Lots of Grogs

Jank · November 5, 2019, 7:49am

Grog 4: Adalbert, the smith

Age: 35
Story:
Adalbert is descended from Alberich, yes that one. From the Nibelungenlied. His kids were exiled to the world of men, and settled in the hilly Sauerland area, north East of Cologne. It's not easy living, since the miners do have to sometimes fight the goblins from down under. But this breeds hard folk.
Adalbert is the latest in a long line of smiths, tracing their lineage to the first records, if they are to be believed. The veracity of that is debatable, the quality of his wares ais not. Adalbert makes the finest steel swords, and his axes can split a tree in hardly a blow.
Adalbert is envious of others, for they do not face mockery over their size and receive too much praise for their unremarkable work. He worries about getting cheated in any bargain he enters and is generally distrustful. He is a member of the smith's guild and keeps informed of his peers' works, as well as having trained a couple of apprentices already.
He is not afraid of a fight, swinging smithing tools as weapons at anyone he thinks might be a thief. Or his fists at anyone who'd mess with his beer.

Appearance:
A little under four-and-a-half feet tall, but barrel chested with arms knotted with muscles, Adalbert is a stout man. He braids his beard in two which he tucks into his leather apron. The man is charcoal stayed and his hands and forearms are covered in healed small burns. He has hard eyes and looks suspiciously at all who visit his smithy.

Why is he in the covenant?

Adalbert is not only an exceptional smith but also is interested in the secrets of the runes and old dwarven crafts. He might have joined the Covenant out of friendship with a Veriditius or Merinita mage, or maybe to collaborate with a Bonisagius. He might live within the Covenant itself having access to magic implements to supplement his craft or have his smithy in a nearby village with regular contacts with the Covenant. Maybe he is married to a Covenant member (Custos? Companion?) who same past his physique and moved to follow them.

Adalbert could just as easily be a she-dwarf, maybe replacing the teaching (apprentice) and the guild lore with two other skills, since she would not have been allowed into the smiths' guild, but giving her a better reason to join a Covenant than being a standard guild member.

Stats:

Attribute|Score

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

Virtues: Puissant (craft), Faerie blood, minor (dwarf)
Flaws: Small framed, Envious

Area Lore (Sauerland) (Smiths) 2
Athletics (Endurance) 3
Awareness (Alertness) 3
Bargain (Haggling) 5
Brawl (Bludgeon) 5
Carouse (Beer) 3
Chirurgie (Burns) 3
Craft (steel) (Weapons) 5 [+3 from virtues]
Faery Lore (Dwarves) 4
Folk Ken (Cityfolk) 4
Low German (Westphalian) 5
Smiths Guild lore (Famous members) 3
Teaching (Apprentices) 1

Jank · November 6, 2019, 6:52am

Grog 5 : Brauerin Käthchen

Age: 20
Story:
Käthchen hails from Eichstätt, in Upper Bavaria. The daughter of a brewer she learned his craft in the hope of becoming a brewer, finding a good husband and running an inn or at least a Biergarten of her own.
However she is an uncontrollable gossip, who feels the need to immerse herself in everybody else's business and is unable to keep to herself what her intuition (which is often right) reveals to her.
She makes excellent Weizenbier but has been experimenting with other styles with less success.

Appearance:
Blond braids, a bright green dirndl and freckles, Käthchen is a very pleasant looking girl. She is a little slow but makes up for it with the tireless effort she is used to putting into her brewing. She is highly communicative and puts her conversation partners at ease, before bombarding them with questions but feeding them tasty morsels of gossip in exchange.

Why is she in the covenant?

Käthchen is a terrible gossip and meddler, she let loose too many secrets in her small hometown and ended up being bundled away. Why would she bring up the Bishop's mistress so often, surely she should know better than that?
The bishop decreed that such a wagging tong must be witchcraft and had her sent to her fellow witches in the woods. Of course, a Bavarian Covenant has no lack of talented brewers but were happy to pass her on to fellow magi, for just a small compensation and maybe a bit of wine...
In addition to making beer (a valuable commodity) she has good social skills and could be used by the Covenant as a go between when dealing mundanes.

Stats:

Attribute|Score

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

Virtues: Gossip, Intuition
Flaws: Meddler, no sense of direction

Abilities:

Area Lore (Upper Bavaria) (Gossip) 2
Athletics (Walking) 1
Awareness (Searching) 2
Bargain (Haggling) 4
Charm (Men) 2
Craft (Beer) (Weizen) 5
Folk Ken (Cityfolk) 4
High German (Bavarian) 5
Intrigue (Gossip) 3
Music (Singing) 2

Jank · November 6, 2019, 7:35am

Grog 6 : Gedimas and Launa, freed slaves

Age: 15
Story:
These two were captured by the Livonian Sword brothers in Samogitia to be fed into the slave trade. They have deliberately remained unbaptised as the interdiction on slavery applies only to Christian slaves. The Knights came by boat, raided the village, killing the adults who resisted and captured those healthy enough to be sold on. After being shipped to Riga, then further down the coast, they were purchased in Prague by someone who saw potential in them.
Both are fearful of horses as their first experience of them was receiving a cavalry charge.

Appearance:
Hailing from a land roamed by giants, the twins stand out from the other slaves on the market, both of them over six feet tall, looking dirty but healthy and with a defiant to surly look in their eyes. They observe keenly all around them and move with undeniable grace, looking far nimbler than the usual peasant stock. Both carry a slave brand on their neck.
They sing to each other when they feel unobserved.

Why are they in the covenant?

Probably bought at a slave market by a member of the Order who saw potential in them. They are big, tireless and very suitable to join the Turb once they get a bit of military training (buying the warrior virtue and a year of training would give them Thrown 5).
They are young enough to be apprenticed if one has the gift, making for an unusual apprentice.
Alternatively, they could be used as basis for the Covenant's turb if one were to assume a bulk purchase, with a dozen of them needing to be only a little to form a coherent band of shield grogs.

Stats:

Attribute|Score

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

Virtues: Large, Enduring Constitution
Flaws: Branded (slave), Fear (horses)

Abilities:

Animal Handling (Dogs) 2
Area Lore (Lithuania) (Tribes) 2
Athletics (Running) 3
Awareness (Searching) 2
Brawl (Dagger) 3
Low German (Slang) 3
Legerdemain (Filtching) 2
Lithuanian (Samogitian) 5
Music (Singing) 2
Survival (Forests) 2
Thrown Weapon (Javelin) 2

Jank · November 7, 2019, 7:03am

Grog 7 : Wobbe, the sailor

Age: 20
Story:
Wobbe was born for the sea, not only do they have an extremely keen sight, they also can generally the guess the weather a day in advance. Born to a small fishing community on the Frisian coastline , Wobbe grew up in a physically demanding environment, making them tireless. As a child, they were often taken on the ship with their dad and the other fishermen from the village where they learned to sail. As Wobbe grew older, they started sailing by themselves and taking more and more risks. Eventually, having surmised the direction and duration of a storm, Wobbe took a big risk which led to their ship being thrown off course and sinking. Wobbe was found ashore the next day but was unable to explain themself to the local who found them.

Note: Wobbe can be either male or female (the nickname is unisex)

Appearance:
Wobbe is well build with piercing grey eyes. They wear their blond hair as a pony tail to keep it out of their face. Wobbe is noticeably taller than average without being too imposing. Their hands are callusted by rope burns, and covered in knife knicks from their fish knife. Wobbe tans easily and looks ruddy for half of the year.

Why are they in the covenant?

Wobbe can easily be in any coastal Covenant, whether in the Rhine tribunal or just as easily in one on the British isles or Normandy, having been washed ashore far from home. Wobbe is utterly incomprehensible (in addition to being Frisian) so contact with new people is somewhat difficult. However the wilderness sense, keen eyes and good perception will make them handy grogs especially if lots of sailing is involved. Their reckless trait might lead to taking higher risks, whether it is starting a bar brawl (where they can handle themselves) or simply sailing dangerously close to the storm (which may worry/please the magiu depending on their own adventuring style). While they lack Survival, they can be good guides overland as well or an excellent watch(wo)man.
Wobbe has made the effort of learning a little bit of the language of the Covenant, but still struggles to communicate with them.

Stats:

Attribute|Score

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

Virtues: Covenfolk (free), Keen sight, Wilderness sense
Flaws: Incomprehensible, reckless

Area Lore (Frisia) (Geography) 2
Athletics (Endurance) 2
Awareness (Alertness) 4
Brawl (Dagger) 3
Carouse (Drinking songs) 2
Covenant Language (explaining things) 2
Folk Ken (Sailors) 2
Low German (Frisian) 5
Profession (sailor) (Fishing) 5
Swim (Sea) 2
Wilderness sense (Weather) 3

Jank · November 8, 2019, 7:06am

Grog 8 : Lord/Lady von Rothbart

Age: 30
Story:
Lord/Lady von Rothbart are the last living scion of a cadet branch of the local noble family. The family castle is near to the Covenant and through the occasional contact Castle-Covenant, they have become very interested in the Covenant as a mean to their end. They are very far down the succession line, but dream of ruling the castle anyway, and this ambitious eats at them constantly.
A few years ago, they encountered an Owl-fae and accidentally made a deal with them.

Von Rothbart: Oh how lucky you are Owl, to see at night and see from the sky. I wish I could see through your eyes.
Owl fae: It would only be fair that I could see through your eye.
Von Rothbart: Oh but you already can.

And so the deal was made. They had traded an eye for the ability to skin change into an owl.
And now von Rothbart schemes and plots how they might claim the family's ancient seat for themselves. They have little interest in weapons and hope to plot their way to power rather than fight (unless someone else does all the fighting). Von Rothbart will act courteously towards the magi, despite the Gift, as they seek to ingratiate themselves among their clearly power neighbours.

Note: If they fail to take the throne after a time but get promoted to companion tier character, they might have a child (with the virtue skinchanger (swan) ) and gain them the dependent flaw and bump Ambitious to major level to unlock a few more virtues (such as arcane lore).

Appearance:

Slim and dressed in the fine clothes of their status, Lord/Lady von Rothbart cut a striking figure. While not particularly graceful, they have a good turn of phrase

Why are they in the covenant?

They seek to use the Covenant as a springboard to inherit the Castle. They are obviously interested in the power and the magic that lies within, although they have no real understanding of it. They are wary of the fae and will seek to avoid making an actual bargain with the magi unless they get ironclad guarantees in return.
They are an excellent face, who could represent the Covenant's interest to local nobility.

They might already be married or if single/widowed, they might be interested in marrying a Noble born Covenant member to increase their ties to the Covenant (magi included) and seek to leverage this to bring the Covenant to their help in case of a succession opportunity.

Stats:

Attribute|Score

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

Virtues: Skinchanger (Owl), Gentle(wo)man
Flaws: Ambitious, MIssing Eye

Area Lore (Covenant area) (Nobility) 2
Athletics (Flight) 3
Awareness (Searching) 2
Bargain (Bribes) 4
Charm (Wittiness) 5
Etiquette (Nobility) 3
Folk Ken (Nobility) 4
German (High or Low, whichever is local) (Prose) 5
Guile (Elaborate lies) 5
Intrigue (Plotting) 4
Ride (Speed) 3

Jank · November 11, 2019, 6:46am

Grog 9 : Waltraud, the healer

Age: 35
Story:

Waltraud is the archetype of the "witch", she lived in the woods by herself for years. She is independent, and talented at what she does. She is a great healer and midwife, often visited by the folk of the community when they need her. Unfortunately her hunched back and weird ways mark her out from the usual villagers.
She was once brought in to heal the local lord's child. Having gloated that she would easy cure them, she was banished for failing to do so.
Her talent did not go to waste and after a short while wandering Saxony, she was taken in by a Covenant (or approached by a Peregrinator Mage on their travel).

Appearance:

She is heavily hunched over and her blond hair about to start greying. Her hands are dirty from collecting herbs in the woods and she is poorly dressed.

Why are they in the covenant?

She is a good healer, any Covenant would be happy to have someone like her around. That she can quickly and simply cure the Flux is just a bonus on top.
As an outsider to regular society, the Covenant would offer a haven of normalcy for her. Her talent are probably appreciated by the magi (especially if they lack a Corpus mage).

Stats:

Attribute|Score

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

Virtues: Wise one, Lesser purifying touch (Flux)
Flaws: Overconfident, Hunchback

Area Lore (Saxony) (Geography) 2
Athletics (Endurance) 4
Awareness (Searching) 3
Chirurgy (Diagnosis) 5
Folk Ken (Peasants) 4
Hunt (Poaching) 4
Low German (Saxon) 5
Medecine (Physician) 5
Profession (midwife) (Healing) 4
Stealth (Natural Areas) 4
Surivial (Forests) 4

Jank · November 11, 2019, 2:07pm

Grog 10 : Krabat, the ex-Infernalist Miller

Age: 25
Story:

Krabat was taken as a miller's apprentice somewhere in their home area in Sorbia. Learning the trade of miller they also learned gradually much of the infernal craft of the master miller, who was visited by a demon on a regular basis. After one of their friends was sacrificed to the demon by the master miller, Krabat grew bold and murdered the miller, with a well placed dagger in the back. Shortly thereafter the young miller was visited by an Angel who exhorted him to repent for the murder and his previous evil deeds, to instead dedicate his life to protecting common folk from such evil. Krabat embraced this redemption, burned down the mill and set off. Somewhere along their journey they met a fellow demon hunter who introduced them to the Order of Hermes and offered them to join a power organisation which disliked Devilry and whose powerful members were not immediately put off by the tain of evil which lingered on them.

Note: character is loosely based on the eponymous character of the novel . The character can just as easily be male of female. Krabat would make a great Companion, with the major flaw Diablic past and either an Infernal or Divine power. Shapeshifting would be true to the book.

Appearance:

Krabat has dark lanky hair, sweats a little too much and behaves in a generally creepy manner. They choose dark plain clothes or simple flour stained miller clothing.

Why are they in the covenant?

While Krabat can be the Covenant's miller, that is far from their greatest asset. Being able to sense (un)holiness and knowing too much about infernal lore, they will be useful in any Infernal related investigation mages might get up to. They will however make sure that the magi hold to the part of the code of Hermes preventing them from using infernal powers and will want to destroy any Infernal tainted object (or even location).
The magi will very well understand that Krabat is disliked and distrusted by mundanes as their evil taint is much akin to the gift.

Stats:

Attribute|Score

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

Virtues: Sense (un)holiness, Arcane lore, Covenfolk
Flaws: Tainted with Evil, Dutybound (oppose Infernalists)

Abilities:
Area Lore (Saxony) (Geography) 2
Athletics (Endurance) 2
Awareness (Searching) 4
Brawl (Dagger) 4
Carouse (Power drinking) 3
Craft (Miller) (menial jobs) 4
Folk Ken (Craftsmen) 4
Guile (Lying to authority) 2
Infernal Lore (Infernal magic) 5
Low German (Saxon) 5
Sense (un)holiness (Infernal) 4

Jank · November 12, 2019, 7:29am

Grog 11 : Till Eulerspiegel, trickster

Age: 25
Story:

Till was born to a peasant family but never intended to plough the earth, instead he always found excuses to be off the farm and talk to the neighbours, cajoling a sweet fruit or an excuses not to work from them. Growing up he would not learn anything despite being an intelligent boy, as he went he'd concoct lies to avoid his lessons or trick his teachers and parents into leaving him to his own devices.
As he grew older, he grew bolder, sweet-talking the barmaids into giving him free wine or into his bed, until he was kicked out of town. He continued his carefree wandering through Alsace, pulling tricks and pranks on people, seducing ladies and embarrassing those who sought to punish him.
When visiting Heidelberg he managed to trick the teachers of each topic into thinking him erudite, while knowing nothing of the subjects. He continues his picaresque way throughout South Germany until a mage must get him out of trouble and settles down in the Covenant (maybe after falling in love with a Custos?)

Note: Till Eulerspiegel (Owl-mirror) is Alsace's traditional trickster character.

Appearance:

Till Eulerspiegel is young, rather good looking, with short light brown hair.

Why are they in the covenant?

Till is a traveller, a liar and a trickster. He makes a great face for the Covenant, but is probably infuriating to have around as he might try to outwit the Magi and pull silly pranks on them. If he does not have to do anything he considers work and is kept well fed and wined, he'll happily stay in the Covenant. Maybe a promise was extracted out of him? saving him from the noose ( or spiriting him away from the bedchamber of a knight's wife) in exchange for an oath of service?

Stats:

Attribute|Score

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

Virtues: Puissant (Charm), Puissant (Guile), Wanderer
Flaws: Carefree, Poor student

Abilities:

Jank · November 15, 2019, 8:16am

Grog 12 : Sebald, Teutonic Brother knight

Age: 25
Story:

Brother Knight Sebaldus was born the third son of a minor but well to do baron of the Nuremberg area. He was named after the city's patron saint. As the third son he was destined for the priesthood, but his utter academic inabilities made him a poor student, unable to learn latin or his letters. He is a zealous man and his family was happy to let him join the Teutonic Order as his skill at arms predisposed him to. He has little interest in leadership or in rising within the order, merely content to bear arms in a righteous cause. He has been in Transylvania (or the Baltic or the Levant, see below) for a little over a year and has learned a little of the area and its language so that he can speak with the local militias.

Note: He is written up as a teutonic knight in Transylvania, as this is where they are based for a 1215 start. But this could be transposed to the Levant ( Arabic + area lore levant) or the Baltic area (Prussian or Livonian + Area lore of the region) in a later introduction date.

Appearance:

Sebald is a brawny, red haired and bearded man. He walks with the gait of a man accustomed to ride in the saddle and carries himself with the assurance of a man knowing he was born to rule the battlefield.

Why are they in the covenant?

Option 1: he abandoned the Order.

Disgusted by the petty politics and how the Order falls short of its calling, he has abandoned the Order and found refuge with one of the few organisations beyond the reach of the Church. He lives in the Covenant because he can no longer face the normal christian world. He might have made enemies and might be see nas a deserter. He will be a great champion of the Covenant thanks to being a powerful knight, a veritable wrecking ball in combat.

Option 2: the Order and the Covenant are on good(enough) terms.

In this case, he is with the Covenant with the Teutonic Order's blessing, maybe he is the bodyguard to a priest placed within the Covenant (see grog 1, Paulus) in which case his awareness specialty might be switched to bodyguard. Or he might have been sent there to learn of the MAgician's ways (more as a spy), or he could be placed there as a champion for the magi in exchange for some favour the magi did for the Order or a local important churchman. He could be the protector of a local religious site with which the Covenant is on good term and occasionally available to join the party on adventures, to break the monotony of being the only brute surrounding by vellum scratching monks.
He might have been sent away from the Teutonic Order to the Covenant to get him out of the way, as a form of exile.

Stats:

Attribute|Score

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

Virtues: Brother Teutonic knight (Against the Dark, p 83), Warrior
Flaws: Reckless, Ability Block (academic)

Abilities:

Animal Handling (Horses) 4
Area Lore (Oberfranken) (Nobles) 2
Area Lore (Transylvania) (Geography) 1
Athletics (Endurance) 4
Awareness (in Battle) 2
Brawl (Wrestling) 2
Etiquette (Nobles) 2
Great Weapon (Longspear) 5
High German (Franconian) 5
Ride (in battle) 4
Single Weapon (Lance) 5
Teutonic Order Lore (Knights) 2
Vlach (Military usage) 2

Jank · November 15, 2019, 8:51am

Grog 13 : Gunther, ex-Teutonic Sergeant

Age: 35
Story:

Gunther was born and raised on a farm outside of Sankt gallen in Switzerland. He was noticed to have a particular skill with healing but his parents were unable to pay for him to become a professional healer by having real medecine lessons. Instead, on the easter after his fourteenth birthday he signed up to the Teutonic Order as a brother sergeant for 20 years, and was taught proper medecine, along with other clerical skills such as Theology and Law. Before turning twenty he was sent to Jerusalem to work as medicus for the Order. He spent close to fifteen years living in Jerusalem, Acre and Edessa as well as accompanying members of the Teutonic Order and crusading nobles as medicus. A fall from horseback has mangled his left leg, limiting him to horse riding or limping to get around.
While in the Levant he was exposed to vistas unimagined, learning Arabic and French to deal with the many pilgrims and locals. He even has a based understanding of Islam, having attended public debates.
With his twenty years of service over, he returned to Europe, safe in the knowledge that all his sins had been forgiven. But his birth village had been wrecked by disease in his absence and no one knew or remembered him. Wandering on an old nag he was taken up by a Covenant who recognised the use of his many skills.

Appearance:

Gunther is heavily tanned, dark haired and bearded. Despite his healing skills, his left leg is a mess due to a horse riding accident, meaning he needs a crutch to walk. He has handed back the order's clothes and mante, but keeps a badge of the teutonic order pinned to his chest at all times.

Why are they in the covenant?

His service to the order has ended and he hoped to return to his family and settle as a local healer, but
there is nothing for him to go back to. However with his academic skills, he can be very useful to a Covenant as he is fluent in several languages and able to write them too. He cannot really fend for himself due to his injury and the focus of his skills, so will be happy in Covenant where he is cared for. His time among the supposed Infidels has shown him that maybe Christian Europe does not have all the answers

Stats:

Attribute|Score

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

Virtues: Brother Teutonic Sergeant (against the dark p 83), Puissant (Chirurgy)
Flaws: Vow (continue to uphold the rules of the Teutonic Order), Lame

Abilities:

Animal Handling (Horses) 4
Arabic (Explaining) 3
Area Lore (Levant) (Cities) 4
Area Lore (Sankt Gallen) (Geography) 2
Artes Liberales (Grammar) 2
Athletics (Endurance) 1
Awareness (Searching) 1
Chirurgy (Cauterisation) 5
Civil and Canon Laws (Papal Bulls) 3
French (Military usage) 3
High German (Swiss) 5
Latin (Academic use) 2
Medecine (Physician) 5
Ride (Long distances) 3
Teutonic Order Lore (Komtur locations) 2
Theology (Christian) (Bible) 4
Theology (Islam) (debates) 1

Jank · November 15, 2019, 10:58am

Grog 14 : Judith, the wild child

Age: 20
Story:
Judith has been with the Covenant for just over a year. Before that, little is known of her. There were rumours floating around of a wild child living in the woods, but they had not been confirmed until recently. A party of hunters were sent into the woods one autumn, but were ambushed by wolves. The last two were rescued by a scruffy dirty teenage girl who could only communicate in moans and cries. She followed them back to the local village where she was baptised by the priest and given the name of Judith. Unable to fit in with society she returned soon after to the woods but grew less fearful of her fellow humans, until last year she was found ill and barely conscious by a Covenant member and they brought her back to be healed. During her convalescence she was taught the basic language of the Covenant. She now comes and goes sleeping sometimes in the covenant, sometimes in the woods nearby. She has a natural way around birds, both as pets or as preys. She often returns from her hunts with an armful of plucked bird carcasses which she is delighted to see roasted.

Appearance:
Judith is dirty and unwashed, she does not bath and stinks of forest mush. Her aubrun her is a tangled mess containing small bits of forest floor, mud leaves and more. She wears clothes only as the season dictates, some of which she has sewn together using signew and rabbit pelts, others donated by the Covenant. She seems generally unconcerned for her appearance, or manners.
She is strong, quick and tireless, with exceedingly keen eyes. In a brawl, she could challenge just about any Covenant member and win.

Why are they in the covenant?

She is a great hunter and survival expert. The Covenant is as much "civilisation" as she can tolerate and only if she is able to come and go at will. She will feel gratitude, but will not be bossed around. She has no understanding of hierarchy or decorum, making her mess in any environment other than the wild. However the wild is her element and she will be a great guide, tracker, hunter for the party. In time she could even become a Falconer.

Stats:

Attribute|Score

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

Virtues: Improved characteristics, Keen Vision
Flaws: Feral upbringing, Social handicap

Abilities:

Animal Handling (Birds) 3
Area Lore (Covenant Area) (Geography) 2
Athletics (Running) 4
Awareness (Alertness) 3
Brawl (Bludgeon) 4
Covenant Language (Describing nature) 2
Hunt (Birds) 2
Stealth (Sneaking) 4
Survival (Forests) 5
Swim (Rivers) 2

Jank · November 15, 2019, 12:03pm

Grog 15 : Katherine, the Custos

Age: 30
Story:
Katherine grew up in Dunremar, the great-granddaughter of a visiting apprentice of the Eichenguilde and soon to be Jerbiton magus. She grew up in an environment which fostered academic excellence. She has spent several years teaching young apprentices their basics ( Latin, Order lore and Scribing) as well as working within the great tower of Dunremar, once her talent as a teacher was discovered. She regrets having never made it to the higher echelons of the Custos within Dunremar, but the competition in such a Covenant is fierce, which is why she was happy to (be) volunteer(ed) to help with the PC's Covenant. She knows the ins and outs of the Order, maintaining a correspondence with several people beck in Dunremar as well as in a few other Covenants. She has started two tractatus on the learning of Latin and outlining her understanding of Aristotelian Philosophy, but she ruined both by spilling ink all over her manuscripts, and has yet to start again.
Her greatest regret was being born too late to meet or correspond with Hildegard von Bingen.

Appearance:
Katherine is well dressed, benefiting from the ample resources of the Covenant. She wears a green-dyed wimple which compliments her eyes. She mostly wers brown dresses, but many are ink-stained or frayed as she is clumsy and often damages her clothes in the process.

Why are they in the covenant?

She is a fantastic teacher, born to the Order of Hermes and enmeshed deep within it. She would struggle anywhere else (aside maybe from of Closter). She has chosen to leave Dunremar as a way to strike out for herself and rise in a hierarchy which is otherwise too cluttered. She hopes to benefit from a Longevity potion when her time comes.

Stats:

Attribute|Score

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

Virtues: Custos, Good Teacher
Flaws: Covenant upbringing, Clumsy

Abilities:

Area Lore (Dunremar) (Important people) 2
Artes Liberales (Rhetoric) 3
Etiquette (Magi) 3
Folk Ken (Covenfolk) 3
High German (Dunremar dialect) 5
Intrigue (Rumor mongering) 3
Latin (Hermetic use) 5
Order of Hermes Lore (Living mages) 4
Philosophiae (Aristotle) 3
Profession (scribe) (copying texts) 4
Ride (Long distance) 1
Teaching (apprentices) 5

Jank · November 17, 2019, 3:24pm

Grog 16 : Holger, the Forester

Age: 25

Story:
Holger was the son of woodsman. Both his parents had always been close to nature and had always left faery gifts to the Huldra which they knew lived in their forest. When famine came, the parents left the boy in the forest, asking the wood spirits to care for him as they could no longer do so. The Huldra took the boy in and taught him the ways of the forest, showing benevolence to the child of the humans who had honoured her. She kept from the boy that his parents died a few months later as disease followed the bad harvest. The boy grew up eating faery food and never developed properly, but he lived and he learned of the faery and became a little like them. On his twenty first birthday, the Huldra declared him a full man and encouraged him to go find himself a wife. Holger set off but was poorly adapted to the world of men, and after several unsuccessful courtships he was chased out of towns. He continued to live off the forests and woods narrowly avoiding getting caught poaching thanks to what he'd learned from Huldra magics. This continued until a redcap uncovered him and offered to travel together. After a while, Holger decided that life on the road was less rewarding and chose to settle down in a Covenant, where he longingly await the Redcap's return.
He remains naive of normal human customs having spent so long alone with the Huldra he struggles to process many normal behaviours and taboos.

Note: Holger would just as easily be a woman (Helga).

Appearance:
Holger is a heavy set, thick browed man. He has very square features and stands at the higher end of average height. His light brown hair has an almost bark-like appearance in the right light.

Why are they in the Covenant?
Holger is a wanderer, who prefers forest to Civilisation. He'd be of interest to any Merinita or Faerie Lore expert. He could be the mate of a redcap, or simply have been dumped by the Redcap into the party's Covenant. He is very good with forests and would make a good addition to any forest based Covenant, as well as being the guide for Magi venturing in (the Black) forest.
His high Second sight will be helpful to the Magi who might be dealing with an enemy with high Imaginem or exploring (Faerie) Regios.

Stats:

Attribute|Score

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

Virtues: Faerie blood (minor, Huldra) (RoP Faery p108), Second sight, Wanderer
Flaws: Faerie upbringing, Weak characteristics

Abilities:

Area Lore (Schleswig) (Forests) 2
Athletics (Endurance) 4
Awareness (Searching) 3
Brawl (Unarmed) 2
Charm (Women) 2
Faerie Lore (Wood faeries) 4
Hunt (Poaching) 4
Second sight (Faeries) 4
Survival (Forests) 5
West Norse (Danish) 5

Jank · November 18, 2019, 7:50am

Grog 17 : Siegfried, the one handed blademaster

Age: 30

Story:
Siegfried was born of the dalliance of a soon to be Baron and a kitchen maid. His father always took good care of his bastard first born, making sure that the boy received the finest education to be found near Xanten, where the family owned much land around the castle. His father as warlike and as he was lecherous took the boy to war once he could stand his own in combat. Unfortunately for Siegfried, he lost his left hand in a skirmish and was left unable to fight for over year. His disappointed father appointed him swordmaster and teacher to the household, and had him better manners taught so that he might survive without being a warrior.
With the death of his father two years ago, Siegfried found himself exiled from his family lands as his younger half-brother (who had always resented the affection their father showed to a "mere bastard"), the new baron, did not want to have a rival around the castle. The vindictive new baron made sure that none of the local houses would take him in either, through using his political clout.

Siegfried found himself suddenly without any of the comfort that his noble upbringing had accustomed him to. Fortunately for him, a redcap who knew his father led first to Triamore and then to the party's Covenant where he could continue being the sword fighting instructor.

Appearance:
Siegfried is an elegant blond man, with aristocratic features and a few scars from war. Most striking is that he is missing his left arm below the elbow, amputated to stop the gangrene from rising. Which he tries to hide, often by keeping his arm behind his back or with a cape. Siegfried has less of the warrior's stagger than might be expected and makes an effort for his manners. He is well spoken and courteous.

Why are they in the Covenant?

Siegfried is a very capable teacher, who while unable to lead the rub into battle is certainly capable of drilling them into competent fighters.
Siegfried finds himself in a difficult position with his peers. He is obviously of noble blood and has their manners, affectations and outlook, but as a bastard, they will not accept him as a peer. Common folk are beneath him, and his missing arm hamper him should he wish to become a mercenary. He lacks the profession or craft to make a living as a "peasant" and so finds the Covenant a place where he is accepted as a swordsman and a teacher, and his status as half noble is understood without being disparaged. He would probably get along well with Jerbitons who share his noble outlook.

Stats:

Attribute|Score

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

Virtues: Privileged upbringing, Warrior
Flaws: Missing hand, Bastard (apprentices, p9)

Abilities:

Animal Handling (Horses) 4
Area Lore (Lower Rhine) (Politics) 3
Athletics (Endurance) 4
Awareness (Alertness) 3
Brawl (Wrestling) 2
Etiquette (Nobility) 4
Great Weapon (Great Sword) 5
Hunt (Deers) 4
Low German (Prose) 5
Ride (Speed) 3
Single Weapon (Longsword) 4
Swim (Rivers) 1
Teaching (Single weapon) 5

Jank · November 18, 2019, 9:24am

Grog 18 : Maria, the avaricious Redcap

Age: 25

Story:
Maria was the daughter of an innkeeper in Flanders, their inn stands along the road leading from the sea-ports to Trianoma and sees a number of redcaps pass by. The little maria seeing how wealthy these red capped riders seemed to be once hid herself deciding that one of them should raise her instead and she could have their silver. The Redcap, rather than being mad at the little stowaway decided that such an adventurous child would make a good apprentice and took her on. They travelled extensively in the greater Triamore area and lower Lorraine, where she learned French. Her parens was a convinced horse rider and made sure that she would also be swift on the saddle and tireless in her deliveries. Seeing how little interest Maria had for physical confrontation, she was able to focus her studies on social skills, in particular Bargaining as she would argue over the very last copper coin.

Maria is freshly out of Gauntlet.

Appearance:
Maria is blond and heavy set, her skin is tanned by all the time she spent on horseback, and wears riding trousers and boots anytime she is on horseback, but switching to skirts when not on the road. She has a foul mouth, making more than one blush with the curses she learned from the Fulda to the Norse sea. She is not charming, but has a keen eye for people and good intuitions ion how she might get the best of them.

Why are they in the Covenant?

Maria is freshly gauntleted and needs a home Covenant, the absence of other Redcaps in the party's Covenant make for a good base. She will seek to hoard wealth and is certainly happy to lend Vis to the PCs but she will do so with interest.

Stats:

Attribute|Score

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

Virtues: Redcap, Well travelled (free)
Flaws: Avaricious (major)

Abilities:

Area Lore (Flanders) (Geography) 2
Animal Handling (Horses) 2
Order of Hermes Lore (Living mages) 2
Area Lore (Lower Lorraine) (Geography) 3
Area Lore (Central Germany) (Geography) 3
French (Slang) 3
Athletics (Endurance) 3
Etiquette (Mages) 3
Folk Ken (Farmers) 4
Bargain (Cityfolk) 4
Low German (Slang) 5
Ride (Long distance) 5

Jank · November 19, 2019, 6:30am

Grog 19 : Dame Margot, the Huntress

Age: 21

Story:
Margot is the daughter of a Sicilian Norman baron, attending the court of the Emperor Frederick. In order to strengthen ties between his realms, she was promised in marriage, when she'd reach her twentieth birthday, to a German Landgraf and supporter of the Emperor.
Margot had been raised much as her brothers, to love the hunt, falconry and riding. All the leisure of the Norman aristocrats, and her strong will and devotion to the noble activity had been encouraged by her father, himself a falconer or local repute. However, when it became apparent that her older and stoggier husband expected her to settle for traditional activities to support him, she simply packed her things, took some silver, her prize falcon and horses, and rode off with her attendant. The Norman lady and her handmaid escaped their pursuants and lived off the land for a time, poaching and hunting their way through a foreign land whose language evaded them. Seeing no future in this, her handmaid deserted with silver and a horse when in the outskirts of a city, knowing that Margot would be uninterested in pursuing her there.
Little did she know that her reputation preceded her, a runaway bride riding through the land as if the Devil himself was chasing her. A curious and well connected Jerbiton sent their fastest grog after her with an invitation to visit their Covenant, finding her story appealing and interesting.
While the Jerbiton found her youthful exuberance amusing, he found that her wild streak and focus on hunting animals to fall outside of what they considered tasteful. But she was not lost to the Order.
She feels betrayed by her father to have wed her off to such an oaf, which is the main reason she has not sought to return to their Calabrian castle.

Appearance:
Tall, blond and blue eyed, Margot is clearly of Norman stock. She walks like she was born in the saddle and almost wears a falconer's glove. Her wardrobe has been drastically reduced after her flight, but she mostly wears hunting clothes or something practical when caring for horses and birds.

Why are they in the Covenant?

Margot rebelled against her social class by disobeying and abandoning her husband, it is very possible that his henchmen might come looking for her, or churchmen be sent to get an annulment of the marriage. Within a Covenant she can be left to doing what she wants to do most: training hunting animals, and then taking them on hunts. She would be particularly excited to train a Horse or Falcon of Virtue. She will form a friendship with anyone in the Covenant who shares her hobbies.

Stats:

Attribute|Score

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

Virtues: Privileged Upbringing, Gentlewoman
Flaws: Reckless, Infamous

Abilities:

Animal Handling (Birds of prey) 5
Area Lore (Calabria) (Politics) 1
Awareness (Searching) 3
Etiquette (Nobility) 3
Folk Ken (Nobility) 2
French (Norman) 5
Hunt (Falconry) 5
Italian (Sicilian) 2
Ride (Speed) 5
Survival (Forests) 2

Reputation (Runaway bride) 4

Jank · November 20, 2019, 7:17am

Grog 20 : Gerrit/Gertrude, the actor

Age: 30
Story:
Gerrit/Gertrude was born in Utrecht to a travelling band of entertainers. Their childhood was spent going from fair to fair, telling stories and reciting poetry from memory to entertain the people. With their parents' passing, they took over the leadership of the small troupe and continued touring the Low Countries. Often having to negotiate with disapproving Church officials, they have learned how to bow and scrape them, in order to secure the rights to perform.
Their performance being witnessed by a Jerbiton tour, they were invited to join them in a Covenant, to become at least part time based there and to provide the Jerbiton with their entertainment.

Note: the next grog (Jan/Jute) is meant to tie in with them as a sibling. Although each can also be used independently. Also, the grog can just as easily be a man or a woman.

Appearance:
Gerrit/Gertrude is tall (like most Friese) have reddish hair and fair complexion. Their green eyes are sharp. Overall they leave a strong impression thanks to their well groomed appearance, and careful speech. They are very expressive in their demeanour and facial expressions, although this is a deliberate choice. Their optimism if often infectious.

Why are they in the covenant?

Life on the road is often difficult and uncertain. The offer of a constant roof over their head and food on the table all year around, especially in the damp dutch winter is very appealing. They will provide entertainment for the Covenant as well as being able to represent them as face to the outside world.

Stats:

Attribute|Score

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

Virtue:Troupe Upbringing (+2 Acting and storytelling), Greater (presence), Wanderer
Flaw: Low Tolerance (apprentice p13),Optimistic

Abilities:

Area Lore (Low Countries) (Politics) 2
Athletics (Walking) 2
Awareness (Searching) 3
Bargain (Selling own services) 3
Carouse (Beer) 1
Charm (Opposite sex) 4
Etiquette (Church) 2
Folk Ken (Cityfolk) 4
Guile (Lying to authority) 5
Intrigue (Plotting) 4
Leadership (Inspiration) 1
Low German (Story telling) 5
Profession (Actor) 5
Stealth (Urban area) 4

Jank · November 20, 2019, 7:36am

Grog 21 : Jan/Jute, the pickpocket

Age: 25
Story:
Jute/Jan was born in Nijmegen to a travelling band of entertainers. Their childhood was spent going from fair to fair, performing acrobatics and tumbling to entertain the people while the older family members sang and played music. With their parents' passing, the leadership of the small troupe fell to an older sibling (Gerrit/Gertrude) and they continued touring the Low Countries. They often resorted to pilfering, pickpocketing and theft to supplement their sometimes meagre income.
Their performance being witnessed by a Jerbiton tour, they were invited to join them in a Covenant, to become at least part time based there and to provide the Jerbiton with their entertainment.

Note: They are meant to tie in with Gerrit/Gertrude as a sibling. Although each can also be used independently. Also, the grog can just as easily be a man or a woman.

Appearance:
Jute/Jan is short, slim build and has light brown hair. While their sibling inherited charisma and always received the adulation of the crowds and their parents, they are very unremarkable, though very deft with their hands. They dress in flamboyant clothes for tumbling, but prefer dark brown shapeless clothes for the other times. Something about them upsets animals though, and dogs can sense the shiftiness of their character, often barking at them unprovoked.

Why are they in the covenant?

Life on the road is often difficult and uncertain. The offer of a constant roof over their head and food on the table all year around, especially in the damp dutch winter is very appealing.
Or maybe they got caught stealing? Despite being a good catburglar, everyone makes mistake, maybe a dog caught their scent and alerted the guards? Either way, they woke up in a jail cell, luckily one of the Jerbiton acquaintances of their sibling knew Necromancy and replaced them with a CrCo duplicate, leading the guards to simply assume that they had died in the night. Good thing that the body was thrown quickly at a crossroad, as by sun-down, the body had vanished, obviously eating by a wolf...

They will provide entertainment for the Covenant as well as being able to sneak around and acquire objects from those unwilling to part from them.

Stats:

Attribute|Score

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

Virtue:Troupe Upbringing (+2 Tumbling and acrobatics), Light touch, Wanderer
Flaw: Offensive to animals, Pessimistic

Abilities:

Area Lore (Low Countries) (Geography) 2
Athletics (Acrobatics) 5
Awareness (Searching) 3
Brawl (Bludgeon) 1
Legerdemain (Filching) 5
Low German (Friese) 5
Music (Harp) 2
Profession (Acrobat) 5
Stealth (Urban area) 4
Swim (Rivers) 1

Jank · November 20, 2019, 10:55am

Grog 22 : Hana/Hans, the Failed apprentice

Age: 35
Story:
Hana/Hans was born to merchant parents, who were among the first to settle in Riga. They grew up as an irritating and off-putting child, and their parents were very happy to pass the child on to the Bonisagius mage who offered to teach him letters and how to become a bookbinder. After a few years as an unofficial apprentice, learning Greek and Latin from their soon to-be-parens, they were offered an apprenticeship, an offer they gladly accepted. The child was shaping out to be a very suitable apprentice, and had the potential to become an excellent researcher. Unfortunately for Hana/Hans who did not realise what they were asking for, their parens gave them an experimental longevity potion while they were still a teenager. This was a disaster, the child took on the appearance of middle age (an appearance that twenty years on they still have) and left them arthritic. Much worse, and maybe as a divine punishment for such hubris, this destroyed their gift and brought them outside of the mercy of God.
Their apprenticeship was terminated once the parens realised what had happened, but they stayed on as a helper for almost two decades. Handling their correspondence, translating texts from the Theban Tribunal and helping in the lab. They studied the code of Hermes in the hope of making a claim against their master, but ultimately realised that they would likely lose out in Tribunal. With the New Aristotle reaching them, they took a great interest in the book, having copied it twice already, joking that this brings them more consolation than Boetius.
After their parens went into a prolonged twilight, Hana/Hans returned to the Rhine Tribunal in search of a new Covenant.

Note: The Guardian of the Forest book does not list Baltic as a language, but it could be surmised as either Low German (Saxon or Pommeranian). My personal recommendation would be to make it separate but make it mutually intelligible with these two at no penalty (or bonus) as the first German settlers in the Baltic would most likely be speakers of these dialects (and Westphalian too, but I do not want to muddy the water further). This could be in a Novgorod tribunal book...

Appearance:
Hana/Hans appears close to 40, with arthritic joints. Their back is slightly bowed and move their legs with a distinctive gait. They were once joyful but premature aging took this joy away from them, instead they are resigned and depressed. They are of slightly below average height with dark brown hair, flecked with grey. They have not aged in almost twenty years, which still perplexed them. They dress much as German magi do, in wide warm robes. They often carry scrolls and quills with them

Why are they in the covenant?

Hana/Hans belongs to the Order, most magi feel sympathy for them, and many would want them in their labs or libraries. Many Covenants offered themselves as homes for such a useful character. Ultimately the party's Covenant was agreed as a compromise between competing powerful Covenants, who were happy enough to spite each other as consolation prize. They have shown little interest in teaching (their parens having abstained from taking a new apprentice after their mishap), though with a little practice they could teach useful skills to young magi and their apprentices. More importantly, they can copy magic texts and give great help in the lab.

Stats:

Attribute|Score

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

Virtue: Failed Apprentice, Puissant (magic theory), Unaging
Flaw: Depressed, Arthritis, Offensive to Divine

Abilities:

Area Lore (Livonia) (Geography) 2
Artes Liberales (Rhetoric) 2
Awareness (Searching) 2
Brawl (Unarmed) 2
Carouse (Power drinking) 1
Code of Hermes (Apprentices) 3
Craft (Books) (Hermetic books) 5
Greek (Hermetic usage) 4
Latin (Hermetic usage) 4
Low German (Baltic) 5
Magic Lore (Magic creatures) 3
Magic Theory (Enchanting items) 5 (+2 puissant)
Music (Singing) 1
Order of Hermes Lore (House Bonisagius) 2
Philosophiae (Neo-Aristotleism) 4
Profession (Scribe) (Hermetic texts) 4

Jank · November 21, 2019, 7:41am

Grog 23 : Dana, the Dowser

Age: 30
Story:

Note: Dana can be either male or female (the nickname is unisex, being short for Danijel/Danijela.)

Dana is the last of a long line of dowsers and sensers. Often going from grandparent to grandchild or a nephew/niece, the power of dowsing and the sensitivity to magic has run in Dana's family since the first songs of the people. Once detected, these abilities would be fostered and expanded by their kin with the same gift. However, no one really found Dana's talent to be particularly strong and they rarely got the approval of their elder. With the passing of their mentor, Dana became the main local dowser, helping both Sorbs and Saxons locate water to find where to dig a well or searching for ore. Sometimes it worked and when it did no one seemed impressed (they only did their job after all). Sometimes there was nothing to be found and they'd get curses thrown at them for being incompetent.
This peaked when they were ordered by the village chief to find the iron ore source. A goat had been found with rust stains on its horns, meaning that iron was to be found, but despite days of dowsing, Dana couldn't find any ore and instead found and wandered into a regio. They returned after a few hours they thought, but in fact a month had passed. They had been declared outcast for abandoning their work for the town and forced to leave, without even packing anything. They had nothing but the clothes on their back and their dowsing stick. The nephew/niece which they had begun training was forbidden from talking to them further and so this part of Dana's life was over.

Wandering through north Germany, Dana was able to eek a living off the extensive forests and dowsing for people. Their fate changed again when they bumped into a Redcap along a highway. They immediately recognised the Redcap as a carrier of magic and the Redcap quickly realised that they were dealing with a magically sensitive person. The Redcap took them to a nearby Covenant, hoping for a reward, which was meagre. Dana did not stay very long in this first Covenant as it was implied that more sensitive people could be find, but maybe the Party's Covenant would take them in since they lacked such a specialist. Maybe they could cut their teeth there?

Appearance:

Dana is slightly stooped, very unimpressive looking. They have long messy light brown hair and have a musky smell. People generally overlook them and do not pay much attention, feeling that the brown peasant clothes mark them as unimportant.

Why are they in the covenant?

Dana is an outcast, and no one takes them seriously despite their clear skills which are very useful to a Covenant or even to anyone who wants to dig a well. Dana is a very perceptive individual but left somewhat scarred by the poor treatment they received over the years (metaphorically or not). Being so used to be treated as useless, they will be very grateful to the Magi who value them and treat them well. The offer of a stable roof will be an improvement on the otherwise solitary and wandering life they led.

Stats:

Attribute|Score

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

Virtues: Dowsing, Magic sensitivity
Flaws: Outcast, Judged Unfairly

Abilities:

Area Lore (Brandenburg) (Geography) 2
Athletics (Running) 3
Awareness (Searching) 4
Brawl (Bludgeon) 3
Concentration (Dowsing) 3
Dowsing (Water) 5
Folk Ken (Farmers) 3
Low German (Saxon) 4
Magic Sensitivity (Auras) 5
Stealth (Forests) 1
Survival (Forests) 3
Swim (Rivers) 1
Teaching (Dowsing) 1
West Slavonic (Sorbian) 5