The following list of individuals and families encompasses many of the notable people who live in Kassen. This list also includes an appropriate mentor or teacher for each of the 11 base classes. Starting characters are encouraged to have a connection to one of these individuals, even if their background or training does not directly involve the town.
Those who are bold, are available mentors to be used for backgrounds.
Cygar Anravis (CN male human rogue 4/fighter 2): The
folk of Kassen are naturally wary of outsiders, and Cygar
does nothing to allay their fears. He dresses in dark colors
and keeps to himself, having rented a room in the Seven
Silvers for the past 4 months. He can sometimes be seen
wandering around town, watching the townsfolk, but
otherwise he keeps mostly to his room and the taproom
at the Silvers. In reality, Cygar is a Pathfinder, one of a vast
group of international treasure hunters and adventurers.
He is here in town because the Pathfinder Society is
looking to set up a post in northern Nirmathas that they
can use to organize expeditions into Belkzen. Cygar
is keeping a lookout for anyone in town who he might
get to join his cause, but they need to prove themselves
competent first.
Sir Dramott (LG male human paladin 3, paladin
mentor): The people of Lastwall, the militaristic nation to
the north, take it as their responsibility to keep the orcs of
Belkzen in check. Unfortunately, their forces are spread
thin, so they rely on a number of scouts close to the border
of Belkzen to keep watch. Sir Dramott is one such scout.
Although he has no authority here in town, he regularly
reports to his commanders in Lastwall, informing
them of any orc activity. Mayor Uptal is grateful for Sir
Dramott’s assistance whenever trouble is brewing, but
he is concerned about a military officer from a foreign
land stationed in his town. The people of Kassen respect
Sir Dramott, but they would rather he go home and leave
them to their own devices. As a mentor, Sir Dramott is
capable and wise, if a bit harsh. Unfortunately, all of his
lessons deal with service to Lastwall, and his pupils are
taught to think of such service as a high honor.
Jocyn Elmaran (CG male half-elf bard 5, bard mentor):
Jocyn is the only real entertainer in the town, having
settled here 4 years ago a$er a fight with orcs up near
the Belkzen border left him with a crippled leg. Despite
his injury, Jocyn is a capable performer, working with a
variety of instruments and performance styles. He lives
in one of the rooms above the Seven Silvers Tavern,
where he performs nightly. Jocyn is a perfect mentor for
bard characters. His loose style and relatively carefree
nature make him a rather lax teacher, however, and his
occasional drunken ramblings hint of a terror in his past
that he refuses to speak of any other time.
Grimscar (NE male half-orc expert 1/warrior 3): The
forestry guild employs a wide variety of workers to help fell trees in the surrounding woods; some of them are far from
polite and caring toward the people of Kassen. Grimscar
is one such worker. This half-orc would have been
fired long ago if he was not so skilled at tree
cutting. When he is in town, the locals keep
their distance and the militia keeps a patrol
nearby. Grimscar is known for picking fights,
getting drunk, and pawing at barmaids.
Fortunately, he has an allergic reaction to a
local vintage of whiskey (which causes him
to pass out shortly a$er drinking it), a
weakness that is often exploited by
the local tavern owners.
Holgast (N male human wizard
6, wizard mentor): On the eastern
edge of town is a single tower,
leaning slightly to the south, made
of bricks and timber. This is the
home of Holgast, the town’s local sage and mystic.
Although Holgast is very knowledgeable, he is old
and quite forgetful, meaning that the townsfolk
(the mayor in particular) only consult him
if the need is truly great. Holgast spends
most of his days wandering about his
tower, reading books, smoking his
pipe, and taking naps. Once a week, he
wanders into town to purchase supplies and
provisions with his seemingly inexhaustible
reserve of perfect golden coins, which he claims
came from an immense hoard some years ago.
Holgast makes for a frustrating mentor. His
lessons are erratic and old fashioned. His
apprentices are required to do all manner
of chores for the privilege of learning from
him, while he sleeps the day away and
teaches very little. Those who have learned
anything from him have done so by sneaking
into the wizard’s spellbooks while he is napping.
Jimes “Short Change” Iggins (CN male halfling rogue
3, rogue mentor): Those who frequent the Seven Silvers
tavern know to count their coins before they leave the table,
especially if they have been served by “Short Change,” the
halfling waiter who has a propensity for giving less change
than is due (although he insists the name is due to his short
stature). Although Jimes is genuinely kind and helpful to
all the locals, he just can’t help but end up with some of
their possessions at the end of the night, be it a few coins
or a loose dagger. Most of the townsfolk are quite aware of
this and do not take too much o!ense if something goes
missing. A$er all, they know where the missing goods
went. Anyone who works with Jimes at the Seven Silvers is
sure to get a host of tips and tricks from this good-natured
thief, who thinks that a little petty the$ is all in good fun.
Braggar Ironhame (CN male dwarf
expert 3/barbarian 2, barbarian
mentor): Braggar is one of the two
blacksmiths that service Kassen.
This dour dwarf runs a small
business on the south side of
town. Although he is outpaced
by his competitor (Renet’s Steel,
near the town square), Braggar’s goods
are of higher quality. Braggar is a surly mentor,
capable of incredible fits of anger if one of his pieces is not
turning out as planned. As such, he o$en has to spend
time repairing his workshop, which only further slows
down his work. Braggar’s teaching style focuses on cra$
and artifice, but he can also teach pupils about controlling
their anger and unleashing it when the time is right.
Guardsman Golfond Kir (LG male human warrior
2): Although a bit simple, Golfond Kir is a dedicated
guardsman, manning the town’s only watchtower every
day. When he is not on duty, he can o$en be found running
errands around town for his elderly mother, or playing with
the local children. When Kir was young, a horse kicked
him in the head and knocked the sense out of him. Since
then, he has been the victim of cruel pranks and japes, all
of which he takes with a smile and a simple laugh. Kir can
be counted on to tell the truth, regardless of whether or not
doing so might land him in trouble. Kir respects Captain
Wisslo to a fault and (unlike the other guards) refuses to
make fun of him. The captain, in return, treats Kir like any
other soldier, despite his many mistakes.
Arnama Lastrid (NG female human ranger 4, ranger
mentor): Nirmathas is known for its rangers, valiant
woodsmen who have spent years carving out a nation and
protecting it from foreign and domestic threats. Arnama
is one such ranger. She is tough, quiet, and more than
willing to risk her life to protect the people of Kassen and
the country she has grown to love. Arnama was orphaned
during the early wars with Molthune, growing up in a band
of adopted parents. These rangers taught her everything
she knows. When Arnama came of age, she left the band
to find out where her parents came from. That trek led
her to Kassen, where she has remained ever since, living
in their old house just outside town. Arnama is a skilled
ranger but not the best teacher. Those who have tried to
learn from her find her impatient and without discipline.
She does, however, excel at teaching by example, leading
her charges on far-ranging patrols and hunts.
Ilimara Oniri (LN female human monk 2, monk
mentor): While most of the people in Kassen were born
and raised within 10 miles of town, Ilimara was born in
Qadira in a town with a name most of the humble folk of
Kassen could not even pronounce. Not surprisingly, this
beautiful and exotic woman keeps to herself. She has lived
on the outskirts of town for almost 8 years now, claiming
that she is trying to find peace in her heart. Ilimara has
had a number of acolytes over the years, each hoping to
learn the secrets of Irori that Ilimara claims to practice,
but so far, all have abandoned her tutelage for a simpler
road. Anyone who learns from her, however, quickly
uncovers that there is a darkness hiding in Ilimara, and
only those with an iron will can bear to be around it.
Father Rantal Prasst (NG male human cleric 2 of
Erastil, cleric mentor): The small town of Kassen has
only one temple and it is devoted primarily to Erastil, but
Father Prasst allows those who worship other friendly
gods to pray at the temple as well. While Father Prasst
does not o!er services in the names of these deities, there
are small shrines to other gods set up in some of the
alcoves, including Gozreh, Gorum, Shelyn, and Torag.
Father Prasst is a kind and understanding man, but he is
hard when it comes to the defense of the community. He
is quite young, only 24, and many in the community do
not put too much faith in his council, except in spiritual
matters. He was trained as a soldier in Tamran, but he
left after his first battle to become a priest, and refuses
to say why.
Asina Silvers (CG female human commoner 1): Asina
looks almost identical to her beautiful mother, a fact
that causes her father Trelvar some pain since his wife’s
unfortunate passing a year ago. This young girl helps
her father run the Seven Silvers inn and tavern near the
center of town. Asina is only 13 years old, but she is already
known as the preeminent town gossip, collecting all sorts
of rumors and tales to spread to those who stop by the inn
for a pint. Asina works hard and has a pleasant smile, but
she is secretly worried for her father. She wants to make
him proud by taking over the inn, but this gets in the way
of her true dream to move to the city (Tamran) and make
a life for herself there.
Trelvar Silvers (NG male human commoner 3): Trelvar,
along with his daughter, Asina, run the only tavern and
inn located in Kassen, the Seven Silvers. Trelvar is middleaged
and inherited the bar from his father over 10 years
ago. Although Trelvar is a good man and honest with his
customers (even if Jimes is not), he has fallen into a deep
depression over the past year. His wife died giving birth
to his only son, and the son did not last the winter. As a
result, Trelvar is le$ without a wife or heir. While Asina
has tried to brighten his mood and insists that she will
take over the bar, Trelvar is unsure and would be just as
likely to give the place over to a respectable employee a$er
seeing to it that Asina was properly married. It seems like
the only time Trelvar seems to cheer up is when a wealthy
or a&uent stranger rolls into town.
Olmira Treesong (N female human druid 2, druid
mentor): Druids are not an uncommon sight in
Nirmathas, but Olmira draws stares even in the streets
of Kassen. This middle-aged woman only wears clothing
made from natural materials (such as bark, leaves, and
grass) and is always accompanied by a host of small
woodland creatures. She talks to herself and her retinue
constantly, having full conversations despite the fact that
no one seems to answer her. Over the years, Olmira has
had a number of apprentices who have gone on to become
successful druids. Those who learn from her are sent on
all manner of esoteric missions, such as listening to the
wind for a week, planting new seeds throughout town,
and mimicking local animals.
Mayor Jonark Uptal (NG male human aristocrat 3):
Every 4 years the town of Kassen holds an election to
decide the next mayor, a position that Uptal has held for
over 11 years. With another election coming up in just a
few months, Uptal wants to ensure that this year’s Quest
for the Everflame happens without a problem. Mayor
Uptal is a fair man when it comes to his o%ce, settling
land disputes and other quibbles among the townsfolk
on a regular basis. When it comes to outsiders, he is a bit
more cautious, siding with the locals unless faced with
irrefutable evidence.
Moltus Vargidan (sorcerer mentor): If you ask a dozen
folk in Kassen who the strangest family in town is, you
would get the same answer 12 times: the Vargidans.
This old family has a touch of magic in its blood, with
each one of the children showing some sorcerous
talent. Where this magic comes from is a mystery, and
the family refuses to speak of such things in mixed
company. Lording over the family is the wealthy and
eccentric patriarch, Moltus Vargidan. This aging man
has white hair that trails down to his knees, and he
can o$en be found wandering the halls of the estate,
muttering to himself. Living with him are almost a
dozen children (each from a di!erent wife) and a pair of
lifelong servants. Sorcerers who come from this house
have been forced to learn things for themselves, because
the old man shares few of his secrets, and many of the
children are starting to believe that his grip on reality
is slowly slipping.
Colbin Vetnar (LN male human expert 3/rogue 2):
As the guildmaster for the woodcutter’s guild, Colbin
Vetnar holds a fair amount of power in the city of Kassen,
second only to Mayor Uptal. Unfortunately, where the
mayor uses his power to help the people of Kassen, Colbin
is only interested in lining his own pockets. Colbin
makes it a habit to follow the rules to the letter, but where
there is any uncertainty, Colbin makes sure that the
interpretation favors himself and the woodcutter’s guild.
When the weapon makers in town protested about the
guild making wooden weapons, Colbin relented, but only
if the weapon makers agreed to purchase any wooden
components from the guild (leading many in the town
to make jokes about the quality of “Colbin’s arrows” and
“Colbin’s staves”).
Guard Captain Gregor Wisslo (LG male human
fighter 4, fighter mentor): The town of Kassen has never
truly known the horrors of the war with Molthune, but
occasional raiding parties from Belkzen do sometimes
pose a threat. As such, the town has been watched over
for many years by Wisslo, who serves as guard captain.
Gregor is a staunch man who believes in schedules and
regiment over ingenuity and spontaneity, much to the
chagrin of the town’s residents. As an aging fighter,
Gregor is a qualified teacher, but his lessons are rigid
and his discipline harsh. The guards he has trained
are quite skilled, but they secretly detest the old man,
calling him names behind his back (Captain Is-Slow is
the current favorite).
