47. Nulb Constable

The Nulb Constable building, once a place of official authority, now lies in ruins — a shell of its former self. In the aftermath of decades of lawlessness, corruption, and the Temple of Elemental Evil’s growing influence, this once-important institution has devolved into a mere façade. The Constable is no longer an enforcer of justice but a powerless figurehead used to maintain the illusion of law and order in a town under the sway of pirates, cultists, and bandits.

"A man can only be broken so many times before he gives in. The badge, the uniform... they’re the last pieces of me that are still whole."

A Broken Tool of False Justice

The Nulb Constable building stands at the crossroads of the Low and High Roads, but the structure has fallen into neglect. Its once-pristine cobblestone walls are now weathered and cracked, and its iron gate, rusted and dilapidated, no longer serves to keep the chaos at bay. The building’s exterior seems to blend into the grime and disorder of the surrounding village. The once-proud emblem of justice is now tarnished, hidden behind layers of filth and corruption.

Inside, the Constable's office is dimly lit by flickering candles, casting long shadows across the dust-covered furniture. The once-organized desks are now cluttered with piles of unfiled papers, the walls adorned with faded posters that no longer hold any meaning. The smell of mildew hangs thick in the air, and the faint sounds of scuffling feet from the nearby docks or taverns filter in through the cracked windows.

"I used to be proud of this job... Now? It's a mask, a role I play to keep them from realizing I’m just as hollow as this village."

Character: Constable Edrick Malvaar

At the heart of the Constable’s building sits Edrick Malvaar, a once-proud figure of authority, now a broken man clinging to a title that has long since lost its meaning. Malvaar is a former soldier who served in Verbobonc’s military but was appointed to the position of Constable of Nulb when his career faltered. He arrived in Nulb years ago, eager to restore order to the chaotic village, but instead found himself drowning in corruption and deceit.

Once tall and broad-shouldered, Malvaar is now hunched, his face gaunt and pale from years of sleepless nights and deep-drinking. His eyes are clouded with a mixture of regret, fear, and frustration. He still wears his Constable’s uniform, though it is ragged and ill-kept, and he clings to his badge as though it were the only thing keeping him together. In truth, Malvaar’s position has become little more than a tool for the various factions that run Nulb: the pirates, the bandit lords, and, most notably, the agents of the Temple of Elemental Evil.

Personality and Motivation

Malvaar is a man broken by the system he was meant to uphold. His heart yearns for justice, but he has long ago surrendered to the forces that control Nulb. He has made quiet pacts with local leaders, including Madame Selentis, the Tavern owner Lodriss, and even Dick Rentsch, in order to stay in power, though he knows these deals come at the cost of his soul. Despite the betrayal he faces, Malvaar still holds out hope for one final moment of redemption — to restore some semblance of order, even if only for a brief time. He desperately wants to believe that one day, true justice can be carried out in Nulb, though he knows in his heart it is a fantasy.

However, Malvaar knows that true power lies in the hands of others. The Temple of Elemental Evil’s agents have made it clear that his role is merely to act as a public figure while the real decisions are made behind closed doors. He is aware of his impotence but remains stubbornly clinging to his position.

Background and History

Edrick Malvaar’s rise to Constable of Nulb was a result of his connections with various influential figures in Verbobonc, especially Lord Marakios Willem Haxx , the mayor of Verbobonc and Viscounty tax collector. It was during the slow decay of the village, when banditry and piracy became rampant, that Malvaar was sent to oversee the area. He was seen as a man of potential, able to bring some semblance of law and order to a lawless place. Yet, despite his best efforts, the true power brokers of Nulb quickly made it clear that his presence was more symbolic than practical.

The Temple of Elemental Evil’s agents, especially those aligned with the Earth Temple, have turned the Constable into a puppet, one they can use to maintain a façade of order while they conduct their darker dealings in the shadows. Malvaar is fully aware of the Temple’s growing influence but feels helpless to do anything about it.

In addition, the pirates and bandits that frequent Nulb have taken advantage of Malvaar’s lack of true authority. They have used the Constable’s office as a place to launder stolen goods, negotiate underhanded deals, and mock the concept of law. As such, the Constable building has become a place of intrigue, false justice, and open corruption.

Political Connections & Relationships (Updated, 579 CY)

Greater Temple (Madame Selentis)

Malvaar wears the badge; Selentis holds the leash. She keeps Nulb looking like mere banditry, not an uprising, and uses the Constable to launder appearances: a shuttered stall here, a token arrest there, the right paperwork stamped at the right hour. He receives orders rarely and indirectly—sealed notes, a runner with a phrase—and understands the bargain: keep the noise off the river and he keeps his job (and his skin).

• Uses Malvaar to legitimize sudden curfews, road “inspections,” and dock closures that mask Temple movements.
• Expects no headlines: any raid that points to the Temple becomes his problem to smother.
• Keeps a quiet stipend flowing so the badge still shines, if nothing else.

Feldrin, Temple Logistics

Feldrin (Temple quartermaster) doesn’t meet Constables; he schedules them. His directives arrive through intermediaries with times, not names: hold a patrol here, “audit” a cart there, ignore a lantern signal on the High Road at midnight. When supply lines heat up, Malvaar is told to go blind for an hour and call it paperwork.

• Issues “permits” that open short patrol windows on the High Road and the wharf.
• For emergencies, reroutes goods to the Hunting Cottage and tunnel; Malvaar calls it a “poacher dragnet” and looks away.
• Doesn’t care about Romag, Belsornig, or Tolub’s turf fights—only that crates move.

Waterside Hostel (Earth/Fire Front)

Waterside is Malvaar’s oldest compromise.

• Dick Rentsch (Earth) buys lenience with information and coin. Malvaar signs off on “disturbance” reports that bury Earth Temple business and occasionally stages a slap-on-the-wrist raid to keep villagers docile.
• Wat (Fire) needles from the other side—tips that push the Constable to harass Water-aligned rivals or divert patrols. Malvaar plays deaf where possible; he can’t afford to be a creature of Fire or Earth, only a weather vane.

What this means at the table: if trouble breaks at Waterside, Malvaar shows up late with two nervous guards, writes a stern report, and arrests no one important.

Boatman’s Tavern & Nulb Market (Water/Pirates)

Boatman’s is where Malvaar pretends to govern and everyone pretends to believe him.

• Lodriss runs the floor; Skole enforces the rules. They pay the Constable’s office in “dock scrip” (bribes labeled as fees) so brawls stay short and contraband keeps moving.
• Captain Tolub pays a mooring fine that buys two things: dockside peace and Constable blindness when the Iron Dagger offloads.
• Upstairs, Lorveth “the Broker” Thrask and Elvanna Thorne trade favors and leverage. They keep a quiet file on Malvaar; he keeps their rooms off the arrest rolls.
• Belsornig’s Water crews treat Boatman’s as home court; Malvaar’s job is to make it look like simple racketeering, not cult logistics.

What this means at the table: Malvaar appears quickly at Boatman’s when coin is at risk, slowly when truth is.

Romag (Earth), Belsornig (Water), Alrrem (Fire)

• Romag (Earth): Works Malvaar through Rentsch—confiscation orders, “lost” evidence, and patrols that never cross the Waterside stairs at the wrong time.
• Belsornig (Water): Expects the Constable to bless the docks: tidy ledgers, calm nights, and no questions about unmanifested cargo.
• Alrrem (Fire): No direct chain. Fire operatives (often via Wat) push the Constable to harass Earth/Water rivals and to send do-gooders up into the hills chasing “heretics.” Malvaar calls it balancing the peace; it’s really survival.

Smigmal Redhand (Assassin Commander)

Smigmal is the silent audit. When people vanish cleanly, Malvaar drafts causes of death that don’t exist and learns not to ask. Once a season she leaves him a result—never a threat. He reads it correctly.

Lucius Graeme (Courier)

Lucius uses the office like a clock. A lantern in the east window means “clear the street”; a sealed writ means “hold the door.” Malvaar follows instructions, then burns them—slowly.

Hedrack (High Command)

Too high to touch, too close to ignore. When the Temple’s supreme will leans on Nulb, it comes as a change in weather: sudden quiet, sudden absence, sudden fear. Malvaar knows the pattern and folds.

The Two Taverns as Political Axes (DM Quick Read)

• Waterside = Earth/Fire. Paper crimes, quiet bodies, recruitment.
• Boatman’s = Water/Pirates. Open market, closed mouths, river throughput.
• Constable’s Role: make it all look like ordinary vice, not organized blasphemy.

DM Notes: How He Moves (Reaction Logic)

• If PCs pressure Waterside: Malvaar files a report, warns Rentsch, and redirects the party toward “worse criminals at Boatman’s.”
• If PCs pressure Boatman’s: he arrives with a ledger and two guards, talks fines, and begs them to take their heroics upstream (toward rival outposts).
• If PCs present Verbobonc authority: he flips the badge, names fees and forms, and arranges a show raid that arrests nobodies while the real cargo moves through the cellar.
• If PCs expose cult links: Selentis triggers a quiet reset—Malvaar vanishes for a night, returns with a bruise and a better story.

Micro-Chart (influence → compliance)

• Selentis → Malvaar: “Keep it small.”
• Feldrin → Malvaar: “This hour is dark to you.”
• Rentsch (Earth) → Malvaar: “Stage a raid; seize nothing.”
• Wat (Fire) → Malvaar: “Harass Water; send paladins away.”
• Lodriss/Skole (Water) → Malvaar: “Collect fees, kill noise.”
• Tolub → Malvaar: “Mooring paid; eyes closed.”
• Broker/Elvanna → Malvaar: “Names for amnesty.”
• Smigmal → Malvaar: “You didn’t see it.”
• Lucius → Malvaar: “Hold the door.”

"Back in the day, the village feared me. Now they barely notice me. The fear’s been replaced with contempt... and that stings worse."

Adventure Hooks

1. A Broken System: Malvaar calls upon the adventurers to assist in one of the few cases that require the Constable’s intervention — a case involving a corrupt merchant trying to sell off stolen goods. The adventurers must decide whether to expose the Constable’s weakness and the temple’s control over him or help him save face.
2. The False Law: The adventurers are hired to carry out an investigation into a spate of mysterious deaths among the local serfs of working the farms. The investigation will lead them into the dark dealings of the Constable and his relationship with Lady Nysera and other influential figures in Nulb. Can they topple the puppet masters and restore some semblance of true justice?
3. Malvaar’s Last Stand: When the Temple decides to dispose of the Constable after he begins questioning his role in Nulb, Malvaar turns to the adventurers for help. He will offer them critical information about the Temple’s operations in exchange for their protection. Will the adventurers help him make a final stand, or will they let the corruption consume him?
4. The Wererat Curse: Rumors swirl that Malvaar is being blackmailed by a shadowy figure within Nulb. The adventurers uncover a terrifying secret — the Constable is slowly being turned into a wererat by members of the Temple, and he may not be entirely in control of his actions. Will the adventurers expose his secret, or will they protect him from further ruin?

Conclusion

The Nulb Constable is no longer an institution of justice but a hollow figurehead, serving the dark powers that have claimed the village as their own. Edrick Malvaar is the last remnant of a law enforcement system that once held authority, now a broken man desperately trying to maintain the illusion of order. How the adventurers choose to interact with him will determine the fate of Nulb — whether they choose to aid him in his final moments or expose him for the weak and corrupted tool that he is. Regardless, the adventurers will become deeply entangled in the political intrigue, dark secrets, and shifting power dynamics that rule this corrupt village.