Eli Barlow
Overview
Eli Barlow is a 62-year-old former ship’s carpenter turned watchman and building caretaker. Paid in rent and whiskey to maintain order in a Limehouse tenement, he distrusts newcomers, believes everything was better before the last war, and holds grudges with nautical precision.
He was Rooke’s landlord and watched him closely before his mysterious disappearance.
Description
Stringy-haired and pockmarked, bundled in a faded pea coat even in summer, Barlow moves with a sailor’s limp. He smells of pipe smoke and rain-wet canvas. He keeps his left hand inside his coat—lost two fingers to a chainblock years ago.
Personality & Traits
- Suspicious of gentry; distrusts anyone with “soft hands”
- Fond of dark rum and easily bribed with liquor or coin
- Steel trap memory for faces and rent
- Not easily cowed but responds to shared mistrust of authority
- Speaks with a strong maritime accent
Combat Stats (CoC 7e)
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| STR | 65 |
| CON | 60 |
| SIZ | 60 |
| DEX | 50 |
| INT | 50 |
| POW | 45 |
| APP | 35 |
| EDU | 40 |
| SAN | 55 |
| HP | 12 |
| MP | 9 |
| Luck | 45 |
| DB | +1d4 |
Skills
| Skill | Rating |
|---|---|
| Mechanical Repair | 60% |
| Fighting (Brawl) | 55% |
| Intimidate | 50% |
| Listen | 55% |
| Spot Hidden | 45% |
| Psychology | 30% |
Key Information He Possesses
If plied with liquor, coin, or sympathy:
- “Rooke was clever but nervous… kept checking the bricks in the cellar”
- Description of Rooke’s behavior and habits
- Details about two men in black coats who asked about Rooke three nights after his disappearance
- Rooke’s remaining possessions (held in a lockbox)
- Timeline of Rooke’s final days before disappearance
- Information about who visited Rooke
Roleplaying Hooks
- Responds well to shared suspicion of authority
- Suspicious of investigators at first; requires trust-building
- Will open up after one or two drinks
- Protective of Rooke’s memory; responds to genuine concern for his fate
- May reveal his own fear that something “wrong” happened
Relationship to Campaign
Barlow is a minor but useful NPC who:
- Grants investigators access to Rooke’s lodgings
- Provides testimony about Rooke’s last days
- May surrender Rooke’s notes and personal effects
- Offers atmospheric color and period-appropriate dialogue
His cooperation is crucial for early investigation of Rooke’s disappearance.
Appearances
Relationships
- Knows Nathaniel Rooke — Rooke was his tenant; Barlow watched him closely and knows about his disappearance
- Employed at Thistle Lane — Caretaker of Thistle Lane tenement