Rif of the Elderglen

> *"Fire may be death, but it can also be life. From the ashes of chaos, new opportunities arise."*
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**Rif of the Elderglen** (real name Finn Thatcher) is a human Druid and member of the Emerald Enclave.

He is travelling around the area surrounding Waterdeep on a mission to spread misinformation about the High Forest, thereby protecting its secrets. Due to a lack of resources he is currently making inroads to guilds by taking up ratcatching.

## Backstory

### Early Life

Rif was born and raised in a hamlet colloquially known as Wuthreid-Marsh located near the banks of the Unicorn Run, north-east of Secomber. Living in frugal hardship under the parentage of his mother and father Deborah and Gregory Thatcher, Finn, as he was originally known, grew up on the fringes of the Savage Frontier. He met his wife, Elandrith in his late twenties and together they built their own homestead, later being blessed with two children. His own parents passed after his youngest child's 10th name-day.

As a farm hand and on some occasions, a scout for wayward travellers, Finn made a modest living selling pelts of wild game, crops he had grown or guiding individuals to and from the southern end of the High Forest. He never had designs or a great ambition to become an adventurer or disrupt the natural beauty of his homeland.

### The Wrath of Nature

While other settlements grew, Wuthreid-Marsh saw little development for fear of offending the natural spirits guarding the High-Forest. Many rangers and the occasional passing elf band expressed their displeasure at the potential fouling a large township would cause to the sacred river. Regardless, various prospectors and Waterdhavian merchants sought to extract the wealth of the land for themselves, primarily in the form of hunting exotic beasts and felling trees for lumber.

During a prolonged period of drought which caused the hamlet's crops to wither and die. Finn was forced to take his family further up North foraging in the High Forest to survive, all too late did they recognise the smell of smoke in the air and and before long they were surrounded by a wildfire with no escape. Finn miraculously avoided being consumed by the flames, but once the ashes had settled, he was devastated to find his wife and children had perished.

Overcome with lust for revenge, he tracked the fire's source to a local merchant who's attempts to clear the woodland had caused the deadly firestorm. He murdered the merchant in cold blood before fleeing into the High Forest to escape justice.

### Finding the Elderglen

After secreting himself in the foot of the Star Mounts for years, Finn took on the alias "Rif" and committed to pretending he had always resided in the High Forest. He began to follow druidic principles and learned that his previous reverence for nature had preserved him during his life or death ordeal. He joined a group of druids who followed the Order of Flame and owed their allegiance to the Emerald Enclave, becoming charged with protecting one of their holy sites of primal magic, the 'Elderglen'. Rif's role was to ensure that only those invited by the Enclave were permitted to know of the glen's location, as well ensuring that arid conditions or the interference of 'civilisation' did not lead to destruction of his second home.

### Out of the Wilds

Upon hearing of a Waterdhavian cartographer who sought to map out the High Forest in greater accuracy. Rif of the Elderglen was tasked with a secret mission to investigate the cartographers guild of the city. His prerogative was both spreading misinformation and offering bogus contracts of scouting for these individuals in the hope to dissuade information of the forests secrets falling into the wrong hands. While awaiting further instructions, Rif has found both his supplies running low and the bounty of nature stifled under the greed of the city. He has therefore sought extra resources by taking on some Ratcatching work he had heard of around the various settlements, believing that his tracking and knowledge of nature should make light work of this quest.

## Adventures

### Somethings Fishy in Otari

During his general mission around the Waterdeep area, Rif was tasked with finding a Tamily Tenderveil, a fishing merchant who sought the aid of hero "Ratcatchers". Creatures had reportedly been harassing the fishing businesses in the village of Otari and Rif was instructed to address the issue.

Upon his arrival at Otari, Rif encountered two other adventurers who appears to have been given the same mission, Alluviyn Merelnath and Bosch, the Dragonheart. Despite his initial hesitance to engage with the latter member of the Order of the Gauntlet, the group found Tamily and established the source of incidents to be in her basement.

The heroes dispatched with numerous pests before coming across a room of sarcophagi and undead. Upon defeating this last set of foes, the group found a room dedicated to the evil storm diety Talos. Rot and mould covered the whole Chapel save for one silver bowl filled with water which Alluviyn and Bosch determined might be for healing, albeit with a sinister effect for those not of the sea.

## Appearance

Rif appears as a short, lithe and wisened man with long salt and pepper coloured hair. His beard carries the trappings of one who is used to the wilds and not wholly concerned with his appearance to others leaves, remnants of berries and maybe the occasional bird can be found in there. He dresses largely in rags, furs and adorns himself with vestments aligned with nature. His most ostentatious attire being his antlers he has fashioned into a makeshift crown. He sports a necklace with amber resin that has a sprig of lavender inside, his daughters favourite flower but otherwise has little in the way of jewellery.

As a sign of his order and commitment to the Elderglen, Rif has primal ancestral tattoos that cover part of his chest and down his arm, these take the form of thorns, brambles and vines.

## Personality

While Rif for the most part appears to be a soft speaking and placid individual, he has been known to fly into a torrent of abuse for the tiniest infraction. It is difficult to say if his occasional wild outbursts are due to his past, his age or his adherence to his order. Regardless, a grave insult can sometimes be met with haughty laugher, while a misplaced pleasantry could lead to a torrent of curses and abuse.

Where Rif shows consistency is his treatment of nature, creatures and respect for the natural power of fire. He does his utmost to follow the tenets of his order as well as preserving nature as best he can. While he does not seek to destroy civilisation, he sees no need for it to outgrow its current state. He is therefore abrasive towards those who destroy nature for profit while he is typically amiable towards Rangers, other Druids and specific branches of authority who seek to preserve woodlands.

## Abilities

Contrary to what most individuals believe about druids, Rif cannot Wildshape into the form of beasts. His primal magic power focuses mainly on utilising fire and ensnaring his enemies. He channels his prepared spells through his focus of holly and mistletoe attached to his quarterstaff.

As a seasoned tracker, hunter and guide, Rif is comfortable with using a medical kit to assist his allies or help them search for their quarry. While he avoids most melee combat, he will utilise a spear, scimitar or quarterstaff when backed into a corner.

## Ideals

Rif's primary goal is preserving the balance of nature. He is more than happy for individuals to appreciate the beauty of the High-Forest, assist in limited hunting and trading in goods that can be harvested naturally, however he is haunted by the prospect of what could be lost if the unfettered pursuit of development were to roll over nature.

Rif is not opposed to change, as nature demonstrates each season is an ever changing cycle of life, death, rebirth, growth and decay. The issue is when external forces cause the cycle to stop. This is why the expansion of cities such as Waterdeep should be heavily monitored and scrutinised.

Rif seeks to develop his connection with nature, so that he might lead other druids to join the defence of primal magic. He hopes to one day become and Archdruid and eventually become one with the wood.