masks, and because different authors approached the same keyword in different ways, it resulted in 1,000 distinct NPCs—no two Masks characters are exactly alike. This approach also forced us to think more creatively, because positive keywords were used as seeds to write villains, and vice versa. Writing a villain around the personality keyword “bloodthirsty” is easy—but writing one around the keyword “kind” is not, and the result tends to be a deeper character. There’s plenty of room for both stereotypical NPCs and NPCs who play against type in every campaign, and you’ll find both varieties—and every variation in between—in Masks. We didn’t include these keywords in each NPC entry because once the characters were written, they were no longer useful. In the same way that a full-grown plant emerges from a seed, detailed NPCs emerged from these keywords, each one blending its starting keyword with other elements and taking it in a different direction. But up front, these keywords were quite useful to us, and they can be just as useful to you in creating new characters. Writing a compelling character is a lot easier when you know more than one thing about them, and these keywords gave us a third critical piece of information about every NPC. Knowing the genre, role, and core personality element of a character got our creative juices flowing, and you can use this same technique in your own game. You almost certainly already know the genre to start with, and likely the role (villain, ally, or neutral) as well. Add to that one keyword from the list below, and you have a seed like “calculating sci-fi villain” or “curious modern ally”—a great starting point. We used 83 keywords because it made the math work out for Masks, but with 17 more you could roll percentile dice to choose a keyword. You could even just grab a thesaurus (or find a free one online), flip to a page at random, and use the first adjective that grabs you. Whether you select randomly or by hand, though, don’t avoid using a positive keyword to create a villain or a negative one to create an ally—those pairings can lead you to create truly unique characters. To get you started, here are the 83 personality keywords we used in the creation of Masks—we hope they’re useful to you. Academic Ambitious Anxious Arrogant Bitter Bloodthirsty Blunt Bold Brilliant Calculating Callous Capricious Cautious Charming Clever Corrupt Cowardly Cunning Curious Defiant Devoted Disturbed Dogmatic Enigmatic Fair Foolish Fussy Garrulous Greedy Grim Hedonistic Honorable Hotheaded Humble Idealistic Ignorant Impish Impressionable Incompetent Intense Intimidating Jaded Jovial Judgmental Kind Kinky Lecherous Lively Macho Mean Mild Miserly Naïve Noble Nonconformist Nosy Obedient Oblivious Oily Optimistic Passionate Pessimistic Philosophical Poised Proud Quaint Quiet Rakish Rebellious Remorseful Ruthless Scheming Sensuous Shady Sly Tactless Tough Unlucky Unpredictable Unscrupulous Weak-Willed Weird Wise These Are Your Characters Now It doesn’t matter whether you populate an entire campaign with Masks NPCs, use them solely as inspiration, or introduce a few characters a month into your game—there’s no wrong way to use this book. Masks is a tool for creating amazing, vivid, memorable characters that your players will remember for years to come. We wrote these NPCs, but it’s you who will bring them to life for your players. Bend them to suit your needs, make them hateful or lovable, play them to the hilt, tweak them to fit your game—and above all, have fun!
25 Within this chapter, you’ll find 334 characters—83 villains, 168 neutrals, and 83 allies—written for fantasy games but easily adaptable to any RPG and any genre. Among the villains are an assassin who disguises himself as a beggar, a ruthless princess scheming to claim the throne, and a fearsome wilderness guardian; among the allies, you’ll find a child oracle, a prissy adventurer, and the folk hero called the Red Sash, to name just a few. There are as many neutrals—characters with no predisposition to help or harm the PCs—as villains and allies combined, because these NPCs make up the bulk of the population in any campaign world. That doesn’t mean that they’re uninteresting, though, and with a little tweaking any of them can be recast as blackguards or staunch backers of the party. Among their number are a corrupt harbormaster, a barbarian freedom fighter, a singer plagued by scandals, and a cursed recluse whose skin sprouts small vines. Whether you run an epic fantasy game or one in which the PCs have to fight tooth and nail for every copper piece, and whether you need a truly vile villain, an ally who the PCs would die to protect, or someone in between, you’ll find plenty of NPCs to choose from in this chapter. Artist: Andrew McIntosh
Fantasy - Villains 26 Lord Luiras Lashvale Abhorrent Lordling “Hold him down, Laurense. I’m going to cut off another finger—maybe he’ll make that priceless face again!” Appearance: With his flawless complexion, golden locks, and aquiline nose, Luiras is a heartbreaker. He dresses to the nines, usually in silks and brocades, and carries a bejeweled sword and a barbed whip. Roleplaying: Luiras is co*cky, cruel, and hotheaded. He doesn’t know the meaning of the words “compassion” or “caution,” and it shows. He sneers like it’s going out of style. Personality: A spoiled brat who has power and wealth but lacks morals or common sense, Luiras sees the world as a playground for himself and his friends. Motivation: Lacking a moral compass, Luiras is motivated by the desire to feel pleasure—usually at someone else’s expense. He also wants to impress his friends, becoming much, much worse with an audience. Background: Born with a silver spoon in his mouth, Lord Lashvale has always gotten his way. Spoiled rotten as a child, he’s just as rotten in his late teens. What he wants, he takes—and he doesn’t care if he shouldn’t want it, or if it’s not his to take. He’s attracted a retinue of like-minded brats who venture out into the countryside to torture itinerant beggars, rape peasants, and generally act with reckless abandon. His equally unwholesome family shields him from the consequences of his actions, bribing people to look the other way as needed. Traits: (MR) Abhorrent, aggressive, child, leader, notorious, royalty, wealthy Erissa Darlee Possessed Cleric “That is...most generous, great lord...but, that reward is better spent on the poor.” Appearance: Erissa is a hard fighting woman with traces of curves, shoulders that confidently bear plate armor, and eyes of chocolate brown. Her hands are scarred white where she once wrestled a great evil. Roleplaying: There are pauses and hesitations in her speech as the dark power ransacks Erissa’s memories, straining to keep up a veneer of humility and charity. Personality: By day, the dark power pretends to be Erissa of old, serving in the town’s poor districts, selecting its prey. When unobserved, it preys on the weak and helpless, leaving a trail of bodies and magically breaching the walls of Erissa’s heart, where it is bound. Motivation: Though Erissa is well known as a healer, and still praised in several popular songs, the dark power, cloaked in her reputation, is building a conspiracy within her church. Background: Erissa was part of a famed adventuring company that fought its way into the deepest strongholds of evil. In their last adventure, they opened a doorway releasing a terrible power that blighted several kingdoms. As her companions fell one by one, she called upon her god and reached out to imprison it, knowing the terrible cost that would come due. The dark power dissolved into shadows and through her skin, binding itself to her. It became imprisoned within her flesh, and her eyes darkened as her mind was swallowed. Traits: (SM) Adventurer, medic, saintly Aasiyah • Abel • Abrum • Adamus • Adari • Adelina • Adell • Adelta From characters so abhorrent that they might make you cringe to humorously misguided wizards, this section is packed with villains for your fantasy campaign. Some are major antagonists, while others are better-suited to threatening inexperienced adventurers—and some won’t look like villains at all until the PCs get to know them better. Many of these villains have redeeming qualities, as well, making them that much more interesting for you to roleplay and for your players to interact with. A villain you can empathize with becomes that much more believable. 1 2
Fantasy - Villains Abani • Adal • Adon • Aemountu • Akella • Ales 27 Peri Anolgrim sad*stic Planner “Don’t worry. The numbness will pass in a moment and give way to a rather unique burning sensation.” Appearance: She is a raven-haired woman in her mid-twenties, wearing a purple silk overbust corset with silver stays, a black skirt, and dark boots. A dark hooded cloak trimmed in silver surrounds her petite frame. Her fragrance is entrancing. Roleplaying: Peri has a twinkle in her eye and drives conversation. She is polite and brilliant, adept at discussing seemingly unrelated topics. She seeks out those who are intellectual equals and ignores the rest. Personality: A braggart who enjoys the game, she feeds her foes just enough information to remain one step ahead. Villainy is delightfully satisfying but she requires a muse. Subtlety is not in her playbook. Motivation: Peri seeks a Sherlock Holmes to her Moriarty— someone equal to her brilliance. To that end, she will take risks and seek out worthy foes. If her plans go too well, she will deliberately sabotage them; the foreplay of the hunt is what matters most. Background: Once an herbalist, Peri had a fondness for experimentation that went awry. Her brilliance led to a formula that she experimented with on herself, not only increasing her genius but her psychosis as well. She flutters on the edge of madness and is overwhelmed with a goddess complex. Her elixirs and potions can create all manner of effects, from mind-altering suggestive states to paralytic death (during which she taunts her victims incessantly). Traits: (DM) Aggressive, charming, scientist Colin Kern Political Construct-Maker “Machines aren’t always perfect but, unlike society, machines can be repaired.” Appearance: Strong, commanding, and dressed in expertly tailored clothes, Colin’s only visible flaws are a slight limp and an unusually heavy tread. Roleplaying: Colin speaks in an authoritarian voice and uses his size to remind others that he’s in charge. In his arrogance, he talks over others and is visibly surprised when anyone offers dissent. Personality: Extremely intelligent, smugly superior, and used to being surrounded by toadies and constructs, Colin finds intellectual challenges, particularly in the workshop, irresistible. He holds little regard for anything or anyone, especially the unwashed masses. Faced with opposition, Colin relies on his position, power, and wealth to cow any who oppose him. If that approach fails, his minions are always available to show out unwanted visitors. Motivation: Already a member of the ruling caste and commanding exorbitant resources, Colin now seeks political power and advancements in the crafting of his constructs. Background: Colin holds a powerful political office and the constructs he has designed, though expensive, are widely used among the wealthy as guards and servants. By making his product indispensable and pervasive, he solidifies his political hold. When the moment is right, his golems will rise at his command and make him a major power. Traits: (MN) Crafter, focal, genius, leader, political, power hungry, wealthy Kale Rodale Eccentric Wizard “Forgive the gloves, but my order does not permit contact of the flesh. Now tell me where the relic is located, or I will demonstrate my vast knowledge in the ways of agony.” Appearance: Kale is always seen fully clothed with a high collar and gloves. Other than his face, no exposed flesh can be seen. Roleplaying: His voice is smooth, and he smiles too much. He never touches anyone and refuses handshakes or other types of physical contact. Personality: Kale is oily and unscrupulous. He doesn’t establish contact, physically or emotionally, with anyone or anything. He plays this off, often with a smile and joke, but cutting off all physical contact has left him completely dead emotionally. Motivation: Kale is an adventurer in search of money, artifacts, and power. He desperately seeks satisfaction for all he has sacrificed physically and emotionally. Those who disrupt his drive are often dealt with harshly. Background: Kale was born the son of tavern owner, and was far more charming than smart, with desires to leave the town where he grew up. His charm gained him entry into a lesser-known school of magic whose order required a prohibition of physical contact. He entered the school and became a proficient wizard. After leaving this school, he traveled with several less than scrupulous adventurers. Today Kale is an established wizard with some wealth and power, always looking for more. Traits: (PV) Adventurer, eccentric, magical 3 4 5 Brynhild Skaldmeier 6 Honorable Mercenary “Gold will buy my services, but it will not buy my honor. My company will not kill the unarmed, nor take what is unearned, nor destroy homes and farms.” Appearance: Standing tall and proud, she is one of the most attractive warrior-maidens most have ever seen. Roleplaying: She is honorable and professional, and sneers at cowardice or treachery. Personality: Brynhild is the leader of a mercenary company, and her first loyalty is to her troops. She has a strong sense of duty and integrity. Motivation: She pledges her life to fulfilling her contracts and to honoring her responsibility to her troops. Background: Brynhild fled home when faced with the expectation of marriage to a pig farmer. She took up service in the military, and worked her way up the ranks. After a particularly nasty campaign where she was ordered to burn peasants’ homes and slaughter their livestock, she resigned her commission. She started her own mercenary company, only taking troops who would serve with honor (with clauses to that effect in her contracts). While many of her employers have balked at her adherence to such a strict moral code, the company is earning a reputation for effectiveness and integrity. Brynhild may respect her enemies, but she will not betray an employer nor break a contract. Brynhild is in the service of a villain, and while she is still an honorable opponent who is difficult to dislike, that makes her a villain by extension. Traits: (KS) Aggressive, beautiful, leader, military, warrior
Fantasy - Villains 28 Agnor • Aileen • Albertus • Aldus • Alexandra • Alvina • Alyssa High Priest Cyron Unholy Priest “The gods demand your penance. I give you a path to achieve it. Come with me, either as part of my crew or as part of the vessel itself.” Appearance: His black velvet cloak covers his brilliant crimson robes. His profile is angelic, but his eyes are cold and distant. Roleplaying: Cyron listens to his surroundings with his eyes closed, as if he were meditating. When he addresses someone, he will turn towards the sound of that person’s voice, open his eyes calmly, and will proceed to speak softly and gently of the horrible fates awaiting all sinners. Personality: He is a sociopath. Guilt and remorse are unknown to him. He will kill without hesitation and believes that all of his actions are divine providence; he can do no wrong. Motivation: Cyron’s ship is his only concern, and its crew is composed only of souls loyal to Cyron. The ship itself is built from the corpses of his victims, bound and shaped by dark magicks. Like all ships, though, it requires regular maintenance. Background: As a young man, he was a sailor who was shipwrecked upon a rocky and desolate island. For days, he languished under the hot sun with no fresh water. Feeling his life and his mind slipping away, he offered his soul to any god that would save him. At that moment his ghastly ship rose from the sea, shattering his psyche and beginning his journey. Traits: (PB) Abhorrent, beautiful, pilot, religious Thaddeus Quickmire Evil Alchemist “Here you go, lad! Drink up, it’s on the house!” Appearance: A short, stout elderly man with a bald scalp and full white beard, Thaddeus wears a number of charms around his neck for various travel deities, all gifts from travelers. Thaddeus wears an apron and, when not serving patrons, is constantly wiping glasses. Roleplaying: Thaddeus acts as if every patron is an old friend, even if meeting one for the first time. He is always cheery and upbeat, consoling hurting patrons that nothing is as bad as it seems. Personality: He is almost giddy, but that’s because of what he’s secretly doing to transient patrons. Motivation: Thaddeus wants to create monsters in order to make his tavern a more popular destination for adventurers. Background: Thaddeus is a frustrated alchemist who was unappreciated by his previous employers due to his lack of ethics. He settled down as an innkeeper in a new land. His inn is located in a quiet village that did not sit on any main roads. Thaddeus has decided to drum up business by poisoning travelers with magical beverages, turning them into monsters. The monsters have attracted adventurers from all around and have made the inn quite popular. Thaddeus’ drinks are harmless unless the second component, a morning beverage, is taken the next day. As the two drinks are inert otherwise, Thaddeus has managed to fool the few investigators who took notice of the drinks. Traits: (WC) Abhorrent, business, criminal, magical, merchant Carissa Lawbringer Iron-Fisted Guard Captain “To the stocks for disrespect; overnight should cure him.” Appearance: She sways in beautifully polished boots, an erminetrimmed half-cape hinting at soft curves...and wears the badge of a guard captain. Classically beautiful, her pale features and ruby lips excite strangers and terrify the people of her district. Roleplaying: Carissa loves to provoke people and make them jump. She slaps gloves into her hand and sensuously teases before cracking a club against a desk or wagon, always watching the eyes. Is this one prey or a fellow predator? Personality: She revels in control, pushing ruthlessly when she has the advantage. If she lacks the edge, she quips a one-liner and exits, arranging for the next meeting to be on her terms. Unpredictability keeps her foes wary and on their back foot. An advantage must be exploited to its limit before it’s spent. Motivation: Carissa burns to eradicate criminals, who are barely better than beasts. Background: A highwayman killed her father. Her mother was abused by the whor*monger she turned to for bread to feed her family. Carissa swore to end vice and enlisted with the guard, garnered respect for her determination, and rocketed up to the position of captain over the city’s poor district. Lacking the funding and men to keep her rough district in order, Carissa uses fear to make up the difference. Traits: (SM) Beautiful, notorious, police 7 8 9 Amina Fawneye Social Chameleon “That necklace she wears? See how beautifully it catches the light? It will be mine.” Appearance: Her large, innocent-looking eyes project integrity and honesty. Roleplaying: She will say or do whatever it takes to build trust in her target. Personality: She doesn’t care for others; they exist to be manipulated. Motivation: Amina gets her thrills from both a successful theft and the pretty baubles that are her reward. Background: Born into a moderately wealthy merchant family, Amina always appreciated the pretty trinkets her father brought home from his travels. When her father’s return trips became less and less frequent and the flow of gifts halted altogether, Amina decided to steal them for herself. When she was caught trying to steal from one of her father’s clients—a scandal that nearly destroyed the family business—she was disowned, and she’s been working the streets ever since. She’s quite stealthy, and competent with traps and locks, but her real talent is her social grace. A natural chameleon, she’s able to blend into nearly any situation and expertly manipulate others. She could go far in politics, espionage, or business, but Amina doesn’t want success or money. She’s content with her modest lifestyle, but occasionally will fixate on a piece of jewelry and use her considerable abilities to take it. Afraid that selling her trophies will get her caught, she either melts them down or keeps them well-hidden. She only wears them in private. Traits: (KS) Charming, criminal, stealthy 10
Fantasy - Villains Algat • Ambrose • Amrou • Angelthorn • Anolgrim • The Anvil • Apswitch 29 The Reverend Icabod Fraimd Puritanical Priest “Why can’t you harlots get a decent job like respectable folk?” Appearance: Even the most recently pressed black frock hangs disheveled on his pudgy frame. His oval face is sweaty and some part of his greasy hair is always askew. Roleplaying: He will harangue, accuse, insult, and badger anyone he thinks is giving in to their vices. Personality: Bluntly put, he is an idealist. Reverend Fraimd envisions a day when his district is no longer assailed by ills that result from the corruption of indulgence. He is indignant and confrontational in the face of these ills. He doesn’t hate people in unfortunate circ*mstances; he just hates what they do. Motivation: He would save his section of the city by shutting down all the brothels, breweries, and gambling dens. He makes trouble for anyone who frequents the red-lantern district for its many “charms.” Background: A second son born to privilege, he sought a clerical education when it was clear he wouldn’t inherit a title. He was an astute student of religious theory, whose superiors thought he needed to experience pastoral ministry before receiving an appointment in the church hierarchy. Confronted by the poverty, misery, and depravity in the area of his assignment, he accepted his calling with zeal. However, he was ill-equipped to serve his parish, with his righteous judgment winning out over any impulse for compassion and understanding. Traits: (TT) Aggressive, religious Najir Matrell Inspired Tracker “Don’t hold back your fear, it makes everything sweeter.” Appearance: Bulky and strong, Najir bears the scars of many battles and carries many cruel looking weapons. The cold and calculating look on his face is enough to intimidate most of his targets. His wild and dirty appearance belies his intelligence, another of his strengths. Roleplaying: Najir will track anything for anyone, so long as they are paying. Those who get on the wrong side of his deductive mind and cruel, calculating ways rarely escape. Personality: Born to a life of cruelty, he has little sympathy for his quarry and remains focused on his work at all times. Any close interaction with Najir quickly reveals his sharp mind. Motivation: Najir loves the thrill of the hunt, seeing it like a fatal chess game for his body and mind. He would love to find an adversary who could outwit and outfight him. Background: There was no love for Najir in his filthy hovel and there was rarely enough food for the entire family—until Najir started hunting, that is. In the woods, Najir learned to watch and learn the patterns of his prey before striking. He studied animals and other hunters, picking up techniques and developing incredible new ones. He quickly got bored hunting animals and moved to hunting people. He never cares who he hunts, just that they provide challenge and he gets paid. Najir studies his quarry for many days before striking. Traits: (JA) Criminal, focal, genius, outdoorsman, warrior Artist: Matt Morrow Najir Matrell 11 12
Fantasy - Villains 30 Amalia • Ameo • Amille • Amina • Amithel • Andrea • Andrelle Ursula Batal Bitter Sculptor “You really don’t like this piece? I guess I could improve upon it…or maybe you are just blind. What? Oh, I said that your knowledge of art is very fine! “ Appearance: She wears a simple tunic stained from working with clay. She is utterly ordinary in physique and facial features and is neither ugly nor pretty. She always carries a small amount of clay to work with. Roleplaying: She tends to avoid eye contact and mutters to herself. Her hands are always busy molding a small piece of clay into various shapes. She will occasionally fall to fits of rage which, while rare, are frightening and explosive. Personality: Ursula is forever frustrated by her lack of social skills, but she also despises others for not suffering as she does. Motivation: She wants to be recognized as a great sculptor by her peers. Background: Ursula has wallowed in mediocrity her whole life and has never made an impression on anyone. She hoped that one day, her sculptures would be her voice, but even they are ordinary and dull compared to what others produce. Desperately tired of being common, Ursula sought out and employed the use of magical clay said to bring an artist’s vision to life. The recent reports of creatures made of clay attacking people must be mere coincidence… Traits: (PB) Academic, aggressive, artist Hartzell Preston Bitter Huntsman “I do not fear pain, only the amount of it.” Appearance: Hartzell rarely grooms his brown, shaggy hair and badly cut goatee. Roleplaying: His voice is commanding when talking to inferiors, but Hartzell is shifty in other matters. Personality: A victim of circ*mstance, Hartzell is also a survivor. He does not like what he does, but prefers it to death or pain. Motivation: He only wants to survive; the promises of wealth and power seem too far off to matter, but he might one day achieve them if he lives long enough. Background: Hartzell has always been ground under the boot of one dictator or another. First it was his commandeering mother; then it was the lord of his land, always demanding more game for his table; and most recently it was the mysterious stranger who offered Hartzell great power and wealth in exchange for help in corrupting his village into a life of banditry. Hartzell is now the leader of the bandits, but still under the boot of his master and well aware of it. Hartzell fears the strange powers his master wields, and he will not disobey an order. When things are not going Hartzell’s way in a fight or encounter, he will abandon his comrades to ensure his own escape. He is ever aware of what failure means and is always ready to pin the blame on someone else, even if it means eliminating witnesses amongst his own men. Traits: (JA) Criminal, impoverished, outdoorsman Samael Pendergras Embittered Assistant “I am through suffering the mayor’s bloody whims—who is with me?” Appearance: Samael is a vibrant young man with bright teeth, blond hair, and a dazzling smile. He wears his house colors of crimson and navy prominently beneath his inspector’s cloak. Roleplaying: Laugh and transition to a new topic—that’s Samael’s way of dealing with difficult questions. He trained as an orator, so his voice is perfectly controlled—booming through crowds or perfectly clear, but intimately quiet, among confidants. Personality: Everyone wants Samael to be their slave, spending his effort on their petty problems. Fie on that! Motivation: Samael hates being chained to another’s will. He bristles at orders and subverts their intent whenever he can, but overachieves when given latitude. Background: He grew up under his father’s constant scrutiny and manipulation. At 14, he’d had enough and fled to the nearest free city, where he joined the guard. Taking orders was difficult to endure, but he persevered and solved a few hopeless cases with sheer effort. A few years ago, Samael came across a dark book that whispered promises of power and independence. Using the fell rituals contained within, obstacles to promotion were swept away until he stood at the mayor’s right hand as captain of the watch. Now that the mayor’s interference grows heavy, Samael’s knowledge will allow him to garner terrific power through sacrifices and ensure that the atrocities are blamed on the mayor. Traits: (SM) Abhorrent, magical, police, scholar Collector Yezra Darkmourne sad*stic Priest “The Goddess blessed you with a good yield and you fall short in your tithe? I assure you that she’ll repay you in kind when the plague comes.” Appearance: A tall, imposing woman, Yezra prefers dark clothes, usually with a leather jerkin and wide brimmed hat. She wears her red hair long in a single triple-knotted braid, typical of her order. She has a scar “tattoo” of the Goddess on her right cheek. Yezra rarely smiles. Roleplaying: Yezra is blunt and to the point. She imposes punishments on those that haven’t paid their full tithe to the Church of the Goddess. She dismisses sob stories with a wave of her hand and tells her victims what punishments await them. Personality: She acts the part of the cold arbitrator, meting out proper punishments. Secretly, however, she enjoys inflicting pain, and often adds additional charges to her victims just for the opportunity to dole out more punishment. Motivation: Yezra is a sad*st and enjoys watching people suffer. Background: The Goddess grants miracles in return for tithes. If a member fails to pay the tithe then she sends a Collector. Collectors are given autonomous authority to make delinquent worshipers pay. If they can’t, the Collector punishes them with an anti-miracle. Yezra particularly enjoys her work, especially when it causes others to suffer. Those closest to her speculate that Yezra was a victim of the Goddess before she became a Collector. Traits: (WC) Abhorrent, magical, religious 13 14 15 16
Fantasy - Villains Arana • Ardecorn • Ardwor • Ashburry • Ashtrian • Atwell 31 Vallie “Val” Staunton Unscrupulous Treasure Hunter “A museum? The hell with that. This baby’s goin’ to the highest bidder.” Appearance: She’s a tomboy—short and stocky, but in excellent physical condition. She keeps her flaxen hair cut close and favors trousers and sensible boots. Roleplaying: She’s quick to flash a smile that says: “Trust me.” Her gaze turns icy cold if she believes she is being played or betrayed. Personality: She’s a likable traveling companion. While she’d prefer to use guile when snatching an item, she’ll use violence if the situation requires it. Though willing to recover artifacts through diligent research and hard work in the field, she’s just as willing to lie, cheat, or steal to acquire them. The money in her pocket erases any misgivings she might entertain about her profession. Vallie has one point of honor: She’s never double crossed any partners that she’s brought in for a particular job. Motivation: Val likes the travel and adventure that comes from being a treasure hunter. Background: She never intended to be an unscrupulous treasure hunter. But with each quest, it became easier and easier to bend the rules. The thrill of the hunt and the payoff at the end of every expedition shifted her moral compass. She’s proficient with the matching pairs of knives she carries—two visible on her hip belt, two hidden on the inner calves of her boots. Traits: (TT) Criminal, notorious, scholar, stealthy Mister Rankins Immortal Murderer “Hello there, darling! So young and pretty, yes you are! Life is precious and must not be wasted. No, no, not one drop of it must be wasted! And if you can spend someone else’s, why that’s even better, my dear! Come closer…” Appearance: Mister Rankins is bald with heavy lines on his brow and around his mouth. His clothes are slightly out of date. A bag of sweets can be seen in his coat pocket. If his bare flesh is seen, it is covered with tattoos of archaic symbols. Roleplaying: He smiles and laughs, even at times most inappropriate. He loves to help young mothers who are in need, and he offers small sweets to their children. When cornered, he transforms into a vicious killer. Personality: Mister Rankins is eerily cheery at all times. Nothing shocks or startles him. At times, his behavior appears inhuman. Motivation: His only concern is to find, kidnap, and kill children—draining their vibrant lives from their bodies in order to extend his own. Background: Rankins was once a miserly sage, pinching every penny so that one day he might call himself wealthy. Before that day came, he fell gravely ill. Lying quiet and alone on death’s bed, he realized his life had gone by unlived. Suddenly remembering a text of dark rituals that he had begun translating, he managed to bumble his way through the rite and cast one on himself. Only later did he learn of the consequences. Traits: (PB) Abhorrent, charming, focal, occult Lucian the Beggar Prince Humble Assassin “Spare a copper for a poor sinner, your eminence?” Appearance: Covered in soot and grime and dressed in beggar’s rags, Lucian ambles with the shuffling gait of a man who has spent his life in the streets. Only his hard, flinty eyes hint at his true nature. Roleplaying: Lucian ducks and bobs his head when he talks, bows to anyone who looks well-off, and reaches out for coins with a quavering hand. Personality: His humble life belies Lucian’s great pride in his talents as a killer—he’s unmatched among assassins, and he knows it. He feels no remorse, and views a perfect assassination as a piece of artwork, not murder. Motivation: Lucian likes pulling the wool over peoples’ eyes, and he’s always on the lookout for information on potential targets. Background: A decade ago, Lucian discovered that an assassin who can blend in with the city’s poor gains numerous advantages, and he’s never looked back. He’s amassed a vast fortune, but regards accessing it as a sign of weakness; whenever possible, he works with only the tools at his disposal. No one in the city knows his dual identity, though a few suspect he runs a guild of beggar thieves. He wears a disguise when he needs to move in high society, and when meeting potential clients. Lucian is only truly happy when planning and carrying out an assassination. Traits: (MR) Criminal, eccentric, genius, notorious, stealthy Marla Erets Jaded Nepotist “Ugh…whips are so last week.” Appearance: A beanpole of a woman with wide-set fishy eyes and sharp features, Marla isn’t much to look at. She often wears tight gowns that emphasize her androgynous figure. Roleplaying: Marla fancies herself a vamp and isn’t particular about who she cuddles up to. Spurning her affections, or refusing a proffered vice, often sends Marla into a tantrum. Personality: Though she readily indulges her every whim, old experiences hold little excitement for Marla and she’s constantly on the lookout for something new. Motivation: Marla is petty and childish. She wants to grab and play with any new toy that she sees, and she wants to always get her way. Background: Spoiled rotten by her rich and influential parents, Marla was handed everything on a silver platter from birth. She eventually became such a nuisance that she was given a position in charge of the city guard to get her out from underfoot. This proved to be an enormous mistake. She immediately began abusing her position, using the guard as her personal goon squad, and turning headquarters into a private hedonists’ playground. There’s a chance that she just wants acceptance, understanding, or the love of her parents. If so, it’s buried so far down that no one ever sees it. Not even Marla. Traits: (MN) Dilettante, notorious, police, wealthy 17 18 19 20
Fantasy - Villains 32 Artist: Andrew McIntosh Ghul-Fan Hraska Angakkuq • Angul • Annis • Arabella • Archaea • Ardon
Fantasy - Villains The Augur • Balkanor • Banforth • The Bard • Baroque • Barrow • Bartreson 33 Miss Iona Blunn Tough Con Artist “You are correct, milady. The ability to remain charming, polite, and engaging while making a point is an admirable trait in a trusted companion. So is simply being… reassuringly pleasant. Now, how long did you say that your lately departed husband was an officer with the bank?” Appearance: Makeup and good grooming help hide the passing years. Mostly, it’s her bearing and close attention to finery that maintain her attractive appearance. Roleplaying: In manner, she mostly appears deferential to her lady. From time-to-time, Iona lets an exasperated expression slip. Personality: In spite of a demure exterior, Iona’s a tough-as-nails operator more than willing to endure even the most disagreeable employer to get what she wants. She can effectively charm, wheedle, cajole, bully, or intimidate others when she needs to. Motivation: Iona likes to gain a position as a lady’s companion, earn her trust, and eventually find a way to help herself to a portion of the lady’s wealth without being caught. Background: She was born to a well-to-do family and received a finishing school education, but has been on her own after a scandalous divorce. With a partner (usually one of a series of lovers), she travels about seeking positions as a lady’s companion to run her con. Outwardly, she serves that role competently. Privately, she is always probing, trying to learn her employer’s secrets. Traits: (TT) Charming, criminal, wealthy Janus Benedict Famous Adventurer “I’m looking for adventurers much like yourself, to help me recover a treasure. Equal share to all survivors!” Appearance: He is a handsome adventurer whose friendly smile shows through his scruffy beard. He wears well-used but functional gear. Roleplaying: Friendly and gregarious about the upcoming adventure, he doesn’t talk much of previous exploits. Personality: A true sociopath, Janus is not hampered by a conscience. He will say or do whatever he thinks is necessary to get his way, even if it means occasionally contradicting himself. Motivation: Janus is addicted to the good life, and makes money by taking parties out on adventures, but coming back alone. Background: Janus learned early on to hide his lack of conscience, and has been manipulating his way through life ever since. Once, in a hurry to flee a town after getting overly friendly with the mayor’s daughter, he joined an adventuring party and managed to kill them all off before they reached their goal. Their treasure lasted long enough to give him a taste of true wealth. Since discovering his skill at this adventuring con, he’s done very well. He has agreements with many monstrous clans to do his dirty work in return for a cut of the profits. He’s actually a talented warrior and rogue, and has kept some of his victims’ best equipment for himself. If he joins the PCs, your players will enjoy taking out their frustrations on him once they discover his true plan. Traits: (KS) Abhorrent, adventurer, charming, famous Roland Stoutheart Bitter Brigand “If Marisse can’t be mine, then no one else will have her!” Appearance: Roland is handsome beneath his wild locks. He still attempts to style his hair and wear his clothes proudly, but he looks like a peasant playing at being a knight. Roleplaying: He is quite polite unless one of the victims is a suitor for Marisse, when he becomes quite ruthless. He speaks with a refined accent that betrays his former position as a knight. Personality: Roland is as honorable and polite as a brigand can be. He is apologetic if things get too nasty and he’ll leave his victims with enough to finish their journey. When a suitor is involved, Roland is quite ruthless and leaves no person alive. Motivation: He wants to ensure that Marisse never marries. Background: As captain of the guard, Roland fell in love with the beautiful Marisse and mistook her flirtations and dalliances with him as returning his love. Unfortunately, once a noble came courting her, Marisse reminded Roland of his place. He responded by plunging his blade into the suitor and vowing that Marisse would never marry. He fought his way out of the castle and hid in the wilderness. Since then, Roland has joined a band of brigands, quickly becoming their leader. He also keeps an ear in the castle. Whenever a new suitor attempts to call on Marisse, Roland ensures he never arrives. Traits: (WC) Criminal, notorious, outdoorsman, stealthy Ghul-Fan Hraska Crazed Environmentalist “The Sacred Forest will not brook this violation, maggot. I cast you out, demon!” Appearance: Dressed in voluminous black robes with an ankle-length sash inscribed with holy runes, Ghul-Fan wears a ceremonial fan of leaves across her back. Her expression is generally cold and intense. Roleplaying: Cold, unemotional, and disdainful, Ghul-Fan barely seems human. If she found a toddler scratching his initials into a tree, she’d snap his neck without a second thought. Personality: Beneath her zealous exterior, she’s an insecure, small-minded woman. Mistreated her entire life, she found her calling in mistreating others. Motivation: Ghul-Fan’s calling—protecting the forest—could be a noble one, but she’s insane. She believes all humans except those of her cult are a blight on the forest, and wants to wipe out humanity. Background: High Priest of the Sacred Forest, Ghul-Fan leads a cult of crazed environmental zealots that reveres the oldest trees as gods. Intruders into her domain generally smell the incense from her censer just before they find themselves surrounded by the Oaken Wardens, her band of militant cultists. Ghul-Fan wants to preserve the sanctity of the forest at all costs, and her cult is notorious for killing woodcutters, waylaying travelers, and burning down settlements on the outskirts of the woods. On moonless nights, she can command the very trees to do her bidding; few in the area leave their homes when the moon is new. Traits: (MR) Abhorrent, leader, magical, notorious, occult, religious, zealot 21 22 23 24
Fantasy - Villains 34 Aria • Aribeth • Arielle • Arlem • Armand • Asteralla • Atellis Señora Adelina Reyes Unlucky Captain “Just once, I would like our plans not to be blown off course by hurricanes, our own inept sea captains, or those uncouth privateers!” Appearance: She is a dark-haired, dark-skinned beauty, resplendent in gowns for formal occasions. As a military governor, though, she more often wears a slightly altered male military uniform for her day-to-day duties and a custom-fitted conquistador’s helm and breastplate for military action. Roleplaying: When beset by instances of bad luck, she slaps a riding crop irritably against her leg. Personality: She regards attacks by enemy captains, but most especially privateers, as a personal affront. As a member of the aristocracy, she views herself as superior in most respects. She embraces the concept of noblesse oblige. Motivation: Adelina does not shy away from responsibility, so she is eager to act on behalf of the crown. Background: As a younger woman, she charmed many men with her stunning beauty. When sickness and war claimed the lives of so many of her family’s men, she assumed leadership of the family fortune and lands. Able administration of her property brought her to the attention of the crown and she was chosen to oversee an important military outpost in colonial waters. Her main duty is to ensure that treasure ships reach their destination along the main sea trade route from the colonial islands to the mainland. Traits: (TT) Military, notorious, pilot, political Hubert the Indomitable Arrogant Rebel “Royal blood? Bah! I’ve learned more in a week than you’ll likely learn your entire life!” Appearance: Hubert is tall and lanky, with his long hair in cornrows and braids that run to his shoulders. He has a peculiar fascination with crescent moons, which make up the bulk of the ornamentation on his blue and silver robes. He always holds himself high, as if he is above everyone else in the room. Roleplaying: He acts as if he has nothing to learn, at least from those with whom he is speaking. He is dismissive of any opinion other than his own and congratulates anyone who agrees with him. Personality: Hubert is haughty and actually does believe that he is one of the smartest people in the world. Motivation: He wants to conquer the world, ostensibly for egalitarian reasons, but he intends to be at the top. He is also a voracious seeker of knowledge. Background: Born in poverty and envious of the nobility, Hubert thought he’d be treated like them when he discovered an affinity for magic. He was sorely disappointed when the aristocracy still rejected him for not having noble blood. Enraged, Hubert went to the peasants and organized a revolt against the nobility. Since then, Hubert has been spreading his fief outward, overthrowing nobles with the aid of their own people. Unfortunately, Hubert often treats his subjects less kindly than their old masters did. Traits: (WC) Genius, leader, magical, political, scholar Lana the Peace Bringer Deluded Crime Lord “War is death. Violence is pain. Renounce such ways and follow me. It isn’t as if you have a choice.” Appearance: She is tall and buxom with brilliant red hair and emerald green eyes. Her ivory skin is complimented by a fur cloak and bronze armor. She carries a matching bronze spear. Roleplaying: She speaks kindly to people until they dare question her. When confronted, she will verbally or even physically assault her perceived adversary. Personality: Lana is warm with words but cold in actions. She promises to lead people to a better life, but is oblivious to how she hurts others. She has no tolerance for anyone who opposes her or her organization. Motivation: Lana is a crime lord with delusions of grandeur. She wants love from those she protects; if they don’t love her, she will kill them. Background: Lana’s father was a notorious crime lord, but wanted a better, more honest life for her. She was sent to the finest academies and excelled in all subjects. Upon returning home, she learned her father had been assassinated by a rival. With her father’s passion and the knowledge afforded by her schooling, Lana easily took control of the organization and eliminated her competitors. In her mind, she had delivered peace. She realized there were many territories that needed “protection.” Fooled by her own lies, what she began for revenge and continued for profit has become a self-righteous crusade. Traits: (PB) Beautiful, criminal, scholar Asteralla Sperrick Disturbed Torturer “Ha, hah, ha, hah, ha. Silly. You don’t get to hide secrets from me.” Appearance: Wrinkled and portly, Asteralla wears a thick leather apron. Roleplaying: Asteralla co*cks her head to the left when speaking, and peppers her speech with pauses and disturbing laughter. Personality: Slightly insane, Asteralla is obsessed with knowing people’s secrets. She conveys the most twisted concept of a kindly grandmother that one can imagine. Motivation: She cannot leave a secret unknown. Background: Asteralla is a torturer of the highest class. Once an apothecary’s wife, few know how she got to the place she is now. However, she came to embrace the cruelty required by her position, and became very good at her job. To her, uncovering the secrets people hold is a life mission. Even her employers are wary of her, for if she believes they are hiding something from her, she will do her best to turn her tools upon them. When presented with a new subject, Asteralla employs many methods to get the information out, but rarely resorts to direct, painful torture. “Pain does not bring results: fear and uncertainty do” is one of her favorite sayings. Asteralla’s tortures often involve the most subtle and carefully crafted manipulations of a person’s psyche. Combined with the drugs she employs, few can withstand her tender touch. Traits: (JA) Abhorrent, criminal, eccentric, medic 25 26 27 28
Fantasy - Villains Batal • The Bearer of Pain • The Beast • The Beggar Prince • Bellemar • Bellwater 35 Chamberlain Martain Capella Royal Puppet-Master “Sir, if I may be so bold…” Appearance: He wears a gold and blue doublet with matching breeches and the symbol of the chamberlain’s office adorns his neck. He has well-manicured brown hair with a matching goatee. A silver earring hangs from one ear, a style which is all the rage in court these days. Roleplaying: He looks down upon others with a bored expression. Martain speaks slowly and deliberately but doesn’t hide his disinterest in what others have to say, picking and pruning himself while they talk. Personality: He lacks regard for anyone not of his station or who doesn’t respect the weighty responsibilities of being the true ruler. The chamberlain knows that he is the power behind the throne. Motivation: Martain endeavors to keep control of as much government as possible. He likes the real power in his own hands and out of the king’s: Kings are prone to flights of fancy, fits of melancholy and bouts of rage. Besides, kings come and go. Background: His inclination for political machinations showed at a young age, and his first taste of power established his unfettered appetite for it. Since then, it’s been a series of carefully constructed plans to eliminate his opposition and become the only whisper in the king’s ear. Martain wields impressive resources, but they’re technically not his. He abhors adventurers and their ilk; they’re troublemakers he can’t control. His plots are far-reaching and are difficult to tie directly to him. Traits: (DM) Counselor, genius, political Lissia Quartermaine Hanging Judge “I shall see that you are beheaded in front of your children, to serve as an example to them.” Appearance: With her iron-gray hair, unsettlingly large eyes, and pinched mouth, Lissia’s appearance is as harsh as her demeanor. Roleplaying: Lissia addresses everyone like a naughty child. She mentions “the good of the community” at every opportunity. Personality: Lissia is an idealist, but her idealism is tested on a daily basis by the evils of the world. She believes that everyone is fundamentally good, but that people are easily induced to bad behavior—and just as easily convinced to behave. Motivation: She wants to see people do what she thinks is right, regardless of the human cost. She’s absolutely convinced that her way is the best way. Background: Lissia’s not evil, nor even malicious; she just believes that more people would be good, and would behave, if examples were made of some of them. Her twisted philosophy is expressed through her judicial decisions, and as the highestranked judge in the region, her word is law. She hands down harsh sentences as she sees fit, from public humiliation for minor offenses to torture (rehabilitation) or execution for major crimes. If someone commits a minor crime but would make a great example to the rest of the sheep, she’ll punish them as if they’d committed murder. She’s immune to bribery and threats, and would die to preserve her beliefs. Traits: (MR) Notorious, police, white collar, zealot Vester Mosser (“Lady Umbra”) Undercover Thief “Relax. Just remember the plan. Everything has been accounted for. The guard patrol? Don’t worry, they have the night off. Everything is accounted for.” Appearance: Vester is of average height, with shoulder-length red hair and an athletic build. She wears her city guard sash nearly everywhere. Lady Umbra wears a dark cloak with black translucent silk over the cowl. Roleplaying: She is all business, and rarely makes small talk. She looks people in the eye when she speaks and ends questions with the phrase “Do we understand?” As Lady Umbra, she speaks smoothly but never more than needed to convey her instructions. Personality: Vester is optimistic, always believing that things will work out fine. Coupled with her focus to accomplish tasks, she is rarely wrong. Motivation: Lady Umbra loves the challenge of planning complex crimes and then thwarting their investigation. The money is nice, but the thrill is committing a perfect crime. Lately, getting that thrill has required more elaborate crimes. Background: Lady Umbra was a street urchin whose focus and ability to plan crimes helped her survive on the streets. After she had run the gamut of street crimes, she decided to pull her greatest caper, created the persona of Vester, and became an administrator in the city guard. From her role in the guard, she uses her knowledge to plan her crimes. She has a crew of thieves who execute her plans; none of them are aware of her alternate identity. Traits: (PV) Criminal, focal, police, white collar Douglas Green Avaricious Merchant “A sword is precious in a town under siege. Thirty-five drachmas—unless you test my patience by haggling.” Appearance: Douglas is a twig of a man, vibrating with nervous energy and exotic stimulants. He dresses richly, advertising his wealth, and has a hawk’s gaze. Roleplaying: His voice is high and nasal, and he spits out numbers so fast is seems like he’s stuttering. He has all the cards and knows it; sly smiles and serious appraisal alternate across his face. Personality: Profit is all. He’s ready for a lifetime of luxury and willing to cut out any obstacle in the way. Money will buy everything he lacks—and those who can’t see that don’t deserve to be in business. Motivation: Douglas grew up the son of a tinkerer, spat upon and constantly roving, doing odd jobs for a meal. He’s never going back to that! He has to buy friends and companionship, so he’d better have money enough to keep them. Background: His father made the trade of a lifetime, getting Douglas an apprenticeship in the merchants’ guild. Most of the guild shunned his teacher, but he taught Douglas several key theories and let the child read books about trade. Douglas mastered them and noted that crisis makes or breaks a merchant. He orchestrates crises to ensure that his goods are in demand, working with bandits and unsavory sorts to eliminate competition and keep a city desperate. Traits: (SM) Academic, aggressive, merchant 29 30 31 32
Fantasy - Villains 36 Autumn • Avanda • Bailey • Balta • Bannon • Barley • Barton King Ameo Rothir Unholy King “Hear me this day! The heathens across our border plot the downfall of our great kingdom and will force us to worship their god. I tell you that we will not wait for their plans to finish, for we will strike tonight!” Appearance: Rothir is slightly overweight. He wears a plain metal crown on his shaved head, and little jewelry. His robes are simple. Roleplaying: The King is well spoken, and he often quotes religious text. He can be both passionate and long-winded in his religious fervor. He frequently bolts up from his chair and makes wild gestures as he speaks. Personality: Ameo is very passionate in all he does religiously and as a leader. When he takes an interest in something, it governs his strong emotions. His passion has made him a strict follower of the tenets of his religion, and he has given up most luxuries in pursuit of divine enlightenment. Motivation: King Rothir’s goal is to spread the religion of his god to everyone in his land, and then to the rest of the world. Background: King Rothir was born to royalty, the fifth in his family line to rule. After his wife died early in his reign, he discovered a new religion from a far away land—a religion of dark doctrine. He quickly embraced it and converted his kingdom by force. Now he is amassing a holy army to bring his religion to the surrounding lands. Traits: (PV) Focal, leader, royalty, saintly Eldridge Delmar Hallsman, Esquire Loyal Governor “There will be law and an orderly collection of taxes in this district! But it doesn’t always take a regiment of foot soldiers to achieve your ends. The element of surprise is often enough.” Appearance: Aside from the powdered wig and military-styled coat that is the accepted uniform of his station, he carries a thick walking stick topped with a brass molding of his highness’ face for a handle. His face bears a scar, a souvenir of his days in the royal navy when he fought off a corsair boarding party. Roleplaying: Governor Hallsman is dispassionate but creative in carrying out his duties. He comes at problems sideways. When contemplating his next move, he’ll absentmindedly rub his thumb and forefinger together. Personality: He shows no favor in his administration, with the exception of bowing to the wishes of his sponsor, the duke. He knows that to use the regiment of soldiers at his command as a blunt force weapon is heavy-handed and unnecessary. Eldridge prefers a refined and subtle approach. Motivation: He believes it’s his duty to uphold the laws and policies of the crown. Background: Eldridge advanced his social standing by serving with distinction, fighting enemy privateers in colonial waters. He saved the life of a young officer, whose father, it turned out, was a duke. This association led to appointments, including governance of this troublesome district, filled with rabble-rousers, political freethinkers, and insurrectionists. Traits: (TT) Leader, military, wealthy duch*ess Yoruna Faede Anxious Noble “We don’t have time to wait. If my cousin gets home before we take the valley then we’ll never cement my rule!” Appearance: Just past her prime, Yoruna’s body is soft from a comfortable life; she vainly hides her wrinkles under powder. She dresses conservatively and has an aura of command about her. Roleplaying: She has a nonthreatening demeanor but speaks with a quiet menace. While not impulsive, Yoruna wants to put her plans in motion as quickly as possible. She fears that her cousin will return too soon and ruin her takeover. Personality: Yoruna is pleasant as long as things are going in her favor. She is constantly brooding over whether she can complete her goals in time. Motivation: She wants to be queen and isn’t afraid to crush anyone that gets in her way. Background: A cousin of the kingdom’s naïve but just ruler, Yoruna was left in care of the kingdom while the ruler went off to war. Yoruna is not content being a duch*ess; she’s decided to steal the kingdom out from under her cousin. She baited lesser lords first, promising them more lands in return for their allegiance. She has had troublesome lords assassinated or removed and is now laying the groundwork for a civil war to take the rest of the country before her cousin can return home and wrest it from her. Traits: (WC) Dilettante, leader, political, power hungry Hardy Harr Jesting Puppet Master “Stop me if you’re heard this one. The captain of the guard comes home and finds his wife in bed with the baker...” Appearance: Hardy is gaunt with greasy blond hair that peeks out from underneath a traditional jester’s cap. He wears a flashy jacket covered with bells and dozens of pockets stuffed with toys, novelties, and gewgaws. Roleplaying: Quick with a tasteless joke or bawdy story, Hardy is constantly “on.” He’s sleazy and loud, and more popular than he is funny. Personality: He is magnetic and energetic, and, despite his crude humor, he easily works his way into the confidences of those he entertains. Motivation: Hardy desires nothing more than to be the voice behind a serious power. Background: His popularity has been steadily rising for some time. Now he’s constantly in demand, and has the ear of quite a few minor politicians, nobles, and merchant princes. As he gains the trust of greater numbers of influential people, Hardy sets himself up as a secret and trusted advisor. He revels in acting as a puppet master, playing those who trust him against one another for his own benefit. Hardy has begun to set his master plan into motion, aiming his advisees against those he perceives as a threat and keeping an eye out for greater opportunities. Traits: (MN) Charming, counselor, eccentric, entertainment, famous, focal, humorous, power hungry, wealthy 33 34 35 36
Fantasy - Villains Belzor • Benedict • Bitterswood • Blackhaven • Blackspine • Blackstout • Blackwood 37 Balta “The Colonel” Gremmins Immortal Anarchist “We must have order. How else would we know which throat to cut next?” Appearance: Balta is unshaven, has long unwashed hair, and reeks of cheap booze. He wears various garments taken from the uniforms of guards and militia members he has killed. Roleplaying: Although he looks like a scoundrel, he speaks like a member of the nobility. He will bow to those of stature, salute officers, and pay deference to nobles—all with a hint of mockery. Personality: He is sarcastic, flippant, and insulting. Through his razor wit and courtly charm, however, he wins the laughter and camaraderie of those not on the receiving end of his scorn. Motivation: The only thing that seems to bring Balta joy is attacking any form of government institution. Background: Many years ago, Balta was a colonel, loyal and true. He and his men were dispatched on a mission to retrieve a magical orb. He was promised full support from his commanders and provided a native escort to guide them through unfamiliar lands. Upon finding the orb, they were attacked. Balta quickly discerned that they had been sent on a suicide mission and that the escort was a plant. During the battle, Balta destroyed the orb, using it to bash the escort’s skull in. The mystical energy of the orb entered Balta’s body, granting him immortality. He died that day, and many times since. Now he hides in the wilderness attacking all forms of authority. Traits: (PB) Humorous, occult, outdoorsman Sgt. Johan Belzor, the Hand of Blood Vengeful Warrior “I was once for king and country, now I am merely for revenge.” Appearance: Strong of build, he carries a large sword effortlessly. His face and body bear horrendous scars. He wears a mockery of his country’s armor. Roleplaying: Uncompromising in his quest for revenge, Johan will hear no logic against it. He only seeks to make the king cower in fear of his fury. Personality: Johan is harsh, cruel, and uncaring. He has left all kindness and compassion behind. Motivation: Belzor wishes to see the king as helpless as he was when the royal hunting party left him to die. Background: While accompanying his king on a hunting party, a monstrous beast fell upon the group. Fighting valiantly to save his liege, Johan slew the beast, but not before it disfigured him terribly. Rather than saving him, the king decided it wasn’t worth the effort and left him to die. Saved by a witch and her supernatural spells, Johan gained fearsome abilities and vowed endless torment upon the king. He proceeded to attack the king’s villages and holdings, using his fell power to overcome former allies. Though he might have justification for his revenge, Johan does not care who gets in his way and kills indiscriminately. Johan has gained a reputation, and his nickname, for his practice of using his gauntlets and the blood of his victims to write messages to the king. Traits: (JA) Abhorrent, focal, notorious, power hungry, warrior Sagil Insane Cleric “I merely wish to know what lies beyond reality, even if that means destroying everything.” Appearance: He wears traditional dark purple robes topped with a cobra-shaped helmet. His expression fluctuates between anger and insane curiosity. Roleplaying: Sagil’s insanity is easily visible, but he is still able to influence his minions and keep them in line. Personality: His mind writhes and fluctuates as he tries to make sense of the incomprehensible things he has seen. He can flip from calm and curious to irate and violent in a moment. Motivation: He seeks to tear down the walls of reality and see what lies beyond it. Background: Once a high-ranking cleric of a benevolent and kind deity, Sagil got a glimpse beyond the walls of ordered reality; the things he saw drove him mad. Sagil began to worship a new god, a snake being who gave him great power. He has set about on a new holy mission—to see beyond the walls again, no matter what the cost. He believes that the only way to see beyond reality is to destroy it. He sends his minions out to capture relics of power that will let him do this. Sagil spreads his insanity to his minions, giving them just enough of his madness to believe in him but still be effective in their roles. Encounters with Sagil might lead to him using his power to convert or corrupt a weak-willed PC. Traits: (JA) Eccentric, leader, occult, power hungry, religious Artist: Matt Morrow Sagil 37 38 39
Fantasy - Villains 38 Belamy • Benedetto • Benny • Bernardo • Bernhart • Bertrand • Braden Patience Whit Feral Gang Leader “Quit playing around. Finish him off, grab the goods, and let’s get out of here.” Appearance: A young girl smudged with dirt, Patience blends in on the streets or at the textile house where she works. Her long, tangled hair and moth-eaten, oversized men’s shirt constantly knock loose items to the floor as she walks. Above her left eye is a vivid scar. Roleplaying: She is truculent and uncommunicative with anyone she doesn’t trust—that is to say, anyone not in her urchin gang. Personality: Patience is independent, responsible, and tough; she demonstrates extreme maturity for her age. However, she is also savage and merciless, with a passionate belief that might makes right. Motivation: She is protective of her urchin gang charges. Patience wants the best she can manage for them, so she needs to grab all the power and money she can. Background: In an urchin gang almost since she was born, Patience knows no other way of life other than their constant struggle. Under her leadership, the gang has expanded rapidly. With her steady hand, the gang has earned many things—among them numerous enemies and a reputation for ruthlessness. After another gang leader put a price on her head, Patience took a job in a textile mill to lie low and avoid suspicion. She uses her wages to supplement the gang’s meager income. Viewing this new environment with the eyes of a predator, she has already begun to make future plans... Traits: (MN) Aggressive, business, child, criminal, impoverished, laborer, leader, power hungry, primal, stealthy Oxbar Embari Ignorant Crime Lord “Do you know who I am? You best calm down before my men gut you like a trout.” Appearance: Oxbar has a heavy brow, beady gray eyes, and a perpetual scowl. He always looks like he’s ready to stab someone (which he is). Roleplaying: Oxbar is narcissistic, petty, and wicked. He came from nothing, but believes he deserves everything; lucking into a huge fortune didn’t dissuade him of that belief. Personality: In too deep to admit that he has no clue what he’s doing, Oxbar is a dangerous idiot with money and power. He’s clueless, but no one will tell him that to his face. Motivation: Everything Oxbar does, he does to preserve his pride and reputation. Background: A year ago, Oxbar happened across a street fight between two smugglers. They killed each other, and he took their cargo—which proved to be wildly valuable. Suddenly wealthy but no less ignorant, Oxbar is a jumped-up thug who’s way out of his depth. His criminal empire has all the trappings of success, but none of the substance—it’s a house of cards, and Oxbar is just smart enough to know it. He masks his ignorance with brutality, but the day will soon come when his mettle is tested and he will respond in the only way he knows how. When that happens, the collateral damage will be widespread. Traits: (MR) Aggressive, criminal, power hungry, wealthy Octavia Blund Bizarre Interrogator “Bloop, bloop. It’s time to take a swim, my sweetie.” Appearance: Octavia is extremely heavyset. In her official duties, she favors a form-fitting military-styled uniform that seems to reveal every bulge and roll of fat. She has big, corpulent lips and her heavy-lidded eyes are set deep in her round face. She wears a silver charm in the shape of an octopus around her neck. Roleplaying: Responsible for a merchant prince’s internal house security, she uses fear, intimidation, and torture to enforce loyalty. Octavia sometimes makes bubbling noises, and her ardor is aroused during her interrogations. Personality: Octavia delights in making people uncomfortable, causing hysterics and inciting fear. She relishes the moment after an interrogation session, when a prisoner will finally agree to cooperate rather than be subjected to another round of her mercies. Motivation: She wants to extract secrets during interrogation, but also wants to watch prisoners squirm while satisfying her own perversions. Background: She was raised by a coven of sea hags and ocean druids who taught her the magic needed to assume the form of other animals, including that of an octopus. She developed a colony of wererats to spy for her, which they do in the form of vermin. When Octavia wants to unhinge a prisoner, she has them stripped down and thrown into a water tank. She then jumps in and transforms into a giant octopus, whereupon she embraces them lovingly with her tentacles, leaving sucker marks all over their bodies. Traits: (TT) Abhorrent, police, primal Benedetto Spineless Conspirator “Someday they’ll see that I’m just as good as they are—or even better. Just you wait and see!” Appearance: Rail-thin from a childhood illness, he always seems to be swimming in his clothes, especially the bulkier fashions favored by the merchant princes. Roleplaying: He is fidgety, with darting eyes and a twitchy nose. Personality: His efforts never seem to gain Benedetto the recognition he thinks he deserves. He is easily manipulated by a smooth tongue, and though he’s tired of getting pushed around, he cannot seem to muster the will to assert himself. Instead, Benedetto’s silently keeping score, and intends to get his revenge against those who have discounted or used him. Motivation: He will do whatever it takes to gain approval and respect from his family. Background: Benedetto survived a childhood marked with illness only to be regarded by other family members as too physically frail and too mentally weak to assume a position of leadership within the merchant house. Unable to navigate the waters of commerce legitimately, he hopes to rise within the ranks of a secret society of political freethinkers. The group includes some philosophers, but mostly it’s lawless rabble who hate the establishment. Once in a position of influence within the society, he plans to make a power grab for a leadership role in the family business. Traits: (TT) Political, power hungry 40 41 42 43
Fantasy - Villains Blund • Blunn • The Bonespeaker • Bouvier • Bradon • Brynja 39 Princess Aria Kensor Ruthless Royal “Really, brother, the people want a firm hand. If you treat them like chattel, they’ll respect you the more for it.” Appearance: Aria is an attractive woman and enhances her natural beauty with cosmetics and fashionable clothes; she also uses magical enhancements if available. She is always smiling. Roleplaying: She acts the perfect princess to her people. She always appears concerned for their needs and ensures that their demands are met as best she can. Personality: Aria’s generosity towards others is an act. She is coldhearted and simply wants what’s best for herself. She has trouble keeping lovers because they feel her coldness towards them. Motivation: She’s plotting her way to the throne and doesn’t care who is stepped on or killed along the way. Background: The youngest of six children, Aria knew that her chances of holding the throne were so remote as to be impossible. Rather than be married off to a duke of a faraway fief, Aria has been plotting to get her siblings out of the way. She pretends to be close, manipulating each of them to make poor decisions that take them out of the running for the throne. Thus far, she’s had one brother killed in a duel after she encouraged him to declare his love for a married duch*ess, and has had a sister locked in a convent after murdering a “cheating” lover who turned out to be innocent. Traits: (WC) Abhorrent, beautiful, dilettante, political, power hungry Preston Wedstone Nosy Blackmailer “Oh! Hello. What? Oh, this window? Well I just thought… Your wife? In there? Listen, I wouldn’t make a big deal of this if I were you. Not unless you’d like for some of you and your wife’s illegal dealings to make their way into my next play. Lovely home, by the way. I’ve admired it for years.” Appearance: In public, he dresses in gaudy, fashionable clothes and carries a quill and a papyrus roll. If he is out on one of his personal errands, he wears dark clothes and a black cloak and gloves. Roleplaying: He jots down notes on anything of interest and he will ogle any women in his presence. Personality: Curious and charming, he pries his way into other people’s business and keeps records of what he learns. Motivation: Preston writes bawdy plays and loves blackmailing others by threatening to include their personal scandals in his shows. He also likes to spy on people, especially women. It gives him a thrill and a sense of power. Background: As a boy, he would regularly hide from his parents in order to eavesdrop on them. When he witnessed his father having an affair, he was confused and immediately confronted his father with the truth. His nervous father offered him a nice sum of silver to never speak of the matter again. High on power and with his pockets full of coins, Preston realized how much fun blackmail could be. Traits: (PB) Entertainment, stealthy Reballah Irongut Zealous Rebel “Your toils, your pains, your blood built these roads and these walls! Yet your throats are pinned under their boots! No more! Those who can create can also destroy! Death to these false overlords! Death to all who support them!” Appearance: Large-framed and slightly overweight, Reballah keeps her hair cut short so that she can she wear wigs to disguise herself during her travels. Her disguises are many and varied, but when she is among allies, she wears a simple tunic and leggings. Roleplaying: An opportunistic orator, her frequent speeches about how the wealthy have oppressed the workers of the region call for violence and blood. Personality: She is completely obsessed with her cause and refuses to work within the system out of pure stubbornness. Motivation: Reballah wants to destroy the upper class: merchants, nobles, artisans, and anyone she does not regard as being one of her own. Her preferred class of people generally includes laborers and tradesfolk, but earning her favor often seems an arbitrary matter. Background: As a young woman, she served in the military and wanted to be a soldier. Her reluctance to take command, however, ended in her unceremonious dismissal from service. She found work as a stone carver and discovered then that she had a gift for speech-making. Fueled by hatred for authority, she is using that gift to effectively sow the seeds of rebellion. Traits: (PB) Laborer, military, zealot Mysterioso Illusionary Enigma “Not everything is as it seems!” Appearance: A smoky cloud reveals a nondescript figure who twirls a flowing purple cloak about himself. Roleplaying: He is confident and larger-than-life, giving evasive answers and misdirection. He speaks with his hands, twirling them on occasion to underscore his statements. Mysterioso is rarely directly interacted with. Personality: Mysterioso is gregarious and fun but with a honed edge from being so secretive and hunted. Wealth is simply a material gain easily lost—or easily stolen again. Motivation: The acquisition of wealth is his primary desire, which he does by creating the legend of the Mysterioso persona. It isn’t petty thievery when it’s done with such style and guile! Background: His real name is unknown, but the man who calls himself Mysterioso has a great many secrets still to unveil. The first of which is that his “magic” is anything but; he previously studied arcane magic but could not master its properties. Instead, Mysterioso is a master of illusion and, in a world so readily surrounded by “real” magic, his tricks are easily believed. Explosive powder, misdirection, doubles, and mirrors all give the illusion that Mysterioso commands true power. He has two confidants who, under penalty of death, assist with his illusions and occasionally stand in. Thus Mysterioso can be everywhere and anyone. All of this leaves the authorities confused and desperate for assistance in catching the escape artist. His plots are multilayered and his thefts are works of art. Traits: (DM) Criminal, magical, power hungry 44 45 46 47
Fantasy - Villains 40 Bradley • Bratton • Bree • Brianne • Bryce • Brynhild Roberto Graviani Alchemical Don Juan “Transcend mortal life and live purified as your core elements!” Appearance: Roberto stands 5’8”, with olive skin and black hair that still shows only traces of gray. He’s fit as a farmer with calloused though often ink-stained hands. Roleplaying: He’s impatient with lesser men, supremely confident in his own virtues and magnetism—particularly to women. He charms the most attractive women with a practiced mix of compliments, foreign sayings, and perceptive readings. Personality: Doctor Graviani loves a good glass of red wine and savors his food; most meetings are over a glass of wine or a meal. Several women keep assignations with him, thrilling at his practiced charms. Motivation: Competition is eternal and Roberto hates coming in second to anyone. His peers are targets of speculation and rumor, their discoveries diminished by Graviani’s telling, and their wives seduced. Background: As a youth, his foreign heritage marked him as different, leading to taunting and fights. Now he wears his difference proudly, assigning much of his success to his ancestors and upbringing. His exotic features and relative wealth make him popular as a dinner guest—or host. Recent alchemical experimentation bore fruit; his formulae allow him to conjure elementals with the personality and lifespan of host animals— though the process consumes the animal. Human-powered elementals should work even better... Traits: (SM) Aggressive, occult, scientist Lady Cadronus Hideous Shaman “Our actions. Our reactions. The elements dictate all, and they demand that you be destroyed.” Appearance: Lady Cadronus is a tall brunette with a thin, rawboned frame. Her nose and ears have been cut off, her lips torn away, and her eyes replaced with two orbs of bleached bone. She wears a robe adorned with alchemical symbols. Roleplaying: She does not speak directly to a person, but instead seems to be addressing an audience, even though her tone is conversational. Personality: Driven purely by the logic derived from her research of alchemy, she displays no emotion. Motivation: She believes that study of the four elements—air, earth, fire, and water—has revealed the destiny of the universe, which begins with the destruction of mankind. Background: Born into the nobility, Lady Cadronus quickly developed an obsession for alchemy. Though she became well known as an expert on the matter, she was never satisfied and constantly pushed the boundaries of the subject. She discovered an ancient ritual that would “bond” the caster with the very essence of the elements and finally grant her absolute mastery. Though it required disfiguring herself, she performed it eagerly. She butchered her face and replaced her own eyes with smooth shaped bone, but the power she gained dwarfs her sacrifice. She senses the world through the elements, and attacks by summoning their powers. Traits: (PB) Academic, hideous, magical, primal, scientist Ophelia “The Mask” Dal-Vorn Deformed Burglar <Eyes narrow and a finger is thrust at you in anger> Appearance: Her black leather armor is tight-fitting with buckles and ties secured down to prevent noise. A featureless black mask covers her face, with two slits revealing brown eyes and a golden tear. Roleplaying: The Mask speaks rarely and appears suddenly, striking without warning. She will mime her instructions or simply use hand gestures to communicate in order to avoid using her raspy voice. A steely glare indicates she is about to strike. Personality: Unpredictability and bold moves are the trademarks of this thief and sometimes-assassin. She never uses the same tactic twice and is loath to speak or show her face. Motivation: The acquisition of priceless art is her passion and is always part of her crimes. When she kills, she does so only to avenge some offense or to keep her identity secure. Background: Originally an adventurer and rogue, Ophelia was also a great admirer of beauty and art. Her obsession was magnified during a delve when an acid trap scoured her face, leaving it twisted and deformed. Now she quests for beauty to counter her own hideous visage. The acquisition of knowledge is rarely of interest unless it leads her to a hidden treasure or art. Likewise, her paranoia makes her easily take offense at any mention of her features; more than one dealer who reacted to Ophelia’s face has wound up dead shortly thereafter. Traits: (DM) Criminal, dilettante, hideous, stealthy Artist: Matt Morrow Lady Cadronus 48 49 50
Fantasy - Villains Cadigan • Cadronus • Calman • Capella • Carson • Carter • Cascanon 41 Kyle Lawson Nightmare Busybody “You really ought to stop drinking so much. Someday someone’s going to get hurt...” Appearance: Though chubby and seemingly ill at ease most of the time, Kyle’s smile is broad and inviting, and he dresses cleanly, if not fashionably. Roleplaying: Kyle’s always ready with a smile, a kind word, whatever help he can provide, and an attentive ear. Personality: He’s pleasant and caring. Due to severe psychosis, he believes he knows what’s best for everyone around him, and that he has a duty to help them improve no matter what it takes. Experience has taught him that this works best when no one knows that he’s behind their difficult learning experiences. Motivation: Kyle wants to share his “wisdom” with everyone and teach them the lessons they need to learn. Background: Kyle’s parents were always right, and if he had just listened, they wouldn’t have had to punish him so severely. Now that he’s learned to be good, it’s his turn to teach everyone else the way he was taught. Kyle wishes they’d just listen to him, but that doesn’t work. In time he’s discovered that people learn best when he arranges “accidents” that teach them the folly of their actions. Most of the time Kyle is completely delusional about himself, but he has dark moments when he realizes that his parents were monsters and he’s no better; these moments are incredibly dangerous to those around him. Traits: (MN) Abhorrent, genius Victoria Silk Anarchic Prankster “I have no idea who started that fire, sir. Which of his other six houses will the lord have to live in while that one’s being rebuilt?” Appearance: Victoria has short red hair, a large nose, and rarely sits still. She carries a bag of tools and disguises. Roleplaying: She co*cks her head when she speaks, and loves to gesticulate with her hands. Personality: Victoria has always been a joker, and it’s always gotten her in trouble. She’s a good person who’s frustrated that only the wealthy gain wealth and only the powerful gain power. She can’t see that her life is on a destructive path. Motivation: Victoria wants to do something about the imbalance between rich and poor, weak and powerful—and to embarrass the oppressors in the process. Background: Victoria is a prankster who can’t help but take things too far. While some of her pranks are harmless, others have set buildings ablaze, caused injuries, and led to a handful of deaths. Her aim is to humiliate the powerful, and her pranks always have a social message (like when she painted the courthouse red to symbolize the blood of the innocent). She never sets out to seriously harm anyone, and she feels guilty when her pranks go awry—but not guilty enough to stop. Victoria is an acolyte in a local church. She’s not religious, but she views this as the perfect cover. Traits: (MR) Criminal, religious Cassandra Merrill Stealthy Assassin “I kill for him because he needs me to. I need nothing else.” Appearance: Cassandra has an athletic, toned body. She dresses in street clothes but always carries appropriate disguises. Roleplaying: She has little concern for anything but her missions. She does not worry about consequences, only cleanly making the kill. Personality: Focused and uncaring, Cassandra hides emotion in order to perform her job better, only showing it for her savior and master. Motivation: She lives to serve the master who saved her life. Background: Cassandra Merrill was orphaned while very young. Wandering out of the woods that her family called home, she found the main road and began walking. Encountering depraved bandits, she was saved by a nobleman who raised her and kept her safe from the world. An enterprising member of the court, and of a secret society, the nobleman sent Cassandra to a special school in a far-off country. There, she learned the arts of stealth and murder. The nobleman visited every month and treated her with kindness, forming an unbreakable bond. Unknown to Cassandra, this was part of a program meant to create perfect, completely loyal assassins for the society. When she graduated, Cassandra happily did her master’s bidding and dispatched people at his request. Using a mix of disguise, wit, and stealth, Cassandra is able to infiltrate almost any institution or location. Often, she finds herself backed by the society, though she knows nothing about it. Traits: (JA) Criminal, focal, stealthy Lord-General Shira Crae Brilliant Tactician “Our chances of taking that keep by tomorrow morning are five to one. If we wait until evening, our chances increase to eight to one.” Appearance: Shira has a mousy appearance and wears glasses, even in full armor. She looks uncomfortable in armor and wears her red, feathered hair long down her back. Roleplaying: She is a sharp wit and loves to spit out probabilities. She’s uncannily accurate and likes to tease her opponents about the futility of facing her armies. Personality: Shira has a powerful gift, one that she’s using for conquest. She is no warrior, though, and she is squeamish at the sight of blood. Motivation: She wants to prove to herself that she can conquer anyone. It’s a game to her. Background: Shira has always loved games, especially those with minimal chance involved. As an aristocrat, she had plenty of time for such things. When her cousin took the throne, Shira offered advice on how to foil their enemies. While initially dismissive, her cousin soon learned that Shira had a knack for strategy and tactics. Shira was made lord-general of the army and she’s been conquering neighboring territories ever since. Some whisper that she plans to take the throne for herself, once the odds have tipped in her favor. Traits: (WC) Leader, military, power hungry 51 52 53 54
Fantasy - Villains 42 Burit • Burnell • Caine • Calla • Calviticus • Caoli • Carissa Lydila the Darksayer Mysterious Cult Leader “These signs are most disturbing; the dark ones are at unrest. All we can do is make more sacrifices. Bring me ten more.” Appearance: Lydila is a pale, thin woman with straight red hair. She is middle aged, with small wrinkles showing around eyes supported by dark circles. She wears long robes, and prefers a hood. Roleplaying: All of Lydila’s words are heavy. She breathes deep and speaks slowly, and peppers her responses to most things with phrases about the unrest of the dark gods. Personality: She is a pessimist, and rarely sees anything positive around her. Things that are truly positive are just delaying the inevitable darkness that will consume everything. She sees the worst in all signs. Motivation: Lydila believes that her destiny lies in the hands of the dark gods. She seeks their guidance in all things; seeing signs in everything. She will do anything to please her gods; which, filtered through her pessimism, is always something horrid. Background: No one knows where the Darksayer came from. She appeared in the city one day citing ill omens of the dark gods and displaying powers that were a gift from them. She shared her powers with a small group and began to teach them the signs. That group formed into a small cult that now follows Lydila without question. They have committed numerous atrocities at her command to please the dark gods. Traits: (PV) Leader, mysterious, occult Edwardo de Castille Vindictive Heir “Now you will understand my pain.” Appearance: His bright blue eyes shine under darkened lids. Worry lines crease his young face and an impeccably manicured short beard already shows flecks of gray. A gleaming rapier hangs from his side. Roleplaying: His thick accent cannot be hidden and Edwardo energetically speaks with his hands. He points as if seeking to place the blame on others. Personality: Edwardo carries a legacy of pain. He is passionate about his cause but extremely careful. His plans include multiple escapes or diversions. Motivation: The restoration of his family’s name is his primary goal, but many smaller goals run parallel to or feed into this. Death is too good for those responsible. Nothing will dissuade him, and woe to those that would seek to interfere. Background: Centuries ago the proud lineage of de Castille was defamed through acts of heresy and treachery. All were put to death…or so it was believed. Secretly the line has lived on, and the sins of the past passed down to son after son. Only lately have the noble houses of the past become complacent, and Edwardo now seeks to clear the family name. It is not enough to kill those who implicated his family: Edwardo seeks to make them suffer as his family has suffered, destroying their houses and their lives. The lackeys and adventurers that get in the way are necessary casualties in the war to reclaim his honor. Traits: (DM) Impoverished, royalty, zealot Agnor Orsh Philosophical Hunter “Do not be misled by my fine clothes and extensive trappings, for I have hunted the wolves in the wastelands, and learned their secrets as the light of their eyes flickered out of existence by my hands.” Appearance: Agnor is handsome and well groomed. He wears the finest clothes over his powerful frame. His hands are thick and bear scars that a man of his position doesn’t often have. Roleplaying: He is calm and well-spoken unless provoked. Then he becomes aggressive, locking eyes with his quarry. Personality: At the center of his very nature, Agnor is quite philosophical and enjoys discussions on the nature of living beings. He believes that one can only truly understand a living creature when it dies, when its last moments reveal its true nature. Motivation: Agnor has a desire to learn about all types of people and creatures through their deaths. He kills simply to experience their true natures. Wealth and power hold no sway over him. Background: Agnor was born to a wealthy family of merchants. He attended the finest schools and developed a passion for the study of philosophy. He used his family’s wealth and their trade routes to experience the world. While traveling in the wastelands he came upon a tribe of hunters and became enthralled with their belief in experiencing creatures through their deaths. Now he travels the world searching for unique individuals and creatures to know, and, eventually, to kill. Traits: (PV) Primal, scholar, wealthy Theressa Vorton Scheming Poisoner “Little Victor looks worse...it’s clearly time for a treatment. You do have your payment?” Appearance: A sensible businesswoman, Theressa dresses in rich but practical maroon clothing. Her hair is drawn back and coiled in a black cap, emphasizing her pale skin and high cheekbones. Roleplaying: She is impatient with small talk, ignoring people when they become emotional. She affects a schoolteacher’s diction, sharp and precise. Personality: Theressa cares only for her own comfort, and manufactures crises in order to have the solution in hand. That some are too stupid or poor to buy her services doesn’t disturb her. Motivation: This is the quickest, surest path to wealth for her skills. People don’t enjoy coming to her, but they grovel appealingly when they’re short on their payment. Background: Despite learning midwifery, Theressa was shunned for her lack of compassion. She discovered a way to imbue slivers of stone with a poison that leaks out into water slowly. After developing a mastery of the antidote, Theressa packed up and headed to a larger city, leaving a few splinters of poison behind in the stream for spite. After establishing her practice in a city, she slips poison into the well, where the dilute doses sicken children first. She sells her medicine at a good profit, draining families of their savings and watching others die. Then she packs up her cure, journeys to a new city, and poisons its well. Traits: (SM) Abhorrent, business, magical, medic 55 56 57 58
Fantasy - Villains Chak • Chan • Cindall • Clemensa • Clifford • Cochrane 43 Skellos the Cruel Driven Necromancer “You have failed me for the first and last time. Your animated corpse will do a better job...” Appearance: A skeletal older man, he wears heavy black robes. Roleplaying: Driven by his quest, he callously removes any obstacles in his path. Personality: Skellos has no real personality. Everything revolves around his goal. Motivation: His quest is to uncover the secrets and power of a distant past. Background: Skellos was the brilliant student of an eccentric wizard who lived far from civilization. Because help was impossible to find in his isolated locale, his master dabbled in necromancy, using skeletons as servants. Although his master tried to interest him in other disciplines, Skellos took to necromancy like a corpse to dirt. Once Skellos felt he had learned all his master had to teach him, he killed the wizard and reanimated his corpse to keep as a slave. In reading through his former master’s hidden scrolls, he discovered hints that a great necromancer once ruled much of the ancient world. Ever since then, his life’s goal has been to recreate or discover the source of the ancient necromancer’s power. Traits: (KS) Abhorrent, magical, occult, power hungry Comtesse Adelta Vintronus Seductive Immortal “I feel that I’ve really captured your likeness. <licks lips>” Appearance: Wearing layers of skirts, a boned bodice and generous makeup, her strawberry blond hair pulled up behind her, Comtesse Vintronus glides with exuberance and grace, ever smiling. Roleplaying: She speaks in vivid terms using color, texture, and artistic expressions, describing everything as if explaining a painting. She is disarmingly charming and seemingly harmless. Personality: She is adept at playing people like a musical instrument via flattery, and she engenders a sense of calmness. She yields points to make gains in other areas and seems remarkably well informed. Motivation: The acquisition of wealth and power—along with the food she requires—drive the comtesse to her sad*stic ends. Background: No records show it, but Comtesse Vintronus is not of noble birth; she was born generations before the first Vintronus. In truth, the “comtesse” has lived for hundreds of years via her nefarious ability to sap the life out of her victims. A skilled artist, she paints her targets with an unusual clarity using magical pigments. This, in turn, binds their life force to her so that she may slowly feed on them, absorbing her victim’s knowledge and vitality. She prefers to have many concurrent victims so as to extend the process, but also has drained husks in her dungeon that she’s painted overnight when she rapidly required sustenance. Her manor is adorned with hundreds of stunningly lifelike portraits. Traits: (DM) Ancient, artist, magical, royalty, wealthy Julie Adon Brainwashing Nurse “Take your medicine. It’ll make everything all better.” Appearance: She is shapely, attractive and dresses and accessorizes well. Though she pretends it’s accidental, her dress and body language are provocative and suggestive. Roleplaying: Julie acts vacuous and fawns coquettishly over those she dupes, but is vicious and biting when dealing with anyone she doesn’t have a need for. Personality: Manipulative and conniving, Julie thinks that she’s entitled to whatever she can trick people into giving her. Motivation: She wants to live in the lap of luxury, and for that she needs lots of money, expensive presents, and doting flunkies. Background: Julie works as a nurse at a large infirmary. There she is able to use her natural charms, addictive will-sapping drugs, and enchantments to enslave wealthy patients. Once in her thrall, she uses her influence to solicit gifts and favors from them. By bringing a large enough group of slaves under her control, she hopes to retire with everything she ever wanted at her fingertips. More than one family has already been broken up by her manipulations, and even those who resist her wiles are often subject to blackmail. Julie keeps a large number of mesmerized slaves to defend her home and perform menial tasks. Traits: (MN) Beautiful, humorous, medic, wealthy Onias of Gartwood Manipulated General “If we press the attack a third time, I’m sure we’ll succeed. What do you think, Jaspir?” Appearance: With close-set eyes, ruddy cheeks, and a high forehead, Onias reminds one of an eggplant with a face. He wears ostentatious armor bedecked with medals. Roleplaying: Onias never makes a statement without his eyes darting towards his advisor, Jaspir, seeking approval. Everything he says sounds like a pronouncement. Personality: Raised on dreams of one day being a storied general, Onias is blind to the fact that, despite the trappings, he isn’t one. Bereft of all common sense, he is easily swayed to morally questionable (or reprehensible) actions by Jaspir or anyone with a swift tongue. Motivation: Onias wants to be the greatest general who ever lived, and he’ll willfully ignore evidence that suggests he’s not going to succeed. Background: A scion of the Gartwood line, Onias was convinced by his closest lieutenant, Jaspir Usiel, that he’d make an excellent military commander. The cunning Jaspir had long planned to use the pompous dimwit to his own ends. Impressionable, vain, and enamored with Jaspir’s knowledge of war, Onias has embraced his lieutenant’s counsel without question. Manipulated by Jaspir, Onias has ridden down peasants (rebels), enforced punishingly high taxes (to fund the great war), and generally made life miserable for the locals—all while certain that he’s doing the right thing. Thanks to Jaspir, Onias comes off as an accomplished commander in his own right, blinding him with pride. Traits: (MR) Leader, military, royalty, warrior 59 60 61 62
Fantasy - Villains 44 Cassandra • Cassie • Catherine • Celile • Chandra • Charlotte • Chavan Telasha Mel’seurat Possessed Bungler “I’m the Queen of Darkness! Fear my unholy legions! Wait—where did my army go?” Appearance: Beneath her golden skull mask and spiked leather robes, Telasha is a mousy woman who looks every inch the milquetoast that she is. Roleplaying: Under the amulet’s control, Telasha is over-the-top evil: villainous laughter, grandiose pronouncements of doom— the whole nine yards. Personality: The “real” Telasha was born to wealthy merchants and never wanted for anything. She also never learned to think for herself, leaving her mind vulnerable. Motivation: Telasha wants to crush the world under her bladed boots, and enthusiastically embraces evil. The amulet controlling her wants to get her killed, freeing it to find a master more competent and capable of accessing the depth of its power. Background: A year ago, Telasha found an intelligent, evil amulet of immense power—and it couldn’t be less happy with its master. The amulet warped Telasha’s mind easily enough, but soon found she possessed far more wealth than sense. None of Telasha’s Sinister Master Plans have ever worked out; she always bungles things, expending part of the amulet’s strength in the process. It’s focused on goading her to think bigger in the hopes that her next plan will get her killed. Unfortunately, given the enormity of the amulet’s power and Telasha’s resources, her plots still claim lives—the next one could kill thousands even if it fails. Traits: (MR) Focal, humorous, magical, occult, wealthy Father William Carson Demon-Ridden Monk “What possible argument could there be for us to deny ourselves pleasure?” Appearance: Father Carson has long silken hair and piercing blue eyes. He dresses simply in flowing robes, and a lascivious smile always adorns his face. Roleplaying: He has little respect for personal space, inappropriately touches people he’s not familiar with, and is prone to lecherous stares, often making those around him very uncomfortable. Personality: Possessed by a lustful demon and driven to hedonism, Father Carson is sly and crafty, using false logic, twisting religious teachings, and applying base animal magnetism to get others to lower their guard against his seduction. Motivation: Consumed by infernal lusts, Father Carson wants to uses his influence not only to satiate his desires, but also to corrupt the innocent into debauchery. He hopes to use his position as the head of an institute of learning to begin a program of advancement of immoral thought and behaviors in society. Background: As the head of a scholarly monastery, Father Carson was able to pursue any avenues of research he wished. Unfortunately, his research into demons allowed one to possess him. His monastery, once a famous center of learning, is now known for the delectations practiced within. Traits: (MN) Academic, charming, notorious Gaspar Tormogdian Shrewd Theater Owner “Welcome, welcome one and all! Are you ready to be entertained? Then stamp your feet and clap your hands for the finest damn show in town!” Appearance: He’s balding, with a great handlebar mustache, and often wears a vest embroidered with brightly colored threads. There is a large, garish ring on every finger of his left hand. Roleplaying: Gaspar commands a room with his booming stage voice. In dealing with his employees, he’s gregarious, his harder edge kept in check just below the surface. When provoked, he can let loose with a thunderous, blustering tirade. Personality: As the shrewd owner of a theater and tavern, he will lure performers to his venue with the promise of a big payout then pad his own wallet at the expense of their dignity. Though other operators are more ruthless, he’s got street smarts that are rarely outmatched. Motivation: He’s not interested in art, but in producing outrageous shows that draw the biggest crowds and make him the most money. Background: As a wandering thespian, Gaspar tired of being a starving artist and always thought he could do a better job of managing the company. So with partners, he bought a tavern and opened a theater. He finds time each night to plot and scheme while smoking and drinking with those partners. He knows that to get a royal charter he may have to tone down the violence and bawdiness of his shows. Traits: (TT) Business, entertainment, notorious Burit Verdum (“The Dark Prince”) Vengeful Scion “Do not beg. You only sully our family name. You chose your side, and you thought you won. Know that you will not be going alone to the afterlife. There is more of our family to come.” Appearance: Burit is tall, with rippling muscles. He has a square head, and doesn’t appear to have a neck. He has a groomed beard and shoulder-length hair. His armor is rusted, and his cape is tattered. Roleplaying: Burit stands straight, with his chin up, and looks everyone in the eye. He breathes deeply and speaks slowly. Personality: He is a very proud man, and takes neither charity nor help from anyone. Though he maintains courtly manners in any setting, he believes might makes right and will strike out for even the smallest indiscretion. Motivation: Pride has prevented him from walking away from his fallen kingdom. He burns with the need to take revenge upon the family that exiled him. Background: Prince Verdum was the son of a vile king who ruled the land in terror. Burit was raised to use force to get what he wanted. Eventually, other members of the royal family rose up, ousted the king, exiled Burit, and ushered in a more just and peaceful era. Burit refused to relinquish his father’s kingdom and began to wage a terror spree upon the new rulers and their allies. He slaughters his relatives with a cold, brutal efficiency. Traits: (PV) Impoverished, royalty, warrior 63 64 65 66
Fantasy - Villains 45 Sedra Kalhal Elegant Assassin “Did you not receive my letter? You did. You doubled your guards, and yet you took me to your chambers. It is a common mistake and one that will cost you your life.” Appearance: Elegant and beautiful, she has dark skin and dark flowing hair. She stands straight, and walks with a calm gait. Her clothes will vary, but she prefers lighter cloth and the color red. Roleplaying: She is calm and confident in all situations. She always has the right comment to say. She never shows fear. Personality: She is confident no matter what trouble she encounters. Under her poised exterior is a woman with a passion for her work—assassination. Motivation: Sedra is driven by her commitment to her guild, and is on the fast track to being the guild master. She dreams of the day when she fulfills her mother’s wish and leads the guild. Background: Sedra is the daughter of the former head of the assassins’ guild. She was raised by her mother to one day take her place. Before that could occur, fellow assassins killed her mother, and Sedra was forced to the lowest rank within the guild. Never faltering, Sedra became an adept killer, and now has become bolder as she often alerts her targets to their imminent deaths beforehand. She is best known for her ability to exit a location without a trace. Traits: (PV) Criminal, stealthy, zealot The Colonel • Corelian • Costa • Crae • The Cruel • Cullen • DíMaio Lord Silus Renzler Faith-Filled Leader “I only wish to see my people flourish.” Appearance: The dark hair around his face is clean and cropped short. Roleplaying: Lord Renzler does what is necessary, regardless of the consequences. He rarely budges once he has set his path. Personality: Renzler has made himself calculating and cold to pursue his mission. Motivation: He believes his religious goal is to find his people a new land. Background: The majority of Lord Renzler’s people were wiped out over 50 years ago because of their country’s strategic position between two larger nations. Many fled, succumbed to plague, or were treated cruelly because of their distinctive appearance and dress in foreign lands. When Renzler was young, he visited the remains of his family’s castle, and there he saw the goddess of his people. Being told that he would one day lead his people to glory, Renzler took to his mission with furor. When his father died and left him the title, he began to call back his scattered people. Building a small army, he started taking back territory that once belonged to his kingdom. He has made deals with dark forces in order to gain the power he needs to overcome his country’s enemies. Renzler will do much to see his people thrive, and he will make many devil’s bargains to acquire that which he needs to wage his wars and restore his kingdom, but there are lines that he will not cross unless pushed. Traits: (JA) Leader, magical, religious, royalty Artist: Matt Morrow Lord Silus Renzler 67 68
Fantasy - Villains 46 Ciel • Colin • Corinna • Coryn • Cosetta • Cybil • Cyron Leallia Bellemar Manipulative Charmer “You may think you have won, but have only done my bidding without knowing it.” Appearance: Leallia is dangerously attractive. She has brown hair and wears a coy, devious smile. Roleplaying: Leallia works hands-on, but often her true motives go unnoticed. She is a chameleon who molds herself into the best tool to manipulate her current target. Personality: She is confident, cunning, mysterious, and seductive. However, Leallia’s strongest personality trait is her boundless devotion to her hidden goals. Motivation: Leallia seeks change in the world, but she keeps the true reasons hidden behind layers of obfuscation. Background: Leallia is a manipulator, working behind the scenes or charming her way into social positions where she can bend the ear and will of the high-ranking. She is often seen on the arms of wealthy royalty or whispering in the ear of politicians. But Leallia’s reach is far wider, and her resources seem near limitless. When some treachery of hers has been discovered within a realm and she has been chased out of it, she often appears elsewhere with even bigger plans. She is known to wield many magical devices, but if she is a magic user herself she keeps it well hidden. Many of her schemes revolve around the manipulation of bloodlines, and some who have crossed her speculate that she is immortal or long-lived. These might just be rumors she has seeded herself to obscure her true motives. Traits: (JA) Charming, mysterious, power hungry, white collar Acolyte Skobb Needy Acolyte “I heal people. Really! I healed that farmer last week who caught the plague. You know, the one who was trampled by a horse yesterday? I cured him of the plague just like I cured that old woman of her blindness. I know that she died a few days ago in a fire! So? I heal people!” Appearance: Skobb is a scrawny youth who has such a small frame that he trips over his robes. Roleplaying: He talks a great deal about his “calling” and expects to be treated with respect. He scratches his chest often. Personality: A young man unsure of himself, he tries to cover up his self-doubt with bravado. Motivation: He wants to be respected first and to help others second. Background: Acolyte Skobb has never truly applied himself to his studies. He is the youngest and smallest of the members of his order, and he hates being treated as such. When he discovered a magical amulet that granted him healing powers, he saw his chance to win the admiration and praise of his peers. He keeps the amulet hidden beneath his tunic, and every time he uses it to heal, it causes small sores to appear on his chest. Those he heals always suffer a tragic death a few days later, but Skobb has not yet made the connection. Lately he has been having nightmares about a demon, which may be connected to the amulet. Traits: (PB) Dilettante, mysterious, religious Professor Hilda von Tegelmanner Double-Crossing Ghost “Und so you see, the spirits they remain here, ja? Und they have something they must do, but that something might haf already been done, ja? So they are stuck in this loop of how-you-say, something-doing, ja?” Appearance: Frumpy and plain-looking, she wears sensible but out-of-date clothes. Roleplaying: Professor von Tegelmanner speaks in a strong accent, and tends towards long-winded lectures on tangential subjects. Personality: Although very gregarious, she’s also quite nerdy and academic. Motivation: She is bound to hire and betray adventurers. Background: Hilda was a professor of the supernatural, specializing in hauntings and ghosts. Having grown bored simply theorizing on her subject of interest, she sought an avenue to its practical application. She settled on hiring adventuring parties from a nearby tavern to guide and protect her as she visited various purportedly haunted sites. She grew too bold after a number of successful trips, however, and acquired the services of con artists. They abandoned her deep within a haunted cave, taking her money and heading off to their next job. Hilda knew enough about hauntings to arrange her own afterlife as a ghost who would take vengeance on her betrayers. But after doing so, she herself was trapped in the cycle of betrayal and revenge, and has hired an endless stream of adventuring parties over the years only to bring them to their doom deep in the haunted cave. She is completely unaware of her metaphysical state. Traits: (KS) Academic, eccentric, scholar Rodett Atwell Necromancer Con Artist “I’ve almost got the spells right for the zombie uprising. Just a few gold and they’ll leave your town alone. Act today!” Appearance: Rodett looks seedy and greasy. Her hair is thin and dirty and she wears brightly patterned clothes which bear a myriad of strange stains. Roleplaying: Leaning in close, Rodett always applies highpressure sales tactics and haggles over everything. She’s disposed to making outrageous claims that are difficult to disprove. Personality: Rodett is full of energy and excitement, especially when talking about her newest plan to strike it rich. Motivation: Though there are numerous ways she could use her sorcerous abilities to make her as wealthy as she’s ever hoped for, Rodett only has the attention span for fast-paced get-rich-quick schemes. Background: Rodett has always been a bit excitable and looked for the easy way out of everything, so when she decided that wizardry was where the big money was made, she let herself be seduced by the dark arts at the first opportunity. With new powers at her command, Rodett immediately started looking for ways to apply her new-found unholy powers to the task of lining her pockets. So far, she’s been wildly unsuccessful, but that doesn’t faze her one bit. Traits: (MN) Business, eccentric, humorous, impoverished, magical 69 70 71 72
Fantasy - Villains 47 Field Marshal François Gamelin Nievelle Le Petomane Incompetent Officer “Your buttons are filthy! FILTHY! How can his highness ever expect to win a war when you filthy stupid grunts can’t keep your filthy stupid buttons polished?” Appearance: Perfectly groomed and fastidiously dressed, he wears an exasperatingly arrogant expression. Roleplaying: Through and through, Le Petomane is a pretentious, insufferable jerk. Personality: He’s a major jerk with multiple promotions. Motivation: He wants to run the cleanest, most attractive, and best-maintained military in the world. Background: Some generals earn their place, while others have such well-connected families that they cannot be fired. An arrogant and incompetent general, Le Petomane is the latter. Granted a military title due strictly to an ancestor’s conquests, his family’s politics, and his birth order, Le Petomane has never been truly tested in combat. However, due to overwhelming numbers, competent underlings, or sheer luck, he has won enough minor engagements to maintain a reputation as a victorious commander. Utterly lacking in humility or self-awareness, he considers himself a military genius. His arrogance is such that he would rather decimate his own armies than admit to a strategic error. He is also completely unaware that his family’s fortunes have been waning for some time and his future position is far from ensured. When the chips are down, his incompetence will truly shine through. Traits: (KS) Abhorrent, leader, military, royalty, wealthy Dakerin • Dalton • Dal-Vorn • The Dancer • d’Aquitaine • Darkmourne Durgo the Lucky Short-Sighted Gang Leader “That museum gots stuff against sneaky little buggers, but they ain’t countin’ on ‘splosives like we gots.” Appearance: He has an athletic build, beady little eyes, and a vicious grin. Roleplaying: His idea of conversation is intimidation using simple words, poorly spoken. Personality: Durgo has a simple mind and enjoys simple pleasures: violence and money. Motivation: He wants to fight his way to the top, take what he can while he’s there, and get away clean. Background: Blessed with a powerful build, catlike reflexes, and a lucky streak a mile wide, Durgo could have been successful as a laborer or a warrior. However, he’s also cursed by being exceedingly violent, stupid, and greedy. He learned early on that he could intimidate his associates into just about anything, and has instigated any number of dumb and destructive capers. Most of them were committed using excessive amounts of force or some other way of maximizing collateral damage (such as a cattle stampede or burning down a city block). Though destructive, his crimes are surprisingly successful; this could be due to his amazing luck or his unorthodox and brutal approach. Durgo’s reputation among the underworld is poor, but there’s always new meat to tenderize, and his successful operations are lucrative enough for those who manage to survive and get away. Traits: (KS) Aggressive, criminal, notorious, warrior Captain Tawyna Murr Brutal Enforcer “This is my town. My rules.” Appearance: An imposing broadsword hangs at her side. Dented armor covers features seemingly chiseled from stone. Her light blue eyes and long blond hair give the briefest illusion of compassion. Roleplaying: Captain Murr likes being in charge. “Accusations first, proof second” is her modus operandi. She talks loudly and with confidence, her eyes always glaring. She never smiles. Personality: She rarely shows emotion beyond anger or disgust; her default state of being is that of quiet contemplation. She won’t back down from a fight and her soldiers are deathly afraid of her and what she can do to them. She is the law. Motivation: She wants control of the city and everyone in it. Background: Corruption ran amok, and Tawyna embraced it, using the chaos to champion the necessity for the guard to stamp out the criminal element. Now the pendulum has swung the other way; the captain and the guard have become the criminal element. Shakedowns are the norm, as is detaining people without reason. Bribery runs rampant amongst her people and the populace lives in fear of her. The nobility ask no questions because crime is at an all-time low and their purses continue to be lined with gold. Many people would be happy to see the captain and the guard meet an unsavory fate, but none are able to stand up to them. Traits: (DM) Leader, police, power hungry Ciel Enbura Unscrupulous Relic Hunter “The Shard of Shalazar? Yeah…you won’t find that in the Caves of Ice anymore, but if you were interested in it, I can make you a good price.” Appearance: Ciel is long-legged and athletic, with long, wavy blond hair worn in an old-fashioned style. Her clothes are plain, dated, and understated. Roleplaying: Ciel is always looking to sell something. As soon as she hears someone with a need, she will pounce on him or her with an offer. When it comes to business dealings, she always gets what she wants, by persuasion or attrition. Personality: Her looks camouflage an aggressive nature. When she wants something, she gets it. She uses her quaint image to gain the trust of strangers. Motivation: Ciel loves to have and sell things. She finds a rush in taking something not hers. Background: She grew up in a remote village, raised by very traditional parents. She was kidnapped from the village as a young woman by a group of bandits. To survive, she had to learn to deal with them aggressively. After a few altercations, the bandits came to respect her and taught her many things about relics, specifically stealing and selling them. Ciel now seeks out relics, steals them, and then sells them. She’s not above robbing a party who just completed a quest. Traits: (PV) Adventurer, aggressive, merchant 73 74 75 76
Fantasy - Villains 48 Dannith • Darius • Darl • Darlah • Deego • Delmar Sandra, Marchioness of Lionsbury Scheming Princess “Our nation, in these days of crisis, deserves her best leader.” Appearance: By nature somewhat plain and heavy, Sandra is always immaculately dressed and made up. Russet hair frames a milky face; in intimate conversations, those around her breathe an intoxicating perfume. Roleplaying: Sandra recites speeches beautifully, and knows exactly how factions and their representatives will react. She is coolly reserved until she mentally classifies you, and then treats you appropriately. She is reluctant to change her initial impression. Personality: Sandra acts like an orchestra’s conductor, cuing one faction or rival group, then prompting another until the tumult and clamor have a single theme: “Sandra is our hope.” Motivation: Her little brother isn’t a bad kid, but he’s not the ruler the nation needs. Sandra needs to rule and justifies her actions to herself in many ways. Background: Long the nation’s heir apparent, her brother was born after a string of miscarriages when Sandra was already 11. Sandra watched him grow up, but despite her encouragement and training, he never showed much promise. When father died, Sandra stepped up to keep things running smoothly—and came to enjoy being the power broker. Sandra has been the king’s greatest supporter in public, but is ready to step up when the scandal she’s designed casts her brother down. She has the first three years of reforms already planned. Traits: (SM) Aggressive, leader, royalty Nal Den Wilderness Guardian “A mistake entering these woods. Your last.” Appearance: From a distance, Nal might be mistaken for a bear. He is towering and full framed, with powerful limbs. He wears only leather and fur, and he carries a club of polished hardwood. Tattoos of simple lines and patterns adorn his skin. Roleplaying: Nal stands and squats; he never sits. He is always looking around, and occasionally sniffing. He rarely speaks, and when he does, he speaks in phrases, not sentences. Personality: A quiet man, he enjoys the serenity of nature, and its cadence of sounds. What he loathes is civilization and all its cacophony: horses with armored riders, clunky wagons, or noisy adventurers looking for fortune far from home. Motivation: Nal detests civilization and actively fights against its encroachment. Like a weed, civilization spreads and Nal believes it is his duty to cut it back. Background: Nal was born to a circle of druids and raised to love nature and to venerate it in all ways. When he was a preteen, a group of adventurers found and attacked the circle, leaving everyone for dead. He was the sole survivor, and slowly nursed himself back to health. He never found the adventurers responsible, but he exacts his revenge on any civilized person who steps into his forest. When he is especially angry, he ventures out to destroy nearby farms. Recently he raided a small village, killing several people. Traits: (PV) Focal, primal, outdoorsman, religious Artist: Matt Morrow Sandra, Marchioness of Lionsbury Rajnish Nagendra False Guru “Ah yes, the life spirits tell me your mother will recover from her illness quite quickly. Now, be a dear, and bring me some more wine, won’t you?” Appearance: Rajnish is tall, handsome, tan, muscled, dripping with oil, and nearly naked. He spends most of his time lounging on pillows while serving girls attend his every need. Roleplaying: The day that Rajnish does anything for himself is a rare day indeed. He barely moves, expects others to wait on him hand and foot, and spends most of his time preening and flirting confidently with every woman within range. Personality: He excels at convincing others to do his bidding— especially women. Motivation: All he really wants is to be waited on hand-and-foot and to be free to lounge about. Background: Rajnish is a nobody—a twerp from a tribe that no one’s ever heard of. While exploring far from home, Rajnish found himself low on supplies, tired, and hungry. He conned an old woman out of a bed, a meal, and a small purse by pretending to be a great mystic. He’s been running the same scam ever since. Currently, Rajnish has set himself up as the leader of a small cult, and he encourages his cultists to recruit actively. Though he’s happy with doing nothing, he occasionally puts forth the effort to secure some small reward for his followers so they don’t abandon him. Traits: (MN) Beautiful, dilettante, mysterious, primal 77 78 79
Fantasy - Villains 49 Hammill Townsend Corrupt Theater Owner “Just sign right here, and all your worries will be over.” Appearance: A tall, thin older man with a piercing gaze, he wears exquisite but understated clothes. Roleplaying: As a trained actor, he speaks deliberately, often pausing for effect. Personality: Hammill is both terrified of his situation and stalwart about maintaining it. Motivation: In order to save his soul, he must keep the contracts flooding in. Background: An unlucky theater owner, Hammill Townsend was on the verge of bankruptcy. After a broken rope turned his classy drama into a cheap slapstick, he swore that he’d do anything to make it big. The next day, a mysterious visitor presented Hammill with a long contract and a lot of smooth talk—promising that everything would change. He signed, and his next show was the essence of dramatic perfection. The stranger returned and demanded Hammill uphold his end of the contract: deliver his clients’ souls, or his own. Hammill was in league with the Devil. He desperately began signing acts from all over and the Townsend Theatre quickly became known as a discoverer of “the next big thing.” As performers began dying, rumors flew of a “devil’s deal.” But nobody can prove a thing, and there are always new performers eagerly signing up—Hammill is far from the only one willing to risk everything for success. The only salves to his conscience are that all persons sign of their own free will and he’s ready to be bound by every contract he signs. He may have no occult power, but bad things tend to happen to those investigating him. Traits: (KS) Counselor, entertainment, notorious, wealthy The Darksayer • Darlee • de Cadonia • de Castille • DeAbuville • Deigja Caine the Penultimate Disturbed Loner “For Zane!” Appearance: His wild gray eyes peer from behind wisps of disheveled silver hair. Caine has chipped brown teeth and his eyes dart about, taking everything in. Roleplaying: His eyes large and wild, he rarely blinks for fear of missing something. His movements are swift and small, much like a bird or small animal avoiding detection. Caine comments about reminders of his son around him and chews on a piece of wood. Zane! Personality: Caine isn’t stupid and is constantly taking in the world around him, planning his next move, looking for plans within plans. Sadly, years of doing this have made him paranoid to an extreme. Motivation: Caine is obsessed with preserving the memories of his son—Zane! Any change in the familiar order of his world is an affront to that. Background: By trade a woodcrafter, Caine loved carving wooden figures for his son, Zane. Unable to carve out a decent living for his family, Caine took up adventuring. He reluctantly left his family, only to return and find that they had been killed by bandits shortly after his departure. The overwhelming guilt drove Caine mad. He now carves wood with his teeth, leaving small tokens about. He’ll murder with little provocation and poison entire towns in order to prevent their children befalling the same fate as his beloved Zane. Caine schemes and prepares for the most unusual contingencies with hand-made traps. Traits: (DM) Adventurer, crafter, zealot Bloody Jane Bloodthirsty Pirate “I’d give you the opportunity to surrender, but that would deprive me of the fun of killing you all!” Appearance: Jane has a wild mane of red hair barely kept in check by a bandana. She wears as little clothing as possible and has a lithe, well-toned body. She has several piercings with gold hoops, as well as the scars of many battles. She’s a bit above average in height. Roleplaying: She’s aggressive and loud. She is always itching for a fight, even a friendly one. Personality: Jane enjoys the rush of battle and is a bit masoch*stic. She enjoys pain and congratulates opponents who manage to rip out one of her hoops. She gets depressed when there are no potential victims on the horizon. Motivation: She just loves to fight; being a pirate merely facilitates this. Background: Now a pirate captain, Jane’s been a pirate all her life—ever since she was “adopted” by a pirate crew when the ship on which she was traveling was sunk. She was too young to remember much about her previous life. As a pirate, Jane took naturally to wielding a blade, and she enjoys the thrill of the fight. She wears little clothing not because of the heat, but so she can better feel the warm blood of her enemies spattering against her bare skin. She leads attacks against vessels solely for the thrill of boarding and combat. She cares little for treasure. Traits: (WC) Criminal, leader, notorious, outdoorsman, pilot, warrior Sebastian Redtail Disguised Assassin “Salted tea is a northern abomination, agreed. The honeyed drinks of your homeland are far more to my taste.” Appearance: He’s a lithe fellow with boots worn with many miles of travel, windblown brown hair, and a merchant’s rich clothing. He stands a hair under six feet, and moves with unthinking precision. Roleplaying: Sebastian studies those he trades with, commenting intelligently about jewelry styles and weaves of cloth, inferring their sources. He plays up the well-traveled merchant angle, and uses small talk to research, note local opinions, and get a lay of the land. Once he dons his mask, he lets his blade do the talking. Personality: He always has five reasons for what he’s doing, most of them concealed. He is a fervent, passionate devotee of his god, and thrills to be trusted with his god’s business. Motivation: Sebastian was indoctrinated while young and believes in his dark calling. He is a good merchant—good enough to make a substantial living at it—but his devotion to his god is true. Background: Trained as an assassin-priest for many years, Sebastian is loyal to the sect that trained him. His father was a merchant, making it a natural cover for Sebastian as he goes about killing those who have displeased his superiors or his god. He intends to continue his dual life until he ascends to the rank of instructor at the same hidden monastery where he was trained. Traits: (SM) Focal, merchant, religious 80 81 82 83
