:: Random NPC—Devadas, Draconian Shaman ::

Devadas (“Servant of God”)

by Wm Jay Carter III, 6/23/15

Race: Draconian

Species: Chameleon

Age: Old

Gender: Female

Stature: Average

Physical: Hunchback

Outwardly: Languid

Inwardly: Ashamed

Profession: Potter

Magic: Shaman—Spirit Guide

Catchphrase: “About time you got around to breaking open the door.”

You reach forward to open the entrance to the steppe pyramid, but instead of swinging inward, the whole slab falls backward, slamming with a heavy crunch, splitting into several uneven pieces. Wincing, you gingerly step over the rubble and enter a small antechamber where stands, shelves, and hooks are burdened with an overabundance of simple red-clay ceramics, a ghostly mist swirling inside of each.

You press further, into a slightly larger chamber—what appears to be a ceramist’s workshop—complete with a potter’s wheel, piles and piles of red clay, and an empty bed. “About time you got around to breaking open the door,” says a voice from the bed. Only after you look more closely do you see that the bed was never actually empty; it’s occupant had simply been so well hidden by natural camouflage that you had not noticed her before. The old hunched draconian sighs wearily as she rolls into a stooped sitting position. “Go on, then,” she says as if you’ve been well acquainted for years, “let’s hear what you have to say.”

:: Random NPC—Wyrtweard, Stranger of Darkness ::

Wyrtweard (“Plant-Guard”)

by Wm Jay Carter III, 5/28/15

Race: Stranger (Minor God from Another World)

Age: Venerable

Gender: Male

Stature: Average

Physical: Short Neck

Outwardly: Cheerful

Inwardly: Domineering

Profession: Gardener

Magic: Avatar—Darkness

Catchphrase: “Hello! What exactly brings you to my neck of the woods?”

You turn the map around in your hands, convinced it has somehow changed while you weren’t looking. The canopy of the dense jungle seems to choke the light of day into a dull haze, preventing you from gaining your bearings. Resolving that staying put could not possibly be better than pressing on, you step over one of several identical patches of shaggy ink cap mushrooms, choose a direction, and start walking. Suddenly, you are met by an invisible wall. No, not a wall, but a crumpled—yet infinitely sturdy—old man whose head seems to have collapsed onto his shoulders with nothing in between. He was so well integrated with the shadows that you did not notice him before. “Hello!” he says with a light laugh, as if he were greeting you at the entrance to a festival on a sunny day. “What exactly brings you to my neck of the woods?”

:: Random NPC—Lin, Winslie Wizard ::

Lin (“Gem”)

by Wm Jay Carter III, 5/27/15

Race: Winslie (Spider/Octopus/Tree)

Age: Adult

Gender: Female

Stature: Average

Physical: Long Neck

Outwardly: Tired

Inwardly: Scared

Profession: Sheriff

Magic: Wizard—Summoning/Banishment

Catchphrase: “I am the sheriff. Summon the moot! There’s been an offense against the crown...or will be very soon!”

Upon advice from the locals, you go looking for the sheriff to settle the matter of your missing possessions. You find that she is not in the moot hall, and not in her arcane study. Only then do you hear a soul-splitting wail from the direction of the desert. Arriving at the edge of town, you see a cloaked winslie woman staggering forward, clutching her head. Extending her long neck in your direction, she hastily pulls her hood down over her glowing eyes. You mention that you were looking for the sheriff. “I am the sheriff,” she says with heavy breaths. “Summon the moot! There has been an offense against the crown...or will be very soon!”

:: Random NPC—Gotama, Dragon Druid ::

Gotama (“Best Ox”)

by Wm Jay Carter III, 5/26/15

Race: Dragon (Lizards)

Scales: Blue

Age: Venerable

Gender: Male

Stature: Average

Physical: Small Mouth

Outwardly: Surprised

Inwardly: Overwhelmed

Profession: Sailor

Magic: Druid—Ranger

Land Type: Valley

Catchphrase: “What!? All this time and still a traveler comes to appease Gotama!?”

Descending the hills into the valley, you approach the river and drink to refresh yourself before moving on. As you settle your equipment, a geyser of water suddenly erupts from the river, throwing you backward to the ground with alarm. Slowly, steadily, the river parts and an enormous blue reptilian head lifts up out of it, showering you with sprays of water. The venerable dragon spots you, jerks back, and hauls all of its bulk out of the river at once, causing the earth to shake. It opens its small mouth and speaks: “What!? All this time and still a traveler comes to appease Gotama!?”