The Thistlecatches have passed down the title of Mayor of Winding for generations. They are a proud and well-respected family whose ancestry reaches back to the the kings and queens of the time of giants. There is a legend that the Thistlecatches of old had been dragon-tamers, and so their family crest is a dragon wound around a thistle flower.

Rune Thistlecatch has occupied the role of Mayor of Winding since her father, Ambrose Thistlecatch, disappeared in the marsh six months ago. She takes her position very seriously, and is known to be a firm and honest voice among the village council.

At fourteen, she is the second-youngest Mayor of Winding (the first being her great-great-grandfather, Thimble Thistlecatch, who became mayor at the age of eight) and one of the most competent.

The Pooth siblings are known throughout the village as a collective; they are very rarely seen apart from one another, and so are usually only referred to as the Pooths. Their names are Roo, Loo, Moo, Soo, Boo and Woo Pooth.

The Pooths are very small and easily stepped on, so they carry little bells on their heads that tinkle when they walk. Roo, Loo, Moo, Soo and Woo don't speak much except for small jabberings that seem unintelligible to most folks, but they let Boo speak articulately on their behalf. His is the loudest voice, after all.

They live in a tree outside the watchmaker's shop, where they are employed with watching for thieves and tricky business.

Miss Agatha is a warm and constant presence in Winding. She is quick with a story and is a fantastic listener -- so much so that many in the village will come to her with their troubles, eager for her guidance. She is an avid reader and the most frequent patron of the village library, but she is most known for her shop, her magic, and her tea.

The Curiosity Shop is the ground floor of Miss Agatha's home, and it is filled with antiques and trinkets and otherworldly novelties brought to the village from faraway lands or dug up out of the bottomless Dragon Marsh. Each item has a unique story, which she will tell upon request. Miss Agatha's personal knowledge on matters of history, magic and cultures is known as the finest in the village, her fortune telling as hauntingly accurate, and her tea as the most exquisite ever tasted.

Of all the stories she has told, not one has ever been about herself. She arrived in Winding with a trade caravan six years ago, and that is all anyone knows.

Name
Deino Raller

Age
19

Gender
Male

Race
Harpy

AppearanceStanding at around 4'9" with a light build meant for flying, Deino is smaller than the average human. Instead of hair, he has a full head of dark brown feathers that are seemingly always messy. More feathers in a similar dark hue cover most of his body, reaching from his arms down to his hawk-like legs. His eyes are especially unique, as they are a piercing gold and shaped similar to those of a bird-of-prey. The clothes he wears are mostly fit for travel and flight--light jackets, bandannas, and flying goggles.

Personality
Deino is fairly timid, opting to just go with the flow of things rather than take charge. Soft-spoken and kind, he enjoys meeting new people, though often acts sheepish and nervous around them. Deino is empathetic, though he'd rather be the ear that listens than the mouth that gives advice. He's kind and generous to the fault, overlooking other's faults and loves to help others out. Unfortunately, people often take advantage of this and Deino is often walked over like a doormat. He can be pretty klutzy, often stumbling over himself and running into things, but in the air he's calm confident. Deino can be a bit too hard on himself as he often apologizes, even if it's not apparent what he did wrong. Still, he's optimistic and adventurous, with a strong sense of curiosity that fuels his wonder for the world around him.

Welcome, welcome! Have a seat. No, not that one, it's spring loaded! I guarantee I have exactly what you're looking for, and if I don't I'm certain I can make it. It's your daughter's birthday you say? I've got a windup kitten that'll make you her favorite parent! Vandals breaking into your home? I've got traps and buzzers galore that'll stop 'em in their tracks. Home installations now 20% off! Need a lock smithed? A lock picked? Well I can smith a lock that'll never be picked, or pick any lock that's ever been smithed. You pick. Where are my watches? Bah! Where's the creativity in that? Everyone has a watch! If you're not sure what you want, then have a look around. No one can peruse my gizmos without wanting something...


Oh, nothing really. Just some tools of the trade. cogs, gears, springs, nuts, and bolts. Lockpicks, caltrops, rolled up trip razors... what's a trip razor you ask? Haha, ask the last naughty vandal who tried to break in to my shop. With this set of strings and springs, I could take down kings! Well, not really, but it has to rhyme. Rhymes are good for business you know... But enough about the box. My notebook is much more interesting. No you can't look! These blueprints are my intellectual property! You'll have to wait till I build 'em and sell 'em.

Name: Father Mortain Greenfield, Priest of Naram, at your service.

Age: Fifty-two, if you really must know.

Gender: Male of course. I suppose my title would be 'Mother,' otherwise.

Sexuality: Celibate, and that's all I will say on the matter.

Appearance: Well, take a look-

Father Mortain is a fair-skinned human of average height. His hair, although almost totally gray, has yet to thin appreciably. His eyes are brown. Though his youth has long since departed, he is still in good health for a man his age, and makes a point of regular exercise to keep it that way. He is most typically seen wearing a simple brown cassock on his body and nothing on his feet, when the weather allows it. Around his neck he wears the sacred symbol of his order, an emblem depicting a balanced set of scales, cast in silver.

Personality: Well, for one thing I've never much cared for the attitude- prevalent in my order, you understand- that harsh regimentation is the best way to guide a flock. I just don't think that would fly in this village.

I always try to speak kindly, even to strangers and non-believers. Especially to them, in fact. Behaving justly is easily the best way to win converts. Not to mention it's the right thing to do, of course.

Skills: I was trained as a seminarian in the finer points of rhetoric and theology, and received rudimentary instruction in the healing arts. As a boy I was also taught to read and write, to manipulate sums, and I managed to pick up a little bit of herblore as well.

Drawbacks: Might be I'm a little too trusting. I've been called gullible before, after all. I'm a little overfond of imbibing on festive occasions, for which I must do proper penance.

Brief bio: Not much to say, really. I was born here, as any old-timer could tell you. My father worked a plot outside of town, just as his father did, and his grandfather, and so on. My brother and his family work the plot now. And do a fine job of it, I might add.

After reaching adulthood I went off to train for the priesthood in the big city, and spent several years wandering afterward, as is traditional. When my traveling was finished, I was dispatched at my own request back to Winding. Our previous priest in residence- Naram keep him- had died several months earlier, leaving the post open.

I've been tending the shrine to Naram ever since.

I am taking up a collection to repair the roof, if you're feeling generous. Surely you noticed the drip pans in the narthex?