Rivals

Terragard is rife with interesting characters, and many of them choose to go adventuring just like the party does. Below is a list of a few example parties that the PCs may encounter.

Brother Grimm
Conway, a roguish dragonborn out to avenge his brother's death. He wields his brother's sword and shield (which he is not proficient with), likes to talk a lot and often makes deals that sound too good to be true (because they are). He's survived with his devilish good looks and unyielding luck. In truth, his armor allows him the Luck ability, allowing him to reroll any roll 3/day. Plus his rogue levels, which come in handy when he flanks with his team.

Dramlin, a human bruiser. Friend of Conway's brother, he made an oath to Conway to avenge the untimely death. Doesn't get along well with Conway but likes to kill. Blood feels good on his skin. Before battle he cuts his palm and rubs it on his face, painting the emblem on Conway's shield.

Gnyce, strict about the pronunciation of her name. She's the now ex-fiance of Conway's brother, and current lover of all things that bleed. Specifically the things she makes bleed. Since her fiance's death she's dabbled in necromancy and has three skeletons/zombies tied to her waist by hemp rope. One of them is her fiance. He's the one who constantly tries to make out with her.

Dire Stars
Lodlan, self-proclaimed 'knight of the stars'. Wielder of the headband of intellect and staff of the cosmos. He threatens untimely cosmic demise if him or his party comes to harm. The staff is intelligent and controls him. It's true power is that if it's broken, the efreeti inside it is freed. As a knight, Lodlan can fight, but his threats usually work. He is grateful if he is freed and will pay with the headband.

Sammy, human paladin of the stars. Always caught without her armor and in compromising positions. She acts shy and blushes and is very sexual about the whole thing. But that's only because she's typically "caught" by men. And when they lower their guard, she digs their guts out and uses them to speak to her warlock patron (she's multiclassed). She is the one who gave the staff to Lodlan. She hopes to free the efreeti and serve it.

Telouise, the intelligent and wise black cat assassin. A real black cat. She is the first sign of Dire Stars, but most don't notice her. She speaks with an elvish accent and will kill anyone for Sammy or Lodlan, because of how nice they were to her when they were children. She is very loyal and very antagonizing.

Black Bat Alliance
Brother Bridge, the half-orc thief, wearing a leather jacket and carrying a switchblade knife. He is big but quick, strong but nimble, ugly but smart. Though he likes to use his force to steal, he can pickpocket and stealth like no other. He wears a fashionable, studded belt of giant strength and has half his levels in monk. Keeps quiet until he knows something is not a threat.

Brother Cam, a human sorcerer with one of his hands missing, but in its place is a permanent spectral hand. It can pass through walls, armor, skin, anything, and spells cast from it get advantage to hit (but don't grant disadvantage on saves). If he shoves the hand into his own body he can go spectral for 1d6 rounds. He likes to go inside people and take them over (like the ghost ability) until time runs out, when he pulls the skin away and it's just him.

Brother Jezwind, elven rogue and plunderer of dragons. He's a new hire and is leader the BBA to their second dragon lair. They've spelunked one and came out fresh and rich, and now they're going back again. He will share this knowledge for a price. And he doesn't take gold. He's got plenty of that. Dawns the cloak of mountbanke, which allows him to dimension door once a day.

Acute Satisfaction
Thom, former Psycho Squad paladin and enforcer turned adventurer. His helmet allows him to read thoughts, detect alignment, and cast zone of truth 1/day. His sidearm, a fully functioning colt .45, is loaded with delayed fireball rounds, which deal no damage but stick to whatever is shot. The code word to make them detonate is on the barrel of his gun. If someone reads it aloud, "Gumshoe", everything goes up in flame.

Haver, winter wolf from the darkened hills. Follows Thom and obeys Thom. Loves treats and rubs. Loves to bite and tear. Chews on the thigh bone of an orc killed last night. Growls but never barks. Can easily stealth and can sniff out the most hidden foes with its snout of true-smell-seeing, which appears like a muzzle of silver steal.

Jonny, human child and paladin in training. Thom's squire though Thom doesn't wear heavy armor anymore. Has two dancing swords and an animated shield. His body is weak but his mind is strong. Has been reading from Thom's old spellbook and has picked up a few spells (psychic ones).

Nanners, old woman. She takes care of the clothes, food, and general tidiness of the group. Chose the name "Acute Satisfaction" and has stitched a banner and crests for all members. She can cast cure light wounds 3/day, and heal 1/day. She also has an amulet of planes and has knowledge of Sigil, city of doors.

Dryad Sisters
Blosson, Beatrice, and Becker, forest dryad, brick dryad, fire dryad. They work together as much as they can and abhor violence. They share a telepathic bond and love stealing little trinkets. They secretly all want revenge on their mother for both abandoning them and sleeping with whichever fire giant made a fire dryad daughter (that shit burns). She is the only woman they would ever kill, but none of them will admit it to each other.

Heavy Arms
Point, A warforged knight of the Unending Wing. His mustache is steel and magnificent. His repeating crossbow stays fixed on his target at all times.

Pilot, a female halfing mechanic who stays hidden at all times, sniper crossbow at the ready - waiting for a sneak attack (as a fifth level rogue). She disguises Point as a rusty bot in order to get free lodging from sappy bar maids, and while they they rob the place blind. They want to pull the scheme on a King.

Individuals
Sawyer Doon - The Dog Knight. He's smart and capable, but seems to behave as a simple-mided fool. He is loyal to his Master and doesn't believe in gold, only affection. Collects bones and wears full plate armor into combat. He growls often when displeased and howls like a hound when charging into battle.

Adeyn Y Corph - Fabulous adventurer and urban legend. His arrival is foretold by a Roc circling the town. When he rides in, flowers bloom out of season and snow falls no matter the temperature. Wherever he goes, he's there to kill someone or something. He believes he's an avatar for a god of death. Which god? Who knows.

Morgan Le Fay - Evil sorceress, raised by fairies and taught the way of wild magic. Her right hand, which she keeps locked in a cage, functions as a rod of wonder (roll on the table of random magical effects from Courtney Campbell). She knows she's dangerous and often holds wagons, buildings, towns hostage for a ransom, threatening to unlock the cage. Her friend is a fairy named Avalon who gives victims amnesia, sometimes to the point of them forgetting their own name.

Andvar - A hill giant with a helm of invisibility and a ring of control earth elemental (otherwise completely naked). Around his waist are four chains to hold his dwarven slaves. He's traveling to sell them to a lich, if only he could find a lich... He'll join up with adventurers who know of said lich, or can convince him that they do.

Pertificus - Gnomish wizard who lost the genetic lottery. Birthed by humans he was ridiculed all his life, even more so when he got the huge bifocals. Studying wizardry was his only escape. Now, as an adult gnome, he has accomplished something he never believed he would: magically obliterating the possibility of him ever dying. With that discovery behind him, he's hiring adventurers to gather supplies to try and cast permanency on a time stop spell.

Alderly Edge - Equal parts Oprah and Steve Irwin, Alderly is an older elf with a pet wyrmling dragon (roll a d10 to determine color). Dragons have an affinity for him and seek him out when they are dying. He likes to hire out adventurers to find resting places for ancient dragons, giving an old dragon the last good fight it'll ever have, and hunting down that pesky red dragon who bullied that other dragon into giving up its lunch money, I mean hoard.

Mud God - Level 3 fighter, can only be killed the way a god can (lava death, tossed into space, pandora's box, etc.) and has the Midas touch, if everything Midas touched turned to soft, wet, mud instead of gold. He keeps getting letters from a king who wants to use him as a exotic execution for his unfaithful and unlawful Queen. But he can't open the letters because they turn to mud.

Telex - A golem experiment gone wrong. Telex is made entirely of candy and cookies. He looks normal, but after he takes damage in combat he will eat a part of his shoulder and regain all his health. He'd never let anyone else take a bite. He functions as an assassin and typically is on a mission to assassinate someone, like a King or a General. His greatest enemy are the birds that try to peck at his body.

Dream Queen - A female dream merchant from the shores of your last nightmare. She's real now, if you can believe it, and she's selling your memories to the highest bidder. Actually, she's practically giving them out to anyone, including your hated rival. She's very (insert your personality) and only wants (insert your goals). So if you can give that to her, maybe she'll (insert your retirement plan) and leave you alone.

Red - Red is a pilot. What does he fly? A dragon-shaped machine powered by magic. The machine has wands that fire magic missiles. 50% chance his ship is partially destroyed and he needs help collecting materials. 40% chance that you find the ship and not Red because he's off doing something. 5% chance that you see the plane fly over and a 5% chance that the plane flies over and circles back because Red was sent to kill you.