Book 2: Important People

[ManWithDoor]

Count Bartelby Lotheed
- Human, Adult, Male (Magic-User)

Background: Steward of the Palace of Birdsong.
Appearance: Bartelby is tall, thin, and handsome, with thick hair and expressive eyes.
Personality: (Limited info) According to Martella, arrogant yet charismatic.

Goals: (Unknown)

Biases (KNOWN): Bartelby despises fools, and has no time for anyone without a high Intelligence score (min 14), or ranks in at least 3 different Knowledge skills (-2 if you don't qualify). He admires fellow practitioners of the Arcane arts (+2 if you're a wizard/sorcerer/etc.)

Strengths: (KNOWN) Bartelby has only contempt for the common peasant and feels they should know their place and remain quiet. Invoking any sense of compassion for the downtrodden or sense of collective identity with peasants raises his hackles.

Weaknesses: (KNOWN) Bartelby is greatly swayed by intellectual gifts. Anyone presenting him with an antique or spellbook worth at least 250 gp gains a +1 bonus on checks to influence him.

Attitude: Indifferent
---> UPDATE 1: Friendly (saved from the assassination attempt at the Tanager Jubilee)
---> UPDATE 2: Back down to Indifferent after Mercutio's tragic attempt to Influence him (and possibly pork his Aunt).
- Influence Check Successes: 4 (unknown number needed)

Portrait

[ManWithDoor]

Baron Nicolaus Okerra
- Human, Adult, Male (Warrior)

Background: A famous tournament winner, primarily with the lance and bow. Famous as a debater on the fineries of law and order, especially now that he is slowing down in his middle age and is not hitting the tournament circuit as often. Widely respected as fair and unbiased, he has also been called in to provide mediation in noble disputes, or to act as the marshal in contentious duels.

Appearance: Tall, dark, and handsome - and still very fit despite his advancing age. Nicolaus stands a head taller than most.
Personality: (Known - interacted with in Book1) Popular, brave, and practical, the Baron speaks his mind and believes in straightforward action rather than political solutions. He's a hard-working man who often rolls up his sleeves to help his subjects.

Goals: (Limited info) Inspire other nobles to behave lawfully and responsibly.

Biases: Nicolaus respects integrity, and has a predilection for other lawful characters (+2 bonus). In the past he may have had a negative bias towards women in power, but given he was persuaded to vote for Princess Eutropia for becoming the Heir, that is no longer the case.

Strengths: As a man who holds lawful and direct action above all else, Nicolaus is especially resistant to any discussions that suggest subterfuge or all-out revolution.

Weaknesses: Baron Okerra has always associated goodness with obedience and service, but he’s increasingly questioning the morality of his life since the Exaltation Massacre. Any expression of sympathy touches Nicolaus’s heart.

Attitude: Friendly (would have been Indifferent, but your Book 1 Actions changed that)
- Influence Skills: Handle Animal, Profession (Architect, Driver, Farmer, Fisherman, Midwife, Porter, or Soldier)
--- Influence Check Successes: 6 - succeed in reaching the needed number to move up in attitude.
----- MOVED TO HELPFUL!

Portrait

[ManWithDoor]

Dame Parthena Crabbe (and her daughter, Sepsinia)
- Human, Adult, Female (Aristocrat)

Background: Dame Crabbe's beloved husband, Opilia, died this past year. Her daughter, Sepsinia, is of marriageable age.
Appearance: Parthena is a broad, middle-aged woman with a wide smile and expressive eyes. She smells overwhelmingly of camphor and sugar. By contrast, her daughter is rail-thin and pale, looking vaguely surprised or frightened by everything.
Personality: (Limited info) Constantly on the pulse of local and national gossip, she additionally loves to discuss art, antiques, and fashion.

Goals: (Limited info) Looking for a suitor for her daughter.

Biases: (Limited info) Is attracted to money and power.

Strengths: Dame Crabbe is bored by anyone taking their noble responsibilities too seriously—one of the few reasons she hasn’t tried to pursue Baron Okerra for herself.

Weaknesses: Anyone who seems romantically inclined toward Sepsinia—or better yet, attempts to woo her—will find Dame Crabbe very friendly. Parthena hasn’t noticed her own lack of love life and is easily flustered by anyone flirting with her.

Attitude: Indifferent
- Influence Skills Discovered: Perform (any)
---> UPDATE: Raised to Friendly (5 Successes)
- Influence Check Successes: 5 - succeed in reaching the needed number to move up in attitude.
----- MOVED TO HELPFUL!

Portrait

[ManWithDoor]

Her Grace Baroness Legate Adella Voinum
- Human, Old, Female (Commander, Retired)

Background: A woman of wealth and discipline, Baroness Voinum is a retired commander of the Taldan Phalanx. She is known as the local grump - condescending, detached, and judgmental - but is also a font of knowledge regarding the region's history.

Appearance: A woman of legendary stature in her youth, age has finally begun to bend the Baroness, and she now stands merely 6 feet tall. She still proudly displays the scar left when an Andoran spear pierced her face years ago.

Personality: (Limited info) Clever, harsh, and scathing.

Goals: (KNOWN) Adella can see the social decay in Taldor, but she attributes it to a lack of discipline and respect for tradition. She wants to be an example of how the social system is supposed to work, and cajoles or browbeats her neighbors into following her lead.

Biases: (Unknown)

Strengths: Adella sees flattery as shallow pandering.

Weaknesses: Baroness Voinum respects those with regard for tradition and an interest in history of the county and the nation.

Attitude: Unfriendly (distant and cold, having met far too many useless people)
---> UPDATE: Raised to Indifferent (7 Successes)
- Influence Check Successes: 1/7 (moving towards Friendly))
--- Other Influence Skills that can be used beyond Diplomacy (discovered) = Ride

Portrait

[ManWithDoor]

Honorary Tribune Onora Piscum
- Half-Elf, Adult, Female (Warrior)

Background: A commoner both uncomfortable and unwelcome in the noble halls of the palace, Onora fell into the job of Tribune of Stachys after the death of the hereditary Tribune, Allis Betony, 10 years ago and her husband, the acting Tribute, 5 year later.
- NOTE: Stachys is adjacent to your manor, the Betony Estate. You now directly oversee it.
Appearance: Onora is plain, muscular, and heavily freckled. A half-elf, she looks far younger than her actual 55 years.
Personality: (Limited info) No nonsense, detail-oriented, and thorough.

Goals: (Unknown)

Biases: (KNOWN) Known to respect those with practical skills, not just political ones.
- Tribune Piscum despises anyone who flaunts their wealth and power (–2).
- She warms up to anyone who clearly understands a practical skill or two, such as Craft, Handle Animal, Profession, or Survival (+2).

Strengths: (KNOWN) Onora has a quiet hatred for Count Bartelby and is especially cold to anyone who tries to use his name or influence to persuade her.

Weaknesses: (KNOWN) Onora has a deep love for homespun metaphors and colloquialisms.

Attitude: Unfriendly (Onora assumes most nobles are useless)
---> UPDATE: Indifferent (4 Successes accomplished) -> Friendly (4 Successes accomplished)
- Influence Check Successes: 0 (moving towards Helpful)

Portrait

[ManWithDoor]

Sir Gul Gusairne
- Half-Elf, Adult, Male (Seneschal)

Background: The half-elf Gul served the previous Count Lotheed with distinction as Seneschal, keeping the estate in order and the people in line. He continues this service under Bartelby. Despite being a low-born bastard of a minor Lotheed cousin and a charismatic, traveling elven merchant (thus he can claim membership in the family but not the family name itself), he appears to have the full faith and support of the family.

Personality: (Limited info) He is a dry, humorless man with little joy and an exacting attention to detail.

Attitude: Unfriendly


NOTE: Sir Gul has a position of authority, but it not a true Power in the County. He does not need to be Influenced.

[ManWithDoor]

Lady Lucretzia Marthane
- Human, Adult, Female (Noble)

Background: Unknown - Announces herself as a cousin visiting from Cassomir, though she remains unspecific as to whose cousin.

Personality: (Unknown) Lucretzia appears to keep to herself, making the bare minimum of small talk.

Goals: (Unknown)

Biases: (KNOWN) Lucretzia shows off an appropriate level of wealth to fit in to her surroundings, but is disdainful of ostentatious displays of riches, holding nothing but well-concealed contempt for such persons.

Strengths: (Unknown)

Weaknesses: (Unknown)

Attitude: Unfriendly - less active dislike or hostility, more difficult to engage with beyond surface conversation
- Influence Check Successes: 2