Lots of Grogs

Games Discussion Post a Day
27

Grog 26 : Edward/Edith, longbow captain

Age: 35
Story:

Edward/Edith grew up in Gloucestershire. They fell in love with a minor nobleman and lived a happy existence as their lover. The nobleman made suire that Edward/Edith was as well trained with the bow as any of their guards and becoming the nobleman's sergeant at arms as time passed. Living among the English, the Welsh and the Norman aristocracy, Edward/Edith had to learn all three languages.

When the call to arms from the King came in 1214, the Nobleman called up his troupe (a few dozen Welch longbowmen, and English spearmen) and took their ship to Flanders, where they were part of the king's host. To motion sick-Edward/Edith, this journey was hell, they spent the sea crossing vomiting overboard, and marched with the infantrymen rather than ride with their lover, the swaying on horseback having always made them uncomfortable.
They marched on Bouvines, confident in their numbers and in their arms. The battle was a triumph for the King of France and the Anglo-German alliance was soundly beaten. Their Noble lover was killed in a melee with a Colossal Breton knight. By nightfall, Edward/Edith and they Welsh archers numbered barely a score. They retreated with the German forces, but found themselves isolated. Edward/Edith was distraught over the loss of their lover and had to be carried catatonic for several days, but after a time, they regained their faculties. Knowing that there was nothing for them waiting back in Gloucestershire (their affair had been a scandalous thing), they mooted to the men becoming mercenaries. And so they lived off the land, lived off contracts and the occasional banditry for several years.

Note: see grog 27 for a typical archer from their band.

Appearance:

Edward/Edith is in excellent physical shape, muscular arms and strong shoulders trained by decades of archery. They have a frank manner and are keen to practice whatever language they speak with whoever they can. Only a mention of their lost lover will dampen their spirit, to the point where it has become taboo within the band to even say their name or mention Bouvines. They always wear leather armour and dress in otherwise drab functional clothing, much as the rest of their band. Their hair is kept shorn so that not a single strand is visible when they wear their helmet. They carry a dirk-dagger at their belt, a nasty little weapon that has shed much blood.

Why are they in the covenant?

One contract led to another, and some of the archers died along the way. By the time they were hired by a Tytlaus agent, only 8 of them remained. Having acquitted themselves of their task admirably, they were offered permanent employment as the Turb of a soon to be founded Covenant (as a gift from the Tytalus' Covenant). They accepted as years of itinerancy had taken their toll on the group and several saw their twilight years approaching. The group will form a series Turb of veteran archers, with Edward/Edith as not only a competent leader but also a possible interpret, as they speak several languages.

Stats:

Attribute|Score

Str|2
Sta|0
Dex|2
Qik|-1
Com|1
Pre|2
Int|0
Per|1

Virtues: Improved Characteristics, Mercenary Captain
Flaws: Lost Love, Motion sickness

Abilities:

Area Lore (Gloucestershire) (Politics) 2
Area Lore (Lorraine) (Geography) 2
Athletics (Endurance) 3
Awareness (Alertness) 3
Bargain (Hard sell) 4
Bows (Long bow) 5
Brawl (Dagger) 4
Carouse (Power drinking) 3
Chirurgy (Binding Wounds) 1
English (West countries) 5
Etiquette (Nobility) 2
Folk Ken (Nobility) 2
French (Norman) 3
Intrigue (Gossip) 1
Leadership (In Combat) 5
Swim (Rivers) 1
Welsh (Slang) 4

28

Grog 27 : Welsh longbow mercenaries (typical names Dewey, Glyn, Gwilim, Huw)

Age: 30
Story:

These were just farm boys once, growing up on the Welsh/English border near gloucestershire. They all learned to shoot their longbows from a young age and were called up by their Lord to form a retinue to go fight the French in 1214.

They marched on Bouvines, confident in their numbers and in their arms. The battle was a triumph for the King of France and the Anglo-German alliance was soundly beaten. Their Master was killed in a melee with a Colossal Breton knight, and the Lord's English lover* took. The score that remained chose to become mercenaries as no easy way to return home was available, so they lived off the land in Lorraine, lived off contracts and the occasional banditry for several years. The hilly regions of Lorraine being not so different from their own homeland. Their numbers dwindling all the time they were happy to take a permanent contract to become the guards to some eccentric people i n an isolated location where they hope not to need to face charging knights ever again.

*Note: see grog 26 Edward/Edith for the new leader of the band.

Appearance:

These men are battle scarred, many disfigured by blows to the face, broken jaws, burns, broken nose and scars of all ilk adorn these men. They are dark blond to reddish haired, several of them pock marked from old disease. They wear leather armours picked from fallen foes as old bits needed to be replaced. Their clothes are drab and oft mended. The men are hardened to violence and have quick tempers, used to fighting rather than thinking things through. They often sing together at night, around the fire, mournful songs of their old lands, incomprehensible to all but them.

Why are they in the covenant?

One contract led to another, and some of the archers died along the way. By the time they were hired by a Tytlaus agent, only 8 of them remained. Having acquitted themselves of their task admirably, they were offered permanent employment as the Turb of a soon to be founded Covenant (as a gift from the Tytalus' Covenant). They accepted as years of itinerancy had taken their toll on the group and several saw their twilight years approaching. The group will form a serious Turb of veteran archers, they keep Edward/Edith as their competent leader. They are less refined than their leader, but know better how to live off the land. The men that lived this long are all strong, tough and agile, the survivors of skirmishes and diseases. They have picked up a bit of the language of the various lands they visited, but mostly the dirtier words, their approach to languages is to be truly foul-mouthed.

Stats:

Attribute|Score

Str|2
Sta|2
Dex|2
Qik|0
Com|-1
Pre|-1
Int|-1
Per|1

Virtues: Puissant (Bows), Warrior, Wanderer
Flaws: Disfigured, Wrathful

Abilities:

Area Lore (Lorraine) (Geography) 2
Area Lore (South Wales) (Legends) 2
Athletics (Endurance) 3
Awareness (Keeping watch) 3
Bows (Long bow) 5
Brawl (Dagger) 2
Carouse (Power drinking) 4
Chirurgy (Binding Wounds) 3
English (Slang) 3
French (Slang) 3
Hunt (Poaching) 1
Music (Singing) 2
Single weapon (Short sword) 5
Survival (Hilly regions) 4
Swim (Rivers) 1
Welsh (Slang) 5

29

Grog 28 : Simon, Church lawyer

Age: 30
Story:

Simon was born and raised in Colmar by a devout family of merchants. The church offered him a succour from the other boys his age: always small, physically slow and soft he was picked on mercilessly by other children.Always a charming boy and attentive in church, he made his way through the ranks of the minor Clergy without problems. He showed great dedications to his letters and to his Latin. As a doorkeeper and lector he always applied himself to his utmost, having found his calling in the church. He hoped to progress all the way to priesthood, but the deacon saw a better use for him as a personal secretary. Simon was sent to perfect his learning in Strasbourg for a time, discovering the pleasures of the study of law, far more than in the study of the Bible. Returning to Colmar he was made the Archdeacon's secretary, and wielded some influence as he rode the coattails of an Ambitious churchman. His talent for law and rhetoric was used on several occasions to secure the maximal benefices both for the church and for the Archdeacon personally.

Unfortunately for Simon, two years ago his patron passed away and was replaced by a rival to the position of Archdeacon. Ill suited to the internal bickering of the Church, ASikon found himself at a loss. He was sent to travel the countryside to act as a wandering exorcist through Sundgau, a task to which he was poorly suited. Ill at ease on the saddle, he had a crisis of faith and opted not to return to Colmar. Instead worked as a lawyer for a time in Altkirch. But the prior of Saint-Morand sent word back to Colmar and Simon was summoned directly back to be disciplined.

Appearance:

Simon is a tiny man, with thin arms and poor coordination. He ways plain black robes suited to the profession of lawyer or otherwise the ecclesiastical robes of an Exorcist (a function that he will perform is calling upon). He takes the vows he took seriously, and still holding on to the hope of becoming a priest, he has sworn celibacy. His hair is light brown and tonsured. His beard is thick and kept squarely cut under his jaw.

Why are they in the covenant?

Maybe a mage used him as a lawyer or an intermediary? He had to run away from his new superior, but he remains a fine latinist and with some training would be a great teacher. He is a passable face for the party but will be at his best in court where his fine legal mind and rhetorics will put him above the competition. Having worked as an Archdeacon's secretary, his is well acquainted with the major clergymen (by writing at least) of the Rhine Tribunal.

Stats:

Attribute|Score

Str|-1
Sta|-1
Dex|-1
Qik|-1
Com|2
Pre|1
Int|3
Per|1

Virtues: Clerk -Exorcist (The church, p 26), Educated
Flaws: Continence, Small frame

Abilities:

Area Lore (Sundgau) (Politics) 2
Artes Liberales (Rhetorics) 5
Charm (Being witty) 5
Church Lore (History) 5
Civil and Canon Lore (Church Lore) 5
Folk Ken (Church) 3
Greek (Religious topics) 2
High German (Alsacian) 5
Latin (Law) 5
Ride (Travelling) 1
Theology (Biblical knowledge) 3

1 Like
30

Grog 29 : Odile, the lusty nun

Age: 20
Story:
Born Juliette in Metz, she is the daughter of the head of the local smith's guild. Her childhood was easy, praised always lavished on such a pretty child. She was always her father's little princess, until her teenage years. Between her rich father and her beauty, there was no lack of suitors who approached either her or her father. They ask him for her hand in marriage and her for boons and tokens of affection. As her father started to suspect her tutors of impropriety, he had her sent to the famed nunnery of the Mont Saint Odile. Forced against her will to live in convent for a time, she made the most of it by delving into the philosophical texts stored there. She found close companionship with an older nun, herself a learned woman. After a year she was allowed to return home to her family, but the blooming and intelligent young woman attracted too much attention for her father's taste and it was not long before he had her sent back to the convent of Saint Odile, where forced to take vows, she adopted the name of Sister Odile. However, a lover from Metz found a Mage sympathetic to their cause and after much bagaining, cajoling and planning, she was sprung out of the Covenant.

Life on the road as outlaw lovers was not what she had imagined it to be, missing the comfort and content of a library, forced to live on the road, the romantic gesture soon lost its luster and the lovers broke up.

(note: in principle, the same character could be a young man send to a monastery, with no real change to their stat block)
Appearance:

Sister Odile isa beautiful young woman, she has pearly white teeth and alabaster skin. Her hair is like a cascade of red gold and her eyes are piercing green. She speaks clearly and is readily able to quote poetry or Aristotle, both of which she devours with great pleasure. She is charismatic and endears herself instantly to whoever she desires. She is of a fragile constitution, unaccustomed to leaving the fineries of the library. While she still has her nun's robes, she only uses them when she needs to make herself less noticed. She prefers fine dresses and given the means to do so, would clad herself all in silk.

Why are they in the covenant?

Seeing the intelligent, well spoken and eye catching young woman as a great addition to a Covenant, the mage (who helped the jail break) have them brought into a Covenant (maybe their own).
Or maybe a Redcap finds her on the road and brings her to the player's Covenant as a safe haven for their lover.
Maybe she uses her charm to climb into society until she hears of the Order and petitions them to join, upon hearing that they accept female scholars without the restrictions of a Convent (this would work best if she was aged by a few years).

That she speaks and writes latin will mark her as one of the higher ranked Covenfolk in any Covenant. She might attract unwanted attention from Church authorities as a runaway nun. Or her beauty and desires might lead to dissention within covenant grogs, or she might become the concubine of one of the magi, who appreciates her intellect and beauty...
She can be the face of a group of grog as they deal with educated folk and while she might have poor relations with the church, she will have some affinity with the more bookish among them.

Stats:

Attribute|Score

Str|-1
Sta|0
Dex|0
Qik|-1
Com|0
Pre|3
Int|2
Per|0

Virtues: Clerk, Venus' Blessing
Flaws: Fragile Constitution, Lecherous

Abilities:

Area Lore (Upper Lorraine) (Legends) 1
Artes Liberales (Geometry) 1
Charm (Courtly love) 5
Church Lore (Nunneries) 1
Folk Ken (Men) 4
French (Poetry) 5
Guile (Lying to authority) 3
Latin (Church usage) 4
Philosophiae (Natural philosophy) 3
Ride (Speed) 1
Theology (History) 2

31

Grog 30 : Wolfram/Winfrida, the jeweler

Age: 25

Story:

Wolfram/Winfrida are covenfolk, through and through. They can trace their lineage (more or less directly) to the first Covenfolk of Dunremar. They grew up in a Covenant near Schwaebisches Gmund and were sent to town to be apprenticed there to a jewelsmith. Coming back aged twenty, they have worked ever since as an assistant to a Verditius mage, taking great interest in the new technological and magical development that the house performs. Little known to those outside the Covenant, their specialty is building jewelry with secret compartments, whether rings containing poisoned powders or a secret blade.

They take great pride in their connections to the Order and to their Covenant, somehow whener an ill is about to befall it, he gets a feeling for it. His fellow Covenfolk know to follow his intuitions, whether to avoid going on a hunt on a certain day, to to stay away from travellers the next.

Appearance:

Wolfram/Winfrida are rotundund. Only travelling between the laboratory, their workshop, the kitchen and the bed, they have hardly left the Covenant since their return from Schwaebisches Gmund, several years ago. They keep their darkish hair at shoulder length with a fringe coming down to their eyebrows. They are dressed like craftspeople, wearing most days a tough leather apron and carrying a few of the tools of their trade on them. They meticulously collect any metal dust from their clothes using a rabbits paw before leaving their workplace.

Why are they in the covenant?

Wolfram/Winfrida are Covenfolk, considering themselves proud members of the Order of Hermes. Having experienced the disorienting world outside of the walls of the Covenant, they prefer to stay surrounded by their kin and those who understand their calling. They have a fondness for House Veriditius, who they consider fellow crafts(wo)men.

For a summer-winter Covenant, they would have been part of the Covenant for generations, possibly all the way back to its inception, and would see the new Magi as interlopers in a stable place.

For a Spring Covenant, they might be "gifted" by their former Covenant, or maybe after the death/Twilight of their Veriditius, they would want find it painful to keep working in their old place, volunteering for helping found a new Covenant, channeling the pioneer spirit of their ancestors. Or, if one of the PCs is a Verditius mage, they might want to continue progressing in their art by working with a new "master" who they would have a chance to influence (more than a stuffy and mad old Verditius).

In addition to being a fantastic craftsperson, their premonitions would give the ST the opportunity to use them as a springboard for plot, or it might even be worth bringing them in a dungeon crawl to sniff out traps or magical dangers...

Stats:

Attribute|Score

Str|0
Sta|-1
Dex|3
Qik|0
Com|0
Pre|-1
Int|0
Per|2

Virtues: Premonitions, Puissant (craft), Covenfolk
Flaws: Covenant Upbringing, Obese

Abilities:

Area Lore (Covenant) (People) 1
Awareness (Searching) 4
Bargain (Hard sell) 4
Brawl (Knife) 2
Craft: Jewelry (Secret compartments) 5 (+2 puissant)
Folk Ken (Cityfolk) 3
High German (Swabian) 5
Latin (Laboratory uses) 3
Order of Hermes Lore (House Veriditius) 3
Premonitions (Threats to Covenant) 4
Teaching (Apprentices) 2

32

Grog 31 : Mael/Melita, the Ouessant Sailor

Age: 20

Story:

Mael/Melita was born and raised on Ouessant, an island far from the world and where cousins have married cousin once too many times. Mael/Melita's inbreeding becomes clear very fast, sometimes before they even start talking. However what they lack in brains, they make up for in sea worthiness. They know how to sail a ship as well as any islander and are not deterred by bad weather. Several times they have fallen overboard during a bad storm and everytime they washed up to the shore unscathed and breathing. No explanation was ever found for this, they simply seem to be unable to drown, much like their grandfather (or mother). While they dismiss this with a shrug, their family simply knowledges that they are born of the sea. They used to leave Ouessant almost to go fishing, until a storm wrecked their ship and landed them weeks later on an unknown shoreline. A redcap heard the rumour of a strange person washing up unscathed and unable to speak the local language and came across them. An intelligo item let them know that there is something supernatural about Mael/Melita whom they brought back to the order to understand.

Appearance:
Mael/Melita is visibly inbred, with exaggerated facial features and dull cow like eyes. They appear to be a particularly dim sailor. Despite this appearance, little escapes their notice and they are in excellent physical form: muscular arms and legs, callused hands and strong shoulders.They dress drably with whatever is made available to them, so long as it does not get in the way of their work.

Why are they in the covenant?

Mael/Melita is still young and will be able to develop their skills to match what the Covenant needs from them/teach them. They are a great sailor as well as sentry. They will go fishing day in and day out tirelessly and without complaining, keeping the food on the table for any seaside Covenant. They will sheepishly follow the magi (or other bossier grogs) on adventures to sail their ship if there is a need for them.

Stats:

Attribute|Score

Str|2
Sta|2
Dex|2
Qik|1
Com|-2
Pre|0
Int|-4
Per|3

Virtues: Greater Immunity (drowning), Wanderer
Flaws: Simple minded, Social handicap (or disfigured, depending on how you'd prefer to represent inbreeding), Poor (Intelligence)

Abilities:

Area Lore (Breton islands) (Geography) 3
Athletics (Jumping) 3
Awareness (Alertness) 5
Brawl (Knife) 3
Breton (Ouessant) 5
Profession (sailor) (Fishing) 5
Swim (Sea) 3

1 Like
33

Grog 32 : Colin/Colette, the Covenant Cursor

Age: 25

Story:

Colin/Colette is the latest in a long line of Cursors. They have been born to run for the Order and they know it. They grew up in a Normandy Tribunal Covenant (either the players' if non-Spring, or another if Spring) and have been trained to run from youth. They might even be the result of Corpus magic tempering with their line as their stamina is exceptional, something they will display in any contest of endurance, or of drinking. They can drink prodigious amount of beer, wine and cider for their small frame, putting much bigger grogs to shame. They know their place within the order, to run all day at a good pace and to enjoy the rewards of their labour by doing little else than running around the Covenant to keep fit.

Appearance:

Colin/Colette looks much like any peasant of their home region, but lean with long legs and little fat.
They enjoy dressing in bright colours, taking pride in their Covenant and wearing its official colour if applicable. While slightly aloof, they do know how to bow and scrape to Magi and are accustomed to the formality of Tribunals and are often trotted out before visiting magus, much as a fine horse might be shown by a nobleman to his guests. They are missing most of their front teeth due to having fallen face first during a race due to having ignored a root, this is not a mistake they will make again.

Why are they in the covenant?

They are purpoise bred covenfolk, bred for speed and endurance. Either their family has been part of the Covenant for several generations (for an older Covenant) or they were gifted to a new Covenant to help them establish themselves (maybe by a generous parens to their freshly gauntleted pupil).
As a Cursor they are an essential member of any Norman Covenant, if the party is willing to risk them on adventures, they are decent outdoors thanks to their athleticism and their survivability.

Stats:

Attribute|Score

Str|-1
Sta|4
Dex|1
Qik|2
Com|-1
Pre|-1
Int|0
Per|0

Virtues: Puissant (Athletics), Improved (Stamina)*,Covenfolk
Flaws: Covenant Upbringing, Afflicted tongue
*: this could be taken a second time and balanced out by another flaw

Abilities:

Area Lore (Covenant) (Geography) 2
Athletics (Running) 5 (+2 Puissant)
Awareness (Alertness) 3
Brawl (Unarmed) 2
Carouse (Power drinking) 4
Etiquette (Order of Hermes) 3
Folk Ken (Covenfolk) 3
Latin (Formal locutions) 1
Local language (Covenant dialect) 5
Order of Hermes Lore (Normandy Tribunal) 3
Survival (Forests) 2
Swim (Rivers) 4

34

Grog 33 : Perrin/Perrette, Pugilist and Thief

Age: 25

Story:
Perrin/Perrette has grown up in a Covenant, ever a nasty child they were always getting in fights, with older kids, other bullies and as they grew a little older they would not hesitate about getting into fights with the Turb. Seeing the natural talent of Perrin/Perrette, the head of Turb did little to discourage this but instead encouraged them and even coached them on what they had learned of Greek art of Pankration. By their early teens it was clear that they were unusually agile and it was decided to teach them larceny. After all, no one would expect the Covenant's best pugilist to be a cat burglar... And so by their early 20s they had become both the Covenant's champion for unarmed combat (the magi vetoed teaching them weapons due to their volatile character) as well as an exceptional agent used in more discreet endeavours.

Appearance:
Perrin/Perrette keeps their dark hair shortly cropped around their head to avoid giving any grip to their foes. Their face is an absolute mess, the nose broken and reset in several places, their left ear was bitten off in a nasty bar fight and their brows crooked and swollen from unparried blows. They have fists like stone, callused inside and out and a muscular frame to challenge even a rower. They move with the menace of a wolf, sure footed and fleet of foot to boot. They prefer tight fitting dark leather clothing which might help cushion what blows come their way.

Why are they in the covenant?

They excel at non lethal combat, easily able to grapple a knight into submission or to strangle and pommel anyone out of armour into submission. They will represent the Covenant as a champion for such matters that can be resolved by fists, as well a "performing" at Tribunal meetings.
The violent pugilist is not their only trole, they are also as good as any as a thief and burglar, with great athleticism, grace and natural talent.
Like any character with Covenant Upbringing, they either have been in the party Covenant from birth or were gifted to them by the Tribunal/parens to aid in the foundation of the Covenant.
They are fairly unpleasant lacking social graces or skills. but in a world where might makes right, why ask for what can simply be taken?

Stats:

Attribute|Score

Str|3
Sta|2
Dex|4
Qik|1
Com|-2
Pre|-2
Int|0
Per|0

Virtues: Puissant (Brawl), Improved (Dexterity), Improved (Characteristics),Covenfolk
Flaws: Covenant Upbringing, Disfigured, Missing ear

Abilities:

Area Lore (Covenant) (Inns) 2
Athletics (Climbing) 4
Awareness (Searching) 5
Brawl (Unarmed) 5
Legerdemain (Pickpocket) 5
Local language (Covenant dialect) 5
Stealth (Sneaking) 4
Swim (Rivers) 1

35

Grog 34 : Flemish Pikemen (Baldwin, Conrad, Florens...)

Age: 25

Story:
These men were apprentices of the Smith's guild in Flanders, growing up in various places they were all drafted and trained in arms as part of the local militia. But after a few skirmishes, they found that they took greater joy and found better payement for their time wielding iron weapons than they did forging them. The rest of the militia disbanded to return to work for the guild but they did not. The biggest, meanest and most violent of the lot decided to band together and go offer their services to whoever would pay. They were expelled from the guild and declared outlaws and contacts by their home cities, decried as oathbreakers by their peers.
They worked as caravan guards and as hired muscle when one lordling needed more armed to fight one another. They can take care of their gear thanks to their earlier training, and they can take care of themselves on the battlefield. It was only a matter of time before the Order needed such men, after all, magi need to resolve some issues violently sometimes.

If taken alone, then the story would be that of a soldier of fortune, who might be the last of his band, or the only one of his militia to have turned away from the forge in favour of battle.
As former craftsmen, they could still serve in the Covenant's forge, maybe having instead chosen the opposite path, started as a soldier but then decided that the forge was a safer place to work than the battlefield.

Appearance:
Big blond men, eyes like blue steel and hardened to the world these men form a professional if not outstanding core. They are quick tempered and used to getting their way. Loud and flemish speaking, they have nonetheless picked up a bit of French as their contracts took them from place to place. Square shouldered, they form a tight mass of flesh, leather and iron when push comes to shove.

Why are they in the covenant?

As a group, they would form the core of a Turb. Big violent men knowing the profession of arms, they could have simply been hired by a Covenant to be their guards. After all, it is not much work, just standing around and there are less chances of been sent into the meat grinder or getting charged by knights.
if going for the reverse story, this is a soldier who learned smithing and is now choosing to retire to a Covenant where they can practice a safer profession.

Stats:

Attribute|Score

Str|2
Sta|1
Dex|1
Qik|1
Com|0
Pre|0
Int|0
Per|1
Siz|1

Virtues: Large, Warrior
Flaws: Outcast, Wrathful

Abilities:

Area Lore (Flanders) (Legends) 1
Athletics (Endurance) 3
Awareness (Alertness) 4
Brawl (Dagger) 2
Carouse (Beer) 3
Chirurgy (Binding wounds) 4
Craft (Iron) (Repairs) 4
Folk Ken (Cityfolk) 2
French (Military) 2
Great Weapon (Polearm) 5
Guile (Lying to Authority) 3
Low German (Flemish) 5
Profession (Mercenary) (Contracts) 2
Smiths Guild Lore (History) 2

36

Grog 35 : Templar Brother Knight Ponce

Age: 30

Story:
Ponce was born to a well off noble family of the vendome countryside. He grew up receiving the finest education that his rank could command, receiving tutorship in arms, religion and letters. With no land to inherit, rather than taking his chance as a knight errant his devocion led him to the Orders and he was welcomed with open arms in the Templar Knights, where he was able to further his biblical learning as well as his fighting skills. After a while, he was sent to the Holy Land where he led men against the muslims. He learned of their ways and their language, gaining an appreciation of their mores. He drilled a troupe of local freshly converted infantrymen for a year, until he felt they would be ready to wage war on his side.

All took a turn for the worst during a routine patrol in the region of Canaan, where his scouting party was almost wiped out by an Infernal Djinn. As he struck the killing blow, some of the evil of the Djinn was transferred to him and lingers on him. This invisible stain on his soul makes all that he meets distrusting of him, realising that something is off but unable to put their finger on it.

Learning of this encounter a local Tytalus took interest in him and sought to find out more. Combined with suspicions within the Templar hierarchy, it was decided to send him back to France where he would be off-putting to someone else. Using this opportunity, the Tytalus used his agents to have Ponce sent not to a normal Commanderie but instead to the party's Covenant, where the learned knight might put his skills to a more useful end, for the Order of Hermes anyway.

Appearance:
Ponce is an elegant tanned man, his skin is weathered by years in the Middle East, the desert having melted away much of his fat. He is athletic and well build. He bears relatively few visible scars. He still dresses in the manner of his order, though he lacks the politeness and formality expected of a man of his rank, having grown too used to barking orders rather than bowing to a secular lord.

Why are they in the covenant?

Tainted with evil due to their encounter with the Infernal Djinn, he was sent to pasture where he would be out of the way. Thanks to a Tytalus intervention, he was sent to a Covenant rather than a Convent... There he can fight as the champion, lead the Turb (if they learn to trust him), joust and also act as a translator as he is not only polyglot but writes arabic and latin thanks to his fine education.

Stats:

Attribute|Score

Str|2
Sta|2
Dex|1
Qik|0
Com|0
Pre|0
Int|-1
Per|1

Virtues: Warrior, Brother Knight Templar, Privileged upbringing
Flaws: Humble, No sense of direction, Tainted with Evil

Abilities:

Arabic (Levantine) 3
Area Lore (Anjou) (Politics) 2
Area Lore (Levant) (Politics) 2
Artes Liberales (Arithmetic) 2
Athletics (Endurance) 3
Awareness (Alertness) 3
Brawl (Wrestling) 2
Folk Ken (Soldiers) 2
French (Military) 5
Great Weapon (Longspear) 5
Latin (Church use) 3
Leadership (in Battle) 3
Ride (in Battle) 5
Single Weapon (Lance) 5
Teaching (Single Weapon) 2
Templar knights Lore (People) 2
Templar Knights Sign language (In battle) 1
Theology (Lives of saints) 3

1 Like
37

Grog 36 : Sir Sebastien, faithful Norman Knight

Age: 25

Story:
Sir Sebastien is a minor knight from Normandy, the latest in a line that started with a petty warlord that stretch back over two centuries. He grew up on his family's small manor where he was taught the ways of the sword by his father and uncles, but his education was lacking in courtly skills. To him, a wife can take care of the domain (as his mother did) while his role as knight is to wage war, which is the only thing he has learned. After receiving too many blows in sparring bouts, his hearing started to deteriorate as a teenager, leading him to shun social events other than the hunt. He enjoys falconry above other courtly hunts, though he must rely of servants to train the birds.
He is a pious man, having been named after Saint Sebastien and he carries around his neck one of the arrowheads which failed to kill the martyr. He never misses mass on Sundays and frequently confesses his sins. He prays to his namesake saint for his hearing to improve but a miracle has yet to manifest.

Appearance:
Sir Sebastian is fair haired and pale eyed, he is a bulky young man whose strength is made visible by his musculature. He mostly wears light leather armour in day to day life even if fine robes would be more appropriate to the event. He is somewhat aloof in social circumstances and his poor hearing has left him often uninterested in lengthy conversations which he often daydreams through.

Why are they in the covenant?

Sir Sebastien might be a neighbour of the Covenant with whom friendly ties are maintained, he is not a wealthy knight and so would need allies to protect his domain while he goes to war or is called with his men by his liege lord. He might even be struggling enough that he views the Covenant loosely as his liege and serve as their champion in exchange for being maintained by a wealthy and old Covenant.

Alternatively, he might not be the heir/lord of any domain and instead see himself as a knight-errant who put himself in the service of magi to secure glory and fight monsters. If one of the Magi is particularly faithful or bend on demon-hunting, then Sir Sebastien would find this laudable and be inspired by the example.

Stats:

Attribute|Score

Str|2
Sta|2
Dex|2
Qik|0
Com|-1
Pre|-1
Int|0
Per|0

Virtues: Knight, Relic
Flaws: Pious (minor), Poor Hearing

Abilities:

Area Lore (Normandy) (Politics) 2
Athletics (Endurance) 3
Awareness (Alertness) 3
Brawl (Wrestling) 2
French (Norman) 5
Great Weapon (Greatsword) 5
Hunt (Falconry) 3
Ride (Speed) 5
Single Weapon (Lance) 5

38

Grog 37 : Joan/Azalais, the Lace Merchant
Age: 25

Story:
Joan/Azalais was born to a lace making family of Limoges, but suffering from shaking hands from a young age they were unable to learn the family's art. Instead they were trying to bring customers to the family business. Over time a division of labour was instituted between them and their siblings. The siblings made the lace they hawk the merchandise.
Joan/Azalais is fun at parties and easily makes friends, even if it means struggling to wake up the next morning as they recover from the last night's socialising.
They have travelled all around Limousin, and have regular contact with the Anglo-Norman nobility who buys their wares, they have refined their manners to deal with nobility, hoping to gain an advantage over their competition through this.
Unfortunately for them, they were part of a caravan which was ambushed by Routiers (out of work mercenary turned bandits). Left for dead and with all their wares gone they were found by a wandering friar who helped nurse them back to health. Penniless, too ashamed to return to their family, they stayed for a while in the sick house of the local abbey where they ingratiates themselves to the local monks. One of them, a visiting wandering friar recommended they join a Covenant, as people of talent are always welcomed there.

Appearance:
Joan/Azalais is a smallish lightly tanned brunette. They dress well, using lace decorations, their appearance being an advertisement for their wares. They are well kept and groomed, They are more comfortable on horseback than their birth would predict.

Why are they in the covenant?

Too ashamed to return home, they took the advice of the Wandering Friar who had recently visited the party's Covenant and went to offer their service there.

They are a highly social character able to not only represent the Covenant on purchasing expeditions but also will be able to ingratiate themselves to nobles better than most. They are a good face character and especially if the Covenant has a (magically enhanced) cloth making operation, they would be an ideal representative.They might also be able to leverage their skills and old connections to secure good purchases for the Covenant if they want to get into the cloth resale business...

Stats:

Attribute Score
Str 0
Sta 1
Dex -1
Qik -1
Com 1
Pre 3
Int 0
Per 1

Virtues: Gossip, Merchant, Well travelled
Flaws: Nocturnal, Palsied hands

Abilities:

Anglo-Norman (Trade) 2
Area Lore (Limousin) (History) 3
Bargain (Clothes) 5
Carouse (Being fun) 3
Charm (First Impressions) 3
Etiquette (Nobility) 3
Folk Ken (Cityfolk) 4
Intrigue (Gossip) 4
Occitan (Limousin) 5
Profession (Merchant) (Clothes) 5
Ride (Long distances) 2

(nb: they are 5xp in debt with regard to being 25 year old)

39

Companion 38 : Sir Baudoin, the Leper Knight (companion tier)
Age: 30

Story:
Baudoin was a glorious knight, born and raised near Cambrai and squired in the court of the Bishop of Laon. A big lad, a fine career as a warrior was ahead of him. Knighthood came early, as did the trophies, rewards and adulation that comes to those who win the melee and tournaments.
He waged war and won, men followed his orders, and riches came to him. Until he contacted leprosy that is, then all the glory was as sand flowing through his fingers. He was only recently diagnosed, which has led him to cast aside his old life. He staged a funeral for the man that he was, and gave the land and manor to his son, swearing that he would never be seen again in his homeland. Leaving his castle with his trusty axes, a pack horse and his war horse, he threw all that he could not pack into a bonfire.

[Two stories are possible, I leave it to you to decide which]

a- The faithful knight of Saint Lazarus
[In this case keep Pious, and the virtue Knight should be replaced with Brother Knight]

Baudoin was uncomprehending as to why the God he had always worshipped would turn on him and curse him so. Was he a modern day Job? Was this punishment for the pride he had felt at winning tourneys? For the men he'd killed in battle?
Seeking redemption, he joined the Order of Saint Lazarus, hoping to earn remittance for his sins. He is now the guardian and benefactor of a Leper hospital run somewhere in France by the order of Saint Lazarus.

b- Punishment Divine
[In this case keep Knight, and the Flaw Pious should be replaced with Depraved]

A Knight who knows no equal scorns the Heavens above him, is there even such a God that could be so superior as to forbid him anything? To him who knows only victory? Baudoin enjoyed the rewards of his strength at arms, women, wine, pillaging... He was the darkest knight, raiding into enemy lands and leaving a bloody trail in his wake. Discouraging his men from even sparing churches or nuneries from pillaging. He was a terror on the field and openly encouraged others to join his impious lifestyle.
Now, he has left his family behind and was contacted by a a Tytallus Leper mage, who has brought this dangerous weapon into the arsenal of the Order of Hermes.

Appearance:

Baudoin is a massive man, trained to war from infancy, hardened to blows, stronger than all but the village blacksmith and as quick as any tumbler. He was once called beautiful, and enjoyed the admiration of women and his peers. Now, he is wrapped in rags to hide his rotting skin. The once glorious colossus is wracked by leprosy and his flesh is sloughing off in many places. He only wears very fine leather gloves.

Why are they in the covenant?

He is a formidable axeman who will both lead the Covenant's turb in battle or act as a terrifying champion for the Covenant, his leprous touch being a more insidious but just as deadly thing as his axe.

a- The faithful knight of Saint Lazarus
The Leper colony is close to the Covenant, after all, where else to be undisturbed than where no one will go? Friendly terms are established between the two centres and Baudoin will faithfully return any favour done to him or the colony.

b- Punishment Divine
The Tytalus plague mage is keen to find a cure to Leprosy and having found such a healthy specimen will glady experiment on him. Already afflicted, the Tytallus mage had nothing more to fear and the two have formed a bond through their shared disease and anger at receiving such a curse. The Tytalus mage might come and visit once in a while, or might even be the senior mage of a winter Covenant. Baudoin will need his own dwelling maybe a little way away from the Covenant, where he broods nd curses a merciless Heaven.

Stats:

Abbr Score
Str 2
Sta 2
Dex 4
Qik 1
Com 0
Pre 0
Int 0
Per 0

Virtues: [Brother-] Knight, Great (Dexterity), Improved Characteristics x2, Large, Privileged Upbringing, Puissant (Great Weapon), Warrior
Flaws: Disfigured, Leper, Pious [or Depraved] (major), Reckless

Abilities:

Animal Handling (Horses) 4
Area Lore (Walonia) (Politics) 2
Athletics (Running) 3
Awareness (Searching) 4
Brawl (Wrestling) 4
French (Military) 5
Great Weapon (Poleaxe) 5 (+2 Puissant)
Hunt (Deer) 4
Leadership (In combat) 4
Ride (In combat) 5
Single Weapon (Axe and heater shield) 5

2 Likes
40

Grog 39 : Benoit, the Failed Mason
Age: 20

Story:
Benoit born in a large town (by local terms) close to the Covenant, he is the fourth son of the town's doctor. His father made sure that he would get a good education, learning letters and the arts (and even some of his father's profession), however as the fourth son, he could never hope to take over his father's practice as his elder brothers were more skilled in the art and coming first in the inheritance. Instead he was apprenticed to the local mason, his father knowing that it is a lucrative craft. Benoit learned well and with his intelligence and education, his father hoped that he could become a master mason. During his apprenticeship his lecherousness was often overlooked, as merely a lad having fun by his master, who'd joke about doctors' fertile loins.
Unfortunately this was not to be. Having celebrated the end of his apprenticeship a little too hard, he was found in bed with his master's wife the very next day. Not only did the master beat Benoit unconscious, he had him thrown out from the guild and barred from ever practicing masonry ever again. Once healed back to health, Benoit's father suggested that he seek employment elsewhere as not only was his carrer but customers had dried up from the doctor's practice as well.

Appearance:

Benoit is a good looking young lad, he smiles frankly and does not shy from eye contact. He keeps his dark blond hair clipped short, mostly to avoid them getting into his eyes while he works. While he lacks the formal manners of the wealthy and powerful, he makes up for it by being charming. He has grey eyes, though he often squints.

Why are they in the covenant?

With no recourse against one of the mightiest guilds in Europe, Benoit set off. He was advised to try his luck at the nearby Covenant as they are free from the influence of the guilds and always looking for talented individual who no longer fit within the city-society.

He has much to offer the Covenant, as an educated man he knows a little latin and has a respectable score in Artes Liberales. More importantly, he has a good communication which would make him a good teacher in the long run.
He is a fully fledged mason and can handle most of the simple Chirurgy that a Covenant would need performed.
He has yet to grow into whatever role will be his, but his social skills will make him a passable face, so long as it is not with people who know who he is...

Stats:

Attribute Score
Str 0
Sta 2
Dex 1
Qik 0
Com 1
Pre 2
Int 2
Per -1

Virtues: Educated, Improved characteristics

Flaws: Failed Journeyman, Lecherous (minor)

Abilities:

Area Lore (Covenant region) (Legends) 2
Artes Liberales (Geometry) 4
Athletics (Climbing) 2
Bargain (Own work) 2
Brawl (Bludgeon) 2
Charm (Opposite sex) 4
Chirurgy (Setting bones) 4
Craft (Mason) (Stone things) 5
Folk Ken (Cityfolk) 2
Latin (Official documents) 1
Local Language (Covenant region) 5
Mason Guild Lore (Regulations) 2

Reputation (Failed Journeyman) 2

1 Like
41

Grog 40 : Eudes/Odette, the Wondrous Shoemaker
Age: 25

Story:
Eudes/Odette had a strange childhood, after the death of their shoemaker parents to a fever epidemic, they were taken in by the gnomes which had watched over the workshop for generations. The gnomes had always been placated and dealt with fairly and so they in turn raised Eudes/Odette to follow their rules and make shoes. Until their 16th birthday they lived in the small cramped spaces of the gnomes, stunting their growth and leaving them permanently hunched over. They did once in a while see people and help as the gnomes would, even learning to haggle on behalf of the gnomes.
Once returned to the company of humans, they opened a small workshop where they made shoes and trained local orphans to their craft. The location was not random, on the edge of the village in a strange clearing where the gnomes themselves would occasionally congregate and meet other faeries.
They worked tirelessly, trying to infuse powers into the shoes they made. The local priest still to this day wears a pair of sandals that were just perfect for him.
Unfortunately, as the village prospered, they rebuild the church tower and put a bigger bell. This led to the faery aura being suppressed most of the time as the bells could be heard from their workshop.
Unable to pursue their craft to its full, they left their empty workshop behind. Following the advice of the gnomes, they packed their tools and brought both young apprentices with them to the party's Covenant where they asked for the right to settle and build a workshop within their aura, or in a faerie aura near their Covenant if there is one such.

Appearance:
Small and hunched over Eudes/Odette does not cut much of a figure. Their hair is thin, dark and held back in a pony tail. They look like a scrunched up version of the local folk. But what they lack in looks they try to make up for in demeanour being often cheery. Years of living with gnomes have left them ill at ease in normal social circumstances, but they integrated the rules of dealing with Nobles so at least they know when to bow and say m'lord.

Why are they in the covenant?
While of poor social standing and limited social skills, they are able to craft wondrous items, and this alone is reason enough to want them in a covenant. They know how to teach, and they can teach young magi interested in Faerie Lore as well as coaching young sociable grgos in Etiquette. While they do not advertise it, they have been taught to sneak around like the gnomes who reward kind crafts folk.

Note: they could easily be of any craft with just a small tweak away frm shoe making to any other dex based craft.

Stats:

Attribute Score
Str -1
Sta 0
Dex 2
Qik 0
Com 1
Pre 1
Int 0
Per 2

Virtues: Touched by Faery (C&G p71), Crafts(wo)man

Flaws: Faery Upbringing, Hunchback, Small frame

Abilities:

Area Lore (Covenant region) (Legends) 3
Bargain (Shoes) 4
Craft (Leather) (Shoes) 5
Etiquette (Nobles) 3
Faerie Lore (Appeasing faeries) 4
Folk Ken (Farmers) 3
Leadership (In a Workshop) 2
Local Language (Covenant region) 5
Stealth (Sneaking) 4
Teaching (Apprentices) 2

42

Grog 41 : Simon/Simone, the Boneworker
Age: 25

Story:
Some people have happy childhoods and some people like Simon(e) grew up to a camp follower mother, having to scrape by picking the battlefields clean after the Lords' glorious business of disemboweling each other is done. Growing up as the lowest of the low, this litteral bonepicker had to survive however they could, eating rodents when the pickings were meagre. along the way they learned a lot about the human anatomy as it was strewn all over their work space, sometimes they'd heal a wounded warrior and hope that their gratitude would earn them a pretty penny, sometimes they'd slit the throats of the wounded to make looting easier...

Things got better when as a teen they were noticed by a Verditius magi's recruiter. This Verditius was an old and unsavoury Necromancer, to whom the willingness to rob the dead and handle dead bodies was the key qualification. For the following decade Simon(e) learned the craft of bones and leather with great zeal as they had suddenly found a purpose and shelter, someone who treated them with even a shred of humanity. They will not speak of the items they might have constructed, but their skills are undeniable in the matter. As a necromancer's assistant they did a little grave robbing, but quickly were elevated to treating and processing the unsavoury fruit of these harvests.

Unfortunately, while necromancers can delay their deaths, death is inexorable. And with the Verditius magus/maga gone, the other magi and covenfolk wasted no time in ridding themselves of such a disturbing member. Officially, they were reassigned to help a new Covenant, but it was made clear to them that they only escaped being lynched because of the soft heart of one of the Magi.

Appearance:
Short, dirty and unkept, Simon/Simone cuts a rather unpleasant figure, adding to that the stink of death that follows them and their profession, it is no surprise that few will have anything to do with them. They are actively repulsive and lack any manners, leading them to be downcast and often speaking of inevitable doom or death. Lank oily and dirty hair frame their thin face, their eyes are bagged from the night labourt they perform. Nothing about them inspires trust. Desperation is a stinky cologne, and they wear too much of it.

Why are they in the covenant?

While repulsive, they are very talented at what they do. The tanner's guild would not countenance such a member and neither would any kind of sculptors guild. But a necromancer needs materials to work with, and people to refine these materials for them. Simon/Simone has a rare talent but for the few Magi which are interested, they are invaluable.

It is hard to imagine a Covenant without a necromancer wanting such a member, but in addition to their craft, they are also a decent chirurgeon, which would be appreciated by any grog who does not want to become a posthumous part of their Master's work.

Stats:

Attribute Score
Str 0
Sta 2
Dex 2
Qik 0
Com 0
Pre -2
Int 1
Per 2

Virtues:Forge-Companion (Mystery cults p135), Puissant Craft (bone), Puissant Craft (Leather)

Flaws: Depressed (or Nocturnal), Social handicap, Tainted with Evil

Abilities:

Animal Handling (Dogs) 1
Area Lore (Picardie) (Geography) 2
Athletics (Walking) 2
Bargain (Looted things) 3
Brawl (Dagger) 3
Chirurgy (Cauterisation) 4
Craft (Bones) (Human Bones) 5 +2
Craft (Leather) (Human Leather) 5 +2
French (Picard) 5
Hunt (Rodents) 3
Stealth (Sneaking) 4
Survival (Plains) 2
Swim (Rivers) 1

2 Likes
43

Grog 42 : Herve/Gervaise, the Herald
Age: 30

Story:
Herve/Gervaise was the last child of the steward of a Baron of Saint-Aignan-sur-Cher's castle near Blois. They benefited from the best education that their father could afford, schooling them in the manners of the court, letters and riding. Growing up with the noble children, they were very aware of the social distance between them but also learned to integrate themselves to these games. Knowing almost that all one could know about being a noble without being one, they found themselves in a strange position. At first they were sent to represent their father and later the baron on missions, but being always reminded of their lower class, they grew to resent this. Striking friendship at the ducal court with a Jerbiton mage, they were invited to the Covenant where their refinement was greatly appreciated. They spent a while participating in the Jerbiton circuit, being trotted out as an example of elegant living, not settling down in any Covenant but instead being invited or sent from one Normandy Covenant to another. Having assisted in a tribunal, they were offered to settle down permanently in a Covenant and become a valued member. That they continue being a mere messenger top those more powerful than them is much more palatable because they had the chance to chose.
While they do not know too much of the workings of the Order, they are now gladly representing their Covenant, and feast very well whether in their home or at the table of the magnates they are sent to, which has led them to develop a mild case of gout which leaves them sometimes unable to ride.

Appearance:

Herve/Gervaise dresses almost like a noble and behaves similarly. They are eloquent, friendly with impeccable manners. Their light brown hair is kept to the fashion of their gender, and they always wear refined hats made of fine materials. They have developed a very slight paunch, a mark of their healthy eating. And brown-green eyes sparkle as they talk, not hesitating to make eye contact, so long as doing so would not upset proper etiquette that is.

Why are they in the covenant?

Herve/Gervaise is a social creature, highly adapted to formal circumstances, which is not a usual skill found amongst the Order (except maybe for Redcaps and Jerbitons). They will make a very pleasant companion for Magi and excellent envoys. All they expect in return is to live an easy life of feasting and to not be treated as an inferior. As they age and their lifestyle takes a toll, they might become Covenant bound where a second career as a teacher might suit them better.

Stats:

Attribute Score
Str -1
Sta 0
Dex 0
Qik 0
Com 2
Pre 2
Int 1
Per 1

Virtues: Covenfolk, Educated, Puissant (Etiquette)
Flaws: Arthritis, Optimistic (minor)

Abilities:

Animal Handling (Horses) 2
Area Lore (Kingdom of France) (Personalities) 4
Artes Liberales (Rhetoric) 4
Brawl (Knife) 2
Charm (First Impressions) 5
Etiquette (Nobility) 5 + 2
French (Storytelling) 5
Carouse (Wine) 3
Intrigue (Plotting) 4
Latin (Formalities) 4
Nobility Lore (Genealogy) 3
Ride (Long distances) 3

1 Like
44

Grog 43 : Louarn, the Career Criminal
Age: 30

Story:

Louarn means fox in Breton, and it is the only name by which they will answer. Louarn has committed almost every crime one can imagine, so long as there is money to be made from it. They ran a bordello (until it got busted by local churchmen and some zealots), both cock and dog fighting rings, fixed fights in other people's cock and dog fighting rings, worked as a highway(wo)man, robbed people while they slept in inns, the list goes on and they do not shy away from recounting story of their misdeeds around the fire, once beer and cider are running. They have stories about the various parts of Brittany where they worked, often funny ones, sometimes full of pathos. The number of authority figures willing to take a quarter cut to look away, if Louarn is to be believed, is simply staggering.
They admit to never being good at cards, because it's too fiddly, prefering to con or rob their mark rather than cheating at games. Working as a fence was lucrative and safe, which they very much enjoyed until recently, when the competition managed to outbribe the local authority and got Louarn apprehended and branded.*
With an ermine burned on their cheek, it became much harder to find marks and much riskier as they would be a reoffender. Instead, using their contact network, they managed to find someone in the Order of Hermes who would need such an agent.

*:alternatively, cutting off the hand would work, depending on if the character should remain able to act as a cat burglar or focus on con-artistry

Appearance:
Louarn dresses in undyed linen or wool depending on the seasons, opting for unassuming and ostentatious outfits. They were a few rings or necklaces when flush with cash, but repeated run in with the law, fines etc will lead to a seizing of such items. They have dark hair which they keep in a matter usual to a peasant of their gender: As a Louarn (M) keeps his dark hair short cropped and has a thin van Dyke goatee, whereas Louarn (F) has longer hair, braided down to below her shoulder blades. Both will prefer to wear a tight fighting skull cap made of wool, linen or leather depending on the season or if they expect a fight to break out.
But Louarn is charming, always smiling, making people feel comfortable around them. Even knowing their checkered past, they are so disarmingly honest and willing to explain the various schemes that one gets taken in.
The ermine mark on their cheek is a bright red reminder of their failure, which among honnest society they try to conceal. An effort that they do not make among criminals, rather wearing it as a badge.

Why are they in the covenant?

With their main career suddenly become harder to practice, Louarn found working for the Order a much more attractive venture. With bread and board assured, they could afford to take smaller risks and to remain in the shadows until the best moment. They know a lot of shady people through their extensive career and act as a fixer for the Covenant, putting cutpurses and cat burglars in touch with Covenant members when they are needed. So long as their brand is hidden, they can still act as an unusual face, and to those unfazed by the sight of such punishment, they are an ideal gobetween.

Stats:

Attribute Score
Str 0
Sta 0
Dex 0
Qik 0
Com 2
Pre 2
Int 0
Per 1

Virtues: Social Contacts (Criminals), Well traveled
Flaws: Branded Criminal, Greedy (note, "missing hand" and "Wander" might replace the Brand, which would them result from a different punishment for being caught)

Abilities:

Area Lore (Brittany) (Cities) 3
Athletics (Climbing) 3
Awareness (Alertness) 3
Brawl (Dagger) 3
Breton (Slang) 5
Charm (Being Witty) 4
Folk Ken (Cityfolk) 3
Guile (Fast talk) 5
Intrigue (Plotting) 5
Leadership (Criminals) 2
Profession (Criminal) (Petty Crimes) 4
Stealth (Sneaking) 4
Swim (Sea) 1

45

Grog 44 : Gisele, the burly milkmaid
Age: 16

Story:

Gisele was born to an unremarkable serf family in the Vexin region close to Gisors (after which her parents named her). While she had to guard the cows from her young age with her older brother, she would also help gathering kindling from a young age and once given her first hatchet she practiced with it relentlessly. Her brother often tricked her into chopping wood in his place, until she took over this responsibility from the whole family. Naive and easily deceived by her brother and neighbouring children she grew up with, she'd end up doing the hardest jobs, carrying the heaviest loads... All this only build up her strength and not her common sense.

While keeping cows she confronted a vagrant and as the situation got out of hand, she put her axe in the man's skull, killing him in a single blow. While the villagers never reported this to higher authority she found herself ostracised. When the bishop of Beauvais' men came looking for his lost messenger, she was given a pouch of money, what she could carry and a tearful farewell from her family.

Appearance:

Gisele is a big burly teenage girl, most men only reach her shoulder when she stands upright. She is still ill at ease, having reached this height only a year ago. Her Norman heritage is fully apparent, she has a high forehead, a strong jaw and strawberry-blond hair which she keeps in two chest length braids, which poke down from her white woolen coiffe. She wears loose long dresses, which allow her to stride and move about as she works outdoors. She rarely goes out without a her iron shod woodman's axe, which doubles as her walking stick.

Why are they in the covenant?

The story of a huge girl using an axe as a walking stick travels fast, and this caught the interest of a passing redcap. She was found injured and bleeding by a farmer family, with the bodies of two highwaymen lying before her. The redcap paid for a doctor to heal her, but in exchange demanded that she come work for them in a Covenant. Given the chance to settle down, guard cows and chop wood, she made an oath to the Redcap there and then. The Redcap brought her to the party's Covenant, where she happily guards cows and practices her axe work.

She can easily be a dangerous shield grog, but also help feed the Covenant when not needed on the field of battle.

Stats:

Attribute Score
Str 2
Sta 2
Dex 1
Qik 0
Com 0
Pre 0
Int -1
Per 1

Virtues: Large, Puissant (single weapon), Warrior
Flaws: Ability Block(social skills), Naive (minor), Poor student

Abilities:

Animal Handling (Cows) 3
Area Lore (Vexin) (farms) 2
Athletics (Running) 3
Awareness (Mounting Guard) 3
Brawl (Kicks) 2
French (Norman) 5
Profession (Cowherd) (Guarding the cows) 4
Single Weapon (Axe) 5+2
Swim (Rivers) 2

2 Likes
46

Grog 45 : Gwenaëlle, Vivanne's Handmaiden
Age: 25

Story:

Gwenaëlle spent almost her entire life living under lake Comper at the court of the Lady of the Lake. She was one of Viviane's handmaidens, serving her every need.
Unfortunately, she was seduced by a faery knight who courted her, and was exiled by Lady Vivianne for this transgression.

The day of her exile was a the vernal equinox. A visiting merinita magus (or maga) was on the shore of the lake, having come to use the aura to travel into Arcadia, found her sodden shivering and confused. They interrupted their plan and instead took the curious arrivant back to their campsite and spent the next days listening to her stories of life in Viviane's court.

Appearance:

Well dressed, in a slightly out of fashion courtly dress, Gwenaëlle cuts a strong figure. She is soft spoken, elegant and minds her manners to perfection. She has long, braided, fair hair and freckles.She likes shades of blue and silver jewelry above others.

Why are they in the covenant?
She is unable to survive by herself, having the education of a lady of the court but no pedigree to justify her invitation to such a court. After explaining her story to the Merinita, she was sent to the party's Tribunal where her expertise in the matters of of Faery are very appreciated. her courtesy makes her a valued envoy, although with her head full of stories of Chivalry and the Round Table, it is sometimes very jarring for her, when she sees the actual behaviour of human nobles.

Stats:

Attribute Score
Str 0
Sta 0
Dex 0
Qik 1
Com 1
Pre 2
Int 1
Per 1

Virtues: Familiarity With the fae (ROP:F), Student of Faery
Flaws: Faery Upbringing, Ability block (outdoor skills)

Abilities:

Awareness (Alertness) 3
Breton (Storytelling) 5
Charm (First Impressions) 4
Etiquette (Faeries) 5
Faerie Lore (The Arthurian Myths) 5+2
Folk Ken (The opposite sex) 3
Guile (Lying to Authority) 1
Intrigue (Gossip) 4
Music (Singing) 3

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