Sprig
Half-feral elven druid with a penchant for interesting smells, tasty treats, and protecting her friends.
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Backstory
Sprig is a very dirty, unkempt wood-elf woman with a matted mane of sandy blonde-brown hair. Twigs poke out of her mane at the front, giving the appearance of antlers. Her violently green eyes are clear and almost burning with a light of understanding and mischief. You get the feeling that Sprig might be beautiful, almost regal, if cleaned up correctly, but you've never seen it and have no idea how something like that could come to be, as Sprig reacts defensively at best and murderously at worst to attempts to make her 'fit in' to civilized society. She is dressed in a hodge-podge of hides, leathers, furs, and cloth - seemingly her armor was built piece by piece over time from scavenged goods. She tends to walk a bit bent, and will often hunch over instinctively when encountering an unexpected surprise. Her mouth is often set in a smile that is just a bit too toothy to be polite on a wood-elf's face, and her eyes tend to find yours and hold a stare until she understands your place in the pecking order.
The rumor around the campfire is that Sprig must have spent too long in her wild shapes and gone partially, though persistently, feral. She now she has a permanent connection to her bestial side. Little is known of her beyond her time with the Explorer's Guild, and she generally does not like to talk about her own past, but can be a great listener at times, when not distracted. Some say she was discovered on an Explorer's Guild mission into the deep jungles, a wounded, bedraggled creature, caked in mud and dried blood. After being healed by the party, she tagged along silently, proving her value once the group strayed into the territory of a pack of hungry wolves. Others claim that, like a feral cat, one day she showed up pawing at the door and, after a thorough examination of the food, decided the guild was her new home.
You know Sprig to be a talented spellcaster, hearty eater, constant rabble-rouser, and hasty decision-maker. She doesn't seem well-adapted to civilized life, and often falls short of civil politeness or even social awareness in more relaxed settings. She reminds you almost of a large dog in her laser-like focus on objects of interest (food, drink, potential mates, interesting smells) and in the way her almost certain distrust of strangers can quickly melt and turn into an abiding, protective loyalty given the right impetus. She does best in civilization when close to company who already understand her quirks and can help keep her baser impulses at bay, but flourishes when in the wilderness, proving an effective and knowledgeable forager and tracker.
Session 11: Present for a Friend
Sprig meets Glark and Persephone where they are playing near the market square. She pulls her hands from behind her back, holding three snow cones. She holds them out to her young friends, shaking her hands invitingly, a big smile on her face.
Glark: "Ooooooh! Glark loves snowcone! Even when head hurts!"
Persephone: "Me too! Thanks Sprig, these look delicious!"
Sprig: "No problem, mates. Eat up! Let's head for the creek. I've got a hankering for some crawdads."
The group moves to the small creek at the edge of town. Glark rummages in a bush and pulls out a couple of fishing rods and lines he had cleverly hidden there. Glark and Persephone cast out lines while Sprig wades through the water, transforms into an otter, and starts to deftly root the crayfish out of their holes and lob them into a bucket on shore.
This continues for some time. Glark dips his toes in the cool, clear water.
Sprig exits the water and reverts back to her elf shape. She plunks down between Glark and Persephone and starts sorting the crayfish for size, throwing the little ones back. Glark and Persephone follow her lead and join in.
Glark: "Thanks for the present, Sprig! This is a very fun afternoon. I'm happy Persephone likes fishing too!"
Sprig: "Presents are always fun, mate. You deserve a break. You've been a busy little bloke these days, too. Hey, speaking of presents, y'know how you suggested we get Jean a present? I think I found one. Nothing too major, but I think she'll appreciate it. Once it's ready, do you two want to give it to her?"
Persephone: [looking up inquisitively] "Sure! But why us?"
Sprig: "I dunno, seems like a nice gesture. I know you both care about Jean. She's done so much for all of us. But and she spends more time with me. Might be nice getting a surprise from a friend she's not always stomping through the jungle with. Plus it was Glark's idea, so he should be there too."
Glark: [quiet for a moment, then with resolve.] "Yes. We will give this present to Jean. She is an interesting person. She is quiet but her guns make noise like thunder. She is scary but also a very nice lady. It makes my head hurt sometimes. But if she asks, I will tell her Sprig helped too. Okay?"
Sprig: "Yeah, that's fine." [Sprig dips her toes in the water as well.]
Session 8: Kaboom, Mate
It's dusk. Sprig is sitting at a campfire with Kaijen and Persephone, enjoying some freshly-foraged fruits.
Kaijen: "So what's new, Sprig? How is the adventuring life?"
Sprig: [mouth full of fruit] "It's shit, mate. Almost died out there last time around."
Persephone: "Wait, really? But you're so careful in the wilds. What in the world got the drop on you?"
Sprig: [swallowing] "Gueahh. Top quality forage, Persephone, noice one. Well, we were tracking some gnolls, and they got the drop on us with some kind of explosives. Not black powder - I'd have smelled that. Something we've never seen before. Caught us with our pants down. The gnolls blew us to hell, captured us, and were about to make a stew out of us when we escaped. Would've been nice to take them down then and there, but we were just scouting. Plus there were piles of them. Real nasty business, that." [Takes another impolitely huge bite]
Kaijen: "So the wilds are even more dangerous now? I'll be sure to be more careful."
Sprig: "Good plan. Though we'll probably muscle up and take them out sooner or later. I'll let you know how it goes down. I wouldn't mind getting a piece of their boss. I've never liked gnolls, but their leader is a right brassy tit."
Persephone: "A brassy tit? I don't, uhh"
Sprig: "He's a dickhead. Takes a dickhead to play with fire like that. We'll sort him, no worries little mate."
Kaijen: "How did you manage to escape? Sounds awful."
Sprig: "Sepha gave the guard the old how's your uncle, and then we crept out quiet. They spotted us, so I gave 'em the ol' Wild Stallion Surprise."
Kaijen: "Wild Stallion Surprise? What on Omnus Mundi, Sprig?"
Sprig: [smiles, casts Conjure Animal]
[confused horsey noises, surprised drow noises]
Post Session Three: Anonymous Kombucha Salesman
"Here's your 'booch, sir! Extra frothy, just like you asked!
"What a week we've been having. Fiddletown is no stranger to new and exciting, well - strangers - coming through town, but I swear it gets more interesting every day!
"First nobility come into town, and all that comes with that, and then - did you see that feral elflet Sprig seems to have picked up some new friends? Just the other day she was about town with that big Tortle Franklin and - would you believe it - a goblin!? A goblin, right here in Fiddletown, and no leash or anything!
"I wouldn't be surprised to hear she's starting a zoo, or a circus! P'hah! There will be complaints when the cats start going missing, you mark my words. . .
"Anyway, she came in here looking for Franklin and the goblin. They stopped in for a glass of kombucha. I was shocked there weren't any broken mugs or furniture, though I did find some interesting graffiti in the men's restroom area after closing up shop that night. F&G - I wonder who that could be, hmm? I'll get them yet.
"I hear Sprig and her friends have come into some money, too. They're all around town flaunting it! Something went down in that mine that made them very wealthy and apparently netted them a goblin friend as well. I'm sure it'll come out sooner or later what happened. They're making quite a stir, sure. I hope they're doing more good than harm, bringing these goblins in and stirring up who knows what out in the jungles!
"Oh, your drink? Silly me, I forgot to hand it to you! Well, my story's just finishing. Here you are, sir. My humblest apologies. You know me, I just tend to get caught up in my stories! Why, just the other day I - wait, come back! This one is a real humdinger, I promise!"
Post Session Two: Overheard Between Two Fishmongers
1: "And then he comes back and says the trout I sold him the other day gave him scurvy, so he needs a discount! SCURVY, I tells ya!"
2: "Scurvy. They'll say anything to shave a penny these days. Ain't right. Could be worse, though. I heard from one of the washers that that grimy young druid got into the water upstream of him and his team as they rinsed out their whites. She was covered in some sort of crusted-over goop on her upper torso, worse than usual! He said it made his sheets stiff as a board, and made the fish leap out of the water after she dove in! Leaped out of the water! Hah! Can you believe it!?"
1: "Pah! The washers will say anything to pass the time. Comes with their job."
2: "Yeah, true. Not like us at all. Proper businesspeople, we are."
1: "You're right about that, my friend. You're right about that."
2: [bellowing] "Fresh trout! So fresh it'll leap off the chopping block and into your basket! One copper a filet, three for a whole fish!"
1: "I heard Sprig's been teaming up with a group of adventurers more regular-like these days. Less time spent out tracking game with the hunters. Maybe that's why the meat coming in isn't proper."
2: [to a customer] "Two copper pieces, madam. Thankee." [to 1] "It's not proper?"
1: "That's what I heard from the butchers. Said it's not proper. Gamey, stringy."
2: [irritated] "Well why are you telling me now!? My husband's out to the shops right now!"
1: "Hmph. How was I supposed to know that? Either way, glad to hear she's at least sticking around the same groups. Less liable to roam, wind up in someone's chicken coop, or scaring the town dogs, or starting a fight in the tavern."
2: "Too true. That one can stir up some trouble if she's not occupied."
1. [bellowing] "Fresh river prawns, 2 copper a pound! Soups, stews, jambalaya, or fried in the shell, a steal at twice the price! Get your prawns here!"
Post Session One: Chatter with a Peddler
"Sprig? The mangy wood elf? Yeah, I seen her. She come back into town with that band of ruffians and adventurers she likes to hang out with, little girl in tow. Guess they was saving her from summat in the jungles.
"Anyway, she comes back from a chat with Formicus with a big pouch of coin, heads for the tavern, and soon enough she's buying drinks for all her friends. Making a bit of a ruckus, too. Had the cooks fry up some kind of dinosaur tail and ate it bones and all. Never seen anything like it!
"After several rounds of drinks, late into the evening, Sprig finally seems to have had enough and stumbled off into town. I heard she made her way into the forest. Dangerous out there after dark, but she come back pretty quick, not a scratch on her, and head straight for the Explorer's Guild bunkhouse. I hear she's got a tendency to take a blanket up to the roof or over top the stables when the weather's nice and she's gotten some drinks in her. No one seen her do it, though that's nothing new. She's a slinky, sneaky one when she wants to be. Also heard a rumor she may have bunked up with that gunslinger, Jean. Who knows what them adventurin' types get into. Anyhoo, look at me! Telling tales out of school. What are you buying today?"
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