GRAVEDIGGER SILAS MOURN
Humans AzariaGravedigger and Cemetery Keeper
"The dead don't need much. A hole, a stone, someone to remember them. That's where I come in.""
Identity
- Residence
- El'goroth, City of the Dead
- Civilization
- Humans Azaria
Appearance
• Physical: Bent and weathered with a face like old leather and hands gnarled from decades of digging. His movements are slow and deliberate, appropriate for his solemn work. His hair is white and thin, and his eyes are a faded blue that have seen too much death. • Clothing: Wears simple black clothes suitable for his work, always covered in grave dirt no matter how much he cleans. His boots are heavy and steel-toed, useful for his work. A wooden shovel is never far from his hand. • Distinguishing Marks: His face is deeply lined; he smells of earth and decay; his fingernails are permanently black.
Relationships
- Family - His wife died years ago; a son who moved away and never visits
- Allies - The priests who perform funerals; the occasional adventurer who needs information
- Rivals - Graverobbers; necromancers who disturb his charges
Backstory
Silas has been digging graves since he was twelve, following his father and grandfather into the family profession. He's buried kings and beggars, heroes and villains, and has learned that death is the great equalizer. He knows every grave in the City of the Dead and remembers every story he's been told about those he buries.
Daily Life
Rises before dawn to prepare graves for the day's funerals, spends his days digging, maintaining the cemetery grounds, and comforting the grieving. Evenings find him walking among the graves, talking to the dead as if they can hear him. He lives in a small cottage at the cemetery's edge.
Secret
He's discovered that some of the graves in the oldest part of the cemetery are empty, and he's been quietly investigating what happened to the bodies.
Story Hooks
- 1 He's noticed signs of graverobbing and needs help catching the culprits
- 2 He has information about a long-dead person who may not be as dead as everyone thinks
Narrative Value
Source of information about the dead; quest giver; atmospheric character; potential ally in undead-related quests ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════