Sheriff Belor Hemlock

Belor Hemlock is the Sheriff of Sandpoint's town guard, a stalwart, if somewhat exasperated defender of the local area.

Born Belor Sings-with-the-Wind Viskalai Quah-Shrikirri, the son of Tenaan Bears-the-Mountain and Risa Blooms-in-Stone, brother to Garridan High-Kestrel. The family came to Sandpoint shortly after its foundation, seeking better economic prospects than those available in the tribelands. The couple opened an inn, The Red Deer- which would later be renamed The White Deer after the fire of 4702 AR- and operated it with the aid of their sons. Garridan took to the life of an innkeep, and threw himself into developing their business into one of the most lush and luxurious inns in the area. Belor was less satisfied, and regularly took trips to Magnimar to free himself of the monotony of daily life.

It was on one of these trips, in Belor's late teenage years, that he came face to face with Magnimar's prejudice against the Shoanti. After a night drinking, Belor found himself slightly too close to underbridge, where he was ambushed by Sczarni skinhunters. He lost the tattoo which bore his honorific, and narrowly escaped with his life, being saved by a then-sergeant of Magnimar's city watch, Sebastian Van Soorn. Van Soorn dragged the unconscious Belor from the Shadow, and back to safety.

Out of a sense of gratitude, and a desire to bring justice to those who would harm innocent people, Belor enlisted in the city watch, driving a rift between himself and his family, who saw the watch as just another instrument of the prejudice of Magnimar. After serving for almost a decade in Magnimar, Belor returned to Sandpoint as deputy, under the acting Sheriff Casp Avertin. The two men became fast friends, with Casp referring to Belor as "Hemlock"- the Common translation of Viskalai. After Avertin was murdered by Chopper, Belor changed his surname. According to him, this was out of respect for his murdered friend and mentor, however Garridan has been known to say that this was actually Belor capitulating to the intolerant Chelish locals, highlighting the fact that Belor no longer goes by his honorific.

Hemlock maintains a close friendship with Seb, exchanging letters regularly. He has also become close to Mayor Kendra Deverin, who was rumoured to have had a romantic attachment to Casp Avertin. Hemlock is in a poorly-hidden relationship with Madame Kaye Tesrani of the Pixie's Kitten brothel, which receives a great deal of criticism from the more conservative Scarnetti family.

While he is often exasperated by the antics of the group, Hemlock has developed a fondness for the Sandpoint 5, occasionally envying their freedom in being able to tackle a problem head on, without concern for regulations or diplomacy.