Redcloak

Player Name: Incardine
Contact Info: NekoIncChan on AIM
Other Characters Played:
* Original Character, Megaera D'Ashland
* Code Geass, Kallen Stadtfeld

Character Name: Redcloak
Canon: The Order Of The Stick

Canon Background: http://oots.wikia.com/wiki/Redcloak

AU Background: The Goblins were once a problem all over Dagaria. However, for reasons unknown, the church started to actively target them, killing them by the thousands and driving them further and further westward. As far as is known, no Goblins have existed in Dagaria proper for centuries, though they have maintained many strongholds in Karemond.

The Goblins worship a single god - the Dark One, a martyr of their people who is believed to be a source of divine power - particularly emblemized in his cloak, the oft-repaired Crimson Mantle, that marks the leader of the Church of The Dark One. (Any Goblin given a chance to explain will note that the Dark One's true name is lost to history - his nickname refers to the unusual, purple color of his skin.)

The Dark One has, for a century or two, maintained a plan that somehow relates to the Rift - a plan that requires the completion of a two-part ritual, half arcane and half divine. The divine half was to be handled by the Mantle's bearer; the arcane half, on the other hand, would have to be cast by a mighty sorcerer.

Redcloak has only recently gotten into contact with the powerful sorcerer-lich, Xykon, and roped him into a plan of two parts. First, to wrest control of Dagarian territory from the empire for the Goblins. Second, to gain sufficient control of an area within the Rift to complete the ritual. What that ritual is meant to do is unknown to Xykon - Redcloak, however, knows that the intent is to literally teleport the entire Rift to a location of his god's choosing - a horrific weapon that will allow the Goblins to take an equal seat of power the world over.

(Unlike in canon, Redcloak wasn't responsible for Xykon becoming a lich. However, he does now carry Xykon's phylactery as his personal unholy symbol.)

Personality:
The leader of the Goblin peoples has lived almost forty years without aging, thanks to the power of the Crimson Mantle. He has seen much in that age, and has been mentally scarred and toughened by it - having become more than a little set in his ways, frustrated at the glacial pace of his schemes on behalf of the goblin people.

The Goblin people are his absolute highest priority. He seeks nothing more than to ensure they get their fair shake in the world, free of human assaults on their every attempt at a civilization. He will stop at nothing for this goal... And hasn't stopped at things that would stop many a less-devoted man, including killing his own brother. The losses he has suffered from this devotion have only further hardened his heart against humanity.

Redcloak is openly and plainly loyal to Lord Xykon, and his plan, at least he claims, will allow Lord Xykon to rule the world. This is a farce - an act maintained by Redcloak having developed a pretty good Bluff check over a long time. While Redcloak needs Xykon (being the handiest powerful sorcerer around) for his plan, Xykon's actions have reminded Redcloak that the lich's bones are still human. He regularly, actively, and carefully manipulates Xykon, and has done so for decades - and for the right motivation, would even turn on him. (This isn't to say Redcloak won't follow Xykon's orders in most situations - the guy is the boss, until the right time comes.)

The biggest difference between Redcloak and Xykon is their INT score. Redcloak is an expert strategist and revels in well-constructed, adaptable schemes. Sometimes, his plans get very elaborate (including a signature of, in various ways, tricking people as to what locations in a fight are most important), but most of the time, he is simply a master at applying his forces in the right locations. He even will take pains to learn the exact spell patterns typical to a group of mages, so he can have counterspells for their every move at the ready.

When it comes to more subtle behaviors, Redcloak prefers to be dry and sarcastic in his tone, often the straight man to the insane antics of the rest of his team. He is willing to point out other's hypocrisies and inefficient behaviors. He remembers the identities of his foes quite well, and can even be amicable to them in some circumstances. That said, sometimes, he's very bad at reading them - in particular, he's prone to assuming people know things they don't, because it makes sense they'd know them.

Combat Style: Redcloak, in melee combat, is, to put it lightly, screwed - he doesn't have a lot of defensive magic in his style, nor does he carry any weapon. He relies on his forces to protect him, while he relies on summoning gigantic, chemically-themed elementals, law-based debuff magic such as Hold Person, and a few choice destructive spells such as (later in canon) Implosion.

Redcloak is potentially a high-level opponent. Even without the help of Xykon or Black Mage, he and his personal unit are more than capable of singlehandedly facing down entire teams of heroes... Unless you catch him alone in melee. Then he's meat.

Kingdom or Faction: Team Evil (sort of).

Primary Role: Commander.

Soldier or Siege Company:
Redcloak, being the spiritual leader of the goblin peoples, is entrusted by the Goblin Nations with a moderate-sized force (the equivalent of three units), including a few small seige units (usually catapult-based), and several hundred soldiers trained in the use of both longbows and swords. Most units are backed up by low-level clerics of the Dark One, who specialize (unlike Redcloak himself) mostly in area-targeted buff magics to improve their ability to fight and survive.

Given Redcloak's proclivity for strategic thinking, it's safe to say that in open field combat, his armies tend to be exponentially more dangerous than Xykon's undead forces, even though it takes three goblins to defeat the average single zombie. (Which isn't to say he won't get Xykon to toss the undead in a convenient direction.) Further, any military results he attains will likely start inspiring more goblins to actively join - or deploy forces under - his banner.

Tarot Cards:
Past - The High Priestess. When Redcloak donned the Crimson Mantle, much was revealed to him - most of which defines his nature and objectives now.
Present - The Emperor. Redcloak, while technically only the religious leader of his people, is firmly and clearly the most powerful person in the Goblin Nations.
Future - The Heirophant. Redcloak and The Dark One hate few human institutions quite like they hate the Church, and conflict between him and them will be inevitable.

Title: The Crimson Bearer or The Dark One's Herald.

Artifacts: The Crimson Mantle is a divine (presumably) artifact of The Dark One. It grants an unclear but significant array of boons to any cleric of The Dark One who wears it - including immunity to both aging and disease. Most importantly, it grants the bearer knowledge of The Dark One's plan for the Rift. Redcloak has worn the mantle for 34 years.

Setting Considerations: The only abnormalities of note for setting considerations, is that the canon... Thingy... Known as the Snarl can be directly dropped in favor of a modified scheme involving the Rift, and the fact that Redcloak's signature summons are based on chemical elements, not natural elements. (He does not make elementals of molecular compounds in canon, but it's implicitly possible.)

Notes: Did I emphasize how dangerous Redcloak gets over time? Because it seriously, seriously bears repeating. A lot.

Sample Post: http://testrun-box.dreamwidth.org/14045.html?view=282845&posted=1#cmt282845