Little is known about Meren. He appeared abruptly outside the door of the King’s Tavern during a thunderstorm the night the heroes first met.

He seldom speaks, instead staring into space as if examining another realm. However, when he does choose to speak, his words cut quickly to the point and often shed light on otherwise shadowy subjects.

He is fiercely loyal to the group and very reliable. He bears the markings of a long forgotten sect of magic users fabled to live high in a distant mountain pass. Good luck getting him to tell you about his people or his past.

Nayla was born in the desert lands to the far west. Those lands are known for a vibrant culture with many unique traditions that keep them tightly bound. Nayla’s parents were respected and well known. Her father was a soldier and her mother was a talented and famous dancer. Unfortunately, Nayla was an aggressive and athletic young lady in a culture that strictly forbade women from many roles. As a child she constantly watched her mother dance and her father train as a swordsman. She knew, or wanted little else, than to do both of these things.

She was forced to leave her family after a fatal encounter with a well-connected and diabolical politician, and fled prosecution for years, honing her swordsmanship and seeking to clear her family name.

When she found Jin on her travels, enslaved at his temple, she acted quickly to save his life, and in so doing, gained a dear friend.

She’s fierce, loyal and has a pure moral compass that can’t be tarnished.

Barg’s imposing size, even for an orc, is matched only by his good nature. His father, Grogik Bogart, is a renowned warlord, and much to his father’s dismay, Barg sought a different life, free from cruelty and strife. After a violent confrontation with his father over his constant use of force, Barg left his clan. And even though Barg was his first and only son, Grogik was so displeased ‘soft heart’, that he forbid his return and threatened to cast out any others who pitied him.

Many would have followed Barg into the world of men, but they remained silent, afraid of Grogik’s wrath. But on that day and in the days that would follow, many orcs knew that their loyalties would be tested, and they may well follow Barg’s lead.

His is a story of courage and vengeance. Many years past, a shoemaker and his wife were walking in the wood when they came upon a tiny goblin infant. The nub of a creature lay screaming at the bottom of a pit, left alone to die in the forest.

Everyone knows that it is a custom of the goblin clans to abandon mutated or weak progeny, and so the couple wasn’t surprised to see this scarred and oddly colored creature left for dead. Sandhelmians are by their very nature, unable to let an innocent die, and because the shoemaker and his wife were childless, they decided to take little Yub’nub home and raise him as their own.

As the years passed, Yub’nub grew quickly. He was considered a citizen of Sandhelm, but struggled daily with his goblin irascibility and selfishness. He has learned to live to serve and protect his mother and the citizens of Sandhelm.

The Temple of the Bolahn monks was nestled deep in the cloud forest of Qa’ar, far to the west of Sandhelm. Huǒ jiàn, known only as “Jin” lived there from a young age, learning from the peaceful and pious monks. They taught him martial arts and mindfulness, as well as fine arts. The monks became known for their fine arts, including paintings and tapestries that were sought the world over. With their notoriety came wealth, and with their wealth came great danger.

A despised warlord, known for his ruthlessness, came from the South to pillage the temple and enslave the monks of Bolahn. Jin was captured and kept in a small cage for three years, and his beloved temple was almost completely destroyed. Jin patiently meditated and waited for his chance to escape and seek vengeance.

One day he was awakened by shrieks from his captors, and looked out to see an incredible swordswoman slicing her way through his enemies. When she got to his cage, she smiled. “I’ve been looking for you, she said.”

Jin and Nayla have been travel companions ever since, and rarely leave each other’s side. Fierce and loyal, they are the perfect fighters for any party.

Raised in the streets as an orphan, in a nearby kingdom not known for its generosity, Kaitlin has seen much cruelty in her life. She was known by some as a deceitful thief, since many people have little forgiveness for crime, even when driven by hunger as she was in her younger years.

Now, of some means and agency, she has left her homeland due to its lack of...home. Running low on supplies, she came to Sandhelm late one evening to “procure” some needed goods.

Approaching the King’s Tavern, she was overcome by a sense of peace, and instead of slipping in through the backdoor, she decided to come in through the front. She was immediately met by the warmth of the fire and the sounds of merriment of the patrons.

During her time in Sandelm, her actions have been heroic and her intentions have been true. She is a loyal companion and someone that any adventuring party would welcome.