Arden

Character overview

Arden — Wren’s older brother and a solitary hunter.
Arden crouched to meet others at eye level and stepped fully into view during combat. He hugged Wren and shoved Bruneg while confronting the group.
After their parents’ deaths, Arden raised Wren from a young age. His stern demeanor was born of necessity; he cares deeply for her and worries about her getting into trouble. He survives by hunting and scavenging. He watched refugees from a tree about a hundred yards from their camp, telling Wren he had followed them after finding them nearby, taken some of their food, and stayed to watch over them. After Wren warned him about infected deer, he admitted taking deer jerky and showed the group a half-eaten piece; Gundugar Herdtender found no apparent eggs in the meat. Arden said he entered the river daily and washed his belongings every couple of days. He reported that refugees had been lying around and vomiting, and that their leader often held his stomach. When Wren returned, he asked about the fighting he had heard and told her the dire bear had three young cubs. He said the refugees had stopped hunting and stayed behind while the party prepared the treatment. Watching from a hundred yards farther away, he spoke with Wren about her companions and her plans to go beyond the forest, advising her to keep two companions between herself and danger. He offered to protect her refugees while she was away in exchange for a crossbow from Long Shadow, and Wren agreed to bring him one.
Arden is associated with Phaendar and regularly visited a hermit to sell rabbits, typically every three weeks. He has not been seen there for several weeks, raising concern among those who know him; the hermit wished to pass him a message if he was found. Arden rummaged through captured wagon supplies and found Bounty Papers showing the party and Nova. He warned the group about Scarbinus, the hobgoblin leader who signed the bounties, and said he had tried to contact local rangers who had vanished. He dislikes cramped spaces and refused to return to the Main Camp, though he said he might visit occasionally. Before leaving, he gave Wren a piece of oak bark with a deer drawn on it for Mira.

• Demonstrated skill with a bow and performed covering fire.
• Survives by hunting and scavenging; has taken deer jerky.
• Dislikes cramped spaces and refused to return to the Main Camp.
• Recovered wagon supplies and found the Bounty Papers.
• Confronted the group and shoved Bruneg while protecting Wren.
• Watched the refugees from a tree, took some of their food, and stayed to watch over them.
• Offered to protect Wren’s refugees while she was away in exchange for a crossbow from Long Shadow.
• Told Wren about the dire bear’s three cubs and advised her to keep two companions between herself and danger.