Allies & Adversaries

ORC LIFE
T he Allies and Adver­
saries series provides GMs
with NPCs that can be quickly
and easily inserted into any ad-
venture or ongoing campaign.
Each NPC receives a detailed
treatment of character traits, ide-
als, bonds, and flaws, as well as
game statistics, physical descrip-
tion, backstory, and tips on how
this NPC may be used in play.
  Orcs need not be evil, but
they sure are great at it. Below
are orcish NPCs of diverse life-
styles, classes, and alignments.
Only some of them conform to
the “evil, brutish, warmonger-
ing beast” archetype of orcs,
and those that do can easily be
altered to suit different disposi-
tions. Instead, each of them is
driven by a need and a passion,
like any other character.

writing Kiel Chenier

color art Phil Stone
editing James J. Haeck
layout Eric Life-Putnam

EN
ENWorld
WorldEN5IDER: |  The Hamlet
EN5IDER  Allies of Varseldorf
and Adversaries
Gurk, Orc Painter in the Big City
The studio is spacious, filled with canvas, timber, and
paint. You hear humming coming from the corner. A
seven-foot-tall orc stands with his back to you. Behind
him are three unconscious human thugs, blood spat-
tered on the ground. The turns around to you, wearing
a leather smock, his nose is broken and bleeding. He
stands before a fresh painting of a perfectly rendered
glade, a palette and brush in his hands. “Men tried
interruptin’ me painting. Very rude,” he comments
with a chuckle.
NPC STATISTICS
Gurk, Orc Painter
Chaotic good Medium humanoid (orc)
Traits. I have an eye for beauty, no matter its shape or
size, and am quick to comment on it.
Ideal. Equality. I will be recognized as a great artist,
regardless of what people say of my race.
Bond. Lydia, a gallery curator, often hosts my art. I’m
forever grateful to her.
Flaw. I have a temper, and will not let an insult slide.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 8 (–1) 10 (+0) 14 (+2)
Notes: Gurk is an orc commoner who lives in a big city.
He has darkvision out to 60 feet and the Aggressive
feature, as an orc.
Possessions: Gurk dresses in plain cotton clothes, a
leather smock, and carries a purse with 22 gp and a
mouse skull in it. He owns the deed to a large studio
space in the artist/tradesperson district of the city.
The studio is filled with 300 gp worth of art supplies,
canvas, and paints.
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illustrations in the public domain), in-character and out-of-
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Product Identity.
Orc Life  |  EN World EN5IDER: Allies and Adversaries
Physical Description
Gurk is a handsome orc by human standards, maybe
even elven standards. He has a narrow face and a
strong chin, green skin, and shoulder-length black
hair. His face is always covered in thick stubble.
Background
Gurk was an orphan raised in an orphanage in the
city run by goodly priestesses of a benevolent deity.
He was deposited on their doorstep as a baby, and
the priestesses could not bring themselves to kill the
orc. He was raised to be good along with all the other
orphans.
  At fourteen years old, Gurk left the orphanage to
work as a blacksmith’s apprentice. While he had no
skill with a hammer or forge, he was adept at sketch-
ing and making blueprints. The blacksmith, being
an eccentric, introduced Gurk to her artist friends.
While many of these artists scoffed at the idea of an
orc artist, some were impressed with his talent, and
took to teaching him more advanced techniques. Gurk
rose to prominence quickly, selling his first painting
to an aristocrat when he was sixteen, and owning his
own studio by nineteen.
Roleplaying Gurk
Gurk is well-spoken and intelligent, surprising those
who see him as just a dumb orc. He knows a great
deal about art history and the prominent artists and
painters in the region. He enjoys fine food and drink,
but often is forced to live meal-to-meal.
  Gurk has become a sought-after painter, and many
established human and elven artists hate that. Fre-
quently Gurk is the target of racism and attacks by
thugs hired by these rival artists. Gurk seeks out
adventurers from time to time to help him deal with
such problems, drawing them into a world of artistic
rivalry and intrigue.
Rathbone, Banished Orc War-Priestess
An orc woman limps over the next ridge. Her head is
shaved, coarse hair fashioned into a mohawk. Clad
in bloodstained armor, dozens of arrow shafts stick
out of her back. She meets your eyes and quickens her
awkward gait. She raises a battle-axe, goblin skulls
affixed to the haft, and cries out to you: “I see you!
Fight me!” she wheezes. It is clear she is in a bad way.
NPC STATISTICS
Rathbone, Orc War-Priestess
Lawful neutral Medium humanoid (orc)
Traits. Always have orcish proverb or prayer for situa-
tion, like “Don’t eat thing you haven’t killed or is too
big to lift.”
Ideal. Strength. Goddess only value strong orc, so I be
strong.
Bond. Balla, a previous orc lover. She am better than
Rathbone deserve. Miss her very!
Flaw. Me am like to drink, but get sad when drunk. Cry
too much.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
20 (+5) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 6 (–2) 10 (+0) 8 (–1)
Notes: Rathbone is an orc priest. She has darkvision
out to 60 feet and the Aggressive feature, as an orc.
She is a 5th-level spellcaster with spells prepared as a
priest, and speaks Common (badly) and Orcish.
Possessions: Rathbone carries a ceremonial battle axe
(+7 to hit, 1d8 + 5 slashing damage), a suit of ceremo-
nial splint mail armor (AC 17), a backpack, 3 goblin-fat
candles, 2 days’ meat rations, 50 feet of hemp rope, an
empty waterskin, and a holy symbol of an orc goddess.
Physical Description
Rathbone is a brawny battle-scarred orc, the survi-
vor of numerous raids, attacks, and duels. Her hair
is shaved and spiked in a mohawk, her “tusk” teeth
jut out as far as a male orc’s would, and she is almost
always clad in armor. She smells strongly of blood,
sweat, and fresh-cut grass. She seems to be perpetu-
ally scowling.
EN World
EN World
EN5IDER:
EN5IDER  |  The
Allies andHamlet of Varseldorf
Background
Rathbone was brought up in a unique tribe of no-
madic orcs who worship a lawful orc goddess, rather
than the chaotic patron deity of orcs. She was raised
to be a war priestess, carrying the commandments of
her goddess with her into battle.
  Unfortunately, her tribe was slaughtered in a night
raid, with her and several other orc women taken as
prisoners. This did not deter Rathbone, as she spent
the next year converting her captors to her chosen
deity. Under her religious influence, Rathbone’s new
tribe flourished for a year before falling to the blade
of another orc tribe. She was captured again.
  This would become a trend, as Rathbone success-
fully converted seven tribes to her deity, and all seven
of them have fallen to ruin under her influence. Still,
Rathbone keeps the faith. After being banished from
her eighth tribe, she wanders the wilderness looking
for a new tribe to call home.
  In her fifth tribe, Rathbone became the lover of an
orc chieftain named Balla. When the tribe was later
slaughtered by elves, Balla was taken prisoner while
Rathbone was left for dead. The two have not seen
each other in years.
Roleplaying Rathbone
Rathbone is a severe woman. She seldom laughs or
smiles. She respects only grand shows of strength,
and will gladly travel and fight alongside those she
views as strong, regardless of their race. However,
she also has a secret weakness for cute things or
people (halflings, squirrels, gnomes).
  Rathbone seeks to see the enemies of her goddess
punished, and wants to find the elven militia that
stole Balla away killed. More than that, she des-
perately wishes to see Balla again, though she has
trouble admitting it.
  Rathbone speaks a pidgin style of Common, and
typically utters bizarre-sounding “Rathbone smash”
and “me Rathbone” style speech in that language. She
is not particularly eloquent in Orcish, either, for that
matter.
Adversaries  |  Orc Life
Vortch, Orc “Chef”
A fire roars beneath a massive iron cauldron. A thick,
viscous stew bubbles inside. Steam rises from it into
a wide orc’s face, decorated with bone piercings and
ornamental scars. His piggish snout snorts up the
steam. He lowers a bone ladle into the stew, raising
its bubbling contents to his lips. He sips it delicately,
then puckers his lips. “Too pungent. It’s the ground
fennel seed that’s done it. It needs a sweetener...and
we’re all out of elf’s blood,” he sighs ruefully.
NPC STATISTICS
Vortch, Orc “Chef”
Chaotic evil Medium humanoid (orc)
Traits. I’ve got the most refined palate in all the seven
tribes.
Ideal. Pride. Somethin’s not worth doin’ if you can’t do
it right.
Bond. Clan Collarbreak, I owe those lumps my life, and I
will serve ‘em as best I can.
Flaw. I cannot stand to be condescended to. I’ll break an
orc’s legs if he thinks he’s better than me.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 12 (+2) 8 (–1) 10 (+1)
Notes: Vortch is an orc thug and a member of the Col-
larbreak Orc Clan. He has darkvision out to 60 feet and
the Aggressive feature, as an orc, and the Pack Tactics
feature, as a wolf. He speaks, reads, and writes in Com-
mon and Orcish.
Possessions: Vortch wears studded leather armor (AC
14) and carries a longsword (1d8 + 3 slashing), a spear
(1d6 +3 piercing), and a massive cast-iron pan (2d4 +
3 bludgeoning). He has a +5 to hit with melee weapon
attacks. He carries with him 50 gp worth of cooking
utensils and tools, and 100 gp worth of spices and as-
sorted rare ingredients. He carries all of these in a sack
made from a dire boar’s stomach.
Orc Life  |  EN World EN5IDER: Allies and Adversaries
Physical Description
Vortch is a brutish orc. His face is holds numerous
bone piercings and is covered in ornamental tat-
toos. His head is shaved bald and his chin has a black
pointed beard. He is average in height for an orc, but
has a paunch of a belly.
Background
Vortch was born into Clan Collarbreak, a tribe of orcs
known for smashing the collarbones of their captives.
Votch came to prominence in his clan for having a
sensitive tongue and nose, and was put in charge of
testing food and drink for poison and rot.
  Years later, during a raid of a human village, Vortch
managed to salvage a human cookbook and a number
of kitchen tools. Over the next year, Vortch taught
himself how to cook and took his place as the clan’s
ration-master.
Roleplaying Vortch
Vortch is an odd sort of orc. He’s better-spoken than
his orc brothers and sisters, speaking in a cockney ac-
cent, and he is better-versed in cuisine and culinary
techniques than most human chefs. He is eager to
boast about his knowledge and his ingenuity in com-
bining human cooking with the kinds of foods orcs
like to eat, all of which are foul to “civilized” palates.
  Vortch is always looking for new herbs and spices
to improve his cooking, and will pay or trade with
outsiders for them. His clan isn’t opposed to eating
other sapient races, so PCs might encounter him if
they are ever taken captive by orcs. He will gladly
converse with them, even bargain with them, as he’s
preparing them to be eaten.
Balla, Orc Dancer and Servant
In a dimly-lit hall, patrons sit on cushions before a
stage. Opium-laced smoke trails from their lips, as
they sit mesmerized by the woman dancing upon the
stage; a voluptuous orc woman who shakes her body,
undulating and gyrating to the beat of an unseen
drum. As she dances, her sad eyes lock with yours.
She makes her way into the crowd, still dancing, and
makes her way to you. Her voice is raw as she whis-
pers, “Please, help me.” She gives you a pleading look,
then turns away, a showy smile on her face, to enter-
tain the other guests.
NPC STATISTICS
Balla, Orc Dancer and Servant
Chaotic neutral Medium humanoid (orc)
Traits. I’ve got an indomitable will, and more patience
than an elf.
Ideal. Freedom. Orcs aren’t meant to be kept in chains.
Bond. Rathbone, my lost love. I only hope she’s better
off than I am.
Flaw. I cannot bear to be hungry. I am as much a slave to
my stomach as I am my mistress.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
13 (+1) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 8 (–1) 16 (+3)
Notes: Balla is an orc commoner. She has darkvision
out to 60 feet and the Aggressive feature, as an orc.
She speaks Common, Orcish, and Elvish.
Possessions: Balla wears a satin bedlah (belly dancer’s
outfit) with beads and tassels affixed to it. She has no
other possessions to her name.
EN World
EN World
EN5IDER:
EN5IDER  |  The
Allies andHamlet of Varseldorf
Physical Description
Balla is a voluptuous beauty, even by human stan-
dards. Her orcish features, tusks, snout, and greenish
skin, are diminished compared to other orc women.
She moves with uncommon grace, and is dabbed with
jasmine perfume.
Background
Balla was a member of an orc tribe that was killed
by an elven militia for encroaching too close to elven
lands. She was taken prisoner by an elf archmage and
aristocrat, Hez’bendiah of the Unbent Willow. She
immediately recognized Balla’s beauty, and trained
her to be a dancer and consort for her burlesque
house in the city.
  Now, Balla dances on stage for the leering eyes of
elves and humans in the city. She stoically suffers
Hez’bendiah’s cruel and lecherous treatment, but
resents being reduced to little more than a slave to
her elven mistress.
Roleplaying Balla
Balla is an alluring and seductive dancer, but her
piercing eyes reveal the pain she feels as a woman
forced into her profession. She is otherwise quiet and
obedient, fearing punishment from her mistress if
she doesn’t do as she’s told.
  If she gets someone who looks strong or trust-
worthy alone, she will do everything she can to get
them to free her. She holds no love for Hez’bendiah,
but fears her magic. If speaking with a half-orc, she
will ask them if they know of Rathbone, an orc war-
priestess. She is Balla’s only known connection to her
previous life, and someone she is sure would come to
her rescue. e
Adversaries  |  Orc Life
ALLIES & ADVERSARIES

DUNGeOn
dEnIZENS
N ot everything in a dun­

geon wants to kill the PCs.

In fact, some dungeon denizens are

quite nice. Use these seven strange

and surprising NPCs to fill random

encounter tables or insert them into

your favorite dungeon. These folk

see adventurers as an opportunity

to satisfy some need of their own,

and they are willing to help the

PCs in exchange for gold, favors, or

the occasional goblin skull. While

some have unsavory appetites and

writing Erik Evjen devious minds, these denizens are

color art Yihyoung Li
editing James J. Haeck more than willing to strike a deal—
layout Eric Life-Putnam
if it’s mutually beneficial.

E N World EN5IDER: Allies and Adversaries

Ruby
A petite woman leans against a nearby wall, hanging
from her belt a strange collection of monstrous scalps.
Her unnatural orange eyes glow faintly in the dark-
ness, and she acknowledges your presence with a wink
and a pout. Her slit-like pupils dart up and down, ex-
amining you—until she raises her long-nailed hand
in greeting and you see her skin glint ruby-red in the
dim light. She smirks as you begin to realize she’s not
entirely human.
Ruby is a cambion, a half-demon born on the Mate-
rial Plane to an elven mother who had fallen in love
with a deposed demon prince. Although shunned by
other elves of her age, her mother showered her with
love and embraced her dual nature. When Ruby came
of age, her demonic father captured her mother and
demanded that Ruby return with him to the Abyss
and live out her days as a princess in his kingdom
of chaos. She refused and now evades her fathers’
divinations with powerful spells of her own. Ruby
hopes to one day rescue her mother as well, but for
now is only just able to evade the watchful gaze of her
Abyssal father. Ruby is witty and flirtatious and has a
particular fondness for dwarves.
  Profit from Parts. Ruby’s protective enchant-
ments require rare components. She travels the
planes looking for the lairs of strange monsters and
enlists adventurers to carve up the beasts for her. In
exchange, she trades information, rare spell compo-
nents, and occasionally a one-way trip to the Abyss for
those interested in such a passage. Ruby has collected
a wealth of information over the years, including the
true names of several powerful demons that work in
her father’s service. Ruby can cast plane shift on up to 8
willing targets once a day, and although it transports
them to an Abyssal layer of her choice, Ruby remains
behind and unable to recall those she sends into the
Abyss. Additionally, given an hour and ingredients
harvested from a Type 3 or greater demon—horns,
wings, claws, tongues—Ruby can create any one un-
common or rare potion of the PCs’ choice.
EN WorldEN
EN5IDER:
World EN5IDER  The Hamlet of |
Allies and|  Adversaries  Varseldorf
Black Bones
At your feet, a bone-thin black cat purrs
quietly, its small paw resting upon
the bones of a long dead mouse. Its
green eyes look up at you with a
pitiful hunger. Its fur is nearly
unblemished coal black, with
only a single white diamond of
fur resting on the center of its
brow. It meows gently and its
green eyes look to your pack
as it sniffs the air.
Black Bones, a scrawny
black cat, was formerly the
familiar of a powerful witch
who was destroyed over a
century ago while exploring the
depths of the earth. Perhaps the strange energies of
the dungeon realms or the magical prowess of her
master have allowed Black Bones to survive so unnat-
urally long. Whatever the reason, she now travels the
passages of the deep and hunts for scraps within the
dungeons and tombs she inhabits. She has a special
interest in adventurers, because they remind her of
her master and they often have cheese, which Black
Bones devours with a passion.
  Follow Me, I Live Here. Black Bones is an unerring
guide and an incredibly stealthy scout. A party that
befriends the cat with playful behavior and plentiful
offerings of food (especially cheese) will find her to be
a constant companion who can show them safe routes
to treasure and safety. Adventurers who befriend and
follow Black Bones ignore the first hostile random
encounter they have in a day. Black Bones herself is
constantly under the effects of a find the path spell.
She usually uses this ability to help adventurers find
their way to a dungeon’s exit, but sometimes she can
be persuaded or bribed to help them find its greatest
treasures or secrets.
  Don’t Cross a Black Cat. Adventurers who treat the
cat unkindly, however, find themselves in dire straits.
 
Dungeon Denizens
Black Bones is a master of subtle revenge. No member
of a party that has offended the cat can successfully
complete a long rest; their sleep is troubled by a dis-
tant caterwauling. Wounded groups will find that
Black Bones is as adept at leading monsters to them
as it is at leading them to monsters, doubling the
chances of the PCs encountering wandering mon-
sters as long as they remain in her territory without
making amends.
Prince Velm Ducroix
A corpulent human wearing a short cape and ill-fitting
leather armor appears suddenly from the mists. His
chubby fingers are decorated with gaudy rings and
he presses a chalice to his lips as he approaches you.
Wiping his mouth with a frilled bracer, he lets the
chalice drop to the ground at his feet. A smear of blood
still showing on his teeth, he smiles and performs a
curt but practiced bow.
Prince Velm Ducroix is a vampire and makes no at-
tempt to hide it. He once ruled a large city, but his
increasingly disturbed behavior enraged his fellow
vampires, and they turned upon him. He barely sur-
vived and now wanders tombs to slake his strange
thirst. If the adventurers attack him without allowing
him to speak, he simply escapes as a cloud of mist and
never approaches them again. Thereafter he will bad-
mouth them and describe their whereabouts to any
intelligent undead in the dungeon he happens upon.
  A Taste Today. Ducroix is unusual in that human-
oid blood no longer interests him. He thirsts instead
for the life essence of other supernatural creatures,
even entirely bloodless monsters. His most recent
quest to taste a mummy almost ended in his true
death, a story he loves to relate. To this end he has
gossiped with liches and ghouls across the world and
knows the strengths and weaknesses of countless
tombs and their guardians—not to mention where
they keep all the best treasure in such places. In ex-
change for helping him sate his thirst, Prince Ducroix
will help the PCs as best he can, short of wading into
combat himself.
Dungeon Denizens  |  EN World EN5IDER: Allies and Adversaries
  I’m Your Thirstiest Fan! Ducroix is languid and
fragile, but cheers on battles with gusto. Despite his
useless demeanor, the vampire has a mesmerizing
voice and an encyclopedic knowledge of ancient
tombs. During battle, on his turn, Ducroix’s encour-
agement grants Bardic Inspiration (1d8) to a creature
of his choice. Additionally, his wealth of gossip on an-
cient tombs grants him the ability to cast legend lore
once per day as a spell-like ability, though he refuses
to use this power on an empty stomach.
Satuiel
A small, hirsute man walks on all fours down the
passageway, an immense pack strapped to his back
swarming with small black rats. Upon spotting you he
straightens up and wriggles out of his pack as the rats
on his back scramble over the straps; a pillow-shaped
mass of the creatures then carry the pack and set it
down by his side. Within the pack you glimpse a wide
assortment of odds and ends. The small man twirls a
whisker as he beckons you over to sample his wares.
Satuiel is a wererat who travels the hidden passages
of the world with his family of diseased but very well
behaved rats. Satuiel’s lycanthropy is a family curse
that has been in place for several generations; the
rats that travel with him are his extended family that
have succumbed to the curse completely and can no
longer return to any kind of humanoid form. They
serve him out of a remembered sense of kinship, but
otherwise seem to be normal rats.
  Rat Pack. Satuiel’s large satchel contains more lucre
than its size might suggest. Any mundane item that
can be found in a small city can be found amongst
Satuiel’s wares, at the GM’s discretion. The wererat is
a simple man; he asks only for gold and gems in ex-
change for his items. Satuiel also has a store of items
he sells only to adventurers who treat his rats respect-
fully and trade with him honestly. For these special
customers Satuiel unpacks a roll of silvered +1 weapons,
including a greataxe, a pair of longswords, 3 daggers,
and a three bundles of 20 arrows. For these items the
wererat will accept only other magical gear in trade.
  Satuiel’s pack is actually a bag of holding of his own
design. The bag allows Small-size or smaller crea-
tures to enter and breathe normally inside it: when
closed, it contains enough air for up to ten Small
creatures to breathe for up to one week. Even if Satu-
iel should somehow be parted from it, his rats have
made their home in a hidden extradimensional “cor-
ner” of the bag, and it is impossible to remove them
without destroying the bag.
  Wherever He Smells Profit. Satuiel often appears
near dungeon features requiring specific tools to
traverse, such as pitons or a rowboat. The wererat
is mischievously fond of keeping ahead of an adven-
turing group through secret tunnels and appearing
before them multiple times whenever they encounter
such a difficult dungeon feature.
Adrian Alexa
A lightly armored woman with blue-green skin and
sleek aquatic fins kneels by a pool of still water.The
ancient breastplate she wears allows for her to move
with grace despite the undersea features that adorn
her physiology. A kraken with a gold crown is all that
remains of the faded crest on her chest. White  nic-
titating membranes blink sideways across her pure
black eyes as she watches you approach. Her muscles
do not tense as she stands and she has a noticeably
regal bearing.
Adrian Alexa is the last living mortal daughter of an
ancient sea goddess. While she appears to be and
often claims to be a merfolk, in actuality she is a
demigod on a quest to awaken her own divine nature.
EN WorldEN
EN5IDER:
World EN5IDER  The Hamlet of |
Allies and|  Adversaries  Varseldorf
She seeks out artifacts and tablets of knowledge
dedicated to her mother’s worship. In the past, she
relied on a coven of sea hags to collect her mother’s
treasures, but they betrayed her to a sahuagin tribe
dedicated to Abyssal powers. Now Adrian turns
to mortal adventurers for help, as many items in
her birthright are dangerous to mortals—some are
cursed objects that transform humans into deformed
aquatic hybrids, some are ancient writings capable
of spreading a plague of madness, and others are
weirder and more dangerous still.
  The Favor of the Sea. Adrian Alexa has only one
thing to offer those who encounter her: the favor of
the sea. With a touch she can grant anyone the ability
to breathe underwater, survive the crushing depths
and cold of the sea, and ignore damage or harm from
wave or storm. Also, while the characters have the fa-
vor of the sea, any sea creatures or aquatic monsters
they encounter that wish to attack them or impede
their travels must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving
throw. Creatures that fail this save do not attack or
otherwise prevent the characters from traveling.
  Both these effects last seven days, and Adrian will
gladly grant them to PCs who present her with one
of her mother’s lost treasures or who convince her
they have need of such protection to acquire one of
her lost heirlooms. Characters who choose to betray
Adrian and either steal the artifacts or refuse to turn
them over to her will find her strangely calm. Instead
of raging, the demigod will simply dismiss the char-
acters and find other adventurers willing to steal the
objects back for her collection. Beyond the favor of
the sea, some ambitious adventurers may see the
potential value of helping a demigod become a god in
her own right. e
 
Dungeon Denizens
Allies & ADverSarIeS
Servants of the
Winter Court

T he Allies and Adversaries

series provides GMs with

NPCs that can be quickly and easily

writing

editing
James J. Haeck
color art Ellis Goodson
Egil Thompson
James J. Haeck
layout Eric Life-Putnam
inserted into any adventure or on-

going campaign. Each NPC receives well as game statistics, physical de-

a detailed treatment of character scription, backstory, and tips on how

traits, ideals, bonds, and flaws, as this NPC may be used in play.

E N World EN5IDER: Allies and Adversaries

The dead of winter has passed, as have the twinkling
fairy lights of the holidays. Though the land is chill
and dun, the passing of the winter solstice has opened
a door for the fey folk to once more cross over into
our world. This time, it is not the cheer and merry
trickery of the Summer Court that has seeped across
the veil of worlds. Past Midwinter, the Queen of Air
and Darkness reigns. Her rule is devoid of love, and
her every action seeds the world with misfortune.
Most PCs, however, will never confront this Unseelie
monarch themselves. Instead, they see her malice
enacted by servants, some who are certainly enemies,
and others who may be interested in a mutually ben-
eficial arrangement.

Grimillo the Voice-Thief

You try to speak, but the words catch in your throat. Or
rather, the words flew right out of your mouth before
your breath could reach them. Wordless air wheezes
pitifully out of your mouth, and all you are left with is
silence and a vague sense of unease.
NPC STATISTICS
Grimillo the Voice-Thief
Small humanoid (unseelie gnome), chaotic evil
Traits: I cannot be seen, I cannot be heard. I travel on
the wind and steal it from your lungs. What am I? I’m
the cat that’s got your tongue, ya big mousey.
Ideal: Chaos. Let’s! Cause! Some! Chaos! (But with a bit
of style, of course.)
Bond: My voiceless mother. I would do anything for her,
and she’s a great excuse to steal!
Flaw: Deep down, I feel guilty about the sadness my
theft causes. I try not to dwell on it.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
9 (–1) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 17 (+3) 12 (+1) 11 (+0)
Notes: Grimillo the Voice-Thief is an unseelie gnome*
mage (AC 16, 40 hit points). His art of voice-stealing
gives him the following additional traits; these traits
do not affect his challenge rating:
  * Brandes Stoddard, “The Fey Kindred,” EN World EN5ider,
https://www.patreon.com/posts/fey-kindred-6587945
Purloin Words. As a reaction after a creature within 30
feet says a word or phrase aloud, Grimillo can steal
the phrase, preventing the target from speaking
any sentence that includes those words until the
target completes a long rest. If the purloined phrase
is the verbal component to a spell, the spell cannot
be cast again until the target completes a long rest,
and Grimillo cannot use this feature again until he
completes a long rest.
Snap Silence. As a reaction when a creature within 30
feet is about to speak or otherwise make vocal noise,
Grimillo may force it to make a DC 14 Charisma
saving throw. On a failure, the creature cannot speak
until the end of its next turn (or for 6 seconds, if the
target is not in combat). If this trait is used to prevent
a spellcaster from performing a verbal component,
the spell fails, consuming a spell slot, and Grimillo
cannot use this feature again until he completes a
short or long rest.
Possessions: Grimillo wears elven chain and wields a
simple dagger. He carries a magic key that can unlock
any lock (this item disintegrates after one use), and he
carries 100 gold pieces on his person.

EN World EN5IDER:
EN World
Allies
EN5IDER  |  The Hamlet
and Adversaries  |  Servants
of Varseldorf
of the Winter Court
Physical Description
Grimillo is short, only about 3 feet tall, and his fea-
tures have are soft and androgynous. His skin is the
color and temperature of ice, his golden eyes are
constantly in motion, and his hair is long and silvery.
A keen smile usually plays around his lips—but his
scowl is terrifying to behold.
Background
The Voice-Thief is a mercenary with few morals and a
love for spreading misfortune. If he cares about any-
one in this world, it is his ailing mother, whose voice
was stolen by agents of the Summer Court. When
Grimillo first developed his unusual art, he did so for
the noble purpose of stealing words to return to his
mother, and for years he did so, giving words back
to her one-by-one. Grimillo’s work allowed her to
speak again, even if her vocabulary was sparse, and
the many voices with which she spoke unsettled most
who listened to her.
  But for all his altruism, the thief loves the journey
as much as the destination. Grimillo’s voice-theft is
a tool for chaos, for the misery of others, but most
importantly, “just for a good frecklin’ larf.”
Roleplaying Grimillo
Grimillo is likely to surprise PCs by stealing their
words or spells where it counts the most. He is an
Servants of the Winter Court  |  EN World EN5IDER: Allies and Adversaries
unassuming gnome, despite his unusual appearance,
and can easily blend into a crowd—at least until he
strikes. After he purloins a few choice words, Grimil-
lo tries to flee, but he can hardly keep from cackling
as he sprints between the legs of nearby bystanders.
When cornered, Grimillo is a constant joker, crack-
ing as many lewd and nonsensical jokes as he can.
Meanwhile, he is coolly calculating his escape angle.
Missus Silverbeak
First is the rushing of wind. You look—and see noth-
ing. The air is still. Then it lands with a thud, right
behind you. A massive owl looms over you, nearly
twenty feet tall, with golden eyes that illuminate you
like spotlights. It straightens, turns its head slightly,
and in a deep, resonant voice asks: “Would you care
for a glass of sweet tea? I couldn’t possibly finish it all
by myself.”
NPC STATISTICS
Missus Silverbeak
Large beast (fey), lawful evil
Traits: I am a giant talking fairy owl. I imagine for most
mortals, that alone would be enough!
Ideal: Boundless Joy. I don’t give a hoot if they’re safe,
healthy, or mentally stable; just point me towards
unhappy people, and I will take care of the rest!
Bond: You, my little owlet! I care about you most of all!
(But don’t let any of the others know!)
Flaw: Hoo hoo, I don’t have any flaws! Except maybe
the compulsive lying. Hoo! No! Not a single flaw!
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
13 (+1) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 8 (–1) 13 (+1) 10 (+0)
Notes: Missus Silverbeak is a fey-touched giant owl (AC
12, 19 hit points), with the following additional traits;
these traits increase her challenge rating to 2 (450 XP):
Concealing Blizzard. As an action, Missus Silverbeak
may call a blizzard to surround her for 1 minute. This
blizzard counts as three-quarters cover and deals
2d6 cold damage to any creature within 10 feet of
her. This damage is dealt when a creature begins its
turn within the blizzard or enters it for the first time
on their turn.
 Hypnotic Gaze. Missus Silverbeak may cast hypnotic
pattern 3/day.
Plane Shift. Missus Silverbeak may travel between
the Material Plane and the Feywild as an action. She
must choose a location in her destination plane that
she is “very familiar” with (as the teleport spell).
Possessions: The owl matron carries a feather of invis-
ibility that, when snapped, turns the user invisible (as
the invisibility spell). She also carries a small coin purse
containing 50 gp and 20 sweet peppermints.
Physical Description
Missus Silverbeak is a massive horned owl with a
shining silver beak and lamp-like golden eyes. Her
feathers are a plain brown-and-white pattern. Silver-
beak often gesticulates with her wings and talons in
a strange facsimile of human behavior.
Background
Many legends surround the origin of the great Mis-
sus Silverbeak. She is known far and wide throughout
the Feywild as a bringer of great joy and comfort to
Unseelie fey, and a deathly charming corruptor of
the Seelie. Some say she was once a normal owl that
found its way from the Material Plane to the Feywild.
Others believe that she is a malign spirit from the
Shadowfell that has assumed the form of a giant owl,
and is merely biding her time until she unleashes de-
struction upon the realm of fairies. Few denizens of
the Feywild know that she is actually an independent
agent of the Queen of Air and Darkness. The Queen
of Winter often calls upon Silverbeak’s talents to lure
mortals into indolence, either for her own amuse-
ment or as the prelude to conquest.
  Silverbeak now spends most of her time in the
Material Plane. She truly believes that she is helping
mortals by making them happy, and she is heedless
of the cost. She is keenly aware that she leads some
to their doom, but she doesn’t quite grasp how long
a normal human being’s lifespan is; any mortal life­
span is just an instant, a momentary flicker of time
compared to her many millennia, anyway.
EN World EN5IDER:
EN World
Allies
EN5IDER  |  The Hamlet
and Adversaries  |  Servants
Roleplaying Missus Silverbeak
Missus Silverbeak has a voice like poisoned honey, but
she need not be the PCs’ enemy. In fact, she can be a
valuable ally if the PCs are able to convince her that
their own enemies are a group of miserable wretches
who need a bit more wintry cheer in their lives.
Snowblind, Knight of
the Winter Wastes
You feel the temperature drop as a tall man appears
before you. He is clad in frost-rimed armor and two
weathered antlers grow from his brow. His eyes are
cloudy, and he does not meet your gaze. Instead he
looks with steely focus at a point far off in the distance.
But when he speaks, you know he is speaking directly
to you.
NPC STATISTICS
Snowblind, Knight of the Winter Wastes
Medium humanoid (fey), lawful neutral
Traits: Though my old eyes cannot see, I can feel the
heat of all things around me.
Ideal: Loyalty. I must return to my queen. I cannot see
how I have been away from her side for so long!
Bond: I care for the safety of the winter realm over all
things. Any who threaten my queen, her homeland, or
the lands she has conquered will see my blade.
Flaw: I remember something … barely. The memories
of my old life torment me, and when I see things that
remind me of it, I cannot control my anger.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 11 (+0) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 11 (+0) 15 (+2)
Notes: Snowblind is a fey-blessed human knight (AC20,
52 hit points). The double-edged blessing of the
Unseelie fey increases his to-hit bonuses and saving
throws by 1 and gives him the following additional
traits; these traits and his possessions increase his
challenge rating to 5 (1,800 XP).
Blind. Snowblind cannot see. If he is ever deprived of
his Wintersight feature, he gains the blinded condi-
tion until his Wintersight is restored.
of Varseldorf
of the Winter Court

Wintersight. Though his eyes are frozen and sightless,
Snowblind can sense heat. This trait allows him to
see through invisibility effects and to otherwise
“see” as if he were not blind. Casting remove curse
or greater restoration on Snowblind suppresses this
trait for 1d4 rounds. This trait is also suppressed
while Snowblind is within areas of extreme heat
(over 110 degrees Farenheit) or while he is within an
antimagic field.
Possessions: Snowblind wears a suit of +1 plate armor,
and he wields a frost brand longsword (+5 to hit, 1d8+3
damage plus 1d6 cold damage) and a +1 shield, which
increases his AC to 22. He also carries a wand of enemy
detection with 3 charges remaining. In addition,
Snowblind carries a ridged stone that he rubs when
he is trying to remember home, his signet ring, and an
amulet containing a lock of his queen’s hair.
Physical Description
This imposing knight of the Winter Court returns to
his humanoid form while in the Material Plane. The
many-pronged antlers that sprout from his brow are
a reminder of his fey curse, and a warning to all hu-
mans that Snowblind is not one of them. He has spent
decades trapped in the mortal world, searching for a
Servants of the Winter Court  |  EN World EN5IDER: Allies and Adversaries
way to return to his queen’s side, and his weathered
face and ice-flecked beard show his age.
  Snowblind’s armor is scarred and pitted from
countless battles across the wastes, and his blade is
almost always coated in blood, be it dry or fresh.
Background
He was human, once. A knight of some kingdom—
with a name even he can’t remember. He thinks he
had a family. A husband. Two daughters with fire
in their hearts. But they’re gone now. The winter
claimed them, and when he offered himself to the
winter’s terrible queen in exchange for their lives,
his service eventually claimed him, too. He traded
his sight for them. He traded his name for them. He
traded his humanity for them. Yet she would not re-
ward him with the lives he wished to save.
  He is called Snowblind now, the eternal watcher of
the winter wastes, and the few memories he still has
of his old life are distant and strange, like a melody
heard in a dream. Snowblind’s devotion to the Queen
of Air and Darkness is all that drives him, and even
the Unseelie Queen herself is unsure what would hap-
pen if his memory were restored.
Roleplaying Snowblind
Snowblind speaks plainly, though he never directly
looks at anyone he speaks to, appearing instead to
be gazing off into the distance. Every action he takes
is in the service of the Winter Queen or is intended
to help him find a way back to her side, even if he
cannot fully recall the reason he was stranded on
the Material Plane in the first place. He will readily
join forces with anyone whose goals he believes align
with those of his queen, or if something about them
stirs a distant memory.
  Though he is quick to make alliances, Snowblind
is also quick to break them. His demeanor is as un-
predictable as a winter storm’s, and any suggestion of
an ally’s duplicity or allegiance to the Summer Court
triggers his bloodlust. If Snowblind is provoked, re-
minding him of the ridged stone he carries with him
or trying to stir memories of his old life is enough to
give him pause and allow him to be dissuaded from
further violence. e
ALLIES & ADVERSARIES
GOLDENSCALE
HOST
I n any war-torn land, the

Goldenscale Host sells their

services as a disciplined, fearsome

mercenary company. Their fighting

force is composed solely of dragon-

born, though their non-combatant

support staff includes other races.

In the course of a campaign, the

Goldenscale Host might be allies,

foes, or both at different times. To

their friends, they are bold and

capable; to enemies, they are im-

placable but honorable.

writing Erik Evjen

color art Yihyoung Li
editing James J. Haeck
layout Eric Life-Putnam

EN
ENWorld
WorldEN5IDER: |  The Hamlet
EN5IDER  Allies of Varseldorf
and Adversaries
Command Structure
The Host’s command structure includes four sig-
nificant grades. From highest to lowest, these are the
Host-Captain, ten Lieutenants, forty Sergeants, and
typically around 800 recruits. At the start of major
contracts, the Host may grow to as many as 1,200 re-
cruits under arms. In recent memory, its numbers
following a shattering defeat fell as low as 188.
  Outside the fighting forces, the Host has one sup-
port staff member for each recruit, and two for each
higher-ranked member. Around a third of these are
detached from the Host to manage its supply chain,
contract negotiations, accountancy, and the like.
Dragonborn are about 40% of the support staff, while
the rest of their number belong to whatever local race
is easy to recruit.
  Centuries ago, the Host’s traditions forbade dragon-
born of any ancestry other than gold from becoming
a lieutenant or host-captain. But at length, following
following a costly defeat, the host-captain of the day
elevated dragonborn of the other metallic ancestries
to the lieutenancy, and designated one of them as his
successor. Still later, a long war conducted in a re-
gion where only chromatic dragonborn lived forced
the Host to open its officer ranks to them as well. At
present, it is still impossible for non-dragonborn to
enlist or advance in the Host, but they can fight along-
side the dragonborn for pay as auxiliary forces. It is
entirely possible that future need could change the
Host’s bylaws once again.
Personalities
The following characters showcase different perspec-
tives within the Goldenscale Host. Each includes
two story hooks, one for when the Host is friendly
toward the PCs’ cause and one for when they are
opposed. Host soldiers seldom hold grudges for
long: yesterday’s enemy might well be tomorrow’s
comrade-in-arms.
  The characters generally share the statistics pre-
sented below under “New Creatures.”
Goldenscale Host  |  EN World EN5IDER: Allies and Adversaries
Player Characters as Goldenscales
Dragonborn characters with a military background
might be former members of the Goldenscale Host
who mustered out after their contracts expired, or
current members detached from the force but still
answering to the host-captain. Present the PC with
conflicting loyalties, or allow them to call upon the
Host for support, in keeping with their background’s
feature. To strengthen these ties further, use one of
the personalities below as a Bond for the character.
Host-Captain Myrra Priskeshai
(Pronounced MEE-ruh PRIS-kuh-shy)
  As the first host-captain of red dragon ancestry,
Myrra Priskeshai is under pressure to prove to the
metallic dragonborn of the Host that she is neither
avaricious nor tyrannical, and can be as wise and en-
lightened as any gold dragonborn. The Host ignored
generations of petty, corrupt host-captains of gold
and other metallic ancestries, but for some of them,
elevating a red to the highest position of command
may be a bridge too far.
▶ Traits. I hoard words like coins, never spend-
ing one when a gesture would suffice. I make
plans that extend beyond my own expected
lifespan.
▶ Ideal. Independence. I will lead the Host to
greatness even if the metallics are against me.
(Chaotic)
▶ Bond. I will prove to everyone that I am as
good as any gold dragonborn, no matter the
cost.
▶ Flaw. I hesitate and overthink decisions, espe-
cially at times of crisis.
Ally Story Hook
Following a victory, the Goldenscale Host is accused
of looting and pillaging the civilian populace without
permission from their employer. Myrra’s reputation
is on the line, and she turns to the PCs to find out
who committed these crimes. Perhaps the trail leads
to a group of enemy partisans, or to a corrupt senior
lieutenant of the Goldenscale Host.
Adversary Story Hook
Myrra is not above convincing a prospective employer
that war is in their best interests. As part of a broader
conflict, the PCs must persuade a neutral noble to join
the war on their side, or at least stay out of it. When
they arrive, however, the noble is in the last day of
negotiations with Myrra to hire the Host and enter
the war on the other side. Can the PCs change the
noble’s mind, or even convince the Host-Captain to
switch sides?
Sergeant Inshey the Muse
As one of the more senior sergeants of the Host, In-
shey represents institutional memory and the morale
of the rank and file. She cultivates the traits expected
of her brass ancestry: she is inquisitive and affable.
Her career is nearing its end, however, and she grows
desperate to fill in the gaps in her lore of the Host’s
history.
▶ Traits. I form strong emotional bonds through
any stimulating intellectual conversation. I
speak fondly of long-dead dragons, as humans
would of beloved aunts and uncles.
▶ Ideal. Greed. I think of myself as a completion-
ist. (Evil)
▶ Bond. My life’s work is a series of volumes on
the history of the Goldenscale Host.
▶ Flaw. I recklessly endanger others to achieve
my goals.
Ally Story Hook
There’s no better member of the Host to hire PCs to
explore a ruin, as long as there’s any reason to sus-
pect that they might find a tidbit of the lost history of
the Goldenscale Host. She could also hire the PCs to
negotiate for information from a creature old enough
to remember that history firsthand, such as a dragon,
fey, or fiend.
Adversary Story Hook
The PCs acquire a book of dreadful secrets and dire
prophecies as part of another adventure. When In-
shey gets wind of it, she fears that they will do as
adventurers so often do, destroying it before she can
EN WorldEN
EN5IDER:
World EN5IDER  |  The
Allies and
Adversaries  |  Goldenscale Host
scour it for details of the Host’s history. She takes
steps to wrest it from them, or punish them if they
have acted precipitously. If they simply give it to her,
the tome’s dark power takes control, forcing the PCs
to stop her.
Recruit Jorathar “Jor” Annigova
A blue dragonborn with a bold, devil-may-care at-
titude, Jor is forever getting into and out of mortal
peril. He could not care less about advancing through
the ranks—he wants plunder, good friends, and
prodigious volumes of ale, in no particular order. Un-
derneath that exterior, he knows that he won’t live to
old age as a career foot soldier, and wants his death
to have some deeper meaning.
▶ Traits. I’ve never abandoned a friend in need. I
don’t get too clever with plans—the direct way
is usually best.
▶ Ideal. Freedom. Mercenaries live fast and
die young, so let’s have a good time doing it.
(Chaotic)
▶ Bond. I seek a cause worth dying for, and fear I
might not live long enough to find it.
▶ Flaw. My gambling habits will get me in real
trouble one of these days.
Ally Story Hook
Jor invites the PCs out for an evening of carousing,
but things take a turn for the worse when another
gambler accuses Jor of cheating, pulls a knife, and
gets killed as Jor defends himself. The gambler had
ties to local organized crime, and the trouble falls on
Jor and the PCs alike. Will they throw him to the dogs,
or stand by him?
Adversary Story Hook
When Jor’s commanders play by the rules, he assumes
they wish they didn’t have to, and want someone to
take care of their problems boldly. If it costs him his
life, at least it would be glorious. When a new truce
offers hope for a war’s end, Jor and his friends try to
take out the opposing leadership, so that their em-
ployer can bargain from a stronger position.
Hamlet of Varseldorf
Support Staff Taizell “Stony”
Bridger
Stony Bridger is one of the minority of humans in the
Host’s support staff. At need, she might be a medic,
courier, smith, brewer, scrounger, or diplomatic en-
voy. No matter the task, she completes it with speed
and skill. She joined the Host after running away
from a terrible family situation, signing on for any-
thing that would take her far away.
▶ Traits. Anything worth doing is worth doing
right, even if it takes twice as long. Haggling is
my favorite kind of game.
▶ Ideal. People. When I choose between real,
live people and ephemeral ideals, people win
every time. (Neutral)
▶ Bond. I owe the Host a debt for giving me a
way out of the place I was born.
▶ Flaw. I’m sufficiently overworked that I’m im-
patient and rude to others.
Goldenscale Host  |  EN World EN5IDER: Allies and Adversaries
Ally Story Hook
When her superior officers decide against paying
protection money to the local syndicate just to keep
their supply lines open, Stony looks to the PCs to go
outside the law. The Host has a lot of mouths to feed;
she doesn’t care if the PCs scare off the syndicate or
“requisition” the food from elsewhere, as long as it
reaches the recruits.
Adversary Story Hook
Stony maintains a network of contacts even through
enemy lines. The merchants who sell to her under the
table get caught. When they’re killed in their cells
awaiting trial, the local magistrate asks the PCs to
investigate. Is Stony ruthlessly protecting a deeper
conspiracy, or is there greater motive or connection
between them?
New Creatures
Goldenscale Recruit
Medium humanoid (dragonborn), any alignment
Armor Class 1 5 (scale mail)
Hit Points 5 8 (9d8 + 18)
Speed 3 0 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 12 (+1)
Skills Athletics +6, Perception +2
Damage Resistancesacid, cold, fire, lightning, or
poison (by ancestry)
Senses p  assive Perception 12
Languages C  ommon, Draconic
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Draconic Ancestry. The recruit belongs to one of the
ten dragonborn ancestries, which determines the color
of their scales and the shape, energy type, and saving
throw of their breath weapon.
Pike Hedge. When armed with a reach weapon and
adjacent to another Goldenscale recruit or officer
armed with a reach weapon, the Goldenscale recruit
can make an opportunity attack against any creature
that enters its reach. When the Goldenscale recruit hits
with a pike attack as part of a readied action, they deal
an additional 1d10 piercing damage.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The Goldenscale recruit makes two pike
attacks.
Pike. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one
target. Hit: 9 (1d10 + 4) piercing damage.
Handaxe. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 20/60,
one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) slashing damage.
Breath Weapon (Recharges after a Short or Long
Rest). The Goldenscale recruit exhales its breath
weapon, determined by its Draconic Ancestry. The
saving throw DC of the breath weapon is 12, and it
deals 3d6 damage on a failed save, or half as much on
a success.
EN WorldEN
EN5IDER:
World EN5IDER  |  The
Allies and
Adversaries  |  Goldenscale Host
Goldenscale Officer
Medium humanoid (dragonborn), any alignment
Armor Class 1 5 (scale mail)
Hit Points 5 8 (9d8 + 18)
Speed 3 0 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 14 (+2)
Skills Athletics +5, Perception +3
Damage Resistances a  cid, cold, fire, lightning, or
poison (by ancestry)
Senses p  assive Perception 13
Languages C  ommon, Draconic
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Draconic Ancestry. The Goldenscale Officer belongs to
one of the ten dragonborn ancestries, which deter-
mines the color of their scales and the shape, energy
type, and saving throw of their breath weapon.
Pike Hedge. When armed with a reach weapon and ad-
jacent to another Goldenscale recruit or officer armed
with a reach weapon, the Goldenscale officer can make
an opportunity attack against any creature that enters
its reach. When the Goldenscale officer hits with a pike
attack as part of a readied action, it deals an additional
1d10 piercing damage.
Forward! (Recharge 5–6). As a bonus action, the
Goldenscale officer chooses one friendly creature that
can see or hear it. That creature can spend its reaction
to move up to half its speed and make an attack.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The Goldenscale officer makes two pike
attacks.
Pike. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one
target. Hit: 8 (1d10 + 3) piercing damage.
Handaxe. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 20/60,
one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage.
Breath Weapon (Recharges after a Short or Long
Rest). The Goldenscale officer exhales its breath
weapon, determined by its Draconic Ancestry. The
saving throw DC of the breath weapon is 12, and it
deals 3d6 damage on a failed save, or half as much on a
success.e
Hamlet of Varseldorf
Goldenscale Host  |  EN World EN5IDER: Allies and Adversaries
ALLIES & ADvErSArIES
creeps in the
STORM
T he Allies and Adversaries

series details NPCs that can be

quickly and easily inserted into any

adventure or ongoing campaign.

Each NPC receives character traits,

ideals, bonds, and flaws, as well as

game statistics, physical descrip-

tion, backstory, and tips on how

this NPC may used in play. The only

story/setting requirement needed

to use any of them is a storm, some

kind of inclement weather that

forces characters to seek shelter. A

location close to the ocean is also writing Erik Evjen

color art Yihyoung Li
helpful, especially a fishing village. editing James J. Haeck
layout Eric Life-Putnam

EN
ENWorld
WorldEN5IDER: |  The Hamlet
EN5IDER  Allies of Varseldorf
and Adversaries
A storm has come. Most retreat from its biting rain,
but a twisted foursome revel in it, for they are them-
selves are twisted. Some are a dark reflection of the
maelstrom that pounds at the coast, the wind and the
rain and the cold. Others are creatures borne of or
shaped by the unfathomable deep itself: inhuman
abominations that know not the light of the gods  …  or
are indifferent to it.
Fisher Gretchen
A young woman heaves a soaked bundle over her
brawny shoulders. On her freckled face is a wide
toothy grin that’s manic with excitement. She upends
the bundle onto a table with a wet smack: the sound
of fish, but with the crunch of bone and … something
else. “Wellsir, I expect you’ll be believing me about the
shallows now, eh?” she giggles.
Physical Description
Gretchen is a young woman of 17, and she stands al-
most 6 feet tall. She’s ginger, freckled, and ties her
long dry hair up in a messy ponytail. Her frequent,
toothy grin unnerves some people. Her hands and
feet are well worn and calloused. She has small scars
over her arms and legs from a hard life on boats. She
smells strongly of salt and fish.
Background
Gretchen has lived her whole life in a small fishing
community on the coast. She was orphaned at age 12
when her father was taken by the sea. The commu-
nity raised her from that point on. She makes a living
on fishing boats and as a scavenger, cleaning up and
selling anything valuable that washes up on shore.
  Gretchen is fascinated by the sea and what lies
beneath its glassy surface. Her fishing community
thinks her eccentric, so when she tells stories of
seeing strange creatures under the water, they don’t
believe her. Even when she begins to fish up foul
things like the Thing the Sea Vomited Up, they dis-
miss her as crazy.
  |  EN World EN5IDER: Allies and Adversaries
NPC STATISTICS
Fisher Gretchen
Medium humanoid, chaotic neutral
Traits: I can’t leave a mystery alone; the unknown
gnaws at my mind like a fish nibbling bait.
Ideal: Knowledge. Always look for answers, even if
they’re not pretty.
Bond: My village. Most there think I’m a little mad, but
I’ve got to prove ’em wrong!
Flaw: I get easily over excited, which leads to me acting
without thinking.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 12 (+1)
Notes: Gretchen is a human commoner with the above
ability score adjustments. She is also trained in Nature
(+2) and Athletics (+5).
Possessions: Gretchen wears a plain fisher’s outfit;
she carries a net, a large hook (treat as a dagger), and
one day’s worth of dried fish rations. She also carries
a large wet bundle that includes The Thing the Sea
Vomited Up (see sidebar below).
Roleplaying Gretchen
Gretchen is looking for belief and validation of her
curiosities and her findings. She desperately wants
someone to believe her that there’s something wrong
with the sea itself, and that the misshapen oddities it
belches forth are indeed real and a pressing matter.
She will eagerly accompany anyone who believes her,
acting as a hireling.
  Gretchen speaks with a Newfoundland islander ac-
cent, and has a salty wisdom about her. She’s strong
and independent, but will follow orders (unless those
orders go against her Ideal of pursuing knowledge).
Captain Mordecai Graves
He sits at a table in the back of the taproom, smok-
ing a pipe in the dim light. His long pointed ears are
canted to window, listening to storm. Perhaps he
hears things mortals can’t. If your gaze meets his, he
beckons you closer. The maps in front of him, and the
sizeable coin purse, suggest he has work for you.
Physical Description
Captain Mordecai Graves is a severe looking elf, tall
and swarthy with a long nose and wide-set eyes. His
hair is black and short, but well-coiffed. He carries
himself with an air of importance and superiority.
Background
Mordecai Graves was born to a seaside elven king-
dom, a fey prince set to inherit the throne. However,
Graves had little interest in the duties of a monarch.
He grew up fascinated by the ocean and its depths.
When a sea monster emerged one day and laid waste
to his coastal city, he poured every last coin of his
family’s royal treasury into chasing after it to get re-
venge. He has created a vast ship capable of exploring
the depths of the ocean: the Aleph-Tide.
NPC STATISTICS
Captain Mordecai Graves
Medium humanoid, lawful evil
Traits: I’m condescending to the superstitious and the
ignorant. How could they comprehend what truths lies
below?
Ideal: Revenge. The ancient ones of this universe mock
us with their mysteries, so I shall see them solved—and
destroyed.
Bond: I never lie if I can help it. A captain is only as good
as his word.
Flaw: I’ll risk anything and everything for the knowl-
edge I seek, and to see my enemy killed.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
12 (+2) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 20 (+5) 16 (+3) 10 (+0)
Notes: Captain Mordecai is an elf noble with the above
ability score adjustments. As an elf, he has darkvision
to 60 feet, as well as the Fey Ancestry and Keen Senses
traits.
EN
ENWorld
WorldEN5IDER: |  The Hamlet
EN5IDER Allies
The Thing the Sea Vomited Up
Gretchen carries a wet bundle with her, proof of her
belief that something twisted swims in the deep.
The Thing recently washed up on shore by her village,
and she’s proudly displays the monstrosity.
  The Thing has the body of a large sea bass, but has
sprouted spindly, carapaced, multi-jointed legs like
those of a spider or crab. The Thing’s face is covered
in round glassy eyes, and its gills are spread open,
bloated with slimy cancerous-looking growths. It
is clearly dead, and it smells like rotting fish. Spells
determine it is an aberration. If cut open, dozens of
inky black nematode-like creatures wriggle out, bit-
ing and seeking blood.
  Gretchen is certain there are additional creatures
like the Thing in the nearby surf. She swears she’s
seen bigger ones emerge from the water at night.
Adventure Hook: Hunting the Kraken
Captain Mordecai Graves needs to expand his crew.
He desires a party of strong-willed adventurers will-
ing to come aboard his submersible, the Aleph-Tide,
and join him in hunting a kraken. He believes his ves-
sel can force the abominable creature to the surface,
but he needs able-bodied courageous people to
help kill it.
  He offers 100 gp to each adventurer who joins him
for the journey, and a 10% share of whatever riches
may exist in the kraken’s belly once it’s dead. While
simply fighting a kraken is often adventure enough,
an extended campaign might feature themes similar
to Moby-Dick and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
Possessions: Captain Mordecai wears a long, weather
beaten naval coat, and carries with him a scroll case
(various maps), a wooden pipe, a certificate of royal
pedigree, a spyglass, and a coin purse containing
500 gp in precious stones. He is unarmed.
Roleplaying Captain Graves
The captain is a stern and direct man who exhibits
little patience for either ignorance or lack of imagina-
tion, but especially both. He speaks in a calm, placid
tone at all times, which unnerves most people who
have continued contact with him.
of Varseldorf| 
and Adversaries 
  Graves captains the Aleph-Tide with a small crew
of elves loyal to him. He chases the kraken that de-
stroyed his home and family, but he is also deeply
obsessed with the “ancient ones”: otherworldly
abominations he believes reside at the bottom of the
sea; psychically influencing the surface world. He is
deeply paranoid and afraid of them and their power.
  The captain often speaks in thoughtful-sounding
questions and hypotheticals, beginning many sen-
tences with “I wonder if…” and “Imagine, if you will…”
in order to get his strange and affected thoughts
across. There is a deep, disturbed madness about
him, one that is subtle and intricate. He only shows
true outrage and lack of composure when he is in the
presence of the kraken that destroyed his home.
Drenched Wendy and Her
Parasitic Baby
A drenched and dripping woman clutches a baby to
her breast. She’s pale and sunken-eyed. The posture of
her body like that of a wrecked ship, twisted and bent.
She calls out to you from the storm, “My baby! Ye gods
my baby! Why won’t she eat! Why does she not cry?”
Physical Description
Drenched Wendy is a human woman of average
height and weight, with long wet hair and pruny wet
skin. She clutches a swaddled baby to her chest, never
quite letting its face be shown unless she’s alone with
a victim.
  When fully revealed, her “baby” turns out to be a
mottled, grub-like thing with a dead infant’s face and
features. A fleshy umbilical cord from its stomach
splits into a few thick tendrils, each one embedded in
its mother’s flesh. Wendy keeps this hidden under her
clothing. The parasitic “baby” wails when attacked,
uttering an inhuman cry that causes madness in mor-
tal creatures.
  |  EN World EN5IDER: Allies and Adversaries
Background
Drenched Wendy was once a fishwife in a coastal vil-
lage like any other. Her community prospered off of
what the sea gave them. But, as the years continued,
the sea grew sour. Each day’s catch turned up fewer
and fewer fish, and instead the nets held more and
more twisted abominations: half-formed creatures
not suited for land or water. At length, the villagers
cursed the sea and moved inland, and the abandoned
village decayed and fell into ruin.
  Wendy and her partner stayed. They knew only a
fisher’s life, and did not want to refuse the “bounty”
of the sea. Wendy cooked and ate of what the sea of-
fered, and was thankful for it. Months later, Wendy
gave birth to a parasitic creature, a baby born from
consuming twisted sea-flesh. The poor woman can-
not bear to rid herself of the creature, so she cares
for it. Linked to her body, it draws vitality from her,
slowly killing her and driving her mad.
NPC STATISTICS
Drenched Wendy and the Baby
Medium human and aberration, both chaotic evil
Traits: I can’t trust anyone except the Baby; I can’t be
separated from the Baby.
Ideal: Servitude. The Baby’s needs are more important
than my needs, my dignity, or the truth.
Bond: The Baby must be concealed from prying eyes,
protected, and provided for.
Flaw: I must obtain what the Baby requires, no matter
how shocking or revolting.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
12 (+2) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 8 (–1) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)
Notes: Drenched Wendy is a human woman connected
to a bizarre, infant-like aberration. Together, they use
dretch statistics, ignoring its fiend type. Her Fetid
Cloud feature is a spray of acidic brine and stomach
acids emanating from the “baby.”
Possessions: Drenched Wendy wears ragged clothing
that is perpetually wet, even indoors. She carries
nothing with her except her swaddled baby, which she
never lets go of.
Roleplaying Drenched Wendy
Drenched Wendy has all but succumbed to the alien
evil of her child. When Wendy encounters new peo-
ple, she often begs for help or for accompaniment
on the road. She sizes up her victims, then tries to
get them alone so that she can prey upon them. Yet
Wendy is not above an appeal to her humanity or her
well-being. If a character makes a strong enough case
that they can help her or heal her, she will reveal the
secret of her baby and plead to be made rid of it. The
parasitic baby has a mind of its own, though.
Lamprey Joe
A transient on the road by the sea, stumbling drunk
and rambling to himself, whistling a sea shanty
through broken teeth. “The sea, the sea, it calls to
me,” he croaks. “Rum’s finer than water, drink and
you’ll see. I looked into the blackness...and it looks
back through me!”
Physical Description
Lamprey Joe is a middle-aged, scruffy transient with
as many teeth as he has fingers (not a lot). His liver-
spotted head is bald, save for a few wisps of white
hair. His face bristles with white stubble. He hides his
left hand in his sleeve, claiming it was mangled by a
shark’s bite. In truth, his entire left arm is a lamprey
that feeds on blood and brains.
Background
Lamprey Joe was once entirely human: a hermit
living by the sea not far from a fishing community,
making a living begging and grifting people who
came ashore. A meager existence. For whatever rea-
son, this vagrant was chosen by the Ancient Ones of
the sea. Their psychic influence began to twist and
mutate him. His teeth fell out, his brain boiled off and
reduced in size, his belly bloated with salt-water, and
his left arm atrophied and fell off while a sea-creature
wriggled out of his arm socket to replace it.
EN
ENWorld
WorldEN5IDER: |  The Hamlet
EN5IDER Allies
  Over the course of a few months, Joe was trans-
formed into an abomination; a vicious creature with
only a fraction of his humanity remaining. Now he
wanders seaside roads, seeking the company of trav-
elers, exploiting their good nature, and feasting on
their brains.
NPC STATISTICS
Lamprey Joe
Medium aberration, chaotic evil
Traits: I know every sea shanty there is, and I sings ’em
all the time.
Ideal: Oblivion. Better to be drunk and numb than to
understand what’s eating the world alive.
Bond: I don’t trust nobody, but a bottle of drink is a
good place to start.
Flaw: I’m opportunistic. If I think I can get away with it,
I’ll stove a man’s head in to get at them brains!
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
20 (+5) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 8 (–1) 12 (+1) 8 (–1)
Notes: Lamprey Joe uses the statistics of a berserker
with the above ability score adjustments. While he
appears to be human, he is currently a human puppet
piloted by an aberration born in the lightless sea. He
also has a swim speed of 40 feet.
Possessions: Lamprey Joe wears the scraps of a fisher’s
outfit. He carries a bundle on the end of a fishing rod
without any line. Inside the bundle is three days’ worth
of stale rations and a half empty bottle of rum. Joe
keeps his left hand in his sleeve at all times.
Roleplaying Lamprey Joe
Joe whistles when he speaks. He has the creaky voice
of a man who’s not all there, rambling and singing
to himself. He rattles off incoherent stories about
fishing trips and diving for sunken treasures in his
youth, punctuated by requests for liquor to soothe his
parched throat.
  Joe only attacks when he thinks he has the upper
hand. If he’s outnumbered or overpowered, he’ll run
away rather than fight to the death. e
of Varseldorf| 
and Adversaries 
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uted to the Open Game License by the Contributor (g) “Use”, “Used”
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2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that
contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only
be Used under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a
notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be
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this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide,
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