Café de Nuit

I would be entirely remiss if one did not start this thread by posting a link to the website of the Artist from whom I commissioned this fine sequence of illustrations - Dan Hubsher has been an invaluable partner in this creative enterprise (not least because I can just about sketch a Stick Figure myself, but only if one were willing to accept the suffering of those obliged to actually look at such a poor excuse for Art as the price for expressing myself!).

You can find him here on Tumblr - http://hubsher.tumblr.com

Now, for those of you who may be wondering who in Ravenloft the eponymous characters mentioned the simple answer is "Remember I10" (the more tricksy answer would be "Remember the original sequel") and since this is THE Ravenloft Forum one has good reason to believe that a democratic majority of you will have at least some acquaintance with THE HOUSE ON GRYPHON HILL aka module I10 - the very first sequel to RAVENLOFT which, as is the fate of so many sequels to Unquestioned Classics, isn't quite so well remembered but was lucky enough to enter relative obscurity having added characters & locations to the Setting (amongst them the future Azalin Rex, Mordentshire-on-Sea, Lord Wilfred Godefroy and ... well, it's in the name).

Amongst those elements of the Module that most definitely DID NOT enter the Ravenloft Canon - either as backstory, licensed fiction, Power Players or Supporting Cast - were the small number of Sample PCs included at the back of the book, doomed from the outset to the inevitable Fate of Horror Sequel characters who aren't really, really cool monsters (especially when there are whole generations of players keen as mustard to play the role of protagonists in their own, inimitable fashion).

Still, nobody stays in Limbo forever and I must admit to having an especially soft spot in my heart for "Also Ran" Heroes - most often seen in my habit of looking through the back catalogue of Superhero comics or the appendices of Fantasy fiction for mention of characters who might deserve a more prominent role but have been cheerfully condemned to be understudies, obscurities and generally forgotten by anyone wise enough to avoid worrying about this sort of thing.

Hence my decision to commission illustration of the aforesaid Sample PCs, a rag-tag squad of investigators pulled together by a ubiquitous Faith in the interests of looking into the well-regarded but unquestionably enigmatic suitor of a quite, seaside town's local belle - summoned by a local dignitary who once quested across the land in his own right and catches wind of the sort of brewing trouble best tapped only by Adventurers rather younger and more sprightly than the incumbent Lord Weathermay ...

Rogold Gildenman is one of the Clerics of the High Faith in Osterton, three days journey to the north. The church has received numerous building donations over the years from the Weathermays of Mordent- shire, so when a plea for aid arrived from Lord Byron, head of that family, the Church was more than eager to lend whatever help available. This aid consists of charging Rogold with the task of assembling a hardy crew of seasoned adventurers and investigating the matter. Most of the party owes the High Faith in one degree or another, and this mission should clean up a lot of old debts. (In Rogold’'s case, a rich parish to the East has been awarded by the Crown to the High Faith, and suitable candidates to settle the area are being scouted. A good report on this adventure will ensure his commission.)

Rogold'’s firmest ally in the party is Brother Summer, and only Rogold knows Summer’s secret: this fellow cleric of the Faith is a half-orc and a fighter.

Brother Summer's name at birth was Kregash Garzalla, as for the first twelve years of his life he was raised by his mother’s people, the Orcs of the Blue Hills. In his twelfth year a party of adventurers destroyed his encampment, but, as Garzalla appeared nearly human, assumed he was a captive thrall from the surrounding area. Given a choice between passing for human or ending up meeting the swords of the party, Garzalla feigned memory-loss and was turned over to the clerics of the High Faith as their ward. There Garzalla took his present name of Summer, met Rogold Gildenman, and entered the priesthood. Rogold is the only living being to know of Summer’s past, his true race, and his fighting ability.

Summer protects the last two jealously, and though he will attack on the fighter chart, will not readily admit to his skill, nor pick up an edged weapon unless the situation is critical.

Brenda of the Crimson Blade likes sharp objects, in particular swords. Her favorite current implement of destruction is Troll-Cleaver, a massive blade that, combined with her specialization in battling with it, makes Brenda a deadly combatant. Brenda believes in a relentless and continual persecution of evil, wherever it may be found. She does not agree with more pristine ordered definitions of Good-Law, and in fact tends to look down on Cavaliers, Paladins, and their ilk as over- specialized dinosaurs.

As a result of her desire to smite the foe, she has run up a rather large tab with the High Faith in Osterton, and needs the gold to pay for a large number of cures, heals, restorations, and one raise dead. When Rogold set forth the proposal for investigating this Strahd fellow, and offered to clear up her debts in return, she reached for her backpack sheath and readied Troll-Cleaver for battle.

Phillipe Delamana is a very depressed Paladin. As a fighter of the first water, the leader of the holy armies against Evil, and a stalwart foe of Darkness in all its forms, he has in his long career come upon a depressing fact: Evil keeps coming back. It may be defeated, it may be repulsed, or it may be driven off, but over the long term Evil in some form will return to an area. There seems to be as much Evil in the world as there are waters of the ocean, and their attack upon Order and Good are as relentless as the sea pounding on the shore. Still, were it not for noble fighters such as he, Evil would wash over the land without resistance. For this reason, when Rogold’'s Faith put out a call for adventurers to investigate odd doings in Mordentshire, Phillipe signed up. There probably will be a greater devil holding the entire coast under his sway, or a mad chaotic wizard turning people into waterfowl.

Anyway, it beats waiting for the Forces of Darkness to attack in one of their ever-insidious forms.

Mysti Tokana is the scribe, student, and (it is rumored, though not to her face), the half-elf daughter of Thadeus Mont Breezar. The last is untrue, though the human rabble needs explanations as to why a crotchety old human mage takes on a young half-elf as an assistant, and rumors of being a daughter are better than accusations of being a paramour. Thadeus agreed to train the raven-haired half-elf as a favor to her mother, a former fellow-adventurer who retired after reaching her maximum racial levels. She is intensely interested in her studies, though maintains her fighting abilities in order to protect her mentor. She respects her mentor Thadeus, but is at a loss to explain his most recent behavior.

Despite having achieved high rank among his brethren and sufficient power to spend the rest of his short human days engaged in research, he instead intends to drag his fragile form into the hinterlands on an adventure for some damnfool cleric named Rogold.

Thadeus Mont Breezar feels old. A lot of the fun has gone out of crusading across the countryside, counting on the fighters to preserve your hide. The key to Thadeus’' irritation, however, is his new glasses. His vision has deteriorated to the point he cannot hit anything at over 30 feet away (treat spells as grenades for area struck). Though the thick lenses he wears correct the problem, he is irritated that he must wear them. Thadeus carries two pair of glasses, one in a solid metal box, to prevent them breaking.

He is, however, unhappy with his advancing age, and when the High Faith in Osterton put out a call for adventurers to investigate a small matter in Mordentshire, it appeared a perfect opportunity to prove that Thadeus the Magnificent can still twist a spell or two, even if the High Faith is playing politics and putting one of their own, a young puppy named Rogold, in charge. Thadeus is bringing his own student and scribe, a half-elf named Mysti Tokana, with him.

T.G. Redanto has been known to tell people his initials stand for “"Terribly Good”—" - not a preference for alignment, but rather his own assessment of his abilities. Redanto tends to be flashy in his work and in his mode of dress. Possession of his bracers allow him a bit more variety than the standard patterns of leather armor, and allow him a little more leeway in his thiefly abilities. He enjoys fine wine, good company, and brandy and cigars in the drawing room following a excellent meal (usually something out-of-season and prepared by a master chef).

There have been rare times he has been in dire straits, and on one of those occasions (he thinks it was the Adventure of the Balor’'s Eye, but that was another time), made the acquaintance of Rogold Gildenman. Now that Rogold is setting off for the hinterland to investigate a young suitor, it seems like the time to take in the country (and case a few manor houses on the way).

Amar Bori Sandflinger hails from the prestigious Sandflingers of the far-off Misty Hills, or at least that is what he says. Amar Bori has never been known to lie, but he has a reputation around Osterton of stretching the truth into some rather odd configurations. He states that his present circumstances result from a long and complicated tale (which he will gladly tell to any who does not get out of the room) involving his being entrusted to safeguard the family treasures across the desert, only to be kidnapped by evil nomads, and all the moneys he earns will be used some far time in the future to recover those lost artifacts, and to reward the Holy Man who came to his rescue.

Rogold, a cleric of the High Faith, recruited Amar Bori from the local jail, where Sandflinger was currently residing after trying to explain why he was creating illusions of small flying elephants in a local bar, inspiring a small riot on the previous evening.

Beautiful! Thanks for sharing them with us!

Please allow me to apologise for taking so long to thank you for the compliment.