City of Towers

Given that Eversink is described, but not laid out, in a more general manner, I decided to base its layout on Sharn in Eberron. I love that campaign and am comfortable in it. There was also nothing in the description that didn't speak Sharn as far as layout. As a GM, that immediately spoke things to me in terms of the way that the populace interacted in a way that a random city would not have done.

I also fixated on the fact that this could be akin to the Black Company or Malazan, which brought up the idea of the players being sheep-dipped from the military in service to a powerful Noble that's secretly a Sorceror.

I decided not to play a character of my own, instead concentrating solely on the rules and the play as I'm unfamiliar with the system. I usually embed an NPC/PC for the purpose of helping to shepherd along the story, and to provide support for missing abilities. But the setup of Gumshoe I knew would provide for that lack, and the fact that I wouldn't have to feed them clues would help also.

I focus on the patron before play starts- the only thing that the players won't have much input into, though I'm prepared to change that if necessary. It will also give me a chance to play around with the character creation in sort of an abstract manner.

First a name- something that implies old power. Serevid Mawstorm. I decide that she is female, first-born of the current generation, but not the chosen heir. That would be her brother, whom she despises, Tomiard Mawstorm. They have another sibling – Thyanne Mawstorm Her mother died when she was 16, he was 10, and her sister was 8, leaving her to be raised by a distant father that took the fact that he had only one suitable heir very seriously. She took Thyanne under her wing, though her younger sister does not share her dislike of their brother.

Thohaferd Mawstorm is a very stern man; his wife tempered his humors, but with her gone, he lives only for power and his name.

That's enough of the supporting cast for now- back to Serevid. She's highly intelligent, and left to her own devices has trained in the Sorcerous arts. She plays the games of intrigue well, and from behind the veil of another persona – Baran Shade. Never seen, other than fully armored, he is a respected and feared figure.

Her background done, it is time to develop her character.