Alternate Dimensions Presents: Vaasa – The Warlock Knights
The Warlock Knights are a rising power in the frontier land of Vaasa. While seemingly benevolent in its formative years, it actually harbours a dark secret and malign intent.
History of the Warlock Knights
The Warlock Knights are formed shortly after Zhengyi the Voice of Telos takes to wandering the lands of Vaasa preaching the Will of Telos. His benevolent acts towards the people of Vaasa; saving families from monstrous attacks and helping crops to grow, as well as the feats of magical power he displays, help to cement a growing belief in Telos as a guardian force in the frontier.
The Warlock Knights form late in 1365 DR and quickly gain more converts from those desperate folk in Vaasa helped by the servants of Telos.
By Mirtul of 1366 DR the first armoured Warlock Knights make their appearances in the major settlements of Vaasa. These emissaries volunteer as guardians, law enforcers, and protectors of the common people. Their numbers are particularly strong around the growing settlement of Telos above the Clefts of Razack.
When the Rage of Dragons strikes it is the Warlock Knights in many settlements that are first to take up arms in defence of Vaasa and its people. For this act they are rewarded positions of influence within the settlement.
Shortly afterwards the Warlock Knights use various nefarious methods to ensure they are in charge of these settlements and then militarily occupy them and declare themselves the rulers of Vaasa.
Since taking over Vaasa the Warlock Knights have seen their numbers swell with converts across Vaasa, some looking for power, others looking to escape persecution from the growing intolerance of the Warlock Knights themselves. The organisation is turning itself into an army full of armoured, magic using humanoids backed by shadesteel golems. Its next target is the Zhentarim that also contests the Vaasa region and then afterwards, Damara.
Organisation
The Warlock Knights exist as a feudal organisation with the rank and file troops reporting to “Counts” who report to regional “Dukes” who in turn report to trusted “Lords” who report directly to The Voice of Telos. As well as being the structure of the Warlock Knights this is also becoming the structure of Vaasa in territory owned by the Knights.
Members: 5,000+ as of 1375 DR
Hierarchy: Feudal
Leader: Zhengyi “The Voice of Telos” (Telos himself controls Zhengyi)
Religions: Telos
Alignment: Any evil
Secrecy: Low
Symbol: A black orb in the jaws of a serpentine maw.
Hierarchy
The hierarchy of the Warlock Knights is strictly controlled and enforced. Promotion is by appointment only which must go through the next highest ranking member.
The Deep Shadow: This title is the leader of the Warlock Knights and perceived ruler of the Vaasan region under Warlock Knight’s control. The Deep Shadow is believed to be Zhengyi the Voice of Telos but actually refers to Telos himself. Zhengyi spends all of his time in the Cathedral of Shattered Souls in the settlement of Telos and is guarded at all times by two advanced shadesteel golems.
The Deep Shadow (Zhengyi) appears from the cathedral only during times of ritual sacrifice, or for a prominent execution. Otherwise he can only be seen by appointment and these are only given to the Lords of the Warlock Knights.
Twilight Lords: This title belongs to the ruler of a nation. At this moment in time The Voice of Telos has decreed there are only two positions of Twilight Lord, one for Vaasa and one for Damara. Only the Twilight Lord of Vaasa position has been filled, by the first convert to Telos.
- Griphlek, Twilight Lord of Vaasa (CE goblin Warlock 5/Fighter 5): Strangely enough, the first convert to Telos was not a human but a goblin of enormous size and keen intellect (by goblin standards). Outcast from his home in the Bottomless Bogs he was quickly set upon by a pack of worgs when the Voice of Telos found and rescued him. Griphlek was glad to embrace Telos’ teachings and revelled in the power it brought him which magnified his own considerable strength.
Griphlek is still the consummate coward, and vicious backstabbing snake that all goblins are, but he cannot bear to see the weak being abused by the strong and it enrages him enough to help even the odds. This trait earned him the respect of many a Vaasan loner or farmsteader under attack by the monsters of the wilderness and so he has amassed a great many converts over the years.
Griphlek has kept his position thanks to the rigid structure of the Warlock Knights and also because he is incapable of trust. Should any underling become to powerful or ambitious they are often sent on dangerous missions from which they will not return.
Griphlek is always covered in the dull shadesteel armour of the Warlock Knights (even his face) so given his enormous size (for a goblin) most consider him to be a short human or perhaps a dwarf. Among the Warlock Knights he is known as Griff and his true identity remains a secret.
Griphlek’s enormous size and intellect stem from his over exposure to the magical springs in the Bottomless Bogs. As a child he was often left to swim in these springs and it augmented his growth considerably, he now stands just short of 7 ft tall. It also had the curious effect of extending his life and rendering him nearly immune to Telos’ life drain, almost as if his over exposure to Telos in his early years has allowed his body to adapt to prevent Telos’ influence.
Dusk Dukes: This title belongs to a regional ruler of the Warlock Knights. These individuals are in control of one of the four regions of Vaasa and every Warlock Knight Count in the appointed area reports directly to a Duke of Dusk, they in turn report to Griphlek the Twilight Lord of Vaasa.
As of 1375 DR, there are four Dukes controlling the following regions; the Cinnabar Wastes, the Bottomless Bogs, the Sunderland and the Bleak Steppes of Haatar Baen. These titles are largely symbolic in terms of settlements under Warlock Knights control. The Warlock Knights only control the Bottomless Bogs in its entirety and only Telos in the Cinnabar Wastes. The other settlements in the regions are controlled either by the Zhentarim or by independent forces.
- Dresklor Marne, Duke of Haatar Baen (LE Vaasan human Ftr 7): Dresklor is a fairly recent convert to the Warlock Knights and the third Duke of Haatar Baen. As the local representative of law and order (such as it was) in Maur Eturo, Dresklor was seen as an essential but unimportant part of that town. His work mostly involved being paid by the local traders to track down thieves or cattle rustlers.
When the Zhentarim arrived Dresklor was no longer needed and quickly became destitute. After being approached by a Warlock Knight in disguise he travelled on foot to Telos and for his troubles was granted entry into the organisations. He quickly rose through the ranks thanks to his background in law enforcement and his ability to protect the common man (although sometimes a bit too zealously) which gained him many converts to the Will of Telos.
After the previous Duke of Haatar Baen withered away and died of old age at 39, Dresklor was appointed as his successor and given the task of combating the Zhentarim. Dresklor hopes that his familiarity with the people and place will give him an advantage but in truth Dresklor is out of his depth and Haatar Baen has changed so much he would not recognise it anymore. Instead he must rely on his ability to lead to help him survive.
Shadow Counts: These are typically the rulers of settlements within a region controlled by a Duke of Dusk; however a number of these counts exist for settlements outside Vaasa where the Warlock Knights are beginning to gain converts or have sent agents. They can reside either in the settlement they represent or anywhere within the nearby area.
- Teremmic Shaul (LE human male vampire Rogue 5): Teremmic is an unfortunate individual that was once a Harper agent until; due to a speedy recall by his superiors, he was discovered by a vampire and turned.
At the time the Harper Inquisition was well underway and he knew he would no longer be welcome within their ranks as an evil blood sucking vampire; in fact it was quite likely he would be destroyed by his former allies. Luck however was with Teremmic and he was also being watched by one of the Moonstars who; with Khelben’s blessing, brought him into the fold and sent him to infiltrate the Warlock Knights who so far had proved impossible to access.
Teremmic found no trouble in gaining entry to the Warlock Knights. His rare talents make him an excellent infiltrator and he quickly gained the position of Count of Darmshall, an independent settlement in the Sunderlands.
However Teremmic is the only Warlock Knight in Darmshall and he has growing suspicions that he might be being deliberately kept at arms length by the Warlock Knights hierarchy.
Motivation and Goals
The motivation of all Warlock Knights is to gain more converts to the Will of Telos. Almost all do this out of the belief that it will help them advance in the organisation and gain them more power and respect.
Some however, particularly those in power who have been there the longest have realised the truth and the need for more converts.
As a Warlock Knight, each individual forges a link with Telos himself using the ritual and mysterious tattoos that adorn their body. This link allows a Warlock Knight to draw upon Telos’ power to fuel whatever arcane magics they choose to perform. However the link works both ways and over time Telos slowly drains a Warlock Knight of his life force.
The drain is slow and can be slowed further by acquiring more converts or advancing in rank within the Warlock Knights, alternatively it can be accelerated by using the gifts bestowed by Telos. However there is no such thing as an old Warlock Knight and most perish by the time they are 40 years of age, a withered, dried out, old husk.
The organisation as a whole seeks to dominate Vaasa and forge it into a kingdom. Then they will march on Damara and the surrounding lands in the name of Telos.
To accomplish this goal the lay worshippers of Telos (those too weak to join the Warlock Knights) are busy mining the Clefts of Razack for shadesteel and busy forging weapons of war. Swords, armour, and shadesteel golems are pouring out of the city of Telos in their hundreds arming the Warlock Knights for the coming conflict.
Recruiting
The Warlock Knights are eager for recruits. All an individual has to do to join the Warlock Knights is be of sound health (Str and Con 11+) and renounce all gods but Telos. They are then touched by the tattoo of the recruiting Warlock Knight and an imprint is left on the recipient. They are then instructed to travel to Telos where they will be inducted into the order.
Those unable to join the Warlock Knights themselves but still professing a desire to follow the Will of Telos are instructed to travel to Telos anyway where they will be assigned work in the new order.
After 1375 DR those not able to join the Warlock Knights and not following the Will of Telos (or wishing to convert) are likely to be captured and sacrificed from the Clefts of Razack. Sacrifices are rather unceremoniously pushed off the edge where they fall to their deaths.
Equipment
The Warlock Knights wear their own trademark shadesteel weapons and armour. A weapon forged of shadesteel drains the life of anyone it strikes and conveys part of this life to the wielder (the rest is sent to Telos). A suit of armour forged of shadesteel provides protection from life draining magic but positive energy (such as healing spells) actually damages the wearer. These are properties of the material and are independent of any magical enchantments added later.
Shadesteel Golems: These creatures resemble dull metallic skeletons with sharp swords on the ends of their arms and spikes protruding from everywhere. They come in a variety of sizes and are especially lethal in combat where their melee strikes can drain the average human of all life with a single blow. They are also capable of emitting darkness to obscure an enemy’s vision but they are not hampered by such an effect themselves.
So far the largest shadesteel golems ever seen are around 8-9 ft tall but there are rumours of enormous behemoths hidden within the Cathedral of Shattered Souls and the Clefts of Razack.
Tattoos: These emblems of Telos are stylised italic swirls with a serpentine look that can adorn anywhere on the body. These tattoos provide a small modicum of protection from physical attacks and the elements. They also allow a wearer to call on the power of Telos to boost the casting of spells although doing so will age the recipient by a whole day.
Touching a tattoo to the naked flesh of someone will brand them with a similar mark (although it is always unique) of raised slightly reddened skin that quickly turns black. This mark will fade within 1 month as the skin peels off but can be used to gain entry into the settlement of Telos without explanation.
Purple Coneflower: This curious little flower is native to the Bottomless Bogs area of Vaasa. This strangely coloured pine cone grows naturally in the magical hot springs of the Bogs but otherwise is only found in the Tortured Lands in any great number; where it has a faint analgesic effect once ingested.
The magic of the hot springs in Vaasa has amplified this pain killing effect and; thanks to efforts by the Cult of the Dragon in the area, a refined derivative of this plant makes a very addictive narcotic substance.
The plant however has another effect that a few in the Warlock Knights have discovered (largely by accident). The purple coneflower alleviates the rapid aging effect brought on by the link with Telos; the narcotic substance produced by the Cult of the Dragon stops the rapid aging altogether.
As a result growing numbers of Warlock Knights are deliberately becoming addicted to this substance which enriches the Cult of the Dragon and ensures its place in Vaasan society.
Like all drugs so, the effects decrease with continued use and after several years (depending on consumption) the anti aging effects (as well as analgesic effects) are negligible. It still remains a powerful addictive substance though that could cause significant problems for the Warlock Knights if its use becomes more widespread among their ranks.