Name: Klara Sigrún
Background: Druid
Appearance: Young (26 years old), Short, Tanned Skin, Brown Braided Hair, Sunken Face
Attributes: 6 Hit Protection (HP) | 7 STR | 15 DEX | 11 WIL
Gear: Fur Mantle, Simple Blouse, Linen Breeches, Tattered Bearskin Boots, Oak Staff (1d8)
Inventory: Witchwood Seal (Beast Form), Face Paint, Herbal Poultice, Torch x1, Ration x3
Wealth: 8GP | 0SP | 0CP
Familiar: Óskar - Short-Eared Owl (A. Flammeus) | 1 HP | 10 STR | 16 DEX | 10 WIL
Ancestrally Linked
Reappears (After Defeat) The Following Dawn
Return to Nothing [Chaos Factor 5]
Trudging through the overgrowth and profuse midmorning humidity of the forest, Klara Sigrún had nearly made it back to the encampment. She had spent the past three days alone, wandering the woods in search of silence. While traveling with her Sisters from their settlement in the Saarinwood, her mind was at war with voices and visions not of her own. The Grove had become reticent about her involvement and sought council with Stria, the High Druidess, at the behest of which Klara gathered her pack and set off into the verdant maze. No peace was found in her solitude, but she resolved to compartmentalize as best she could to play an untroubled initiate of the Circle of Mor Måne.
Their passage from the Saarinwood, over the Torden Hills, to the western edge of Gåskog Forest had been arduous, but a concentrated source of empyrean energy acted as a compass for Stria. It had guided the pilgrimage to these woods and Klara, having recently garnered a place within the Grove, was determined to exhibit value to her Sisters. Without them she was lost, a sapling blessed by the sun with roots absent a home. The smell of campfire verified her natural sense of direction and a thin trail of smoke became visible through the trees. Stepping through the brush into the encampment, she was met with emptiness. The tents, still harboring packs and bedrolls, were empty of their inhabitants. A long table, crafted from regional hardwood, bore a meal untouched, seemingly cooked a day or so prior.
Klara’s heart began to race as she scoured the surrounding area for any sign of Stria or her Sisters. In a fit of panic, she found herself unable to retrace the path back to the encampment, opting to indiscriminately choose a direction in hopes of stumbling upon a familiar landmark. Almost an hour later, she came to a worn trail running to the north and south. Klara felt an inexplicable pull northward and, momentarily relieved, started down the path. Within what felt like minutes, the path opened up to a clearing. Lush, blue-green grass carpeted the ground, releasing a soft haze as early condensation climbed the warm, afternoon sun through still air. Two structures called this glade home: a small, single-story, stone cottage and a tower, built from a black, mirrorlike material, that rose above the canopy into the clear, blue sky.
Can we see anyone? Rolls 46 on [CF5] 50/50 - Yes
My gut was telling me to go all in and roll up an NPC!
Generating an NPC with UNE (Universal NPC Emulator)
Title
Table 1: NPC Modifier | Rolls 9 - Skilled
Table 2: NPC Noun | Chose Hermit (This noun stuck out to me immediately)
1st Motivation
Table 1: NPC Motivation Verb | Rolls 12 - Progress
Table 2: NPC Motivation Noun | Rolls 43 - Love
2nd Motivation
Table 1: NPC Motivation Verb | Rolls 62 - Accompany
Table 2: NPC Motivation Noun | Rolls 6 - Poverty
3rd Motivation
Table 1: NPC Motivation Verb | Rolls 71 - Steal
Table 2: NPC Motivation Noun | Rolls 35 - Construct
Skilled Hermit, Progress Love, Accompany Poverty, Steal Construct
NPC Summary
Putting all of this together, thus creating purpose and allowing the NPC to feel authentic, took me quite a long time.
Truthfully, the finer details of the glade and the creation of this NPC happened in tandem, each influencing the other. It was SO much fun!
A skilled hermit protecting the surrounding forest from encroaching darkness by siphoning sunlight via a contraption in the tower. The parasitic nature of the contraption has yielded reduced growth in plant life in the area, as if time stands still. Neither fruit nor seed exist for miles. Along with this dearth, the surrounding land has witnessed a complete exodus of local fauna. The hermit’s name is Maja and she has been in this hamlet for a very long time.
As Luck Would Have It
Klara made her way into the clearing, unsure if this veritable paradise was a slip in reality, a vision placed by her tormentors. The front door of the house opened with a stretched creak, interrupting her nervous contemplations. Along an ancient stone path, leading from the home to the tower, clapped bare feet belonging to a middle-aged woman. She wore simple garments and her dark, coarse hair, flecked with gray strands, threatened to unravel from the loose knot in which it had been tied. Klara wasn’t sure if her own presence had yet to be noticed and settled on a softly-shouted declaration.
“Good afternoon!” she called out.
Does the woman respond? Rolls 84 on [CF5] 50/50 - No
Quiet irritation bristled beneath the intention with which Klara cleared her throat, preparing to call once more. She maneuvered a few feet into the clearing, determined to make herself known.
Does the woman quicken her pace? Rolls 23 on [CF5] 50/50 - Yes
Klara attempted to assuage the woman’s discomfort with a hastened retelling of her predicament, pleading for information regarding her Grove. The woman reached for the metallic handle on the large wooden door of the tower, turning for a moment to make brief eye contact with Klara. She passed the threshold and retracted the door with a vigorous slam, followed up with the mechanical clunking of a complex lock. Fuming and feeling utterly disrespected, Klara surveyed the small hamlet with an assuredness that in one of these two structures she might find the members of her Circle bound and gagged in some buried oubliette. She crept along the grass toward the house, glancing occasionally back to the tower.
Can we see through any of the windows? Rolls 5 on [CF5] 50/50 - Exceptional Yes
Placing her hands around her eyes, Klara leaned against the window pane, a sudden shift of the frame throwing off her balance. It was unlocked. She planted one end of her staff into the ground, lifted the pane, and propped the window open with the other end. There should be just enough room for her to quietly climb through without knocking the staff out of place.
Sneak Attempt: Rolls 15 against 15 DEX - Success (Cutting it very close!)
Rolls 56 on Meaning Tables: Domicile Descriptors - Mysterious
Rolls 7 on Meaning Tables: Domicile Descriptors - Beautiful
The interior of the home was warm and smelled faintly of dried herbs and whitewood. The smooth, stone floor, in harmonious contrast to the spruce beams overhead, was adorned with richly colored rugs spread throughout. Gathered near an intricately carved granite hearth stood two dark hardwood chairs, partially concealed under various furs and woven blankets, and a rectangular table accompanied by another chair in desperate need of repair. The table was littered with piles of paper depicting schematics annotated with characters of a language Klara had never before seen. The sound of a doorknob turning came from behind and, with a startled jump, she spun around, knocking a precariously situated tower of papers to the floor.
Do we have time to hide? Rolls 10 on [CF5] Unlikely - Yes
Klara ducked into an adjoining bedroom, hiding next to a large chest of drawers as the front door latched shut. Footsteps, paired with gentle humming, moved around the house for a moment before growing closer in a pattering crescendo. The repeated bounce of wood on stone reverberated around the room, Klara transfixed, hand over mouth, as her staff settled to rest in front of her withdrawn legs.
“Come on out,” beckoned a stern, yet delicate voice. “My papers are a mess and I’d wager you are the root!”
Really enjoyed the ambiance of this. You've done an amazing job setting the stage. Can totally relate to the hermit, would absolutely run and lock the door...people ugh 🤣
Great story so far! I also appreciate you including the resources you're using to generate the solo game. Very helpful for solo players like me.