## Basic Information - **Race:** Elf - **Role:** Town scribe and court clerk - **Location:** Duskwatch, Deadwood Glade region, South Angoria - **Alignment:** [Likely Lawful Neutral, morally questionable] - **Occupation:** Scribe, Court Clerk, Double Agent ## Personality Patient, meticulous, politically astute ## Background Elorin Veyth came to Duskwatch under a cloud—exiled from Coalveil following disputes with nobles. The official story involves "disagreements over record-keeping procedures," but the truth is more complex: Elorin witnessed corruption among Coalveil's nobility and made the mistake of documenting it too thoroughly. Rather than face assassination, he accepted exile to Duskwatch. But exile doesn't mean abandonment. Coalveil still has use for someone with Elorin's skills, especially someone with legitimate access to Duskwatch's records and leadership. ## Role in Duskwatch As town scribe and court clerk, Elorin: - Records official proceedings and decisions - Maintains legal documents and records - Advises Mayor Elira on legal precedents - Drafts official correspondence - Manages town archives alongside Mistress [[Mistress Ceyla Dorn|Ceyla Dorn]] - Has access to sensitive information His position places him at the center of Duskwatch's administration with access to nearly everything important. ## Political Position (Public) Elorin presents himself as a loyal advisor to Mayor Elira, offering his legal expertise and administrative experience to help her navigate the complex political situation. He appears to be a neutral professional, focused on proper procedure and legal precedent rather than factional allegiance. His exile from Coalveil actually enhances this image—why would someone exiled by Coalveil serve their interests? ## Political Position (Secret) Elorin secretly informs Coalveil about Duskwatch's internal affairs, Mayor Elira's decisions, and progressive faction activities. He's not technically a spy—he was never sent to Duskwatch for this purpose—but Coalveil leveraged his exile to ensure his cooperation. Whether through threats, payments, or residual loyalty, Elorin feeds information back to his former home. This makes him invaluable to Coalveil and incredibly dangerous to Duskwatch's independence movement. ## Motivation Elorin's double-dealing stems from complex motivations: - **Survival:** Coalveil can rescind his exile or make his life miserable - **Loyalty:** Despite everything, he believes Coalveil's rule is legitimate - **Pragmatism:** He doesn't think Duskwatch can actually achieve independence - **Insurance:** Maintaining relationships with both sides protects him - **Control:** Information is power, and he enjoys having it He's not purely mercenary, but he's certainly not principled. He does what's necessary to secure his position. ## Methodology Elorin operates with careful subtlety: - Never lies directly—just carefully selects which truths to share - Maintains plausible deniability for everything - Uses legitimate administrative duties as cover - Provides Coalveil with actionable intelligence without obvious betrayal - Ensures his information is valuable enough that both sides need him - Never puts himself in position where he must choose sides openly ## Allies & Enemies **Potential Allies (Apparent):** - [[Mayor Elira Vanneth]] (he serves as her advisor) - [[Mistress Ceyla Dorn]] (fellow records keeper) - Anyone who values proper procedure **Actual Allies:** - Coalveil intelligence network - Those who benefit from his double-dealing - People who don't ask too many questions **Potential Enemies:** - Anyone who discovers his betrayal - Sergeant [[Sergeant Kael Drosven|Kael Drosven]] (would kill him if exposed) - Progressive faction leaders if they learn the truth - Eventually Mayor Elira when betrayal is revealed ## Adventure Hooks - Uses adventurers as pawns in double-dealings - May hire party for tasks that serve both sides - Could request "discrete" investigations (actually intelligence gathering) - Might need protection if one side suspects him - Could be investigation target if players are hired to find leak - May try to recruit players as information sources ## Connections - Advises Mayor [[Mayor Elira Vanneth|Elira Vanneth]] (while betraying her) - Works with Mistress [[Mistress Ceyla Dorn|Ceyla Dorn]] on records - Has contacts in Coalveil (handlers/information channels) - Probably knows about Scribe's Guild networks - May work with Innkeep [[Innkeep Varric Dolm|Varric Dolm]] (information trading) ## Notes for DMs Elorin is designed to be discovered—eventually. The question isn't whether players will learn about his double-dealing, but when, how, and what they'll do about it. He represents the "friendly NPC who's actually betraying you" archetype, requiring careful handling to avoid feeling cheap. **Character Dynamics:** - **Meticulous Professional:** Never makes obvious mistakes - **Patient Manipulator:** Plays long game - **Plausible Deniability:** Always has innocent explanation - **Information Broker:** Values intelligence above loyalty - **Survival Instinct:** Will betray anyone to survive **Campaign Uses:** 1. **Misleading Advisor:** Gives technically correct but strategically harmful advice 2. **Information Leak:** Source of enemy intelligence about party 3. **Investigation Target:** Players hired to find the spy 4. **Moral Dilemma:** Once exposed, what should be his punishment? 5. **Plot Complication:** His betrayals create problems players must solve **Plot Possibilities:** **The Gradual Discovery:** Players slowly realize something's wrong: - Enemy knows things they shouldn't - Timing of attacks is too convenient - Someone has inside information - Trail eventually leads to Elorin **The Clever Trap:** Players are hired by Elorin for task: - Seems routine administrative help - Actually serves Coalveil's interests - Players unknowingly compromise Duskwatch - Must deal with consequences when they learn truth **The Impossible Position:** Players discover Elorin's betrayal: - But exposing him destabilizes Elira's government - He has leverage—information that would harm others - Killing him makes martyrs, exposing him creates chaos - Must find solution to neutralize him without collateral damage **The Sympathetic Traitor:** Players learn why Elorin betrays: - Coalveil holds something/someone he values hostage - He witnessed horrors that convinced him Coalveil must remain in control - He genuinely believes Duskwatch independence will lead to disaster - Not purely selfish—has reasons players might understand **The Double-Double Agent:** Plot twist—Elorin is playing both sides: - Feeding each side carefully selected information - Using position to manipulate both Duskwatch and Coalveil - Actually serving third interest (South Angoria? Himself?) - Revelation forces players to reconsider everything **The Reformed Spy:** Alternative path—Elorin chooses to stop: - Realizes Coalveil is wrong - Falls in love with someone in Duskwatch - Discovers information that changes his perspective - Approaches players for help escaping his situation - Redemption arc instead of villain arc **Moral Questions:** - Is Elorin a traitor or someone caught between impossible choices? - Should loyalty to where you're from outweigh loyalty to where you are? - Can someone who betrayed once ever be trusted again? - Is information espionage as serious as violent betrayal? - What punishment fits the crime? **Using Elorin Effectively:** **Before Discovery:** Make him genuinely helpful: - Provides useful information (carefully selected) - Offers legitimate assistance - Seems like valuable ally - Players should like or at least respect him This makes the betrayal meaningful. If players never trusted him, discovery feels hollow. **The Hints:** Drop subtle clues before big reveal: - Enemy knowledge they shouldn't have - Elorin's convenient absences - Someone mentions his Coalveil connections - Documents that don't quite add up - Mistress Ceyla noticing irregularities Make players feel smart for figuring it out, not stupid for missing it. **The Confrontation:** When players expose him: - He doesn't deny it completely - Provides rationale (even if players reject it) - May have contingency plans - Might try to bargain - Could appeal to player mercy or pragmatism Avoid making him incompetent or cowardly—he's been playing this game successfully for years. **The Aftermath:** Consequences of exposure: - Political instability in Duskwatch - Coalveil loses valuable intelligence source - Other potential spies become more cautious - Players' reputations affected by how they handle it - Mayor Elira's judgment questioned **Character Voice:** Elorin's dialogue should be: - Formal, precise language - Careful word choice (never lies, just selective truth) - Administrative and legal terminology - Patient explanations - Subtle deflections Example: "Mayor Elira asked me to review the trade agreements. I found several... irregularities. I'm certain they're administrative oversights rather than intentional issues. I've documented them thoroughly, as is proper." (He's documented them—and sent copies to Coalveil.) **Relationship with Players:** **Before Discovery:** - Helpful professional - Provides administrative assistance - Offers legal advice - Seems trustworthy **After Discovery:** - Defensive but not panicked - Appeals to pragmatism - Offers information as bargaining chip - Tries to make players see his perspective **If Spared:** - Uncertain loyalty - Potentially valuable asset - Always watched - Possible redemption **Redemption Possibility:** If campaign goes long enough, Elorin could become: - Valuable double agent working FOR Duskwatch - Source of Coalveil intelligence - Proof that people can change - Complicated ally who's earned second chance Or he could betray again, proving some people don't change. **The Elf Factor:** Remember Elorin is an elf: - Lives much longer than humans - Remembers things others forget - Patient enough to play decades-long game - Perspective shaped by centuries, not years - May view current conflicts as temporary This could inform his betrayal—from his perspective, maintaining Coalveil's stability might be more important than Duskwatch's temporary ambitions. **Integration Tips:** 1. Introduce early as helpful NPC 2. Build trust before revealing betrayal 3. Drop subtle clues throughout 4. Make reveal impactful but not surprising in retrospect 5. Provide moral complexity—he's not simply evil 6. Let players decide his fate 7. Show consequences of their choice Elorin works best as slow-burn betrayal rather than sudden twist. Players should feel both satisfied they figured it out and concerned about implications.