Characters

Aldric Thornweave is a discreet Dock Ward shipping broker who prizes reliability, discretion, and a spotless public reputation. He runs a legitimate front of routine cargo while quietly managing "specialized" contracts that require careful handling and no questions.

Aldwin Gentleheart is a halfling with a compact, sturdy build and kind hazel eyes that hold a great deal of warmth and sadness. His curly brown hair is touched with silver at the temples. His most notable features are his small but incredibly steady hands, which are stained with herb oils and marked with faint scars from field surgery. He wears practical robes in earth tones.

Cid is a rock gnome with a sturdy, compact build and a perpetually energetic appearance. Her short, unruly copper-red hair is accented by a bold blue streak, and she's rarely seen without her tinkerer's goggles. Her face, often smudged with grease, is dotted with freckles, and her large ears are adorned with simple ring piercings. Her most striking feature is the masterwork prosthetic left arm she engineered herself—a complex construction of brass and glowing conduits. She dresses for the workshop, wearing a functional, tool-laden leather cuirass and a bandolier of power cells.

Commander Atlock is a tall, weathered human male in his early 50s with a commanding military bearing. His gray hair is cut short, and his steel-gray eyes are observant and intelligent. His face is scarred from decades of service. He is always seen in an immaculate military uniform.

Dena is a sharp-eyed harengon civic clerk who keeps the city’s records honest even when pressured to bend them. She appears in the council chambers, refuses hush-money bribes, and quietly supports the Last Light Company. She later appears at the Waterdeep Chronicle, reading and shaping the “Small Notices” with Tennison Quill.

Dokra Ironvein is a mature female dwarf with a sturdy, typical dwarven build. She has a gruff but caring demeanor and her voice sounds "like gravel in warm butter." She is typically seen in practical medical attire.

Dr. Elisande Mourngrave greets guests at the Azure Pavilion with polished academic grace—warm smile, ice-cold eyes, and a flawless ability to assess people in a heartbeat. Her public professionalism masks a darker reputation sensed by those with divine sight.

Mistress Elba is a dwarven grandmother with a sturdy, broad-shouldered build. Her iron-gray hair, streaked with copper, is kept in traditional braids. She has sharp, deep amber eyes and a no-nonsense expression. She is almost always seen in a practical dress and a well-worn, flour-dusted apron, with faint burn scars on her forearms.

Fayne is a rock gnome of androgynous appearance with short auburn hair and observant hazel eyes. They are rarely seen without their custom-made spectacles, which feature multiple swing-arm lenses. Their fingers are perpetually ink-stained, and they wear a practical, modified City Guard uniform along with a leather bandolier for their various tools.

Grimjaw Ironbeard is a master dwarven engineer of advanced age. He has a stocky, powerful build and a weathered face from decades spent underground. His long, iron-gray beard is braided with small metal charms and tools. He typically wears practical, reinforced leather mining clothes and a wide belt with various pouches.

Captain Grimsby is a veteran human officer of the City Watch. He is a gruff, mustachioed man who is typically seen in his official captain's uniform. His expression is often one of stern, by-the-book skepticism.

Medic Halden is a human male of Tethyrian descent. He is a shy but earnest medic who is typically seen in his City Guard armor with a well-stocked medical pack. He has a nervous tic at the corner of his left eye that appears when he is under stress.

Ignis Emberheart is a male fire genasi sorcerer. His most prominent features are his eyes that shine with fascination and a tiefling tail. He is known for his flamboyant and dramatic displays of magic.

Lyra Kestrel is a tiefling with deep plum-colored skin and elegant, curved horns that sweep back from her temples. Her long auburn hair is typically kept in a severe bun, and her golden eyes are sharp and observant. She has a lean, athletic build and moves with a fluid grace. She wears high-quality, practical clothing in dark colors.

Lysander Valerius is a human male in his late 20s with the confident bearing of a natural leader. He wears a military-style jack (armor) adorned with the gilt rivets of minor nobility. His eyes are steady and bright with command.

Magistrate Elias Vance is the weary, principled tiefling magistrate of Stonebridge—tired in his bones but still resolute. He understands the corruption around him, and when presented with hard evidence, acts decisively within the limits of his office.

Cassius Valerius is a human male in his late 20s or early 30s. As a scholar, he is typically seen in academic robes. He bears a strong family resemblance to his brother, Lysander, particularly in his strong jawline and steady gaze.

Mistress Dalra is a calm, grounded goliath voice on the temple steps—carrying a basket of fresh bread and refusing fear-mongering in favor of practical compassion. She challenges loud zealotry with quiet, steady resolve.

Preacher Amdir is a fervent dragonborn street preacher whose booming sermons frame the "white fire" as divine judgment. Threadbare robes and a powerful voice mark him as a zealous figure drawing crowds to the temple steps.

Tennison Quill is a halfling Waterdeep Chronicle journalist whose reporting threads the line between official narratives and the truths that survive in the margins. He writes both headlines and quiet notices, choosing omissions as carefully as he chooses words.

Thorne Brightward is a human male in his early forties with a weathered but kind face and the disciplined posture of a veteran soldier. His steel-gray hair is cut in a short military style. He wears a faded blue wool cloak, the city crest replaced by the Last Light Company sigil, over well-maintained chainmail.

Venn is the Last Light Company’s archer—quick-witted, irreverent, and prone to banter even in cramped quarters. She keeps morale light with dry humor and has a reputation for a smug grin and steady aim.

Vera Moonwhisper is a half-elf with a lean, rangy build suited to a life in the wilderness. Her dark brown hair is kept in a practical braid threaded with feathers and bone beads. Her hazel eyes shift to amber when she uses her druidic abilities. She wears practical, earth-toned leather and canvas clothing designed for silent movement. She is often accompanied by her raven, Echo.

Veyra is a battle-hardened half-elf with a stoic presence. Her face is framed by a striking dark mohawk and shaved sides, with longer, feathered braids falling past her shoulders. A mottled burn scar marks the left side of her face, contrasting with her sharp, clear dark eyes. Intricate tattoos swirl across her neck and arms. She carries herself with a calm, deliberate strength, her weathered leather armor and the ever-present lantern at her hip marking her as a seasoned and resolute leader.

Rill Vossari is a water genasi with pale, translucent blue-green skin that has visible turquoise currents moving beneath it. She has a strong, athletic swimmer's build. Her most striking feature is her hair, which is styled in thick, rope-like dreadlocks that fade from deep sea-green at the roots to a pale sea-foam white at the tips, bound with tarnished copper wire. Her eyes are the soft, clouded gray of rain about to fall. She typically wears a weighted oilskin longcoat over practical sailor's clothing.