Post by Nephallim on Apr 30, 2006 19:22:31 GMT -5
What follows is brainstorming for character ideas for the NWN 2 incarnation of the persistant world I play on.
The Geldrei Family
Once a line of kings and great lords, the Geldrei family has fallen far over the centuries. In days of old, three branches of the Geldrei family existed: The Lions of Geldrei who ruled, the Mirrors of Geldrei who learned, and the Shields of Geldrei who served. Traditionally the Lions married cousins, brothers, and sisters within the branch to keep the line pure, but three hundred years ago the Lions produced a generation of only male children. Gwirth Geldrei, the first in line to the house's lordship, died while away at war. Welvan Geldrei, the next in line, was injured in a hunting accident and paralyzed from the waist down. Fearing that some harm befall Welvan's heir and end the male line, the next heir, Galaran I, was married to the heiress of the line of Mirrors.
Years passed, and Galaran fathered no heirs. Rumors whispered that his wife, Dresdre, was barren. The branch of Shields, perhaps directed by the head of the branch of Lions, made several attempts to entice Galaran into one of their daughter's beds. Galaran, however, genuinly loved his wife and refused their advances. Eventually the Shields threatened to kill Dresdre and force one of their daughters on Galaran. Fearing for her life, Dresdre consulted her occult learning and made a contract with a demon called Dirth. In return for fertility, Dirth demanded one thing: the name of her firstborn son and of every heir to the Lions thereafter. When Dresdre inquired as to who's name they'd take, Dirth said “Why, they shall have their sire's.” And so, Galaran I finally sired an heir, and Galaran II was born. For several years the family was at peace and all was well.
Misfortune struck when the younger Galaran came of age. On the eve of his sixteenth nameday, the boy came down with a fierce fever. The surgeons and apothecaries of the Mirror Geldreis whispered that the boy had no affliction they had knowledge of. A few of the head vassals of the Shield Geldreis stated quite loudly that they thought thought the boy to be cursed and openly accused Dresdre of witchcraft. After near a fortnight of enduring the fever, the younger Galaran recovered, though he was much changed. Where before he had been a kind, smiling boy with dark gold curls, a dark, scowling youth stood, his hair limp and streaked with silvery gray.
Almost immediately, the Shield Geldreis staged a coup and slaughtered the larger portion of the Lion Geldreis and the Mirror Geldreis who tended them. Dresdre managed to escape the butchery with her son and in her greif and rage, she gave her life to lay a powerful curse on the Shield Geldreis. Never would they enjoy the fruits of their betrayal, for they would be cursed to always serve or die of a demon fever. Legends say that her ghost still haunts the ruins of Castle Geldrei, a banshee sorceress of frightening power.
Of the Shield Geldreis many remain, bound to serve, whether it be at the call of other noble houses or of the curches of the realm. The last of the Lion Geldreis, the Galaran Lions and their bastard children, have surfaced and vanished several times in history, plotting assassinations, leading cults devoted to dark gods, and the like.
The Lions of Geldrei
-House Arms: A black lion on a gold field.
-Favored Classes: Warlock (heir). Fighter, barbarian, rogue (bastard)
-Favored Alignments: NE, LE, CN
The Shields of Geldrei
-House Arms: A white/silver shield on a gray-blue field.
-Favored Classes: Fighter, paladin, blackguard, champion
-Favored Alignments: LG, LN, LE
The Geldrei Family
Once a line of kings and great lords, the Geldrei family has fallen far over the centuries. In days of old, three branches of the Geldrei family existed: The Lions of Geldrei who ruled, the Mirrors of Geldrei who learned, and the Shields of Geldrei who served. Traditionally the Lions married cousins, brothers, and sisters within the branch to keep the line pure, but three hundred years ago the Lions produced a generation of only male children. Gwirth Geldrei, the first in line to the house's lordship, died while away at war. Welvan Geldrei, the next in line, was injured in a hunting accident and paralyzed from the waist down. Fearing that some harm befall Welvan's heir and end the male line, the next heir, Galaran I, was married to the heiress of the line of Mirrors.
Years passed, and Galaran fathered no heirs. Rumors whispered that his wife, Dresdre, was barren. The branch of Shields, perhaps directed by the head of the branch of Lions, made several attempts to entice Galaran into one of their daughter's beds. Galaran, however, genuinly loved his wife and refused their advances. Eventually the Shields threatened to kill Dresdre and force one of their daughters on Galaran. Fearing for her life, Dresdre consulted her occult learning and made a contract with a demon called Dirth. In return for fertility, Dirth demanded one thing: the name of her firstborn son and of every heir to the Lions thereafter. When Dresdre inquired as to who's name they'd take, Dirth said “Why, they shall have their sire's.” And so, Galaran I finally sired an heir, and Galaran II was born. For several years the family was at peace and all was well.
Misfortune struck when the younger Galaran came of age. On the eve of his sixteenth nameday, the boy came down with a fierce fever. The surgeons and apothecaries of the Mirror Geldreis whispered that the boy had no affliction they had knowledge of. A few of the head vassals of the Shield Geldreis stated quite loudly that they thought thought the boy to be cursed and openly accused Dresdre of witchcraft. After near a fortnight of enduring the fever, the younger Galaran recovered, though he was much changed. Where before he had been a kind, smiling boy with dark gold curls, a dark, scowling youth stood, his hair limp and streaked with silvery gray.
Almost immediately, the Shield Geldreis staged a coup and slaughtered the larger portion of the Lion Geldreis and the Mirror Geldreis who tended them. Dresdre managed to escape the butchery with her son and in her greif and rage, she gave her life to lay a powerful curse on the Shield Geldreis. Never would they enjoy the fruits of their betrayal, for they would be cursed to always serve or die of a demon fever. Legends say that her ghost still haunts the ruins of Castle Geldrei, a banshee sorceress of frightening power.
Of the Shield Geldreis many remain, bound to serve, whether it be at the call of other noble houses or of the curches of the realm. The last of the Lion Geldreis, the Galaran Lions and their bastard children, have surfaced and vanished several times in history, plotting assassinations, leading cults devoted to dark gods, and the like.
The Lions of Geldrei
-House Arms: A black lion on a gold field.
-Favored Classes: Warlock (heir). Fighter, barbarian, rogue (bastard)
-Favored Alignments: NE, LE, CN
The Shields of Geldrei
-House Arms: A white/silver shield on a gray-blue field.
-Favored Classes: Fighter, paladin, blackguard, champion
-Favored Alignments: LG, LN, LE