Dellen
Greaves – The Dockhand with the Hollow Heart
Occupation: Stevedore on the Lygos docks
Alignment: Neutral Good
Location: The docks, barefoot on the planks or perched in the sun with a
fish pie
Appearance
- Build: Tall, broad-shouldered, with corded dockside muscle.
- Skin & Hair: Sun-bronzed skin, wavy black hair that catches the sea wind.
- Eyes: Deep hazel with a warmth that hides his loneliness.
- Clothing: Always sleeveless for work, barefoot for balance, smelling faintly of salt and tar.
- Presence: Moves with effortless strength, shouldering loads two men would struggle with.
Public Perception
- The People’s Favorite: Friendly, polite, and always ready with a wink.
- Older Women’s Confidant: Listens intently to their tales, offering compliments without ulterior motive.
- Persistent Mystery: Never seen courting anyone, never takes a lover home, never lingers in tavern embraces.
- Dockside Gossip:
- “Maybe he’s sworn to celibacy.”
- “Maybe he’s got a sweetheart in another port.”
- “Maybe he’s just… strange.”
Secret Origin
- Born to a Green Hag named Vressitha, who kept him in the mountains among her sisters.
- Loved for his beauty and charm—but feared for it too.
- As he grew more human in manner, she hexed his heart: the “Heartbinding Curse”, which strips away the root of romantic love.
- Dellen can desire, admire, and even yearn for closeness—but true love never grows.
- Tried to break the curse once through priestly blessing—failed.
- Seeks comfort in older companions because they echo the crone-like guardians of his youth.
Role in the Story
- Quest Giver:
- Asks the players to travel into the mountains to plead with Vressitha.
- He cannot go—she will only toy with him, never free him.
- Emotional Anchor:
- Represents the quieter tragedies in Lygos, beyond politics and war.
- Potential Bargain:
- Vressitha will lift the curse only for a personal sacrifice from the party.
Discovering the Truth
|
Method
|
Result
|
|
Charm magic or insight |
Reveals a cold void in his emotional aura. |
|
Gentle conversation |
Confesses in a moment of trust. |
|
Hag-lore research |
Matches known “heartbinding” curses. |
|
Visiting Vressitha |
She greets them with knowing mockery. |
Sample Dialogue
- “I can laugh. I can kiss. But I can’t fall. It’s like my heart has a hole where the roots should go.”
- “They say love conquers all. They’ve never met my mother.”
- “If I could feel what others do, just once… I think I’d cry for a week.”
The Curse – DM Notes
- Immune to magic that induces love or romantic attraction.
- Cannot willingly feel romantic love, even with magical enhancement.
- Breaking the curse unleashes years of suppressed emotion—could be a mere wave of tears, or a brief magical shockwave.
Quest Hook Variant
Vressitha’s Offer:
“Take his love… and give me yours. One name. One face. You’ll never speak to them again.”
If accepted, the player must name a loved one—and the hag erases that bond forever.