08. NPCs (outdated)

Major Characters:

Kether VII/Death
An alicorn prince who became the Administrator of Jevel in his time. He is known to have created a fountain of arcane power known as the Soul Forge, or the Heart of Jevel. In this great structure, one could create items of wondrous power by sacrificing the soul of a mighty being. It is also rumored that he was conducting experiments to replicate his kind's immortality and bring it to mortals, although this was never realized. His rule as Administrator was cut short when he fell into his creation in a freak accident, and he was replaced by Dreamcoat.
After his body was destroyed, he was claimed by Death itself as its avatar among the living. In this form, he was able to communicate and aid mortals, albeit vaguely. He also created a place for mortals to visit him in their dreams, a replica of the Pale Mare inn he had founded in his previous life. His motives and true nature are unknown. He has also created stones called monoliths stationed throughout Rin that undead can teleport between at will.
The party have only encountered Kether once, while traveling to the capital of Ortague. He told them to speak of something called "The Adversary" to Dreamcoat, Doom, Joyce and the Earthmover. He also tried to relay a message to Tourmaline, but was stopped by what appeared to be Disciples of Order. The second time, he disclosed to them that he was not really on Dreamcoat's side, and informed them of the locations of the other Immortal Souls.

Dreamcoat
A sorcerer who rose to the position of Administrator of Jevel until he was invited to the palace in Ortague to serve King Endon III as the High Mage. He is often hailed as the greatest sorcerer of modern times, and often took to traveling alone through Rin with his king's permission, caring little for social interaction.
The party first encountered Dreamcoat during their adventures in the Coil, a subterranean underground in central Rin. While there, he aided them on their journey as they slew the terrible creature therein. They soon discovered that the monster was Dreamcoat's former pupil, transformed by the unstable energy of the artificial Immortal Soul he had created. Having learned this, the party gave Dreamcoat the Immortal Soul upon his request, so he could attune it to not be unstable.
The party encountered him much later on on their adventures, in the service of King Doom. Here, they learned of the identity of the mysterious white alicorn that had appeared to them before, as well as promising to fulfill a request of his to retrieve an artifact from his old post in Jevel. While there, the party found evidence that there was more to Dreamcoat than they ever imagined. It turned out that not only had he lied to them and actually transformed his pupil into the creature they had faced, but he had also corresponded with the former Administrator Kether VII from beyond the grave and had essentially started the curse of the undead.
When confronted with this, Dreamcoat explained to the party that he had been trying to unlock the secrets of immortality to share with the public, and had gotten close by causing the curse. He wishes to acquire the Immortal Souls to undo the side effects of the curse. The party refused to aid him in this, upon which he swore to hurt them and their allies and left for Mt Venn.
The party encountered him again at the mountain, where he begged them to reconsider their actions. Once again, they refused him, and slew Tascheter themselves. As they did so, however, he caught up with them and demanded they hand over the soul. The party refused, and when he tried to make an escape they were teleported alongside him. Seeing that he had no escape, he fought the party ferociously but was eventually slain. When he was, a thick red smoke seemed to possess his body, and it spoke to the party before being destroyed.

Doom
A scarred, headstrong pegasus that calls himself King of Rin. He has amassed a large group of undead to help him claim the throne and fight against the Shells of Light that have invaded, including many of the party's allies and the party themselves. He shares a name with someone whose grave the party saw.
He was first encountered by Timber when he unwittingly invaded him on a scouting mission in the far eastern reaches of Rin. While he did not know the significance of Doom at the time, they quickly became on friendly terms and went their separate ways soon after. The entire party encountered him much later, after their expedition to Ortague, in which he had them tested for being changelings before accepting them as members of the resistance. They informed him of Veldr's presence in Ortague, to which he agreed to help destroy in return for their assistance in scouting the post of Where-Waters-Meet and helping him defend the Far Cairn against the Shells. However, the party delayed their return from the mission due to their journey into the city of Jevel, and Doom returned alongside his troops with severe injuries. However, he was quick to forgive them for this after learning of Dreamcoat's treachery, and aided them as best he in their mission to find Tascheter.

Recurring Characters:

Boiling Point
A laid-back, smooth talking pony who works with Doom. He is the brother of Clean Slate. The party encountered him as Candy Claws' contact in Lunemark, and later traveled with him to the Dreaming Spring. He explained how monoliths work to the party. They met him again much later, when returning from their expedition to Jevel. He showed Kivoda around the stronghold and requested that Tourmaline deliver a fish bone pendant to his brother next time they meet.

Candy Claws
A timid mare with a badger mask that was appointed as the party's official guide. She knows the Coil better than most, but does not seem to talk much. She traveled with the party into the Coil, but fell off a cliff to her death. Upon resurrecting, she appeared to have lost her senses, and used a peculiar red gem among her belongings to disappear in a blinding flash of light. When she returned, she worked with the paladin Cashmere to rescue the party from the ravine they were stuck at the bottom of. She then revealed that she would not be accepted back into the Masked Ones' midst because of her broken mask and exposed face. She resolved to travel on her own, but not before guiding the party back out of the Coil and into the wilderness, where she discovered the Masked Ones had been raided by the Shells of Light. Rast showed up in the aftermath, and on Tourmaline's suggestion she left the party and followed him to an unknown safe area.
The party did not meet her until they returned to Lunemark, upon which they found her at the local inn waiting for a Resistance contact. Upon the latter's arrival, the party accompanied her to the Dreaming Spring, upon which they met Doom.

Cashmere the Lambent
Endon's right hoof, personally knighted by the alicorn king. He was a zealous paladin trained in Briom, known for his unshakable faith in the All-In-One. Before the events of the One Day War, Cashmere was ordered to undertake a holy quest in search of holy relics. Cashmere was known for his mighty mace, a golden and silver flanged weapon which he named Oath.
The party encountered Cashmere in the Coil, where he revealed that his voice had been taken by a monster known as the Voiceless Songbird. He accompanied the party for a while, but when the party reached the Songbird's location it grabbed him and tossed him into the lake, where he sunk to the bottom. However, he managed to swim to safety and was rescued by Candy Claws. The last time the party saw him, he was set to continue his quest in the Coil, searching for a legendary artifact known as the Sword of Moonlight.

Clement of Omos
A bandit who preys upon unwary travelers, luring them into traps then stripping them of their valuables. He is a changeling who changes his name every time he meets someone new, going by the names of Flynn, Montresor, Starshine and Kristofferson, among others. He is often seen carrying a spear and tower shield, is a kleptomaniac, and appears to have a disdain for clerics and knights.
Tourmaline and Maali encountered Clement in the hamlet of Blaiseville, and Timber Hoof was inconvenienced by him when he trapped him in a basement full of blanks. They later encountered him under the guise of a jittery bat pony named Starshine while exploring the city of Ortague. He accompanied them for a while, then tricked them yet again by luring them with the promise of treasure, also revealing he was working for the Shells of Light. After the party broke free and cornered him, however, he was quick to divulge a plethora of information regarding the Shells.

Clean Slate
An eccentric, unaligned merchant from Arineau, looking to make some coin from the other inhabitants of Rin. He is easily found by his maroon and blue caravan with a little flag on top. He is ever hospitable and more than willing to share a campfire, but is easily startled, running and hiding at the first sign of danger. The party first encountered him in the Durac Hills, where he sold them some equipment, and encountered him a second and third time while traveling to Ortague and Jevel respectively. He has had contact with the Pale Mare inn.

Kivoda
A young Cael adventurer hoping to make his fortune in Rin. He is knowledgeable and idealistic, strongly believing in good vs evil and wanting above all else to eradicate the Shells. He was saved by the party from a group of Shells, upon which he accompanied on their travels warding off Tascheter, exploring the Sentinel proving ground and venturing through the abandoned city of Jevel. He has some animosity with Clean Slate, due to the latter's penchant for grave robbing. He is currently traveling with the party as their chronicler.

The Pale Mare
The caretaker of the eponymous inn, allied with Kether VII. She is most likely a spirit of some sort. She always seems to know what the party require, although she appears quiet and emotionless.

Rast
A Masked One that invaded Stella while she bartered with Clean Slate. The party met him the following night, when he revealed that Stella was dead. Gopal challenged him to a fight to avenge his friend, and emerged victorious. Tourmaline later encountered him in the aftermath of the Shell raid on the Masked Ones' camp, where he revealed that he was the only one that had escaped along with Madam Shoeshine. From there, he led Candy to an unknown safe spot. He reappeared briefly again in the company of Doom at the Dreaming Spring, where he had some hostile words with Gopal, still resentful of the latter.

Bosses:

Archdragon Veldr
A great golden monster that resides in the Serpentine Keep of Ortague. He laid waste to the city decades ago, but was felled and locked in the dungeons for years on end. In the aftermath of the One Day War, he awoke from meditation and made the keep his resting place. The party encountered it when they journeyed to the Keep, but were unable to slay it.

Coronus the Executioner
An automaton made as a gift to Endon from Queen Zeean of Ibergal. Coronus was first used as Endon's bodyguard before being replaced by Cashmere the Lambent. From then on it served as the royal executioner, wielding a greataxe known as the Pillar of Mercy to end the lives of prisoners. Crime rates in Ortague rapidly dropped once word spread of Coronus' position. It was reprogrammed to fight the Alorian invaders during the One Day War.
The party encountered Coronus while exploring the city of Ortague. He repeatedly ordered them to leave while firing on them with a crossbow. They eventually reached him and destroyed the automaton, claiming its core.

Guillotine Demon
A terrible creature that ravaged the Rinish countryside centuries ago, until it was captured by Tanari the Sundering Sentinel and trapped underground to serve as a test for would-be Sentinels.  While exploring the ancient proving ground, the party slew this creature and took its soul as part of the Trial of Steel.

The Pale Mother
An ancient Fleshmite Matron that lived in Cracked Spine Cave protecting its young. The party slew it and took its soul while searching the Durac Hills for the Immortal Souls. It was initially passive, but upon being attacked unleashed its squalid brood on them.

Tascheter the Squamous Beldam
A former Archmage in Jevel, Tascheter suffered a magical accident that caused severe scarring to her face. She took to wearing a glittering emerald mask to conceal her deformities. During her time, she became a close colleague and confidante of Dreamcoat, although she disapproved of his research into immortality. When Dreamcoat created his first artificial Immortal Soul, he forced her to absorb it and be its vessel, an action which transformed her into a snarling mass of snakes in a vaguely equine form. Dreamcoat smuggled the creature out of Jevel and made it flee into the wilderness. Years later, Tascheter has been driven mad by her transformation; however, she has access to great magical power, having spread evil all throughout western Rin. She now resides somewhere on Mount Venn, and is served by two snakes called Ichabod the Red and Aldebaran the Green.
The party first encountered Tascheter in the ruins of Where-Waters-Meet, where she fought them alongside Aldebaran. She attacked a second time with both of her companions, but fled once the tide turned against her. She followed the party to Jevel, but was unable to enter. Some time later, the party discovered her lair at Mount Venn, and engaged her in combat. Through coercion by Maali, they were able to remind her of who she used to be, and she transformed back into her true form. With no other alternative than to kill her and take her soul, they granted her a quick death, promising to honor her memory.

Gaspard the Voiceless Songbird
A pupil of Dreamcoat's. Abandoned on the streets of Jevel, the sorcerer adopted him as a child, teaching him the ways of magic. Later in life, Dreamcoat sacrificed him in his experiments with immortality, changing him into a hideous voice-stealing bird-like creature. Dreamcoat hid him in the Durac Hills, and he was eventually slain by the party under Dreamcoat's orders, unknowing of his true past.

Waymar
One of the Marshals of the Shells of Light, the leaders and tacticians among their ranks. He was a cold, stony-faced griffon who commanded his men with an iron fist. The party encountered Waymar's garrison on the last leg of their journey to Ortague, attacking his men and setting fire to his camps. They eventually defeated his forces and fatally crippled Waymar himself. After interrogating him, he was smote by his own blade.

Minor Characters:

Dawn Chorus
A pegasus who lives in Lunemark. He is a very dour individual, being incredibly gloomy and ill-tempered towards just about everyone.

The Mare in Red
A mute mare who lives in the inn in the hamlet of Lunemark. Little is known about her, but she seems content to care for passing wanderers as best she can.

Overflow
One of six Shells that stayed behind in the aftermath of their raid on the Masked Ones. The party briefly captured him, but let him go as a warning to the other Shells.

Pulse, Spreadeagle, Flint and Garl
Four Shells of Light that were responsible for the capture of most of the party, kickstarting their adventures together. Of the four, Garl is the only one that did not survive. Spreadeagle appears to be a blind and deaf packhorse, controlled via reins and possibly magic by the others. Pulse is a brutish, foul-mouthed, short-tempered earth pony who repeatedly threatened the party, Flint is a bloodthirsty yet somewhat unintelligent Diamond Dog, while Garl proved to be a zealot, fiercely devoted to the cause of the Shells and having a deep hatred for the undead.

Purity Ring, Crystal Castle, Fever Ray and Purple Haze
Four stiff-necked Disciples of Order. They initially got off on the wrong foot with the party, mistaking them for Shells. However, they soon became more amicable after both they and the party were attacked by a Snatcher. When last they met, Purity Ring advised the party not to take a certain fork in the road, although he did not elaborate as to why.

Rafford, Domino, Penny Dreadful and Jaunt
Four Shells of Light that were present at the battle at the Far Cairn. They deserted once they saw the battle was lost, fleeing due west and becoming lost in the process. The party encountered them and escorted them to the Bone Point lighthouse, where they are working now.

Regulus
A stoic bat pony in service to King Doom. He is Doom's right hoof, and fiercely loyal to him.

Rigby
A musically talented goat with a booming voice unfitting of his stature that works for Doom. He plays the lute and owns two jars containing huge purple spiders. He was later seen serving as a sentry at the Dreaming Spring.

Madam Shoeshine
The leader of the traveling circus troupe known as the Masked Ones. The party had audience with her and asked for a map of the Coil, which she granted them along with a guide known as Candy Claws. She seems to be more tolerant of non-Masked Ones than many of her troupe. She along with Rast were the only ones to escape the Shells' raid, although the party did not encounter her.

Tanari the Sundering Sentinel
One of the legendary Sentinels of Ibergal. She traveled to Rin after the fall of her order, beginning to train other adventurers in their ways and eventually building a proving ground somewhere in western Rin. Her efforts eventually failed, however, and the true ways of the Sentinels were lost to time. The party found her body while searching the ancient proving ground.

Touchstone
A ghost who appeared to Abenad while the party searched the Serpentine Keep. He referred to him as Lord Shaper, mistaking Abenad for a long-dead nobleman. He served as the chamberlain of the Keep hundreds of years ago, during the reign of King Alton the Good.

Viridian
A Disciple of Order who fought and killed a Shell agent known as Derezz, being mortally injured in the process. Gopal met her on her deathbed, and in her final moments she entrusted her mysterious mission to him, giving him a strange map as well as some magical stones.

Unseen Characters:

King Endon III
The last ruler of the land of Rin, Endon's reign saw many hardships that culminated in the curse taking the land and the priests of Aloria overrunning his palace. He fled during the siege, although his fate remains unknown. His bloodline stretches back to the foundation of Rin thousands of years ago, and he is, or perhaps was, one of only a handful of known alicorns.

Bishop Joyce
Leader of the Shells of Light, a faction from the southern land of Sarnath that has come to lift the curse from Rin. They capture the afflicted in an attempt to stop the curse from spreading to the rest of the known world and to conduct further research into the curse itself. He and most of his followers reside in the Tower of Silence, a former prison in ancient times.

High Priest Waverunner
The last ruler of the city of Aloria, Waverunner was a powerful unicorn responsible for the siege of Ortague. He led the war priests into battle, and drove out the king personally. Along with the others, he mysteriously vanished from the palace overnight, and the insurgents' fate remains a mystery.

Saint Panacea
The former High Priestess of Aloria, Panacea traveled all over Rin using her healing miracles to cure the needy and poor, spreading the power of God to all corners of the land along with her protege Newjack. She was eventually summoned to Ortague and made an official Knight of Rin along with being named God's Mouth, her position in Aloria being replaced by Waverunner.

Parabol and Undertow
These two knights were brothers both in arms and in blood, rising to the position of Masters of Ortague in their time and being knighted by Endon after saving him from an assassin, being given the title of Twin Blades. When the curse took Rin, the two brothers split ways, Parabol leaving to warn the rest of the world. Undertow is presumed to have fallen in the battle.

Lockdown the Defender
Having started as a humble rank-and-file soldier, Lockdown proved his worth in combat when he was posted to Geldra during the Sarnath Incursion. Due to his efforts, the forces were repelled and Geldra was saved, making him a hero in the city. He went on to prove himself yet again when an Archdrake laid ruin to Ortague, commanding the guard instinctively when their appointed leader was killed. He became a legend in Rin, rising to the rank of Grand General. He was slain during the siege from Aloria.

Time Trap the Dragonsbane
A famous knight in Rin, who traveled the land serving the common people and doing good wherever he went. His real claim to fame came when he visited Ortague at the time when the Archdrake Veldr came to lay ruin. With a single great arrow, Time Trap injured the monster and saw it captured, earning him a place among Endon's knights and the rank of Captain of the Royal Guard. He was slain in the battle with Aloria's forces.

The Earthmover
The leader of the Disciples of Order, a religious sect based on the islets in south eastern Rin. As per their tradition, he forgoes his given name and takes a vow of silence only communicating with a designated assistant via telepathy. The current Earthmover is known to have been an ally of Dreamcoat's in his studies of immortality, having sent his followers on quests to retrieve the fabled Immortal Souls.