Hello friends, thanks to the great efforts of the Hounds of War, as well as a number of individuals who have been on various encounters this past weekend, and due to some research into the subject, we now have more information regarding the Red Duke, his Lieutenants, and how we need to proceed.
First off, before next market, we need to discover the location of the Red Duke's lair. This is a must, as his crusade is supposed to begin next month. The crusade where he marches through the country with his recruits and slaughters the citizens, burns our crops, and attempts to darken the sun. This is a top priority, if anyone is available to assist with this, it would be greatly appreciated.
Currently, the only lead I am personally aware of, is that last market in May we encountered three ships carrying a large undead presence in a hidden cove just outside of Picheston, with a number of undead wolves running towards their direction, coming from inland. There were two vampires present for this encounter, two of the Dukes Lieutenants. More on them to follow. These ships were sailing away, supposedly back to the red duke's lair. I believe Sir Victor might have more information regarding the heading of those vessels, but that is all I am currently aware of.
By or before next market, I will have more information on where to locate the four Lieutenants of the Red Duke. But any more information you guys are able to discover about them could be helpful as well. What I have so far is as follows:
The Adjudicator - He is the muscle of the four. Martially inclined, and very powerful in that respect. He is a pale Orc who wields a glaive. Back in February he had entered the Happy Husky looking for me, but he triggered the Tavern's early undead warning alarm and turned to mist and fled. That is all I know of him, but others here may have had additional encounters with him.
The Ringmaster - If anyone has noticed a sharp decrease in the number of wolves across the country as of late, this is his doing. He is a pale elf. His specialty is summoning, creating, and 'taming' undead creatures of all sorts. As of late, specifically wolves, though I have also noted a large number of bats swarm with him. I've also encountered a large undead monstrosity back in April/May. More on that later as well. He is also a slave driver of sorts. I do know the Red Duke has been amassing "volunteers" to join his ranks. Whether or not they are truly volunteers, or being magically inclined to do so by the Ringmaster, I am unsure of. But I believe it to be a fair assumption.
The Envoy - He is the court wizard. One of the two vampires who we encountered at the cove in May. Magically inclined, he is a human. Not much other information on him, though I hear some of you may have encountered him back in April while I was in a brief coma. (Also more on that later.)
The Dread Admiral - Also known as Doctor Garroway. The most recent addition to the ranks of the Duke, and one of the more interesting stories. A human, not from Visira (Evodia) who has been conscripted by the Red Duke to assist in his conquest here, and if he succeeds, to spread his conquest across other lands as well outside of Visira (Evodia). He was one of the two we encountered in May at the cove. He also assaulted the tavern this past market. We seem to have retrieved his hat. My first encounter with him was in the middle of the ocean. He struck me from behind and marked me for death. After which I promptly got the mark removed. Unsure if he specializes in stealth techniques, or if he just happened to strike me from behind that one occasion. He seemed to do well enough fighting head on this past market.
In regards to the aforementioned large undead monstrosity and the coma. Back in April I was on a job for the magic guild, and on my way back, my horse got spooked by an undead presence heading my direction. I got bucked off and immediately pounced on by a creature that resembled a large bear with the features of a bat. Reeking of withering necromantic energy. I was able to fend it off, but I had been injured badly enough that I apparantly was found unconscious and healed back up over the course of a month. A beast I believe is probably connected to the Ringmaster in one form or another. So I would use caution if you encounter it.
The Red Duke - The red duke himself will be a much more difficult challenge for his own special reasons. He is an ancient vampire. and the methods of destroying him permanently are not going to be easy. I am hesitant to reveal the exact process in detail, in public, for the sole purpose of not allowing this sort of thing to happen again. As the red duke seeks to use this information to eliminate all of the other bloodlines who currently oppose him. I fear others could use this information in the future as well to do similar things. But just to get some ideas flowing, the biggest challenge we will face is how do we complete a non-quickened ritual on a target who is alive and hostile within the circle of power we are casting the ritual in? And keep him maintained within the circle for the duration of the ritual, as it seems he can possibly phase through the circle, if I am interpreting the texts correctly.
Do we do a quickened extend battle magic paralysis on him? Probably wont work if he is dead and regenerating, unless the regeneration counts as alive.
Do we create a massive circle of power with multiple casters and maintain the fight against him in it and protect the caster?
How do we protect the caster if this is the case? Do some preperations? Set up walls of force around the caster? Prep a number of people with sanctuaries and have them stand guard? With a team of people ready to solidify him as he attempts to stop the ritual? With people outside the circle to prevent any threats to it going down? Do we get a team of constructs to physically restrain him? I dont know! but these are all things we should keep in mind over the coming months. Other things we will need include a destroy magic ritual, with catalyst. A ritual of, and the subsequent stake of woe, and a catalyst fueled gift of life.
This is all I have currently. If anyone else has more. I would be grateful for you to share it here as well. Any help is greatly appreciated.
~Elros
First off, before next market, we need to discover the location of the Red Duke's lair. This is a must, as his crusade is supposed to begin next month. The crusade where he marches through the country with his recruits and slaughters the citizens, burns our crops, and attempts to darken the sun. This is a top priority, if anyone is available to assist with this, it would be greatly appreciated.
Currently, the only lead I am personally aware of, is that last market in May we encountered three ships carrying a large undead presence in a hidden cove just outside of Picheston, with a number of undead wolves running towards their direction, coming from inland. There were two vampires present for this encounter, two of the Dukes Lieutenants. More on them to follow. These ships were sailing away, supposedly back to the red duke's lair. I believe Sir Victor might have more information regarding the heading of those vessels, but that is all I am currently aware of.
By or before next market, I will have more information on where to locate the four Lieutenants of the Red Duke. But any more information you guys are able to discover about them could be helpful as well. What I have so far is as follows:
The Adjudicator - He is the muscle of the four. Martially inclined, and very powerful in that respect. He is a pale Orc who wields a glaive. Back in February he had entered the Happy Husky looking for me, but he triggered the Tavern's early undead warning alarm and turned to mist and fled. That is all I know of him, but others here may have had additional encounters with him.
The Ringmaster - If anyone has noticed a sharp decrease in the number of wolves across the country as of late, this is his doing. He is a pale elf. His specialty is summoning, creating, and 'taming' undead creatures of all sorts. As of late, specifically wolves, though I have also noted a large number of bats swarm with him. I've also encountered a large undead monstrosity back in April/May. More on that later as well. He is also a slave driver of sorts. I do know the Red Duke has been amassing "volunteers" to join his ranks. Whether or not they are truly volunteers, or being magically inclined to do so by the Ringmaster, I am unsure of. But I believe it to be a fair assumption.
The Envoy - He is the court wizard. One of the two vampires who we encountered at the cove in May. Magically inclined, he is a human. Not much other information on him, though I hear some of you may have encountered him back in April while I was in a brief coma. (Also more on that later.)
The Dread Admiral - Also known as Doctor Garroway. The most recent addition to the ranks of the Duke, and one of the more interesting stories. A human, not from Visira (Evodia) who has been conscripted by the Red Duke to assist in his conquest here, and if he succeeds, to spread his conquest across other lands as well outside of Visira (Evodia). He was one of the two we encountered in May at the cove. He also assaulted the tavern this past market. We seem to have retrieved his hat. My first encounter with him was in the middle of the ocean. He struck me from behind and marked me for death. After which I promptly got the mark removed. Unsure if he specializes in stealth techniques, or if he just happened to strike me from behind that one occasion. He seemed to do well enough fighting head on this past market.
In regards to the aforementioned large undead monstrosity and the coma. Back in April I was on a job for the magic guild, and on my way back, my horse got spooked by an undead presence heading my direction. I got bucked off and immediately pounced on by a creature that resembled a large bear with the features of a bat. Reeking of withering necromantic energy. I was able to fend it off, but I had been injured badly enough that I apparantly was found unconscious and healed back up over the course of a month. A beast I believe is probably connected to the Ringmaster in one form or another. So I would use caution if you encounter it.
The Red Duke - The red duke himself will be a much more difficult challenge for his own special reasons. He is an ancient vampire. and the methods of destroying him permanently are not going to be easy. I am hesitant to reveal the exact process in detail, in public, for the sole purpose of not allowing this sort of thing to happen again. As the red duke seeks to use this information to eliminate all of the other bloodlines who currently oppose him. I fear others could use this information in the future as well to do similar things. But just to get some ideas flowing, the biggest challenge we will face is how do we complete a non-quickened ritual on a target who is alive and hostile within the circle of power we are casting the ritual in? And keep him maintained within the circle for the duration of the ritual, as it seems he can possibly phase through the circle, if I am interpreting the texts correctly.
Do we do a quickened extend battle magic paralysis on him? Probably wont work if he is dead and regenerating, unless the regeneration counts as alive.
Do we create a massive circle of power with multiple casters and maintain the fight against him in it and protect the caster?
How do we protect the caster if this is the case? Do some preperations? Set up walls of force around the caster? Prep a number of people with sanctuaries and have them stand guard? With a team of people ready to solidify him as he attempts to stop the ritual? With people outside the circle to prevent any threats to it going down? Do we get a team of constructs to physically restrain him? I dont know! but these are all things we should keep in mind over the coming months. Other things we will need include a destroy magic ritual, with catalyst. A ritual of, and the subsequent stake of woe, and a catalyst fueled gift of life.
This is all I have currently. If anyone else has more. I would be grateful for you to share it here as well. Any help is greatly appreciated.
~Elros
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