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Rocket your D&D 5E and Level Up: Advanced 5E games into space! Alpha Star Magazine Is Launching... Right Now!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Emperor Valerian" data-source="post: 1482889" data-attributes="member: 15043">And now... the baddies:ENEMIESCountess Lucilda Caladron  CE  lvl ? Age 44Mother of Lucius Caladron (and now, coincidentally, mother-in-law of Siabrey), Lucilda Caladron had, at one time, been a breath of civilization in the normally rough and tumble frontier.  Her family seat, the city of Holstean, was previously a center of art, culture, and money... from the massive gold, mithril, silver, and iron mines in the mountains that surrounded the city.Lucilda, like all Caladron's had an unfortunate flaw... the family was descended from an ill-gotten union between an unfortunate human and a demon several hundred years earlier.  Thus, all family members have an affinity towards magic... of a most demonic sort.  And once a powerful source of demonic power comes near them...Lucilda a few months prior found herself in possession of an exquisite staff... one that happened to have the soul of Graz'zt himself bound inside of it, and her mind wouldn't allow her to throw away such a powerful artifact... or did she plan for a long time to grab said staff, plotting her rise to the top using demonic means?...the demons, orcs, goblins, and beasts that are marching north are testaments to her eventual plan... crush the kingdoms of man and beast on this plane...Empress Zoe I Paleologus, Empress of the Holy Santoric Empire – CN deceasedZoe Paleologus was the eldest daughter of Crown Prince Dmitry Paleologus.  She grew up into a strikingly beautiful teen, surrounded by wealth, power, and intrigue.  Dark rumors persist that she first bloodied herself with her own father... Prince Dmitry died mysteriously in a massive fire that incinerated only his room.  The next day, a court mage who was rumored to frequent the Princess’ chambers  (and who had a propensity for using fire) was found hanging... a note pinned to him saying he was remorseful for killing the Crown Prince after Dmitry refused him the Princess’ hand.  Some say she seduced the man into doing it... others say she did it herself using his magical items, and then pinned the crime onto him.Nonetheless, her reputation increased as one to not be trifled with.  As the years went by, she grew increasingly confident in this state, and brooked less and less dissent.  Her rages grew more and more apocalyptic, and dark rumors then began that she was mad.  Her appetite for men grew as well... it was rumored an endless stream of lovers entered and exited her chambers.  She was proud of her ability to stun and draw in numerous men... proud enough that she neglected to marry one hapless fool.The need to marriage reared its ugly head when her grandfather’s health took a turn for the worst.  With the prospect that she might face competition from her suddenly politically active younger brother, Zoe knew she needed powerful allies... and the Countess of Holstean not only had a young, virile son, but also owned numerous gold, silver and platinum mines in the mountains.  A betrothal was arranged... but the Countess’ rebellion precluded the arrangements.She journeyed to Irulas to try and secure the deal with the young Lucius, now Count in his own right, but to her surprise and rage, he refused her deal... he was in love with a mere commoner.  Never having been spurned as such before, Zoe took this as a personal affront, and began immediately plotting the downfall of the young woman, even after she saved Zoe’s life.After the death of her grandfather, Zoe, through threats, coercion, and bribery, managed to get herself crowned Empress.  She knew that the Count of Holstean, if allied with her brother, might pose a threat to her throne, and thus arranged to have the Count disgraced, while she won a great victory.  She sent the young Lucius off, away from his friend’s help, with a smaller army than was needed, while she marched into the teeth of the Countess’ advance.  Her hope, was that Lucius would be defeated or even killed, while she would win a decisve victory... sealing her throne as secure on the blood of her enemies.  Alas, it was not to be...Order of the Black Rose – variousA mysterious order of assassins and spies for hire.  They freely do the dirty business of the nobility, if the price offered is high enough.  So far, the Black Roses have killed Quin (at the behest of Rogar and the Countess in Obash), and assaulted Siabrey (at the behest of then-Empress Zoe).The Order focuses their assassins on unarmed assaults... as one can smuggle a weapon anywhere if one’s weapon is one’s body.  Additionally, they have earned their name through their signature calling card; A black rose left on the body of the victim.  In recent years, many of the assassins have taken to carrying a black rose with them, magic keeping it everfresh, its thorns dipped in vile poison.The party assassinated one of their chief assassins, Belyia, during an attack in the midst of a concert in Irulas.  None know if the Black Roses are truly gone, if they’ve found other employment, or if they are biding their time for vengeance...Rogar Mithras Rog10/Asn5 CE– deceasedRogar is the bastard brother of Lucilda Caladron, and while he thus cannot hold a formal noble position, he gained her confidence when they were youths, and now finds himself the head of her, “less than legal or moral” operations.  Among a few circles, Rogar is renowned as an assassin...He was sent north with the party by the Countess to keep an eye on events... if necessary, he was to kill the party and steal the artifact the party was looking for.  Deciding it would be more fun to chase them down, Rogar let the party live, merely paralyzing Lucius and stealing the diamond of power the party had finally won.Thereafter, Rogar led the chase on their heels.  After his initial attempts at assassination failed, Rogar then moved his operations further east, towards the Obashi desert, basing himself out of a converted Temple of Hextor located there.   He planned a kidnapping of hte lover of Lord Lucius, only to have his plan go awry and the wrong person be grabbed.A few days later, he recieved a message that he was to head towards Irulas, there to meet Lord Tor, a traitor in the Imperial midst.  Alas for him, the party intercepted him and his small escort along the way....Rosalyn Ilia Mithras – lvl ? – CE Age 40Wife of the infamous Rogar, Ilia in some ways represents the “brawn” to Rogar’s “brains.”  Deadly in combat with her preferred weapon, a battleaxe, she has fought many duels... and emerged with a scar on her face, robbing her of sight in her left eye.  An eyepatch rests there, spoiling what otherwise would be a rather pretty face.She worked alongside her husband in planning the downfall of the meddlesome party, arranging for an assassination attempt on Hidalas in Kulloden, as well as chasing down the party in their flight towards Irulas.  Recently, she’s been doing various special jobs for the Countess... supervising the recovery of a magical key from the northern ends of the Valley, hunting down errant paladins and the like.  Most recently, the Countess has sent her back north, for a most special mission.Shivalas Geragis Mithras – Rog6/Asn3/Brd2  CN Age 19Son of Rogar and Ilia, who has spent much of the past 6 years at his parent’s side, learning the tools and tricks of being a master of the darker arts of thievery, spying, and assassinations.  A formidable figure in his own right, Shivalas arranged for an assassination attempt on then Crown Princess Zoe in Irulas... an assassination which he changed once it became apparent the lover of Count Lucius would be there.Everyone knew it was Lucius’ friends that kept him from becoming evil himself... and Shivalas thought that if he could remove the closest one from the Count, he might succumb to his rage, and his demonic blood would do the rest.  The plan went awry, and Shivalas found himself captured.  He is still being interrogated by paladins of Hieroneous... though he is confident his mother and father will find a way to get him out.Kardatic Doppleganger Clr4/Ftr4 LE HextorPalador Rakhasa Clr7 LE HextorThe Church of Hextor had been banned in the Empire for over half a millenia.  Forced underground, the section left in the Valley, headed by a rakhasa named Palador, felt their best chance of rising to the surface again was to not plead their case to the Imperials... but instead... become the Imperials.To that end, Palador began his efforts, killing minor officials and polymorphing into them.  However, through bad luck and/or fate, he was never able to manuever himself into a position of real power.As his days waned, the ancient rakhasa realized his polymorphing powers were waning, but his mind remained strong.  So he took in a young, unusual creature, named Kardatic, and began planning machinations around him.It took 20 years, but eventually Kardatic was able to slip into the Imperial Governor’s chambers disguised as a trusted chamberlain, and assassinate him... thus assuming his form.  The ruse only lasted six months, before a meddlesome group of adventures ambushed Kardatic and Palador as they met... Kardatic was captured, and later hung, while Palador was killed outright by an ancient nemesis they both recognized.</blockquote>

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