Eric (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
overbringer) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
overbox2014-12-18 11:50 am
overbringer) wrote in overbox2014-12-18 11:50 am
Good vs Evil
I'm going to basically just copy/paste Avshar's setting, and then update this post as people offer suggestions.
In a distant land, two kingdoms warred: Videssos and Makuran. They were very different lands, but both honorable and civilized nations. About a generation ago, however, Makuran was invaded and conquered by the barbarian nomad hordes known as Yezd. Makuran now struggles under their new overlords, who have their sights set on Videssos. The most feared general of Yezd is the Wizard-Prince Avshar, who has led Yezd's armies in victory after victory, first against Makuran, and now against Videssos in stinging raids.
The last few months have been quiet, however. Avshar has not been seen along the borders. Rather, he has been seen in Videssos's capital itself, acting as an emissary for prisoner exchanges, arguments over who owns towns on the border, and other such business. He has so far minded his manners enough that he has not forfeited diplomatic immunity, but the Videssian officers and troops are just waiting for an excuse, especially since Avshar saw fit to bring his retinue of "aids", as unsavory a lot as ever there were who are causing no end of complaints amongst the citizens.
With open war on the horizon and an ambassador who's very presence is an open insult, tensions are at the breaking point. The only question is who will snap first.
In a distant land, two kingdoms warred: Videssos and Makuran. They were very different lands, but both honorable and civilized nations. About a generation ago, however, Makuran was invaded and conquered by the barbarian nomad hordes known as Yezd. Makuran now struggles under their new overlords, who have their sights set on Videssos. The most feared general of Yezd is the Wizard-Prince Avshar, who has led Yezd's armies in victory after victory, first against Makuran, and now against Videssos in stinging raids.
The last few months have been quiet, however. Avshar has not been seen along the borders. Rather, he has been seen in Videssos's capital itself, acting as an emissary for prisoner exchanges, arguments over who owns towns on the border, and other such business. He has so far minded his manners enough that he has not forfeited diplomatic immunity, but the Videssian officers and troops are just waiting for an excuse, especially since Avshar saw fit to bring his retinue of "aids", as unsavory a lot as ever there were who are causing no end of complaints amongst the citizens.
With open war on the horizon and an ambassador who's very presence is an open insult, tensions are at the breaking point. The only question is who will snap first.
Avshar
800 years ago he was a priest of Phos, the chief god of Videssos. When his city was invaded by barbarians, the carnage and bloodshed he saw caused him to decide that humanity was inherently evil. He tried to preach the new word and was excommunicated and exiled for it. He found the secret to immortality from Skotos, Phos's dark rival. He's been working in the shadows ever since, manipulating various foreign powers into weapons to use against Videssos, in his attempts to bring down the empire that rejected him.
He is ostensibly human, but possesses nigh superhuman strength and endurance, hundreds of years of practice in the arts of war and magic, and backing by the dark god Skotos himself. Skotos's domains as a god are Evil, Darkness, Ice, and Hunger.
Avshar's magic is very powerful, and works best on a large scale. He effects entire armies, turning his troops invisible, setting swarms of demons upon his foes, controlling walls of fire, starting avalanches, and other such horrifying battle magics. However the trade off for his spells being so powerful and huge is that they are diffuse. Rival mages can counter him with more focused spells of their own, and even utterly non-magical humans can just power through them if they are sufficiently passionate about it. The rage of battle makes his magic unreliable.
PLOT HOOKS:
- Someone well versed in lore to eventually piece together Avshar's history
- Various people seeking revenge for loved ones he or his minions have killed
- A fighter who can match him physically in battle
- A mage who can deal with his magics, either by counterspells or just by cleverness.