[WITHDRAWN] KnockKnock/Elitzio Rivior/Special background/Curse/Special Item

Zool

Character:
Elitzio Rivior :: Barbarian :: Neutral Evil
Applying For:

Descendent of Lord Rivior, bandit who had the Haunted Halls built.
Curse: Transforms into a gnarly undead knight (Explored below).
Possession of a key, an heirloom Elitzio wears about his neck. What does it open? Where is it for? Unknown.
3. Background:
Lord Rivior was a famed bandit responsible for the Haunted Halls in the Starwater Gorge. His little celebrated family grew up in his shadow unbeknownst to the wider realm. In the depths of the Haunted Halls Rivior awoke foul magics which ought not be disturbed and brought upon himself a curse.

The Haunted Halls are a name well earned, with Lord Rivior himself being the first soul haunted. An undead curse lay upon his shoulders, involuntarily transforming him into a restless undead knight. Unwittingly, Lord Rivior bequeathed this curse to his offspring, and so down the generations it went like a hereditary sickness.

Goals:
Plot line: The Curse of Rivior
I. Elitzio is going to found House Rivior; take on Retainers and build a faction about himself.

II. House Rivior will seek to build itself into a regional power, Elitzio will self-style himself as Don Rivior and covet the prestige of an accomplished noble family.
II.a. To accomplish this, we’ll look to execute feats of glory: Settle the Beholder threat in the north, involve ourselves in the Hillsmarch planar wars etc. Essentially, we’ll be active participants in server plots.
II.b Off the back of the above, House Rivior will look to take a seat on the Council of Twelve through a merit position. I will look to elect a member of the House to operate on our behalf and provide a voice for the House at court.

III. Whilst the Curse of Rivior will be a family kept secret, I am anticipating it being exposed sooner or later. The party line will be that House Rivior are seeking to lift the curse. In this way, I hope to appeal to both the Necromancer and the Undead Hunter, whereby with some suspension of disbelief the two might coexist until story’s end. Regardless, in the old days where one thought of War when they considered DeSchurr, or Law when it was Fezznick, the singular sentiment I want to create around House Rivior is one of Necromancy.
III.a. As such, House Rivior will take a keen interest in necromancy. We will investigate Deadwell, the Lady of Bells, any and all occurrences of undeath to better understand the phenomena. When I was running the Lower House I had a few players come to me as Necromancers and comment disappointedly that there wasn’t a home for them in the server, I want to provide that with this concept.

IV. In the inner circle of House Rivior will be a core concept that want the curse to thrive and view it more as a gift than anything negative. Elitzio believes that be returning to its source he can better understand and control it. So, at the heart of the faction with be characters looking to weaponise Necromancy.

V. Needless to say, Elitzio views the Haunted Halls as his birthright and will be making it a priority to take back. House Rivior will do regular excursions into the Halls and surrounding areas, routinely clearing it of undead and hostiles, using its facilities for meetings and events etc.
V.a. Elitzio is convinced the key passed down to him is for some hitherto unopened depth of the Haunted Halls, perhaps linked expressly to the curse. It is his only tangible asset from the glory days of his forebears.

VI. Slowly and organically, I expect history to repeat itself and House Rivior establish itself as a Bandit faction: Up to nefarious deeds, out for themselves, playing hard and fast with the law, entrenched in Necromancy etc. I, personally, am going to pursue the Blackguard PrC with Elitzio and I want to create a faction where players can pursue their own evil ends: a faction for Palemasters, Assassins, a faction for thugs, explorers etc. Equally, a faction for people to oppose. Where the Lower House was a political faction that played on the greyness of the setting, the goal of House Rivior will be to evolve into a definitively black faction.

Portrayal of the Curse
I’ve thought through some potential mechanics of the Curse which Elitzio couldn’t possible control that might be drawbacks or his undoing. The want of Elitzio is to better control them so he is not at the mercy of happenstance:

I. Turn Undead will elicit the transformation.
II. Incurring Divine Magic damage will similarly evoke the transformation.
III. Elitzio can elect to transform of his own free will.
IV. I will personally roll a d20 dice, where rolling a 1 and 20 will result in the transformation.
V. Whilst transformed, I will suppress Elitzio’s cognitive thinking and he will be prone to attacking allies.

Echo

 [7:31 AM] Echo: All of it except the curse I'd say yes. The curse will require scripting, etc, so that'll be a thing. How will this be different from the LH when it comes to nefarious deeds, out for themselves, playing hard and fast with the law except with the addition of necromancy to the story?
[7:31 AM] Knockknock: Spoke with Zool about the scripting and he fed in some advice, so taking that on board.
[7:33 AM] Knockknock: The LH is viewed as revolutionists first and foremost, its been a political concept with the Maskarran hustle beneath it kept in the shadows.
[7:34 AM] Knockknock: It's all been cloak and dagger. I could arguably put forward the LH are "team good" in the current setting, we're paired with the Paladins of the Eveningstar and the Tymoran Temple. Both conventionally "good" presences.
[7:34 AM] Echo: I need to head to work but will talk to you about this when I get home. K?
[7:34 AM] Knockknock: House Rivior I don't anticipate there being any shade of grey.
[7:35 AM] Knockknock: Yep, I'll be about I'm sure!
[7:46 AM] Knockknock: Distinctions between the Lower House and House Rivior
Just to assuage any misgivings this is the Lower House rebadged, I’ve highlighted differences below:

* The Lower House I think to the wider server were perceived as a purely political faction. Revolutionists. We ostensibly championed the lower class against the ruling elite. We never once were seen to do anything that couldn’t be argued to further the Revolution. We had political allies we were careful to retain so curated our image carefully. The Eveningstar and Tymorans wouldn't be in bed with an openly evil faction. Any ulterior motives were closely guarded secrets, i.e. establishing the false faith of Gondegal, pushing the Maskarran faith into the limelight, theft and the acquisition of gold.
* House Rivior will play with no such pretence of public service. Its not a political concept. It isn’t cloak and dagger. Where the Lower House was strictly crime beneath the BS, House Rivior will be villainy. Self serving and making no bones about it. Yes; I want to evolve the faction into Bandits to honour the original Lord Rivior (and I think it'll be a natural progression as our involvement with necromancy becomes apparent) but the Lower House were never “bandits”, they never embraced being outlawed, they were Revolutionists at the mercy of a corrupt government.
[7:47 AM] Knockknock: I think the only similarities is they’re both going to be antagonists and both have the word House in their faction title. Otherwise, I don't see them as revisiting old ground.
[7:47 AM] Knockknock: ^ Hope the above helps!
[7:49 AM] Knockknock: I turned away characters that tried to join the Lower House that were your traditional villain mould. If they damaged our innocent man of the people vibe, they weren't in the club house.

SpiffyMeister

It's a solid, well thought out concept where we can flex the lycanthrope system for this?

I am thinking his undead form can use the Doom Knight Model

20 strength
12 dex
16 con

Mental Attributes the same as Human

Undead Properties (Healing Harms him, but give him like, 50% positive energy immunity)
5/+2 DR
+6 AC (I am assuming the transformation removes armor, if it does not, no AC bonus).

Puffy

Undead PCs are usually a very bad idea

SpiffyMeister

@puffy said in KnockKnock/Elitzio Rivior/Special background/Curse/Special Item:

Undead PCs are usually a very bad idea

I think they are fine as long as the player knows we aren't exactly going to go out of our way to make them 'viable'

Zool

Don;t think I'm gonna fuck with the lycan system.

Would just change appearance, set them to undead racial type, and apply some effects

Echo

@puffy said in KnockKnock/Elitzio Rivior/Special background/Curse/Special Item:

Undead PCs are usually a very bad idea

Having played one, I can agree. The rest of the app, minus the undead stuff, is cool. There isnt a lot of lore on Rivior:

Lord Rivior was a bandit leader who commissioned dwarves to construct what would later become known 
as the Haunted Halls near the village of Eveningstar in Cormyr. 
Rivior lived during the 12th century DR. He was slain by Enchara of Esparin
when she tricked him and his starving followers into leaving the safety of
the Haunted Halls during the heart of winter.

He wasnt undead. None of his followers were undead. The Haunted Halls werent even haunted when he lived there - it was a rumor developed to keep people away.

Puffy

Someone should let him know the app is unlikely to pass without changes

SpiffyMeister

The vote is current 2-1.

The option 'vote yes but with changes (remove the undead part) is perfectly valid as a choice...

Echo

Yes with these changes. If these dont change, then my vote is no:

No undead subrace with weird lycan-esque shifting; however, he can use dhampyr if he so chooses. While there is VERY little information on the real Rivior out there, we can allow this interpretation.
He can claim to be a descendant of Rivior but no one has to believe him.
He can try to EiG a merit seat but just being Rivior's descendant doesnt guarantee it

I had intentions of adding some more areas to the Halls over the summer, so this 'key' of his works well with that (when I get it built!).

Zool

What if he can change his appearance to undead, and it literally just changes that, and the racial type (so he is vulnerable to anti undead, stuff?)

The other two were a given.

Puffy

Can't he just be a dhamphyr

SpiffyMeister

@puffy noble background as Dhampyr

SpiffyMeister

@spiffymeister maybe an ancestral curse?

Echo

@spiffymeister said in KnockKnock/Elitzio Rivior/Special background/Curse/Special Item:

@puffy noble background as Dhampyr

Rivior was not a noble. "Lord Rivior was a bandit leader". He was a bandit leader, not an actual noble lord. It was a tongue-in-cheek naming.

SpiffyMeister

@echo ah, my bad.

But yea dhampyr werks

Zool

I guess.

Doesn't seem to be the thing they were looking for, not sure it'll be as visually effective as a curse that needs removal.

Eh

Echo

[10:27 AM] Knockknock: Any DM free to ping me an update on my apps progress when you've a moment? Cheers.

[4:30 PM] Echo: hey, the concern is undead PCs, the fact that rivior wasnt an undead, and that he also wasnt an actual 'lord' in the noble sense but was a 'lord of bandits'
[4:32 PM] Knockknock: Roger! The latter point I'm aware of, but doesn't impact the concept any. He isn't claiming to be of a long dormant noble line.
[4:32 PM] Echo: Ok that's fine, but the other 2 things are still there, especially undead PCs.
[4:32 PM] Knockknock: Understood on point one. Point two I'm aware of also, but hoping it doesn't break any established mythos.
[4:32 PM] Knockknock: Gondegal didn't win his Revolution either sort of thinking.
[4:33 PM] Knockknock: Assume the setting has some flexibility. But understand point one needs discussion.
[4:33 PM] Echo: Point two I could maybe work around but point one is the sticker.
[4:34 PM] Echo: I suggested maybe dhamphyr?
[4:34 PM] Echo: But was told that would probably be a no from you
[4:34 PM] Knockknock: Doesn't really interest me, no.
[4:34 PM] Echo: Yeah understood
[4:34 PM] Echo: Still can do the 'long lost descendant of Rivior' (it's only been about 200 years since he existed)
[4:35 PM] Echo: Just not an undead descendant
[4:35 PM] Knockknock: Will give it some thought. Thanks.
[4:35 PM] Echo: Sure!

Echo

New app

Character:
Elitzio Rivior :: Barbarian :: Chaotic Evil
Applying For:
• Descendent of Lord Rivior, bandit who had the Haunted Halls built.
• Curse: Custom Barbarian Rage. Explored at the end.
• House Rivior Signet Ring: Serves as a "soul jar", purely roleplay piece, Elitzio will seek to collect souls.
Background:
Lord Rivior was a famed bandit responsible for the Haunted Halls in the Starwater Gorge. His little celebrated family grew up in his shadow unbeknownst to the wider realm. In the depths of the Haunted Halls Rivior awoke foul magics which ought not be disturbed and brought upon himself a curse.

The Haunted Halls are a name well earned, with Lord Rivior himself being the first soul haunted. A demonic curse lay upon his shoulders, a possession which has slithered from host to host through the Rivior family for long generations..

Goals:
House Rivior
I. Elitzio is going to found House Rivior; take on Retainers and build a faction about himself.
I.a. The faction at its core is going to be an infernalist cult.
I.b. Day-to-day objectives of the faction:
○ Explore and master infernalism.
○ Further the ends of Demons in Arabel (support them in the Hillsmarch metaplot etc)
○ Curry favour in City politics as power to wield and negotiate with.
○ Seek out riches and conventional loot etc with a view to building a cache to barter for Player souls.
○ Recruit players into the cult, those that willfully give themselves to Elitzio will have their souls captured in his signet ring for a future ritual.

Haunted Halls
II Paired with the above, the factions public facing priority will be the retaking of the Haunted Halls. Viewing the Halls as his inheritance and birthright, the House will make a point of claiming them.
II.a. The House will undertake regular purging expeditions of the Halls. We'll undertake regular scripted quests in and around the West by way of clearing nearby hostile elements.
II.b. We will hold events in the Haunted Halls and through them seek to reclaim sections. For instance, a capture the flag challenge which is meant to A) be entertaining for the players, B) reinforce the Hauntrd Halls as ours and C) clear out hostiles on our behalf.
II.c. The House will undertake/sponsor wards and rituals designed to secure chambers of the Haunted Halls - Obtaining reagents through adventure.

Curse of Rivior
III A largely unexplained Curse, as best as Elitzio understands it the curse is a meagre fragment of a greater Demon that has been interwoven in the very fibre of the Rivior line. The fragment, though meek, is ever present and wills Elitzio to depraved ends. He can often be found complaining of migraines, or speaking to himself in hushed whispers, or trying his latest tonic and remedy. He might be considered mad - and perhaps he is - were it not for its sole manifestation: When Elitzio engages his Barbarian Rage the Demonic curse is empowered and takes ahold, transforming Elitzio into the dormant demonic form.
III.a. The Curse will be weaponised for recruitment, souls will be given not to Elitzio but to Xulvoth (Elitzios ulta-ego). With the transformation a tactical hint of latent powers.
III.b. Elitzios goal is to master his curse, to conduct a ritual to engage the demonic shell permanently but retain control. This will be ventured in a ritual once he has retaken the Haunted Halls, found the source of his curse and captured no small amount of souls in his signet ring as fuel.
III.c. The Curse will sit at the heart of House Rivior and be a closely guarded faction secret. We will explore a tenuous relationship with the Precept, fearing he will be viewed as nothing more than a specimen to be probed he will seek to keep them at arms length.

Character Notes
○ I will be pursuing the Blackguard PrC with this character.
○ I will be liable to attack allies when in Rage, showing a suppressed consciousness.

Echo

There is nothing in the Haunted Halls (as yet) to suggest any infernal/demonic activity. All of the stuff in there the is undead, slimes, oozes, kobolds, and owlbears. There are hints to torture, experimentation (dissection/vivisection?), and murder, but nothing about infernalism. I asked KnockKnock for clarification.