Ludarel D'Zhilia, unwitting pawn? Or, redeemed by Mystra
Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 10:32 am
Just coming back to the game I noticed you guys added a reward for putting in the work I already had done, so I'm moving over the final version of my background that I had worked out with you previously (will be cut/pasted in after this template for more robust information). Will be useful because I'm level one again (I had gotten permission to delete and recreate previously because I had failed to properly set myself up as a conjurer specialist)!
Template For Character Creation Reward:
First Name: Ludarel
Last Name: D'Zhilia
Appearance: Bellying the stereotypical mage, Ludarel stands tall and muscular. Overall much more human in appearance than some tieflings, he is nonetheless off-putting to many. His horns are short, about 3 inches, and black as midnight. While not scaly or tailed, his skin has a slight reddish tint and his eyes eyes are slit like a cats, black orbs with fiery red pupils. His teeth are pointed and sharp, and he often exhales bits of ash and sulfurous smoke, especially when anxious or coughing from lack of breath. If these features weren't enough, his presence itself is often somewhat unsettling.
Race: Tiefling
Age: His best guess is approximately 19 years of human reckoning
Height Approx 6' 1"
Weight: Approx 185lb
Eyes: Cat-Eye, black orbs (not white) with red pupil/slits that appear to be flames
Hair: Reddish Orange, the colors of flame.
Facial Hair Style: Short trimmed bear/stache/goatee combo, of the same color
Personality Profile: Raised in apprentice ship from as far back as he could remember (he doesn't remember his parents) by the Red Wizard Hlangar, and persecuted by the common Thayans he encountered in public, Ludarel's social skills have.. suffered. He is often blunt to a fault. Raised to be spiteful of creatures he was taught to be beneath his station.. including any earthly human who had not proven themselves, he can often be demeaning, arrogant, and downright cruel to those he considers beneath him. A youth spent being beaten and bloodied by humans while he was small and more defenseless soon became an exercise in power over others as he found he could exercise his abilities to humble or maim these same offenders.
At the same time, his naivete is profound. Aside from forays to markets for trade at the behest of Hlangar, and only in Thay, Ludarel is very unaware of the world beyond in its finer detail, and is often dumbfounded when people shriek in terror and run away upon finding out he is a Red Wizard's Apprentice.
During his dreamstates from Mystra and subsequent events, she has remolded him and cleared away some of the taint on his aura. He swore himself to her power in his dreams and this has not gone away. Through Mystra he reverted from a raging young boy of CE alignment to a lost young man unsure of his future, but with a chance to choose a road of his own (he is starting as CN alignment). Somewhat humbled by his near death experience he lends more forethought to his actions now. But years of darker callings make it easy to pick darker paths when times get hard. These days however it is not out of some malevolent evil so much as it is simply being hard to move on from his past. He takes it one day at a time and tries to overcome his automatic loathing reponse for humans.
All this has made Ludarel the brooding wizard he is today, touched by darkness but not consumed. Ludarel is fast to rouse to anger and hateful words, sarcasm is second nature and various expectations and rituals considered polite by society are simply unknown to him, resulting in many faux pas. Tempering this is the fact that he in many ways is still just a boy, sheltered for many years in Hlangars tower and unaware of how the world around him works, sometimes even the simplest things give him a sense of wonder one would experience as a child seeing something for the first time. Ludarel is a complex personality!
General Health: Robust and hearty, a strong constitution and a solid frame serve him well, and a little ash and brimstone in your lungs never hurt anybody!
Deity: Our Lady of Magic, Mystra
Initial Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Profession: While skilled in alchemy and other crafts, he has no work profession as of yet. Adventurer I suppose in the meantime.
Base Class & Proposed Development: Wizard currently. Would like to work with DM's if at all possible to continue his development as a red wizard (would need a DM to add the class in the future)
Habits/Hobbies: Ludarel has a tendency to talk to himself and his spiritbound familiar Xaol. He has no hobbies to speak of right now, but may soon as the world is new and unfamiliar to him.
Languages: Many. Common, Abyssal, Infernal, Elven, Sylvan, Gnome, Orc
Weapon of Choice: Whatever is handy and powerful. For now, a stout staff and an accurate crossbow supplement his magery.
Background: See below after template (its long!)
Goals: Mystra's touch in his dreams granted Ludarel a clarity and focus he hadn't previously known, taking his rapid advancement in the arcane arts to a whole new level. But it was just a touch. A fire to feel this touch again burns deep in his heart now. First and foremost before anything else, Ludarel wishes to find this great power for himself, the heart of Mystra, so that he may better understand her, himself, and his craft. He is confident he will feel her touch again, she came to him once already, so she must be watching him now... right? (this is a uh... longterm goal)
Ludarel believes Mystra is testing him.Understands that Hlangar only wanted him to further his own station in Thay, and nobody in his past ever thought much of him aside from Hlangar.. who of course just wanted a powerful pawn. Nobody has ever truly approved of his existence that didn't want to simply use him. He has a need to prove himself to his Lady of Magic, show her that her guidance was not in vain. He seeks to find acceptance and approval somewhere, or at the least from someone, where he can feel safe enough to let his guard down and try to enjoy being alive for once.
Continue the studies and exercises taught to him by Hlangar, for through there mastery can the Lore of the Red Wizards be interpreted and incorporated into The Art.
Determine the cause and reasoning behind the attack on Hlangar and himself, and how he came to be stranded so far from Thay, on the Sword Coast.
Possible Plot-Hook Ideas and Misc Facts: Each section of the following bio pasted in has possible hooks and "facts" for your use at the end of each section. The sections follow a chronological timeline from early youth to young adulthood. I am pasting them here too but they make more sense if you read the bio section along with them!
<Childhood> **The Creation of a Tiefling**
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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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<Adolescence> **Thayan Horse: Raising a Weapon**
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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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<Young Adulthood> **Finale: Exodus**
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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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More: Was there already some sort of connection to Mystra, a reason why she revealed herself to him later on in life and in dream only? Could that be why knowledge of the Gods was kept from him? Perhaps being spirited away in the aftermath of the attack was not orchestrated by the attackers themselves, but by a powerful benefactor watching from afar rescuing him at the last moment and bringing him to the sword coast, potentially saving him from a fate (worse?) than death.
ORIGINAL BIO ENTRY FROM OLD FORUM
A brief inquiry into the Apprentice of an Elder Red Wizard... 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 1 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.
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END OF PASTE OF BIO
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Ok I think thats finished! Let me know!
Template For Character Creation Reward:
First Name: Ludarel
Last Name: D'Zhilia
Appearance: Bellying the stereotypical mage, Ludarel stands tall and muscular. Overall much more human in appearance than some tieflings, he is nonetheless off-putting to many. His horns are short, about 3 inches, and black as midnight. While not scaly or tailed, his skin has a slight reddish tint and his eyes eyes are slit like a cats, black orbs with fiery red pupils. His teeth are pointed and sharp, and he often exhales bits of ash and sulfurous smoke, especially when anxious or coughing from lack of breath. If these features weren't enough, his presence itself is often somewhat unsettling.
Race: Tiefling
Age: His best guess is approximately 19 years of human reckoning
Height Approx 6' 1"
Weight: Approx 185lb
Eyes: Cat-Eye, black orbs (not white) with red pupil/slits that appear to be flames
Hair: Reddish Orange, the colors of flame.
Facial Hair Style: Short trimmed bear/stache/goatee combo, of the same color
Personality Profile: Raised in apprentice ship from as far back as he could remember (he doesn't remember his parents) by the Red Wizard Hlangar, and persecuted by the common Thayans he encountered in public, Ludarel's social skills have.. suffered. He is often blunt to a fault. Raised to be spiteful of creatures he was taught to be beneath his station.. including any earthly human who had not proven themselves, he can often be demeaning, arrogant, and downright cruel to those he considers beneath him. A youth spent being beaten and bloodied by humans while he was small and more defenseless soon became an exercise in power over others as he found he could exercise his abilities to humble or maim these same offenders.
At the same time, his naivete is profound. Aside from forays to markets for trade at the behest of Hlangar, and only in Thay, Ludarel is very unaware of the world beyond in its finer detail, and is often dumbfounded when people shriek in terror and run away upon finding out he is a Red Wizard's Apprentice.
During his dreamstates from Mystra and subsequent events, she has remolded him and cleared away some of the taint on his aura. He swore himself to her power in his dreams and this has not gone away. Through Mystra he reverted from a raging young boy of CE alignment to a lost young man unsure of his future, but with a chance to choose a road of his own (he is starting as CN alignment). Somewhat humbled by his near death experience he lends more forethought to his actions now. But years of darker callings make it easy to pick darker paths when times get hard. These days however it is not out of some malevolent evil so much as it is simply being hard to move on from his past. He takes it one day at a time and tries to overcome his automatic loathing reponse for humans.
All this has made Ludarel the brooding wizard he is today, touched by darkness but not consumed. Ludarel is fast to rouse to anger and hateful words, sarcasm is second nature and various expectations and rituals considered polite by society are simply unknown to him, resulting in many faux pas. Tempering this is the fact that he in many ways is still just a boy, sheltered for many years in Hlangars tower and unaware of how the world around him works, sometimes even the simplest things give him a sense of wonder one would experience as a child seeing something for the first time. Ludarel is a complex personality!
General Health: Robust and hearty, a strong constitution and a solid frame serve him well, and a little ash and brimstone in your lungs never hurt anybody!
Deity: Our Lady of Magic, Mystra
Initial Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Profession: While skilled in alchemy and other crafts, he has no work profession as of yet. Adventurer I suppose in the meantime.
Base Class & Proposed Development: Wizard currently. Would like to work with DM's if at all possible to continue his development as a red wizard (would need a DM to add the class in the future)
Habits/Hobbies: Ludarel has a tendency to talk to himself and his spiritbound familiar Xaol. He has no hobbies to speak of right now, but may soon as the world is new and unfamiliar to him.
Languages: Many. Common, Abyssal, Infernal, Elven, Sylvan, Gnome, Orc
Weapon of Choice: Whatever is handy and powerful. For now, a stout staff and an accurate crossbow supplement his magery.
Background: See below after template (its long!)
Goals: Mystra's touch in his dreams granted Ludarel a clarity and focus he hadn't previously known, taking his rapid advancement in the arcane arts to a whole new level. But it was just a touch. A fire to feel this touch again burns deep in his heart now. First and foremost before anything else, Ludarel wishes to find this great power for himself, the heart of Mystra, so that he may better understand her, himself, and his craft. He is confident he will feel her touch again, she came to him once already, so she must be watching him now... right? (this is a uh... longterm goal)
Ludarel believes Mystra is testing him.Understands that Hlangar only wanted him to further his own station in Thay, and nobody in his past ever thought much of him aside from Hlangar.. who of course just wanted a powerful pawn. Nobody has ever truly approved of his existence that didn't want to simply use him. He has a need to prove himself to his Lady of Magic, show her that her guidance was not in vain. He seeks to find acceptance and approval somewhere, or at the least from someone, where he can feel safe enough to let his guard down and try to enjoy being alive for once.
Continue the studies and exercises taught to him by Hlangar, for through there mastery can the Lore of the Red Wizards be interpreted and incorporated into The Art.
Determine the cause and reasoning behind the attack on Hlangar and himself, and how he came to be stranded so far from Thay, on the Sword Coast.
Possible Plot-Hook Ideas and Misc Facts: Each section of the following bio pasted in has possible hooks and "facts" for your use at the end of each section. The sections follow a chronological timeline from early youth to young adulthood. I am pasting them here too but they make more sense if you read the bio section along with them!
<Childhood> **The Creation of a Tiefling**
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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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<Adolescence> **Thayan Horse: Raising a Weapon**
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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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<Young Adulthood> **Finale: Exodus**
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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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More: Was there already some sort of connection to Mystra, a reason why she revealed herself to him later on in life and in dream only? Could that be why knowledge of the Gods was kept from him? Perhaps being spirited away in the aftermath of the attack was not orchestrated by the attackers themselves, but by a powerful benefactor watching from afar rescuing him at the last moment and bringing him to the sword coast, potentially saving him from a fate (worse?) than death.
ORIGINAL BIO ENTRY FROM OLD FORUM
A brief inquiry into the Apprentice of an Elder Red Wizard... 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 1 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.
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END OF PASTE OF BIO
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Ok I think thats finished! Let me know!