Immortal Candidates
by Andrew MorrowWith the help of Shawn Stanley's list of Nearly Immortals I have been working up some information about what has happened to the current Immortal candidates during and post WotI. The information is spun out of whole cloth in the hope that it will generate some discussion about these interesting characters. I direct you to Shawn's list, on his homepage, for the canon information on these characters.
Barimoor: (MU36, patron Rathanos, Energy) In 1000 AC this displaced Alphatian was well on his way to becoming an Immortal. A patient sort, he figured that it would take another 200 years to complete his path. In 1007 AC he came a step closer to Immortality when he uncovered the Pearl of Oblivion (a lesser artifact of Energy- see Gaz 2) in the Emirate of Nithia. However, in 1009 AC, during the Week Without Magic, disaster struck. Without his magic, and with the wards that kept his menagerie of monsters at bay failing, there was nothing to stop him from being torn to pieces by his own pets. The monsters, trapped in Barimoor's cavern complex under the Ylari desert, began praying on each other. The strongest and most clever began finding passages to the surface. This lead to a rash of attacks by monsters that should not be found in the Ylari climate.
One of Barimoor's apprentices, an Alaysian mage now living in Selenica, heard of the attacks and deduced what must have happened. He is planning to hire a group of adventurers to clear out the caverns. Of course, then they will have to die so that he can seize Barimoor's secrets before any of the other apprentices hear of Barimoor's demise.
As the adventurers explore Barimoor's lair and discover the extent of the monster infestation, they will find evidence that their patron has lied to them. The only way to stop the monsters before them and the murderous mage behind them may be to return Barimoor to life...
Doriath: (Elf 10/attack class I, patron: Ordana, Time) When Doriath was young he adventured extensively throughout the Sea of Dread. He encountered the Cult of Ordana in Minrothad and remained interested in the ancient Immortal after he became King. Sometime before 1000 AC Ordana became his sponsor. Between 1000 and 1005 AC he searched sporadically for the time travel device that he needed. His search had to be put off when the conflict with the Shadow Elves began. Post Wrath Doriath does not believe that the elves will ever be able to return to Canolbarth and dreams of leading his people to build a new home in Norwold. He believes that King Ericall will not begrudge him the land he needs if he provides military support against the Heldannic Knights. He has some followers among the Alfheim refugees. As a King without a Kingdom, Doriath has more time to search for the time travel device which he needs.
Kaladan, The Mastershaper: (M36/WTI21, patron Orcus, Entropy) Kaladan was in his tower in the Kingdom of Blackheart when Alphatia sank. He doesn't much care where he performs his experiments, so the move hasn't really upset his plans. Thanatos discovered this maniac many years ago and found him intriguing, but probably not stable enough to complete the path to Immortality. However, he ordered Orcus, a former lycanthrope himself, to sponsor Kaladan. Kaladan has recently come to the attention of Ka, who doesn't want the HW infested with lycanthropes (presently only werejaguars and sabretooths are native to the HW- see PC4). He is looking for a likely band of adventurers to put a stop to Kaladan's activities.
Leo Variantia (F34/T-Rake-18/M14/C13/WTI36/WFO13/WBA9/WBE10, patron: Maat, Matter) Leo first encountered the cult of the Immortal Maat in the region which is now the Emirate of Nithia in Ylaruam. She eventually became his sponsor. He quested for, and found, the Ivory Plume of Maat during each on his incarnations. After finding it a final time he was forced to entrust it to a friend, a Huge Gold Dragon living in the Five Shires. to keep it out of the clutches of clerics of Talitha which have been hounding him for over a century. During Wrath he fought on the side of Thyatis on the Isle of Dawn. At his latest meeting with Maat, having completed his quest, Leo expected to be made an Immortal. But it was not fated to be (yet). Maat set him a final task, to free Sind from the rule of the Master of Hule. Leo is currently searching out his surviving adventuring companions from his Quest and Task to help him with his efforts.
Mylertendal: (MU36, patron Alphatia, Energy) Mylertendal was indeed killed during the Week Without Magic. But after the sinking of Alphatia she was raised by the Immortals like so many of her fellow citizens. She has plenty to do rebuilding Haven, and having just been commissioned to help build the new Alphatian capital. She is still in no hurry to become Immortal.
Starwatcher: (E10/magic level 20, patron Ilsundal, Energy) Starwatcher gained the sponsorship of Ilsundal shortly after leaving Alfheim for Wendar with the rest of the Longrunner clan. When the Shadow Elves put out their call for help he travelled to Aengmor to help reverse the damage to the forest. His Trial is to design a magic item capable of reversing the damage to the forest. The components for this item will include Blackflame and water from the Pool of the Moon in the Sind desert (see X4). His Testimony will include recreating the forest, larger and more beautiful than it was before. Needless to say he is in for a long path.
Travestis: (34TT/10D patron: Masauwu, Entropy) The corrupted treant is approaching the end of his path to Immortality. His part in helping the Shadow Elves corrupt Canolbarth forest and corrupting the spell beyond their ability to reverse it, fulfilled his Testimony. He has only his Task to complete, the full scope of which is unknown, but which will include making sure that the Shadow and surface Elves do not make peace and promoting conflict throughout the area.
Tylion IV (Master Terari): (M36, patron Ssu-Ma, Thought) Tylion was accepted by his patron, Ssu-Ma in 1008 AC. His founding of the Karameikan School of Magecraft is part of his Testimony. Even now he is searching for a worthy successor. However, the old mage is in no hurry.
Prince Morphail Gorevitch-Woszlany: (M28, patron: Alphaks, Entropy) Following his defeat during Wrath, Alphaks needs a victory. One of his efforts to regain face among the Immortals is by sponsoring Morphail. Alphaks has been controlling Morphail, partially through the promise of eventual sponsorship for nearly 300 years. The Prince of Boldavia has begun his Quest for an Entropic artifact.
Prince Brannart McGregor: (M33, patron: Thanatos, Entropy) Brannart has finally uncovered enough information to petition for an Immortal sponsor. He is presently crafting his gift before travelling to the sight of petition- the temple of Thanatos on the Isle of Oceania.
There is a high level Halfling Master in Gaz 8, whose name has escaped me. (patron: Nob Nar, Thought) She was a famous Halfling pirate before she became a Master. She spent most of Wrath Questing for the Diamond Orb of Tyche. She spent several years post- Wrath aboard her new ship hunting Hulean sponsored pirates in the Sea of Dread. She was also involved in the Hin attack on Black Eagle Barony in 1011 AC.
One of the PWAs mentions a mysterious Polymath wandering through Azca (C32/ F8/T-Rake-9/FS8, patron: Atruaghin). Originally a cleric of Atruaghin from the Atruaghin Plateau, this unnamed candidate found his way to the HW. He has been reborn as an Azcan warrior, an Oltec Rake, and a Feathered Serpent. He is attempting to revive the cults of Ka and Ixion and turn the balance of power back away from Atzanteotl.
Lambert Bohn (C34, patron Khoronus, Time) Bohn was introduced in M2. He might be the power behind the throne in one of the up and coming Isle of Dawn nations, such as Helskir. Another option is that he may be one of the foreign advisers to Queen Yrsa the Wise of Ostland. He could be helping her guide her young nation into the eleventh century.
Gargantua (M36?) The mad wizard
Gargantua may or may not actually exist. No Immortal will admit to
sponsoring him, but someone must be encouraging him. During the
Week Without Magic even more of his pets escaped (and you thought
they were turning up in strange places already.) In other
interesting news, in 1011 AC, on the Day of Dread, a small army and
quite a few gargantuan monsters landed on the Protectorate of
Sclaras in Thyatis. The Week Without Magic had killed many of the
wizards. The army and monsters got several more. And then there
were those who came out of hiding after the Day of Dread and
returned home, only to find Gargantuan Grey Oozes hanging from the
ceiling in their bed chambers...