Karlach
Roland calls her: Aunty K
She dropped from the sky like a meteor. She grinned the whole way down.
Background
Karlach was Zariel's favourite soldier — one of the warriors who served under Zariel during her time in Avernus. When Zariel was redeemed, Karlach was redeemed alongside her.
That redemption came at the hands of the adventuring party "The Lifting Spirits" — the same party that included Alek (the wizard now known as Caladorn). The Lifting Spirits are responsible for Zariel's redemption, and consequently for Karlach's as well.
Karlach carries an Infernal Engine in her chest — an infernal device that once threatened to kill her. When the Lifting Spirits redeemed Zariel, Karlach was redeemed alongside her. That redemption did not remove the Engine, but Zariel's divine might and protection now holds it in check. What was once a death sentence is contained — controlled — and Karlach walks the world as a radiant, winged champion of the redeemed rather than a burning infernal soldier. The fire is still there. It just answers to something better now.
She is Roland's aunt — the connection on Zariel's side. Roland calls her Aunty K. She helped raise him. She was a fixture in his upbringing and one of the few figures from his past who treated him as a person rather than a symbol. She knows the small details of his childhood that only someone who was actually there would know.
At The Scar
Karlach fought Errtu with reckless, joy-filled ferocity. The infernal fire of her engine burns in ways that bypass demonic resistances — and she leveraged that fully. She grappled the demon when he tried to flee, and she hit everything she hit very, very hard.
After the battle, she put a hand on Wulfgar's shoulder. No words. Just solidarity between two people who understand what it is to carry something heavy and keep going anyway.
She lingered a few hours with Zariel and Wulfgar before departing.
Relationships
| NPC | Relationship | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Roland | Nephew (effectively) | Helped raise him; calls her "Aunty K"; genuine affection |
| Zariel | Former soldier / allegiance | Zariel's favourite; redeemed alongside her; arrived with Zariel at The Scar |
| Caladorn | Former adventuring companion | Alek Pressalor was part of the Lifting Spirits party that redeemed them both |
Key Moments
| Session | Moment | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| A12 | Arrived at the roc nest as Roland neared death; radiant and winged rather than infernal; helped kill the roc; scolded everyone | First appearance in the campaign; reveals herself to the party as Roland's family |
| D06 | Arrived at The Scar with Zariel; fought Errtu; hand on Wulfgar's shoulder after | Infernal form present here; solidarity with Wulfgar |
Open Threads
- Roland's curse from the halfling's dying words — Karlach identified it as serious. Does she know more about what it is?
- What's Karlach's relationship with Caladorn like, given they were both part of the Lifting Spirits outcome?
- The Infernal Engine — truly a gift now? What does that mean for her long term?