Griff

**Griff** is a character in the *Forgotten Realms Campaign* of Nat19. He is an aarakocra assassin who once worked for Strahd von Zarovich in the land of Barovia. He is the husband of Aera and presumed father of Graiar. As an NPC, he is portrayed by *Aaron Robert Parnell*.

 Personality

Griff is quiet and aloof, and he dislikes large groups of people. He is fiercely protective of his wife, Aera, and is determined to do whatever he has to to keep her safe, which includes working for Strahd von Zarovich as an assassin. He acknowledged the selfishness of his actions during that time, though continued to perform them regardless.

## History

Griff, Aera, and their flock of around 200 aarakocra were transported to Barovia 5 years prior to the Curse of Strahd Party's arrival. They were met with Strahd and his forces and attempted to fight them, but they were defeated. Griff and Aera were the only ones left alive after the massacre. After that, Aera was taken to The Abbot in Krezk to save her life, but also as a hostage. Strahd threatened to kill Aera if Griff did not obey him, and he yielded.

Griff attempted to take Strahd's life in the past. Whether these attempts were before or after his subservience began is unclear. Every attempt failed, and with his flock's defeat at Strahd's hands, Griff was left hopeless that Strahd could ever be defeated.

## Role in Plot

Griff made his first appearance during Strahd's assault on the Church of Saint Andral. As the party quietly traversed the city of Vallaki, Devin spotted him fighting in the streets. He seemed to notice the party, but did not engage them.

He was later spotted flying toward Krezk by Graiar as he flew through the skies of Barovia to rejoin his friends. Later, during their first visit to Krezk, the party was asked by Dmitri Krezkov to heal his wife, Alessa. Upon doing so, a black blob erupted from her, and once it was slain it turned to mist and flew toward a distant rooftop. Graiar managed to spot Griff on that rooftop, and noticed him taking off toward the Abbey of Saint Markovia. When the party went to investigate the Abbey, they met Aera, and were attacked by a group of moving shadows left for them by Griff.

Graiar would later travel to the Abbey with Devin and Kilala and meet Griff in person, though he would only speak with Graiar. In their brief conversation, Griff advised Graiar to stop pursuing the defeat of Strahd and instead make a life for himself in Barovia. When Graiar refused, they both acknowledged that they may have to fight one another someday.

Later on, as the party traveled eastward toward the Village of Barovia, Griff watched them from atop the massive, stone gateway. Graiar went up to meet with Griff yet again, who warned him that their time to accept Strahd's invitation was running out. Graiar tried to convince Griff to aid them in killing Strahd, and although he initially scoffed at the idea, upon learning there may be something in the Amber Temple that could keep Aera safe if Strahd came for her, he stated he would consider Graiar's proposal.

Griff appeared a few days later with Rahadin, and the two attempted to kidnap Jolyne. When their kidnapping failed, Griff tried to get the party to surrender by threatening an unconscious Ashley with a knife to her throat. Graiar agreed to these terms, both to keep Griff from being killed by the party, and in an attempt to prevent Ashley from being harmed any further, though the latter objective ultimately failed.

Griff was the one to lead Graiar to the guest quarters of Castle Ravenloft, pointing out a few dangers along the way. He told Graiar that he thought he made the right decision, and that the younger aarakocra should consider making himself useful to Strahd.

Graiar and Griff met once again in the lower levels of Castle Ravenloft. Graiar had been exploring that area of the castle in search of both the skull of Argynvost and the Mad Dog's Crypt, and had made the acquaintance of Emil Toranescu, a prisoner he had set free. Upon entering a room with a large, magical brazier, Emil was assaulted and immediately incapacitated, courtesy of Griff. He informed Graiar that Emil was in fact a member of the werewolf den that the party had eliminated weeks prior, and that despite what Graiar may think, Strahd doesn't imprison people for no reason. Griff offered to let Graiar come with him to visit Aera, as well as kill Fiona Wachter in Vallaki. When Graiar refused, Griff began to contact someone using a Sending Stone, informing whoever was on the other end that their "guest" had become lost and that he needed an escort back to his quarters. Graiar attempted to stop him, to which Griff responded by pulling a dagger on him and attacking him. Graiar then escaped using the magical brazier to teleport to Tsolenka Pass.

When Graiar approached Madam Eva after escaping from Castle Ravenloft, she revealed that Griff had recently been there asking where the rest of the party was. Graiar later spotted Griff flying around Castle Ravenloft when he erupted from the forest to get away from a group of bats that were monitoring him. Griff mimicked Graiar's movements, presumably intending to intercept him. When Graiar flew upwards into the mists of Barovia and reversed his course under the cover the mist provided, Griff had seemingly turned invisible, as he was no longer in sight when Graiar emerged.

Griff once again appeared at the dinner hosted by Strahd. He stood looming in the corner until Strahd departed, after which he followed suit. During the party's stay down in the crypts of Castle Ravenloft, Griff found them and left a ring with Aera's name inscribed in it for Graiar, though Devin found the ring first and hid its existence from Graiar so as not to throw him off.

Later, when the party had split up inside the castle, Graiar, Devin, Kilala, and Ireena were confronted by Griff. Devin and Kilala left Graiar to deal with Griff, believing he could handle him. After knocking a frantic Ireena unconscious, Graiar and Griff did battle, during which the latter once again tried to convince the former he was trying to help him. Graiar quickly realized he couldn't take Griff alone and went to rejoin his friends in the crypts, luring Griff down to their position. With Strahd having just teleported away, and Ezmerelda d'Avenir and Patrina Velikovna dealt with, the party was able to fight and eventually kill Griff, much to Graiar's disappointment. With his dying words, Griff encouraged Graiar to go and kill Strahd. After taking Griff's Ring of Invisibility, and leaving his personal garnet ring with his corpse, Graiar and the others pursued Strahd to the peak of the castle.

After Strahd was dealt with, Graiar made a request to the party to resurrect Griff, so as to not let him die without having made up for what he's done. They agreed, and so Graiar, Jolyne, and Kasimir Velikov took the corpses of Griff and Patrina to the Abbey of Saint Markovia to be resurrected by the Abbot. The Abbot, his angelic nature revealed with the defeat of the Strahd and the rising of the sun, happily agreed to resurrect them, though he asked for confirmation on the resurrection of Griff before following through.

Aera was brought in to assist in convincing Griff to cling to life, and once the latter was back, they and Graiar had a conversation in the abbey's courtyard about the nature of their relationship. Graiar asked them if they were in fact his parents, seeing as black feathers are an uncommon trait for aarakocra, and Aera mentioned she and Griff had children somewhere in the Realms. Aera admitted that while she doesn't know for sure, she absolutely considers Graiar her child. Griff told Graiar that he and Aera intended to return to the Star Mountains in Faerûn and that he could join them if he wanted, though Graiar requested time to think about it.

After a touching moment between Aera and Graiar, Griff simply told his presumed son to stay safe.

## Abilities

###  Aarakocra Abilities

* Flight *(50ft)*
* Talons *(unarmed attacks deal 1d4 slashing damage)*

### Rogue Abilities

* Cunning Action
* Evasion
* Expertise
* Roguish Archetype: Assassin
	+ Assassinate
	+ Infiltration Expertise
* Reliable Talent
* Sneak Attack *(6d6)*
* Thieves' Cant
* Uncanny Dodge