Adventurers

Easily one of the most dangerous of all creatures in any realm, adventurers are what happens when instead of therapy, you decide to get a new job. The exact reputation of adventurers varies from place to place; in large cities such as Waterdeep or Baldur's Gate, they're so commonplace that they're hardly worth noticing until they're at least at level 5. In smaller settlements, though they may be welcomed by some merchants given their unusually high incomes, they are often regarded with a certain level of dread, as they tend to be associated with a certain fatality rate. In some cases, this assessment is unfair, as adventurers are often called to places with preexisting sources of premature death, but it would be dishonest to say that the reputation of adventuring parties as kill-happy sources of wanton destruction is entirely unearned. Most adventurers die or fade into obscurity well before they even think to come up with branding.  

Known Adventuring Parties

Book Club

The name is allegedly a joke, though few people purport to understand it. Despite the somewhat inadequate branding, there can be no doubt that Book Club has risen from absolute obscurity when our heroes were first abducted to a state of fame that means their names are known along the Sword Coast and beyond. Their most notable achievement is, of course, their prolonged campaign of antagonism against The Coalition. Comprised of human cleric Cal, elven rogue Del, halfling barbarian Korhorn, and half-elven sorcerer Twm, there can be no doubt that it's the cleric who's most famous among them, and largely considered the leader. This is partly because half of Book Club cannot be trusted to interact with city officials without extreme risk of imprisonment, and partly because Twm prefers to keep a low profile.

Known associates:

• Kai Nav (tiefling tavern proprietor and retired soldier; former companion of Korhorn)
• Kellan Nav (half-orc tavern proprietor and retired criminal)
• Osrin Baralet (aasimar fighter/barbarian, currently lost in Barovia)

 

The Suicide Strahd

The branding of the Suicide Strahd is at present largely unknown even within Barovia, let alone beyond it, and that's likely for the best. Esteemed author Volo Geddarm would be happy to offer them some tips at their earliest convenience — he suspects "The SS" isn't really the image they're going for. Like so many before them, the Suicide Strahd became an adventuring party largely by accident when they all happened to fall through the same portal to the Feywild along with Gary. Like so many before them, they had no intention of visiting Barovia when they found themselves accosted by a strange mist. Like relatively few before them, they have successfully slain the vampire lord Strahd von Zarovich, and might even manage the unprecedented task of rebinding Vampyr to an amber slab, thus freeing Barovia of Strahd's tyranny for eternity. At present, though they've been spoken about here and there thanks in no small part to the rising fame of Book Club, their deeds remain relatively unknown in Faerûn. Who knows what might happen when that changes... Comprised of elven ranger and cleric Ayduin Thekan, human blood hunter Cavan Bodaway, aasimar fighter and barbarian Osrin Baralet, warforged artificer Ri-An, and vampiric half-elf rogue Sylvain Vanborin, it's safe to say that the most well known of the group at present are Vanborin and Baralet, thanks largely to Vanborin's former exploits in Waterdeep and Baralet's famous friends. Surely, both would be thrilled to learn this.

Known associates:

• Bonquille (bartender in Baldur's Gate whose business was attacked allegedly due to an enemy of Bodaway's; killed in the attack but later resurrected)
• Book Club (friends of Osrin Baralet, whose disappearance prompted the heroic journey that brought them to fame)
• Bren Khonin (escort, longtime friend of Vanborin)
• Dee-Dee (recently abducted from Baldur's Gate, allegedly because of her connection to Bodaway)
• El'zai (solo adventurer, allegedly an old friend of Bodaway's)
• Gritsk (retired adventurer, former mentor of Baralet's)
• Kyra Tyrvirrea (solo adventurer, longtime friend of Vanborin, said to have previously gone by at least one different surname)
• Maivialar Arabirae (solo adventurer, niece of Thekan's)
• Renaer Neverember (known in some circles to be associated with the Harpers; alleged friend to Baralet and Vanborin)
• Renata Zossom (escort, longtime friend of Vanborin)

 

The Trollskull Three

Whether or not the Trollskull Three have consented to being called the Trollskull Three is irrelevant. Though some may point out that each of the three has at various points asserted that even at the height of their adventures there were at least four or five of them at any given time, not even taking into account Ranan's dire wolf and Seph's bat, the fact remains that the three of them are easily the most well known of the Trollskull Three, even if their adventures have been less frequent and their profile much lower in recent years. The group rose to prominence due to their involvement in the downfall of the Cassalanter family in the summer of 1491, not quite a year before the opening of their tavern and the ensuing disappearance/formation of the Suicide Strahd. After saving several Waterdavians from the Cassalanters' dastardly plot to sacrifice their guests to appease the devil they'd made a deal with, the three continued to have various adventures for some time, though in the years our heroes have been gone from Faerûn, they've become somewhat set on their own paths. Comprised of dwarven paladin Daerdram Leadfoot, half-orc barbarian Ranan Braado, human wizard Sephiria Valcrest, and sometimes other people who Volo insists are not quite the point, it would be fair to say that Seph is the best known of them in Waterdeep, at least, due to her prodigal rise as a young wizard, and recent involvement alongside Cal MacGilrea in coordinating efforts to provide reinforcements in Barovia. That said, both Braado and Leadfoot are well known in their respective circles, with Leadfoot being particularly known around the Field Ward and other poor areas of Waterdeep for offering healing services at no cost. All three of them are, of course, also known for the Trollskull Tavern and its somewhat controversial opening night.

Known associates:

• Aywin (elven ranger and alleged occasional member)
• Barnibus Blastwind (mentor to Valcrest, having formerly investigated the party re: whether or not they blew up a street)
• Brou Greythane (husband of Leadfoot, involved in the party's fight against notorious Zhentarim overlord and archmage Manshoon)
• Eri Greythane (sister to Brou, occasional visitor to the pair)
• Dionte (dreamy gnome bard at the Temple of Beauty, rumoured to be a past lover of Leadfoot no matter how many times Dram tells Volo to stop spreading that rumour)
• Gulloth Ninath (former Trollskull resident and alleged ex-lover of Valcrest; also notably accused of blowing up a street, much like the TT)
• Hoen Polgar (City Watch member in a state of perpetual Done; former mentor to Leadfoot during his involuntary time in the Watch)
• Jarora (City Watch member in a state of perpetual kindergarten teacher; former mentor to Braado during his involuntary time in the Watch)
• Ponto Oldfur (former Trollskull resident and alleged ex-lover of Valcrest)
• Renaer Neverember (friend to the party)
• Shaeda (halfling monk and alleged occasional member)
• Velfrie Taim (lover of Valcrest)
• Volo Geddarm (respected mentor and beloved confidant)
• Yagra Stonefist (alleged lover of Braado but even Volo knows better than to bother the two of them too much with questions about that; alleged Zhentarim member)