NPCs
Folks who inhabit this world and the party can interact with.

Harlan Fletcher
Harlan owns and operates the Locked Antler Inn. He is a stern, burly human and a veteran of the King's levies. He has a limp from severe gout and runs his inn with military discipline. He personally locks the gate every night and carries the only key on a heavy iron ring around his neck.
Harlan previously hired Marta as a barmaid without knowing of her secret affiliation to the Duchy of Greycliff. She poisoned a smuggler staying at his inn, and so he consented to have a party of adventurers haul her off to the authorities in his stead.

Brynja Stormmantle
High keeper of the Open Hall of Thunder in Skallheim, somewhere in the Stormcrown mountains separating the tundras from the forests of the lower continent. She taught Steps' that Thor speaks both through storms and through the actions of his followers. He owes her his life and unflinching loyalty.

Kethri-stands-Unshaken
Steps' big sister who’s off being a Paladin for an order he forgot the name of (for a God he doesn’t recall). She was always a calming presence in Steps' life, who uses patience and careful observation to make decisions. Steps' impulsiveness would drive her up the walls sometimes, but when it came down to it she did always have his back and help him out in need. Steps' missed her, but he is not worried about her. If anyone can take on the world it’s her.

Sings-to-Rain
Steps' mother. The one who raised him and had to deal with becoming a single parent after his dad passed away, while he was getting into trouble left-right-and-center during his kitten days. Steps' is sure he must have caused her to be worried about him on multiple occasions, but she’s always supported him and Kethri in making the most of their lives.

Runs-with-Starlight
Steps' father whom he doesn’t know all to well. He was enlisted as a scout, and died in the Sapphire War with the southern desert city-states, over the sapphirite that’s supposedly magically conductive. All Steps knows for sure is that he fought in the battle of Glass Winds where the desert armies used some sort of crystal mirrors to break the Eusian kingdom’s advance. Sadly his body was never found.