3.8 KiB
type, role, location, alignment, race, class
| type | role | location | alignment | race | class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| npc | Iron Concord High General | Freehold (Iron Concord headquarters) | True Neutral | Human | Fighter (Banneret/Purple Dragon Knight) 15 |
General Markus Crane
Appearance
A tall, weathered man in his late 60s with a shaved head, a neatly trimmed white beard, and calculating gray eyes. His left hand is a masterwork steel prosthetic (lost to a dragon's bite 20 years ago). He wears the Iron Concord's formal uniform — gray wool with crimson piping — but underneath, he still wears the chain shirt of his mercenary days. He carries no visible weapon, which makes him more intimidating, not less.
Personality
- Pragmatic — everything has a price; sentiment is a liability
- Tired — has been fighting wars for 45 years; desperately wants to see peace before he dies
- Paternal (in his own way) — genuinely cares about his soldiers' welfare, even if he won't say so
- Unsentimental — will make brutal decisions if they save more lives than they cost
Philosophy
"I don't fight for kings or gods. I fight for the soldier next to me, and the one next to him, and the family waiting at home. I'll take any contract that brings my people back alive. If that makes me a mercenary, fine. But don't pretend your wars are nobler than my paychecks. We both trade lives for outcomes. I'm just honest about the price."
Role in Campaign
- Mentioned throughout as the leader of the Iron Concord
- Arc 2: His soldiers are caught in the Ironheart Mine situation; how the party handles it determines his disposition
- Arc 4: Key figure at the Freehold#World Council; can be persuaded to end Iron Concord neutrality and join the final assault
Stat Block (CR 12)
- HP: 152 (16d10 + 64) | AC: 18 (chain shirt + DEX + defensive fighting style) | Speed: 30 ft
- Multiattack: 3 attacks with his masterwork longsword (+11, 1d8+5 slashing) — the blade, Grief's End, is a +2 longsword that can cast compelled duel 1/day
- Rallying Cry: When he uses Second Wind, up to 3 allies within 60 ft regain HP equal to his fighter level (15)
- Inspiring Surge: When he uses Action Surge, one ally within 60 ft can make a weapon attack as a reaction
- Bulwark: When he uses Indomitable, one ally within 60 ft can also reroll a failed saving throw
- Legendary Resistance (2/Day) — he didn't survive 45 years of war by failing important saves
The World Council Decision
At the Freehold#World Council (Arc 4, Hook 14), Crane's contribution — 1,500 mercenaries and a breach team — is valuable but not essential. The DC to persuade him depends on prior actions:
| Party's Prior Actions | DC |
|---|---|
| Saved Vara Holt at Ironheart | 12 |
| Paid Iron Concord fairly throughout | 15 |
| Killed Holt / treated mercenaries as enemies | 25 (hostile) |
| Neutral / indifferent | 18 |
If Crane joins: the Iron Concord breach team opens the initial entry point to the Citadel of Sundering, reducing Tier 1's enemy count by half. If Crane refuses: the Iron Concord contracts with the Hand of Ruin instead (highest bidder). They become Tier 1 reinforcements.
Secrets
- His steel hand conceals a hidden blade (dagger, +9, 1d4+5 piercing, automatically hits on a handshake if the target is surprised).
- He has a grandson he's never met — the child lives on a farm in Valdris, kept secret even from the Concord. The farm is in the path of the Citadel's descent. This is his real reason for joining the fight.
- He once refused a contract from the Hand of Ruin, 30 years ago, before he knew what they were. They killed his entire company in retaliation. The Iron Concord's current size and discipline are a direct response to that massacre. He has been waiting for a rematch.