The Heroes of Balkstead

The Heroes of Balkstead were a group of six adventurers who fought against and stopped a group of drow from House Tagon from reawakening the kruthik and unleashing them upon the Redflame Island. They then joined with the Darkmane Society to help prevent a drow invasion of the surface world.

The Heroes of Balkstead had a headquarters at the Spire, a keep near Aclille in mainland Ezelun.

## Members

Nine adventurers have officially been members of the Heroes of Balkstead (but no more than seven at any one time), and three individuals have served as traveling companions of the group at different times.

### Barren Spire

Barren Spire was an anduvian human Blood Hunter from the Order of the Lycan. Barren joined the party in the city of Balkstead, after they freed him from imprisonment by the Rotten Kings, a group of wererats inhabiting the city's sewer system. Barren was tall, with dark hair and a short beard, and had dozens of scars crisscrossing his neck from activation of his Crimson Rite. During the group's journeys, he eventually came to be the Pack Lord of his chapter of the Order of the Lycan, after his father's departure from the group.

He was known to wield a War Axe of Slaughter, a Storm Boomerang and wear a pair of Armbands of Might. In addition, he carried a Token of Light, which he often used to overcome his species' poor night vision. Once he took over leadership of his pack, he wore the Mantle of the Pack Lord.

### Urel Cinderfall

Urel Cinderfall was a tiefling Warlock of the Pact of the Celestial serving Ambriel, and one of the founding members of the group. Urel (initially using the name Smallclaw) was originally a Warlock in service to the Raven Queen. During his time on Balkstead, he refused to turn over the Codex Kruthik to her, thereby breaking their pact. Sometime later, he discovered the secrets of soul binding and became a binder. In the time between the group's second trip to the Feywild and their trip to the Illithan Isle, Urel entered a bargain with the archangel Ambriel and became a warlock once more. Urel was a well-dressed blue-skinned tiefling with a shock of white hair.

Urel was known to carry a Wand of Magic Missiles and a Circlet of Blasting.

### Mialee Orchidaceae

Mialee Orchidaceae was an eladrin Druid belonging to the Circle of the Shepherd. Born in the Feywild, Mialee journeyed to the Prime Material Plane not long before meeting up with the group. When she first returned to the Feywild, she was distraught to find that her friend and mentor, Weylin Frostflower, had disappeared. Afterwards, her attuned season began to fluctuate wildly, beyond her control.

Mialee wielded a Fae Bow and had an owl familiar named Owlbert.

### Korg Krakow

Korg Krakow was a bronze dragonborn Paladin who swore an Oath of Vengeance to Vikyn. Korg cut an imposing figure, wearing heavy armor and standing nearly seven feet tall. Korg did his best to remain the moral backbone of the party, staying devoted to his Oath and his deity. After defeating his brother Lakar in single combat, Korg became the chieftan of the Shestendeliath clan of dragonborn.

He was tested by Vikyn in the tomb of Hjargem Grimfury, and was rewarded with the mighty maul *Nakir's Verdict.* At other times, he was known to use a Staff of Moonbeams and a Flaming Spear.

### Mare Tempester

Mare Tempester was a half-elf Warlock of the Fathomless, serving the kraken Levithas. Mare had red hair, and was often seen in the company of at least one of his two familiars: Lucinda, an imp, and Alexa, a sprite.

Mare possessed a Staff of Defense.

### Azurine Kahuna

Azurine Kahuna was a halfling rogue. During the party's time in Balkstead, she was briefly imprisoned, but was shortly thereafter freed for an unknown reason. Azurine had dark hair with a stripe of blue, and had a treasured pair of pointe shoes that she kept closely guarded.

### Dacyra

Dacyra was a tiefling shadowmaster illrigger in service to the archdemon Kestal, who was also her father. By this parentage, she was also technically Urel's half-sister, and the two frequently butted heads. She joined the party at her father's request, joining up with them in the Feywilld at the Harriers' camp.

### Ragnarog

Ragnarog was a half-orc Oath of Vengeance Paladin. He was a founding member of the group, but left on good terms to aid the orc tribe at Split Rock Clearing.

### Velztor Moonglow

Velztor Moonglow was a half-elf Knowledge Domain Cleric of Ultha. He was a founding member of the group, but was killed in the hideout of the Rotten Kings in Balkstead, drowning in a fight against several Bone Crabs. Urel carried on his memory, taking with him the crossbow bolt that eventually resulted in Vel's demise.

## Allies

### Helper

Helper was a warforged artificer whom the party met at Snowpoint Sanctum on the Redflame Island. Helper was initially an archivist in the stronghold, but the party convinced him to help them destroy the kruthik. He later journeyed with them to the Feywild, where he was apparently killed at the hands of the illithid Kaeorfex. During the group's second trip to they Feywild, Kaeorfex bargained with them to return Helper, who had been disassembled. Upon returning to the Prime Material Plane, Korg journeyed back to the Redflame Island, and with Lorokund's help, rebuilt Helper.

### Elias Warmshard

Elias Warmshard was a half-elf School of War Magic Wizard. He joined the party in Aclille, after initially working with the Moonfang Pack. Elias eventually entered into a contract with the party at Hangman's Grotto to help them take Timberfoot Hold from the Red Edict in exchange for a portion of the keep's treasury and access to it's alchemical laboratory. At some point, Elias entered into a bargain with a nycaloth named Nozroth the Cruel, and received service and protection from the yugoloth.

### Mask

Mask was a changeling Gloom Stalker Ranger. She did not know her parents, and was raised by Lieutenant Hunt of the Red Edict as a spy for the organization. After being confronted by the party in Hunt's secret lab in Aclille, she decided to join up with them. Mask would eventually venture with the party into the Feywild during the party's second trip to the plane.

### Kierra Mondare

Kierra Mondare was a human Order of the Lycan Blood Hunter. When Barren took control over the Aclille chapter of the order, she was named his second-in-command, and handled the day-to-day affairs of the chapter while Barren was away.

### The Summer Queen

The party began dealing with the Summer Queen during multiple trips to the Feywild. After they completed several tasks for her, she allied with the party in their quest to stop the drow from invading the surface world. She frequently shared information with them about the whereabouts of the illithid Kaeorfex, their shared enemy. The Summer Queen eventually offered Mialee a Ladyship in the Summer Court, which she accepted, joining into the Summer Queen's service.