Maugoth Vael
Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2015 5:26 am
Maugoth Vael
Pronounced "MAO-goth Va-Eel"
"Hate is the key, His Gift unto me. Through Hate does Fear breed and flourish.. Fear secures power for a Tyrant, who thus fosters Strife through greater Fear and Hatred."Pronounced "MAO-goth Va-Eel"
Character Information:
Race: Human
Class(es): Cleric (Warpriest/Warrior of Darkness)
Cleric Domains: Law, War
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Weapon of Choice: Morningstar
Deity: Bane - The Black Hand
Appearance:
Height: About 6'4"
Weight: About 225lbs
Build: Muscular/Athletic/Broad Shouldered
Age: Early 20s
Eye Color: Deep Blue
Hair Color: Dirty Blonde
Hair Style: Cleanly Shaven
Facial Hair: Short beard with cheeks and upper lip shaved clean
Scars: He bears no visible scars on his face, though his back and chest are covered with lashing scars
Scent: He often smells of a mixture of incense and blood
Misc Description:
Maugoth is a large man, but not hulking or barbaric in appearance. He is usually neatly groomed, suggesting some root in an order or military faction. He prefers dark clothing and armor, and leans towards ornate finery when possible. A wicked and well cared for morningstar hangs visibly from his hip. His stare is piercing and intense, and for some reason very off-putting. His features are chiseled and hard, and while not unattractive.. something about the way he presents himself and gazes with such fervor detracts from what would otherwise be a charismatic figure. He walks with an even gait not unlike a proper march, but it lacks the discipline one might expect to find in a soldier. He has an aura of confidence about him, bordering on arrogance. This aura is exaggerated by his often smug expressions and dour stares.
If seen without his shirt, Maugoth bears many scars about his upper body. He was beaten - whipped most likely - much in his life. He goes to great efforts to cover up these scars. He also bears a tattoo on his upper chest, a dark hand clenched in a semi-fist with beams of green light escaping its fingers. The tattoo was clearly added after the scars, as it sits above scar tissue from his beatings.
There is a Holy Symbol of Bane around his neck, but he often wears it tucked beneath his clothing and pressed against his scarred flesh.
(With appropriate spot checks, several things can be discovered in-game depending on the roll. These range from his weaponry to the holy symbol, and even the scarring. I included a list of DCs for this reason in his in-game bio. Also, Lore checks to go along with some of the higher Spot DCs can reveal additional info about the character..I want to encourage skill use when RPing with him.)
Background:
Some twenty years ago, lived a boy and his family. It was a pitiful existence, sad and meaningless in the grand scheme. Their small town's name unimportant and mostly unknown in the Vast. The handfuls of people that called this place home universally suffered from starvation and poverty. The council which held "power" in the village was made up of the local elders, all more concerned with appeasing their people and their own petty games than truly making a difference for their people. The boy and his family were not privileged, and so they suffered like the rest. The boy had a younger brother and sister once - twins - but they had succumbed to the starvation and perished a year ago. All seemed lost, all seemed bleak and pointless here.
Until the day came, when a dark traveler arrived. It seemed a minor occurrence at first, passers by were not entirely uncommon. This one was well equipped and carried fine weaponry. He began staying at the small Tavern in the town, the only place where one could rent a room for a time. It wasn't long before the town was turned upside down, and the man became known.
His name was Dreven Crane, and he claimed initially to be a priest seeking to bring order and stability to the town. The younger men flocked to his shows of strength, drinking in his promises structure and wealth. Before long, those men had become so loyal to Dreven they had indeed begun to dress like him - wearing black clothing and cloaks, ornamented with blood-red trimmings. They sought to build a church there, but the council was not taken in by the promises the traveler made and denied them permission - instead asking him to promptly leave. What happened next changed everything. Dreven declared that if they would not allow his people the right to build a house of worship, that the council was betraying the people. Stunned, the council fell into shouting and foul language. It was then that Dreven ordered his men to slay them. They initially refused, most in some way related to at least one member of the council. Left with no choice, Dreven called upon his Dark Lord and struck one of his flock down with holy fire. He promised the same for them all if they refused again...and they did not.
The council was hung in the center of the town that night, and the townsfolk awoke horrified. Dreven and his men told the town they ruled now, and that disobedience would get them no better treatment than the council. The Church was built, and a meeting held there with all the townsfolk. It was proclaimed that aid was on its way. Food, tools, even gold were being brought in by contacts Dreven had in the Moonsea region. All that was required was for the townsfolk - each and every one of them - to pray to Bane. To acknowledge their fear of him, and declare their obedience to the Tyrant Priest that had laid claim to their town. Most accepted the bargain, for the thought of going hungry yet longer was abhor-able to them. They nearly pounced on the chance for salvation - no matter how it had come. Those who refused were slain on the, declared as sacrifices to the Black Hand. As promised, order and prosperity (to a degree) came to the small village. In a matter of months, this traveler had completely taken over the town. It was impressive, if cruel.
Maugoth's father refused to sear loyalty to this priest and the Tyrant God he served. He was slain before his son's eyes. Refusing to kill an innocent child, Dreven instead took the boy as his ward.
Over the coming years, the boy began to understand and accept the Truth - that the Dark Lord Bane was to be feared and served. There was no alternative, not in his mind. He never let go of his hatred for towards the man who now raised him, and more than once made attempts on his life. Finally, he succeeded with the help of men he paid. He didn't do the work himself. The men had done the deed and burned the church in celebration. What followed was a small riot, and the total destruction of the church. Before long the entire town was burned to the ground, and its people fled to other small nameless villages in the region. Many were rumored to have been slain by ogres en route to the moonsea region, but this was never confirmed. Maugoth himself left the moment he knew Dreven was finally gone from the land of the living.
He sat atop a small hill that night, and watched his home burn as the peoples' blind hatred drove them into a frenzy of wanton destruction. He understood then, that without a leader to place his firm boot on the back of his people, their hatred and fear would lead them to chaos. He could have went back, could have vied for control. Instead, he went south, leaving his tortured past behind him. Resigned to his service of the Black Hand, he traveled towards the Sword Coast to find wealth and power of his own.
Personality
Demeanor: Grim
Social Skills: Fairly advanced. He is well-spoken and business-like.
Speech: His common is tinged with a northern accent, but it is barely noticeable. He also speaks Thayan (though not as well), which he claims to have learned from Dreven, who was in fact native to Thay.
Mannerisms: He tends to avoid openly declaring his faith, often dodging the subject. He is not ashamed, but nor is he a fool. Realizing declaration of his servitude to the Dark Lord Bane could mean the forfeit of his own life, he tries to avoid it. He will not deny it either, and if asked directly he will not lie about it.
He lives by a strict personal code;
- Do not slay the young and helpless without provocation
Provide aid to those of the Faith when they need it
A man's word is binding and holy
Do not enter holy places of the Dark Lord's enemies
Dispatch of the Dark Lord's enemies when possible
Convert those who can see the truth to His Unholy flock
Profession: Priest, Mercenary, Preacher
Habbits and Hobbies:
He often sits in meditation to clear his thoughts. He enjoys trying to pry prayers to Bane from those he aids in exchange for his services as a priest. He will often try to coax those he meets into such prayers instead of trading gold coins for his power.
He shaves his head daily, using a mixture of soaps and oils he carries with him for lubricant.
Goals and Interests:
His main goal is power, simply put. He seeks to gain followers of his own, or to join a larger Banite organization and move up through its ranks. He is resigned to his faith in Bane, and so he seeks to further his cause so that in the event of Bane's final victory he will be assured a place of honor. Likewise, he despises those gods which directly oppose the Dark Lord, and their followers. He will seek to thwart them when possible, even if it means working with them to further his ultimate goals.
He is very interested in ancient texts regarding The Dead Three, Bane's past, famous followers of Bane, and even other religious texts.
Possible Plot Hooks:
Maugoth is often looking over his shoulder so to speak - he knows Dreven had contacts. Will they come looking for him? Will they applaud his ambition or demand he face their dark justice?
The men he paid to kill Dreven may have faced the law in their own right, or worse. Do they seek retribution and blame their former employer?
Anything else Bane related, or dealing with the Black Network.