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*Barnabus: Male human Aristocrat 1/Expert 6/Fighter 1; CR 7; Medium humanoid (human); HD 1D8+1 plus 6D6+6 plus 1D10+1; hp 42; Init +2; Spd 30 ft; Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; AC 12 (touch 12, flat-footed 10); Atk +5 melee (by weapon); AL N; SV Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +7; Str 11, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 17, Wis 16, Cha 15. Height 5 ft 8 in.

Skills and Feats: Appraise +10, Balance +4, Bluff +11, Decipher Script +5, Diplomacy +16, Forgery +8, Gather Information +12, Handle Animal +4, Intimidate +4, Jump +8, Knowledge (geography) +5, Knowledge (local) +8, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +9, Listen +6, Profession (trader) +15, Ride +7, Search +8, Sense Motive +12, Spot +7, Swim +4, Tumble +9, Use Magic Device +5; Dodge, Mercantile Background, Negotiator, Nobody's Fool, Silver Palm.

Possessions: peasant's outfit.

Languages: Common, Morakki, Thaneeri, Dwarvish

The third son of House Quericor, a second-tier family of nobles in the Imperial Heartland, Barnabus' eldest brother was groomed to run the family and his second eldest took a career in the army. This left Barnabus groomed to run the family businesses, and the lad took instantly to the world of commerce, devoting himself to its art and science. He spent many a winter reading voraciously in the Indolle temple library, and apprenticing to traders of the various Merchant Houses. In this way, he fell in service of a master trader of House Riverine. This man was getting on in years and needed a bright young lad to help him manage his affairs. The two traveled the Imperium for a time, trading the Heartland routes, especially along the rivers and canals.

Eventually, the master trader grew too old to travel even with Barnabus' help. The old trader moved into a Riverine House in Upper Antoria, and after the old man passed away, Barnabus was given over his affairs and served the Merchant Prince of the House directly, quickly rising up the ranks.

When the War of the Gem ended, Barnabus, in his early thirties, snapped up the chance to fill a vacancy in the Far Coast outpost of the House. He saw, correctly, that his quick rise in Antoria made him a target for more experienced, jealous members who, should the Merchant Prince pass away, would take their revenge upon the upstart Barnabus and attempt to ruin him…or worse.

Indeed, Barnabus regarded the frontier as a ripe market unharvested by the Merchant Houses, and he regarded his new post as not only an escape from the Byzantine politics of the Heartland, but also as a genuine opportunity.

For ten years Barnabus served the previous master of the House in Dwillingir. When he passed away, of natural causes, Barnabus was in line to secede him, and did so with little challenge, as his directness and willingness to reward loyalty were attributes appreciated on the frontier. He assumed the rank of Trade Lord.

A few years ago, in NS 18, Barnabus met and fell in love with a young lass much younger than he. This was Abrinda, and the Trade Lord was completely unaware that she was a succubus, sent by the secret rulers of House Mercur to gain a foothold into House Mercur.

Nonetheless, Barnabus truly loves his wife, and dotes on her, though this genuine affection has surely been primed by the succubus' wiles and is not returned by the fiend herself.

Yet, the presence of a succubus was not the end of Barnabus' troubles, for he was kidnapped by a doppelganger that had previously replaced the head of the Thieves' Guild in Dwillingir.

Now, Barnabus is held prisoner within the deepest recesses of the Thieves' Guild, periodically visited by the doppelganger to gain information and insight in the running of House Riverine. Barnabus wants nothing more than to escape his captivity, get at this doppelganger, and find out who sent him. The though of that foul beast bedding his beloved Abrinda makes his blood boil, and he constantly prays for to Indolle and Meredros for a chance at revenge.