Brothel - NPCs

Aidan Sloan
Tanus's alter ego

The mysterious benefactor of the House known as Aidan Sloan is in fact Tanus. Preferring to keep his true identity a secret, Tanus created a shy, reclusive alter ego named Aidan Sloan to conduct his business around Newmoon. Since even the deed to the house is under Aidan's name, divination spells and legal records will show that Aidan owns the property. For all intents and purposes, the name Aidan Sloan is merely one of many names Tanus possesses.

Aidan is human, a gaunt figure with shifty eyes, and avoids eye contact whenever possible. Acting in character, Aidan went to some trouble making sure most people would believe that Cerise owns the House. However, to those in the know, it is a common rumor that the House is a losing business and remains afloat only through the generosity of some unknown benefactor. There are some subtle hints that might indicate otherwise to observant people. For instance, in dwarven Aidan Sloan means "Fire Warrior" (ed. note: Aidan is actually Gaelic and Sloan is Irish), and Tanus's love of Fireball spells is well known. In addition, the House is decorated in an elven fashion, and the statue in the Atrium and the many books on Correllon Larethian might indicate an elven benefactor and not a human. Currently, only Cerise and Astrid are aware that Aidan and Tanus are in fact the same person.

Astrid
Female Half-Fiend Human Cleric 7
Type Humanoid; HD (7d8); hp 33; Init +3 (+3 Dex); Spd Walk 30'
AC 14 (flatfooted 11, touch 13)
AL: CN; Sv: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +7
Str 12, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 16, Wis 15, Cha 21

SQ: Turn Undead 8/day, Darkvision 60', Immune to poison, Acid Resistance 20, Cold Resistance 20, Electrical Resistance 20, Fire Resistance 20, Darkness 3/day, Desecrate, Poison 3/day

Skills and Feats: Bluff +10(+17?), Concentration +7, Diplomacy +10(+17?), Knowledge (Religion) +8(+11), Knowledge (Arcana) +8(+11), Sense Motive +10(+12), Spellcraft +7(+10); Armor Proficiency (Heavy), Armor Proficiency (Light), Armor Proficiency (Medium), Alluring (+2 Bluff, +2 Diplomacy?), Cosmopolitan: Sense Motive, Craft Wondrous Item, Scribe Scroll, Shield Proficiency, Simple Weapon Proficiency; Speaks Common, Planar Common, Abyssal, and Celestial

Deity: Sharess, Domains: Trickery(Bluff, Disguise, and Hide are class skills), Charm(You can boost your charisma once per day by four points. This is a free action and lasts one minute), Cleric Spells: (6, 5+1, 4+1, 2+1, 1+1)

Astrid usually appears as a lithe and tall woman, with red curly hair. Little is known of Astrid, and even less is known of her past. She is the daughter of a succubus named Larna, and as such is half tanar'ri. In planar common her name means "divine strength" (ed. note: Astrid is actually Scandinavian), and one can only guess as to why. Tanus and the other Heroes of the Mist were first introduced to Astrid through her mother, whom they met on the plane of Pandemonium. Larna had planned to tempt Tanus with both her daughter and herself, until an erinyes arrived on the scene and started gating in other baatezu. In the ensuing fight, in which all of the Heroes of the Mist bravely fled, Tanus held on to Astrid as they were dragged through a portal. The Heroes of the Mist soon afterwards stumbled upon the goddess Sharess, who revealed to them that Astrid was in fact a spy in her employ.

Astrid is currently caring for the shrine inside the House, at Sharess's request. Her principal duty involves spreading the knowledge that is contained inside the Book of Sharess. Whatever other duties Sharess may have also given Astrid and a matter of conjecture, and some worry. Astrid is of course aware of Cerise's distaste for her, and enjoys making matters worse by teasing Cerise and encouraging the prostitutes to disobey her.

Cerise
Female Half-Elf Expert 4
Type Humanoid; HD (4d?); hp ?; Init +0; Spd Walk 30'
AC 10 (flatfooted 10, touch 10)
AL: LN; Sv: Fort +?, Ref +?, Will +?
Str 8, Dex 10, Con 11, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 17

SQ: Immune to magic sleep, +2 save vs Enchantment, low-light vision, +1 to listen/search/spot

Expert Class Skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Innuendo, Listen, Perform(Dancing), Perform(Mandolin), Perform(Singing), Search, Spot, Sense Motive

Skills and Feats: Bluff +7(+12?), Diplomacy +7(+12?), Innuendo +2(+5), Knowledge(Politics) +2, Knowledge(Mathematics) +2(+5), Knowledge (Geography) +2(+4), Knowledge (History) +2(+4), Knowledge (Law) +7(+10), Knowledge(Nobility) +2(+4), Knowledge (Religion) +2(+4), Knowledge (?Region?) +2(+4), Listen +2(+6), Perform(Dancing) +2(+5), Perform(Mandolin) +2(+5), Perform(Singing) +2(+5), Search +2(+5), Spot +2(+5), Sense Motive +7(+10); Alluring (+2 Bluff, +2 Diplomacy?), Education: Law and Mathematics; Speaks Elven, Common, and Aquan

The madame of the house, whose name in elven means "cherry" (ed. note: Cerise is actually French), is of half-even breed. At a modest height of 5'5", she nonetheless commands (and demands) respect. She runs the House, and most people believe she owns the establishment as well. She was born and raised in the elven kingdom of Galendale for the first part of her life by her mother. She knows little of her human father, and her mother didn't talk much about him out of guilt. Half-breeds are not especially well-liked in Galendale, and eventually Cerise decided to elope with her fiancee Ehren to the human city of Akken. This was shortly before Deimos and his horde of Tanar'ri decided to invade Kaiyelladdrin. Ehren died defending the city of Akken, and in the harsh years afterwards Cerise found herself increasingly desperate for work. While she could have found other employement in Akken, she found prostitution to be much easier labor. An educated woman and disciplined, she slowly proved to be indispensable to the smooth running of the brothel. When Akken finally succumbed to the combined armies of the Duergar and the Dark Elves, Cerise and the other prostitutes escaped with the help of the Heroes of the Mist. Tanus approached her afterwards and asked her to run a new brothel that he would build in Newmoon. She didn't hesitate to accept.

A true lady, Cerise is a practical, driven woman who looks to be approaching middle age. She is strict, but means well and cares deeply for the women of the brothel. She manages the brothel with ease, and while her days as a sex vixen are over, she still seduces men. An able diplomat, she keeps political ties with the more influential people of Newmoon. Her upbringing only confirmed her belief that she couldn't depend on anyone. She still harbors love towards Ehren, but blames him for dying and leaving her destitute. Her affections towards Tanus are mixed. She does not approve of his womanizing, but grudgingly admits that he respects women and that his intentions with the brothel are honorable. However she can't stand the people he associates with, and has only contempt for Astrid. To her eyes Astrid is a traitor to her people, and she believes it won't be long before she sells out Tanus.

Should people notice the elven influences of the House, Cerise will merely mention that Corellon Larethian is the head of the Elven Pantheon, which she worships. If pressed further, she will admit that her patron diety is in fact Hanali Celanil, and not Correllon Larethian.