Araudan - Leader of the Dockworkers Guild
Araudan is a swarthy, wiry figure with hands heavily calloused from years hauling ropes. Now in his forties he rarely dirties his own hands prefering one of his underlings to do things for him. He runs the guild not by respect but through fear. No one trusts him but none dare stand against him, he has too many friends in high places and some in low places as well. A rumour had it that he was the leader of the Thieves' Guild. That rumour stopped when the instigator of the tale was found staked out below high water a few days later.
Araudan can be often found in the Black Dog Inn, one of the many dark inns in Sailor's Passage, singing sea shanties and drinking copious amounts of Bormarian rum.
Other tales abound regarding Araudan's past. One tells of a curse laid upon him at birth by an evil wizard in that if he didn't move from place to place, staying no longer than a year and a day in one place, all his children would be born with an extra toe on the left foot. Araudan has lived in Avondale most of his adult life and it is true that a number of children seen playing in the dock quarter do have a surfeit of toes…
Another tale says that he once paid a visit to Mystic Meg, an old hag that told fortunes in a small dockside booth. She foretold his death in an assassination attempt. Whether he was the victim or the assassin no one knows for sure as he vanished soon after. Sadly Mystic Meg couldn't foresee her own death when her booth burnt down a few days later..
Calebrind
Calebrind owns and runs the Castle Inn and has done now for some 30 years. Calebrind is about 62 years old, 5'6'' tall and slim almost wiry. He has long red wavy hair without a hint of grey that he always wears loose. Rumour has it he dyes it regularly, no one his age could have hair that colour at his age. Deep brown, slightly slanted eyes He tends to wear the same style of clothes at all times. High, hard boots, a white apron, blue coat and brown trousers. His efficient running of the Castle Inn has made him wealthy but most suspect he had money before to purchase the tavern from its previous owner.
Castellan Dalyor
The garrison at the castle is commanded by Castellan Dalyor. His long fair hair and icy blue eys betray his origins in the frozen wastes north of Starpeak. He still speaks with a thick accent despite following the First to Celidor some 35 years ago. Then little more than a child he aided the First while he was in exile and was his boon companion in many adventures until Celidor declared independence. After that he served as an advisor, general in his armies and hunted down many a dangerous beasts in the wilds of the Free Isles. Now feeling the need for rest he has been rewarded with the post of Castellan in one of Celidor's most important towns. He is not overly muscular but his wiry frame and wit has enabled him to get out of many a scrape were a more brawny figure may not have. Like most northerners he is skilled with the crossbow, allegedly even better than some dwarfs. He shuns the use of a shield preferring the brute force of a two handed sword to keep the foe at bay. His favourite is named Reaver a plain length of steal that has no decorative features at all, it is a simple, brutal killing machine. He can often be found walking with his dog Sam in the foothills north of the city, the old patrolling instincts still sharp.
Cyrus
Cyris a human cleric of Koryis, fair of hair but sour of face. Had a disliking for Finnegan with whom he vied for Rhodoban's attention.
Elil-Gandel
Elil-Gandel is the librarian of Avondale. An ancient elf of unknown origin he has accumulated much knowledge in his time. Occasionally he lets slip fragments of stories of battles with dragons, ships that fly and lands beneath the waves. Many of the books and scrolls in the library belong to him and what he doesn't know is usually not worth knowing. He is very pale with silvery white hair and skin like over stretched parchment. He has a very nasty phlegmy cough that often disturbs the silence of the library.
Greatha - Guildmaster of the Guild Of Weapons
Greatha is a large man but not a tall man. In fact he is barely over 5' tall! He is incredibly well built however but these muscles do not impede his reflexes. He constantly wears a worn and dirty tabard over his ring mail, a reminder of his past in the Free Isle defensive forces. He is middle aged but has kept himself in shape by constant training with up and coming new adventurers at the guild. He is close friends with the Castellan. He is the eldest son of the previous Duke of Deephaven but fell out with him when he was in his teens. His father did not forgive him and disinherited him in favour of his younger brother.
Keramore Nimblehand
Midway through his first five year term, the current mayor is a halfling, Keramore Nimblehand. He is 58, stout with reddish brown hair and twinkling green eyes. Although he seems jolly he has carried out his duties assiduously and has earned the respect of the tradesmen of the town. Before becoming mayor he has been a dock worker and adventurer and a stall holder in the market. As well as deciding on taxes and trade agreements the mayor must also act as judge and jury in trials in the quarterly assizes.
Leo Ross
Leo Ross, a shady human of ill repute who runs the Cheeky Cleric tavern
Nosk - Cleric of Yamuga
The most striking thing about Nosk is his height, nearly 6 and a half feet tall he towers over most of Avondale's population. It has been said by some of the less kind people in town that he spends so much time with the trees that he is beginning to look like one! He is young, 25, to have such an important role within the Church of Yamuga but it is thought that his patron, Duke Desai of Deephaven, helped him rise to his lofty position. During his time in service he was trained hard. Here he learnt to repair armour, camouflage himself and others for forest combat and fight with a mace to a high degree of skill. He left his service to become a follower of Yamuga seven years ago. His easy going character has made him popular with the children of Avondale especially the orphans whom he lets play in the copse and often leaves presents of pained stones and eggs for them to find. They know him as Uncle Tree and they often come to him in times of trouble. As the older orphans have grown up and left Avondale some have become followers of Yamuga themselves something for which the Heirachs are much pleased with. He has tried to get on with Greatha but due to his links to Greatha's father their relationship has never flourished.
Oscar
Oscar is a foul mouthed human who never has a kind word for anyone. He becomes especially violent with people who are cruel to horses. He was once tried and acquitted of knocking unconscious a man from Poppleton who had violently beaten his mule. Keramore Nimblehand decided that Oscar's actions were taken in a moment of blind rage and as such a fine would be enough. The Poppleton merchant was less pleased vowing to gain vengeance. Jedon Blackarrow has also fallen foul of Oscar's tongue, wounding the stableman after an exchange of insults.
Rhodoban
Wise and strong Rhodoban is a man not to be trifled with. A severe face under thick black hair and large dark brown eyes that seem to see everything is what the populace of Avondale percive. In private little is different. Rhodoban is a man who follows the tenets of his faith in the strictest possible way. Originally from southern Bormaris, he fled to the Free Isles when his faith was outlawed some ten years ago. He is said to have taken some papers from the Old Temple at Derberville before it was destroyed, papers which are alleged to be the description of how to construct a powerful artefact. He has always denied this. He is regarded as being a little eccentric, but then this is not unusual for people from Bormaris. He tends to fill sentences with aphorisms such as " … and they didn't like it up 'em" or " … holier than a Cold Bay net!". He also seems distracted or absent minded about practical things. He is known for going into the market buying half a dozen things from several stalls then going back an hour or two later and buying the same things again. Needless to say the merchants rarely mention this to him.
Sandy
A young human who runs the Crossroads Inn, he took over from his mother who died in a freak boating accident. The family appears to be cursed as he is confined to a wheeled chair after being kicked by a horse in Oscar's stables.
