K24: The Escaped Slaves of Makipola

These are the eight escaped slaves that the PC's encountered in the ruins of Makipola. Based on their accounts, they were onboard an Imperial Kehler slave ship bound from Niemi to the city of Hyrkala, on the western end of the Kehler Sea. This city is one of the empire's larger slave markets. The ship foundered during a storm about a week ago, and the slaves attempted to escape in the chaos. This group is the only one that made it to the safety of the dozens on board. 

The Northlanders:

Eirikr Iron-Bound: A warrior and hunter from the Bear Tribe of the Northlands, captured by Dwarves and sold to Imperial slavers. He now hates all Dwarves and Imperials but is a calm, composed man. He is a skilled rider and spearman, but is illiterate and knows little of the outside world. 

Astrid Skaldmaer: Once a farm worker in the Kingdom of Thunder, she was captured in a raid by an unknown Kehler and sold through a chain of buyers into the Empire. She was last in Niemi before being sold again. Astrid is skilled at several crafts, but her unwillingness to submit to her owners led to her constant transfers. She is armed with a homemade axe. 

The Montoc:

Manaia Te Rangi: A skilled sailor, Manaia is a cheerful Sea Montoc who was captured by pirates many months ago, eventually being traded to an Imperial merchant and pressed into service as a rower. Manaia speaks no languages anyone knows other than Montoc, though he is patient with mimicry and signing and quite chatty otherwise. He is strong and stolid and quite deadly with a sling.

 

Hinewai Ngāher: Hinewai was a peasant laborer in the distant land of Terathmin, living in one of the Montoc colonies there. He was sold to pirates as part of tribute paid by his village, eventually coming into the hands of Imperial slavers in the Kehler Sea. Hinewai is lean and wiry, and seems to be mute as a result of a recent injury. He understands only a few words of Kehler. 

The Kehler:

Nikolas Skylitze: An Imperial of Tempelhoffer ancestry, Nik is a street criminal from Metsavaar who was caught after a string of minor crimes and sentenced to a life of slavery. He doesn't say much, preferring to hang back and observe. He is handy with a dagger but not especially brave. He seems fond of Astrid the Northlander. 

 

Theodora Komnena: An educated middle-aged woman of the Imperial core, Theodora was sentenced to slavery as a result of her involvement in some obtuse financial scandal. She claims to have been made a scapegoat and sent away to satisfy the law, or at least the magistrates. Theodora is surprisingly fit for an urbanite, as well as formally trained on her spear. If asked, she simply states, "I wasn't always a clerk." 

The Orc:

Grukk Bloodfang: The sole Orc in the party is also from the Kingdom of Thunder, and was sold to Imperial slavers due to being on the losing side of a war between two princes. He is a gladiator because it is his only real option; he is skilled in a fight but useless in a war thanks to his inability to follow orders. Mostly, he glowers and scowls, but if spoken to in Orcish, he will show a somewhat friendlier side. 

The Smallfolk:

Pikku-Lauri Surnu: Pikku-Lauri of Clan Surnu is a "Thorny", one of the tribal Smallfolk from the mountains of Niemi. He speaks no languages other than his own, but has decided that it is best to stick with the current band of escapees rather than silently murder all of them and slip away. He is chatty and cheerful and seems to enjoy conversing with Manaia Te Rangi, despite them not sharing a language.