Serai Lorenci is a male shoal elf sorcerer. He is the twin of Sercian Lorenci, and the two of them hail from Dohrinthas in the south. Serai's original intention was to try to raise the money for a sailing ship, but now he has settled down in the city, buying a house and joining the Inverted Pyramid society for arcanists. He has an affinity for machines and a deep interest in the strange devices some call Chaositech. His friends believe it to be too deep an interest, and at least once had to go to great lengths to save him from himself as he volunteered to have himself "altered"by a mysterious figure called the Surgeon in the Shadows. Played by Wizards of the Coast Creative Director Chris Perkins.

 

Shurrin Delano is a male human Fighter/Rogue/Cleric of Mirresh, the goddess of laughter. Born in Carper's Bay, a small fishing town, he came to Ptolus to find adventure and the mysterious Urthon-Aedar. He bears the masterwork rapier carried by his grandfather, an adventurer and hero for the common people. A friendly, positive, and courageous young man, he sees himself as a swashbuckler and a sword against evil forces in the world. Played by game designer Sean K Reynolds. You can find Shurrin's stats at Sean's website.

 

Sister Mara von Witten is a female human cleric of the Church of Lothian originally from Tarsis. She's motherly and of middle age and has climbed back up through the levels following a terrible experience-draining incident at the hands of the priests of Father Claw. While devoted to the Church, Sister Mara often finds herself at odds with its dogmatic administrators, who tend to frown on her prophetic visions and penchant for dreamspeaking. Her extensive travels have taught her that the folks you meet have a lot to offer -- even if they don't follow Lothian's strict doctrine. Of late, she has been attempting to enlighten the Rhoth-bred paladin Zophas. Not an easy task. Played by Malhavoc Press cofounder Sue Cook.

 

Aliya Al-Mari is a female human monk/sorcerer. She came to Ptolus from far-off Uraq and joined the Order of the Fist. She has made close friends with Mara, Shurrin, and particularly Serai Lorenci, although some of Serai's recent actions have brought their relationship into question. Aliya has died twice, and the experiences have scarred her somewhat -- she is careful but deliberate in her actions now, knowing full well the danger she faces each day. For reasons unknown to her she is somehow linked to a woman held captive in the Dark Reliquary. She's able to see this poor soul thanks to her natural affinity for mirror magic and scrying.

Aliya commands the respect and admiration of all who know her. Her martial prowess is well known, and the fact that she wields a little sorcery is a valuable ace up her sleeve. Played by senior editor Michele Carter.

 

Zophas Adhar is a male aasimar paladin/Knight of the Pale. He hails from a small, isolated community in Rhoth where the religion of Lothian still holds total sway. Thus, he finds the cosmopolitan atmosphere of Ptolus to be bizarre and uncomfortable as he searches for the truth about his celestial lineage. Is he the spawn of demons or a child of heaven? What he was taught growing up conflicts with what he sees for himself today. And now that he has found his half-brother in the ranks of the celestial Malkuth, he feels more confused than ever. His wizard cohort Ephendus is no help, for the frail wizard is more interested in books than real life.

Zophas' holy greatsword, the Ankh of Justice, was created by Ephendus and Mara working together. It has felled many a foe, and is sure to rid the world of even more demons and undead in the days to come. Played by Erik Mona, editor of Polyhedron magazine and the Living Greyhawk Journal.

 

Canabulum is a male minotaur wizard. Born in the mountainous lands to the east, Canabulum learned magic from another minotaur named Raumon. Canabulum takes his time when speaking, preferring to fully formulate each thought perfectly. Likewise, he tries to see behind the common facade of life, to learn the secrets and hidden truths beneath. He seeks ever to increase his knowledge of magic, which to him is a lifelong companion and drug. His most noteworthy accomplishment to date is the near slaying of the frost giant Ymrik, who threatened to plunge Ptolus into Shadow.

Played by senior game designer Bruce R. Cordell. You can find Canabulum's stats at Bruce's website. You'll see that he's not actually a full-strength minotaur, but a compromise reached between player and DM to make his race an effective character level 3.

 

Udalaag is a male half-dragon who is also part umberhulk, and part... well, we're not really sure. We do know that after decades of mistreatment in the palace of Storamere, he jumped at the chance to flee with the adventuring party that had killed his tormentors. (He didn't have the smarts to fend for himself, anyway.) Over time and thanks to much patient instruction from the motherly Mara and "lair-mate" Canabulum -- well, the +4 amulet of Intelligence doesn't hurt, either -- the no-longer-evil dragonspawn has learned the value of friendship. Now, if we could only teach him to stop eating our fallen foes.... Udalaag appears in Monte's Beyond the Veil adventure from Atlas Games.

 

Vexander Sangreal is a male shoal elf Sorcerer/Rogue from north of Ptolus. He never took to the life of a sailor, instead preferring to hone his growing sorcerous power. After arriving in Ptolus with his archer friend Chanticleer, Vexander soon fell in with a group of adventuring elves who later dubbed themselves "The Company of the Black Lantern." Together, these elves have ventured into a number of the dungeons beneath Ptolus, including recent explorations of the fabled ruins of Dwarvenhearth.

Though he's been known to act rashly at times, Vexander's agility and quick thinking usually get him out of problems without too much difficulty. He knows his luck will run out at some point, and he trusts that his companions will bail him out as he has done for them (such as the time he goaded a red dragon into facing him rather than finish off the critically injured Gaerioth). Played by game designer and editor Andy Collins.

 

Sercian Lorenci is a male shoal elf Rogue/Fighter/Sorcerer. His twin brother Serai and he traveled to Ptolus in the company of Aliya Al-Mari but split up after that, although they still get together now and again to trade stories and for Sercian to borrow money from Serai. Sercian joined the Company of the Black Lantern and aided them in their exploration of the ancient city of Dwarvenhearth beneath Ptolus. However, Sercian was captured and replaced by a dark elf. Only recently did he escape and help drive off the impostor. Now he seeks to lead the Black Lantern and other elves to the dark elf stronghold where he was held prisoner and crush his former jailers. Played by Wizards of the Coast Creative Director Chris Perkins.

 

Walking on the broad back of winter I am pierced by your terrible Needle-- Ptolus --From the Journal of Gaerioth Shadowhand.

Gaerioth Shadowhand is a male harrow elf monk and follower of the Brotherhood of the White Path (a mystical order of warrior monks devoted to the pursuit of enlightenment through the mastery of both body and mind) in Kem. Despite his devotion to the order's principles and philosophy, Gaerioth has always struggled with a darkness within him -- the legacy of his harrow elf heritage. It is this struggle that led his Masters to send him out into the world as an Avedras, a wandering monk tasked with a specific quest. Now he travels the world searching for the Word that began all of Creation. His journeys have led him to Ptolus and into the Company of the Black Lantern.

Though gentle and soft-spoken by nature, he is fierce in battle. He eschews weapons and enters combat only with his war mask (a carved wooden mask covering the lower half of his face, reminiscent of a combination of Aztec artistry and Samurai armor) and the mastery of his body. Currently, the monk has devoted himself to the destruction of the dark elves beneath the city. Played by Sabertooth Games Marketing Manager Keith Strohm.

Tellian Riverborn is a male shoal elf cleric. New to the city of Ptolus, Tellian is a devotee of Navashtrom, god of strength and harmony. Although good-natured and honest, Tellian has done most of his work in Navashtrom's name from behind a nocked arrow.

If Tellian has a fault, it's that he tends to see the will of Navashtrom in too many things. His unquestioning confidence in his god's will has made him more trusting than most seasoned delvers and left him willing to overlook the darker side of his new adventuring companions in the Company of the Black Lantern. Played by Dragon magazine editor Jesse Decker.

 

A member of the Order of the Dawn -- the Emperor's personal cadre of knights -- Thoreaen Lightbringer was assigned to infiltrate the Company of the Black Lantern, to keep tabs on the increasingly powerful and roguish group. This devout elven paladin of Lothian has an intellgent sword that is perhaps even more devout than its wielder. He never shirks from expunging evil. Played by Sabertooth Games Marketing Manager Keith Strohm.