:: Random NPC—Winona, Siren Expert ::

The first thing you hear is the plinking of bone against bone in quick rhythmic trills. The first thing you see is a curious-looking siren virtually wrapped from her long neck to her lengthy curling tail in informal vestments of seaweed and sponge. Whereas most merfolk you've seen—especially the females—have voluminous tresses of sea-green hair, this one is entirely bald, revealing prominent cranial fins. The plinking is coming from a marimba of sorts, crafted from the ribcage of what must have been a massive fish.

The plinking stops as the siren becomes aware of your presence. She quickly sets down a pair of fishbone mallets, tugging at her coverings to be sure no part of her below the neck or above the wrists is exposed. She turns (really just rolling over to lean on her other flank) to see who has arrived.

"How many have you brought?" she drawls in a high, shrill voice. She extends one webbed hand, clutching her clothes tighter to her body with the other. "The lamps! Give them to me—I must have all of them!" And only now do you notice: in the corner of the grotto sits a massive pile of discarded lamps of every variety—old and new, metal and clay, pristine and shattered beyond repair.

:: Random NPC—Dagrun, Foxfolk Cavalier ::

Your first impression of the knight is that he is awfully short...until he removes his helmet and reveals himself as a foxfolk. In which case, you muse, he is a very tall fox. Nevertheless, he would be even taller if his back did not involuntarily bend him forward as it did. His exotic vestments don't seem to match his gloomy expression any more than the dulcet tones of his voice match his indifferent attitude.

"I am here for the evildoer," the knight states with an aloof sing-song, and dismounts from the saddle atop the large sea turtle that passes for his mount. As the knight's piercing stare scans the coast, you have a moment to take in the unlikely pair. Two-of-a-kind, you think; both rider and mount having dome-shaped armored backs. A turtle of any variety would be an impractical choice for transportation on the mainland, to be sure, but here in the island hamlet of Columnden it must suit the knight's purpose.

At last the knight ceases glaring out at the horizon and actually regards you for the first time. "Well," he sighs apathetically, "you certainly don't look like an evildoer. Do let me know if you see one, will you? Simply ask for Dagrun; they know me here. There's a good citizen." And leaving his turtle companion munching on saltbrush, Dagrun marches inland to find his quarry.

:: Random NPC—Pukajaak, Seraph Aristocrat ::

Emerging from the tree line, you see the City of Wellstan come out of hiding. High on the cliff to your left is the mage's academy, large and imposing, creeping as it were over the edge as if ready to jump from the top of the icy waterfall to come crashing down on the common buildings below. The blanket of night offers camouflage for the numerous winged forms flying up and down from the city to the academy and back, the sequins of stars being blackened only momentarily as seraphs pass before them.

Just as you release a contented sigh do you see a bright light emerge from the inside of the academy's highest window. The light leaps from the balcony and coasts down in a lazy arc toward you. Only when it comes close do you realize that the light has a voice, and that it is shouting over the rush of the waterfall.

"Why haven't you shown yourselves up? We've been expecting you!" the light shouts, and only as the creature lands do you see that it is a tall seraph wearing a circlet made of the famed pirium—a magical metal that absorbs sunlight during the day, and releases it in darkness. The light from the circlet envelops the seraph woman in a halo that reveals, but does not afflict your eyes as the brash sun would. The halo highlights her colorful cultured regalia, elegant white bat-like wings, and long snow-white hair. She folds her hands in front of her and only then do you notice the ring finger of her left hand is covered by a tight-fitting articulated metal sleeve, or else has been entirely replaced by a masterfully-crafted silver prosthetic.

Your seraph envoy catches your gaze. "A childish mistake," she shouts against the crash of the falls. "One I will never repeat," she adds dismissively. "Are you ready, or do you dawdle to insult me? Come, let us away."

:: Random NPC—Geir, Fenris Shaman ::

The old grizzled Fenris shaman will tell you the end is nigh, and you're tempted to disbelieve him—just as you would any other crackpot fool wearing a sign around his neck—except that this crackpot fool supports his claims with evidence. Though old, Geir's clothes are clean. Though prophesying the coming calamity, he is paradoxically cheerful. This, he says, is because there is still something that can be done about it.

:: Random NPC—Oyibo, Leonian Wunderkind ::

Oyibo (“White”)

by Wm Jay Carter III, 6/11/16

a leonian

Race: Leonian

Age: Middle-Aged

Gender: Male

Stature: Tall

Physical: Narrow Shoulders

Outwardly: Enraged

Inwardly: Embarrassed

Profession: Law Enforcement

Magic: Wunderkind—Love/Enmity

Catchphrase: “You dare to enter the den of the Kahina, infidel scum!?”

Entering the forest clearing at last, you cross the threshold between underbrush and polished flagstone. The den of the Kahina spreads out before you in a perfect flat circle. At its center, nearly 50 feet away, a tall leonian male stands, facing away from you. A long, billowing ceremonial cape hangs from his narrow shoulders, as shock white as his albino fur. You take but one more step and his left ear twitches, marking the sound. An instant later a roar rings out across the den and he is upon you in seconds. “You dare enter the den of the Kahina, infidel scum!?” he bellows, bearing down on you, flashing clawed gauntlets of jeweled silver.

:: Random NPC--Forest Marshal Saturnina ::

Forest Marshal Saturnina (“To Sow”)

by Krista Kubie, 6/27/2015

a ranai bulb-lantern bearer

Race: Ranai

Age: Adult

Gender: Female

Stature: Tall

Physical: Broad shoulders

Outwardly: Exuberant

Inwardly: Joyful

Profession: Marshall

Magic: Wunderkind--Enmity/ Love

Catchphrase: “Heeey! You cut that out you crazy...person!”

As you hack and slash and slash and hack your way through the underbrush, you are suddenly halted mid-slash by a shrill exuberant voice. “Heeey! You cut that out you crazy...person!” A tall, braod-shouldered ranai woman swings in from a neighboring copse of trees, nearly tngled in the vine she’s riding. “You just cut through two snakes and a tree that just had it’s four-thousand-three-hundred-and-sixty-first birthday!”

:: Random NPC—Warrun, Córean Druid ::

Warrun (“Sky”)

by Wm Jay Carter III, 5/28/15

Race: Córean (Ravens)

Age: Middle-Aged

Gender: Male

Stature: Tall

Physical: Tattoo on Big Head

Outwardly: Overwhelmed

Inwardly: Moody

Profession: None

Magic: Druid—Awakened

Animal: Whale “Akama”

Catchphrase: “What are you doing here…? Why have you come? Don’t you understand, you’ve ruined everything!”

The wind picks up, tugging the ship along a little faster across the waves of the Eastern Sea. High overhead, a black winged figure circles. With very little preamble the bird-like creature dives, cutting through the air between it and the ship. Alighting on the edge of the crow’s nest, the Córean cocks its large head to the side to get a better look at you. When he hops down, landing only feet away, you notice a large portion of his head feathers have molted off, revealing a tattoo of a stylized whale. “What are you doing here…? This ship can't be here! Don’t you understand, you’ve ruined everything!”

:: Random NPC—Llywelyn, Bórean Priestess ::

Llywelyn (“Lion”)

by Wm Jay Carter III, 5/26/15

Race: Bórean (Moles)

Age: Middle-Aged

Gender: Female

Stature: Tall

Physical: Small Hands

Outwardly: Angry

Inwardly: Troubled

Profession: Farmer

Magic: Priest—Dark

Catchphrase: “You have desecrated this unholy place. Now, by the command of the Darkness, you shall die.”

You cut through the farmer’s field to shave a little distance off your journey; surely what the old codger doesn’t know won’t hurt him. But as you walk, the sky begins to darken, and the clouds, once white and puffy, take on the bright red of blood. The roar of a lion pulls your attention back to the ground, where you see an enormous cat wreathed in a mane of fire. Beside it stands the tallest Bórean you’ve ever seen (still only the height of a tall child). The mole-person squints her beady eyes, raises her small clawed hands to either side, and utters: “You have desecrated this unholy place. Now, by the command of the Darkness, you shall die.” The flaming lion rears back to leap on its prey.

:: Random NPC—Seaman Henry ::

Seaman Henry

by Wm Jay Carter III, 5/13/15

Homeland: Roman Empire

Age: Adult

Gender: Male

Stature: Tall

Physical: Small Nose

Eyes: Brown

Hair: Blonde

Outwardly: Hurt

Inwardly: Determined

Profession: Steward

Money: Rich

Catchphrase: “Forgive me; I have just come from addressing a personal matter. Let us discuss the matter at hand.”

As you walk into the spacious mansion, the butler greets you at the door. Ushering you into the sitting room, the butler reminds you that the master is not in and the steward will be with you presently. You study your sumptuous surroundings in the butler’s absence until at last a tall, blonde man enters dressed in fine attire. He presses a work-gnarled finger under his long, small nose with marked emotion. “Forgive me; I have just come from addressing a personal matter. Let us discuss the matter at hand.”