Commander “Tallyman” Drosk

The Tallyman is a tall, broad-shouldered man in his mid-40s, carrying himself with the dangerous confidence of someone who knows exactly how far fear can go. His dark, slicked-back hair has a few streaks of gray at the temples, and a short, neatly trimmed beard frames a grin that rarely reaches his cold, calculating eyes. A thin scar cuts across his right cheek—a memento from a riot—but instead of marring his face, it somehow sharpens his intimidating presence. His leather armor is polished to a dark sheen, decorated with crude engravings of tally marks on the shoulder plate, each one representing "numbers met."

He always carries an iron-shod baton and a crossbow slung at his back, looking as comfortable with either as some men are with a handshake.

Why He Rules Hollow Gate:
Drosk operates just under the line of official scrutiny. He knows exactly which bribes to take, which arrests to fake, and which nobles to silence. His efficiency in keeping the “numbers” up means Lord Neverember turns a blind eye to his methods.

The Making of the Tallyman

Early Life:
Drosk was born to a family of clerks and traders in Neverwinter’s poorer districts, far from the gilded mansions of the Protector’s Enclave. His father was a city scribe who believed in “honest numbers,” while his mother was a pragmatic woman who taught him that survival is about making the right deals. From an early age, Drosk showed a sharp mind for numbers and patterns—he could calculate taxes or debts faster than most guild accountants.

But Drosk also learned something else: the system was stacked against the powerless. When his father died during the chaos after the eruption of Mount Hotenow, Drosk saw the guards laugh at his mother’s pleas for protection. That day, Drosk swore he’d never be on the begging side of the law again.

The Accountant Turned Enforcer:
Drosk started as a minor bookkeeper for the city guard, balancing patrol rosters and supply ledgers. Over time, he noticed how easy it was to make numbers look “right,” even when they weren’t. He started padding quotas, cooking arrest reports, and pocketing small bribes, quietly rising through the ranks as someone who could “get things done.”

When Neverember took power and demanded strict security statistics to “clean up the city,” Drosk’s reputation as a man who could make the numbers fit became invaluable. He shifted from his ledger to the streets, leading arrest squads and “adjusting” reports to meet impossible quotas. By the time he took over Hollow Gate Lockup, he had built a reputation as someone who could turn problems into neat rows of tallies.

The Descent:
Drosk started justifying his methods as “necessary” for city order, but power quickly corrupted him. He began to treat prisoners like commodities—figures to be moved, erased, or monetized. When a corrupt noble paid to have someone “disappear,” Drosk didn’t ask questions; he just adjusted the ledger and dumped a body down the sewer pipe. Over the years, the line between duty and cruelty blurred, and Drosk stopped caring who was guilty or innocent.

Now, he thrives in the shadows, commanding the Hollow Gate guards with fear and respect. They call him “The Tallyman” not just for his precise records, but for the way he counts every life in his custody as a mark on his invisible scoreboard.

Personality:

• Charismatic and brutal. The Tallyman knows how to "lead" through fear and charm, switching between the two seamlessly.
• Pragmatic. For him, a person’s worth is just a number—a quota to be met, a statistic to be manipulated.
• Intelligent and observant. He always looks like he’s three steps ahead, watching for weakness to exploit.
• Cruel humor. His grin often accompanies vicious sarcasm or thinly veiled threats.

Personality Hooks from His Past:

• Mathematical Mindset: He speaks in numbers, odds, and “calculations,” even in threats:
  “You’re a problem, and I don’t like problems. But problems can be solved… or erased. I’d say you’ve got about a 30% chance if you keep that mouth shut.”
• Belief in “Order”: Drosk thinks the strong must control the weak to keep the city from falling apart. He sees himself as a necessary evil rather than a villain.
• Quiet Grudge Against Nobles: He despises their hypocrisy but takes their money when it suits him.