IKRPG! Life in Khardov, Part 5 : The Rusalka Kids

As well as the major antagonists in the city, I'm also adding in some neutral "companies" that the party can interact with, either fighting each other or allying to provide mutual assistance.  I've also made the decision of having the groups being between three and six characters, so they'll essentially be a party of NPCs to counter the player's party.

Firstly, we have The Rusalka Kids, a group of river pirates who have become hilariously wealthy smuggling in illegal goods for the Kayazy and other groups (both criminal and legitimate) into the city.  Currently, the only thing they won't take on their boats are humans and dangerous monsters, and even then, it's a logistics issue rather than a moral one.  The players have two real methods of interaction with the Kids - either they can use them to get items in to the city under the noses of the guards (both Winter Guard and Olcheniy) and their rivals, or they can attempt to take them out, cutting off supplies to their enemies at the cost of their own gear.

Madelyn Fernassi
The Tordoran leader of the Rusalka Kids, Madelyn Fernassi is a cool, calm professional who is renowned for her ability to stick to a job as long as she's being paid for it.  As long as she's been in charge of the Kids, their prices have been higher than most of the smugglers on the rivers around Khardov, but they have also been the most reliable, and are the smugglers of choice for near-enough everyone who can afford them.  She doesn't talk about her past, and anyone with any sense has learnt not to bother asking.

I love this model.  Doesn't make a lick of sense in a Khador campaign,  but it's a great model.

In combat, Fernassi is actually not as good as she tries to make herself appear to be.  While she's a reasonable shot with her blowgun and at least passable in melee with her knife, she relies on the rest of her crew to actually fight while she directs them and makes the plans.

Grant MacRoth
The second in command of the Kids, Grant MacRoth is a Thurian with a chip on his shoulder.  Having served in the Five Fingers Steelhead chapter for a decade before getting bored and going solo, MacRoth is a psychopath with military training and no Charter holding him in check.  He eventually fell in with Fernassi before she set up her smuggling business, and is one of the few people who knows about her life before Khardov - whatever she was, it was good enough to not only keep this sadist in check, but taking orders.

I actually think this model would make a GREAT Fighter character in pretty much any RPG.  No jokes here, Croe's a really cool model with a greatsword.

MacRoth has the most direct experience killing people of all the Kids.  This is evident in combat where he can happily slaughter whole ranks of enemies with a single swing of his greatsword, or take out targets at range with impunity with his handcannon.  On the other hand, he spends no time at all worrying about his defences, and may not actually know what dodging does.  So there's that?

Igor Vaustroyov
If Igor Vaustroyov had turned his mind to legal pursuits, he would have been a great success in whatever he'd wanted to do.  Sadly, he suffers from crippling lack of confidence and doesn't believe that anyone would take a seven foot tall bear of a man, who happens to also be a genius, seriously.  To this end, he has taken up alchemy, but only to attempt to make people believe he's got arcane powers.

He's a seven foot tall dude with multiple firebombs.  People believe whatever he tells them to believe.

I HAVE FIRE AND FIREPOWER!  RAAAWWRGH!

Yeah.  He's a huge bloke with a gun and multiple alchemical concoctions.  People who try to take him down are going to get burned in some way, shape or form - do you need me to elaborate?

Jory Di Losta
An Umbrean from the Llaelese side of the border, Di Losta is an adventurer, duellist and general charmer of women throughout the Iron Kingdoms (except Cryx, Cygnar and Ord).  While he tends towards acting on his own, his lusting after Danika Gorislav drug him into joining the Kids, and a rough but ready friendship that has formed with Igor has kept him there.  And the cash.  He spends most of his time in pubs with Igor, trying to improve his confidence.

I totally picture this dude talking in a smooth Latin accent.  'Ola señorita, I am 'ere to  buckle your swash!

Jory spends his time in a fight darting in and out of melee, striking his victims with a few swift stabs before leaving them bleeding on the floor.  He's the fastest member of the Kids and, when the group fights, he takes up a skirmisher role, harassing enemies from the flanks.  Of course, he also enjoys a bit of glory hounding if it looks like they're winning, so look for him in a place where he can make a scene before firing off his loudest pistol.

Danika Gorislav
A Skirov sailor turned pirate, Danika is by far and away the only person in the Kids who can actually sail with any degree of competence.  While she has taught the others a little of what she knows, she is the one the  rest of the group turn to if they need detailed advice on how to keep their boat above the river's surface.

And ANOTHER Pirate chick in a bikini top!  What is this, the Carribean!?

If she ever gets into a fight, she fires wildly with her mismatched pistols at anyone who doesn't look to near any of her group mates at the time, trying not to hit them.  She's a reasonable shot, but she's been hired for her technical knowledge, not her combat abilities.

Gurav
An Ogrun who grew up in Khardov, Gurav has gone from manual labour job to manual labour job before he lost an eye in an accident in one of the foundries on the dock front.  While he can still find work heavy lifting, he tended not to get much work as stress inexplicably causes his wound to bleed profusely.  He signed up with the Kids fairly quickly afterwards, and their reasonably light workload means his wound stays closed.

Huh.  Without any size comparisons, Ogrun look about as big as humans!

While he tries to avoid combat, when he feels the need to fight, he simply bull-rushes the biggest enemy as his left eye starts to pour blood disturbingly.  He body-checks people into walls and then swings with his war cleaver to finish them off - there isn't much that won't kill.

And that's the pirates!  Next up, the Chosen of Morrow!