Silas, Thrall of Eltab [Archive] - Wizards Community

Silas, Thrall of Eltab [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Valafar
12-18-07, 04:30 AM Hey,

I have been working on a particular interesting and difficult concept for one of the major npcs and contributors to an otherwise small party of players. The concept of the campaign which I dm is that the two players - rising stars in the Church of Cyric, one demon and one mortal - are trying to establish a cult of Cyric in the city of Neverwinter. The timeline takes place after the original Neverwinter game timeline and thereby I mean that they do not have to deal with the King of Shadows anymore. The citylandscape is still slowly rebuilding and there has been a bloody gang war between the likes of Axle Devrie and his companions.

The two players are trying to establish a base of operations and are working on gaining manpower from the two remaining gangs of thieves, all of them bloody cutthroats looking for a direction in the city. There are several individuals working behind the scenes who are aware of the fact that they are trying to obtain a permanent seat for Cyric in Neverwinter again and most of them are not that pleased. The npc, Silas Nagarian, has been sent as an ally and a potential link to his former mentors, contacts and employers by a High Cleric of Cyric, and of course also to keep an eye on the players...

However, Silas Nagarian is there for his own reasons. He is lvl 7 sorcerer, lvl 2 Fighter, lvl 1 Rogue, lvl 10 Thrall of Eltab. I had read about the demonlord in the Champions of Ruin and liked the prestige class. Silas Nagarian is a surviving member of a bloodline from Bezantur, and his whole family has been slaughtered because they worked with Szass Tam in the banishment to and imprisonment of Eltab in the Citadel of Conjurers. His father made him promise never to forget them or their bloody ends, and to never forgive the assassins. Silas then grew up upon the streets of Bezantur working for his godfather Aharohl, a small elven crime lord of Bezantur and former companion of Silas' father. He lived as the orphaned son of Aharohl and took part in many ilicit transactions during the following decade, finally leaving when a bloody gang war was sparked and Aharohl was murdered.

He was arrested for taking part in a criminal organisation when guardsmen found him seeking access to a merchants warehouse and thrown into the depths of the Bezantur prison. After serving a years sentence he was sold at the slave market of Eltabbar and was finally and ironically bought by the murderer of his family, Javoc Di’vallern, a Red Wizard. Serving as a worker, shoving the large bricks of stone to the new villa of Di’vallern, Silas came into open conflict witht the guards and burnt three of them to death with his magic. Intrigued by the prospect of a sorcerous slave Javoc exploited the powerful magic that flew through the body of the young Silas and eventually took him as his protege. Silas grew in his magical progress but knew he would not be able to murder Javoc Di’vallern until he would gain access to the same magic Javoc was able to practise. Seeing his students ambitious progress and feeling the anger burning within him Javoc indoctrinated Silas into the traditions of the old empire of Narfell, feeding his lust for knowledge and power, eventually taking him to a meeting of fellow Red Wizards where he was introduced into the cult of Eltab, formed by other power hungry mages all over Thay.

Silas took upon himself a new name when he was finally initiated and wasn't a slave anymore, and called himself Samael, after a fallen angel. Embracing the darkness and power that Eltab promised, knowing that it would be the key to his final quest, the death of Javoc. Delving deep into the depths of perverse power Samael grew, and finally the last part of Silas Nagarian died within him, the only reminder was the festering hatred inside his heart. Samael did in the end murder Javoc, in a quick battle between the two. Lord Eltab seemingly favoured his newfound thrall and quickly put an end to the reign of Javoc. However, Samael did not found rest after murdering Javoc for he himself felt the soft whispers of promised malice and power by Eltab and realized he was the agressor all along. He left the cult and went renegade, as he had found and taken every shred of knowledge and power that he could find and now wanted to murder his ex-master, the demonlord Eltab.

Realizing the demonlord was active and physically in Toril Samael Nagarian has begun a quest, seeking for the knowledge and power he needs to kill Eltab and his cults. While it seems a noble goal Samael knows, deep inside that he has forsaken his humanity and is almost nearing the end of his dark path. If Eltab dies he would not have a target or a source for the cold hatred burning deep inside his heart and he would just have lived an empty life full of degenerate acts in the name of vengeance. He has become what he wanted to destroy and tries to blind himself with his hatred, cause nothing in the world would seem more horrendous then facing that awful truth..

Well, that's his history, up till now. He has made contact with the church of Cyric in the pursuit of the ancient tome, the Book of Vile Darkness, for the magic contained within its blasphemous pages.

I had several questions for his optimal development:

What did you think of the story, I shall work it out in great detail and for those of you interested, I could post it when I finish it.
How could I make his moral degeneration sound plausible? How does one go down a dark path and finally realize he can't go back? He was a zealous, proud young man who wanted to avenge his family, and thought of it as a noble goal. How would you depict this slowly dwindling humanity during his time as a thief for his godfather, and as a cultist of Eltab?
Secondly, where would he seek for ancient magic and lore to increase his power. He's, as you have seen, a warrior with magic at his call.
I wanted to incorperate a new mentor for him in his search for power. Which character or organisation would you recommend?
What would Eltab do when Samael turned into a renegade, even destroying some small cults in the process?
And finally, would the organisations supporting the greater good like the Lord's Alliance, the Harpers, the Church of Tyr and so on take notice of an individual like Samael?

Thank you for your comments in advance,

Yours Sincere,

Valafar
Valafar
12-24-07, 03:42 AM BUMP?

Anyone please?

Yours Sincere,

Valafar
littlenog
12-25-07, 03:12 AM Interesting history.

1. The thief was mearly a means of survival. Everything wants to survive it just to what lenghts you go to survive. Becoming a thief I don't think was part of his mental decline. Once he joined the cult I believe power lust became the start of his decline. He took a sip liked it and got sucked in.

It might also be a good idea to pick up a mental condition or two for him.
Paranoia seems fitting. Maybe Schitso? I don't know how to spell the full name.

3. & 4. As for mentor you can play a lot of twisted angles. If he was working for a demonic power and left. Maybe a devil of equal or less power took notice of the events and might want to use him as a pawn or maybe something more. An evil inteligent magic item could work as a mentor also if work properly.

The ancient magic well the item or the devil could fill that gap nicely.

6. It would really depend if his actions were out in the open. And if they knew he was evily inclinded.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Valafar 12-18-07, 04:30 AM	Hey, I have been working on a particular interesting and difficult concept for one of the major npcs and contributors to an otherwise small party of players. The concept of the campaign which I dm is that the two players - rising stars in the Church of Cyric, one demon and one mortal - are trying to establish a cult of Cyric in the city of Neverwinter. The timeline takes place after the original Neverwinter game timeline and thereby I mean that they do not have to deal with the King of Shadows anymore. The citylandscape is still slowly rebuilding and there has been a bloody gang war between the likes of Axle Devrie and his companions. The two players are trying to establish a base of operations and are working on gaining manpower from the two remaining gangs of thieves, all of them bloody cutthroats looking for a direction in the city. There are several individuals working behind the scenes who are aware of the fact that they are trying to obtain a permanent seat for Cyric in Neverwinter again and most of them are not that pleased. The npc, Silas Nagarian, has been sent as an ally and a potential link to his former mentors, contacts and employers by a High Cleric of Cyric, and of course also to keep an eye on the players... However, Silas Nagarian is there for his own reasons. He is lvl 7 sorcerer, lvl 2 Fighter, lvl 1 Rogue, lvl 10 Thrall of Eltab. I had read about the demonlord in the Champions of Ruin and liked the prestige class. Silas Nagarian is a surviving member of a bloodline from Bezantur, and his whole family has been slaughtered because they worked with Szass Tam in the banishment to and imprisonment of Eltab in the Citadel of Conjurers. His father made him promise never to forget them or their bloody ends, and to never forgive the assassins. Silas then grew up upon the streets of Bezantur working for his godfather Aharohl, a small elven crime lord of Bezantur and former companion of Silas' father. He lived as the orphaned son of Aharohl and took part in many ilicit transactions during the following decade, finally leaving when a bloody gang war was sparked and Aharohl was murdered. He was arrested for taking part in a criminal organisation when guardsmen found him seeking access to a merchants warehouse and thrown into the depths of the Bezantur prison. After serving a years sentence he was sold at the slave market of Eltabbar and was finally and ironically bought by the murderer of his family, Javoc Di’vallern, a Red Wizard. Serving as a worker, shoving the large bricks of stone to the new villa of Di’vallern, Silas came into open conflict witht the guards and burnt three of them to death with his magic. Intrigued by the prospect of a sorcerous slave Javoc exploited the powerful magic that flew through the body of the young Silas and eventually took him as his protege. Silas grew in his magical progress but knew he would not be able to murder Javoc Di’vallern until he would gain access to the same magic Javoc was able to practise. Seeing his students ambitious progress and feeling the anger burning within him Javoc indoctrinated Silas into the traditions of the old empire of Narfell, feeding his lust for knowledge and power, eventually taking him to a meeting of fellow Red Wizards where he was introduced into the cult of Eltab, formed by other power hungry mages all over Thay. Silas took upon himself a new name when he was finally initiated and wasn't a slave anymore, and called himself Samael, after a fallen angel. Embracing the darkness and power that Eltab promised, knowing that it would be the key to his final quest, the death of Javoc. Delving deep into the depths of perverse power Samael grew, and finally the last part of Silas Nagarian died within him, the only reminder was the festering hatred inside his heart. Samael did in the end murder Javoc, in a quick battle between the two. Lord Eltab seemingly favoured his newfound thrall and quickly put an end to the reign of Javoc. However, Samael did not found rest after murdering Javoc for he himself felt the soft whispers of promised malice and power by Eltab and realized he was the agressor all along. He left the cult and went renegade, as he had found and taken every shred of knowledge and power that he could find and now wanted to murder his ex-master, the demonlord Eltab. Realizing the demonlord was active and physically in Toril Samael Nagarian has begun a quest, seeking for the knowledge and power he needs to kill Eltab and his cults. While it seems a noble goal Samael knows, deep inside that he has forsaken his humanity and is almost nearing the end of his dark path. If Eltab dies he would not have a target or a source for the cold hatred burning deep inside his heart and he would just have lived an empty life full of degenerate acts in the name of vengeance. He has become what he wanted to destroy and tries to blind himself with his hatred, cause nothing in the world would seem more horrendous then facing that awful truth.. Well, that's his history, up till now. He has made contact with the church of Cyric in the pursuit of the ancient tome, the Book of Vile Darkness, for the magic contained within its blasphemous pages. I had several questions for his optimal development: What did you think of the story, I shall work it out in great detail and for those of you interested, I could post it when I finish it. How could I make his moral degeneration sound plausible? How does one go down a dark path and finally realize he can't go back? He was a zealous, proud young man who wanted to avenge his family, and thought of it as a noble goal. How would you depict this slowly dwindling humanity during his time as a thief for his godfather, and as a cultist of Eltab? Secondly, where would he seek for ancient magic and lore to increase his power. He's, as you have seen, a warrior with magic at his call. I wanted to incorperate a new mentor for him in his search for power. Which character or organisation would you recommend? What would Eltab do when Samael turned into a renegade, even destroying some small cults in the process? And finally, would the organisations supporting the greater good like the Lord's Alliance, the Harpers, the Church of Tyr and so on take notice of an individual like Samael? Thank you for your comments in advance, Yours Sincere, Valafar
Valafar 12-24-07, 03:42 AM	BUMP? Anyone please? Yours Sincere, Valafar
littlenog 12-25-07, 03:12 AM	Interesting history. 1. The thief was mearly a means of survival. Everything wants to survive it just to what lenghts you go to survive. Becoming a thief I don't think was part of his mental decline. Once he joined the cult I believe power lust became the start of his decline. He took a sip liked it and got sucked in. It might also be a good idea to pick up a mental condition or two for him. Paranoia seems fitting. Maybe Schitso? I don't know how to spell the full name. 3. & 4. As for mentor you can play a lot of twisted angles. If he was working for a demonic power and left. Maybe a devil of equal or less power took notice of the events and might want to use him as a pawn or maybe something more. An evil inteligent magic item could work as a mentor also if work properly. The ancient magic well the item or the devil could fill that gap nicely. 6. It would really depend if his actions were out in the open. And if they knew he was evily inclinded.