Description
Varnek the Scarred is an imposing figure whose body tells the story of a lifetime of violence. His face and arms are covered in ritual scars and cult tattoos—the black star prominently displayed on his chest. His most distinctive feature is the mass of scar tissue covering the left side of his face, the result of a fire that nearly killed him years ago.
He dresses in dark leathers reinforced with metal studs, and he carries multiple weapons—a brutal looking mace, throwing axes, and various knives. His eyes hold a disturbing mixture of intelligence and fanaticism.
Personality
Varnek is a true believer in the Order of the Black Star and the power of the Taelkor. His conversion two years ago wasn’t just opportunistic—he genuinely believes he’s serving a greater cosmic purpose. This makes him far more dangerous than the opportunistic bandits who work under him.
He’s brutal and commands through fear, but he’s also intelligent and strategic. He didn’t become a crime lord by being reckless—he knows how to consolidate power, eliminate rivals, and maintain control over unruly subordinates.
Varnek is charismatic in a dark way, able to inspire loyalty through a combination of promised rewards and the threat of terrible consequences. His cult connections give him access to dark magic and supernatural enforcers, which he uses to keep even the most rebellious bandits in line.
He has no empathy and sees people as tools to be used in service of the Black Star’s return. This includes the bandits who serve under him—they’re useful for now, but ultimately expendable.
Background
Varnek rose through the criminal underworld of the region through a combination of ruthlessness and strategic thinking. He controlled multiple bandit guilds and smuggling operations, building a reputation as someone you didn’t cross.
Two years ago, he encountered the Order of the Black Star. Whether through genuine spiritual experience or calculated ambition (perhaps both), Varnek converted fully to their cause. He underwent painful ritual scarification to mark his devotion and began using his criminal empire to serve the cult’s goals.
His conversion was a turning point for the region’s bandit guilds. With Varnek’s endorsement and enforcement, groups like Duskrunners that had been independent or only loosely affiliated with the cult were brought into the fold. His reputation and power meant that even skeptical crime lords had to play along or face elimination.
Varnek established Fort Hellrock as his base of operations, turning a ruined fortress in the Hellrock Hills into a stronghold for his most loyal followers. From there, he coordinates the siege of Southaven, working with Rothgar, Marta, and the goblin forces to cut off the city.
His journal reveals an obsession with the Taelkor and detailed notes about the cult’s true plans for Southaven—information that would be valuable to the party.
Motivations
- Serving the Order of the Black Star and bringing about their dark vision
- Maintaining control over the region’s criminal underworld
- Personal power and the supernatural gifts promised by the cult
- Proving his devotion through successful completion of the siege
Connections
- Crime lord controlling multiple bandit guilds including Duskrunners
- Converted to the Order of the Black Star two years ago
- Commands Fort Hellrock
- Coordinates with Rothgar, Marta, and the goblins
- Has cult enforcers and goblin emissaries at his fort
- His journal contains crucial information about cult plans