Balazaring Adventurer and Scout, Lates 20’s
Runes: Air, Illusion, Movement
Traits: Bitter, Calm, Perceptive, Decisive, Generous

Two things are striking  when a person meets Thrax, the first is the mask he wears over half of his face and the acid burn marks visible underneath it and the second is his refusal to wear cult markings of any sort.

As regards his cult affiliations this is not  a matter he comments on, but he was known to be one of the Balazaring Orlanthi at some point in the recent past. he is a member of Redock clan and is working hard to help Lan establish a community at Swim Here.

His demeanour comes across a man who is in control, highly efficient, aware, friendly but highly dangerous if he decides to be.  Usually when people get to know him Thrax is positive, generous and funny, not many people see that side of him quickly. However sometimes his mood turn darker and he becomes a bitter man you seems to  feel that he has been cheated in life, or that he has done something to deserve a dark fate.

He dresses well and looks more like a rich tarshite warrior than a votanki hunter.  Often he goes my moniker of Anthon of Dykene, especially when travelling around Elkoi.

Thrax and Lan were close friends through there teenager years, and comrades in arms as young men. Thrax is a both a competent hunter and proficient warrior. However after the windsword was found they became more distant and some unspoken tension lies between them.

As well as being a competent warrior, Thrax is the scout and information master for the Redcock clan and for Lan in particular. He has a spy and information network which covers most of the major centres of Balazar and spends a lot of days in the saddle travelling between contacts.

He trades information with Torath and Pay as a matter of course, is open with King Yalaring when it suits both parties and occasionally deals with  Dykene and the Yelmalio temple through Starnia.

He often will hire people for little jobs where he gives little information about himself or the larger picture, people who perform well get brought into his circles. He has become a skilled herbalists who is very skilled in the use of poisons and antidotes.

Secrets:

When they came down from the North Thrax had a young wife called Marka, she like the rest of them was a survivor of a massacre and a refugee. Where others recovered Marka never did. She became disturbed and distant, seeking after answers where there were none.  She changed, during the Festering Isle quest it became apparent that the change was significant. She had embraced chaos*.

She left them and there were many discussions in the clan of whether she should be caught or killed, healed through magic or death. Thrax did what he felt he must and sort her out and pleaded with her to turn away from her bitterness and finding healing. She appeared to accept and kissed him. Her saliva burnt his mouth. She spat in his left eye and burnt it out. She licked all of one side of his face scaring it and she left him burned and tortured alone in wilderness.

Since that point Thrax felt no love for Gods, no trust in them. He acknowledges them but refuses to worship them.

He still seeks his ex wife for reasons and plans he does not know or understand. She is out there somewhere in the wilderness.

Thrax’s is other secret is that whilst Lan and Rahkal were apart, he had a ongoing relationship with Rahkal and feels deeply for her. This has never  spoken about by any of the three since Lan and Rahkal connected, but is an unspoken truth that all are aware of.  Also most people close to the three of them know and make a point of never mentioning it publically.

It is very possible if Lan was to seriously mistreat Rahkal feelings would be expressed and a fight would ensue.

*Ref note it is very possible that Marka is a new incarnation of Granny Keeneyes.

For RQ players there is a post on how to understand and convert these stats on the fly.

Dushi has four disciples working with her at the lightbringer hall in Trilus, they all live at the hall and have been or are full time apprentices. Cela and Wiliska have now finished their apprenticeship period. But Yanka and Inari are still  apprentices.

The lightbringers hall currently heals all comers, it takes limited payment in food, animals furs and local trade goods, this is supplemented with a grant from King Yalaring and various other donations. The use of powerful rune Magics may require extra  payment and negotiation .

All the healers are well known to the local tribes and have the requisite protection afforded to them by order of King Yalaring.

Cela Calming Heart –  Balazaring Chalana Arroy Initiate, 23
Runes: Earth, Life, Harmony
Threat Level **
Traits: Calm, Patient, Diligent, Curious     

Cela is a physically delicate but emotionally strong young woman, she has been training and working with Dushi Sone for six years now.

Cela is due to undergo the rites which will make her an acolyte of Chalana Arroy at the next opportunity. She has been Dushi’s best student to date, and Dushi hopes she will be able to take her work over after she passes on.   

She is from the Blood Viper clan and has a long standing and delicate association with Garnst the Chaos Tracker. They are the closest each other has to family and she is one of the very few who know his full story. She is able to reach inside and touch his soul like no one else can. This connection has remained neither one thing nor another for as number of years now and is starting to concern her.

Cela gets on very well with two apprentices but Wiliska believes she should be Dushis right hand woman, so there is some friction between the two of them          

Wiliska Pineneedle – Balazaring Chalana Arroy Initiate, 24
Runes: Fire, Life, Harmony
Threat Level **
Traits: Honest, Pleasant, Passive, Dull

Wiliska has been with Dushi longer than any of the other current initiates feels she should be Dushis right hand woman, is jealous of Cela.  She is the younger daughter of a citadel guard.

She is faithful but does not take the initiative in things. Dushy sees here as a faithful servant to the temple and someone who will be important for years to come but not a potential leader or replacement.

She is a great cook and enjoys doing most of the cooking in the Lightbringers hall,  she is very keen on good  diet and believes most grains and breads are bad for the body. Thus she cooks mainly with meats and vegetables and fruits.

She also organises the practical issues of cleaning and repairs around the Lightbringers hall. The truth is the place would not function without her, but she lacks the spark of character to catch Dushis eye.

Yanka Redberry – Balazaring Chalana Arroy Apprentice 19
Runes: Earth, Life, Harmony
Threat Level *
Traits: Impulsive, friendly, humorous, selfish

Yanka is a young friendly redhead, with slight frame and pleasant manner. She is the daughter of a pig farmer, grew up in Trilus.

She is a social climber and party girl, who enjoys a drink at the stuck pig. She is friendly with a number of the Kings citadel guards and enjoys the male attention.

Dushi is disappointed with the attitude she shows to her family who she virtually ignores as she feels she is now above them. Both Dushi and Cela are trying to reign her behaviour in a little both in terms of her family and the her friendships with the guards..

However she is a very effective healer  and powerful magician with a strong natural tie to the life rune, Dushi has high hopes for her.

Inari Wrinkled Nose – Balazaring Chalana Arroy Apprentice 17
Runes: Fire, Life, Truth
Threat Level *
Traits: Introvert, stubborn, brilliant, clever

A quiet girl diligent in her studies who has learned to read some of Dushi’s books, and is gaining a wider range of knowledge because of it.

She has developed a friendships with both Quintas and Eleanor, and visits Quintas house often. She borrows books and talks in depth  philosophically with Quintas and as such is on the process of becoming illuminated without being aware.

Due to the close friendship with Eleanor, Eleanor has shared large parts of  her back-story and Inari hasn’ t told too many of the other healers yet.

Plot uses:

These are really colour characters but may be used to create ways in to plots with Quintas, Elenaor or Garnst or to introduce smaller character sub plots and complications. Such as

• Two citadel warriors start a vicious fight over Yanka which she had encouraged, PC’s have to calm it down and then decide who inform about it.
• Wiliska walks out on the cult in a sulk and players are sent to persuade her to return.
• Yanka publicly embarrasses her father in the stuck pig tavern with, players witnessing and can respond how they wish.
• PC’s asked to escort junior healer to her clan, all kinds of stuff could happen on route.
• Drunk Citadel Warrior hits on Inari in the stuck pig, he refuses to get that she is not interested , a scuffle then  breaks out when Quintas intervenes and is knocked to the floor.
• Cela develops a friendship with a PC, who will then have to deal with a slightly unhinged Garnst as a consequence.

Stormkhan, Favoured of Orlanth, Balazaring Warrior and Chief of Men

Runes: Air, Movement, Death

Traits: Proud, Aggressive, Impulsive, Deep, Conflicted

Tall and wiry warrior, with long scraggly brown hair and unkempt beard, he wear iron chain over furs and leather, he rides a Praxian Bison, and is usually escorted by group of praxian Bullmen from the Bison tribe. He is a man in his late 20’s who is living life fully,  but who seems to be driven to achieve, to risk, to fight and to kill.

He is the current wielder of the Windsword.

Ten years ago he was just one of a number of young Votanki hunters who were part of the Redrock Clan. Today he is much travelled, a leader of men, the wielder of the Windsword, Heroquester, the killer of chaos, a hammer against the Lunars and is unfulfilled still striving and pushing for something that evades him.

Upon meeting Lan mist people are impressed with him and want to impress him. he has an energy and dynamism  that people find engaging, but after spending time with him the shine wears off and he just seems very self absorbed.  He strives to be great and as such often wounds many close to him.

He loves dogs and hunting which he considers a joy, he loves women and has made many bad choices in that area of his life. He dreadful husband to Rahkal his wife and a poor father to his three children. He loves them deeply but has not the emotional capacity to consistently express that in any meaningful way.

He is touched by Orlanth, and is a clear manifestation of what is good and what is challenging about the god.  As a younger man his only desire was to become a windlord. However when  his wife became one before him, he turned to the cult of Stormbull instead. Surprisingly he has never been afflicted by the cults spirit of reprisal.

Lan is currently trying to form a permanent community in the Dangerground close to Swim Here which comprises of warriors seeking a Lord, Orlanthi farmers who have travelled up from Pavis country on the promise of freedom and farming land, Bison riders from Prax who are checking out this green land to see if a larger group could prosper here and Balazaring hunters  who are drawn to his rising star.

He is finding it hard but old friends from the Redrock tribe and allies from elsewhere are drifting back to him, and as a community something is coming together.

Lan has a poor view of baboons and has put a price of a wheel on the head of every baboon brought to him, and 50 Wheels for Gareeki Chaz’s head.

For RQ players there is a post on how to understand and convert these stats on the fly.

Plot Uses

• If you running a Lunar based campaign this guys should be you key adversary, he will fighting killing ambushing and raiding Lunars at every opportunity and causing others to do so.
• If you are running  a Balazaring hunters campaign this guy and his actions will make interesting political ripples which players will need to ally with , negotiate round or oppose.
• If your campaign is Yelmalian based he will be a difficult customer and potential foe.
• If your campaign is Orlanthi based he will be a rival, a friend or an employer.