Telces

From Shahara

Current revision as of 21:31, 9 August 2007

Telces is the leader of the Hinterlands, an economically-driven and
compact nation located on the crescent-shaped island southwest of the continent of Shahara.

Archon, Extraplanar, Lawful, Good

Hp: 466

AC: 40 ( 2 Luck bonus, 10 +5 Breastplate of Etherealness, 5 
+3 Large Steel Shield of Heavy Fortification, 6 natural, 7 dex)

Init: +7

Speed: 30ft., fly 80ft. (good)

Race: Word Archon

Class: Truenamer 20

Level: 20 (ECL 36)

BAB: +25/+20/+15/+10

Melee: 

Two Weapon Fighting is usually used:

+35/+30/+25/+20 with 1d6+13 Vorpal weapon. Crit 17-20/x2. 
Also deals 1 point wound per hit.

-and-

+36/+36/+31/+26 weapon, ignores armor, but not natural armor 
or deflection bonuses. Deals 1d8+13, crit 19-20/2x 

Ranged:

Thrown +5 Warhammer (Wounding, Throwing, Returning, Disruption):  
+37/1d8+17, and causes bleeding wound for one damage per turn, 
cumulative. 10 ft. Range increment.

Fortitude: +21 (+25 against poison)

Reflex: +16

Will: +18

Strength: 32 (Check at -2)

Dexterity: 25 (Check at -2)

Constitution: 35  (Check at -2)

Intelligence: 33 

Wisdom:  29 

Charisma: 39 

Special Attacks:

Ellesaen'taesnt: Telces' short sword, intended for moments of focus, 
defence, or when he can't see the enemy. Upon drawing it, a constant 
True Seeing effect takes hold on him. It is also a Ghost Touch weapon, 
a +5 weapon which carries the "Defence" ability, and is also Keen, 
Flame, and Shocking Burst. It can thus provide up to a +5 bonus to his 
AC which stacks with all others. Normally it attacks at +41/+36/+31/+26, 
dealing 1d6+1d6 fire+1d6 shock+21 damage, x2 +1d10 shock on a critical hit.

Meta-Utterances:

These effects can be applied to any utterance on the fly, but increase 
the DC accordingly.

Empower: All variable, numeric effects of the Utterance are increased 
by half. This increases the DC of the utterance by 10.

Enlarge: An utterance effected by this feat has its range doubled. 
Usually this makes it 120 feet. This increases the DC of the utterance by 5.

Extend: The utterance has its duration doubled. This increases the DC of the check by 5.

Quicken: This effect allows any utterance to be spoken as a Swift action. 
This increases the DC of the utterance by 20.


Recitations:

DC 15 + 2x HD Truespeak check to use. DC +2 per additional use per day.

Recitation of the Sanguine State: Removes all poisons from body as if by Neutralize Poison spell.

Recitation of the Vital State: Removes all diseases as if Remove Disease had been cast.

Say My Name And I Am There: Whenever anyone speaks Telces' name, he may see 
who is saying it, and what state they are in, and decide whether or not he 
wishes to travel their location as via a Word of Recall spell. He frequently 
does this to startle those who speak his name impiously. Rather than key this 
ability to a private nickname, Telces adopted the nickname he chose, and thus 
this state of things.

See The Named: By making a successful Truespeak check to speak the personal 
Truename of another creature which he knows (DC 15 + (2x creature's CR )+2), 
Telces may utilize the effects of the spell "Scrying", for one round, to observe 
them. They get no save, SR does not apply. This ability can be used once per day.

Sending: As the spell Sending. Works only on creatures whose personal Truenames 
Telces knows, and requires a Truename check as See The Named. Caster level for 
Sending is equal to Truenamer level. This ability is useable three times per day.

Semvokaelsnaet: This is Telces' +1 Dancing Vorpal Greatsword. It can be released 
to fight for 4 rounds, after which it must remain dormant for 4 rounds. It fights 
with his attack bonus, meaning it attacks at +37/+32/+27/+22. Each attack deals 
2d6+1 damage, and decapitates on a natural 20 critical hit.

Speak Unto The Masses: This ability allows multiple creatures to be impacted by 
the same utterance. It requires that none of the creatures be more than 30 feet apart, 
and the Dc is that of the highest creature's CR, times 2, plus 15. The DC increases by 
2 for each creature beyond the first. All creatures must be of the same type. (Such as 
humanoid, aberration, etc.)

Utterances: 

As 30th level Truenamer. DC to speak: 15 + 2x target creature's CR, HD for players.

Known: Save DC: 39

Lexicon of the Evolving Mind: 

1: Inertia Surge, Universal Aptitude

2: Archer's Eye, Speed of the Zephyr, Strike of Might, Temporal Twist

3: Accelerated Attack, Incarnation of Angels, Seek the Sky, Temporal Spiral, Vision Sharpened

4: Caster Lens, Morale Boost, Potent Word of Nurturing, Spell Rebirth, Word of Bolstering,

5: Essence of Lifespark, Sensory Focus, Ward of Peace, Eldritch Attraction

6: Greater Knight's Puissance, Greater Word of Nurturing, Singular Mind

Lexicon of the Crafted Tool:

1: Keen Weapon

2: Analyze Item

3: Rebuild Item

4: Transmute Weapon

5: Seize Item

Lexicon of the Perfected Map:

1: Shield of the Landscape, Shockwave

2: Speak Rock to Mud

3: Thwart the Traveller

4:  Deny Passage

Special Qualities:

Archon Immunities: Telces is immune to Electricity and Petrification.

Aura of Menace: A righteous aura out to 20 feet surrounds any word archon 
that fights or gets angry. Any hostile creature within 20 feet must pass a 
DC 20 will save to resist. Failure causes -2 to attack rolls, saves, and AC 
for 24 hours or until they successfully hit the archon who generated the aura. 
Upon resisting or breaking the effect, does not work again for 24 hours.

DR 10/Evil

Heavy Fortification: Telces receives normal damage on critical hits 100 percent 
of the time.

Known Personal Truename: Telces is aware of his own Truename, and can say it. 
This name is also an obscure personal truename, meaning that the DC to speak 
it is increased by 4, in addition to the normal +2 DC to speak any personal 
truename. He has taken pains to conceal it, and so the difficulty of researching 
it is also increased by 4.

Low Light Vision and Darkvision 60ft.

Magic Circle Against Good: This effect constantly provides a +2 deflection bonus 
to all AC and saves against attacks by good creatures. Good conjured or summoned 
creatures cannot touch the subject unless their spell resistance fails to be overcome. 
Mental control, domination, or posession by good creatures cannot be exercised. Field 
cannot be forced over a creature, will yield if it is.

Personal Truename Backlash: So complex and fiddly is Telces' truename, that anyone 
who fails by 5 points or more to speak it successfully, say to unmake him, or similar, 
will take 30d6 points of damage immediately from backlash.

Speak With All The Words of Men: Telces is the subject of constant Tongues, as the spell.

SR 18

Skills:  

On any Knowledge check involving Truename Research, Raeft receives a +2 bonus.

Concentration +35 
Knowledge: Arcana +37
Knowledge: Monsters +37
Knowledge: Dungeoneering +34
Knowledge: The Planes +37
Knowledge: Celestials +34
Knowledge: Religion +37
Knowledge: Demons and Devils +34
Truespeak +87
Use Magic Device +53
Spot +21
Search +24
Listen +21
Hide +20
Diplomacy +30
Intimidate +30
Move Silently +20
Perform:Oratory +27
Jump +24
Bluff +27
Sleight of Hand +20
Ride +20
Decipher Script +24
Spellcraft +24

Flaws:

Feeble: (-2 on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution-based skill checks)

Feats:  

Obscure Personal Truename
Truename Research
Recitation of the Sanguine State
Recitation of the Vital State
Personal Truename Backlash
Skill Focus (Truespeak)
Enlarge Utterance
Extend Utterance
Two Weapon Fighting
Improved Two Weapon Fighting
Greater Two Weapon Fighting
Quicken Utterance
Empower Utterance
Leadership
Epic Leadership

Items:  8,800,000 gold worth of resources. Divided, roughly, as follows:

Former Purchases: 

Tome of Clear Thought +5: This tome gives Telces a permanent 
+5 inherent bonus to Intelligence. This is included above.

Tome of Leadership and Influence +5: This tome gives Telces a permanent 
+5 inherent bonus to Charisma. This is included above.

Tome of Understanding +5: This tome gives Telces a permanent 
+5 inherent bonus to Wisdom. This is included above.

Manual of Bodily Health +5 : This manual gives Telces a permanent 
+5 inherent bonus to Constitution. This is included above.

Manual of Gainful Exercise +5 : This manual gives Telces a permanent 
+5 inherent bonus to Strength. This is included above.

Manual of Quickness of Action +5 : This manual gives Telces a permanent 
+5 inherent bonus to Dexterity. This is included above.


Personal gear: 

+6 Bracers of Giant's Strength. (Bracers): 
Provide a +6 enhancement bonus to strength when worn.

+6 Mantle of Charisma (Cape): 
Provides a +6 enhancement bonus to charisma when worn.

+6 Headband of Intellect (Head): 
Provides a +6 enhancement bonus to intelligence when worn.

+6 Gloves of Deftness (Hands): 
Provides a +6 enhancement bonus to dexterity when worn.

+6 Vest of Vitality (Torso): 
Provides a +6 enhancement bonus to constitution when worn.

+6 Lennon Shades of Great Perception (Eyes): 
Provides a +6 enhancement bonus to wisdom when worn.

Cloak of Displacement: When worn, this cloak effects a continual 
"Displacement" spell on Telces. This causes anyone attacking him 
to have a 50% miss chance, as if he had full concealment, though 
it does not prevent people from targeting him normally. It does 
not cause a notable shimmering effect or anything stupid like that. 
Attacks just miss.

Greater Amulet of the Silver Tongue: This provides a +30 bonus to 
all Truespeak checks, and is factored into the above statistics block.

Ring of Spell Turning: On command (a standard action), this ring reflects 
all spells cast at the wearer exactly as if Spell Turning had been cast upon the wearer.

Ring of Three Wishes: This ring has three wishes left, and is frequently recharged by 
Telces' cohort.

Staff of Power: This mighty weapon is typically repaired and recharged by Telces' cohort, 
but is not usually at full power. Usually six to 36 charges have been burnt off. 
(Roll 1d20, on less than 17, roll 1d6 x6 and subtract that many charges.) 
This is a +2 Quarterstaff, and grants Telces' a continual +2 Luck bonus to AC and saving 
throws.

Weapons and Armor: 

 Induivitest-ah'nen~alesaen: Literally "Falling Hand of Some God", this is Vel's 
obligatory two-handed +5 Throwing Returning Wounding Warhammer of Disruption. 
Yes, it's a mouthful. Yes, it's deadly.

Ellesaen'taesnt: Literally: "Guard from the unseen". A +8 Defending Ghost Touch 
short sword. While drawn, it causes a constant True Seeing effect to be active 
on the wielder.

Semvokaelsnaet: The name which would be applied, on a multiversal scale, to 
Telces' own death in the True Speech. This is a +1 Dancing Vorpal Greatsword. 

For Two Weapon Fighting: He also possesses two less colorfully named weapons: 
A +2 Brilliant Energy longsword of Speed, and a +2 Keen Vorpal Shortsword of 
Wounding.

+3 Animated Large Steel Shield of Heavy Fortification: This shield can be used 
"hands free", and grants invulnerability to critical hits (That is, they do normal 
damage. All other special effects still apply.)

+5 Breastplate of Etherealness: This sturdy armor allows Telces to become ethereal 
once a day, and remain that way as long as he wishes before reverting.

The rest of the money (4.4 million or so)  has been invested in the fortress, 
the walls, potions, scrolls, and the Library. As well as various rare magic 
items, materials, and more mundane things like corporate interests and ongoing 
spelunking expeditions.


Potions and Scrolls: It can be assumed that Telces has scrolls and potions of 
any given spell pre-prepared, since he DOES have about ten of every spell, 
-especially- the Truename Sor/Wiz spells from the Tome of Magic.

He always carries 3 scrolls of Unname, and a Rod of Mordenkainen's Disjunction. He also brings his Ring of Wish for THOSE spells, and four scrolls of Heal, in a Bag of Holding. 

Followers: Note that troops hired with gold are not included in the list of 
followers, and he has many. Tel will pay for their training, meals, and allow 
those who're generally unsavory, or just crave forbidden knowledge, to join him: 
without a second thought.

Disloyalty is rare, since he takes good care of his people and pays well, but it happens.

Leadership Score: 52

1st Level: 2200
2nd Level: 220
3rd Level: 110
4th Level: 55
5th level: 27
6th level: 13
7th level: 6
8th level: 3
9th level: 1

Cohort is a 20th level Half Fiend Artificer (ECL 23).

Note that these are just those trusted soldiers who are fanatically loyal to 
Telces. There are many others, all hired, but loyal due to the good pay and 
opportunities to indulge. These range from high-level practitioners to lowly 
grunts on their way up, but it can be assumed he employs most of the resources 
of a small city-state, and a lot more focused ones at that.

Hinterlands Stronghold and the War Effort:

Starting Funds:  Telces donated 4 million gold pieces of his own money to build 
their stronghold, hire forces, stock magical items and resources, and as seed 
money in many business interests.

The fruition of this is that his war effort is now self-supporting, netting 2 
million gold pieces in addition to all upkeep and hiring costs being paid, each 
month. This money is used to fund attacks, improve the stronghold, but not really 
for anything Telces himself needs. His men do see the height of luxury, though, 
and they're grateful, showing it with loyalty and aid.

A substantial magical library, many businesses, and various other things were 
founded by Telces in an effort to render the Hinterlands a firm and well-defended 
locale.

The Walls: The area is surrounded by ten foot high, magically treated walls. 
These are thick enough to survive quite an assault, and all entrances are staffed 
by skilled and loyal guardsman, usually with arrow slits, or spell-infused magic 
items of some kind. If desperate, any troop on the wall who is hard pressed will 
speak Telces' name, and watch as he comes to protect them. In places, defences are 
augmented by permanent or frequently renewed Prismatic Walls or Walls of Force. 
Antimagic fields coincide with some areas, or can be activated or deactivated 
with specific items.

Resources: At any given point on the walls, it can be assumed there will be a brute 
squad (Made up of hired trolls, ogres, ettins, minotaurs, something with muscle), a 
concealed squad (Composed of Invisible Stalkers, mages with invisibility, skilled 
thieves or rogues of some sort, or small quiet powerful things), and an Assassin Squad 
(Loyalists with impressive skills who will escape if things go bad to report the 
incident, capabilities of the opponents, and who survived on their side, if anyone, or 
to fight if their help would serve to sway the tide). These are assumed to be in 
possession of their normal supplies, as well as some of the 2 million gold's worth 
of defenses on the wall. These vary from Walls of Force or Prismatic Walls generated 
from items with an "on off switch" dispel magic/spell effect, to Antimagic Fields 
which can be sprung up in areas between the ground and one hundred feet high, or items 
useable by anyone to cast Summon Monster 8 or 9 to handle encroaching foes. In addition, each "gate post" along the wall has some small gems which, when crushed at the holder's feet, will teleport them safely to the Stronghold. Potions are typically held in each area, along with a healer and some scrolls for any spellcasters.

Upkeep, and the Hinterlands: This Word Archon dominates an area the size of a small nation. It really contains only a few towns, the Stronghold, and a very, very good border. The border is routinely patrolled by loyal lieutenants, staffed with minotaurs, ogres, and other strong races, as well as crafty and guile-filled thieves and assassins who will go for those who eliminate or harass the larger, more obvious threats. In the event a battle seems hopeless, one of the men will call out the name of Telces, and like an avenging angel the Truenamer will appear and sweep the battlefield clean.

Resources in the hinterlands range from manufacturing companies to pharmaceutical locales, to apothecaries, to magic shops, to anything else which is exportable. In truth, if the Hinterlands shut down, many important sectors of the regional economy would be in one hell of a slump. It exports manufactured goods, mining resources, magic, technology, and anything else Telces could persuade to settle there. He's good at making himself too useful to bump off. He is slowly grabbing outside territory through an intricately planned dance, though he realizes he can't stretch himself too thin, and thus does not make many obvious moves, preferring subterfuge.

Resources: The Hinterlands contain a great many bars, lots of sources of information. There are towns, with markets, bazaars, and an odd mix of technology and magic is prevalent. In essence it's a small (quite small) country of its own, and contains farmland, supermarkets, and old-fashioned medieval barter bazaars. An odd juxtoposition, but most things, even if not normally available, can be bought as readily as anywhere else. Law is kept by police, like normal. Things are policed, legal actions can be filed, and it's basically a society. Though one which expands its influence slowly. 

The Stronghold:

Resources: Magical devices and technological amusements, the "Stronghold" is at the center of the area called the Hinterlands. It is a fortress. Armed by hundreds of men, especially usually Telces and his lieutenants, it is full of secret passageways, word-driven puzzles, libraries of arcane information, and gates to the rest of his realm.

The Armory: The armory of Telces' fortress is, at any time, stocked with roughly 4 million gold's worth of magical arms and armor. There are also potions of quite literally every common spell (Including such favorites as fire breath, love, heroism, oil of slipperiness, Keoghtom's Ointment, and others), a great many Beads of Force, scrolls for every conventionally known spell that Telces could get scribed, staves of all types, Wands of most spells, various magical armors, and its workforce of mages and Artificers can generally produce any required item in a few weeks, given notice.

The Courtyard: The courtyard in the middle of Telces' stronghold has several stone archways, each marked in all known languages (they're big), with the name of a plane, or area within the Hinterlands. This may be "The Library", or "Elemental Plane - Fire". They lead to: The Library, the Catacomb's deepest level, each of the eight directional hubs of the Wall, the plane of Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Celestial Planes, Infernal/Abyssal Planes, and the Ethereal and Astral Planes. They cast respective Gate spells, or Teleport without Error spells.

The Information Hub: In a room near the center of the fortress is a hub which contains diviners on eight hour shifts. They're generally allowed to play computer games, read, or relax. Crystal balls and remote viewing devices, as well as modern data processing and networking equipment, fills the room. It really springs to life when Telces sends them down a question. They then have 24 hours to commune with spirits or gods, ask the winds or animals, view remote locales, and get him an answer to his satisfaction. Otherwise they're fired, and left out in the cold with nothing but an impressive severance package, tons of magical items, an impressive resume, and a slit throat.

Personal Quarters: Telces' personal quarters is zealously guarded, and contains records of the Truenames of adversaries he feels he may have to confront in the near future, research, his weaponry, his personal store of potions and scrolls, and so on.

The Library: This is Telces' most impressive compilation. There are mundane books on every topic, and it is so well equipped as to provide a +2 circumstance bonus on almost any Knowledge check. It also comprises a full Truenaming library, usually sealed for his private use, but open to his military allies. The most impressive thing is the undergound stacks room. Fairly small, it contains nothing but about a few hundred of Boccob's Blessed Books. On each page of these, is a scribed Wizard spell. Some are duplicates, but every spell imaginable is there, and any Wizard who wishes, for a small fee, may have the use of it for their studies. No books can be taken from the room, something the Quasit guarding the place, and his companions, make sure of. It is defended at all times by 5 each of Iron Golems and Clay Golems made for just such a purpose, and is supported by forces which can be called in an emergency.

Army Forces: Not everyone in the Hinterlands is a warrior. In fact, most are civilians. But Telces jealously guards -all- of them. They go to work in factories, as storekeeps, and generally life within the wall proceeds as normal. Some do volunteer for the army, and are treated to luxury and power, at the price of having to do whatever he says. Not that he's irrational, and he'd certainly never give an order he himself wouldn't follow.

His army, in addition to loyal followers planted almost everywhere, consists of the forces posted on the Wall, and batallions of Clerics (usually all of the same god in one unit), masses of Mages, tons of Fighters, Assassin scout teams, squads of Rogues, and anyone else who wants a 500 gold piece a week pay check (In the high ranks. But that's including room, board, and so on, as well as outfitting and healing, really it's probably about 100 in their pocket, which is still good.) He only takes the best, and trains the elites vigorously, or has people do it for him.

The basic forces tend to average from level one to ten, but hired lieutenants, monsters, and so on, tend to be 13 or higher.

Attacks are staged once or twice a month, are coordinated, and almost always seize some territory. Inevitably, though, forces endeavor only to harm opposing forces, not the locals. They want to RECRUIT the locals. This has the advantage of letting them take good care of the locals and get loyalty in return, and keeping the forces from spreading too thin: The new territory occupies itself. There are parts of the Hinterland away from the non-mobile central Wall by now, but outside the wall, Telces' control is basically through taxation and trade, not as concrete and central as within it. He can afford to lose territory outside the Wall, but not within.