Griffon

Griffon is probably one of my more unusual characters in the mere fact that he is dead.  A circle guardian, for many years, he was bound to the transportation circle at it's making.  To do so, he had to die physically and become bound to the circle itself.  He retains all his knowledge he had as a powerful mage in life and has gained centuries of knowledge since then.  A benefit of bein a circle guardian is the ability to retain names and faces of people, even after they are long dead.  If the historians were to sit down with a circle guardian, especially Griffon, they would get a good ear full.

Griffon is transparent and ethereal, being dead and all.  But he is dressed in robes of a high mage, has a long, wiggly beard and balding head and stoops a bit.  Sometimes he walks around with a cane, sometimes he walks fine without one. (Though, technically he floats everywhere and has no need for a cane.)

As a circle guardian he can cast spells, operate the transportation circle, and even gather supplies.  (Circle Guardians can manifest in the physical realm for a short periods of time and thus can move things or gather food and other supplies for their circle.)  Griffon likes to talk, a lot, and might just chat off any traveler's ears before letting them leave his domain.