Hett Varn

Start-class article · First seen: s15 · Last seen: s19
Hett Varn
Portrait of Hett Varn.
Character
StatusAlive
First seens15
Last seens19
FactionPhil's old brigand network, Aurelian-side underbelly

Hett Varn is the red-haired dwarf with goggles on his forehead whom Phil Flowerforge named in session 15 as his contact for getting into Aurelia: a tinkerer with a small safe house in Ashward, who often stops at the White Lantern Shrine and is to be greeted with the words “Phil sent you” [29][11]. The party sailed towards the shrine at the end of session 16 and landed near it in session 18, but in session 19 they put the Aurelia raid aside without reaching him [30][24][28][27]. He has not yet appeared in person.

Overview

Hett Varn is the contact Phil Flowerforge gave the party in session 15 as they fled the Aurelian occupation of Eldwythe through the Eldwythe Sewers. Phil, a former brigand, had “an old contact in Aurelia”, a dwarf who keeps a small safe house in Ashward, the side of Aurelia “where the normal dock workers and the tanners live”, and wrote a note to hand over at the White Lantern Shrine [9][10][11]. He matters as the party’s planned way into Aurelia and the reason the shrine became their destination. He has never appeared on screen.

Appearance and demeanour

Phil’s description is all there is: “a dwarf with red hair” who usually wears goggles on his forehead, “kind of a tinkerer” [12][13]. He has a habit of stopping at the shrine, a half-ruined wayshrine on the freight road a few miles from Aurelia’s outer approaches, where labour wagons and supply carts halt before entering the city [12][14]. His name was spelt out at the table, H-E-T-T V-A-R-N [15].

Relationships

  • Phil Flowerforge: Phil’s “old contact” in Aurelia [9]. In session 19 the players remembered the meeting as redeeming a favour Hett owed Phil, and as a visit he would not be expecting [16].
  • The party: they carry Phil’s note and the words “Phil sent you”, which Terry wrote in his notes as a code phrase [13][17].
  • Gristleback: in session 19 the goblin offered a dwarf contact of his own for getting into Aurelia, and the party took him for Hett [8].

Disposition towards the party

Unknown. The party have never met him, and Phil said nothing of how he would receive them [18].

Notable quotes

“But his name is Hett Varn. He has a small safe house in what can only be described as the side of Aurelia, where the normal dock workers and the tanners live” — Phil Flowerforge, [10]

“Give him this note and tell him that Phil sent you.” — Phil Flowerforge, [13]

“I mean, I think you described about 90% of all dwarves.” — Mike, [19]

History in the campaign

Session 15: The Death of Ruin and Althea Joins

Main article: Session 15

In the sewers, asked about a contact, Phil named Hett Varn, with a safe house in Ashward, and warned that the party’s magic would be severely limited in Aurelia and that “your friend with the horns is going to have a bad time” [20]. As he turned back, he wrote a note: give it to Hett outside Aurelia, at the White Lantern, and tell him that Phil sent you [2].

Session 16: Through the Sewers, Onto the Skiff

Main article: Session 16

With the skiff clear of the sewer mouth, the DM offered Phil’s contact among other roads [21]. Hugo recalled a red-headed dwarf with forehead goggles who must be told that Phil sent them; the DM corrected his guess that the White Lantern was a pub, since it is a shrine a bit north towards the coast, about three days’ sailing [22]. The party agreed to make for it [23].

Session 17: New Hands, the Black Mask’s Renegotiation, and the Rimeclaw

Main article: Session 17

Hett is not named, but the voyage was bound for his shrine. Hugo and Terry placed it on the freight road at the north entrance to Aurelia, and on the second morning the DM put the party two days from it, so they kept sailing [4].

Session 18: The Wyrm Falls, the Catfish Escapes, and Mike Dies on the Road

Main article: Session 18

After the shipwreck and the swim ashore, the DM put the shrine half a day to a day’s travel inland [24][25]. By the driftwood fire Terry read out his notes: find a dwarf with red hair and goggles on his forehead, Hett Varn, and say Phil sent them [6]. After burying Mike the party moved on towards the shrine [26].

Session 19: A Penitent Priest, an Unmade Leash, and the Pixie in the Dark

Main article: Session 19

Having decided to put the Egg raid on Aurelia aside, the party weighed whether to visit Hett anyway; Hugo pointed out that he did not know they were coming and that there was no harm in not going [7]. They chose to head back towards Eldwythe and Umbrafall, not the shrine [27]. On Steven’s watch the goblin Gristleback offered a dwarf contact, whom the party took for Hett [8].

Status

As of session 23. Alive, as far as anyone knows, and unmet. Neither his safe house in Ashward nor the White Lantern Shrine has been visited, the party having turned back from Aurelia in session 19 [28][27].

See also

References

  1. ^ Session 15, line 634-660: Phil names his old contact in Aurelia, Hett Varn, with a safe house in Ashward; the name is spelt out.
  2. ^ Session 15, line 693-700: Phil writes the note; describes the White Lantern Shrine and Hett (red hair, forehead goggles, tinkerer); "Phil sent you".
  3. ^ Session 16, line 1626-1741: Hugo recaps the contact's description; the DM places the shrine a bit north towards the coast, three days' sailing; the party votes to go.
  4. ^ Session 17, line 1543-1559: The voyage is bound for the shrine, two days off on the second morning.
  5. ^ Session 18, line 1619-1633: The shrine is half a day to a day inland of the landfall.
  6. ^ Session 18, line 1832-1845: Terry reads out his notes on the dwarf and the password.
  7. ^ Session 19, line 229-262: The raid on Aurelia is set aside; Hett does not know they are coming.
  8. ^ Session 19, line 645-648: Gristleback offers a dwarf contact whom the party take for Hett Varn.
  9. ^ Session 15, line 634: Inline citation.
  10. ^ Session 15, line 655: Inline citation.
  11. ^ Session 15, line 693-695: Inline citation.
  12. ^ Session 15, line 693: Inline citation.
  13. ^ Session 15, line 695: Inline citation.
  14. ^ Session 15, line 700: Inline citation.
  15. ^ Session 15, line 660: Inline citation.
  16. ^ Session 19, line 251: Inline citation.
  17. ^ Session 18, line 1837: Inline citation.
  18. ^ Session 15, line 655-700: Inline citation.
  19. ^ Session 18, line 1844: Inline citation.
  20. ^ Session 15, line 649-660: Inline citation.
  21. ^ Session 16, line 1626: Inline citation.
  22. ^ Session 16, line 1709-1717: Inline citation.
  23. ^ Session 16, line 1735-1741: Inline citation.
  24. ^ Session 18, line 1619: Inline citation.
  25. ^ Session 18, line 1633: Inline citation.
  26. ^ Session 18, line 2413: Inline citation.
  27. ^ Session 19, line 397: Inline citation.
  28. ^ Session 19, line 229: Inline citation.
  29. ^ Session 15, line 655-660: Inline citation.
  30. ^ Session 16, line 1735: Inline citation.