The Blackhoods are a growing band of thugs who claim to protect the independence of Mordmerg free city while robbing its inhabitants. The upheaval surrounding the impending collapse of the Empire Alliance fuels the spread of the Blackhood movement spreads to other cities, including Eglamour, the capital of Donovan. They also grow to encompass rioting farmers, resentful commoners, disgruntled merchants, unpaid soldiers, and many other facets of Donovard society.
The king and his vassals, including the Valients, must quickly devise a plan to contain the rioting, but there is no cooperation among them. However, the Blackhoods, led by their founder Navarron and well-funded by opaque benefactors, have momentum and show no signs of fading. If anything, they stand to gain further from the converging crises of the Empire Alliance, the faltering royal family, and potential war with Rugenhav.
Navarron
nav-ah-ROHN
Navarron is the founder and leader of the Blackhoods, a growing band of thugs who claim to protect the independence of Mordmerg free city while robbing its inhabitants. Navarron’s origins are obscure to most, as are his previous dealings with Arasemis prior to the revival of the Order of the Candlestone.
It was not difficult for Navarron to rally those around him. As the fate of the crumbling Empire Alliance became clear to every peasant with an eye or an ear, Navarron’s benefactors provided the gold and even some weapons. The mission of the Blackhoods would be to help protect the free cities from being seized the Kingdom of Donovan once the treaty with the Almerians became null and void. Otherwise, the Almerian garrisons in each free city would be unable to resist the entire army of the Kingdom of Donovan.
Navarron’s efforts now snowball, commingling his original thugs with rioting farmers, resentful commoners, disgruntled merchants, unpaid soldiers, bandits, mercenaries, and anyone else looking for coin, adventure, or some form of justice. Everything seems to be going as planned, until the unexpected return of Arasemis and his ambitions for Candlestone. This complication unsettles Navarron, who fears being drawn into Arasemis’s opaque schemes as an unwilling pawn–a most unwelcome development for Navarron and his benefactors.
Lunfrid
LUN-frid
Lunfrid is one of Navarron’s best lieutenants, an able leader of the Blackhoods who knows how to whip up rioters into a frenzy and ably lead them in battle. In contrast to Navarron’s slight build, Lunfrid is an intimidating hulk of muscle that remains evident under his black cloak and hood, the group’s de facto uniform.
Unlike Navarron, a native of Mordmerg free city, Lunfrid helped organize the recent riots in the slums of Eglamour, the capital of the Kingdom of Donovan. After the death of the lead rioter, Lunfrid and his deputy, Cid, took over the gang and later merged their efforts with Navarron’s.
Driven by a burning hatred of noble privilege, Lunfrid seeks to craft Navarron’s strategy into success on the dirty streets of every slum, farm, pier, and shanty town that will hear the call of the Blackhoods to rise up. Lunfrid may not have a grand vision for where it all could lead, but he trusts it is better than where commoners currently find themselves under the boot of kings and nobles.
Cid
sid
Cid, longtime thug and deputy of Lunfrid, was raised on a farm pillaged and burned by the king’s men. As a youth, he witnessed their abuse of the people in the countryside and more than once narrowly escaped death at their hands. Pitiless and quick to recall his past, Cid does not hesitate to exact revenge on any of the Eglamour city guards that fall into the hands of the Blackhoods.
Cid is short in stature and lacks intelligence, but he excels at recruiting the best new members. He recognizes talent when he sees it and strives to strengthen both the Blackhoods’ ranks and leadership cadre. Cid is also adept at convincing the rival factions of the Blackhoods to stay united. He disarms squabblers with his easy tone and knows how to get short-tempered, short-sighted, and greedy lieutenants to sit down and negotiate calmly.
Cid is proud of the Blackhoods’ accomplishments and his role in their success, but he grows increasingly wary of what that success will bring. He views Navarron as too aloof to manage the sprawl of the Blackhoods’ growing chapters and factions across the kingdom, and Cid dislikes Navarron’s secrecy regarding their benefactors. Careful not to overstep his place, Cid privately cautions Lunfrid to be prudent and keep his eyes open.
Cienfugos
sin-FYOO-goes
Cienfugos, a foreigner from Ovelia, is a longtime friend of Blackhood leader Navarron. As the owner of the Calza Aria Inn and the Fatneck Tavern in the slums of Eglamour, Cienfugos provides reliable meeting places and sustenance for the Blackhoods as they plan riots and recruit new members.
The humble proprietor of seedy, ramshackle establishments who carries a long, knotty cudgel, Cienfugos is in fact a wealthier merchant than he appears. He willingly funds much of the Blackhoods’ activities in the capital and arranges for other merchants to contribute coin as well. Navarron and Lunfrid don’t ask questions about where it all comes from because they assume Cienfugos is associated with their benefactors.
For his part, Cienfugos enjoys the entertainment of the raucous Blackhoods and their forays against the city guards. But he suspects the Donovard army will eventually become involved in checking the Blackhoods’ rise, and so he contemplates when he should abandon the slum for a safer locale.
