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Ideas for a Lunar Patron


Andybmth

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The GM has asked us to come up with a patron to justify our tomb robbing party of lunar scum. Anyone got anything to help add color to this guy... all comments welcome even if it is to point out grammatical failure :-0

 

NABUZEL NINEQUILLS
Outcast Irrippi Ontor Sage- Seeker of the treasures , Keeper of the Red Book secrets
Seventh son of a powerful merchant prince Nabuzel rose to power in the libraries of Glamour but fell from grace (due to sneaking into forbidden areas of the great library stacks) and was sent across the empire. In his travels he used his knowledge gained from the Great Glamour library to track down and unearth the Red Book, an ancient God Learner text. With this knowledge he returned to Glamour and sought audience with the Emperor himself. They spoke for only 1 turn of the Moondial but in that time Nabuzel convinced the Emperor to give him money and resources to track down the items mentioned in the book…for what end…no one but Nabuzel and Emperor know. Nabuzel runs a rag tag band of mercenaries and lunar scum who ransack temples and forgotten places in search of the items mentioned in the Red Book. When items are uncovered he often comes in person (despite his large network of spies and well paid ears) to take the items back for safekeeping. Nabuzel is driven and uncompromising in his quest believing that he is acting as the Emperors own right hand…much to the displeasure of the Emperors right hand man!!! - Likeness John Hannah (Batiatus- Spartacus)

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Raiders of the Cursed Archive...

Maybe work in how some fragment of knowledge from the red book gave Nabuzel the juice to get an audience with Moonson before any two-faced backstabbing courtiers stole  his discovery from him. Perhaps he tracked down his first artefact on his own and attuned it himself.

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I'm unsure from that if he is self obsessed power hungry mercenary or a devoted lunar cultist, that an interesting tension to play out, and something for the players to explore over time.

  • Is he double dealing the empire?
  • Who is his real master?
  • What is his perosonal Agenda?

Also add a little but more substance what seems top be a mercenary character by adding 2 or 3 redeeming features.

  • does he love his family?
  • does he have a ward?
  • who does he care about?
  • what good things does he do to justify himself?
  • who has he helped and why?
  • pets?

The who is his political foe

  • What do they think of him?
  • Why do they oppose him?
  • How far can they go?
  • Do they need evidence of dulplicity?
  • Do they see the characetsr as potential information sources?

'Colour' questions?

  • likes and dislikes?
  • mannerisms?
  • habbits
  • addictions?
  • magical/spiritual/religious quirks
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I would suggest that he is a descendant of the Red Emperor, which helped in gaining access to Moonson (even though it is not that special given the Emperor has thousands of descendants). I'm not sure I'd make the Red Book Godlearner, but perhaps an Illuminate group, such as the Teruvians, or Old Good Shadow, Margins, or White Sun Lords, but that is just a personal preference. I like Jon's suggestions. If it were up to me, I would include the Cult of Krarsht, although they keep no written records  - perhaps the Red Book is an exception!

   

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I think much could be understood about this Nabuzel Ninequills if we had a clue about what was in the Red Book.  Does it even have anything to do with Lunar Worship, given that it is a God Learner artifact?

Next up, as Glamour is part of Dara Happa, and Dara Happa was EWF territory not God Learner territory, what has Nabuzel found exactly?  I would guess it was part of an old EWF intelligence report concerning some sort of God Learner grimoire... unless the item came from Dorastor and the God Learner experiments there (heavens forfend !)

So what is the Red Book ?  A Grimoire of blood sacrifice and chaotic magic fresh from the collective id of the Vadeli ?  Uleria's address book?  or a Grimoires from an egalitarian Malkioni heresy that sought to abolish castes and property (like the Dolcinites or the Bretheren of the Free Spirit, sort of proto-Communists) ?  Perhaps the Red Book is the fabled lab text that allowed the God Learners to create the Fire Bergs that broke the Waertagi ?

It sounds to me like Nabuzel is a vicious opportunist, with just enough official clout to be properly dangerous.  I imagine that the various relevant Lunar intelligence communities look on him with considerable consternation.  He was quite probably a member of one or more such organization in some sort of analysis role.  I imagine that they are sizing him up to check his influence before it grows too large, and potentially to steal his prize before he can land it.  Nobody likes an interloper on their patch.

I imagine that the enemies of the empire look on Nabuzel as being merely the latest form of cancer the Empire had infected them with, but I imagine they would be partial to his coin if the risks were not absurd.  I imagine that there would be plenty who would view Nabuzel as this sort of target for Lunar internal scrutiny and would use him as a stalking horse to discover and liquidate or turn established Lunar spies in their communities.  He's obviously trouble.

I also really like Jon Hunter's contribution.   A nuanced character is always better.  However driven he may be, you need to humanize him.  Even sociopaths have quirks and attitudes.

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Many thanks for the help. The book has been left deliberately vague in terms of contents but the ideas about its origins being EWF are great. Godlearner was probably a stretch. I love the idea of giving him some redeeming features to balance his Power grabbing Lunar zealotry. Also I am sure the GM I'll be pleased with the potential stumbling blocks to Nabuzels plan. Totally forgot the Lunar secret service was so rife with faction s. Our poor player characters thought we had enough going against us with angry mobs of upset Orlanthi. Many thanks again for the contributions, this is what I love about the collaborative nature of our community.

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Does Nabuzel Ninequills carry the book with him? This could be dangerous and risky but also opens up some doors to interesting adventures. Given that the Red Book is of God Learner or EWF/Draconic origin, perhaps it is cursed. Luckily, Nabuzel has a charm or talisman which protects him from attack by the spirits of the curse and makes the spirits blind to his existence, but should the book be lost or stolen those sent by Nabuzel to recover and return it would have some intriguing problems to deal with. Bad dreams, nightmares, night terrors, temporary possessions, and sinister spiritual attacks await the minions of Nabuzel.

Having Lunar rivals and non-Lunar shadows as well could lend an element of paranoia to the characters unlucky enough to be taking his patronage. Perhaps a Jalmari knight and some fanatical Humakti muscle are on Nabuzel's tail. Have the underlings of Nabuzel learn that the Humakti are on their trail and let them panic as these relentless killers hunt them. Being Humakti, they are poor bounty hunters or trackers so an actual confrontation need not occur. Just the knowledge that they're out there, somewhere, hunting Nabuzel and his PC minions will be a source of tension and urgency driving forward the drama of the adventure.

Perhaps their plans are overheard by a notorious trickster who gains a vague inkling into the value of the book or of Nabuzel himself. Theft, kidnapping, blackmail or con-artistry could be challenges the minion PCs have to deal with and overcome in their service to Nabuzel.

Perhaps the Great Library of Glamour after conducting an exhaustive forensic investigation has pieced together enough of the story that they suspect they know what Nabuzel is up to. No details, just broad strokes. Not knowing about the imperial approval, the library sends agents to clean up the mess, recover or secure the book (if it exists) and bring back Nabuzel and his minions for interrogation. 

Not only have the Librarians of Glamour learned of Nabuzel. Within their ranks are informers who have leaked Nabuzel's name and a very vague description of the librarians' suspicions to agents of the Library of Heads. The greedy Thanatari/Atyari cannot pass up the opportunity to possess such knowledge and send out agents to track, verify and secure Nabuzel's book and head.

Word has come to the ears of a powerful Stygian sorcerer from Arkat's Hold that there is a lunar scribe in possession of an ancient, powerful and very dangerous artefact. The sorcerer is unable to scry the details of this menace but feels concerned enough that he decides he must personally track down and confront the mysterious clerk.

The Emperor, fearing that Nabuzel is vulnerable and the book is at risk decides to send a very capable but very small team of fixers and watchers to protect imperial interests. Realising that Nabuzel is a shrewd judge of character and slightly paranoid, the fixers must follow Nabuzel and his minions at a distance and cannot infiltrate his party. They are instrumental in cleaning up the messes that the party leaves in its wake. They can also swoop in and save the party if things get out of hand for the PCs.

Those are just some ideas for such an interesting and flawed patron as Nabuzel to be entangled in. Give the whole Red Book arc a creepy hybrid Lovecraftian-Gloranthan vibe and you're set for a wild and spooky ride.

Cheers and good gaming.

Evilroddy.

 

Edited by Evilroddy
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