Maelis Dirn

Start-class article · First seen: s04 · Last seen: s07
Maelis Dirn
Maelis · Dirn · Coven Filth
Portrait of Maelis Dirn.
Character
StatusDead
First seens04
Last seens07
FactionThe Warrens, Coven Filth, Biogloom shipping operation

Maelis Dirn, called “Coven Filth” by The Broker, was the boss of The Warrens beneath Umbrafall. She ran a protection racket on the Black Hollow Market, held the giant The Titan on a soul-bound leash, and kept papers, which the Broker judged forgeries, that routed biogloom toxin through Duskwatch to Velkris [8][9][23][17]. In session 6 she took Hugo for an agent of Project Veilbreak on sight [18][19]. In session 7 the Titan, freed once Hugo had destroyed its last fungal node, turned on her and slammed her twice, the second a natural 20 for 34 damage, and the ring she wore went to Caelumn [6][21].

Overview

Maelis Dirn, called “Coven Filth” by the Broker, was the boss of The Warrens beneath Umbrafall and the target of the Broker’s contract [8]. By the Broker’s account she was “bleeding the market with her own racket”, charging protection fees and dragging her pet giant through the streets to make examples [8]. Her notes show how she bound a soul to The Titan through fungal nodes, first three and then five [9][10]. She died in session 7, killed by the Titan she had made [6], and the ring she wore passed to Caelumn.

Appearance and demeanour

No one describes her looks; the party saw a figure behind a shimmering barrier that blocked a strike, with a ring on her hand that glowed towards the Titan [11][12]. Her notes read in the flat voice of an experimenter: “Tri-cap Biogloom. Cultivar binds soul thread. Three nodes to hold the weave. Two pulses to seal.” [9]. In person she was contemptuous: “You again? When are you going to learn your lesson?” and “Dinner time, turtle.” [13][14].

Abilities as played

  • A warding barrier. A shimmering barrier turned Vasquez’s strike aside and faded as the fungal nodes fell [11][15].
  • Force bursts. She blasted Vasquez to the ground for 18 force damage with a hand on his chest, and fired the same attack at range [16].
  • The Titan’s leash. She controlled the Titan through the ring, marking a target with “crush him” [12].

Relationships

Disposition towards the party

Hostile. She attacked at once, and took Hugo for an enemy on sight [18][24].

Notable quotes

“Liar. I see the project’s work on you. You work for them and you will die and you will become a pet.” — Maelis Dirn (Nick, DM), [19]

“Let me show you real power.” — Maelis Dirn (Nick, DM), [11]

“Maelis Dirn, Coven Filth. she’s bleeding the market with her own racket.” — The Broker (Nick, DM), [8]

“She is going to take 34 bludgeoning damage as he pounds her into a fine mist into the ground.” — Nick (DM), [25]

History in the campaign

Session 4: The Still Current, the Black Mask, and Hugo’s Pact

Main article: Session 4

The Broker contracted the party to kill Maelis Dirn, Coven Filth, who sent her dogs to collect coin and retreated into the Warrens, and promised a clean passage through the hollow if they did [8][26]. In the market the party watched three of her masked collectors shake down a spice stall and promise that next time she would come herself with the giant [27]. They followed the collectors to an opening in the ground [28]. She did not appear.

Session 5: Black Hollow Market Tunnels and the Hollow Guardians

Main article: Session 5

Named but not met. The DM spelled out her name for the table, Maelis Dirn, with “D-I-R-N at the end” [3], as the party followed her shakedown artists into the lair [29][30]. The session was spent on the fungal giant and the Hollow Guardians, and she stayed out of sight.

Session 6: Maze of the Minotaur and the Titan

Main article: Session 6

In the Maze of the Minotaur Hugo found her desk, with notes on binding a soul to three fungal nodes and a later draft for five, and papers on shipping through Duskwatch [9][31][10]. The Titan came for them, and in the maze she found Hugo: “so those cowards of Project Veilbreak sent you”, “The Titan is mine!” [32]. When Hugo said he hated this as much as she did, she called him a liar and said she saw the project’s work on him [33]. The fight stopped with two nodes down [34].

Session 7: Maelis Falls, Vasquez Captured

Main article: Session 7

She blasted Vasquez to the ground for 18 force damage and marked him for the Titan [20][12]. When Hugo cut down the last node the Titan grew; as she pointed her ring at it, it said “no more” and slammed her twice, the second a natural 20 for 34 damage, pounding her “into a fine mist” [6]. Her remains held 50 gold, two vials of biogloom toxin and a cracked ring, which the Broker named a soulbinder ring with her own twist [21][22].

Status

As of session 23. Dead, killed by the Titan in session 7, which vanished as she died [35]. Caelumn carries her ring. The forged Duskwatch papers stayed with the party, who have talked more than once of taking them to Velkris for a reward [36][37][38].

See also

References

  1. ^ Session 4, line 1480-1572: The Broker names Maelis Dirn, Coven Filth, as the contract target; her dogs collect coin and retreat into the Warrens.
  2. ^ Session 4, line 1770-1830: Her masked collectors shake down a spice stall; the party follows them to an opening in the ground.
  3. ^ Session 5, line 48-51: The DM spells her name for the table; she is named but not met.
  4. ^ Session 6, line 1226-1263: Lab notes on the Titan binding ritual (three nodes, then five); papers on shipping through Duskwatch.
  5. ^ Session 6, line 2412-2539: Recognises Hugo: "I see the project's work on you".
  6. ^ Session 7, line 610-614: Killed by her own Titan; "a fine mist into the ground".
  7. ^ Session 7, line 633-740: Soulbinder's Packed Ring looted from her remains; the Broker reads her papers as forgeries.
  8. ^ Session 4, line 1506: Inline citation.
  9. ^ Session 6, line 1226: Inline citation.
  10. ^ Session 6, line 1453-1455: Inline citation.
  11. ^ Session 7, line 57: Inline citation.
  12. ^ Session 7, line 477: Inline citation.
  13. ^ Session 7, line 430: Inline citation.
  14. ^ Session 7, line 486: Inline citation.
  15. ^ Session 7, line 579: Inline citation.
  16. ^ Session 7, line 124-128: Inline citation.
  17. ^ Session 7, line 736: Inline citation.
  18. ^ Session 6, line 2412: Inline citation.
  19. ^ Session 6, line 2538-2539: Inline citation.
  20. ^ Session 7, line 124-126: Inline citation.
  21. ^ Session 7, line 633: Inline citation.
  22. ^ Session 7, line 740: Inline citation.
  23. ^ Session 6, line 1263: Inline citation.
  24. ^ Session 7, line 55-57: Inline citation.
  25. ^ Session 7, line 614: Inline citation.
  26. ^ Session 4, line 1572: Inline citation.
  27. ^ Session 4, line 1770-1776: Inline citation.
  28. ^ Session 4, line 1796-1830: Inline citation.
  29. ^ Session 5, line 171: Inline citation.
  30. ^ Session 5, line 265: Inline citation.
  31. ^ Session 6, line 1258-1263: Inline citation.
  32. ^ Session 6, line 2412-2414: Inline citation.
  33. ^ Session 6, line 2534-2539: Inline citation.
  34. ^ Session 6, line 2934: Inline citation.
  35. ^ Session 7, line 610-615: Inline citation.
  36. ^ Session 14, line 1632: Inline citation.
  37. ^ Session 16, line 239-241: Inline citation.
  38. ^ Session 19, line 271: Inline citation.