Darrik Redbow

Darrik is a broad-shouldered man in his early forties, weathered by years in the deep forest. His dark hair is shot with streaks of grey, and one eye bears a long scar from a drake’s talon, leaving it clouded and blind. He wears well-used leathers reinforced with bark plates, and his longbow is always strung at his side, the wood oiled and polished like a prized relic. His voice is gravelly but calm, like a man who rarely wastes words.

Personality

• Stern but Fair: Expects much from the village hunters, but never more than he demands of himself.
• Protective: Sees himself as guardian of the next generation, especially orphans and apprentices.
• Pragmatic: Believes in preparation, traps, and ambushes over glory in open combat.
• Suspicious: Wary of outsiders until they prove themselves useful or trustworthy.

Motives

• Keep Xandarin fed and safe by leading successful hunts and patrols.
• Train a new generation of hunters to replace him when he falls.
• Settle his private vendetta with the Blightspawn drake that scarred him.
• Guard the village from the creeping corruption of the River Heart.

History

• Pale Wars Legacy: Darrik is the grandson of one of the original Aul’Daran rangers who founded Xandarin.
• The Scar: In his youth, he led a hunting party ambushed by a corrupted drake. Though he survived, several companions did not. The scar over his eye reminds him daily of his failure.
• Huntmaster: Took the mantle 10 years ago after the previous Huntmaster fell ill. His discipline and ruthless efficiency have kept the village’s larder full and its scouts sharp.

Languages

• Common, Elvish, Orcish.
• Understands Sylvan but speaks it poorly, often deferring to Mira Vell (the elf-blooded scout) for communication with fey.

Features & Traits

• Keen Tracker: Advantage on Survival checks to track creatures in forests and swamps.
• Veteran Hunter: Knows the habits of beasts, monstrosities, and corrupted creatures.
• Drake Foe: Gains advantage when fighting or hunting drakes, wyverns, or dragonkin.
• Teacher: Spends time mentoring youths—those who gain his approval become formidable archers.

Quirks

• Always carries at least three knives, hidden on his person.
• Chews on birch bark when thinking.
• Sleeps outdoors even when lodging is available.
• Refuses to eat poultry, claiming “birds are better companions than meals.”
• Never drinks more than one cup of ale—fears dulled senses.

Specialized Equipment

• Redbow: A longbow of dark yew, reinforced with sinew and etched with hunting runes. Grants +1 to attack/damage rolls and advantage on ranged attacks against favored prey.
• Hunter’s Cloak: Camouflage cloak woven with forest-dyed fibers, granting advantage on Stealth checks in woods.
• Snare Satchel: Contains cords, hooks, and caltrops; can lay a simple trap in 1 action.
• Bone Carving of the Stag: A family heirloom passed down from his ranger grandfather.

Speech Patterns

• Gruff and economical, preferring direct orders and simple phrases.
• Uses hunting metaphors in conversation (“You’ve left a trail,” “Don’t spook the herd,” “The prey is circling back”).
• Rarely speaks of himself; focuses on the group or the hunt.

Example Phrases:

• “The forest watches us as much as we watch it. Don’t forget that.”
• “Food first, pride second. Dead hunters feed no one.”
• “That scar on my eye? It’s not a story. It’s a lesson. Don’t repeat it.”

GM Roleplaying Notes

• Darrik is best played as the practical counterbalance to Esmerelda’s mystical wisdom. Where she sees patterns and mysteries, he sees tracks and threats.
• He can serve as a quest giver (leading hunts, scouting dangerous areas, requesting help against a blightspawn beast), or as an antagonist NPC if the PCs endanger the village.
• Darrik respects strength and reliability. PCs who prove themselves capable hunters, trackers, or defenders earn his loyalty quickly.