There are all sorts of criminal operations going on in the Docks, from smuggling (though that's more common in Fishertown) to murder and soultheft. Many of these operations require some people capable of physical force, and while some crimelords may have their own coteries of henchmen to do their dirty work, others don't. That's a need that Esley Quarringer helps fill: she's a hooligan for hire, for whoever offers the most pay. In fact, she's a whole package of toughs; she's got a crew of her own that she brings along on jobs, though Quarringer's the leader and the one who negotiates the deals. She's not just muscle, though, although she certainly has plenty of that; Quarringer also knows a modicum of magic she doesn't hesitate to employ when it's useful. Not all of Quarringer's work is criminal; she and her crew are often hired to guard warehouses and for other legitimate work... but at least as often it's some criminal enterprise that gives her the best offer and ends up with her services.

Given the name she's made for herself and the influence she's building, it's widely suspected that Quarringer is building toward setting up a criminal operation of her own, and wondered what her ultimate goals are. In fact, Quarringer does have ambitions beyond profession ruffianism, but they're not quite what anyone thinks. Like many residents of the Docks, Quarringer came from an impoverished background, and largely grew up on the streets. She was fascinated by magic from an early age, but didn't have the means to study it. So she fell into making a living with something she was good at, namely violence. But most of Quarringer's income, beyond what she spends for her subsistence, now goes toward books on magic and magic supplies; she's self-taught, and she's making slow progress, but she is learning. She hopes one day to learn enough magic to be able to call herself a real, powerful wizard... but in the meantime, well, knocking heads pays the bills.

Esley Quarringer is a huge, almost cubical woman with a swaggering gait and almost perpetually clenched fists. She has dirty blond hair—usually literally dirty, as well—, a strong chin, and a broad, flat face. When she speaks, Esley has a tendency to alternate between lilting, cajoling tones and furious yelling, switching suddenly between the two. She usually wears sturdy trousers and heavy leather jackets.