A Primer on the Major Players

The Valley is a home of heroes. Often they're not shining paladins or noble wizards, but rather people who are in the right place at the right time. 
As a side note, here we may see one of the weirder quirks of Valley culture: All titles stack, so formal names can get very long.
== The Great Companies ==
In order to facilitate the smooth running and safety of the Valley, five companies were founded that operate independently from the various nations of the Valley. The great companies pay no tax (although they are theoretically nonprofits), and report to no one but the Council.
Because of their prestigious nature, many heroes number among their ranks.
=== Mirrax Marines ===
* Job: To protect trade going by sea or air, both by providing escorts and by patrolling trade lanes to keep them safe.
* Leader: Lady Admiral Mirrax. A complicated and inscrutable human woman, Mirrax (a title, not her real name) runs the Marines with an iron fist. She has a very high opinion of herself, and a low opinion of most everyone else. She values a person's usefulness to her orgianization above their history or personality. These days she spends her time aboard the Lobstrocity, her massive airship. 
* Rank and File: Nearly all marines are trained sailors and soldiers. Being a marine is a mark of pride, it means you can sail, swim, and fight, even if your normal day job is considerably less exciting. The marines are often people of questionable morals and motives, but they're good at following orders and keeping the seas safe.
=== Ironclad Goods and Services ===
* Job: To facilitate trade (overland and otherwise), and to oversee the constructions of waystations, rest stops and other vital infrastructure.
* Leader: Lord Ironclad Arthus Weyld. An old human man with a love of math and logistics, Weyld takes his job very seriously. He is closely tied to the throne of Skor, and has been instrumental in Skor's rise in economic fortunes. He is a friendly man who prefers face-to-face meetings to writing letters, but his advanced age has dulled his ability to travel. He can usually be found in his office in the fancy part of Skor.
* Rank and File: IGS members are rarely heroes of any sort, but are instead selected for their intelligence and honesty. IGS is a massive organization, and functions purely based upon the reliability of its members. Being a member of IGS means accepting a more dangerous life than a clerk, in exchange for good career prospects.
=== The Great Downward Engineering Company ===
* Job: To oversee mining operations, and provide support to any organization that operates within it's sphere; from reinforcing a ruin to allow an archaeological expedition to draining a cave of water. In recent times they have somewhat extended their goals to include monster hunting and deicide.
* Leader: High Lord Engineer High Priest-Emeritus Savior Pezzak "Shades" Highroost, Once Chosen of Thyr, Chosen of Bofred, Hallowed Be His Name (or "Shades" for short). Shades is a typical Valley story - a poor Tengu who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, who was then aided by a god to achieve glory. Shades never dreamed of glory however, and has gone back to overseeing the town and company he helped rebuild.
* Rank and File: To be an Engineer is an honor. It means being a hero (or at least dying in the attempt), helping those less fortunate, and protecting those under your wing. It means you're good at what you do, and are willing to risk your life for honor and glory. It means venturing into dark spaces and having torsos thrown at you.
=== Glodsson Heavy Industries ===
* Job: To oversee and aid construction across the Valley, as well as stone mining, logging and other big jobs.
* Leader: Lord Urin Gloddson, Favored of Dwerfater. A stereotypical dwarf, save for his sunburn, Urin was a priest of the dwarvern god, and followed his god's wishes to create great works in his honor. Urin is serious and taciturn, earning him the nickname of "Golem". He's a perfectionist, who treats every construction as if he was building the most important thing in the Valley.
* Rank and File: To be a member of GHI means not only being smart, but making the right decision every time. Urin has no tolerance for failure, and every member of GHI knows to check and triple check every calculation. Priests of dwerfater are common, but passion and discipline are the only requirements.
=== Izchak's Magical Goods ===
* Job: To oversee the safe trade and use of magical items and spells for the benefit of the Valley
* The Company is currently defunct. It is a relic of an earlier part of the era, when magical items were more prolific.
== The High Lords and Ladies of the Council ==
The council is the government of the Valley, and the High Lords and Ladies are people of power, whose voices are heard on every issue.
* Queen High Lady High Arbiter Illden Aerim, Ruler of Skor, Favored of Thyr: A gnomish lady, still in the prime of her youth. Her dark hair and small nose hint at the human blood in her veins. Illden was restored to her throne by the actions of Shades and The Great Downward. Although she has lived much of her life in exile, the blood of the God of Kings runs through her veins, and she has made a strong ruler. She has a quiet enthusiasm for The Valley and Skor in particular that is infectious, and makes those around her strive to better themselves. She is still young, and yet to gain the patience and experience her role requires, but she has surrounded herself with loyal advisers to help her on her way.
* High Lord Mayor Deverin of Sandpoint: A middle aged, athletic human man with short dark hair and a stylish mustache and goatee. He looks like he spent some time on his appearance, but his smile is genuine. Deverin is cunning and charming, and uses his good grace and sharp mind to make Sandpoint a hub of trade and adventure, elevating it the sleepy semi-feudal farming city it once was. He has a skill of knowing exactly how much money to put in the right pocket to keep things running smoothly.
* High Lady High Arcanist Teyr’anaric of Tsar: A well-preserved elven lady, clearly many hundreds of years old. In typical elven style she still has waist-length hair, although it is thin and white. She is a friend to Shades and the Great Downwards, and aided them with her considerable skills of divination. She is old enough to have seen it all, and confident enough to approach everything with a dry wit. She is one of four powerful mages that run the city of Tsar, and her particular skills make her a supernatural diplomat. Sitting down with her over a cup of tea, people tend to see things her way.
* High Lady High Priestess Victorin of Mitra, Favored of Mitra: An overweight woman in very plain robes of Mitra. She has short brown hair and wears a strained smile. She wears a permanent air of someone who believes that, if she was in charge for just one day she'd fix every problem. Her dedication to caring for the poor and sick is legendary, and Mitra herself has blessed Victorin with long life. If she had her way, she'd melt down all the silverwear for coin and quarry the palace to build affordable houses. While she and Illden don't agree on much, together they keep the Valley a safe place for all. As safe as it can be. It's still the Valley, after all.