GROAN STONEBACK
FeyArchitect and Builder
"Stone endures. Stone lasts. Stone... stone is being forgotten. The world moves too fast, builds too quickly, destroys too easily. I am trying to hold on, but I am slipping.""
Identity
- Residence
- The Stone Works, where Feywild structures are built
- Civilization
- Fey
Appearance
• Physical: A massive fey with skin like granite and hair like moss growing on stone. His eyes are the color of gems found deep underground. He smells of earth and minerals. His fingers end in root-like tendrils. • Clothing: He wears work clothes made from leather and canvas, with a helmet made from a hollowed geode. • Distinguishing Marks: His hands are covered in calluses, and his voice sounds like grinding stone.
Relationships
- Family - His structures, which he considers his children
- Allies - A mortal architect who studies his techniques
- Rivals - Younger architects who use new materials and methods
Personality
- Traits: Patient, surprisingly creative, deeply proud of his work, terrified of change
- Mannerisms: Speaks slowly, touches stone constantly, counts his structures
- Voice: Deep and grinding, like stone moving against stone
Backstory
Groan was born from the first stone ever shaped, and he's been building ever since. His structures dot the Feywild—palaces, bridges, monuments that have stood for millennia. He's the realm's greatest architect, and his work will outlast even the Feywild itself. But he's terrified that the world is changing too fast, that his stone structures will become obsolete.
Daily Life
He spends his days designing and building, his nights studying new techniques, and his rare free moments visiting his old structures. He hasn't taken a vacation in three millennia.
Secret
He's been sabotaging new construction. He's so terrified of change that he's been undermining projects that don't use stone, causing accidents, destroying work. He's becoming the very thing he hates—a destroyer instead of a builder.
Story Hooks
- 1 Someone has discovered his sabotage and is threatening to expose him—he needs help dealing with them
- 2 A PC needs a structure built, but he'll only do it if they help him confront his fear of change
Narrative Value
Craftsman NPC, quest giver, source of construction knowledge, tragic figure facing obsolescence ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════