River Hargreeve

Character overview

• River Hargreeve is a horned, scaled woman who carries a scythe. Her mother, an Elf Knight, went to slay the dragon who became River Hargreeve’s father. Her father loves learning the different reasons people want to live. He spends most of his time in human form but retains his horns, wings, and tail so River will not feel alone in that aspect. River grew heavily isolated by her parents.
• River studied the manipulation of vital and void energy under her father and martial techniques from her mother. She struggled with the question, “If I don't know the value of a life then how do I know mine is worth more than that of those I take?” Following her parents’ advice, she chose to explore for an answer, primarily helping others to fund her journey and believing that saving others adds their life's value to her own.
• Found weak beside The Road, River ate a ration after begging for food. She joined the fight against two goblin troops, using her scythe and shadow-magic; her shadowy thrall and a follow-up spell destroyed the remaining Goblins. Her spell unexpectedly injured Eliza, and River apologized, saying she would account for Eliza Darrow’s vulnerability in the future.
• River joined The Party to help escort Nualia safely to Magnimar, asserting she had no ties to the Mother of Monsters. At a goblin camp, she threatened to cut a goblin’s obscene book—and possibly his hands—after he showed her an offensive page. In Magnimar, she identified herself as having helped escort the prisoner and bought The Group an elaborate Varisian meal.
• After The Group shared food with her, River joined them and declined flower liquor at dinner. She testified at Nualia’s trial, stating she was not present at Nualia’s arrest. She reported that Goblins attacked The Party on the road to Magnimar and that a cooperative goblin said they were sent to find a demon lady; she clarified that the goblin was released and The Party did not threaten it. During cross-examination, she said she had cleared up past misidentifications as a demon and had not been treated unfairly. She questioned the absence of the goblin’s testimony and argued that Hellknights followed protocol.
• River remained behind with Ruby while Lucien, Eliza, Esquik, and Rasvantin Torvashti traveled toward Sandpoint. She returned to Sandpoint the following morning as snowfall intensified and joined The Group when a town guard ordered them to accompany him to the sawmill.
• She argued that the attacks at Hambley Farm were more urgent than pursuing a killer at Foxglove Manor, and The Party changed course. In the farm’s wheat fields, she created thralls, attacked animated scarecrows, recognized a badly wounded man’s sickness as ghoul fever, and advocated for his food and healing. During fights with ghouls, River created and directed thralls, attacked the creatures, and healed Lucien. She counted 2,400 copper coins found in a hidden chest. When a blue creature attacked, she identified it as a ghast, summoned two thralls, and struck it. After being paralyzed, she commanded a thrall and later killed the ghast. She noted that a letter addressed to Ruby promised to make her a ghoul or ghast, with ghoul fever as the first gift. River offered Eliza her blood, summoned a thrall, and healed her during The Party’s rest.
• At the farmhouse, River wielded her scythe and used a folding ladder that was available to her. She arranged a couch and chairs at a doorway for cover, summoned thralls at separate positions, and built up a small force. In the first attack, she directed a thrall to strike a ghoul and detonated another; she later directed a wrinkled thrall to attack and cast a phase ball at a ghoul. During a pause, her remaining thralls disappeared, and she narrowed the doorway barrier. In the next assault, she summoned two thralls, attacked with their help, and struck a ghoul that had entered through a warded doorway, splitting it in half. She later killed a small attacker with her scythe, summoned more thralls, and used a breath attack against the ghouls, one of which burst into light. River killed the first ghoul to emerge from the chimney. She summoned thralls and attacked a ghoul near Esquik’s captor, then struck again with their help. Later, she missed an attack and protected herself with a spell; she landed a further strike, destroyed a thrall behind her, and sent condensed shadows against the ghouls.