QUICKSILVER GRIN
Fey"Problem Solver" and Debt Collector
"A deal is a deal. You knew the terms. Now hold still—this'll hurt less if you don't struggle.""
Identity
- Residence
- The Bleak Bazaar, a shadow market on the Feywild's edge
- Civilization
- Fey
Appearance
• Physical: A hunched, wiry figure with iron-shod boots that leave bloody prints. His skin is the grey of old corpses, and his eyes burn with fever-bright malice. His cap is stained a permanent rust-color. • Clothing: Wears a coat made of stitched-together leather patches—some of which still bear tattoos. His belt is a chain of iron links. • Distinguishing Marks: His teeth are filed to points, and he constantly sharpens his favorite hatchet with a stone he keeps in his pocket.
Relationships
- Family - None—redcaps don't have families, they're born from violence
- Allies - A goblin accountant named Scratch who keeps his books and is the only creature he's never threatened
- Rivals - Other redcaps who think he's "gone soft" with his contract obsession
Personality
- Traits: Violent, unexpectedly honorable about contracts, oddly fond of children, hates being called "cute"
- Mannerisms: Counts things obsessively—steps, coins, teeth—grins when he's about to hurt someone
- Voice: A rasp like metal on stone, with a surprising vocabulary when he chooses to use it
Backstory
Quicksilver was born from the blood of a murdered king, as all redcaps are. But instead of becoming a mindless killer, he discovered he enjoyed the structure of contracts and debts. He now works as an enforcer for various fey courts, collecting what's owed—sometimes in gold, sometimes in teeth, sometimes in memories. He's never broken a contract, not once.
Daily Life
He wakes at dusk, checks his ledger of debts owed, and spends the night hunting those who've broken their word to the fey. He returns to his hovel at dawn to count his takings and sharpen his hatchet. He sleeps in a bathtub filled with the blood of his victims—it keeps him strong.
Story Hooks
- 1 Someone has forged his mark on a contract, and he's being blamed for a massacre he didn't commit—he needs help finding the real culprit to clear his name
- 2 The child he protects has been kidnapped by a rival redcap, and for the first time in his existence, he's desperate enough to ask for help
Narrative Value
Antagonist who might become ally, moral complexity figure, source of dark quests, reminder that even monsters have codes ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════