Ludarel D'Zhilia, or, unwitting pawn. (UPDATED)

[Ludarel]

A brief inquiry into the almost Apprentice of a Zulkir... Updated Edition, now with 19x as much awesome sauce.

**The Creation of a Tiefling**

Hlangar slammed his ancient fist down on his desk, throwing the scroll he'd been reading into the fire. The remnants of its wax seal sparked up a blue flame for a moment before subsiding and finally melting into nothingness.

I've had more than enough of that bastard Nevron and his arrogance. But I cant face him myself.. no.. he's too powerful and my own sacrifices for this order have left me far too weak to wage an extended battle. No this must be done by wit and wit alone, at least on my end.

Hlangar was an Elder Conjuror within the Red Wizards of Thay, which put him under the direct control and influence of Nevron, the Zulkir of Conjuration. Being a highly talented conjuror himself, he was afforded certain.. priviledges, but also extra attention. Oftentimes he would be picked for some task or another that Nevron was too busy for. In reality Hlangar knew, Nevron was simply taunting him with childish tasks suited for the likes of an apprentice.

And it was just that thing which gave Hlangar the idea of a lifetime. He was fairly sure if Nevron was to disappear he could secure enough votes to take his place as Zulkir, a few well placed spells here, some bribes there. Information exchanges were valuable and he had plenty of information to sell.

Unfortunately removing Nevron from the picture was admittedly beyond his personal ability. Nevron often had him running stupid errands well beneath his station, but he could do not but accept it and move on. Nevron also seemed to realize the distaste he held for him, and had long ago begun to send Hlangar to take care of some of his more.. dangerous.. chores. One battle with a demilich had left Hlangar drained of his health and stamina, making extended magical exertion dangerous. And if Nevron wasn't insulting him with some sort of “quest” he was finding ways take his holdings and other prized belongings from him.

The day Hlangar obtained Ludarel was one of his happier days in a long time. Now he had his own pawn to play. Trained properly this pawn might even reach the opposite side of the chessboard of his mind. The Tiefling would surely intrigue the Half-Fiend Zulkir and his sensibilities. Nevron would find a way to control Hlangars newfound apprentice and take him as his own to spite the old wizard... the difference being proper grooming could ensure the Tiefling would forever remain HIS pawn, despite appearances..

Aahaha, Nevron. I will have your head and with luck your seat on the council...

Hlangar chuckled and began the rituals which would put the tiefling child in his power...

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OPEN ENDS: Did Nevron later find out about this and slay Hlangar for his insolence? (Probably lol). How did Hlangar receive the Tiefling child? Perhaps a virginal slave offering to a demon bound in his summoning chamber, or something possibly even more sinister, using magic of conjuration to sequester a young Tiefling child from whatever life or family might have known him?
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**Thayan Horse: Raising a Weapon**

Ludarel was groomed from as far back as he could remember to wield magic. His magic was not internal, like that of a Sorceror, but he could see and feel the energy around him and learning to manipulate it came with an ease that had surprised old Hlangar. This, in turn, led Hlangar to initiate Ludarel into his magical training much earlier than he had originally planned.

When not studying the arcane world Hlangar sent Ludarel out on his own petty errands, much like Nevron often would do to him. At such a young age Ludarel had barely come into his own and while his heritage had begun to show, small horns beginning to bud from his skull, he had yet to obtain any of his ancestral power. He would often return to Hlangars tower outside of Eltabbar broken and bloodied by the children of the now free Mulan slaves who now were the Thayan people.

This too, was part of Hlangars mental machinations however. Commonplace incidents such as this and physically demanding punishment and overall lifestyle ensured Hlangar that his Tiefling (and he was HIS Tiefling, he was quite clear on that point) would be strong and hearty, robust enough to stand against whatever Nevrons trials may be.

Hlangar taught Ludarel the human men who accosted him in the city were lower beings who could do naught but take advantage of his immature state to their own ends. These inferior beings, who could not even perform The Art, were to be controlled and manipulated whenever necessary to obtain whatever was desired.

Still, Ludarel was not made to stop on these errands, and none of the magic Hlangar taught him yet was much use here. His rages when alone would often scorch the walls of his chambers but when surrounded by his attackers he could never find the strength to defeat them, only to run until he ran out of places to go. They would beat him and taunt him mercilessly. He wished Hlangar would allow him to remove the hair from his scalp, a sign of respect and power in current Thay, but he forbade it telling Ludarel that only a born Thayan of Mulan had that right... or a Red Wizard he would add just loud enough for Ludarel to hear. But the removal of of the hair and the tattooing were not just symbols of power and respect, but without being a Red Wizard Hlangar knew it would simply be found insulting. The Thayans themselves had previously been enslaved and it was a reminder of that time. And so it was forbidden so forcibly even Ludarel was willing to put it out of mind.

As he grew older, nights at Hlangar's tower became simply another self fulfilling prophecy for Ludarel. Dreaming of the nexts days torturous and unnecessary assignments and inevitable errands which would always end with him beaten and bloodied at least once.

But then his dreams changed. In his dreams he could fly. He looked over his shoulders and saw great scaly wings protruding from his back, only for an instant. Then they vanished, melted, into a cloak of light and force which seemed to fling him through the air at breakneck speed, always gently. He flew higher, higher, almost impossibly higher. He flew so high the birds and other sky creatures which would squawk and caw at him as he flew by could not reach, and he was left to look down upon Abeir-Toril.

A great energy shrouded the world below him, a lattice surrounding, covering, touching, simply everything. Within and without, inside and outside these waves of manna existed solely for him it seemed. He could touch them, call to them and they would rearrange themselves to reach out and touch him, and he became part of the blanket of energy the forces were weaving. Welling up inside him he could suddenly see everywhere and everything. The force seemed to whisper to him its secrets, asking him to join it and not awake and leave. To stay with it for all time.

They dont care about you! They dont care about YOUR power. YOU must find it and forge a path. Take the power and mold it to YOUR whim. They will defile your will if you do not! Then you will fall, and you will lose US!

Then he was falling.. falling through miles of energy and wind. It was no longer holding him and the impending doom was too much to bear. Watching the land rush towards him seemed so very very real. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't breathe, he couldn't... fall. No.. The lattice had realigned itself and ensnared him before he impacted the ground. He woke with a start.

The same dream, over and over, at least a couple times a week at first, eventually nearly every time he slept. Sometimes it would last longer. But more and more as he awoke he could still almost feel the power there still. Eventually almost certain of it.

Ludarels magical studies took a major turn uphill. While always genious in his implementation of Hlangar's instructions, this was beyond the norm. Ludarel was learning to manipulate energies in ways that had taken Hlangar many many years to do. Basic things, but things which took ages to master and were integral to accessing the most powerful of arcane magicks.

Ludarel was happy too. The bumbling fools that once would accost him on a daily basis in Eltabbar soon learned to fear him. His horns, though small, finished growing, sinister, needlepointed and dark. His teeth became somewhat sharp and razorlike and when heavily exerting himself he would tend to exhale bits of ash and smoke. They stayed away, and the ones that didn't learned to fear spells he had already mastered, calling beings to cull the mongrels that considered themselves men. He could walk about in peace and sleep well at night, which he relished because if he was sleeping, he would dream. He dreamt of the power every night now. He could perceive the energy in his waking hours too, he knew it was real now.

In this way he came to know Mystra and offered her his service. He cried out in his dreams “I will use you! Just give me your power and I WILL use it, I wont forget it I will make it a part of myself!.” Ludarel of course could have had no clue that Mystra could have had anything to do with these visions. Even with his more and more lax freedoms from Hlangar, who he had begun to hate less and less these days, he had been forbidden to come into contact with anything that might alert him to such things.. Gods and powers beyond what Hlangar wanted him to know.

Within just a couple years of the dreams starting Hlangar awarded Ludarel with his own set of robes and would boast to his guest about how quickly this young boy had learned the art. Owing, obviously, to the obvious skills and power of Hlangar himself. Such boasting was surely to make its way to Nevron, where his plan could truly begin to work its... magic.

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OPEN ENDS: Why would Hlangar keep the knowledge of other powers.. the Gods, from Ludarel? Was he just so paranoid he didn't want any other powers pulling the strings but him? Or did he want him to be another Faithless, a shell with no future.. save whatever future he decided for him. Does Ludarel even HAVE a soul. Is he even really a Tiefling for that matter? And why would Mystra care about one random child in the sea of life on Abeir-Toril. Was she unhappy to see magical talent utilized without free will? Or was it just a fickle random act of kindness, showing him the weave and calling to him to offer himself, thus preventing him from the fate of the Faithless? Can our young hero learn to respect his mental lessers in the future?
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**Finale: Exodus**

The day Hlangar told Ludarel he was not going to council at the Wizards Reach was music to his ears, for Hlangar had told Ludarel he would be accompanying him on the trip. He would get to see the fabled place with his own eyes. Maybe even the Zulkir himself would be there. He'd always wanted to meet Nevron. Maybe he could do something to impress him.

That opportunity never came however. Apprentices and others who were not actually part of the Red Wizard order were not allowed to use magic to teleport within the halls of Wizards Reach and so the first part of the journey had to be taken by mundane means. A horse and carriage awaited them outside Hlangars tower, taking them towards Wizards reach slowly but steadily.

They would of reached it too, had someone not intevened. Beset by bandits, Hlangar instructed Ludarel to escape. The attempt was made but yet more of the bandits had blocked off the route he tried to take. Ludarel slowed down to a stop, keeping his guard up.

Hlangar yelled behind him and Ludarel whirled around just in time to nearly be blinded by a great blue flash of light that disappeared along with Hlangar, leaving only his robes behind. That was about the time he realized the mistake of turning around. Right in time to feel that same intense burst of light, this time inside his skull as he was clubbed from behind.

Current day... Ludarel has awoken, alone and missing his belongings, even clothes just outside Baldurs Gate. Wandering towards the gate he was lucky enough to find a more friendly sort of Fist guard – Despite his somewhat obvious heritage he was told simply not to cause any trouble or the Fist would have no problems removing that trouble.. him. He gave him some old clothes, telling Ludarel it wouldn't do to have a naked Tiefling roaming the streets and gave him directions to the Elfsong Tavern, where he told Ludarel they had needed some help and he could probably make some money there.

Ludarel, still in shock could only mumble thanks and stumbled his way to the Tavern before passing out in the doorway. Waking up once more, the following afternoon, to a bath he desperately needed and warm food, Ludarel thanked the owner, and offered to take up whatever jobs were needed to be done about the Tavern for a few days while he got his bearings. Liberal application of simple prestidigitations and mage hands got the jobs done quickly and soon he had enough money to create a small spellbook with the spells Hlangar had required him to memorize during his apprenticeship.

And now we have... now. Today.

See you in game.

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OPEN ENDS: Hlangar was planning on showing off Ludarel to the other Red Wizards in order to get Nevrons attention but it never happened... who attacked them and why? They looked like bandits but surely a wizard such as Hlangar would not have bothered telling Ludarel to run from something as simple as a bunch of highwaymen rabble. Will Ludarel learn of the gods now? Of the weave he knows not as Mystra. Can he overcome the prejudice of the populous he has no clue hates the Thayans, let alone Tieflings. More importantly perhaps, can he overcome his own arrogance?
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CHARDATA
Ludarel – lvl 2 Wiz, Chaotic Neutral
14 / 12 / 14 / 20 / 10 / 6
1st level feats: Wizards Apprentice / SC Prodigy

Strong and tough due to years of abuse and defending himself as an apprentice, this young prodigy tends to talk down to those he believes to be under him, causing tension and aggravating those around him constantly. Coupled by his racial heritage, people tend to avoid him. He tends to not make long lasting personal friendships. There were a few friends back in Thay, but they are far away and unavailable to him now. He knows he needs to take care not to upset the locals here, and make allies, but holding his tongue does not come easily and when your very persona screams “You aren't worth my time”. Will he meet someone patient enough to see past this? Or will his only companions be of the more shady sort.


--TOTALLY OOC STUFFS HERE--
When coming up with this concept I hadn't even really looked at any of my class options yet, I was reading bits of the BGTSSC site (new and old) and waiting for the hakpaks to download. I came up with this. I always loved the lore surrounding Mulhorand, Thay, and Rashemi. So despite being so far away from the Sword Coast (another beloved area, up their with the Dalelands) I came up with this character concept and played about with it.

It was pointed out to me in an ooc conversation with another player however that while such a history and grooming by "hlangar" would obviously point towards a role as a red wizard.. its locked to humans only.... OOPS. heh. Too bad I cant use transmutation magic as a conjuror.

I'd love to hear DM feedback here and/or ingame about what you think of this, if anything needs to change, anything you would like to add/expand on prior to any possible IC interactions, and possible paths my character may take in terms of profession, whether naught but pure wizardly study, a candlekeep lorekeeper, or even some sort of roundabout way of actually ending up as a red wizard despite racial stuff. I'm really open to it. At the moment he's pretty clueless as to how or why he is in Baldurs Gate, a Chaotic Neutral with evil tendencies due to his harsh upbringing and being taught that others were inferior. Only time will tell if he will shift either way.

Have fun. Just try not to kill me before I can cast Melfs Acid Arrow (fireball is so overrated)

(New Stuff): Going over some of the old lore I am saddened even more to see Red Wizard as human only within the nwn2 engine, as many of the zulkirs themselves are NOT human, let alone the rest of the organization. Of note the one mentioned in the above story is a Half-Fiend, and the infamous and hated Szass Tam is of course a Lich. Though he WAS human before that.

Updated Just for YOU! Charraj!

[Charraj]

I like it!
The only issue I see is with Ludarel's mentor, Hlangar, being the Zulkir of Conjuration.
Make Hlangar a lower-ranking Thayan, so as to not bring up possible lore conflicts.

Also, I'm sure you know this, but it bears repeating. If your character ends up summoning undead and whatnot, the summon is kill-on-sight.

Other than that, I think you're golden. Have a beautiful day!

[Ludarel]

I was hoping that the actual internal politics of Thay being so far removed from the Sword coast and no longer being within his (apparent) sphere of influence that it might work out.

[edit] also Ludarel having no clue as to Hlangar's identity means you can use (or not use) that bit as much or as little as you desire. I tried to leave stuff as open as possible.

If you really need me to change it though I can

[Ludarel]

I actuallly had enough material to write something MUCH longer and more detailed but I didni't think the DMs wanted to read a Novella.

[Hydrocarbonated]

Clearly you've never met Maecius

At least half of us are bibliophiles to some degree or another. If you're willing, then I say "Lay on, Macduff!"

[Charraj]

Haha, yes, don't be afraid to write up a trilogy.

As for Hlangar. The Thayans have heavily influenced our server's lore in the past (and may or may not be doing so even now), so it's not as removed as you might think.
So yes, I regret to inform you that this aspect of your character's back story should be changed. :/

[Ludarel]

Well suggestions? I really wanted this to smack of oh my lord.

ooh ooh maybe a Netheril reference thats even WORSE

[Ludarel]

The Thayans have heavily influenced our server's lore in the past (and may or may not be doing so even now)

*chuckle*

I told someone I was from Thay and they ran like hell! They had to be like 10x my level too (I was level one)

[Ludarel]

Background rewritten (repost completely redone). Please feedback me!

It still involves a Zulkir in a roundabout indirect way, as the target in a political plot to remove him from power.

However as the great and almighty Zulkirs are constantly bombarded by such plots to remove them from power I didn't think it was a great stretch to think his master could have planned on trying just such a thing (and failing, ultimately)

[Ludarel]

I am back and hoping I can access my character with this new computer of mine. Downloading the files now.

I"m not sure because I have the steam version now and uh... the whole thing with their authentication servers etc going down after being hacked and never coming back up. I really hope I have access to my character. I'm assuming it was probably CD key based, so it should be good. But its been a while and I'm not sure if I had bought a new copy from steam or already had it when i played before.

I'll let ya'll know though.

[Ludarel]

Yay it worked! let me select my character... just waiting for the maps etc to download.