Baldur's Gate : The Sword Coast Chronicles : NWN2 Persistent World

First Name: Ilphryssin
Last Name: Arkentlar

Appearance: Always clothed somewhat elegantly in a display of plain superiority
Race: Drow
Age: 267
Height: Tall for a Drow
Weight: In line with size, well fed
Eyes: Pinkish
Hair: White
Facial Hair Style: None, barbaric custom

Personality Profile: Very interested in Magic, free thinker, despises godslaves for not wishing or daring to be free
General Health: Very healthy Drow of 267 years
Deity: Not a Godslave
Initial Alignment: Neutral
Profession: Student at the College of Mages in S'shamath, Liason for house Arkentlar and Disciplinary Offcer of the 7th Circle
Base Class & Proposed Development: Wizard, Archmage?
Habits/Hobbies: Enjoys experimenting and learning as well as pranks and companionship
Languages: Common, Undercommon (don't have it - bug), Drow, Elven, Draconic, Sylvan, Gnome, Orc
Weapon of Choice: Staff or Longsword and Spell

Background:
House Arkentlar has existed within the domains of S'shamath for as long as any can remember and is deeply connected with the ruling Conclave like most other arcane matters in the City of Dark Weavings.

The tradition of practicing arcane magic is so deeply rooted that the house is renkowned for it's utter refusal to worship the gods or even acknowledge their existence. Instead they have adopted the Netherese point of view on religion and hold the gods to be nothing more than very powerful wizards who have had milennia to perfect their spellcraft.

As such the use of Divine magic is considered something of a taboo and those who look to the gods for their magic as nothing more than common servants or slaves to these entities, being too weak minded to exercise free thought for themselves.

The house is located in a cavern several days travel from the city and it is well protected from scrying of all sorts by ancient Abjurations that predate even the various buildings and storage spaces that have sprung up over the ages.

Periodic rumours tell of many Netherese artefacts and tomes being aquired and stored within the cavern leading some of the more vocal Faerns to question the origin of House Arkentlar's geneology and magical power.

According to some House Arkentlar was also involved in some manner with the events of the great scourge of curing wands. A great many such items of curing magic were lost by various people in the area around S'shamath during that time - often brazenly replaced with a cursed copy. This scourge is also reported to have affected the surface above S'shamath though few Drow, if any, know of this.

Goals:
-Annoy godlsaves to no end
-The Safety and Prosperity of House Arkentlar
-To do the Will of the Conclave
-To Ensure the success of the 7th Circle
-His own success as a mage

Possible Plot-Hook Ideas and Misc Facts:
-Absolutely despises godslaves, especially Lolthites
-Netherese Lore or Arcane Lore of any kind
-7th Circle
-House Arkentlar
-School of Mages
-Conclave
-Charnag Maelthra

On House Arkentlar:
An indepth Look at House Arkentlar reveals that many of it's residents are in fact liches, a process pursued at the end of one's productive life as a living mage. These relatives are greatly respected and even revered - serving a role in the family as teachers as well as communal parent and task master. The natural long life of Drow has spurred this philosphy of communal care for the young which also keeps relatives somewhat in touch with the family instead of merely being obsessed with their own research and experiments.

Typhical Netherese artefacts that are bought, stolen or otherwise procured include Tomes, spell books, research logs and other items of any variety. There is also great interest in the fields of Mythal craft and Mythallars although the self sacrifice needed for High Magic is not considered noble in most instances. (as long as survival of the house and individual is viable without such sacrifice that is)

Most Arkentlars are considered somewhat vain, even in lichdom. Whenever in public they are seen to be well dressed and their appearance remains drow like for the most part. Pompous robes and dresses as well as other luxuries are not at all frowned upon although religious idols and other nonsense will get a servant or family member lashed and the objects destroyed. For the sake of appearances most Arkentlar family liches use illusion spells on conservation magic to retain the appearance of being alive.

The origin of the Arkentlar lineage is a mystery to Ilphryssin although it is likely to be known by at least several of the older 'relatives'. (I have considered representing them as Netherese refugees that interbred with Elves or devised a high level spell to that effect, or as having had extensive contact with the Netherese in their time as Drow living somewhat in proximity to their lands -- but Ilphryssin wouldn't know these things anyway and some of comes off too strongly as being godmodding)

Upon the birth of a child into the house it is tradtion for the family to gather and use divination spells to get a vague impression of it's future. Children that are determined to be 'unworthy' for lack of talent or potential are rejected and used as servants. Such children are stripped of the house name and never learn of their ancenstry although the exact treatment and consequence of rejection is up to the father and mother themselves. It is untypical of any Arkentlar to become a lich before having sired at least one child in order to preserve the house. The practice of keeping reject children as servants also means the family line will not wither completely should the worst come to pass.

(If possible I wouldn't say they were Evil as a result of Lichdom but rather Neutral with the occasional lawfull evil relative - I'm not sure whether Lichdom requries a shift to Evil, no conclusive awnser in D&D I could find except that most rituals require evil acts)

Loyalty to the House and Conclave (to a lesser degree) are ever present values that are very highly regarded in all aspects of family life.

*bump. Waiting to see them in game to reward.

Reviewed - XP rewarded