Uglub, Gelure, and Sorcery

[Ashren Va'Hale]

In my recent gelure campaign we had a noble with estates in farrenshire who- how shall I put it, recently irked and offended Uggie, it has since turned ugly. heres how our campaign has treated uggie so far.
Uglub has been a far toss from many of the discriptions on this post so far as although a powerful mage and leader, he prefered to work in the back drop through cunning schemes, plans and backstabbing. Mostly working by proxy through henchmen. Just for fun we made one of the henchman a brother of one of the main PC's and weve had him continously pestering the party, "testing" them to see if they are worth recruiting.

Another parrellel that might fit our image of Uglubian gelure is pre krystal nacht Hitlerian Germany. Booming economy, health and prosperity at hidden costs. Uggie is charismatic and militaristic and generally treats his people well, but the ambition drives him at all costs pushing him to heinous acts and possibly insanity.

We also played with the idea of having him be not a decendent of the nine but one OF the original nine. Bidding his time and then siezing power after all these years. We even considered having ALL the original nine be scattered around Weyrth under the idea that they have always been in the backdrop of weyrths history struggling to take over and control the scraps after the climactic battle between the betrayer and Xanar. We still havent decided on which side the nine fought however which has stalled the development of this idea.  

We have not been playing with uglub as the central villain but as the backdrop behind the antagonists that continue to interfere with the pc's. I find it is more usefull that way.
The only request i have is for more info on the council and the henchman that would  work for Uglub. Weve been borrowing from stock villains and henchman from other sources lately and suggestions would be much welcome.

[Ace]

I will see what I can do about the council stats and stuff. I am just a little busy with some stuff right now.

Just to start

Stats for standard Gelure'n Infantry

Temporal 4 (St, Ag 5)
Mental 4 (Per5, Soc3, Wits 5)
Reflex 5
Move 7
CP 10-12
MP 10-12

Chain Shirt
Leather Legs
Leather Arms
Pot Helmet
Small Shield
Cut and Thrust Sword
Javelins

Or if missle troop

Drop Shield
Drop Cut and Thrust Sword
Drop Javelins
Add Shortbow
Quiver 60 Arrows
Shortsword

Thats a basic Gelure Infantryman.   For skills add Soldier (all skills at -1) and one other package

Uglubs Knights (these are not members of the Hand, just officer grade soldiers)

Temporal 5 (AG6, EN4, HT4 )
Mental 4 (Wits 5)
Relex 5
Move 7
CP15
MP10

Breast and Back Plate
Chain Legs
Chain Arms
Coif
Pot Helmet
War Horse with Chain barding (4)
Large Shield
Light Lance
Javelins (3)
Hand weapon (varies)

Skill packages

Soldier (all skills at -1)
possibly Courtier

And yes Gelure troops are well equiped and well trained. What they lack is numbers......

If you are facing conscripted regulars just use the warrior template from TROS.

[The_Fey]

Seems this thread has slowed down a bit.  Well, here's my opinion on who and what Uglub is:

Emperor Uglub
Real Name: Raeyn Fahthran

Temporal
ST 7
AG 7
TO 5
EN 7
HT 10

Mental
WP 10
WT 8
MA 9
SOC 10
PER 7

Spiritual
Luck 4
Drive (conquest) 5
Passion (hatred of the Fey) 5
Destiny (create an Empire greater than the Xanarian Empire at its peak) 5

Derived
Reflex 7
Aim 7
Knockdown 7
Knockout 10
Move 10

Magical
Kaa 12
Form 7
Art 7
Discipline 8
Draw 8
Sorcery Pool 25 (31 with the Talismans)

Gifts
Gift of the Ancients
3 Major Talismans

Flaws
Bad Reputation (major - at least outside of Gelure)
Overconfident (major)
Bad Temper (minor)

Skills
most lanuages at 5
all skills from woodsman/ranger, ritualist and courtier at 5 or 6

Proficiences
All vagaries at 3
Only one or two weapon styles at 7-9...relies mostly on magic

Spells
Several dozen mastered and formulated, including many of his own design.

Gear
Anything he wants in normal gear
Numerous Magical/enchanted items


Now, I know what you must be thinking after reading that.  Something along the lines of "What in the world is Dave smoking?"  Well, now comes the fun part where I tell you what I think the history of Uglub is...

Raeyn Fahthran is a relatively young Fey...only a century and a half.  He was born in the Frostbite Mountains among the Fey that life there.  Like them his skin is dark, and his hair a stark white.  It was obvious from the beginning that Raeyn had been gifted with immense magical talent, and was trained intensively by the Elders of the Fey court to one day assume a position of leadership among them.

After more than half a century of this life, a halfling by the name of Ardon Breer was permitted to visit the Court.  Raeyn and Ardon formed an immediate friendship.  Raeyn convinced the Elders to allow Ardon to stay with the Court longer than planned, but ultimately he was asked to leave.  And when he did, Raeyn went with him.

The two of them adventured together for many years.  They even traveled through Stahl, where they used the natural Fey proficiency with the Glamour vagary to disguise their appearance in order to travel among humans without being noticed (much).

They actually befriended several young and adventerous Stahlnish nobles, with whom they adventured and had many friendly debates about the realities of magic and the supernatural.  While Raeyn and Ardon never conceded that magic did not exist, Raeyn eventually came to believe a slightly twisted version of Stahlnish athiesm (spelling?).

The Fey believe that their souls are eternal...that when a Fey dies, that same soul is eventually reborn as another Fey.  The only problem is that this hasn't been happening for the last 800 years (page 196).  A much smaller number of births have been taking place during that time that should have.  

So Raeyn rejects this idea, and adopts the philosophy of "Every man...or Fey...for himself."  While Ardon doesn't accept this, and debates it often with Raeyn, they remain friends.  Raeyn, as most people do when they come to this kind of epiphany, decides to share it with the Fey of the region.

While he meets with some success with the younger members of his race, he is condemned and banished from Fey society for his heretical beliefs.  The Elders hoped he would use this time of isolation to reconsider his beliefs.  Raeyn hoped that those who had accepted his beliefs would either follow him, or be banished as well.  Neither happened.

While Ardon stayed in Stahl for several more years to try and mend the growing differences between the older and younger Fey, Raeyn disappeared.

After another fifty years, he resurfaced again, and was determined to destroy the Court that had banished.  Ardon was forced to battle with Raeyn.  Both survived and were badly weakened, but their friendship was forever destroyed.  Again Raeyn disappeared from sight.

Now he has returned again, now calling himself Uglub (he believes that magic will have a lesser effect on him if people do not know his real name).  He is determined to destroy the Fey for their treatment of him, and has managed to nearly kill or drive out all of the Fey that had once lived in Gelure.

Not only is he amassing a large conventional and army supported by the Gifted that have come under his banner, he is working with several groups of unseelie to gain their support for invasions of the surrounding countries.  Uglub imagines that a horde of goblins, trolls, vampires and the like would make an invasion of certain countries much easier.

He doesn't actually believe that he is the Dark Betrayer, but he thinks the image fits well, and inspires the kind of awe and fear in his followers that he wants...as well as simple fear in his enemies.

His son, Sengir, is the result of a brief marriage to an winged demoness.  It is not known where she is or what happened to her after the marriage.  Sengir is even more obsessed with the destruction of the Fey than his father.

Absolutely no Fey are safe from Uglub, even those who still reject the eternal nature of the Fey soul.  They had their chance, and he will not give them a second one.

He has been in contact with Oujha, the last of the Nine, and while not concrete alliance or agreement of support has been made between them, they have a careful 'friendship' (if anyone like these two people can ever said to actually have friends.....).  Both are rather curious about the other and would like to see where the current course of events leads.

Uglub thinks that humans are quite interesting tools.  They may well help him to accomplish his goals of genocide, and in the meantime leading them to world conquest seems like quite an entertaining diversion.  

He is very professional and intelligent about his plans.  If you've never read the Evil Overlord list (http://www.eviloverlord.com/lists/overlord.html  but ignore numbers 18 and 19 :P), you should....because that's Uglub.

OK.....anyone have anything to say about my interpretation?

[Bob Richter]

Seems this thread has slowed down a bit.  Well, here's my opinion on who and what Uglub is:

Emperor Uglub
Real Name: Raeyn Fahthran

Temporal
ST 7
AG 7
TO 5
EN 7
HT 10

Mental
WP 10
WT 8
MA 9
SOC 10
PER 7

Spiritual
Luck 4
Drive (conquest) 5
Passion (hatred of the Fey) 5
Destiny (create an Empire greater than the Xanarian Empire at its peak) 5

Derived
Reflex 7
Aim 7
Knockdown 7
Knockout 10
Move 10

Magical
Kaa 12
Form 7
Art 7
Discipline 8
Draw 8
Sorcery Pool 25 (31 with the Talismans)

Gifts
Gift of the Ancients
3 Major Talismans

Flaws
Bad Reputation (major - at least outside of Gelure)
Overconfident (major)
Bad Temper (minor)

Skills
most lanuages at 5
all skills from woodsman/ranger, ritualist and courtier at 5 or 6

Proficiences
All vagaries at 3
Only one or two weapon styles at 7-9...relies mostly on magic

Spells
Several dozen mastered and formulated, including many of his own design.

Gear
Anything he wants in normal gear
Numerous Magical/enchanted items


Now, I know what you must be thinking after reading that.  Something along the lines of "What in the world is Dave smoking?"  Well, now comes the fun part where I tell you what I think the history of Uglub is...

Raeyn Fahthran is a relatively young Fey...only a century and a half.  He was born in the Frostbite Mountains among the Fey that life there.  Like them his skin is dark, and his hair a stark white.  It was obvious from the beginning that Raeyn had been gifted with immense magical talent, and was trained intensively by the Elders of the Fey court to one day assume a position of leadership among them.

After more than half a century of this life, a halfling by the name of Ardon Breer was permitted to visit the Court.  Raeyn and Ardon formed an immediate friendship.  Raeyn convinced the Elders to allow Ardon to stay with the Court longer than planned, but ultimately he was asked to leave.  And when he did, Raeyn went with him.

The two of them adventured together for many years.  They even traveled through Stahl, where they used the natural Fey proficiency with the Glamour vagary to disguise their appearance in order to travel among humans without being noticed (much).

They actually befriended several young and adventerous Stahlnish nobles, with whom they adventured and had many friendly debates about the realities of magic and the supernatural.  While Raeyn and Ardon never conceded that magic did not exist, Raeyn eventually came to believe a slightly twisted version of Stahlnish athiesm (spelling?).

The Fey believe that their souls are eternal...that when a Fey dies, that same soul is eventually reborn as another Fey.  The only problem is that this hasn't been happening for the last 800 years (page 196).  A much smaller number of births have been taking place during that time that should have.  

So Raeyn rejects this idea, and adopts the philosophy of "Every man...or Fey...for himself."  While Ardon doesn't accept this, and debates it often with Raeyn, they remain friends.  Raeyn, as most people do when they come to this kind of epiphany, decides to share it with the Fey of the region.

While he meets with some success with the younger members of his race, he is condemned and banished from Fey society for his heretical beliefs.  The Elders hoped he would use this time of isolation to reconsider his beliefs.  Raeyn hoped that those who had accepted his beliefs would either follow him, or be banished as well.  Neither happened.

While Ardon stayed in Stahl for several more years to try and mend the growing differences between the older and younger Fey, Raeyn disappeared.

After another fifty years, he resurfaced again, and was determined to destroy the Court that had banished.  Ardon was forced to battle with Raeyn.  Both survived and were badly weakened, but their friendship was forever destroyed.  Again Raeyn disappeared from sight.

Now he has returned again, now calling himself Uglub (he believes that magic will have a lesser effect on him if people do not know his real name).  He is determined to destroy the Fey for their treatment of him, and has managed to nearly kill or drive out all of the Fey that had once lived in Gelure.

Not only is he amassing a large conventional and army supported by the Gifted that have come under his banner, he is working with several groups of unseelie to gain their support for invasions of the surrounding countries.  Uglub imagines that a horde of goblins, trolls, vampires and the like would make an invasion of certain countries much easier.

He doesn't actually believe that he is the Dark Betrayer, but he thinks the image fits well, and inspires the kind of awe and fear in his followers that he wants...as well as simple fear in his enemies.

His son, Sengir, is the result of a brief marriage to an winged demoness.  It is not known where she is or what happened to her after the marriage.  Sengir is even more obsessed with the destruction of the Fey than his father.

Absolutely no Fey are safe from Uglub, even those who still reject the eternal nature of the Fey soul.  They had their chance, and he will not give them a second one.

He has been in contact with Oujha, the last of the Nine, and while not concrete alliance or agreement of support has been made between them, they have a careful 'friendship' (if anyone like these two people can ever said to actually have friends.....).  Both are rather curious about the other and would like to see where the current course of events leads.

Uglub thinks that humans are quite interesting tools.  They may well help him to accomplish his goals of genocide, and in the meantime leading them to world conquest seems like quite an entertaining diversion.  

He is very professional and intelligent about his plans.  If you've never read the Evil Overlord list (http://www.eviloverlord.com/lists/overlord.html  but ignore numbers 18 and 19 :P), you should....because that's Uglub.

OK.....anyone have anything to say about my interpretation?

Oh, so THAT's the Evil Overlord List I've heard so much about. haha! I can definately see Uglub that way.

I do have a couple of nitpicks, though.

1) Your Uglub's Fey. If he hates all Fey, even converts...
2) What about Half-Fey? He clearly has no problem with UnSeelie, but his children would either be full-Fey or Half-Fey. That being the case, I would think #s 18 and 19 would be rigorously enforced.

One of my characters is a member of Uglub's Legions of Doom, so I find this question very interesting indeed. :)

[The_Fey]

2) What about Half-Fey? He clearly has no problem with UnSeelie, but his children would either be full-Fey or Half-Fey. That being the case, I would think #s 18 and 19 would be rigorously enforced.

One of my characters is a member of Uglub's Legions of Doom, so I find this question very interesting indeed. :)

Half-Fey are ultimately outcasts from Fey society as well.  On page 197 it states that they are never allowed to stay in the same grove/Court in which their parent resides.  So I'd say that Uglub views Half-Fey as potential tools--especially if he can convince them to start hating the fact that they are banned from home simply because of a different parentage.

18 & 19 would be rigorously enforced only with other Fey.  Uglub does already have a son after all.

[Lyrax]

Just a note for The_Fey:

Talismans don't increase your sorcery pool, they give you a bonus every time you cast a spell.  That's a bit more powerful than you seem to realize.