Stevrin Horvain – Sorcerer of Shadowflame Lineage

Name: Stevrin Horvain
Race: Human
Class/Role: Sorcerer (Draconic Bloodline – Shadowflame) 9
Appearance: Stevrin Horvain has the refined posture of a noble and the raw presence of someone born with power thrumming in their blood. He wears layered robes of obsidian silk threaded with veins of crimson and ember-glow detailing, shifting subtly like burning coal under cloth. Arcane glyphs dance across his sleeves, branded into the fabric by magic rather than stitch. His eyes glow faintly in the dark—one red, the other near-black—as a mark of his Draconic ancestry. His longcoat is tailored, regal in its cut, and his boots click with confidence on stone. A gemstone focus—jet and ruby intertwined—is fitted into a silver ring on his right hand.

Backstory

Born to a lesser merchant family in Highcrest, Stevrin was expected to run books and balance trade. But something ancient stirred within him as a child: a legacy bound to an extinct breed of Shadowflame Dragons—creatures that wielded both searing flame and consuming dark. When his power awoke in a fire that destroyed half a warehouse (and the local thieves’ guild hideout beneath it), he was whisked away by arcanists who feared what he might become. Years later, Stevrin has returned not to rule or conquer, but to reshape what power looks like—walking between worlds of shadow and light, nobility and rebellion, magic and instinct.

Personality

• “Control is not about resistance. It’s about permission.”
• Charismatic & Clever: Always has a second thought behind the first thing he says.
• Unapologetically Gifted: Knows he’s powerful and doesn’t hide it—but isn’t cruel.
• Morally Flexible: Will bend the rules for good ends, especially if the rules are unjust.

Gear and Loot

• Shadowflame Ring (focus; gem flickers between fire-red and black when spellcasting)
• Tailored Arcane Longcoat (provides base AC and advantage on cold weather survival checks)
• Scroll Case with Obscured Genealogy (hinting at draconic heritage and noble blood)
• Flask of Dragon's Breath Elixir (3 charges; as Dragon's Breath spell)
• Satchel with 3 gemstones (worth 50 gp each), signet ring from Highcrest
• Crimson velvet pouch with a single charcoal-black dragon scale

Adventure Hooks

1. A noble house from Highcrest claims Stevrin is the heir to a forbidden draconic bloodline—and wants him under lock and key.
2. He’s on the run from a cabal of wizards who seek to extract and study his lineage through dangerous means.
3. He hires the party to help him reach a site rumored to hold the final remains of a Shadowflame dragon—possibly an ancestor.
4. A rival sorcerer has challenged him to a duel during the Highcrest Arcane Conclave, but Stevrin suspects a trap.
5. He needs a party to escort him while his magic is temporarily bound for political reasons.

Roleplaying Tips

• Speak confidently, with a charismatic rhythm. He’s used to being listened to.
• Flash subtle magic effects during dialogue (e.g., a small flicker of fire, shadows creeping across surfaces).
• When challenged, never escalate first—but never back down.
• Treat magic as a language or instinct, not a tool.
• Drop veiled references to his ancestry, letting others fill in the blanks.

Stevrin Horvain is a sorcerer of natural talent and inherited might, caught between the noble society that fears him and the arcane order that seeks to control him. With shadow and flame running through his veins, he’s as capable in a court as he is on the battlefield. Whether he seeks allies, artifacts, or answers, one thing is clear—power is not something he learned; it’s something he is.