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Sort of a maudlin bunch this week. Gamefiend has suggested that these peeps ought to come from some town in particular. Can anyone think of a good name?
Yours in the pursuit of well-rounded NPCs,
Gentian
Janny: One of the village ragamuffins. Janny’s coarse hair is divided into two stiff blonde braids. For a child with no visible means of support, she is rather stout. Janny’s round face is difficult to read, but she has been linked with a number of petty thefts. Keeps a white pet rat in her pocket and is perpetually feeding it. Sort of a snitch.
Orson: Janny’s wall-eyed little brother. Usually seen tagging along after her. Orson’s hair is a nice shade of chestnut brown. Orson has never been known to speak. For those who bother to think about Orson for any length of time, he is a cipher.
Bryson the Brewer: Tall, somewhat thin, and reclusive, Bryson’s features are hidden behind a dark unruly beard. He is widely known to be the father of Janny, Orson, and a number of other village children (variously mothered) but it has never occurred to anyone to ask Bryson to be in any way responsible for them. You just don’t ask Bryson for things; many villagers are afraid to even approach him. Lives and works in a straw-roofed home outside the village, and skulks around the village mostly at dusk. Surly and will only discuss business. Women find him fascinating.
Wella of the Cobwebs: Sort of the village ghost/mascot, Wella has been haunting the town for as long as anyone can remember, so an index of random villagers would be incomplete without her. Some say she used to be the schoolteacher back at the turn of the last century, but no one has ever conclusively researched Wella’s past. She has wild white hair that goes well past her hips and varying degrees of transparency. Just about everyone in town has seen Wella, often in broad daylight. She tends to single out children for years of nightly torment, but somehow no one other than her multi-generational string of victims takes her seriously.
Marthe: The wife of a prosperous furrier, Marthe is young and beautiful. Her dark brown hair is always richly ornamented with gold filigree and she wears the finest clothing. Because her husband is frequently out of town, Marthe spends a lot of time looking for something to do. Comes from a poor family, so sees no difference between herself and her servants. She is melancholy and kind. Has a naturally curious mind. Recently has been seen staying out late drinking at the village inn in the company of one of her servant girls.
Percival: Has been the town’s jailer for the last thirty years. Has long iron-gray hair. His beard is nearly white and he keeps it braided. Though usually taciturn in public, Percival is comfortable in the dank jail, where he lives also. Is compassionate to his prisoners and feeds them well. Also gives them sensible, if rather obvious, advice (“You ought not to’ve done that” is one of his favorite lines, akin to Bartleby’s “I’d prefer not to”) which some inmates receive better than others. Most people avoid Percival because there is a sense of bad luck about him. Many years ago, Percival lost his wife and young daughter. His eyes are often red or filled with tears that are about to fall.
Wenona: The town’s woman of “ill repute.” Wenona is a natural redhead and is starkly, unconsciously beautiful. Has scarring on her legs from being trapped in a fire in childhood. Lives in a room above the inn and has never let anyone get close to her. Is waiting for a rich merchant to take her away. Known to get angry and throw things when she is drunk.
Serentina: The town’s other “lady of the evening,” Serentina is almost a generation older than Wenona but has a coterie of loyal, mostly older clientele. Discreet. Has made a specialty of creating her own makeup out of natural pigments, which she makes a small business of selling on the side. Once slept with the King himself and will tell anyone who will listen; new details are constantly being added to the story of what must have been the longest night in history.
Jacob Bakerson: Older brother of the notorious Josiah, dark-haired Jacob is thought by many to be the town’s next poet. He works responsibly in the bakery by day, somehow managing to keep himself separate from his brother’s misdeeds. Walks by the river at dusk, his hands in his pockets, reciting poetry to himself, most of it original. Has confided in close friends that he would like to leave the village as soon as possible.
Gareth: A retired knight with a storied and honorable history, Gareth has closely cropped gray hair and a broad smile. Still handsome. He limps due to having been wounded in both legs long ago and drinks almost constantly to manage the pain in his legs. Is nearly always either in high spirits or asleep. Full of genuine good will. Was widowed years ago and now lives downstairs at the inn.
