She walks the alleys at dusk, barefoot and silent, her body pale like wax left too long in the sun. Her hair curls like smoke, and her eyes flicker faintly in the dark.
Long ago, her husband was lost at sea. Each night, she lit a candle for him, hoping he'd return. When he didn't, she kept lighting them. For weeks. Then years. Then decades. Until one night, the candle was her.
Now she drifts through the quiet corners of the city, leaving the scent of ash and salt behind her.
Locals say:
If you're lost and light a candle for her, she'll guide you home.
If your heart is heavy with grief, she'll listen. But she always takes something in return.
If you try to follow her too far, you may never return
Some believe she's just a story.
Some believe she's mercy
Some know she's something else entirely.
How to use her in your game:
A spirit who offers cryptic guidance or boons in exchange for tokens of grief (locks of hair, tears, memories)
A warlock patron whose gifts are subtle, flame-based, and emotionally charged.
A minor urban deity whose shrine is a cluster of candles hidden beneath a bridge.
A haunting encounter: a soft light in the alley... and the chance to speak to someone you've lost.
Purpose: introduce characters to the Concept of Alchemy, have a knowledgable alchemist for later on
Enwel:
Can be found: as the party enters an inn, she is talking to the innkeeper about a room for the night
General: female, half elf, good, 25
Appearance: dressed like most commoners; a large cloth bag is strapped around her shoulder-with each of her movements you hear the clinkering of some type of glass objects coming from the bag; you notice that she is leaning on a chair in front of the reception desk, putting most of her weight on the left side; her hair is blonde and reaches her shoulders
Backstory: Has been trying to study magic for a few months but she noticed that it wasn't really for her. Her father, an elf named Irassal, has managed to teach her some cantrips (Mending, Shape Water) but she failed at the spells. She wants to study alchemy instead and is looking for a mentor.
Further information, if Enwel trusts the PCs: Enwel has been suffering from severe joint pains since she was 19 and while her father wasn't able to cure the condition completely, he could linder her pain. Enwel wanted to learn to take care of herself, which is why she initially asked her father to teach her magic. She had left her home 2 weeks prior to look for an Alchemist who could brew a potion and also teach her the recipe. Furthermore, she thinks that being an Alchemist is something she would really enjoy and could also manage to do with the right accomodations (potions) for her illness.
[The condition can be compared to arthritis. Enwel shouldn't be portrayed as weak, she just has a disability and is learning how to live with it.]
(retired) Alchemist in Town: Sinderion
Can be found: in a closed potion shop at the edge of town. Only locals know that he is still in there brewing potions, so the PCs will have to ask around to get this information
General: male, human, lawful [good or evil], 65-70 years old
Appearance: Looks quite old; bald with a patchy white beard; he is very short and skinny, but his hands and arms are very muscular; The sleeves of his long green robe are cuffed in order to free his forearms and they are secured in place with leather straps; There are no traces of alchemy work on his person, he looks very clean and so does his shop.
Quest: Sinderion is willing to brew the Potion for Enwel and teach her the recipe. However, if she wants a full education in alchemy, he requires a favor. He has been working on a potion for a long time and is missing an ingredient that is hard to come by: [Insert any Monster Body part that fits your campaign].
Due to her condition, Enwel isn't able to adventure.
[Lawful Good Sinderion] Enwel brings up the unfairness of his request, upon which he will be embarassed for not thinking about how unlogical it was. He then asks Enwel another favor (talking to some merchants in town to find someone who sells another ingredient he needs) and then turn to the party and ask them to get the monster ingredient.
[Lawful Evil Sinderion] Enwel brings up the unfairness of his request and he will demand that she do it anyway. If the party offers to gather the ingredient instead of Enwel, he will demand that she go with them, since it's for something SHE wants.
[If you haven't guessed already, this story deals with the struggles that disabled people face. Even the Lawful Good Sinderion fails to recognize that Enwel can't fulfill his request, despite learning about her condition a few minutes prior. The Evil Sinderion is basically any Manager/Boss at any Company.]
A shapeshifter who never tells any two people the same story about themselves. To some, they are a simple gardener, to others they are a secret informer and payer for gossip, or a noble knight in disguise...
Truth is? They know some kind of shadow clone jutsu. And there's currently about 50 of them in the whole world, number growing, all being a hivemind, sharing memories, and actually living those lives.
