NPC Dossier
Details
Full Name: Verec Trugold
Nickname(s): "Mayor" (though he corrects people, saying he no longer holds the title)
Race: Human (E)
Class: Expert (Politician)
Height: 5'11"
Physical Description: Verec maintains an immaculate appearance during work hours, with perfectly pressed clothes and neatly combed silver hair. His warm brown eyes and ready smile mask the deep shadows beneath that become visible only in private moments.
Unique Physical Characteristics: A barely noticeable tremor in his hands that he disguises by keeping them occupied with paperwork
Likes: Helping others, organizing community events, maintaining order in records, remembering Cobapple's better days
Dislikes: Being alone with his thoughts, quiet evenings, empty houses, seeing other happy families
Quirks: Keeps his office meticulously organized, always carries candy for children he meets, works late to avoid going home
Fears: Facing his grief, letting others see his pain, failing another community
Motivations: Preserving Cobapple's memory, helping Goodberry thrive, finding purpose in service
Pet Peeves: People who speak of "moving on" from loss, empty platitudes about grief
Quote: "The measure of a community isn't in its buildings or laws, but in how it helps its people carry their burdens."
Background
Before the fall of Cobapple, Verec was more than just its mayor - he was the heart of the community. His wife Marina and their three children were fixtures at every town event, and their home was always open to anyone in need. His E-grade status came from years of service and genuine care for his people, manifesting in an almost supernatural ability to understand and solve community problems.
The day of the draconian attack, Verec was in his office reviewing plans for the autumn harvest festival. His last memory of his family was their morning goodbye - Marina's kiss, his daughter's laughter, his sons' playful complaints about chores. By sunset, they were gone, along with nearly everyone and everything he'd spent his life protecting. The speed and totality of the destruction left him with no chance to say goodbye, no bodies to bury, not even a memento to remember them by.
In the aftermath, he somehow found himself leading the survivors to safety, his political skills and E-grade abilities helping to keep the small group alive and moving. Each night, he would ensure everyone else was settled before retreating to drink alone, a pattern that continues in Goodberry. The bottle became his only companion in grief, though he never lets it affect his work performance.
When Arties offered him the position of political assistant in Goodberry, he saw it as both blessing and curse. The work gives him purpose and distraction, but watching another community grow and thrive reminds him daily of what he lost. He throws himself into his duties with almost manic enthusiasm during the day, maintaining a facade of cheerful efficiency that only crumbles when he returns to his empty home.
Now, Verec serves as a crucial part of Goodberry's administration, his experience and political acumen helping the new settlement navigate its growth. His genuine desire to help others remains intact, though it's now driven less by joy and more by a desperate need to justify his survival. Few suspect that the polished, competent administrator they see by day spends his nights trying to drink away the memories of a family he couldn't save and a community he failed to protect.