Janica Downbridge
The exacting and intelligent leader of the Bridgetown Thieves Guild. Close friend to Tommy One-Eye and sworn nemesis of Desmond Ular.
Personal History
Born to a small family of woodcutters in northern Cetan, Janica lived a quiet, boring, normal life surrounded by nature and good will. However, the quiet life bored the inquisitive and freewheeling gnome. After a violent encounter with her drunkard of a father, she sped off into the night, seeking refuge anywhere that would have her. She lived for a time in Northport, then various hamlets along the Northport Highway, and finally settled for a time outside Splittend. Here she lived off the land and engaged in petty banditry, avoiding others to the best of her ability. Finally stimulated for the first time in her life, Janica grew a reputation as a pest and annoyance among the denizens of Splittend. Eventually, this would catch up with her. A stint in prison hardened the gnome, but also put her in contact with other criminals. Ironically, it wasn't until she was arrested that her true criminal tendencies came out. With the work of other thieves and criminals, she escaped from prison and joined a bandit gang. This was a trade off: less independence for more safety, and Janica took in stride. Answering to other, less intelligent, brutes, however, began to wear on the gnome. A period of boredom overtook her for several years, a period of stifling depression and malaise. Crime filled her days, but she no longer took any joy out of it. She languished. One day, the gang was dispersed and decimated by a local adventuring party, so Janica found herself alone again. She traveled to the renowned state of Dunekeep, but this time, as a private, honest citizen. For years, she found work as a craftswoman, learning wood working and painting, creating small intricate furniture for wealthy fools. For a year, it was good, and for years after, it was boring again, until a familiar face handed her a note about an interesting contract: to plunder the Pool of Moons on Sister's Peak of its most valuable artifact, Shar's Cloak. This excited Janica. She sped off for the town of Selune's Hollow, and met with a ragtag bunch of thieves to scale the mountain and steal from the Cloud Giants on top.The Failed Heist
Janica sensed something off about the job from the beginning: she, at the ripe young age of 26, was the eldest criminal on the job, and far from a mastermind. However, so enamored with the promise of a lavish payout and a thrilling experience, she pressed on. Her and her small group of criminals scaled the sacred paths up the mountain, making their way passed the initial Cloud Giant scouts, and then quickly being set upon in a clear trap. It looked like they were going to die. For the first time in years, Janica called on the natural magic her mother had taught her as a child to bring a cloud of fog to mask her and her compatriots. Though the Giants were able to dispel it with ease, it did surprise them and give her enough time to make her escape. However, her conscious tugged at the youths left to die at the Cloud Giant's fury. She turned back, and rescued the last one still living, a brash half-orc that went by the name of Tommy. The two ran, and Janica nursed her companion back to health in the woods outside the hollow. She tried to ignore the sounds of dying in the town. Unbeknownst to either Janica or Tommy, the perpetrator of the ruse, a noble out of Dunekeep by the name of Cedric Cyril, had planned the inexperienced criminals to act as a diversion so that he and his associates could do the actual plundering. Him and his friends alighted on the Pool of Moons and stole off with the sacred and powerful Shar's Cloak. The artifact, however, removed as it was from it's sacred home without the proper rites, caused the icy peaks of the mountain to suddenly melt and flood the valley below, decimating Selune's Hollow and killing much of the towns Tabaxi population. Janica and Tommy never found out what happened to their erstwhile employer.A New Guild and the Razing of Old Town
Janica and Tommy, sworn sisters now, began a rambunctious and freewheeling crime spree across the continent. Thankful to be alive, the two traveled from city to city, committing burglary, petty theft, cons upon cons, and jay walking. They cussed out sales clerks and stole alcohol. They fought with guards and knights alike, barely caring for the damage they wrought. They had each other, and they had their lives. That was enough. Eventually, tired out by their escapades, they settled in the city of Bridgetown. Free agents, neither held the local thieves guild in particularly high esteem, but their notoriety did gain them friends in the criminal underground. Slowly, they built up these contacts to usurp authority of the local guild, until the two thieves were able to depose of the old guild leader. Janica took up the mantle of leader of the Bridgetown Thieves Guild, and with her lieutenant and loyal friend, rested control of the engineers city. Years of prosperous thievery followed. Janica, seeking to oust the troublesome head of the guard, orchestrated a replacement sensitive to the criminal underground to take his place: the Paladin, Desmond Ular, kicked out of Argent for his severe beliefs and tendency to associate with the criminals he was supposed to keep in check. For a time, the two had an amicable relationship, as the new head of the guard turned his eye to some of the guild's activities. However, this peace was short lived. Desmond, burning with the fervor of his war god, turned his eyes to more nefarious plans. Desmond began to intern undesirables, political outcasts, criminals, all of which included the thieves guild members he was supposed to offer lenience. In the Bridgetown Isles, these prisoners began building massive warships at the behest of the Paladin. Magister Ferdinand the Clever, leader of Bridgetown, had all but gone missing. Janica took her rage directly to Desmond, and was viciously imprisoned as well. Tommy was left not knowing what to do. With the help of a band of adventurers on their own quest, Janica was rescued and Desmond killed. The plans of the paladin were interrupted and the Magister saved from a magical geas. Everything would hopefully go back to normal. Things are rarely that easy.Relationships
History
The two met during the failed heist of Shar's Cloak from Sister's Peak. Both a part of a small team hired by the noble Cedric Cyril, they were tricked into distracting the Cloud Giant guardians so that Cedric and his associates could make out with the divine garment. Dying slowly by a bolt from one of the giants, Janica returned for Tommy and helped the half-orc escape, and later nursed her back to health. The two thieves, only survivors from the failed heist, joined forces in a crime spree that spanned Cetan, eventually settling down in the coastal city of Bridgetown to form their own thieves guild. Tommy swore her life to her friend, and the two of them rested control of the criminal underground of Bridgetown.
History
Long standing rivals for control of the criminal underbelly of Bridgetown, both Janica and Desmond loathe each other intensely.
Species
Year of Birth
833 AA
31 Years old
Spouses
Siblings
Children
Eyes
Blue
Hair
Sleek, blonde, long
Height
3' 2"
Weight
40 lbs.
Related Plots
Spellcasting
Intelligence is Janica's ability for Spellcasting; +6 to spell attacks, spell save DC 14
Cast at will
Disguise Self, Mage Hand, Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation, True Strike
Cast once a day
Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
Comments