The Forest of Shadows: NPCs

Non-Player Characters

A list identifying non-player characters who have appeared in adventures; important figures in the Forest of Shadows, Briarsville, and the Mountain Kingdoms; and anyone else Salli decides to include. Some character descriptions were written by the storyteller who created the character.

In theory, the reference links included in entries are color-coded. Links to other entries on this page are normal colors (light green for links you've visited and light blue for links you haven't followed yet). Links to information elsewhere on the website are shades of blue-green. For an example, look at "Briarsville" and "Mountain Kingdoms" in the preceding paragraph.

If an entry doesn't include much information about the character, that's probably because either 1- that's all I know, or 2- I'm being cryptic. Feel free to ask questions about any character you find particularly interesting (or confusing!).

Illustrations are by Sarah and Salli.

Last Updated: 3/22/04
Total Entries: 102

A-E F-J K-M N-S T-Z

A-E
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Aikeyz*: As both Creator and Sun Lord, Aikeyz is the world's chief diety. He is most commonly worshiped in cities or desert regions. Aikeyz is also associated with planets.
Ailis: A mysterious, often silent woman who, as the Triad's Seer of the Future, really does know many people's secrets.
"Al": A water mage. His name may not really be Al, but he certainly works with Dar, and (reluctantly) Naenera. Al is one of Keshen's top men.
Princess Alethea: The daughter of a wealthy merchant house in the Tellurin Empire, Alethea and Evander sort of neglected to mention that she wasn't technically a princess.
Arvana: A practical Forest Guardian.
Benjamin Nydell: A citizen of Briarsville. He runs the Rose and Ladle tavern with his wife Helena (and sometimes his sister Brinna) and does something mysterious on the side. Or is it the other way around? (Benjamin is actually one of the Silver Wolves.)
Master Bess Kemenar-Alagoss: An Earth Mage and the youngest of the four Eastern Order Masters stationed in Briarsville. Married to the Wind Master, Suren Alagoss.
Brinna Nydell: A student in Briarsville. Her brother Benjamin and his wife Helena run the Rose and Ladle tavern.
Ceara: A beautiful servant of the Lady of the Forest who often takes the form of a young human woman resting near a large tree.
Dar: Human-mouse shapeshifter fighter who has been assigned to work for Naenera. Dar is one of Keshen's top men.
Daren: A deceptively ordinary-looking man who is the youngest member (relatively speaking) of the Triad. He's the Seer of the Present, and therefore usually the group's spokesman.
Darren Lightfoot: Messenger for an unknown Prince Nathaniel. (I bet he's from the Kingdoms of Kenavor.)
High King Devan*: The now-aging King of Torellia who formed the Mountain Alliance, led it to victory, and became High King of the Mountain Kingdoms. His Vitorian wife Zenora died during the War, and their son Evander is his only child.
Ebron: A young Druid whose task it was to tend the Gloomingwood during its 'imprisonment'. Also known as Peter.
Elarra: A young girl who lives in the Forest of Shadows. She's a ward of the Lady of the Forest.
Elemental Goblins: Nasty little creatures hardly intelligent enough to be NPC's, available in Earth, Air, Fire, and Water varieties.
Master Elric Narell: A Fire Master of the Eastern Order, stationed in Briarsville with three collegues: Bess, Suren, and Winter. Master Narell also happens to be deaf.
Esau Gillic: Jacob's brother, associated with the Silver Wolves.
Eshil Loyhalel: Servants of Aikeyz and Kaivé, some of whom chose to guide and protect this world. These mysterious beings vary in power and have diverse followers. Each has a specific domain and rarely ventures outside of it. (Encyclopedia Entry)
Prince Evander: Prince Evander of Torellia is High King Devan's only son, an the intended heir to both Torellia and the Mountain Kingdoms. Engaged to a young woman named Alethea, who he brought back with him after completing his education in lands to the east.
The Evil Chipmunk: It's a chipmunk, and it's evil. Mostly. It likes food and can talk to humans.

The Great Blue Dragon, with a friend (by Salli)
F-J
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Fairea: A blue-haired Ghost girl with her own itinerary. Fairea got special permission to leave the Ghost plane.
Feldan Vortas: The semi-retired Master Bard who presides over the bardic hostel in Briarsville, watched by his daughter Gloria.
Foxadou: A clumsy, red-headed Forest sprite, recently married to Nightingale.
The Garjuk: A massive underground creature that, when it surfaces, looks like a rather large hill surrounded by a ring of jagged stones. Rumor has it that the Garjuk is the Mountain Lord's pet.
Gavin Tane: The gentle caretaker of the library in the Briarsville Town Hall in addition to being a good husband and father. Husband of Orianna, father of Summer and Sierab.
Ginny: Five-year-old friend of Issarus.
Gloria Vortas-Drecken: Master Feldan's cheerful, efficient daughter, who, although married to a guardsman, still keeps house for her father.
The Great Blue Dragon: A peculiar blue dragon who is usually the size of a cat (because he likes being cuddled), but who has the power to change his size, and may be able to do other things as well. It turns out dragon eyes are even worse than puppy eyes.
Grinchek the Dwarf
: A grey-bearded dwarf who is the senior member of the Triad (which also includes Ailis and Devan) and nearing retirement as the Seer of the Past.
Helena Nydell
: The wife of Rose and Ladle tavernkeeper Benjamin. She recently gave birth to their first child.
Grand-Master Heron: Master Heron is the head of the Blue Dragon school in Briarsville, and really a very cool guy.
Guardians: The Forest Guardians are the Lady's followers and friends, her hands and eyes in the Forest and sometimes the world beyond. Known Guardians include Arvana and Jack.
Ilana: A shape-changing witch who lives in the Forest of Shadows with her mother Relna and her flighty familiar Jeffrey.
The Incredible Wishing Pond: A pond that shows up when least expected and grants wishes. When it feels like it. And if you can get its guardian to cooperate.
Issarus: A mischievous 5-year-old with silver hair who enjoys playing magical tricks on unsuspecting passers by. Friends with Ginny.
Ivaité*: See the River Lady.
Jack: A maddeningly enigmatic Forest Guardian. Occasionally he has to watch Elarra, possibly because he's one of the few people who can keep up with her.
Jacob Gillic: A man in Briarsville. He lives (well, before the fire, anyway) at the Haven, and has a brother named Esau.
Jeffrey: The flighty, belligerent young bird who is supposed to be Ilana's familiar.
Jess: Enterprising young Briarsville thief with rather unusual methods.
"Lady" Julia: A tiny, crotchety elderly resident of Briarsville who wears a red plaid shawl and is deeply mistrustful of strangeful. She is generally a nuisance, constantly meddling in others' business, but no one knows the West River region better.

Lizeyl
K-M
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Kalite: A fire elemental who refuses to take any shape other than that of a pillar of fire.
Kaivé*: Kaivé is the mysterious goddess of the moon and the stars. She helps Aikeyz look after the world, and her followers are usually represented by enclaves of priestesses. Lizeyl is one of her particular Eshil Loyhalel.
Kelas: A young raven-haired girl who, along with her sister Taia, spends most of her time running amok in the Forest. Generally the quieter sister. Daughter of Maiedra, granddaughter of Kimeldo.
Kerri: An absentminded Journeyman Mage from an order in the mountains of Kalynthia, sometimes known as the Brotherhood of the Tree.
Keshen: Knowing that Briarsville's Master Criminal sometimes answers to Keshen doesn't really tell you much, because it isn't his real name.
Prince Keven: The heroic yet clueless Crown Prince of Kalynthia, betrothed to Princess Valadine of Morendia.
Kimeldo: A mysterious old man who lives somewhere in the Forest. An Enchanter of great skill, he sometimes bestows gifts upon travelers who prove themselves in some way. Father of Maiedra, grandfather of Taia and Kelas.
Kira: A green kitten.
Kirsten Tortan: A Briarsville baker with a young daughter, Tanilla.
The Lady of the Forest: The mysterious, benevolent mistress of the Forest, who eventually knows everything that happens within its boundaries. Although outsiders rarely encounter the Lady herself, her agents are everywhere. Also known as Lizeyl, the Green Lady. One of the Eshil Loyhalel.
The Lady of the Harvest*: See Pralle.
Laeret: A mischievous water elemental who likes to take the form of a young boy.
Lanya: A priestess of Rytasé.
Layna: A woman in a red cloak who claims to be a Briarsville jeweler, but probably isn't anything that respectable. Layna seems to have a past history with Keshen.
Lian: A young boy from Briarsville, known to be a pathological liar.
Liz: A girl in Briarsville.
Lizeyl: See the Lady of the Forest.
Luci: A grandmotherly elderly woman who frequents the Rising Phoenix Tavern, often bringing cookies. She may be more than she seems.
Lyrana: A curious, cheeful water elemental who (usually) lives in the Forest. She is not bound to a particular body of water.
Maiedra: A hospitable woman who lives in the depths of the Forest with her two daughters, Taia and Kelas. Kimeldo’s daughter.
The Mountain Lord: The multifaceted ruler of the mountains who is also connected to dwarves—but only by association. Actually Ureyth, one of the Eshil Loyhalel.

Rytasé (by Sarah)
N-S
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Naenera: Powerful, enigmatic mage who commands all four elements. Dar and Al have been assigned to work under her by their mysterious master.
Nic: An impressively large bouncer who works for Rena Fenly at the Rising Phoenix Tavern.
Nightingale: The young Forest sprite who is Foxadou's wife.
Orianna Tane: Loving wife and mother as well as a skilled weaver. Handles domestic affairs of the Tane household. Wife of Gavin, mother of Summer and Sierab.
Palam: A know-it-all wind elemental.
Pralle*: The Lady of the Harvest and patron of farmers, one of the Eshil Loyhalel. Pralle is also associated with fertility.
Ral: Ral is the patron of chance, an extremely complicated Eshil Loyhale with several personas.
Relna: A cheerful witch who shares a cottage in the Forest with her daughter Ilana and her familiar, a black cat named Midnight.
Rena Fenly: The proprietress of the Rising Phoenix Tavern.
The River Lady*: The generally serene, but sometimes tempestuous, mistress of all fresh water. River Lady Ivaité is the daughter of Sea Lord Vrezhe— both are Eshil Loyhalel.
Robbie Redbreast: A cocky, annoying little robin with friends in high places. Literally— he knows eagles.
Ruscina: A young human-fox shapeshifter who is a journeyman at the Blue Dragon mage school in Briarsville. (Pronounced "roo-SEE-nuh".)
Rytasé: The Eshilés Loyhalé who specializes in information.
Sanoduma: A mother dragon.
Sasheylal: Lady Luck. Actually, a persona of Ral, and the patron of blind, willful chance. Sometimes thieves follow her.
Scott: Currently a blue cat.
The Sea Lord*: Vrezhe is the wild, boisterous master of the seas. He and his daughter Ivaité are Eshil Loyhalel.
Sezketh: A very ancient salamander, probably the most powerful fire elemental in the Forest of Shadows.
Sierab Tane: A nine-year old boy who enjoys running amok in the streets of Briarsville and annoying his older sister. Son of Gavin and Orianna, brother of Summer.
Silver Wolves: (1) Large, silver-coated wolves of unknown origins who serve the Lady of the Forest.
(2) Members of an enigmatic group that may be connected to the Forest of Shadows.
Summer Tane
: A teenage Briarsville girl who has a penchant for falling into fountains and getting into otherwise sticky situations. Daughter of Gavin and Orianna sister of Sierab.
Master Suren Alagoss: The Eastern Order Wind Master stationed in Briarsville. The Earth Master is his wife, Bess. (Fire Master Elric Narell and Water Master Winter Aithel complete the circle.)

Trinka (by Sarah)
T-Z
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Taia: A young blond girl who, along with her sister Kelas, spends most of her time running amok in the Forest. Generally the more talkative sister. Daughter of Maiedra, granddaughter of Kimeldo.
Tani: A Briarsville thread-seller.
Tanilla Tortan: A little girl in Briarsville. Daughter of Kirsten.
Teiar: A flute player.
Tel: Young Briarsville pickpocket who has managed to stay out of custody only because he has never actually succeeded at stealing anything.
Temindra (Mindy): A 9-year-old gnome girl living with her family in the Forest.
Teyni: A wood elf of undetermined origins, she's also a Silver Wolf.
Tiny: A saucy, well-built barmaid at the Rising Phoenix Tavern. Her real name is Leila, but only Rena uses it.
The Triad: A trio of seers who are, collectively, the second most powerful seers in the world. Although the actual seers vary, there is always one Seer of the Past, one Seer of the Present, and one Seer of the Future. Guided by a code of conduct known only to themselves, the Triad travels the world mostly unnoticed. Currently, the Triad includes Grinchek, Daren, and Ailis.
Lady Trinka: Master Heron's assistant, a foreign elf-lady with unusual talents.
Ureyth*: See the Mountain Lord.
Princess Valadine: The beautiful yet brainless Crown Princess of Morendia, only child of King Valdek, betrothed to Prince Keven of Kalynthia.
King Valdek: The King of Morendia, the northernmost member of the Mountain Alliance. His wife, Queen Naderna, died years ago, leaving him one daughter, Princess Valadine, who is now engaged to Prince Keven of Kalynthia.
Ven: Apparently works with the Briarsville constabulary.
Vrezhe*: See the Sea Lord.
Master Winter Aithel: A Master Water Mage of the Eastern Order, stationed in Briarsville with Bess, Suren, and Elric, Masters of the other elements. She has grandchildren.
Zothan, Lord of Chaos: With a name like that, could he be a good guy? Zothan is the Eshilar Loyhala of chaos, a necessary counterpart to the order in the world... which he is determined to destroy.
Zuraythé, Lady of Fortune: The Eshilés Loyhalé of fortune, or luck you deserve. Actually, she's a persona of Ral.

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