Laurel Dirtleaf

Laurel's father was an innkeeper near the fringes of Zanthium at the start of the Great War. Though the invention of guns proved to be a miracle for the armies of Zanthium, for the Zanthian people they ushered in a time of lawlessness and danger. Cutthroats and bandits proliferated, armed to the teeth with the deadly new weapons. Laurel's father saw his business evaporate as fewer people traveled, and those who did could simply refuse to pay; who would put their life on the line to argue with an unruly gang of "patrons" over a few silver?

Eventually, Laurel's family moved to the Lands of Salt, but Laurel never forgot the lessons he learned on the Zanthian frontier: with a gun, you could do anything. It was the great equalizer. Though Laurel himself wasn't suited to be a bandit or raider, he began training with firearms as soon as he could get his hands on one.

None of this is to say that Laurel isn't the picture of a gentle and generous halfling. He likes to smoke leaf and drink ale, and is always willing to share with those around him. He even followed in his father's footsteps opening his own inn, The Leaky Flagon, and is known throughout the region as a compassionate and consummate host. However, in the back of his mind, Laurel can't help but quiet the voice telling him to watch his back and hold his customers at arms length...