Born to a humble peasant family in Traladara only a few years before the arrival of Duke Stefan, Corrine's family lived by hunting in the forest covertly and selling meat to their fellow peasants, while half-heartedly farming for a Traladaran lord. They were too poor to even afford a family name. Their lord opposed the Duke's coming and was killed in early fighting, replaced by the Arcavius family, who happened to have a young daughter about the same age as little Corrine, Julia.
As small children who don't understand things like social class are prone to do, they became friends and unlike is often the case here, they remained friends as they both grew older.
Thus, they left for their Shearing together; Julia took up the traveling name Juri at this time, in part due to being angry at her parents for their disapproval of her traveling with a peasant.
Their adventures are too many to list here, but have taken them from Norwold in the north to Alphatia and Ochelea in the east to the Isle of Dread in the South to the Five Shires in the west (which they left at high speed after a misunderstanding convinced the locals Corrine was a Glantrian wizard...)
During their time in Alphatia, Corrine began her magical studies, which opened many doors for them there. They also acquired their signature weapons in Alphatia as well. Both of them developed a taste for Ochalean clothing during their visit there, if not for the sexism of Ochalean society. Indeed, they are both rather unwelcome to ever come back to Ochalea, though they don't like to talk about the details. Rumors range from them trying to start a women's revolution to some sort of seduction of a nobleman's wife to killing the wrong dragon. Possibly all three.
They are currently planning to finally go home to Karameikos and see their families again, though both seem worried about this idea. Dragons are MUCH easier to deal with than parents, even at their age...(35)
Corrine
Ranger 9 / Artificer 6
Dark haired and tan of skin, Corrine is slightly younger than Juri and tends to defer to her...a little. She is bright and cheerful and friendly, and also the more intelligent of the two, usually coming up with the plan to get them out of the trouble they're now in the middle of. Corrine tends, however, to be a little too naive for her own good, despite her upbringing, perhaps because her own friendship with a noble's child makes her think anyone can overcome social barriers as easily as she usually does.
Corrine carries a shapeshifting weapon which has been seen to turn into a crossbow (which produces its own ammo), a sword, a small fighting fan, a woodaxe, a knife, and a whip. It may have other forms. In any form, it is a +2 Keen weapon with a socket mount for a jewel. The only jewel she has for it makes it an Axiomatic Flaming weapon as well, but there are supposedly other jewels out there to give other properties, though it only has one mount. If the man who originally tried to kill her with it is to be believed, it was originally crafted on Old Alphatia by the Followers of the Flame, but it's usually not wise to believe those trying to kill you.
Corrine is less worried about seeing her family than Juri is; she has a huge pile of money now and hopes to set them up better.
Arcavius Julia (Juri)
Swashbuckler 5/Duellist 10
Juri's mother was a Hinterlander, her father a minor Thyatian Noble; she is tall and red-haired and very strong, but also very quick. She is not stupid, but she lives the thinking to Corrine, except when Corrine is being stupidly optimistic about human/humanoid/draconic/fiendish nature. She is rather less trusting and rather more pessimistic than Corrine, though she lightens up some when in Corrine's company. She is too aware of the corruption of Thyatian nobility to trust those with money or power too much. She has a very fierce loyalty to Corrine, and tends to try to protect her from herself.
Juri's time in Alphatia cemented her distrust of Alphatians and convinced her to stay away from learning magic, though it doesn't seem to have gone to Corrine's head. It also brought her the weapon she favors: the Orange Rose of Twilight, a fighting fan +3 Axiomatic Sonic Defender. It has an ancient and noble history which Juri was too busy brooding to notice when it was told to her after she killed the assassin carrying it.
Juri is uncertain whether it is wise for them to return to their families...more precisely, whether it is wise for HER to return, as she suspects her family will try to marry her off to someone and she's not interested in living as a pawn in their political games. She'd be content to wander the world so long as they're young enough to enjoy it and tough enough to survive it.
Using Corrine and Juri in your Campaign
Despite their long absence from Karameikos, Corrine and Juri are fairly well known there by reputation, though everyone disagrees on how good this reputation is. They are, however, absent enough not to force you to question why anyone wants the PCs to do anything, instead of getting them to do it. They illustrate both the value and risk of the Shearing--your children may rise to greatness...and never come back.
If you do want to use them up close and personal....
For low-level PCs
- If the PCs need a cavalry rescue (don't use this more than once, or the PCs may feel useless )
- As mentors to young Karameikans; they'll aid anyone from their homeland who is just starting out as they once did.
- Patrons: Corrine is the type to hire some PCs to escort home something for her family,thus setting up an adventure for the PCs on their way to Karameikos
- Patrons: Juri's family may hire the PCs to find Juri and tell her to come home and get married; make sure Juri doesn't take it out on the poor PCs when they find her.
For PCs of equivalent level
- If the PCs have a heroic reputation in Karameikos and either domains or some sort of ties to power somewhere, Juri's family may approach one of the male PCs about marrying their daughter.
- If the Party needs more firepower, they can be encountered by the PCs attempting the same venture and team up.
- Romance: They've both had their share of lovers (some possibly female) along the way, and can be used for a good romance plot, tragic or optimistic
- Patrons: Corrine and Juri have the resources, even if it would probably drain most of their ready cash, to hire the PCs to help defend their hometown if it comes under assault.
- Politics: Duke Stefan has his eyes on them and might hire the PCs to try to convince them to become dominion rulers for him. Conversely, if they do settle down, they may have their eyes on the same land as the PCs--rivalry time!
- Rivals: Alphatians and Ocheleans may well find Juri (with Corrine tagging along) trying to solve their latest adventure before they can, just to show them up.
- Enemies of the State: For those PCs who take that sort of contract...or can be tricked into it, some Shirefolk, Ocheleans, and Alphatians would like to see these two dead and may see the PCs as just the patsies for the job.
For PCs of higher level
- Flunkies: Everyone needs some good flunkies and they're for hire if the cause is just/sticks it to the Alphatians and Ochaleans
- SAVE ME: Sometimes it can be fun to let the PCs show off their bad-assedness by crushing some weaker threat and rescuing adventures in over their head. Here's two people to save. Works best in a planar adventure where Juri and Corrine would be in very much over their head.
- Power up: They can be increased in level to let you use the equivalent level options as appropriate.
GP
Nice NPCs here, and good ideas for their use in a campaign -- though it seems odd that, at that level and status, Corrine didn't already address her family's fortunes.
GP
Well, there's not really a good way to wire your family money, so to speak. And they haven't been back home since they left. (IF this was Eberron, she'd have used the Dwarven banking house to send them money, but Mystara doesn't really have anything equivalent.)