The Watchman
Of all the city-states, Druvenia is not the first to come to mind when one thinks of selfless heroism. Despite that being the case, the lawless city is home to an elusive hero, a self-appointed defender of the meek and downtrodden.
To the smugglers, thugs and kingpins of the Druvenian underworld, he is known as a headache. To honest folk, however little of them might live in Druvenia, he is known as the Watchman.
Some say he is a zealot and a madman, driven to a delusional mania by the horrors of the Rat-Rot epidemic and now sees corruption that needs to be purged everywhere. Others believe that he is simply an individual that has gotten his fill of the callous cruelty that so defines Druvenian society and taken matters into his own hands.
Whatever the case may be, the Watchman is a product of the decree made by the Sullen Council, stating that the people of Druvenia are in charge of governing themselves.
He wears a reinforced robe of crimson with a leather harness, pouches containing supplies and gadgets hanging from his belt. A mask of iron or steel covers his face while a steeple hat of cured leather obscures the rest of his head.
His weapon of choice is a torch-staff that perpetually burns thanks to a lump of ignisite affixed to the cresset. Due to the volatile nature of Ignisite, the staff can be used to spew flame and cause localized explosions in addition to serving as an adequate weapon for close-quarters combat.
Much like the elusive Mageslayers, the Watchman carries a token of Deadwood in the form of a bracelet around his right wrist. This ensures that not even magically adept evildoers are safe from retribution.
He isn't above killing, and those who receive this capital punishment he hoists onto wooden poles and burns, the resulting grim effigy serving to demoralize and warn those who prey on the weak and helpless, a reminder that he is always watching. Inversely, those guilty of petty crimes are usually dismissed with a stern warning, which is usually enough to scare the perpetrators back to the straight and narrow.
The Midnight Exchange in particular has earned the Watchmans ire, and many are the titular exchanges that have been cut short by his arrival.
Sightings of the vigilante around the general area of the distillery have increased, and those who have seen him have noted that he seemed to be simply observing the delivery routines going in and out of the establishment.
He has not managed to infiltrate the distillery yet, but it is only a matter of time before he will. And on that day, those responsible for the oppression and exploitation that takes place within those walls shall pay the price of their actions.
To the smugglers, thugs and kingpins of the Druvenian underworld, he is known as a headache. To honest folk, however little of them might live in Druvenia, he is known as the Watchman.
Emergence
No one knows who the Watchman is or what inspired him to become a vigilante. What is known, however, is that he became active a few years after Rat-Rot had ravaged Druvenia and has been active ever since. It is also assumed that he is a Druvenian local, as it is hard to believe anyone from the other city-states would risk life and limb for Druvenia.Some say he is a zealot and a madman, driven to a delusional mania by the horrors of the Rat-Rot epidemic and now sees corruption that needs to be purged everywhere. Others believe that he is simply an individual that has gotten his fill of the callous cruelty that so defines Druvenian society and taken matters into his own hands.
Whatever the case may be, the Watchman is a product of the decree made by the Sullen Council, stating that the people of Druvenia are in charge of governing themselves.
Means & Equipment
It is believed that the Watchman must come from wealth, as he seems to have access to exotic materials such as Ignisite, Deadwood and even Tyndarite.He wears a reinforced robe of crimson with a leather harness, pouches containing supplies and gadgets hanging from his belt. A mask of iron or steel covers his face while a steeple hat of cured leather obscures the rest of his head.
His weapon of choice is a torch-staff that perpetually burns thanks to a lump of ignisite affixed to the cresset. Due to the volatile nature of Ignisite, the staff can be used to spew flame and cause localized explosions in addition to serving as an adequate weapon for close-quarters combat.
Much like the elusive Mageslayers, the Watchman carries a token of Deadwood in the form of a bracelet around his right wrist. This ensures that not even magically adept evildoers are safe from retribution.
Methods & Retribution
The Watchman espouses a brutal, uncompromising brand of justice in which the severity of the crime dictates the severity of the punishment. It is not uncommon for thugs strong-arming honest merchants to end up limping back to their employers with a few broken bones and singed clothing.He isn't above killing, and those who receive this capital punishment he hoists onto wooden poles and burns, the resulting grim effigy serving to demoralize and warn those who prey on the weak and helpless, a reminder that he is always watching. Inversely, those guilty of petty crimes are usually dismissed with a stern warning, which is usually enough to scare the perpetrators back to the straight and narrow.
The Midnight Exchange in particular has earned the Watchmans ire, and many are the titular exchanges that have been cut short by his arrival.
Investigating the Drowned Rat
The Watchman has shown increased interest in the Drowned Rat Distillery as of late, on the grounds that they are exploiting the poor and needy by practically indenturing them, which isn't even touching on the issue of the larger mystery surrounding the building.Sightings of the vigilante around the general area of the distillery have increased, and those who have seen him have noted that he seemed to be simply observing the delivery routines going in and out of the establishment.
He has not managed to infiltrate the distillery yet, but it is only a matter of time before he will. And on that day, those responsible for the oppression and exploitation that takes place within those walls shall pay the price of their actions.
Hark, ruffians!– The Watchman to a trio of muggers he caught red-handed
You now face the Watchman!
Current Status
Meting out vigilante justice on the streets of Druvenia
Current Location
Species
Age
Unknown, approximated between 30 and 40 years of age
Children
Sex
Male
Gender
Man
Presentation
Masculine
Eyes
Unknown
Hair
Unknown
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Unknown
Height
5'11 / 180cm
Weight
180lb / 81kg
by Midjourney
Who watches the Watchmen? (Great article joke aside lol)
I'd be lying if I claimed I didn't channel a bit of Rorschach into this guy. Thanks for reading!