Master Undertaker of Lygos
“Death waits for no man. But I can offer a far more comfortable journey to meet it.”
Profession: Undertaker, Coffinwright, Mortician
Location: Often seen traveling between the city’s districts and the graveyard in his custom hearse-wagon
Appearance:
· Wears impeccable, somber black suits, with a long, tailored coat and a tall, battered black top hat.
· His silver eyes—unnervingly pale—peer out from deep sockets under heavy brows.
· His black hair is thinning, but few have seen his bare head, as he almost never removes his hat in public.
· His skin is chalky and pale, like someone who spends more time among the dead than the living.
Personality:
· Morose, dry-witted, and unhurried in all things.
· Has an eerily calm demeanor, even in the face of violence or chaos.
· Speaks slowly and precisely, often delivering sardonic or grim observations with perfect deadpan.
· Despite his unsettling air, he is reliable, meticulous, and surprisingly compassionate in his own somber way.
· Respects death as a necessary transition, not a tragedy.
🛻 The Hearse-Wagon: "Black Mercy"
· A large, heavy wagon shaped like a stylized coffin, reinforced with dark wood and iron.
· The sides are carved with mournful angels, skulls, and weeping willows.
· Pulled by two massive, solemn black horses named Ash and Cinder.
· The back can hold one large casket or several bodies wrapped for transport.
Custom Coffins:
Mortimer is famous for his coffin craftsmanship:
“Any body, any size, any time.”
He custom builds for smallfolk, ogres, centaurs, and everything in between.
For a price, he can create reinforced, sealed coffins for unusual needs (e.g., plague victims, vampire precautions, or even secret smuggling).
His workshop, Vant & Sons Mortuary (though he has no sons), is lined wall-to-wall with caskets of all shapes and sizes.
🧠 Reputation in Lygos:
· Most citizens give him a wide berth in the streets—half out of superstition, half out of discomfort.
· Clergy, healers, and gravekeepers respect him, considering him an unofficial part of the city's sacred death rites.
· Occasionally rumored to speak with the dead (untrue, unless you count quiet monologues over fresh graves).
Sample Dialogue:
· “Your journey is almost over, friend. Might as well travel in style.”
· “I do not fear death. I fear poor craftsmanship.”
· “Today, tomorrow, ten years hence—when you need me, I'll be ready.”
· “Some folks think death ends a man’s troubles. I assure you—it merely relocates them.”
How Players Might Interact with Mortimer:
Situation Result
Seeking a discreet burial or transport Mortimer offers services without questions
Investigating a suspicious death Mortimer provides insights only an undertaker would know
Needing a custom coffin for smuggling, vampires, or undead traps Mortimer takes the job, quietly jots notes, and gets to work
Crossing into darker dealings He might hint at hidden knowledge—like rumors of "restless coffins" or odd disappearances from graves.