Mr. Edgar Starling is one of the members of the Six Reasons Why. He is a detective working out of the Starling Detective Agency in Sombus.
Biography
Early Life
Edgar grew up as the only-child of a wealthy elite man named Allan Starling. They used to live in the upper-class suburb of Sombus, Faithills. His father worked as an archaeologist for the Sombus Archaeological Society as the Head of Artifacts. It all came crashing down in 3E500 when his father was 36 and Edgar was 11. While the Seven's Carnival was set up in Sombus on Roja Island, Allan went out to the carnival one day with Edgar on official SAS business. He went missing, and later the police found his body nearby and reported it a suicide since "he hung himself".
There was a small investigation for a few months, but the authorities quickly gave up. One of his father's coworkers, an elf named Berion Goldquill, came to their house once to give his condolences. To make matters worse, later in the same year when the Dark Hunt's invasion occurred during Varkosi Arcanos, the Starling house was one of the many buildings destroyed in the cataclysm.
Without income and resources to rebuild, Edgar and his mom Lillian had to move out of the city. They went to live with his mom's brother, Uncle Lawrence Fayman who lived in the city of Coalfell. Over the years, Edgar grew up as an intelligent man who taught himself magic. He wanted to uncover the mystery of his father's death and research, and in 4E015 moved back to the city of Sombus. Using some saved up money, he bought an apartment in the middle-class district of Castella, turning it into the 'Starling Detective Agency'. Over the next year, he did some odd jobs as a private investigator and made some useful contacts in the city. He felt like he'll get some real answers as this was the year the Carnival was set to return to Sombus, but he also had to keep working on these minor cases to make a living and pay for rent and food.
Beneath the Scarlet Spires
Check the main campaign page for the detailed plot summary.
In the midsummer of 4E016... At the Sombus Archaeological Museum, Vetri Yildiz and Oscar Ortez met Berion Goldquill and Martin Candlewynd. The bosses revealed to them about the upcoming exhibit on Demonology, and they were tasked with retrieving artifact “VN-2.” Oscar owed Edgar a favor for getting a stalker ex off of his back, and called him in. They found the artifact in the Society's warehouse along with Edgar’s late father’s notebook. Touching the artifact unleashed a demonic snake they barely defeated.
On 4E016/05/22, Martin Candlewynd, Luciano, and Loras Runestrong were murdered at the society’s warehouse, and artifact “VN Abyssal B” stolen. Cedrik, Tuskon, Vetri, Oscar, Silvius, Esther, Miri, and Edgar all converged on the crime scene and met Inspector Rorax and each other. They discovered signs of necrotic magic and a fourth attacker. Before they could investigate further, Ratti family goons attacked. The group fought them off amid stormy seas. Inspector Rorax advised them to stay together, and Cedrik brought everyone to Gwynne Manor. There, the party formally introduced themselves, while Edgar pored over his father’s old notes.
The next morning, the group shared breakfast at Gwynne Manor before Rorax arrived, questioned them, and formally declared them a party, giving them linked sending stones. Afterward, Cedrik revealed the fiendish angel within him. They split to investigate: Edgar, Esther, and Cedrik visited the Planar Pub, where Edgar met his cousin, negotiated with drunk Ratti goons including his contact Bruno, and secured invites to Don Ratti’s daughter’s wedding. The group regrouped at Martin’s penthouse, and took his black money gold bars. They uncovered a secret room, and recovered a demonic letter from Xarkos, gold, and a figurine of Varkanus. When Inspector Gailhel Redeye confronted them, she betrayed them, nearly killing Silvius. The party subdued her and her men, but Gail killed herself magically, revealing she was a Varkanus cultist.
The next day, Edgar received formal wedding invitations, and Vetri studied the figurine until Oscar and her noticed the weird actions of one of the Cogwork Archvists. They called the party, until the tampered archivist revived a T-Rex fossil in the museum. They brought the damaged construct to Yizuko Labs. Xoe and Faktoré confirmed the archivist had been remotely controlled by another artificer. Xoe agreed to investigate further and look into the Varkanus cult. Later, Edgar informed Rorax of Gail’s cultist betrayal, but Rorax chose not to report it in.
The party dressed for Angelica Ratti’s wedding in Sewertown. Edgar borrowed his landlady’s late husband’s suit. At the chapel, they met Don Ratti, who offered condolences and revealed his son Rico Jr. had been in charge the night of the murders. The group joined the festivities, but Cedrik noticed Rico sneaking away. Following him, they were ambushed by Carlos, who poisoned Esther and Cedrik. After a brutal fight, the party defeated him and pursued Rico Jr., discovering a prison beneath the sewers. Cedrik disguised himself as Carlos while Miri made Esther invisible. They learned Rico Jr. was working with dangerous allies who wanted the party dead. Esther freed Mya, an imprisoned Rust enforcer, and escaped with her and a gagged Carlos. The group fled through sewage pipes, battled giant cockroaches, and emerged in the Cristol River, hiring a boat back to Gwynne Manor.
Under Zone of Truth, the party questioned Carlos, learning Rico Jr. was greedy but not a cultist. He’d been tipped off about Luciano by Selda Hightower. After handing Carlos to the police, they headed out. At Yizuko Labs, Xoe revealed the cogwork archivist was altered with a psionic shard. On their way to CU, Jamison ambushed them near the Starling Agency. After a fiery fight that destroyed the rooftop of the building NEXT to his apartment, Vetri downed Jamison and Rorax arrested him. The party spent the night at the Agency, where Esther flirted with Edgar and Silvius acted as a chaperone. He was warned by his landlady to tell her before throwing parties.
The next day, they plotted to confront Selda. Ignoring Clara’s suggestion of a formal inquiry, they tracked Selda to West Sombus Train Terminal. Disguised as Rico Jr., Silvius drew her out, learning she answered to Xarkos and believed she had met Varkanus. She spoke the code phrase “3 tickets to Madness,” transporting everyone into a demiplane with a giant glowing eye. Selda summoned an Aboleth Spawn, but Vetri quickly downed her and the others destroyed the monster. The party interrogated Selda, confirming the cult’s structure and that Rico Jr. was only a minor pawn. Suddenly, cultists and a plague-masked paladin named Yulis arrived, forcing the party to use the exit code “Tickets to Sanity.”
Timeline
3E489 - Edgar is born in Sombus.
3E500 - At age 11, Edgar loses his father during the Seven's Carnival. Later in the year, due to the destruction caused by the Dark Hunt, he and his mother move to their uncle's place in Coalfell.
4E015 - Edgar moves back to Sombus and starts the Starling Detective Agency.
4E016 - The events of Beneath the Scarlet Spires begin.
