Ragnil Heartstone Veldaks is a Kholo matriarch from a once-influental dynasty, that attempted to establish a glorious house through her union with Valfrid Veldaks (whom took her last name). Unfortunately for her, the two of them never managed to produce a child. She died after quietly suffering from an illness for years.
Even after her husband, the Herō of Friedport, died, Ragnil maintained much sway over the city. She was sometimes called the “Shadow Over Friedport,” in reference to her ability to influence the city’s affairs from the shadows of her manor.
Ragnil’s manor in the countryside of Everdry Isle had a Cloud Dragon (see Veldaks Dragon) protecting it, the result of a previous adventure of Valfrid’s.
Perhaps much to her annoyance, The Prince claims to be the bastard child produced by an affair Valfrid had.
Secrets ahead!
While anyone is free to read what’s ahead, everything else in this article is privileged knowledge only known to a few specific people in the world of Vendrith. Take particular caution to not assume your character knows these things, or avoid it entirely if you’re worried about keeping your own and your characters’ knowledge separate!
Ragnil Veldaks is the half-sister of the once-leader of the Patrollers and governor of Friedport, Captain Damia. While both are figures quite comfortable with and adept with intrigue and mafia-like organisation, Damia spent her latter years fighting the influence Ragnil had on the city of Friedport, trying to quell a possibly disastrous Landcrab rebellion.
Ragnil Veldaks is related to and was watched over by the Old Crone, a Hag ancestor of hers of an unknown age. Through the Crone, Ragnil discovered that she was likely the mother of Mistress Crimtone, identifying Crimtone with a bastard child she had had and abandoned before coming to Horiza. While the Old Crone gained power from the two of them being alive, Ragnil sought to make Crimtone the future of her dynasty, her legacy. After gaining the trust (and potentially heart) of Karvi Massiri, a possible future leader of the Landcrabs, Ragnil set the two up and encouraged a relationship between them.
Ragnil had a brief affair with O’ Captain once. While she promptly forgot about it, he would go on to remember it for the rest of his life, going out of his way to always support and never hinder Ragnil even as she coldly ignored him.