The Underdark
Seraphina Hellfire
The Vipress
Seraphina Hellfire
Race: Succubus (Shapechanger)
Class: Sorcerer (Level 12)
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Age: Appears mid-30s (true age unknown)
Pronouns: She/Her
Occupation: Mafia Leader, Nightclub Owner, Sorcerer, Former Enslaved Harem Mistress
Location: Gothika City
Affiliations: The Snake Pit, The Vipress Syndicate
Appearance:
Seraphina is the embodiment of dangerous beauty—tall, poised, with hypnotic violet eyes and midnight-black hair cascading down her back in soft waves. Her skin shimmers faintly with an unnatural, porcelain perfection. She carries herself with magnetic confidence, every step deliberate, every word carefully chosen. When her succubus nature shines through, black wings with a violet sheen and curling horns frame her figure, but she often hides this behind illusion magic. A golden magical tattoo in the shape of a star marks her forehead—a remnant of her time under Valas’ control.
Personality:
Seraphina is fiercely intelligent, calculating, and deeply protective of those she considers her own. She is neither hero nor villain: her choices are driven by survival, freedom, and a deep desire to protect the people who suffered alongside her. While she exudes sensuality and charm, there’s a razor’s edge beneath the surface—her wrath is cold, controlled, and devastating when provoked.
Despite her dark past, she is capable of profound love and loyalty, especially toward Anwir “Annie” Laurent, her first and closest friend, and Rorak Sullivan, her right-hand man. She is also known for her sharp wit, dry humor, and strategic mind, making her both an influential figure in Gothika’s underworld and a key player in the fight against corruption.
Backstory:
Born in the Underdark, Seraphina was kidnapped by Valas, the tyrannical Drow lord who sought to breed powerful magical offspring. Valas placed her in charge of his harem—a prison of enslaved magical beings, including Drow, succubi, incubi, and others. Trained to manage, manipulate, and control others, Seraphina outwardly played her role while secretly sowing the seeds of rebellion.
With the help of Annie, who became her right-hand and closest confidant, Seraphina led a daring escape, freeing over 300 enslaved beings. Fleeing to the surface, they found sanctuary in the island city of Gothika, where Seraphina reinvented herself as The Vipress, the enigmatic owner of The Snake Pit—a luxurious nightclub and brothel where her former harem now work by choice, living safely under her protection.
Her empire is more than a business: it’s a shield for the vulnerable, a home for the broken, and a weapon against those who would see them enslaved again.
Plot Role:
In the current storyline, Seraphina was framed by Dr. Richard Moore for introducing the dangerous magical drug Rize into the city. She was sentenced to the Dreadmoor Institute for the Criminally Insane, where Moore secretly began experimenting on her with the drug, seeking to unlock and manipulate her powers.
The players, under secret orders from Trixie LaFlure, infiltrated the Institute and rescued her, only to discover the larger conspiracy involving Chancellor Valeria Hawthorne, the collapse of Sun City, and the looming war between the heavens and the depths of the Underdark.
Powers & Abilities:
Sorcerer Spellcasting (Level 12)
Signature Spells:
Greater Invisibility, Seeming, Mass Suggestion, Hold Monster, Globe of Invulnerability, Summon Draconic Spirit, Circle of Death.
Illusions & Mind Control: Master of manipulation through both charm and magic.
Magical Tattoos: Can create living tattoos imbued with enchantments—Annie carries two such tattoos, including one that allows her to check on his wellbeing across distances.
Shapeshifting: Can change her appearance at will, though she rarely hides her true form unless necessary.
Relationships:
Anwir “Annie” Laurent: Her protégé, closest friend, and secret love. She trained him in both survival and magic in the Underdark, and their bond is unbreakable.
Rorak Sullivan: Loyal enforcer and bodyguard within her organization.
Mollee Mae Malaney: Her elusive spy, used for gathering high-level intelligence.
Girth: Head of security at The Snake Pit.
The Players: Initially hired to break her out, she has since become an uneasy ally and source of underworld knowledge.
Current Status:
Seraphina has been freed from the Institute but is still dealing with the physical and magical after-effects of Rize. As The Flare approaches—a celestial event with ominous portents—she remains central to the city’s tangled web of politics, magic, and revolution. Her path is uncertain: she could rise as a powerful ally or fall victim once more to the forces that seek to control her.
Alaia
The Velvet Venom. Survivor. Mother to the Broken.
Alaia
The Velvet Venom. Survivor. Mother to the Broken.
Race: Tiefling (or Homebrew Fiend-Touched)
Class: Sorcerer (Shadow Magic) – Level 10 (or as fits your balance)
Background: Enslaved Survivor / Guild Leader
Alignment: Neutral Good
Affiliation: The Velvet Venom / The Vipress’ Inner Circle
Backstory:
Alaia does not remember the place she was born. She does not remember her parents’ faces, her childhood laughter, or any trace of the life she lived before. All she remembers is the cold stone walls of the Underdark, and the hollow eyes of her family as they sold her into slavery to Valas, the tyrant who ruled the depths.
From the moment Valas took her, Alaia ceased to be a person in the traditional sense—she became property, a prized possession for his twisted obsession. She was beaten, broken, and molded into the jewel of his dark harem, a status that brought her neither comfort nor safety. Valas was fixated on one thing: creating a powerful sorcerer heir. Alaia bore him three children:
- Andras (the eldest)
- Daegon (the middle)
- Kaladin (the youngest, and the only one to inherit the sorcerer’s spark)
Her memories of motherhood are blurred by trauma and survival. But somewhere deep inside, the spark of defiance never died.
Fifty years ago, during a rebellion led by Seraphina Hellfire and Anwir “Annie” Laurent, Alaia found the courage to flee. She carried dozens of other enslaved souls to freedom, including her youngest son, Kaladin, who was immediately hidden away and placed for adoption to protect him from Valas’ wrath. Alaia, Seraphina, and Annie built new lives in Gothika—haunted but free.
Current Role:
Alaia is the owner and matriarch of The Velvet Venom, Gothika’s most exclusive high-end brothel and cabaret, where pleasure is an art form and consent is absolute law. Many of the women who work under her came with her from the Underdark—others are locals seeking safety, empowerment, and control over their own bodies.
Under Alaia’s leadership, The Velvet Venom is more than a business. It is a sanctuary. Her word is iron, her protection unwavering. No one—no customer, politician, or underworld king—crosses her and walks away unscathed.
Personality:
Alaia exudes quiet, deadly grace. Every word she speaks is measured, soft but firm, with an undercurrent of steel. She carries the trauma of her past without letting it define her, and she is profoundly protective of those who come under her wing—especially women, particularly those who have suffered abuse or exploitation.
She is maternal without being soft. Her love is fierce, her boundaries clear, and her wrath when crossed is swift and surgical. Alaia believes deeply in autonomy: that every woman has the right to choose her own path, her own body, and her own destiny.
She is also haunted. Though she rarely speaks of them, the memories of Andras and Daegon, who remained in Valas’ clutches, gnaw at her. And Kaladin—the child she never got to raise—remains both her greatest pain and her quiet hope.
Appearance:
Alaia is striking: sapphire skin shimmering with fine constellations of glowing speckles that trail across her forehead and collarbones. Twin dark horns arc elegantly from her brow, framing golden eyes that have seen the worst the world has to offer and survived.
Her silver hair, worn in soft waves, falls around her sharp features. She favors structured jackets, corseted tops, and deep jewel tones—clothing that mirrors her controlled power. Her voice is low and smooth, the kind that can silence a room with a whisper.
A delicate tattoo above her heart marks her as a former possession of Valas, but she has since reclaimed it, integrating it into new ink of her own design.
Quirks and Traits:
- Consent is Sacred: Alaia tolerates no violations of consent—physical, magical, or emotional—within her walls. Offenders are dealt with brutally.
- Empathic Leader: She knows every one of her employees by name, their stories, and their dreams.
- Mother Without Memory: She does not speak of her family of origin, but sometimes dreams of places she can’t name.
- Shadow-Touched: Her sorcerer abilities (latent or active, depending on your world) manifest subtly—flickers of shadow, eyes that glow brighter in anger, an aura that unnerves those who meet her gaze too long.
Notable Relationships:
- Kaladin Jean: Her youngest son, hidden away for safety and only now slowly reconnecting with her. She is both fiercely protective of him and filled with silent guilt for the life he lost.
- Seraphina Hellfire: Sister-in-arms. Their bond runs deep; forged in blood and fire, the two women trust one another absolutely.
- Anwir “Annie” Laurent: Friend, brother, and one of the few men Alaia respects without reservation.
- Valas: The monster in her nightmares. Alaia despises him with every fiber of her being and will see him destroyed.
Role in the Story:
Alaia stands as a symbol of survival and self-determination. She can serve the players as an ally, a quest-giver, or even as a moral compass when dealing with issues of exploitation, autonomy, and power.
For Kaladin, she represents the key to his past and the family he never knew. For Valas, she is the one that got away—the living proof that his control is not absolute.
Valas
The Tyrant of the Underdark. The Father of Monsters. The One Who Devours Light.
Valas
The Tyrant of the Underdark. The Father of Monsters. The One Who Devours Light.
Race: Drow (Dark Elf) / Fiend-Touched (Homebrew Lineage)
Class: Warlock (The Fiend) / Sorcerer (Shadow Magic) – Level 17 (or higher, depending on campaign needs)
Background: Noble Tyrant
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Affiliation: Ruler of the Underdark / Shadow Hand of Gothika
Backstory:
In the deepest caverns of the Underdark, where the air is thick with poison and the walls pulse with ancient magic, Valas carved out an empire of cruelty and control. Born into nobility among the dark elves, Valas rose to power not through inheritance but through sheer force of will, manipulation, and bloodshed. Where others saw mortal limits, Valas saw opportunity—and when he discovered the dark arts of fiendish pacts and forbidden sorcery, he embraced them fully.
His ultimate ambition has always been singular: to birth a child strong enough to unite magic, blood, and darkness into one perfect heir. An heir capable of carrying his dominion beyond the Underdark to the surface world—and eventually, the planes beyond.
To that end, he purchased, enslaved, and bred countless magical beings, most notably Alaia, whose rare lineage held the key to sorcerous potential. From her, he fathered three children:
- Andras – loyal, cold, obedient, and ruthless.
- Daegon – cunning, brutal, but ambitious beyond control.
- Kaladin – the only true sorcerer among them, though Valas was deceived into believing the boy died at birth.
The truth—the escape of Alaia, Kaladin’s survival, and the mass exodus led by Seraphina Hellfire and Anwir “Annie” Laurent—was a wound Valas never forgot. He has spent decades hunting the defectors, his obsession festering into a monstrous rage.
Personality:
Valas is the embodiment of cold, calculating evil. He is not the frothing barbarian nor the madman—he is a predator who speaks softly, smiles rarely, and manipulates masterfully. His every action serves a larger plan, and he is willing to wait years—or decades—to see his vision realized.
Though utterly ruthless, Valas is not without twisted affection. His obsession with Alaia was born not just of control but of genuine fascination, and he views his children—especially Kaladin—not as family, but as creations, masterpieces that he crafted with his own blood.
He is patient, methodical, and utterly convinced of his own destiny as a god-king in the making.
Appearance:
Valas is a vision of terrifying beauty: deep sapphire skin stretched over chiseled features, eyes burning with unnatural azure light, and twin blackened horns spiraling back from his brow. Silver-white hair falls past his shoulders, framing his unnervingly symmetrical face. Intricate silver and black tattoos trace along his skin, pulsating faintly when he channels magic.
He favors regal, ornate clothing—tailored jackets embroidered with infernal patterns, silver jewelry, and an obsidian-black throne when holding court. Every movement he makes speaks of control and lethality.
Quirks and Traits:
- Master Manipulator: Valas never raises his voice. He prefers to corrupt others into doing his will.
- Dark Ties: His pacts with ancient fiends give him access to both sorcerous magic and infernal power.
- Obsession with Perfection: His entire life is driven by the desire to create the perfect heir—a fixation that blinds him in key ways.
- Cruel Mercy: Occasionally allows survivors to live after punishments—so they can carry the weight of their failure.
Notable Relationships:
- Alaia: His former slave, the only woman he ever fixated on. Her escape wounded his pride more deeply than any battlefield loss.
- Andras & Daegon: His elder sons—tools of war, each dangerously flawed in different ways.
- Kaladin Jean: The “dead” child—the one that got away. Should Valas learn Kaladin is alive, his wrath will be swift and all-consuming.
Andras
The Son in Chains. The Hollow Heir. The Prince of Nothing.
Andras
The Son in Chains. The Hollow Heir. The Prince of Nothing.
Race: Tiefling (Fiend-Touched Drow Lineage)
Class: Fighter (Champion) / Warlock (Fiend Pact) – Level 11 (or as fits your balance)
Background: Noble Scion
Alignment: Lawful Evil (with hidden flickers of Neutrality)
Affiliation: The Underdark / Valas’ Court
Backstory:
Born the first son of Valas and Alaia, Andras was raised in the suffocating shadow of his father’s ambitions. From the moment he could walk, he was told that he was destined to rule. But Andras was a disappointment from the very start—gifted, yes; brutal, yes; but lacking the one thing Valas craved above all: magic.
As Valas’ obsession with creating a sorcerer heir grew, Andras found himself both central and disposable—groomed to inherit the dark throne, yet forever marked as a failure in his father’s eyes. He learned early to take the beatings, the verbal lashings, and the humiliation with silent acceptance. Survival demanded it.
Andras has spent his life trying to embody the cold ruthlessness Valas values, even as he knows the truth: the day Valas succeeds in creating or reclaiming the “perfect heir”—the day Kaladin is found—Andras’ usefulness will end.
Yet he endures.
Current Role:
Andras serves as the public face of Valas’ empire. While Valas himself remains an elusive myth to many, Andras is the one who commands armies, enforces the family’s rule, and ensures the Underdark’s chains remain unbroken.
Personality:
Andras is cold, calculating, and terrifyingly efficient. His exterior is flawless: polite when needed, savage when required, and always composed. Yet beneath the mask, there is deep resentment and quiet despair. He is a man who knows he is living on borrowed time—a prince whose crown was never truly his.
Years of brutality have hollowed him, but not completely. There remains, buried under decades of abuse, a sliver of longing for something different: freedom, dignity, perhaps even redemption. He would never say this aloud. He’s not even sure he believes it.
Andras has no illusions about his father’s love—he knows he is a pawn, a blunt instrument. And though he obeys, the weight of that knowledge shapes every choice he makes.
Appearance:
Andras is the very image of dark nobility: deep midnight-blue skin stretched over angular, aristocratic features. His horns curve back in elegant, menacing arcs. His eyes burn with infernal blue light, glowing unnaturally in shadow. Silver filigree tattoos wind across his face and arms—symbols of his lineage and his father’s dominance.
He wears impeccably tailored suits, black-on-black, with silver accents and sharp lines. His presence is icy and unnerving, and when he speaks, it is with the calm of someone who has long ago stopped hoping for mercy.
Quirks and Traits:
- Stoic Sufferer: Andras shows no reaction to pain, physical or emotional. Decades of Valas’ cruelty have made his composure unshakable.
- Tactician: He is a brilliant strategist, both in battle and in political maneuvering.
- Broken Loyalty: Though outwardly obedient, Andras’ loyalty to Valas is increasingly driven by survival, not belief.
- Deeply Isolated: He has no true confidants. Even among his own siblings, he is alone.
Notable Relationships:
- Valas: His father, his tormentor, his master. Andras both fears and loathes him.
- Alaia: His mother—a distant, fading memory of kindness he barely recalls. He assumes her dead but dreams of her sometimes.
- Daegon: His younger brother—wild, reckless, and dangerous. Their relationship is fraught with rivalry.
- Kaladin Jean: The true heir—the sibling whose existence could end Andras’ life as he knows it. He knows of Kaladin only in whispers.
Role in the Story:
Andras is the cold iron fist of the Underdark—the enemy the players may face on battlefields or across negotiation tables. He is a villain, but one with complexity, tragedy, and hidden cracks in his armor. Should the players seek to destabilize Valas’ empire, Andras could become a surprising pivot point: an adversary who might, under the right circumstances, turn against his father.
Or he could die as he has lived: a silent, obedient weapon for someone else’s war.
Daegon
The Smiling Fang. The Prince of Chains. The Dealer of Flesh.
Daegon
The Smiling Fang. The Prince of Chains. The Dealer of Flesh.
Race: Tiefling (Fiend-Touched Drow Lineage)
Class: Rogue (Mastermind) / Warlock (The Fiend) – Level 10
Background: Criminal Underlord
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Affiliation: The Underdark / Valas’ Court / The Skin Trade
Backstory:
The second son of Valas and Alaia, Daegon has never aspired to be the heir—he has always aspired to be feared.
Where his older brother Andras obeys and endures, Daegon thrives in the shadows of their father’s violence. He is the family’s monster—the smiling, cruel blade in the dark—unburdened by the need for approval or legitimacy. From a young age, Daegon learned that in the Underdark, power doesn’t come from birthright—it comes from the willingness to take whatever you want, no matter the cost.
Though he shares his father’s sadism and ruthlessness, Daegon lacks Valas’ obsession with control. His passions are simpler: domination, indulgence, and chaos. It was Daegon who first proposed expanding the family’s reach into the skin trade—the trafficking of surface dwellers for profit and pleasure. His plan was accepted, and with it, Daegon gained the rare privilege of traveling topside under the guise of “scouting” new assets.
In truth, these trips are his only freedom—an escape from the suffocating iron grip of Valas, and a chance to live out his worst desires without immediate oversight.
Current Role:
Daegon now oversees the Skin Trade, an underground network specializing in the abduction and sale of magical and non-magical beings alike. His operations stretch from the Underdark to the darkest corners of Gothika, feeding both the criminal underworld and Valas’ twisted projects.
To most of his contacts, Daegon presents himself as charming, playful, and disturbingly likable. But beneath the grin lies a predator with no empathy, no conscience, and no limits.
Personality:
Daegon is chaos in a tailored suit. He embodies the devil-may-care charm of a sadistic gambler—quick with a joke, a wink, or a dagger to the spine. He is playful even in violence, fond of toying with his prey both physically and psychologically.
He despises his brother Andras, viewing him as weak and joyless, and while he fears Valas, he harbors quiet ambitions of carving out his own empire should the opportunity ever arise.
Daegon has no loyalty to anyone—not truly. Everything he does is a move in a game only he understands, and he plays it for the thrill, not the victory.
Appearance:
With midnight-blue skin, glowing neon-blue eyes, and wicked fanged teeth, Daegon cuts a striking figure. His long black hair falls messily past his shoulders, framing sharp, angular features and an unsettling permanent smirk. Black ink-like markings slash across his eyes and jawline, giving him the appearance of something half-feral.
He dresses in leather, metal, and dark silks—favoring the aesthetics of both predator and rockstar. His many rings and earrings glint like trophies of past victims.
Quirks and Traits:
- Charming Sociopath: Daegon is dangerously likable, even to those who should know better.
- Dual Life: His “scouting missions” on the surface serve both his father’s business and his personal escape.
- Violence as Art: He views torture, coercion, and control as a game to be savored.
- Unstable Loyalties: While outwardly obedient, Daegon has no true loyalty to Valas or anyone else.
Notable Relationships:
- Valas: Equal parts terror and hatred. Daegon respects his father’s power but secretly dreams of freedom from him.
- Andras: Sees his brother as a pathetic lapdog—amusing, but beneath contempt.
- Alaia: A half-forgotten ghost from his early life. He neither hates nor honors her.
- Kaladin Jean: Unaware of his younger brother’s survival (for now), but should he discover it, Daegon’s reaction could tilt between envy, obsession, or a desire to corrupt him.
Role in the Story:
Daegon represents the wild card of the Underdark—a villain who could be an enemy, an informant, or an unpredictable temporary ally depending on how the players approach him. His operations in the Skin Trade make him the dark mirror of characters like Alaia and Seraphina, offering the party a chance to confront the deepest levels of exploitation and cruelty in Gothika.
He is the kind of threat that smiles while he stabs—and laughs while the city burns.
Stank
The Kitchen Goblin. The Unsung Hero. The Little Flame that Sparked a Revolution.
Stank
The Kitchen Goblin. The Unsung Hero. The Little Flame that Sparked a Revolution.
Race: Goblin
Class: Commoner (with Expert Rogue-like skills)
Background: Servant / Spy
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Affiliation: Formerly the Underdark, now allied with Seraphina, Alaia, and Annie
Backstory:
In the darkest halls of the Underdark, where cruelty was law and survival was a daily gamble, there existed one small creature overlooked by nearly everyone: Stank, the kitchen goblin.
No one paid much mind to Stank. He was small, grubby, and always smelled faintly of onions. His job was simple—stir the pots, fetch the bread, keep the fires lit, and stay out of the way. But Stank had something most in the Underdark didn’t: a heart too big for his tiny chest.
For years, he watched as slaves and servants were beaten, used, and discarded. He saw the despair etched into faces, the broken bodies that disappeared and were never spoken of again. And when whispers of rebellion began to flicker, Stank didn’t hesitate—he helped.
It was Stank who smuggled keys baked into loaves of bread. It was Stank who led lost escapees through the winding back corridors of the fortress kitchens. And it was Stank who ensured that Kaladin, the infant son of Alaia and Valas, was carried to safety and placed in hiding.
When the great escape finally happened—led by Seraphina and Annie—Stank ran with them, leaving behind the only home he’d ever known for the uncertain light of the surface.
Current Role:
Now living in Gothika, Stank works in the kitchens of The Velvet Venom and occasionally at The Snake Pit, depending on where he’s needed. Though most patrons and new hires barely notice him, those in the know understand that Stank is more than a cook—he is family.
He serves as cook, errand-runner, informant, and occasional fixer for Seraphina, Alaia, and Annie. He is fiercely loyal to those who treated him as more than vermin, and he would lay down his life for Kaladin, even if Kaladin barely remembers him.
Personality:
Stank is mischievous, chatty, and always slightly sticky with flour or grease. He talks to himself constantly and often refers to his stew pots by name. Despite his eccentricities, he is surprisingly shrewd and deeply kind.
He has an innate sense of justice and despises bullies. Though he avoids direct combat, he is a master of sabotage, lockpicking, and making sure the wrong people get the wrong stew on the wrong night.
Appearance:
Standing barely two feet tall, Stank is a scruffy green goblin with enormous ears, wild black hair, and perpetually dirty hands. He wears an oversized, oil-stained apron and mismatched scraps for clothing. His eyes are bright and curious, always darting about as if he’s listening to a conversation no one else can hear.
Despite his size, he carries himself with a surprising confidence—because Stank knows something most people don’t: sometimes the smallest spark starts the biggest fire.
Quirks and Traits:
- Nickname Maven: Stank gives absolutely everyone a nickname (most of them ridiculous).
- Master of Escape: He can slip through cracks, vents, and hidden tunnels almost anywhere in Gothika.
- Foodie with a Mission: His stews, while questionable in appearance, are oddly delicious. He takes pride in feeding his people.
- Old Soul: Despite his silliness, there is wisdom in Stank—he has seen things most could not imagine.
Notable Relationships:
- Alaia: Admires and reveres her like a goddess.
- Seraphina & Annie: Views them as war heroes. He would follow them anywhere.
- Kaladin Jean: Adores him as the “Little Prince” he once helped save, though he keeps his distance out of respect.
- The Velvet Venom Staff: Protective of them all, especially the younger workers who remind him of the lost souls of the Underdark.
Role in the Story:
Stank can serve as comic relief, informant, and hidden MVP. He knows things no one else notices, hears things others miss, and if the players treat him kindly, he could be the key to uncovering underground plots or even leading them to secret paths in and out of danger.
Small but mighty, Stank reminds everyone:
“Heroes come in all sizes, mate. And sometimes? The littlest ones make the biggest messes.”
Let me know if you’d like to give him a magical trinket, unique ability, or role in an upcoming mission!
Nightclub Staff
Girth Striker
The Wall. The Shield. The Snake Pit’s Iron Backbone.
Girth Striker
The Wall. The Shield. The Snake Pit’s Iron Backbone.
Race: Half-Orc
Class: Barbarian (Path of the Juggernaut – reflavored for a modern setting) – Level 9
Background: Urban Bounty Hunter / Ex-Gang Member
Alignment: Lawful Neutral (with deep loyalty to his chosen family)
Affiliation: The Vipress / The Snake Pit
Backstory:
Born to Trina and Melle Striker, Girth’s early life was a rare and precious thing in the slums of Gloomrak Hills—safe, stable, and full of love. His mothers, a tech-savvy data analyst and a dedicated social worker, built a home where kindness, hard work, and compassion were the cornerstones. For a time, it seemed like Girth might grow up untouched by the city’s darkness.
That illusion shattered when Girth was twelve. His mother Melle, while visiting a family for work, was caught in the crossfire of a gang shootout and killed. The event devastated his surviving mother, Trina, who spiraled into depression and alcoholism, eventually losing her job and their family home. Forced to move into the same Gloomrak neighborhood where Melle died, the Strikers became just another casualty of the city’s rot.
Girth—already massive for his age—took the loss hard. With no guidance, no support, and a growing storm of rage inside him, he began roaming the streets, picking fights, running errands for gangs, and hunting for anyone connected to his mother’s death. By sixteen, he’d dropped out of school entirely, and his path seemed set for destruction.
That’s when he crossed paths with Anwir “Annie” Laurent and Seraphina Hellfire. He’d been caught dealing on their turf—a mistake that should have ended with his blood on the pavement. But Annie, always the one to look past surface-level sins, saw something different in the young Half-Orc. Strength. Loyalty. Potential.
Instead of punishing him, Annie offered him a job. Girth accepted. It would change his life.
Current Role:
Years of loyalty, muscle, and grit have earned Girth Striker his place at the heart of The Snake Pit. He now serves as Head of Security and General Manager of the infamous nightclub and brothel—a position that puts him at the epicenter of The Vipress’s empire.
If Seraphina is the brain, and Annie the heart, Girth is the spine. He manages everything from bouncer rotations to security protocols to ensuring that no one—no one—disrespects the Snake Pit or its people.
Personality:
Girth is quiet but far from gentle. A mountain of muscle with the heart of a guard dog, he is fiercely protective of those he considers family. His early trauma left him with a core belief that the world is dangerous and unpredictable—but that it is his job to hold the line.
He speaks rarely, often with dry wit or blunt honesty, and prefers actions over words. Despite his imposing appearance, he has a surprisingly patient and strategic mind, especially when it comes to conflict resolution or the logistics of running the Pit.
Underneath the stoicism, Girth still carries the scars of his mother’s death and the collapse of his childhood home. He drinks little, and his one personal vow is that no one under his care will suffer the way his family did if he can help it.
Appearance:
Towering and broad-shouldered, Girth’s green skin is crisscrossed with old scars—testaments to street fights, back-alley brawls, and worse. His tusks curve prominently, and his ears are studded with silver rings. Short black hair sits in unruly waves, often slicked back for club nights.
Girth’s typical attire is an understated black suit stretched over his massive frame, often with the tie discarded and sleeves rolled up. Even in formal wear, he looks like a man built for violence. His presence alone is often enough to deter trouble.
Quirks and Traits:
- Silent Watcher: Girth rarely speaks in large groups, preferring to observe and assess before acting.
- Steel Nerves: It is nearly impossible to intimidate him—he’s seen the worst Gloomrak has to offer.
- Street Smarts & Business Sense: Years under Seraphina’s leadership have taught him how to blend muscle with management.
- Old Wound: Keeps a small, worn locket with a photo of his two mothers hidden under his shirt at all times.
Notable Relationships:
- Anwir “Annie” Laurent: The first to believe in him. Girth would follow Annie to hell and back.
- Seraphina Hellfire (The Vipress): Hard-won respect. He trusts her leadership but remains quietly protective of Annie’s well-being above all else.
- Trina Striker: His surviving mother, now sober and rebuilding her life with his help. They remain close.
Role in the Story:
Girth stands as the immovable pillar of The Snake Pit—the literal and figurative bouncer keeping the chaos of Gothika at bay. He can be an ally, a source of inside information, or the first (and last) line of defense if the players make enemies within the organization.
If the players earn his respect, they gain not just muscle, but a steadfast protector. Betray him, however, and they’ll face the full fury of a man who has already lost too much.
Rorak Sullivan
Driver. Enforcer. The Loyal Hand.
Rorak Sullivan
Driver. Enforcer. The Loyal Hand.
Race: Human
Class: Fighter (Champion) – Level 8 (or adjust as fits your campaign balance)
Background: Criminal
Alignment: Neutral Good (with shades of gray)
Affiliation: The Vipress / Annie Laurent
Backstory:
Born into the grime-streaked slums of Gloomrak Hills, Rorak Sullivan came into a world already bursting at the seams. Child number eight in a family of sixteen, he was raised amidst the chaos of too many mouths to feed and too few opportunities to thrive. His parents, though stretched thin, did their best to instill love and decency—but for a classic middle child like Rorak, that love was distant, and the streets offered freedom, excitement, and danger far more intoxicating than anything home could provide.
By the time he was ten, Rorak was a familiar face among the city’s small-time gangs, running jobs, stealing cars, and pulling petty heists with a mixture of reckless charm and raw talent. Freedom, however, came with a price. At sixteen, after a string of increasingly bold robberies, Rorak’s luck ran dry, and he was sentenced to two years in the Gothika State Juvenile Detention Center—a place that hardened him but didn’t break him.
Released on his eighteenth birthday, Rorak faced the same crossroads that traps so many in Gloomrak. With no prospects and no guidance, he slipped right back into his old ways, eventually finding himself in prison once again, this time with a six-year sentence. It was here, in the gray monotony of incarceration, that he met Kramar Hilgaren, a fixer and recruiter for The Vipress’s growing network. Kramar saw something in the young man—something sharp, loyal, and useful.
Upon his release, Rorak was given a second chance: not at a clean life, but at a purposeful one. He was introduced to Anwir “Annie” Laurent and Seraphina Hellfire, and offered a simple job—be Annie’s driver.
It wasn’t long before Rorak proved himself far more valuable than anyone expected.
Current Role:
Rorak serves as Annie Laurent’s personal driver, bodyguard, and most trusted confidant. He operates within The Vipress’s organization, handling logistics, security, and quiet “clean-up” when situations get messy. Though not the face of the operation, his presence is constant, dependable, and quietly formidable.
To Annie, Rorak is more than muscle—he is one of the few people who can be trusted with secrets, fears, and plans. He has stood by Annie’s side through violence, betrayal, and chaos, never once wavering in his loyalty.
Personality:
Rorak is a man of few words, preferring action over conversation. Calm, pragmatic, and fiercely loyal, he is the type who observes the room before speaking. He possesses a dry sense of humor that appears in rare, well-timed moments, and his protective instincts run deep for the people he cares about.
He’s not without a code. Despite his criminal past, Rorak draws the line at senseless cruelty, exploitation, and betrayal. He is deeply loyal to Annie, Seraphina, and the found family he’s built within their ranks, but maintains a quiet wariness of outsiders.
Appearance:
Rorak is striking in a way that draws second glances but not open stares. Dark, slicked-back hair with a single rebellious curl, sharp green eyes that seem to miss nothing, and a chiseled jawline perpetually set in a stoic expression. He is rarely seen without his dark tailored suits—sharp enough to blend into high society but practical enough for a quick getaway.
A discreet earpiece often hums in his ear, keeping him linked to the world of information, orders, and danger that he navigates with unflinching precision. Scars trace his knuckles and ribs—silent echoes of the life he’s lived.
Quirks and Traits:
- Middle Child Syndrome: Rorak has a deep-seated need to prove his worth, rooted in years of feeling overlooked.
- Mechanical Aptitude: He has a natural talent for vehicles, able to hotwire, repair, and modify cars with minimal tools.
- Street Smart: Decades in Gloomrak gave him sharp instincts for reading people, sensing danger, and navigating underworld politics.
- Never Without the Car: He takes meticulous care of the black vintage car gifted to him by Seraphina—a symbol of trust and status.
Notable Relationships:
- Anwir “Annie” Laurent: Closest friend and trusted leader. Rorak would lay down his life for Annie without hesitation.
- Seraphina Hellfire (The Vipress): Deep respect, though Rorak keeps a cautious distance from her more manipulative tendencies.
- Kramar Hilgaren: The man who gave him a second chance. Though their paths diverged, Rorak remains quietly grateful.
Role in the Story:
Rorak is the steady hand in a world of chaos. He serves as the players’ muscle, moral compass, or getaway driver depending on the need. Though not flashy, his loyalty, resourcefulness, and quiet strength make him a cornerstone of the Vipress’s operation—and potentially a vital ally or a dangerous foe, depending on the players’ choices.
Velora Crane
Club Promoter. Vibe Curator. Mistress of Mayhem
Velora Crane
If there’s a velvet rope in Gothika, Velora Crane’s the reason you’re either behind it or dancing under the lights. With a glittering smile and an eye for exactly who belongs where, Velora is the nightlife whisperer behind some of the city’s most legendary parties. She doesn’t just fill the club—she cultivates a scene, blending music, magic, and mood into an atmosphere no one forgets.
She’s been called a taste-maker, a trend-setter, and once (by a very drunk tiefling) “the heartbeat of the Mercurius District.” Velora just calls it Tuesday.
Whether she’s working the guest list at The Snake Pit or pulling strings from behind the scenes, Velora brings the heat, the crowd, and the chaos—all with a wink and a well-placed enchantment. She has a sixth sense for drama and desires, and if you catch her smiling at you from across the room, buckle up—you’re about to have the night of your life.
Cinna Beryl
Head Mixologist. Alchemical Elf. “The Elixir Witch of the Pit”
Cinna Beryl
Head Mixologist | Alchemical Elf | “The Elixir Witch of the Pit”
Cinna Beryl doesn’t just make drinks—she crafts experiences. An alchemical elf with a rebellious streak and a velvet voice, Cinna turned down a high-profile post at the Academy of Arcane Sciences to sling cocktails and raise hell in Gothika’s underground. Now, behind the glowing serpentine bar of The Snake Pit, she reigns supreme with a shaker in one hand and a hex in the other.
Her drinks are infamous: glowing liquids that fizz, change flavor mid-sip, or give you a fleeting sense of déjà vu. Some say she laces them with harmless enchantments—others claim they’re mood-altering potions disguised as high-end spirits. Ask her directly and she’ll just smile and say, “If you’re asking questions, I’m doing my job right.”
Cinna is fiercely loyal to Seraphina and deeply protective of the staff. She keeps a hidden dagger beneath the bar and a wand tucked in her corset, though her sharp tongue usually gets the job done faster than either. Rumor has it she once turned a rude customer into a puff of glitter. She neither confirms nor denies.
When she’s not tending bar, she’s experimenting in her private backroom lab, working on a new drink called “Soulbite”—a shimmering amber liquor that tastes like your best memory and leaves you craving closure.
Glimm Vox
Illusion Tech. Lighting Alchemist. “The Spark Behind the Spectacle”
Glimm Vox
Illusion Tech | Lighting Alchemist | “The Spark Behind the Spectacle”
You don’t see Glimm Vox—you see her work. Laser blooms that burst into snakes and smoke. Illusions that dance with the music and vanish with a wink. Light that wraps the crowd in velvet or burns like starlight. If The Snake Pit feels like a dream you barely remember but never want to end, Glimm’s to blame.
A gnome with a punk aesthetic and a laugh like a flickering fuse, Glimm grew up in the neon scrapyards of the Mercurius District, repurposing trash into magic shows for spare coin. She eventually fused her gift for illusion with a knack for runic tech, crafting a custom lighting rig powered by arcane crystals and attitude. Now, she’s the creative chaos engine behind The Snake Pit’s atmosphere, designing immersive illusions that shift with the beat.
Her fingers are always stained with glowdust, and her goggles (rarely removed) are rumored to show emotional auras. She communicates in fast-moving hand signals, curse words, and coded taps on the control table—and only Velora and Cinna fully understand her.
She’s currently working on a project called “The Pulse”—a living light illusion that syncs with the emotions of the crowd. If it works, it might change nightlife forever. If it doesn’t, it might set someone’s hair on fire.
Rhythmoir
Sound Alchemist. Changeling DJ. “The Beat That Binds the Room”
Rhythmoir
Sound Alchemist | Changeling DJ | “The Beat That Binds the Room”
No one knows what Rhythmoir really looks like—not because they’re hiding, but because they are the music. A changeling with a pulse in perfect sync with the rhythm of the room, Rhythmoir shape-shifts with the sound, becoming whoever the night needs: a swaggering rock god, a seductive sylph, a skeletal maestro with fingers of smoke. Their body is a canvas, and the beat is the brush.
Every night, they slip into the DJ booth like a whispered secret. No announcements. No introductions. Just a slow, rolling baseline that builds into a storm of sound and illusion. When Rhythmoir plays, the walls breathe, the lights flirt, and the dance floor becomes a holy place. They mix traditional instruments with magical tones—chimes that control tempo, spell-infused snares, and arcane basslines that make your chest ache in the best way.
They speak rarely, but when they do, it’s through the music: coded messages in the melody, emotions translated through soundwaves. Velora swears she once cried just from a single drop in one of their sets. Cinna still won’t talk about the time they played “The Silver Pulse” and a man proposed to a shadow.
Rhythmoir is not just a performer—they’re a medium. And in the church of The Snake Pit, they are the high priest of vibe.
Murn "Mama" Vex
Fightmaster. Pit Boss. Keeper of the Teeth
Murn "Mama" Vex
Fightmaster | Pit Boss | Keeper of the Teeth
You don’t enter the basement without going through Mama Vex. She’s the unofficial queen of the underground ring below The Snake Pit—part bookie, part brawler, all business. Once a famed pit fighter known as “The Widowmaker,” Murn Vex now channels her brutality into managing the city’s most secret and savage fight scene. Her left arm is a glittering prosthetic made from salvaged arcane tech—rumored to house a blade, a taser, or both.
She runs the fights like a sacred ritual: controlled chaos, artful violence, and unspoken rules. Fighters trust her, and that’s rare in a place where trust bleeds faster than coin. She doesn’t tolerate cheating, magic interference, or disrespecting the ring. Try it, and you might wake up with your nose in the sand of the Salt Exchange.
Vex isn’t flashy, but her presence is magnetic—gravel voice, sharp eyes, a half-smoked cigar always in hand. She keeps a thick, leather-bound ledger where she tracks every match, fighter, and bet—written in a code only she and Seraphina understand.
She calls the ring “The Teeth.”
Because that’s what you’ll leave behind if you step in unprepared.
Nestor Quill
Accountant. Numbers Man. Debt Collector Extraordinaire
Nestor Quill
Accountant | Numbers Man | Debt Collector Extraordinaire
Nestor Quill is the most dangerous man in the building—and he’s never thrown a punch in his life. Tall, thin, and impeccably dressed in charcoal-gray suits that somehow always seem freshly pressed, Nestor is The Snake Pit’s bookkeeper. But make no mistake—he doesn’t just track profits and expenses. He tracks everyone.
On paper, he manages payroll, liquor inventory, property taxes, and regulatory “adjustments.” In practice, he’s Seraphina’s personal ledger-keeper and lone shark, offering short-term loans at long-term costs. You don’t ask for credit from The Snake Pit unless you’re prepared to pay Nestor back—with interest, blood, or secrets.
Polite, unassuming, and chillingly precise, Nestor never raises his voice. He doesn’t need to. The last person who defaulted on a loan was found babbling in a warehouse, convinced numbers were falling out of their mouth. No one’s sure if it was a curse, a spell, or just Nestor’s version of “collections.”
His office is tucked behind a locked steel door labeled Inventory B. Inside: rows of filing cabinets, three magical safes, and a desk made from the petrified wood of an ancient dryad. There’s no dust. No clutter. Just a single, enchanted ledger that writes in his voice.
He doesn’t drink. He doesn’t party. But he sees everything.
Ivonya Lace
Drug Curator. Alchemical Temptress. Mistress of The Petals
Ivonya Lace
Drug Curator | Alchemical Temptress | Mistress of The Petals
Ivonya Lace is everything you want and nothing you expect. With a voice like a silk choke and eyes that shimmer in shifting hues, she moves through the club like a perfume you can’t place—lingering, intoxicating, dangerous. She is the mind behind The Petals, a handpicked team of flirtatious, spell-bound couriers who offer glittering vials and dissolving pearls from silver trays, each labeled with names like Glint, Fae Dust, Velvet Fade, or Muse.
Once a failed alchemist, Ivonya turned to the pleasure sciences and built an empire under Seraphina’s wing. She sees her work as art—emotion in chemical form—and considers her concoctions an act of rebellion against the chaotic poisons flooding the city.
Ivonya has no patience for overdoses, pushers, or junkies. She’ll smile while turning you inside out with a flick of her jeweled cane. But treat her staff with respect, and she might slip you a petal called Daydream—a whisper of euphoria and memory that tastes like first love.
Some say she’s older than she looks. Some say she never sleeps. Some say she’s tasted every Petal she’s ever made—and remembers every dream.
Frostbite Dirge
Weapon (spear), Very Rare (cursed, attunement required)
Frostbite Dirge
Weapon (spear), Very Rare (cursed, attunement required)
Forged from the marrow of a betrayed frost giant, this spear sings a mournful howl as it strikes. Its chill clings even after death.
🩶 Stats:
+2 to attack & damage
Deals 1d10 slashing + 1d4 cold
Killing a creature flash-freezes its corpse
🧊 Howl of Winter (1/day):
Unleash a 15ft icy burst:
1d6 cold to all nearby
DC 16 Strength save or be paralyzed in ice (1 min, repeat saves end early)
Hitting frozen enemies ends the effect and deals +1d6 cold
⚠ Curse – The Bleeding Chill:
Take 1 cold damage at dawn
When using the Howl, roll 1d6:
On 1, you freeze yourself
On 2–3, take 2d6 cold damage
Cannot be removed without spilling the blood of someone you love.
Iridex Fang
Weapon (dagger), Rare (requires attunement)
Iridex Fang
Weapon (dagger), Rare (requires attunement)
Forged from the crystallized fang of a prismatic serpent-drake extinct since the First Eclipse. It pulses faintly with iridescent venom.
Stats:
+1 to attack and damage rolls
On a hit, the dagger deals an additional 1d4 acid and 1d4 poison damage.
If your attack beats the target’s AC by 5 or more, the target instead takes an additional 4d4 acid and 4d4 poison damage (no save). You feel the fang sink in.
Venom Memory:
If this dagger kills a creature, its glow deepens for 1 hour. During this time, you have advantage on your next attack with it.
Appearance Notes for Card:
Jagged and asymmetrical, like a broken fang
Veins of shifting color run just beneath the surface
Smells faintly of ozone and crushed herbs
The Witness
Wondrous Item (amulet), rare – requires attunement by a Warlock
The Witness
Wondrous Item (amulet), rare – requires attunement by a Warlock
A gift from Trixie, made from the last tether of Annie’s broken bond to darkness—now reforged under new eyes.
This obsidian-and-silver pendant is shaped like a monstrous hand clutching an unnatural blue eye. The eye never closes. It turns slightly toward motion, flickers with unknown reflections in firelight, and sometimes weeps blood-red tears when Annie dreams of the Underdark.
It once belonged to a different patron. It saw too much—and could not forget. Now, remade by Trixie and re-bound to Seraphina, it serves two masters: the one who made him and the one who saved him.
🌑 Watcher’s Glare
As a bonus action, Annie may command the eye to focus on a creature he can see within 60 feet.
Until the end of his next turn:
His next spell cast against that creature has advantage on attack rolls or imposes disadvantage on its saving throw (Annie’s choice).
Usable 3 times per long rest.
🩸 Memory Thief
When Annie kills a creature or reduces it to 0 HP, he may store a memory fragment from it in the pendant.
Once per long rest, he may tap into that memory to:
Gain proficiency in a skill the creature had (for 1 hour), or
Gain advantage on a single Insight or Investigation check related to something the creature knew.
The eye flashes the color of the stolen soul when this happens.
🕯️ She Sees Through Me
Once per long rest, if Seraphina is within 1 mile of Annie, he can cast Sending to her without expending a spell slot or material components.
Additionally, when Annie is at 0 HP but not dead, the pendant can activate on its own:
A glowing ward pulses around him, forcing any creature trying to attack him to make a Wisdom save (DC 15) or be blinded until the end of their next turn.
This feature can activate once per long rest, and only if Seraphina is still alive.
🖤 Lore & Flavor
The eye once belonged to a demon of the Underdark—a spy, a witness, a betrayer. When Seraphina took Annie under her wing, Trixie severed its link to its former master and rewired it into something new.
Now it is bound to him, but it remembers her—the one who first held the chains. The one who taught him to look, listen, and never forget.
Seraphina is his Patron. But the eye is his mirror.
And it sees everything.