Saturday, January 15, 2022

Character Challenge 2022 15: Ellis Newtonson, Deputy of Windemere

I keep thinking of Barney Fife from the Andy Griffith show for this character. He's very earnest, yet over-confident and thinks things should be the way they are supposed to. He is not happy with Ira Sprigbasher's capitulation to the Elf Pirates, so tends to patrol around the Silver Pirate and writing up citations for everything he can think of. The pirates ignore him. His does talk to the few children in the town, trying to "nip it in the bud" when they act out. 

He was a sergeant under Ira when they served together, and, despite the half-Elf pirate issue, has a great deal of respect for the sheriff and will stand up for him in all cases. He is also a devout follower of Bizma, the goddess of Fire. He has fashioned a tunic with her symbol, and wishes he had some of her holy armor (see the pantheon I've never fully fleshed out but will try to start using a bit more here). 


A tall man and now balding, Ellis wanders the streets with his trusty halberd at hand, sword on his hip. He has been with Ira Sprigbasher more than 20 years now, first in the wars and now as his trusted deputy. A stickler for the law, he carries a pad of parchment paper and often will write up people for every possible offense. Few people take this seriously, though there have been vigorous arguments at the sheriff's abode. He is known to even write up children in the street, wanting them to grow up in the straight and narrow. He visits the Nimble Priest Inn every 3 days, lighting a candle in one of the back rooms that serves as a generic sanctuary. Each year he petitions for an actual temple, or at least using one of the many abandoned buildings for a sanctuary. His letters to Edge City have gone unanswered as the priests there do not believe Windemere to be large enough to support a temple, or even an outpost.

He does not like Orcs in general but has learned to temper his feelings as Rennor is also earnest in her own way. He has learned to respect that aspect of her, but still hates that she is an Orc. He lost many comrades in the war against Orc tribes. He gets even more upset that Ira will hire her to help with the occasional bar brawl.

Ellis has deputized several people in the past to create a temporary guard squad for high value caravans and the like. When the sheriff is drunk at the Inn, Ellis takes him back home, often in a handcart.

Unlike many of the citizens of Windemere, Ellis actually lives outside the city walls in a large 2 story building to the east, just north of the eastern gate. He lives here with at least a dozen stray cats and a small flock of chickens. He makes breakfast for the sheriff and any prisoners and is a decent cook. Eggs play a good part of the meals he creates. He also tends a small garden that has a tiny shrine to Bizma. 

Not sure how much I'll use these rough relationship maps, but still thinking I may try & make a complete PDF booklet/zine for the trade town of Windemere sometime.


I also want to do up some of the buildings in town just to play with the mapping stuff. Though honestly - does anyone really use maps like that? I seem to struggle to use them other than inspiration. In actual play they really don't matter. Perhaps I've gotten used to the more theater of the mind we use.

And not at all related, but there is an Asheville game pub opening back up soon. I may see about that. And there is that new game shop down in Marshall I need to visit. If you want to see what Marshall looks like, it was used in that movie years ago with James Gardner and Jack Lemon, My Fellow Americans. And Asheville (if I remember, it has been a few years) was the Dorothy Parade. Asheville is a strange city at times. There has been a number of movies shot around here.

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