Important Characters

"If the Church followed the teachings of the Creator, there'd be no Church."

Alistair Fawkes

Alistair Fawkes was born to a pair of Merchants in the capital of Vezenhold in 1187. When he was twelve years old, his parents were killed by Fadebeasts while on a business trip, and he was sent to Three Bridges to live with his Uncle. Obsessed with Fadebeasts, his anger has been tempered into genuine curiosity over the years, and he's spent his entire life attempting to study the strange otherworldly creatures. The study and curiosity regarding the animals have drawn the attention of the Hand of the Creator on more than one occasion - seeing it as potential heresy and questioning his motives.

In 1219, Alistair was returning to Three Bridges to visit his Uncle and Mentor only to learn that the ageing scientist had also been killed since their last meeting. After a period of mourning, he took up residence in his Uncles old home and continued his research - enlisting the aid of The Party on their arrival to capture a Fadehound. After a brief fight with a small pack, they succeeded.

Alistair is both skilled and intelligent, however, he can also be impulsive and reckless - overconfident in his own ability to keep himself or those around him safe. He keeps a ledger filled with detailed information on every Fadebeast he's been able to encounter as well as information gleaned through interviews with other hunters or survivors.

Alistair is never seen without his companion, Aluat. A strange flying dog of a species Alistair says is called a "Hainu," and is adamant that his companion is not a Fadebeast. The animal is friendly, excitable, and behaves exactly like any other dog. (The absolute goodest boy.)

The Fade Knight

"Give. Us. Key."

The Fade Knight, a being who's true identity is not known, was first encountered by the party during the massacre of Solace. The Knight appeared to be leading a group of Fadebeasts, including Wyverns and some strange burrowing creatures. This was the first time the fadebeasts had ever been seen showing any signs of organization or intelligence, as they're widely known to be essentially wild animals, and will often even attack each other.

After murdering a young man from the town, the Fade Knight approached the party and "with a voice that sounded like thousands of echoing screams," it repeated three words: "Give. Us. Key."

When Solomon used his rifle to shoot the knight, blowing a bullet hole through his breastplate - there was no blood to be seen. Instead, dozens of tiny black maggots fell from the wound.

The Fade Knight had disappeared by the time the Hand Paladins arrived, and outside of a few Nostors with the privileged information, very few people in the world are even aware of his existence.

"If I see that dirtbag again, the Fade'll be the least of his problems."

Merek Sallworth

While not an official Governor appointed by the Imperial Senate, Merek Sallworth is referred to as "The Governor" by most residents of Midweld. Now in his late sixties, the man is considered largely responsible for Midweld's growth over the past few decades - and deservedly so.

Born in the frontier town of Kernsby, a young Merek Sallworth left his hometown to pursue a career in the Imperial Guard, seeking to aid in the defense of the Empire and the frontier towns from the ever-present threat from both the Fade and the opportunistic bandits and highwaymen known to frequent the eastern roads. While stationed in Crest on the Vezenhold - Seftmire border, news came to the lieutenant about the destruction of Kernsby. The fade collector network had, for the first time in history, failed, and his hometown had been completely consumed by the Fade.

Sallworth resigned his commission and was discharged from the service of the Guard, returning to the southern frontier towns to aid in the relocation of the Kernsby refugees. While in Midweld, a slowly growing community on the cliffs overlooking the Pelmoore Bay, he began making a point of sending word to numerous smaller farming communities and townships, imploring them to uproot and join the easily defended community in the heart of the Empire.

For the past thirty years, Merek has been considered the de-facto leader of the burgeoning city-state, having earned the respect of the citizens of the many frontier towns across the Empire.

"Today my blood-stained fingers tremble as I document a revelation that has shattered the boundaries of my understanding..."

Augustus Stone

The Imperial appointed Governor of Noxfeld and the Eastern Reach, Augustus Stone held his position for more than 30 years. Maintaining strict rules regarding the admission and duration of stay for outsiders, he managed to keep Noxfeld quietly off the radar of most of the Empire for the duration of his tenure. Greeted at the wall, people from outside the township the wall were given directions on which parts of the town they'd be permitted to access, and how long they'd be allowed to stay.

A devout worshiper of the dark demigod Orcus, Augustus Stone would work in the shadows with other occultists to sabotage efforts of the Noxfeld citizenry to expand their defensive wall - a structure that had kept their city safe for over a century, however limited the growth of the town, and therefore it's population. This allowed Stone to justify and maintain a controversial law in the region that anyone in the town proper who reached the age of 40 would be asked to leave; given a celebratory feast as a going away party, a stipend from the Governor to aid them in their travel and new life in a new city, and a night's stay in a ceremonial and luxurious suite in the city's Hall of Laws.

Many of these people were never allowed to leave town, as Stone would drug them and use them in ritualistic blood sacrifices in a chamber attached to the basement of the courthouse. When confronted by Solomon Fairbeard, Stone led them into his chamber and showed them his work. He laughed as his body was thrown into coughing fits, spitting up blood. As he stared down Fairbeard he lamented the fact that "you chose today, of all days, to speak with me." His body began to rapidly decay in front of them, his skin and flesh peeling from his body and taking the form of wriggling black leeches as it dropped to the ground. In just moments, Stone was dead - and his skeletal remains stood before them, glowing with dark energy, resulting in a brief but decisive battle.

Over the decades, Stone kept a detailed journal. While for the most part it contained the ramblings of a madman, the journal did however provide considerable insight into Stone's patron and the occult operating in the shadows of the Empire. Sorting through the pages as they traveled, Solomon Fairbeard and his party were able to learn about the enemy they faced.

Mara Tisette Jostenbury

"A protective suit for a horse? A protective suit for a horse! Yes!"

Mara Tisette Jostenbury made a name for herself as a mechanical genius and engineering wizard at an extremely young age. By her tenth birthday, she was building clockwork machinery and had successfully designed her first steam engine. When most children were wrapping up primary school, she'd already been enrolled and was excelling at the prestigious Vezenhold University. Mara quickly became bored of the slow pace of academic life (and with their refusal to allow her to play with bombs) and she left the University before graduating, heading southward to Midweld, where word of the growing city-states need for enterprising engineers had reached the Capital.

Mara has been in Midweld for over a decade, now. Her initials, MTJ, can be found inscribed on ingenious devices she's invented across the empire, and her eccentric workshop in the clifftop community is one of the most sought after locations for apprentice artificers, engineers and inventors. From exploding weaponry to massive construction equipment, Jostenbury's ingenuity has yet to reach a plateau.

Her impulsiveness, however, has led to many accidents or failed experiments. Each success has a dozen forgotten or failed attempts behind it, and the weight of some of these mistakes weighs heavily on her shoulders.

For example, the first elevator installed onto Midwelds northern Cliffdocks moved so quickly on it's first lift that it was launched into the distance, sailing out of sight into the fade along with the two dockworkers screaming from inside it. Her second attempt bounced up and down the suspension cables like a six hundred pound yo-yo. Her third, and so-far-successful iteration, has yet to malfunction or result in any untimely deaths.

Merek Sallworth has since limited her experiments to require unmanned attempts before public implementation.

"It is good to find that we are on the same side of this issue, as I had just finished cleaning my spear and do not wish to dirty it so soon."

Kasim ibn Ahmed

From the nation of Tunerica on the other side of the Mournlands, Kasim has made the treacherous journey to Sutherfane many times over. A key member of Aarden's underground resistance, he works diligently and at great risk to his own life to ferry children from Aarden to his western homeland, where those born with magical powers can receive training and live free and prosperous lives. While he was born to a moderately wealthy family, Kasim chose not to follow the easy route and become a gemcutter as his parents had - and instead sought martial training at some of the most well respected institutions his homeland had to offer before signing on with a group of privateers. Defending merchant vessels along Tunerica's eastern coast from raiders and pirates, it was during his time onboard these ships that he first came across an Aardenian vessel bound for Tunerica with a handful of terrified children onboard.

Having heard of the draconian laws of Aarden and their treatment of those with magical gifts, Kasim's life forever changed that day - and he has since dedicated the last 20 years of his life to ferrying as many children to safety as possible.