Sanctuary Seekers
It’s Sanctuary Week at Necromancers of the Northwest. While it’s certainly possible that PCs may find themselves in need of sanctuary at some point in their careers, more likely it will be they, themselves, who will be providing the protection. This week’s Best in Class presents 10 NPCs in need of sanctuary.
1. Giordano Segretti, Repentant Thief. A simple pickpocket who stole something far more valuable—and dangerous—than he ever intended, Giordano aroused the wrath of the wrong people, and now there is a price on his head. As soon as he realized the importance of the item he had stolen he got rid of it by stashing it someplace safe, but this hasn’t kept its previous owners from coming after him, as much for revenge as to recover the item. Giordano says that he has learned from the experience and has sworn off ever stealing again, though whether he can live up to that promise (or may wind up stealing from his protectors, instead) is unclear.
2. Krakilik, Kobold Pariah. More intelligent and less bloodthirsty than the average kobold, Krakilik abandoned the traditional kobold lifestyle and became a travelling tinkerer, building and repairing simple contraptions. Unfortunately for her, when she stopped in at the town the PCs are currently located in, the locals didn’t take kindly to a kobold in their midst and a mob formed to chase the poor creature down.
3. Markus Sieger, Heretical Preacher. The leader of a growing splinter group within a large and influential religion, Markus Sieger preaches an alternative interpretation of the faith that reads the teachings and tenets in new ways that the larger faith has deemed overzealous and heretical. He travels in secret from town to town, holding private masses in abandoned buildings for those inclined to his position. His most recent sermon was crashed by members of the larger church, and now he is on the run and in need of protection, though his hard-line religious views may make housing him a trial.
4. Yana Kuznetsov, Careless Diabolist. A conjurer with more ambition than talent, Yana summoned a powerful devil and wound up signing a contract that brought her a small fortune, in exchange for allowing the infernal creature “access to everything she owns for one hour each day.” Unfortunately for Yana, in Hell’s legal system, this includes her body, and the fiend has been possessing her for one hour each day, and forcing her to commit horrible crimes, with no attempt to hide her identity. Knowing that the authorities will not accept her explanation, she is now on the run and seeking anyone who can end the possession and clear her name.
5. Shaw MacNiel, Runaway Groom. Despite being engaged to marry well above his station, and to a beautiful woman, Shaw fled rather than going through with the arranged marriage his parents had set up for him with a young noblewoman, because he could not bear to give up on the girl he loved. The noblewoman’s father was incensed at what he views as a grave insult, and pulled strings with the local government to make Shaw an outlaw.
6. Nikephoros, Sentient Golem. Used for labor by a powerful mage for the better part of a century, over time, Nikephoros developed true sentience and a sense of self, even giving itself a name. At first, its master was pleased by this development, as it made the golem more useful as a minion, but when Nikephoros began to ask for time off and basic pay for its services, the wizard grew incensed and decided to erase Nikephoros’s memory and start over with the golem. It narrowly escaped, but the wizard (along with the authorities, who recognize it as the wizard’s legal property) are on its trail.
7. Odette Dubois, Unfortunate Witness. In the wrong place at the wrong time, Odette witnessed an unsavory exchange taking place between a prominent government official and the leader of the local thieves’ guild. When she reported the matter, the corrupt official got wind of the situation and she was nearly killed. Now on the run from both the authorities and underworld assassins, she is quite possibly the key to stopping a nefarious backdoor deal that could jeopardize the entire city.
8. Adnan Kartal, Accused Murderer. Accused of perpetrating a spree of grisly murders, Adnan has always maintained his innocence, insisting that he was framed, and that the real killer is still at large. He managed a daring escape during his trial, and has been on the run ever since, determined to elude capture long enough to clear his name.
9. Gothelsharthe, Scheming Dragon. An old and powerful black dragon, Gothesharthe is certainly the last creature one would expect to be needing protection. It arrives in the middle of town with a dramatic landing, and demands to speak to the local heroes. When they are brought before it, Gothelsharthe explains that one of its enemies—an even more powerful dragon—has sworn to kill the black dragon, and that it comes seeking sanctuary. Despite its position, the dragon remains as smug and condescending as any of its species, and there is an unshakable feeling that somehow this must all be a ploy.
10. Katerina Pasternak, Canny Blackmailer. A well-connected woman, Katerina has damaging information on just about everyone worth having it on, and makes use of it. Like many blackmailers, she eventually pushed a victim too far, and now is on the run for her life. True to form, she decides to get what she needs—in this case, protection—through blackmail, and when she arrives on the PCs’ doorstep, she quickly makes it clear that if anything happens to her, their deepest, darkest secrets will become public knowledge.