| 1 | [[center: [- [[Characters/FightingFantasy Main Character Index]] | '''Forces of Order''': [[Characters/FightingFantasyCelestialCourt Celestial Court]] | [[Characters/FightingFantasyTheHeroAndCompanions The Hero's Band]] | [[Characters/FightingFantasyAllies Allies]] ([[Characters/FightingFantasyStarPupils The Star Pupils]]) | [[Characters/FightingFantasyRulers Rulers]] | '''Forces of Chaos''': [[Characters/FightingFantasyAntagonistsDarkGods Dark Gods]] | [[Characters/FightingFantasyAntagonistsThePit The Pit]] | [[Characters/FightingFantasyAntagonistsAllansia Allansia]] ([[Characters/FightingFantasyAntagonistsDemonicThree The Demonic Three]]) | [[Characters/FightingFantasyAntagonistsKhul Khul]] | [[Characters/FightingFantasyAntagonistsOldWorld The Old World]] | [[Characters/FightingFantasyAntagonistsOtherWorlds Other Dimensions]]]]-] |
| 2 | |
| 3 | This is a page for the villains of the ''Literature/FightingFantasy'' universe, fought in the Old World: one of the three continents of the world of Titan. It is the only continent who escaped the sheer devastation brought by the Chaos Wars, due to a powerful ritual destroying the LegionsOfHell before they could strike. It is the FantasyCounterpartCulture of [[TheMiddleAges Medieval Europe]], with many an {{Uberwald}} settings in the GrimUpNorth. |
| 4 | |
| 5 | Given the nature of the gamebooks, any vital plot-relevant twists and weaknesses (''especially'' weaknesses) should be kept under spoiler tags. |
| 6 | |
| 7 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 8 | ---- |
| 9 | !!Rulers |
| 10 | [[folder:The Archmage of Mampang]] |
| 11 | [[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/archimage_de_mampang.jpg]] |
| 12 | [[caption-width-right:280:[[labelnote: Click here to see the Netherworld Demon]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/netherworld_demon_0.jpg[[/labelnote]]]] |
| 13 | -> '''Appears in''': ''Literature/{{Sorcery}}'' |
| 14 | |
| 15 | The mysterious BigBad of the four-tomes spin-off ''Sorcery'', who established his dominion over the Kakhabad: The Vermin Pit at Earth End, a desolate wasteland plagued by monsters and evil. He got infamous for killing a {{Kaiju}}-sized Seven-Headed Hydra, reanimating each heads into [[CoDragons the Seven Serpents]], and for building the gigantic and unassailable [[TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon Mampang Fortress]].\ |
| 16 | |
| 17 | He sent his men steal the magical Crown of Kings, which makes its wearer a great ruler, worn for a few years by every monarch in the Old World wears before being passed to the next. The Archmage intends to use the crown unite the entire Kakhabad into his own kingdom. The king of Analand, who had the crown when it was stolen then hires you to take it back, and put an end to the Archmage’s blight...\ |
| 18 | |
| 19 | The Archmage is markedly different in the [[VideoGame/{{Sorcery}} Inkle IOS adaptation]], with a more developed background and different personality, powers and motives... |
| 20 | ---- |
| 21 | !!!Gamebooks specific tropes |
| 22 | * AmazingTechnicolorPopulation: Chalk-white skin is never a sign of health and peach. |
| 23 | * AmbiguouslyHuman: He might be a standard human warped by black magic, [[spoiler: or an enormously powerful demon masquerading as an archmage. Or both at once...]] |
| 24 | * AntagonistAbilities: A world-class mage, who can dispel everything you throw at him and retaliate with bigger guns effortlessly. [[spoiler: And whose demon form can seal your doom if not properly dealt with.]] |
| 25 | * AntiClimaxBoss: [[spoiler: Really? '''This''' is the uber badass BigBad who soundly kicked your ass before? A grotesque demon with a measly skill 7 stamina 7? Not exactly as epic as expected...]] |
| 26 | * TheArchmage: Quite obviously so. He bears the title and sure deserves it, numbering as one the most powerful among the many {{Evil Sorcerer}}s of the franchise. |
| 27 | * BadassBookworm: The Archmage spent decades studying sorcery, masters every spell available in the series even better than you (who play as a very powerful MagicKnight), and many more, and defeated one of the mightiest monsters to ever roam Titan. When you face the Hydra that he resurrected, it has skill 17 stamina 24, on par with a half-awake Literature/NightDragon no less! And he was able to defeat '''that'''! [[spoiler: Fortunately, the resurrected beast is but an illusion that promptly vanishes.]] |
| 28 | * BadassLongrobe: He wears lavish robes ornate with magic sigils. |
| 29 | * BeardOfEvil: The Archmage's goatee looks definitely evil, fitting for a powerful sorcerer, and just screams "bad guy". |
| 30 | * BigBad: The main villain of the whole epic, who wants to make the Kakhabad a military power able to threaten the neighbouring nations. |
| 31 | * BigRedDevil: [[spoiler: The Netherworld Demon he turns into looks like your pretty standard fiend: huge, scaly and hideous, with hooves, claws and horns.]] |
| 32 | * BondVillainStupidity: [[spoiler: So, the Archmage has you at his mercy... And is content with throwing you in jail, not even taking your equipment! Sure, [[CurbStompBattle you painfully found out how outmatched you are]], and he throws you with an AntiMagic prisoner to prevent you from spellcasting. But still. Not even considering that said prisoner might reveal his big secret, let alone that you might have an item that can save you, is WrongGenreSavvy at best and TooDumbToLive at worst, and predictably leads to his downfall.]] |
| 33 | * BreathWeapon: [[spoiler: When materialised, the Netherworld Demon can incinerate you with a fire breath.]] |
| 34 | * ClippedWingAngel: [[spoiler: With only skill 7 stamina 7 and the possibility to OneHitKill him with a spell, the Netherworld Demon is laughably easy to defeat during the TransformationSequence. Then again, one single mistake and he obliterates you when fully materialized.]] |
| 35 | * ComplexityAddiction: [[spoiler: Granted, his possession of Farren Whyde makes a nice plot twist. But with him already very well protected, in an unassailable castle filled to the brim with deadly traps and guards, and being more than able to wipe the floor even with would-be challengers skilled enough to reach him, was it really needed? Considering that he is spends the FinalBattle under a powerless host who must undergo a very risky TransformationSequence (in fact your only chance to defeat him) the answer is clearly "nope"...]] |
| 36 | * CurbStompBattle: |
| 37 | ** [[spoiler: No matter what you do, this is the only outcome of your first meeting with him. Unless you surrender, but '''never''' give him your sword.]] |
| 38 | ** [[spoiler: Play well and the FinalBattle will be one in your favour. But ''one'' mistake and the situation is reversed.]] |
| 39 | * TheDarkArts: The Archmage dabbles in Dark Magic and earned protection from the Evil Gods. |
| 40 | * DemonicPossession: [[spoiler: What he does to Farren Whyde. If you resurrect him after the FinalBattle, he awakes as his own person, closer to the friendly captive that you first met, hinting that the Archmage was imitating the real one when deceiving you.]] |
| 41 | ** [[spoiler: It can be speculated that the being known as the Archmage is in fact a PeoplePuppet possessed by the Netherworld Demon, who fabricated a persona to better interact with the world.]] |
| 42 | * DespotismJustifiesTheMeans: He wants a kingdom of his own no matter the cost, and neither for the good of the population nor for peaceful diplomacy with the neighbouring nations. Oh no. |
| 43 | * TheDreaded: The Archmage is feared all over the Old World. |
| 44 | * ElementalPowers: He syphoned the powers of the gods to grant them to his CoDragons. PlayingWithFire for the Fire Serpent, MakingASplash for the Water Serpent, BlowYouAway for the Air Serpent, DishingOutDirt for the Earth Serpent, {{Lunacy}} for the Moon Serpent, ThePowerOfTheSun for the Sun Serpent, and the Time Serpent is a TimeMaster. |
| 45 | * EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: The Archmage of Mampang is... [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin an archmage who lives in Mampang]]. |
| 46 | * EvilSorcerer: One among '''many''' in the franchise. |
| 47 | * FalseInnocenceTrick: [[spoiler: The captive you just befriended? A guy he possesses to screw with you.]] |
| 48 | * FauxAffablyEvil: The Archmage speaks quite politely, but even then, he hardly veils his scorn and taunts. |
| 49 | * FinalBoss: The battle does not turn out as expected, though. |
| 50 | * FinalBossPreview: The first confrontation with him shows you that his title of archmage is fully deserved. [[spoiler: Eventually averted since the FinalBattle turns out very different, and much easier.]] |
| 51 | * {{Fireballs}}: He masters the HOT spell that can hurl one of those. Much stronger than yours of course. |
| 52 | * {{Golem}}: He can create a huge wooden one from the furniture to take you down. |
| 53 | * GoodScarsEvilScars: He has a nasty scar all across the side, resulting from his battle with the Seven-Headed Hydra. |
| 54 | * GoodWitchVersusBadWitch: The male variation. The Archmage is a vile, ambitious and frail SorcerousOverlord and BigBad, while you, TheHero is a noble, brave and strong MagicKnight. |
| 55 | * HopelessBossFight: [[spoiler: When you first confront him.]] |
| 56 | * ISurrenderSuckers: [[spoiler: When you first confront him, he states that he does not want the Crown of Kings and that you can take it. Naturally, it's just BlatantLies, to catch you off-guard.]] |
| 57 | * LiminalBeing: Both an evil archmage [[spoiler: and a super powered demon.]] |
| 58 | * MagikarpPower: [[spoiler: His OneWingedAngel form starts out pathetically weak, but grows mightier by the second, culminating in a fully unstoppable beast.]] |
| 59 | * MasterOfIllusion: The Archmage can create ones that affect for real those who get deceived and can prove lethal. [[spoiler: The God-Headed Hydra and the fire at the Throben Door, to name but a few.]] |
| 60 | * MookMaker: He created his CoDragons and made them so powerful by himself. |
| 61 | * MysteriousPast: No one knows where the Archmage comes from, who are his parents, how long he has been around, or how and where he learnt magic. [[spoiler: Not even that, who or what is never explained. A wizard? A demon? Both? Several entities in one? There is only room for speculation...]] |
| 62 | * NightmareRetardant: [[spoiler: As you can see on the picture, the Netherworld Demon is... Not as scary as he should be, to put it lightly. Heck, he looks rather silly.]] |
| 63 | * NoBodyLeftBehind: [[spoiler: He leaves behind the corpse of the guy he possessed, but his Netherworld Demon form and his existence are obliterated.]] |
| 64 | * NoNameGiven: He is only referred to as "the Archmage". What else can be said? |
| 65 | * NoSell: |
| 66 | ** He counters all your spells in the FinalBossPreview and retaliates with the same but mightier. |
| 67 | ** [[spoiler: Casting anything but an attack spell during the FinalBattle is useless and leads to a painful demise.]] |
| 68 | * ObviouslyEvil: Just look at him. The Archmage is many things, few flattering, but trustworthy and nice-looking are not in the list. [[spoiler: Averted with the identity under which you confront him for the FinalBattle, as he puts on a facade of niceness.]] |
| 69 | * OneHitKill: Going both ways during the FinalBattle. |
| 70 | ** [[spoiler: His flaming breath dusts you in one shot if he can unleash it.]] |
| 71 | ** [[spoiler: the HOT fire spell and ZAP lighting spells fry him at once.]] |
| 72 | * OneWingedAngel: [[spoiler: The Archmage turns into a Netherworld Demon for the FinalBattle, as you face him possessing a powerless host. [[AllThereInTheManual The ''Out of the Pit'' guide]] gives him skill 16 (4 over the normal maximum) stamina 36 when fully materialized, making him even mightier than the local DemonLordsAndArchdevils and most {{Final Boss}}es of the franchise. During materialization however, he is an outright joke...]] |
| 73 | * OurDemonsAreDifferent: [[spoiler: The Netherworld Demon does not seem to follow the same rules as other demons, or even to come from [[CirclesOfHell the Pit]].]] |
| 74 | * PostClimaxConfrontation: Not exactly a confrontation, but you need to escape his fortress after getting rid of him. [[spoiler: By resurrecting Farren Whyde and calling birdmen allies.]] |
| 75 | * RecurringBoss: You confront him twice. [[spoiler: But both battles could not be more different from one another.]] |
| 76 | * RedEyesTakeWarning: There is something... off with this guy. I wonder what... |
| 77 | * SorcerousOverlord: An immensely powerful wizard, ruling a vast territory in the local {{Mordor}} and controlling all monsters around. |
| 78 | * SummonMagic: If you summon [[OurGoblinsAreDifferent a squad of goblins]] from their teeth to fight the Archmage, he retaliates by using the same trick to summon [[OurTrollsAreDifferent a squad of trolls]]. Cue CurbStompBattle. |
| 79 | * TimedMission: [[spoiler: You have a limited time to destroy the Netherworld Demon before he becomes fully unstoppable and reduces you to fine red mist.]] |
| 80 | * TransformationSequence: [[spoiler: After discarding his useless host and going OneWingedAngel in the FinalBattle, his Netherworld Demon aspect takes time to fully materialize. Now is your chance to off him.]] |
| 81 | * WizardDuel: You can engage one against him during the FinalBossPreview. [[spoiler:But it turns out to be a HopelessBossFight.]] |
| 82 | |
| 83 | !!!IOS specific tropes |
| 84 | The Archmage is the same ambitious SorcerousOverlord who steals the Crown of Kings to establish a kingdom, then TheEmpire. Yet he is said to be [[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld over a thousand years old]], prolonging his lifespan with magic. He learnt magic from the previous archmage, the [[BenevolentMageRuler Grand Witch Valiquesh]] and betrayed her, [[SealedGoodInACan sealing her in her magical Book of Prison]]. He fell in love with a young seer named Bria and they lived happily, until the fated day when she made a prophecy foretelling his demise. Enraged, he killed her and took all sort of precautions to avoid his fate. [[YouCantFightFate But centuries later, you enter the picture...]] |
| 85 | ---- |
| 86 | * AdaptationSpeciesChange: In the gamebook, the Archmage is AmbiguouslyHuman [[spoiler: and turns into a demon at the end]], here he is established as fully human. |
| 87 | * AdaptationalJerkass: As evil and power-hungry as in the original, but even more callous, vile and self-centered. He destroyed the Beacons of Time to live longer and could not care any less for the sorry state his folly put the country in. |
| 88 | * AdaptationalWimp: [[spoiler: In the original, the Archmage was an incredibly powerful master of all sorts of magic and could endanger the Old World all by himself. Here, he is a powerless pipsqueak who needs allies and tricks to be a threat. He is arguably an even bigger AntiClimaxBoss here and that's saying something.]] |
| 89 | * AndIMustScream: |
| 90 | ** Inflicted this on Valiquesh, sealing her in a book. |
| 91 | ** [[spoiler: You can give him a taste of his own medicine after the FinalBattle, trapping him within the very book he trapped her in. Karma really is a bitch to bastards like this one.]] |
| 92 | * BastardUnderstudy: The Archmage studied under Valiquesh solely to become as powerful as can be and usurp her place. |
| 93 | * BreakThemByTalking: The sod excels in instilling doubt in his foes' minds to sap their will, you included. |
| 94 | * TheCaligula: Not a good ruler by any stretch of the imagination. |
| 95 | * DealWithTheDevil: He can make one during the FinalBattle, sacrificing half of his soul to turn it into a demon and fight you. |
| 96 | * DeceptiveDisciple: Was this to Valiquesh. |
| 97 | * DreamWalker: The Archmage can enter people's dream and might do it to you during your quest. |
| 98 | * DreamWeaver: The Archmage can also shape people's dream. |
| 99 | * EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: He was genuinely in love with Bria and made her happy as long as she lived with him. Alas, it went south pretty badly when his love of power surpassed his love for her, not to mention the prophecy she made about his end... |
| 100 | * {{Foil}}: As a frail EvilSorcerer who betrayed his master, killed his lover and made all sort of disastrous choices, the Archmage is this to you, a heroic MagicKnight faithful to their liege. [[spoiler: This reflects during the FinalBattle, in which you can repeat his mistake and end up like him, or make the right choice he did not, and end up happy and alive, either with a lover of your own or as a good student to Valiquesh.]] |
| 101 | * ImproperlyParanoid: He cloistered himself in his fortress as a paranoid recluse to avoid any adventurer that could slay him, and spread chaos solely to remain alive. Predictably, it comes to bite him in the rear, precipitating his doom instead of averting it. |
| 102 | * LaserGuidedKarma: [[spoiler: Not only Bria is NotQuiteDead and willing to help you against him under the name of Aliizi, but he can suffer the very fate he inflicted on Valiquesh.]] |
| 103 | * TheManBehindTheCurtain: [[spoiler: The Archmage looks fearsome and is a master of magic, but when fought directly he is a helpless joke who needs the [[ArtifactOfDoom Crown of Kings]] and his wit to be a threat.]] |
| 104 | * MindControl: He brainwashes your LoveInterest the Mercenary Flanker, sending him to fight you. [[spoiler: You can either fight him to the death and mourn in the aftermath, or save him with an AntiMagic potion.]] |
| 105 | * NotSoDifferentRemark: The Archmage hints that the King of Analand is not the benevolent ruler he appears to be and is a tyrant in the making, as ambitious as he is. Whether or not he lies through is teeth or states the truth remains unclear. |
| 106 | * OurDemonsAreDifferent: The demon he spawns from half of his soul if he makes a DealWithTheDevil during the FinalBattle. [[spoiler: Most likely a nod to the gamebook.]] |
| 107 | * PuzzleBoss: [[spoiler: The Archmage tries to brainwash you with the Crown of Kings, forcing you to resist its influence and get rid of it through different choices. Once it's done, [[AntiClimaxBoss you can do with him as you please]].]] |
| 108 | * ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: The Archmage used magic to live over a thousand years old. |
| 109 | * ScrewDestiny: Averted. He tries this and fails miserably. |
| 110 | * StableTimeLoop: His meddling with the Beacons of Time mixed past, present and future, resulting in a twisted form of this. [[spoiler: This also ensured that Bria was NotQuiteDead, so that she can help you defeat him.]] |
| 111 | * UncertainDoom: What becomes of him after the FinalBattle depends on the choices you make. |
| 112 | * UnwittingPawn: [[spoiler: To the Crown of Kings, who is revealed to be an ArtifactOfDoom with a mind of its own. It controls people and influences his actions.]] |
| 113 | * TheUsurper: The Archmage betrayed and replaced his former master, ruler of the Fortress of Mages. He ransacked the place and left to build his own realm, but he still stole her title and power. |
| 114 | * YouCantFightFate: The Archmage learns this lesson the hard way and don't even gain points for trying. |
| 115 | * YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: What he had in store for Valiquesh back then. |
| 116 | [[/folder]] |
| 117 | |
| 118 | [[folder:Count Reiner Heydrich]] |
| 119 | [[quoteright:360:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/count_reiner_heydrich.jpg]] |
| 120 | -> '''Appears in''': ''Literature/VaultOfTheVampire'' | ''Literature/RevengeOfTheVampire'' |
| 121 | |
| 122 | ''Fighting Fantasy'''s answer to {{Dracula}} himself, and one of the few villains to be featured in more than one gamebook. Reiner Heydrich killed his elder brother [[KnightInShiningArmor Siegfried]] to rule Mortvania, a domain of the country of Mauristasia, in the northern reaches of the Old World. He set an awful reign of terror, that worsened after he became a vampire. He frequently abducts young boys and girls to drink their blood, and you are tasked to save his last victim and take him down...\ |
| 123 | |
| 124 | In the second gamebook, he is resurrected decades after his demise, by three WickedWitch sisters, and his ambition now threatens the entire continent. But with another hero on his tracks... |
| 125 | ---- |
| 126 | * ZeroPercentApprovalRating: He is hated and reviled by all his subjects, and rightfully so. |
| 127 | * AchillesHeel: [[spoiler: In the first book [[CoolSword Nightstar]], his late brother's magic sword is the best asset against him. In the second book, the even cooler [[InfinityPlusOneSword Imperator]] does the trick.]] |
| 128 | ** [[spoiler: He also has the traditional ones of holy water and garlic, but it could not be any other way.]] |
| 129 | * AerithAndBob: Reiner is a legit first name and Heydrich a common sounding German name, contrary to more esoteric names common in the series. Justified in that it is a MeaningfulName... |
| 130 | * {{Animorphism}}: Heydrich can turn into animals and often travels as a large bat. There is a memorable moment when he attacks you under a wolf shape in the first book. |
| 131 | * AntagonistAbilities: His enormous strength and supernatural stats make him a fearsome ThatOneBoss. He laughs off normal weapons, his HypnoticEyes can be deadly, he hits like a drop forge hammer, and he can do SuperSmoke to escape and [[HealingFactor regain some stamina.]] |
| 132 | * AntagonistTitle: Surprising no-one, he is the titular vampire of both gamebooks. |
| 133 | * AristocratsAreEvil: Heydrich is a FeudalOverlord and one of the most loathsome villains of the franchise. |
| 134 | * AvengingTheVillain: Despite all the [[{{Pun}} bad blood]] between them in the first book, Heydrich will '''not''' be happy if you kill his sister before him in the second. |
| 135 | * BackFromTheDead: In the second book. |
| 136 | * BadassCape: His cape covering most of his frame sure makes him impressive and menacing. |
| 137 | * BadassInANiceSuit: He is very well-dressed and he can, and will, kick your ass seven ways to Sunday and seven ways back if you are not well prepared. |
| 138 | * BareFistedMonk: He is so strong that his fists are the only weapons he needs. Taken up to eleven in the second book, in which he can [[OneHitKill kill you in one punch]] if he gathers enough attack strength. |
| 139 | * BarehandedBladeBlock: In the second book when you first meet him, you jump and stab him through his coach's door but he effortlessly catches your blade and hits you in the face with the hilt, with a sardonic smile. It helps that [[NoSell he is immune to your normal sword]], but it's impressive nonetheless. |
| 140 | * BatmanGambit: On several occasions. |
| 141 | ** In the first book [[spoiler: He knows full well that his sister Katarina is TheStarscream and devises a counter-measure that destroys the book in which he hid the InfinityPlusOneSword if she tries to unseal it.]] |
| 142 | ** In the second book [[spoiler: if he flees after the FinalBattle, he is well aware that you will run after him and creates an illusion making appears that he escaped through the arch that disintegrates anyone going under, to kill you if you are careless.]] |
| 143 | * TheBeastmaster: Heydrich controls all sorts of feral beasts and animals, even werewolves. [[spoiler: Including you, should you fall victim to the curse.]] |
| 144 | * BigBad: In both books. |
| 145 | ** [[spoiler: Though he forms a BigBadEnsemble with his sister Katarina in the first book.]] |
| 146 | * BigBrotherBully: Even as an adult (and undead to boot) he remains this to his younger brother Gunthar, his last decent sibling. He does it mostly for pragmatic reasons, preventing him from using his powers, but there is an undeniable layer of sadistic spite. How lovely... |
| 147 | * BlueBlood: Heydrich is from an influential aristocratic family who ruled Mortvania for years. |
| 148 | * CainAndAbel: He loathed his older brother Siegfried and the feeling was entirely mutual. He even killed him to take his place. |
| 149 | ** It is less intense, but he also despises his youngest sibling Gunthar, who has the gal not to be a heartless bastard. He tyrannises him and stole his book of healing. Poor Gunthar knows that his wretched brother must be stopped, but he is powerless. |
| 150 | * CannotCrossRunningWater: Being undead, Heydrich is physically unable to cross a river by himself and must stop at the bank. Which saves you at the start of the story, if he attacks you shape-shifted as a wolf. |
| 151 | * CharmPerson: He can control people and inflict LaserGuidedAmnesia on them with his HypnoticEyes. |
| 152 | * TheChessmaster: Heydrich is a perfect schemer, devising simple yet really efficient plans. |
| 153 | ** In the first book, he hides away his late brother's magic equipment and keeps them under watch, and prepares safe retreat points in his own castle, in case he gets attacked when resting. |
| 154 | ** In the second book, he devises an intricate EvilPlan to take over the Old World, and carefully erases all evidence. He buys a haunted manor whose awful reputation both covers his tracks and prevents suspicion for disappearances around, and destroys a congregation when [[HeKnowsTooMuch the monks knows too much]], while hypnotising one to learn all intel before sending him away under surveillance. [[spoiler: Even his proclaimed plan is but a cover to hide his real goal, from allies and enemies alike.]] |
| 155 | * ClassicalMovieVampire: A loving homage to Hammer horror movies and the like. |
| 156 | * CrazyPrepared: Heydrich has secret retreat points in his own castle should a vampire hunter sneak in, and got rid of the weapons he fears as best as he could. In the second book, his {{Mooks}} kill anyone who knows about him. [[spoiler: He even uses protection against some magic, seals his brother's ghost in a PocketDimension where his interference will be minimal, and his EvilPlan is more than meets the eye...]] |
| 157 | * CulturedBadass: Heydrich is a powerful MonsterLord and WickedCultured to boot. |
| 158 | * TheDarkArts: He is not as well-versed as his sister, [[HotWitch Katarina]], but he knows his way around them. |
| 159 | * DespotismJustifiesTheMeans: He killed his brother to become Count, and awfully tyrannizes his people. |
| 160 | ** In the sequel, he now sets his sight on the entire continent of the Old World. |
| 161 | * TheDreaded: Everyone is scared witless of him, and even his thralls are deathly afraid of his wrath. |
| 162 | ** Played with in the second book. Most people do not know about him, for he takes great care in keeping under the radars, but those who know about him sing quite the different tune. Even the [[WickedWitch Wicked Witches]] who resurrected him tremble in fear at the mere mention of his name. |
| 163 | * EvilCounterpart: To his brother Siegfried, being a VampireMonarch and straight out EvilOverlord versus the [[OurGhostsAreDifferent ghost]] of ThePaladin and ReasonableAuthorityFigure. |
| 164 | * EvilGenius: Heydrich is a highly intelligent and cautious schemer. |
| 165 | * EvilOverlord: A VampireMonarch tyrannizing the region from his HauntedCastle swarmed with monsters. |
| 166 | ** Heydrich still controls monsters and owns a HauntedCastle in the second book, but he lacks a proper domain and sets out to correct this. [[SequelEscalation And since he no longer gives a crap about Mortvania, he sets out to rule the Old World as a whole]]. |
| 167 | * EvilWearsBlack: Mostly clad in black, with a dash of RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver. |
| 168 | * {{Expy}}: Heydrich is basically a mix of Creator/BelaLugosi's and Creator/ChristopherLee's Count Dracula set upon Titan. The cover art of ''Revenge of the Vampire'' even depicts him wearing the exact same outfit as [[Film/Dracula1931 Bela Lugosi's famous portrayal of the Count.]] |
| 169 | * FemmeFatalons: As a vampire, he is a rare male example sporting long, sharp nails. While he prefers fighting with his mace-like fists, he is not above clawing at foes with them. |
| 170 | * FeudalOverlord: Though he usurped the throne, he was in line to inherit the county and Mortvania is legally his to rule however he sees fit. |
| 171 | * FinalBoss: He is far and away the mightiest foe you will face in both books. [[spoiler: Though there is always a second battle after he's gone, thankfully way easier.]] |
| 172 | ** In the first book he is a very powerful enemy with skill 13 (1 over the normal maximum) stamina 21. |
| 173 | ** In the second book, he becomes even more formidable, with skill '''15''' stamina '''30''' no less! You can weaken him beforehand, but let's face it, without the InfinityPlusOneSword and other boosts, you are toast. |
| 174 | ** In both books, he might paralyse you beforehand with his HypnoticEyes to kill you without fight! [[spoiler: Fortunately, there are ways to counter it.]] And he TurnsRed after a while, decreasing his skill score but risking killing you if he bites you. Long story short, he is always one hell of a ThatOneBoss. |
| 175 | * FinalBossPreview: Fighting him in Mortus Mansion in the second book gives you a glimpse of how nasty his SuperStrength and HypnoticEyes can be. |
| 176 | * FlourishCapeInFrontOfFace: As you collapse in agony, if he fatally bites you in the first book. |
| 177 | * {{Foil}}: Reiner and Siegfried Heydrich form a complete contrast. See SiblingYinYang below for details. |
| 178 | * FullyEmbracedFiend: According to a written mention in one of his books, he relishes in being a vampire. |
| 179 | * GeniusBruiser: Heydrich is freakishly strong and powerful, but more importantly super smart and cunning. |
| 180 | * GetBackHereBoss: He tries to flee to regain strength after you reduce his stamina to 4 in the first book, before [[HealingFactor returning with more]]. [[spoiler: You can prevent him from doing so with a Force Wall Spell]]. He does this again when defeated and you must stake him. |
| 181 | ** He does so again in the second book, but he loses his additional powers when you fight him again. |
| 182 | * GottaCatchThemAll: [[spoiler: You must find and destroy as many of his coffins, lest he flees to one of them after you defeat him, preventing you from finishing him off and reaching the GoldenEnding. And they are all well-hidden and well-protected.]] |
| 183 | ** Averted in the second book. You destroy some in a ContinuityNod, but it has little impact on the plot. |
| 184 | * HauntedCastle: He turned Castle Heydrich into a creepy one, filled to the brim with all sorts of monsters. |
| 185 | ** Not exactly a castle, but Mortus Mansion qualifies in the second book. |
| 186 | * HealingFactor: Being a vampire, he can regain a great deal of stamina by resting for a while in his coffin. |
| 187 | * HellishHorse: Heydrich rides a Demon Steed, that you must fight in both books if you venture in the stables. It looks like a pitch-black stallion with sharp hooves, [[RedEyesTakeWarning red eyes]], and a draconic mouth exhaling sulphuric fumes that weaken you, providing quite a tough battle. |
| 188 | * HighCollarOfDoom: Comes with the vampire territory. |
| 189 | * HissBeforeFleeing: Heydrich does this after you bested him in Mortus Mansion in the second book. |
| 190 | * HolyBurnsEvil: [[spoiler: As per tradition, he is highly vulnerable to holy water. The more you can splash his sorry mug with it the best!]] |
| 191 | * HypnoticEyes: He can mesmerize people to neutralize them and drink their blood. |
| 192 | ** He can also uses it as a CharmPerson to compel people without them even realising it. In the second book, he takes control of everyone in the inns he takes shelter in during the day. |
| 193 | ** He tries to mesmerise you before fighting. In the first book, if he succeeds and you don't have garlic you are done for. In the second, when fighting him in Mortus Mansion, he weakens you by -1 skill if you can't resist. Before the FinalBattle, he can paralyse you outright and win the fight. [[spoiler: That won't work if you have the sword Imperator. You can use a mirror to avoid it but it does not come in handy.]] |
| 194 | * IDoNotDrinkWine: Do not drink the "red wine" in Heydrich's living room. It being blood comes as no surprise and the narration even [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] it. |
| 195 | * AnIcePerson: After [[TookALevelInBadass taking a level in badass]] in the second book, he becomes able to conjure clouds of frost costing -2 stamina and -2 skill for the first few attack rounds of the FinalBattle that you must avoid. |
| 196 | * KansasCityShuffle: [[spoiler: In the second book, you learn from the {{Wicked Witch}}es who resurrected him and from the vampire hunters tracking him that Heydrich plans to raise an army of vampires to invade the Old World. Except that this is a diversion to hide his real EvilPlan: to absorb the powers of the long gone [[VampireMonarch Vampire Elders]] and become unstoppable.]] |
| 197 | * KnowWhenToFoldEm: He escapes when defeated, to heal a bit before coming back with a vengeance. [[spoiler: In the first book, you can prevent him from fleeing. In the second, you can fight him to the death.]] |
| 198 | * ManOfWealthAndTaste: Heydrich has excellent taste and lives (so to speak) in wondrous quarters. |
| 199 | * MarathonBoss: He is always a FinalBoss as durable as he is tough, boasting a stamina score over 20 in the first book and no less than 30 (6 over the normal maximum) in the second. It can take over ten hits to kill him, and even over fifteen in the second book. |
| 200 | * MeaningfulName: A subtle and very sinister example: He is named after [[ThoseWackyNazis the high-ranking nazi dignitary]] Reynard Heydrich. [[SarcasmMode Oh so lovely...]] |
| 201 | * MegatonPunch: In the second book, Heydrich can deliver punches that put wrecking balls to shame, costing either -3 stamina, -6 stamina, or [[OneHitKill instant death]]! Ouch! |
| 202 | * MissingReflection: This trope is unbearable to him. [[spoiler: Show him a mirror in the first book and you can wound him without reaction upon starting the FinalBattle.]] |
| 203 | * MonsterLord: In addition to being a powerful VampireMonarch, Heydrich is this to undeads in general, using [[OurGhoulsAreCreepier hordes of ghouls]] of all sorts as {{Mooks}} in the second book. |
| 204 | * MonsterProgenitor: He can turn victims into his vampire slaves, and does so to several young and pretty women in the second book. |
| 205 | * MookMaker: In addition to his [[ViralTransformation many vampire thralls]] in the second book, he creates powerful and dangerous skeleton golems. The Thassalloses in the first and the Skeletal Strangler in the second. |
| 206 | * MoralEventHorizon: He crossed it by killing brother Siegfried to usurp his title as Count of Mortvania, and makes a point of cartwheeling as far away from it as possible: Abducting youngsters to drain them dry and causing massacres just because he could. Calling him scum would be [[InsultToRocks very rude to scum...]] |
| 207 | * NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: You might not see it at first, but once you know who he is named after, it becomes glaringly '''creepy'''. See MeaningfulName above to see why. |
| 208 | * NaturalWeapon: Swords? Spears? These are of no use to Heydrich. His fists are like hammers and his nails and fangs are like razors. |
| 209 | * NighInvulnerability: As a vampire, he is immune to most weapons. |
| 210 | * NoBodyLeftBehind: In the first book. You have to incinerate him to do this in the second. |
| 211 | * NoSell: Attacking him with a normal weapon is useless and leads to a painful demise. |
| 212 | ** [[spoiler: In the second book, he uses a magic protection against Black Flame, knowing that you have some.]] |
| 213 | * ObviouslyEvil: Three guesses why... |
| 214 | * OminousOperaCape: Another given for a vampire. |
| 215 | * OneHitKill: The first time you face him during the second book, he kills you in one punch if his attack strength is high enough. [[spoiler: If you face him for the third time after the FinalBattle, he can kill you if you have not enough stamina to withstand his super-powered punch.]] |
| 216 | * OrcusOnHisThrone: Justified in the first book, as he has everything he wants and can spend his nights strolling his castle without a care. He attacks you upon learning about you before you reach his castle, but if he meets you inside, he merely mocks you and flies away instead of wrecking you on the spot. |
| 217 | * OurVampiresAreDifferent: Heydrich is a textbook example of a ClassicalMovieVampire, homage and all, but he becomes more powerful and harder to destroy in the second book, veering into the territory. |
| 218 | * PestController: He controls all bats and rats, of all sizes, in his castle, using them as watchdogs. |
| 219 | * PlayingWithFire: After [[TookALevelInBadass taking a level in badass in the second book]], he can now conjure flames costing -3 stamina, and does so if you miss a shot or if he can NoSell your attack before the FinalBattle. |
| 220 | * PointedEars: Another given for a vampire. |
| 221 | * PostFinalBoss: [[spoiler: In both books, you must destroy him after winning the fight, and then fight his weaker but still powerful sister Katarina. In the second book, if he escaped and rested un his coffin, he fights you one last time after you kill her. While much less powerful, he remains very dangerous and his blows range from [[MegatonPunch devastating]] to [[OneHitKill deadly]].]] |
| 222 | * RecurringBoss: In the second book, you can fight Heydrich up to three times. |
| 223 | ** In Mortus Mansion, he is a powerful foe with skill 11 stamina 15, who can weaken you with his HypnoticEyes and OneHitKill you if he hits strong enough. |
| 224 | ** As the FinalBoss, he is ThatOneBoss through and through. |
| 225 | ** [[spoiler: If you let him escape, he rests in his coffin and regains some strength. He becomes a PostFinalBoss with skill 11 stamina 10 (or more depending on how long you took). His blows cost -3 stamina, and can cost -6 or kill you outright if you're too weak.]] |
| 226 | * RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver: He wears a black and red BadassCape, and is an '''awful''' piece of work. |
| 227 | * RedEyesTakeWarning: He is a vampire is he not? |
| 228 | * ReducedToDust: Like any ClassicalMovieVampire worth their salt after being staked. |
| 229 | * ReturningBigBad: Thought you got rid of him for good in ''Literature/VaultOfTheVampire''? Well think again. |
| 230 | * SequentialBoss: In both books, the FinalBattle unfolds in several stages... [[spoiler: Before the PostFinalBoss.]] |
| 231 | ** In the first you must resist his hypnosis, throw whatever you can at him to deal damage, fight him, heal as much as you can after [[TacticalWithdrawal he fled to do the same]] [[spoiler: unless you can stop his escape]], fight him again, finish him off after he TurnsRed, and destroy him for good [[spoiler: if you found all his coffins]]. |
| 232 | ** In the second you must destroy his EliteMook [[GiantMook Megaghoul]], throw whatever you can at him to deal damage but risk a painful retaliation, reach him and fight, and deal with him after he TurnsRed. |
| 233 | * SharpDressedMan: Heydrich is always dressed to the nine. |
| 234 | * SiblingYinYang: Reiner and Siegfried Heydrich could not be more different if they tried. Siegfried was blond, stalwart and generous, a powerful KnightInShiningArmour and an excellent and popular ruler. Reiner on the other hand has raven black hair, is selfish and rotten to the core, a VampireMonarch and a loathsome tyrant with a ZeroPercentApprovalRating. Siegfried even returns as a ghost, the only benign type of undead while vampires are arguably the worst. Siegfried [[LampshadeHanging lampshades it]] in the second book, stating that Reiner is Darkness while he is Light. He was even brought back because Reiner has been resurrected... |
| 235 | * SiblingsInCrime: In the second book, Heydrich resurrects his sister Katarina as a vampire to serve as TheDragon, which would make them this. [[spoiler: He seems to have EasilyForgiven her attempt at usurping him, but having her as his vampire thrall prevents her from playing solo, which can be seen as a revenge as well as using her as an asset.]] |
| 236 | * SilentSnarker: Heydrich needs no word to mock you. His facial expression when you are powerless to destroy him, while he is resting in his coffin to boot, speaks volume about his opinion. That's right, the guy is a {{Troll}} even in slumber. |
| 237 | * SkippableBoss: [[spoiler: You can avoid the fight in Mortus Mansion if you show him the Heart Crystal.]] |
| 238 | * SoulJar: The Red Heart Crystal is this in the second book. You cannot destroy him while the cursed gemstone exists. |
| 239 | * StockEvilOverlordTactics: In the second book, he plans to raise an army of vampires. [[spoiler: Or so he makes it seem. In fact, he plans to absorb the Five Vampire Elders' might to become immensely powerful and virtually invincible.]] |
| 240 | * StrongAndSkilled: SuperStrength aside, Heydrich is an excellent fighter. |
| 241 | * SuperSmoke: He can turn into a cloud of yellowish mist, to sneak under doors, slither through walls and escape when things go south. |
| 242 | * SuperStrength: He has incredible physical strength. |
| 243 | * TacticalWithdrawal: Flees a battle when the tide turns, but never forever. |
| 244 | * TakeOverTheWorld: Downplayed in the second book. He covets a third of the world, but even "just" this would be far too much. |
| 245 | * TookALevelInBadass: Zig-zagged. When faced as a RecurringBoss in the second book, he is weaker than when he was the FinalBoss in the first, but gets considerably more powerful in the FinalBattle. |
| 246 | ** [[spoiler: His entire plan is to take such a level that he would become fully invincible.]] |
| 247 | * TranshumanTreachery: While becoming a vampire usually brings out the worst in people, he is implied to have been so evil as a human that he did not change the slightest. |
| 248 | * TurnsRed: When weakened enough, he always stops fighting with his fists to try to bite you. It's unpractical and costs him -2 skill, but he can kill you in two hits, making him still very dangerous. |
| 249 | * UndeathAlwaysEnds: You must make sure that his own will come to an end. Twice. |
| 250 | * UndeathlyPallor: His skin is chalk-white. |
| 251 | * TheUsurper: He killed his hated older brother to take his place as Count of Mortvania. |
| 252 | * VampireBitesSuck: His own are very painful and dangerous. |
| 253 | * VampireMonarch: There are other Vampire Lords and Ladies in the franchise, but Heydrich is the only BigBad among them and easily the most memorable. [[spoiler: In the second book, he plans to become '''the''' supreme Vampire Monarch, ruler of all vampires.]] |
| 254 | * VampiresAreRich: This one is. Justified for he is an influential FeudalOverlord. |
| 255 | * VampiresHateGarlic: And it saves your life if you wear some when he is about to drain you dry. |
| 256 | * VampiresSleepInCoffins: The one trope no ClassicalMovieVampire can escape. |
| 257 | * VillainNoLongerIdle: The second book royally adverts the OrcusOnHisThrone of the first. He takes the matter in hand, and [[SequelEscalation things get ugly]]. You can encounter him no less than five times in the gamebook. |
| 258 | * VillainousCheekBones: Like many villains in the franchise. |
| 259 | * VillainousWidowsPeak: As a homage to Bela Lugosi and Christopher Lee. |
| 260 | * ViralTransformation: A given with vampirism. Heydrich has many vampire thralls in the second book, a FateWorseThanDeath that you may suffer, should you get bitten and fail to get cured. |
| 261 | * VoluntaryShapeshifting: True to form, he can turn into a bat, a wolf and a cloud of mist. |
| 262 | * WeatherManipulation: Another vampire power of his. In the first book, a violent thunderstorm breaks out when late Siegfried Heydrich is praised. In the second book, he can cause deep fog. |
| 263 | * WickedCultured: Heydrich is a '''repulsive''', but he is well-read and very knowledgeable. |
| 264 | * WoodenStake: Defeating him in battle is only the beginning. If you really want to end the sod, you must stake him properly. The stake you use is made of wood, but silver-tipped for good measure. |
| 265 | [[/folder]] |
| 266 | |
| 267 | [[folder:Count Varcolac Wulfen]] |
| 268 | [[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/count_varcolac_wulfen.jpg]] |
| 269 | [[caption-width-right:300:[[labelnote: Click here to see his Arch-Lycanthrope form]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/arch_lycanthrope.jpg[[/labelnote]]]] |
| 270 | -> '''Appears in''': ''Literature/HowlOfTheWerewolf'' |
| 271 | |
| 272 | A depraved FeudalOverlord from the {{Uberwald}} country of Mauristasia, who founded the [[SecretCircleOfSecrets Cadre Infernal]] with equally morally bankrupt nobles and made a DealWithTheDevil. He became an [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent Arch-Lycanthrope]] and ruled with an iron fist, turning his domain of Lupravia into a grim hell-hole plagued with were-beasts. Until an adventurer cursed with Lycanthropy by his younger brother, the Mad Prince Garoul Wulfen, resolved to slay him to free themselves of his curse... |
| 273 | ---- |
| 274 | * ZeroPercentApprovalRating: He is not liked by the people of Lupravia, to say the least. |
| 275 | * AchillesHeel: [[spoiler: The Wulfen Sword he relinquished. Not only does it grants you +1 skill and deals -3 stamina to were-beasts, him included, it weakens him by -1 skill, making the FinalBattle easier.]] |
| 276 | ** [[spoiler: As per tradition, he is also highly vulnerable to silver.]] |
| 277 | * AffablyEvil: Wulfen is impeccably courteous and polite, welcoming you and [[WeCanRuleTogether offering you a position of power]] in earnest. But he openly scorns your refusal and would kill you without batting an eyelid if you reject his views. |
| 278 | * AntagonistAbilities: Wulfen can turn into a very powerful WolfMan, who might further your lycanthropy with his blows and gets healed by the light of the full moon. And he can take control of the werewolf you run the risk to become. |
| 279 | * AristocratsAreEvil: He's a loathsome piece of work, and the others of the Cadre Infernal are just as bad. |
| 280 | * AttackAnimal: He owns two pet wargs he'll immediately sic on you before fighting. |
| 281 | * BadassFingersnap: He needs no more to make the aforementioned wargs jump at your throat. |
| 282 | * BadassInANiceSuit: Wulfen is very well dressed, being a feudal noble and all that jazz, and is as ferocious and deadly as he is dignified and regal. |
| 283 | * BeastMan: Comes with the werewolf territory. Under his OneWingedAngel form, he's 50% beast, 50% man and 100% monster. |
| 284 | * TheBeastmaster: He controls every were-beast around, and in turn normal feral beasts. |
| 285 | * BigBad: The Arch-Lycanthrope you must find and slay to escape becoming his thrall 'til the day you die. |
| 286 | * BigFancyCastle: Played with. [[VeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon Castle Wulfen]] is huge, lavish and full of artworks, yet derelict, haunted and creepy, as Wulfen stopped housekeeping long ago, probably when becoming an Arch-Lycanthrope. |
| 287 | * BlueBlood: The last scion of the House of Wulfen, the noble line who ruled Lupravia for centuries. |
| 288 | * BlueOniRedOni: Varcolac is the blue to his brother Garoul's red, being collected and in control, as opposed to the downright feral Garoul, aptly titled "the Mad Prince". |
| 289 | * CarpetOfVirility: Fitting his ties with his inner beast... |
| 290 | * ContinuityNod: Several occasions. |
| 291 | ** You can see a painting gallery representing his family, and feeling his power through his own portrait, just like [[EvilSorcerer Zagor]] in ''Literature/TheWarlockOfFiretopMountain'' and [[VampireMonarch Count Reiner Heydrich]] in ''Literature/VaultOfTheVampire''. |
| 292 | ** [[spoiler: Being the EvilOverlord tyrannising a remote domain, with an equally evil yet less powerful associate who not-so-secretly manipulates you to usurp his throne. Are we talking about Count Wulfen and Countess Isolde of Maun, or Count Heydrich and his sister Katarina?]] |
| 293 | * CoolSword: Used to own the Wulfen Sword, a massive magic blade and possible family heirloom, but he discarded it as part of his DealWithTheDevil. [[spoiler: It now bears the power to kill were-beasts, probably because of his transformation. Which predictably comes to bite him in the rear when you slay him with it.]] |
| 294 | * CulturedBadass: He is a powerful MonsterLord, and WickedCultured to boot. |
| 295 | * DealWithTheDevil: Wulfen and the Cadre stipulated one with a Wolf Demon to obtain the power to rule Lupravia. He got the lion's share, or should we say the wolf's share, of the deal. |
| 296 | * DemonicPossession: Subverted. The Wolf Demon possesses him, giving him his powers, though [[SymbioticPossession he lets Wulfen in control, as they share the same goals]]. |
| 297 | ** [[spoiler: Played straight after you kill Wulfen. The Wolf Demon takes full control and reanimates his still transformed corpse to fight you through it.]] |
| 298 | ** [[spoiler: If you kill Varcolac but are too badly marked by the curse, the Wolf Demon deems you a better host and possesses you instead, to remain the EvilOverlord of Lupravia through your hapless shell.]] |
| 299 | * DespotismJustifiesTheMeans: Wulfen is a ruthless tyrant, who cares more about expanding his pack and letting it run wild than the welfare of his subjects. His rule causes nothing but misery and gloom. |
| 300 | * TheDreaded: Wulfen is much feared by everyone in Lupravia. Even though very few know what he has become, many have heard horrid stories about his family, and most know him as a vicious tyrant. |
| 301 | * EvilEyebrows: Thick eyebrows obscuring his eyes. |
| 302 | * EvilOverlord: The evil ruler of a gloomy domain, with dark powers and control over monsters. |
| 303 | * EvilVersusEvil: Displayed between him and Countess Isolde of Maun. She tries and plots to usurp him, but he knows and does not care. |
| 304 | * ExoticExtendedMarriage: Wulfen fits the polygamy aspect of the tropes by having three wives, all clearly subservient to him. Pretty much like the alpha of the pack... |
| 305 | * {{Expy}}: His appearance, role, powers and transformation call to mind [[VideoGame/{{Castlevania}} a certain version of Count Dracula...]] Down to the looks, nobility title, the SlouchOfVillainy and the lavish yet derelict castle. |
| 306 | * FeedItWithFire: [[spoiler: The Changeling spell does affect him, but by giving him a +1 skill +3 stamina power boost. Best avoid using it.]] |
| 307 | * FemmeFatalons: A male example sporting long, sharp, pointed nails like a wolf's claws. Justified in that lycanthropy turns the bearer's nails like this to make them a NaturalWeapon even as a human. |
| 308 | * FeudalOverlord: What he was before jumping straight into the EvilOverlord zone. And what he still is, Lupravia being rightfully his to rule, no matter how bad it gets. |
| 309 | * FinalBoss: Wulfen fights you under his very powerful Arch-Lycanthrope form, with skill 12 stamina 16. If he strikes you even once, he adds 1 to your change score. |
| 310 | * FisherKing: Lupravia hardly ever was a tourist resort, but Wulfen and his [[SarcasmMode lovely pets]] turned it into a shadow of its normal self. The Wolf Demon's influence is certainly no stranger to it. |
| 311 | * FoolishSiblingResponsibleSibling: As Varcolac had everything firmly in hand, Garoul's brash, vicious attacks would ironically become the spark setting fire to the House of Wulfen. |
| 312 | * FullyEmbracedFiend: Wulfen relishes in being a werewolf, in full accordance with his already wild and violent nature. And he wants you to do the same. |
| 313 | * FurAgainstFang: His fellow member of the Cadre Infernal, [[VampireMonarch Countess Isolde of Maun]], is technically his vassal, but they have a strong rivalry going. [[spoiler: The only reason she never made a move to usurp him is that he is too powerful even for her. As soon as you come knocking, she tries to use you in her plans.]] |
| 314 | * AGlassOfChianti: He has one in hand when you meet him. An empty one to toy with, but still... |
| 315 | * GlowingEyesOfDoom: |
| 316 | ** The illustration depicts him with a creepy gleam in his eyes. |
| 317 | ** His Arch-Lycanthrope form is depicted with glowing eyes, for extra scary points. |
| 318 | ** [[spoiler: The Wolf Demon's eyes glow red through his sockets when he takes center stage.]] |
| 319 | * HoistByHisOwnPetard: [[spoiler: His discarded CoolSword is the best weapon against him, and use it you will.]] |
| 320 | * InnateNightVision: Being a werewolf, he doesn't bother lighting torches in his castle at night, for he can see as clear as day. So do his wives and you. |
| 321 | * KarmicDeath: Ending up killed by a victim of the lycanthropy he spread all across the land, infected by the mad brother he let run wild at that, is deliciously ironic. [[spoiler: Even better if you snuff him with the sword he relinquished for power.]] |
| 322 | * {{Lunacy}}: True to form, he draws power from the full moon. Seven turns into the Final Battle and it rises, giving him a +4 stamina boost. |
| 323 | * ManOfWealthAndTaste: Wulfen lives in a magnificent castle with a large library and other exquisite works of art. Played with though, since it's all unkempt and dust-covered, as if he long lost interest. |
| 324 | * MeaningfulName: Wulfen is kind of self-explanatory, and the varcolac is the mythological being which inspired the legends of both vampires and werewolves. |
| 325 | * MonsterLord: Being an Arch-Lycanthrope, he's this to Lupravia's entire population of were-beasts. |
| 326 | * MonsterProgenitor: He swarmed the entire Lupravia with were-beasts of all sorts: [[OurWerebeastsAreDifferent wolves, bears, hybrids, even rats and bats]]. They in turn spread the curse further. |
| 327 | * NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: Less glaring than most, but his name still screams "vicious wolf monster out to rip you to shreds"... |
| 328 | * NaturalWeapon: He turns into a werewolf to slash at you with claws and fangs putting daggers to shame. |
| 329 | * NighInvulnerability: Averted. Wulfen's Arch-Lycanthrope form can be harmed by all sorts of weapons, but is extra vulnerable to its AchillesHeel. |
| 330 | ** [[spoiler: Played straight however, as only weapons that can fall a werewolf work against the Wolf Demon possessing his corpse. If you have none you're wolf food.]] |
| 331 | * NoSell: Several instances: |
| 332 | ** [[spoiler: Using a mirror or a cross against him is useless and leaves you open to a painful counter-attack.]] |
| 333 | ** [[spoiler: Normal weapons don't even scratch the Wolf Demon who seals your doom.]] |
| 334 | * ObviouslyEvil: While there is no outward sign of the monster he truly is, a single glance can tell you that this guy is not gonna be your best pal... |
| 335 | * OddlySmallOrganization: The Cadre Infernal has only five members: Count Varcolac Wulfen the Arch-Lycanthrope, Countess Isolde of Maun the VampireMonarch, Serena the witch, turned [[SnakePeople Serpensa the snake woman]] in a freak-show, Aranaea the BlackWidow turned into a real spider-woman, and the Abbot of the Black Monks, who became a giant worm. Only Varcolac and Isolde got power, the other three became grotesque and feral monsters, strong but devoid of the influence they craved so badly. |
| 336 | * OhCrap: Even as a huge WolfMan OneWingedAngel, he steps back in fear when he sees you with the WeaponOfXSlaying. |
| 337 | * OneWingedAngel: Obviously enough, Wulfen turns into an Arch-Lycanthrope to fight: a huge and massive [[WolfMan humanoid werewolf]] about ten-feet tall, with a wild mane and sharp claws and fangs. |
| 338 | * OrcusOnHisThrone: Wulfen spends the story lazing around, letting his servants and his brother do the dirty work. Justified in that he already has all the power he wants, and holds Lupravia firmly in his grasp. |
| 339 | * OurWerewolvesAreDifferent: No ordinary werewolf, but an Arch-Lycanthrope of demonic origins, vastly more powerful than his subjects and in full control of his metamorphosis. |
| 340 | * OurZombiesAreDifferent: [[spoiler: The Wolf Demon possesses his corpse for the PostFinalBoss fight, turning him into a [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot monstrous, demonic, undead lycanthrope... thing]].]] |
| 341 | * PermaStubble: As part of his wild and unkempt look. |
| 342 | * PostFinalBoss: [[spoiler: After you kill him, the Wolf Demon reanimates his corpse with skill 10 stamina 14. But while powerful, he is nowhere as dangerous as Wulfen was. And you can banish him without fight if you have all silver daggers and know the ritual.]] |
| 343 | * RedEyesTakeWarning: [[spoiler: As a reanimated undead, the Wolf Demon is glaring at you through his dead eyes. Sweet dreams...]] |
| 344 | * SecretCircleOfSecrets: Wulfen recreated the Cadre Infernal. Once a gathering of Mauristasian nobles expanding their influence through alliances and magic, self-serving but not outwardly malevolent, Wulfen twisted it into a group of power-hungry tyrants seeking power for the sake of power at all cost. |
| 345 | * SequentialBoss: Upon confront him, you must first deal with his pet wargs, then fight him. After some time, he is healed by moonlight while you must resist giving to the curse. [[spoiler: And then deal with the Wolf Demon who gave him his powers.]] |
| 346 | * SharpDressedMan: Wulfen is clad in lavish and refined clothing, but wears them without a care, as if his title no longer meant much to him. |
| 347 | * SiblingYinYang: Varcolac remains a poised and refined nobleman, in touch with his feral side, sporting sharp features and grey hair with a black skunk stripe. In stark contrast with Garoul, who is completely feral, even the rare times he assumes his human shape, lives in wilderness leading a pack of wolves, and sports black hair with a grey streak. |
| 348 | * SiblingsInCrime: Varcolac is the MonsterLord ruling from his BigFancyCastle, and Garoul is TheBrute who roams the country at night with his pack. |
| 349 | * SilverHasMysticPowers: |
| 350 | ** [[spoiler: As a werewolf, he is naturally highly vulnerable to silver. Silver crossbow bolts or bullets cost him -4 stamina and silver daggers cost him -3 stamina per blow. Fighting with a silver dagger being unpractical as you lose -1 skill. '''But''' if you wield his dagger, found in his castle, he loses -1 skill as well, evening the odds.]] |
| 351 | ** [[spoiler: After the Wolf Demon, attacks you through his corpse, stabbing him in a pentagram pattern with the Cadre Infernal's five silver daggers banishes him back to the Demonic Planes without fight. If you don't, each silver dagger you stab him with costs him -2 stamina before fighting.]] |
| 352 | * SymbioticPossession: Wulfen and the Wolf Demon are so alike, that the former remains in control. |
| 353 | * SkippableBoss: [[spoiler: Not Wulfen himself of course, but the Wolf Demon, provided you have the five silver daggers and know how to use them.]] |
| 354 | * SlouchOfVillainy: How he sits on his throne, his two wargs at his sides. And boy does he do it with style. Just look at the picture for Titan's sake! |
| 355 | * StrongFamilyResemblance: The family's portrait gallery show that they all share the same noble and stern yet somehow feral-looking traits. Being siblings, Varcolac and Garoul look especially similar, down to the stigmata of lycanthropy: Garoul has black hair with a grey skunk stripe, even as a wolf, while Varcolac has grey hair with a black streak, but turns entirely black as an Arch-Lycanthrope. |
| 356 | * TallDarkAndHandsome: Wulfen is described as sinister and menacing, yet ruggedly handsome. And the illustration does not disappoint, making him look quite attractive yet threatening. |
| 357 | * TheyLookJustLikeEveryoneElse: Wulfen manages to be ObviouslyEvil without outwardly demonic features. In another context he could have passed as legit. Creepy but legit. |
| 358 | * ThroneRoomThrowdown: The FinalBattle unfolds before his throne. |
| 359 | * TranshumanTreachery: He already was a monster long before becoming a werewolf. |
| 360 | * UnholyMatrimony: Wulfen has three wives whom he infected with lycanthropy to turn them into creepy wolf-women. [[spoiler: You can fight them, or sway them with gifts.]] |
| 361 | * VillainRespect: He respects you for mastering your werewolf powers and considers your rejection of them a waste, wishing for you to embrace them instead. |
| 362 | * VillainousCheekbones: He sports sharp features. |
| 363 | * VillainousWidowsPeak: Like he's not ObviouslyEvil enough... |
| 364 | * ViralTransformation: How he spreads his curse, as per folklore. He can even make the curse take full hold of a bitten victim. [[spoiler: If you feign to swear loyalty, you must test your cursed state, running the risk of fully becoming a werewolf and spending the rest of your life in his pack.]] |
| 365 | * WeCanRuleTogether: When you confront him, Wulfen offers to make you TheDragon and teach you the way of the beast, telling you to embrace lycanthropy as a blessing, not a curse. You are not impressed. |
| 366 | * WhiteHairBlackHeart: He has silvery grey hair, and while affable, he is cruel, vicious, and all in all an irredeemably vile scumbag. |
| 367 | * WickedCultured: His library is immense and well furnished, his map room a pure wonder, and he clearly knows about legends and occult science. |
| 368 | * WillingChanneler: Wulfen deliberately let himself get possessed by the Wolf Demon to gain power. He is so evil and feral that the demon has no control over him, and spreads evil as efficiently as the demon would have done in his skin, if not better. |
| 369 | * WolfMan: In more ways than one. Even as a human, he looks feral and somehow wolf-like... |
| 370 | * WolvesAlwaysHowlAtTheMoon: He indulges in the trope with abandon after assuming his Arch-Lycanthrope OneWingedAngel form. |
| 371 | [[/folder]] |
| 372 | |
| 373 | [[folder:Countess Isolde of Maun]] |
| 374 | [[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/countess_isolde_of_maun.jpg]] |
| 375 | -> '''Appears in''': ''Literature/HowlOfTheWerewolf'' |
| 376 | |
| 377 | A depraved noble lady who joined Count Varcolac Wulfen's [[SecretCircleofSecrets Cadre Infernal]], making a DealWithTheDevil. Countess Isolde and Count Varcolac were the only one to actually gain from the pact and she became a VampireMonarch. While she has lesser plot relevance than the Count, and serves as his (reluctant) vassal, she remains a powerful and dangerous threat. Unless an adventurer trying to lift their curse of lycanthropy can change it... |
| 378 | ---- |
| 379 | * AchillesHeel: [[spoiler: Silver, as per tradition.]] |
| 380 | * AerithAndBob: Isolde is, or should we say was, a regular medieval first name, while most names in the franchise are more Fantasy sounding. |
| 381 | * AffablyEvil: Countess Isolde will be more than willing to provide any help you ask her and be a gracious, albeit interested, host. She is quite polite even when you confront her, but also scathing and spiteful in battle. |
| 382 | * AntagonistAbilities: A powerful enemy with dangerous HypnoticEyes, immune to normal weapons, whose bite deals great damage. |
| 383 | * AristocratsAreEvil: Pity her poor subjects as she only cares for power and control. |
| 384 | * AstralProjection: Countess Isolde's spectral form, that attacks you outside of her tower if you could not destroy her, is likely a variation of this. |
| 385 | * BadassCape: Countess Isolde is a powerful Vampire Lady, who true to form wears an OminousOperaCape. The black and white illustration makes it hard to see, but it is there. |
| 386 | * BigBadWannabe: She is a powerful and cunning VampireMonarch, who in another gamebook could have been the BigBad. Too bad for her, Count Varcolac took the spot and does not intend to let it go. Until you enter the picture that is... |
| 387 | * BlueBlood: The hereditary ruler of Maun. |
| 388 | * BodyGuardingABadass: Not Isolde but her were-bat servant Gustav. She would much rather let him do the fighting for her. But should push comes to shove, she proves a much deadlier foe. |
| 389 | ** The were-bat has only skill 8 stamina 8, but can worsen your lycanthropy by striking you twice or more, and lifts you to drop you on the ground, costing -4 stamina and -1 skill, by winning two turns in a row. [[spoiler: If [[GuestStarPartyMember Van Richten]] is with you, the were-bat attacks him and both die [[DestinationDefenestration falling through the window]].]] |
| 390 | * CharmPerson: [[spoiler: If you are gullible enough to trust her for help, she will enthral you with her HypnoticEyes, brainwashing you after killing the [[PostFinalBoss Wolf Demon]] and making you her slave for the rest of your life.]] |
| 391 | * ClassicalMovieVampire: A noble woman living in a derelict but lavish castle, complete with an OminousOperaCape, HypnoticEyes, [[SuperSmoke mist transformation]] and [[VampiresSleepInCoffins resting in coffins]], among others. Jonathan Green sure knows his classics well... |
| 392 | * ClimaxBoss: You confront her at the end of her SideQuest. She is a powerful foe with skill 10 stamina 13. If she strikes you twice in a row, she bites you and costs you -3 stamina, worsening your condition. |
| 393 | * ContinuityNod: The fact that you cannot fully get rid of her [[spoiler: without destroying all her coffins]], is reminiscent of Count Reiner Heydrich from ''Literature/VaultOfTheVampire'' and ''Literature/RevengeOfTheVampire''. [[spoiler: Also, the way she strikes deal with you while making clear that she furthers her agenda not yours, is reminiscent of Reiner's sister Katarina.]] |
| 394 | * CulturedBadass: Like most nobles of the franchise, she is as well-read as she is powerful. |
| 395 | * TheDarkArts: In addition to being a vampire, Countess Isolde has knowledge of Dark Magic. |
| 396 | * DealWithTheDevil: |
| 397 | ** How she became a vampire in first place. |
| 398 | ** Basically what "help" she gives. [[spoiler: Complete with screwing you over after you fulfilled your part.]] |
| 399 | * DiscOneFinalBoss: She has all the markings of a BigBad and is the vilest, deadliest enemy faced so far, yet she is but a warm-up to [[FinalBoss Count Wulfen]]. |
| 400 | * EvilOldFolks: Countess Isolde's true aspect is that of an ageing, wrinkled woman. |
| 401 | * EvilOverlord: A rare female example. She may be (grudgingly) subservient to Count Wulfen, but she remains a FeudalOverlord with vast power, controlling evil {{Mooks}} and striving to expand her rule. |
| 402 | * EvilTowerOfOminousness: She resides in one, gloomy and derelict yet lavish and impressive. |
| 403 | * EvilVersusEvil: Her rivalry with Count Wulfen is two {{Evil Overlord}}s competing for dominance. No matter who wins, Lupravia is still screwed. |
| 404 | * FemmeFatalons: Being a vampire, her pointed nails are long and sharp enough for her to fight with. |
| 405 | * FeudalOverlord: Countess Isolde has complete control over the Domain of Maun. |
| 406 | * {{Flight}}: She does not need to turn into a bat to fly. |
| 407 | * FlourishCapeInFrontOfFace: She does this before fleeing at the sight of your Holy Symbol, complete with insults and threats. |
| 408 | * FullyEmbracedFiend: She enjoys every second of undeath as a VampireMonarch, with the powers included in the package. Then again, [[TranshumanTreachery she already was rotten to the core as a human]]. |
| 409 | * FurAgainstFang: Countess Isolde is a Vampire Lady with a rivalry against Count Varcolac Wulfen, an Arch Lycanthrope. Enforced as Isolde and Varcolac are the sole members of the Cadre who remained sane enough to scheme against each other. |
| 410 | * {{Geas}}: [[spoiler: She puts you under one if you seek her help: After winning the FinalBattle, she appears and her geas puts you under control, forcing you to become her [[TheDragon right-hand man]] enforcing her own tyranny.]] |
| 411 | * GhostlyGlide: She glides over the ground as she moves. |
| 412 | * {{Glamour}}: Countess Isolde is quite old and undeath twisted her features, but she uses her powers to look like a beautiful young woman. |
| 413 | * GottaCatchThemAll: [[spoiler: You must explore her tower to destroy all her coffins, preventing her from fleeing into one away from you if you best her in a fight.]] |
| 414 | * HissBeforeFleeing: She does this when you drive her away. After all, she is a vampire is she not? |
| 415 | * HolyBurnsEvil: You can drive her away with a Holy Symbol or using silver chandeliers as an ImprovisedCross. [[spoiler: And skip the battle against her.]] |
| 416 | * HypnoticEyes: She is a vampire is she not? |
| 417 | * KickingAssInAllHerFinery: Don't think for a second that her regal clothing impedes her in a fight. |
| 418 | * KnowWhenToFoldThem: She flees in SuperSmoke form if you reduce her stamina to 4 or less, to rest in one of her coffins. [[spoiler: If you did not destroy her two coffins, she hides in one of them and you cannot pursue her. If you did, she can only hide in her last coffin not far away, and you stake her with your blade.]] |
| 419 | * LadyOfBlackMagic: She is a refined and dignified noble lady, with great Dark Powers. |
| 420 | * LadyOfWar: She is a refined and dignified noble lady, and a deadly fighter. |
| 421 | * LordCountry: Countess Isolde of Maun, ruler of... you name it, the burg of Maun. |
| 422 | * ManOfWealthAndTaste: Woman, but you get the picture. She "lives" (ahem) in luxury and she enjoys it. |
| 423 | * ManipulativeBastard: Well bitch in that case. Countess Isolde is pretty good in using people, even prospective foes, to do her bidding. |
| 424 | * MustBeInvited: She is a vampire, is she not? [[spoiler: In the NonStandardGameOver in which she makes you her slave after you kill the BigBad, you open the window to let her in.]] |
| 425 | * NaturalWeapon: Countess Isolde fights with her nails and fangs, and does not need anything else. |
| 426 | * NeverMessWithGranny: She is quite old, albeit too vain to show it, but remains a cunning and deadly foe that must never be underestimated. |
| 427 | * NighInvulnerability: You stand no chance against her with normal weapons. |
| 428 | * NoBodyLeftBehind: Destroyed undeads rarely leave corpses. |
| 429 | * OddlySmallOrganization: The Cadre Infernal has only five members: Count Varcolac Wulfen the Arch-Lycanthrope, Countess Isolde of Maun the VampireMonarch, Serena the witch, turned [[SnakePeople Serpensa the snake woman]] in a freak-show, Aranaea the BlackWidow turned into a real spider-woman, and the Abbot of the Black Monks, who became a giant worm. Only Varcolac and Isolde gained power, the other three were turned into grotesque and feral monsters, strong but devoid of the influence they craved so badly. |
| 430 | * OminousOperaCape: She is a vampire is she not? |
| 431 | * OurGhostsAreDifferent: Countess Isolde attacks you as a vampiric spectre outside her tower, [[spoiler: if you vanquished her but didn't smash all her coffins.]] Whether it is her under her SuperSmoke or a form of AstralProjection is unclear though. Under this form, she only has skill 8 stamina 6, but she might weaken you by -1 skill if she strikes you through VampiricDraining. |
| 432 | * OurVampiresAreDifferent: She became a Vampire following a KarmicTransformation delivered by the DealWithTheDevil above, and her Dark Powers go beyond the classical vampiric abilities. |
| 433 | * PurpleIsPowerful: Countess Isolde wears a purple robe and is a VampireMonarch to be reckoned with. |
| 434 | * RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver: She wears a black and red cape. |
| 435 | * RedEyesTakeWarning: She is a vampire, is she not? |
| 436 | * ReducedToDust: Like any ClassicalMovieVampire worth their salt, after being staked. |
| 437 | * RouteBoss: Only faced in the Maun side-quest, but still the most plot-relevant one in the story. |
| 438 | * SecretCircleOfSecrets: She is part of the recreated Cadre Infernal. Once a gathering of Mauristasian nobles meant to expand their influence through alliances and magic, self-serving but not outwardly malevolent, twisted into a group of power-hungry tyrants who sought power for the sake of power no matter the cost. |
| 439 | * SequentialBoss: If you confront her, you must first resist her hypnosis, then fight her were-bat servant, then fight her, and finally take her down for good. |
| 440 | * SilverHasMysticPowers: [[spoiler: You can only harm her with a silver dagger. Fighting with it does not come in handy though, so you lose -1 skill.]] |
| 441 | * SimpleYetOpulent: Her clothing is lavish, but without ornaments and excess. |
| 442 | * SinisterSurveillance: In several ways: |
| 443 | ** Countess Isolde is able to watch you as you progress in her tower, through portraits in her likeness. |
| 444 | ** She can even keep tab on her foes away from her tower, and use her BlackMagic from afar. |
| 445 | * SkippableBoss: |
| 446 | ** Nothing forces you to venture into her tower, you can ignore her and win the gamebook just fine. |
| 447 | ** [[spoiler: Even then, you can force her to flee without fight with Holy Symbols, in true vampire-hunter style.]] |
| 448 | * TheStarscream: Countess Isolde wishes to extend her domain from the burg of Maun to the entire Lupravia, but Count Wulfen is far too powerful for her and she has to obey him. [[spoiler: And that's where you enter the scene...]] |
| 449 | * SummonMagic: She can call forth faceless, tentacled darkness spirits known as Tenebraes, and will do if you were not stealthy enough when exploring her EvilTowerOfOminousness, before the BossBattle against her. Fortunately, they pose little trouble and can be [[WeakenedByTheLight weakened by the light of a torch.]] |
| 450 | * SuperSmoke: Countess Isolde can turn into a cloud of black mist to travel or escape. |
| 451 | * SuperStrength: What makes her a dangerous foe. |
| 452 | * TacticalWithdrawal: [[spoiler: When defeated in battle, she escapes in a hidden coffin with her last strength. Or her main coffin if the others are reduced to burning wood.]] |
| 453 | * TranshumanTreachery: Like every member of the Cadre, she was a power-hungry bitch long before she became an undead. |
| 454 | * TooSpicyForYogSothoth: If she manages to bite you, she deals great damage but cannot drain you dry because the curse of lycanthropy makes your blood repulsive. |
| 455 | ** If you got the werewolf-related condition Cursed Bloodline, this trope makes it backfire on her, as your blood is so infected with lycanthropy that drinking it harms her by -3 in stamina. |
| 456 | * UndeathAlwaysEnds: Your task is to make sure of it. |
| 457 | * UndeathlyPallor: Why, [[RunningGag she is a vampire is she not?]] |
| 458 | * UnskilledButStrong: Only hinted at, but she prefers Super Strength and VictoryByEndurance over proper technique... |
| 459 | * VainSorceress: Countess Isolde would much rather appear as a beautiful young woman than the twisted old undead she really is. |
| 460 | * VampireBitesSuck: She bites you if she strikes you twice in a row, dealing greater damage. |
| 461 | * VampireMonarch: Doubtless the second most notable of the franchise, after Count Heydrich himself. |
| 462 | * VampiresAreRich: Vampires or not, {{Feudal Overlord}}s like Countess Isolde are pretty loaded. |
| 463 | * VampiresSleepInCoffins: The one trope no ClassicalMovieVampire can escape. |
| 464 | * VampiricDraining: She might use this move normally, but only does so under an AstralProjection. |
| 465 | * VictoryByEndurance: If you face her with normal weapons, she {{No Sell}}s everything you throw at her until you are too exhausted to defend yourself, and then she moves for the kill. |
| 466 | * VoluntaryShapeshifting: She can turn into a bat or a cloud of smoke. |
| 467 | * WhiteHairBlackHeart: Countess Isolde has silver hair and has zero redeeming quality. |
| 468 | * WickedCultured: An influential aristocrat with a vast knowledge and library. |
| 469 | [[/folder]] |
| 470 | |
| 471 | [[folder:Myurr]] |
| 472 | -->See his entry on the [[Characters/FightingFantasyAntagonistsThePit The Pit]] page under '''The Snake Demons, Rulers of the Pit''' |
| 473 | [[/folder]] |
| 474 | |
| 475 | [[folder:The Shadow King]] |
| 476 | -->See his entry on the [[Characters/FightingFantasyAntagonistsThePit Pit]] page under '''Night Demons and other Demon Princes'''. |
| 477 | [[/folder]] |
| 478 | |
| 479 | !!Conquerors and Warlords |
| 480 | [[folder:Balthazar Sturm]] |
| 481 | [[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/balthazar_sturm_6.jpg]] |
| 482 | -> '''Appears in''': ''Literature/{{Stormslayer}}'' |
| 483 | |
| 484 | A powerful Weather Mage who was part of the High Council of Wizards of Chalannabrad, capital of the Kingdom of Femfrey. Until his unethical and dangerous experiments got him banished, that is. He built the Eye of the Storm: a huge {{Steampunk}} flying ship from which [[WeatherManipulation he can control the weather]], and allied himself to [[TheDragon the warlord Khaddan Khan]] from the neighbouring kingdom of Lendleland, threatening the entire continent with his yearning for revenge. But destroying the village of Vastarin attracted the attention of [[TheHero the Hero of Tannatown]], an adventurer famous for many victories against evil swears to enact justice... |
| 485 | ---- |
| 486 | * AerithAndBob: A common first name like Balthazar is paradoxically quite uncommon in Titan, where more esoteric names are the norm. |
| 487 | * AntagonistAbilities: Not only can he use the ElementalShapeshifter trick four times, no less, but his {{Flight}} and ShockAndAwe powers complicate the FinalBattle. Depending on which day it is, one of his elements will be empowered. |
| 488 | * AxCrazy: Violently demented, and out to wreak utter destruction all over Femfrey and the Old World. |
| 489 | * BadSamaritan: He funded Inigo Crank's research in mechanics and machinery, only to steal them for his nefarious purposes. |
| 490 | * BadassBoast: When you confronts him, he gloats that he controls the elements and that you cannot defeat him. Indeed he controls them, and indeed he is a foe to be reckoned with... But so are you. |
| 491 | ** Refreshingly enough, you answer with a BadassBoast of your own, doubling as a ShutUpHannibal, telling him that you defeated your fair share of {{Evil Overlord}}s, and that one more or one less is [[ButForMeItWasTuesday just Tuesday for you]]. And indeed, you get the last laugh. |
| 492 | * BadassCape: Sturm Wears a magic cloth that changes colour and substance following the element he is using, ornate with ever-changing motives representing said element. |
| 493 | * BadassLongcoat: His cape is depicted as this in the illustration. |
| 494 | * BaldOfEvil: Sturm has not a single hair atop his skull, and is a thoroughly despicable human being. |
| 495 | * BeardOfEvil: A small goatee of pure "evil scumbag" style. |
| 496 | * BecameTheirOwnAntithesis: From a protector of the realm to the one craving for its destruction. |
| 497 | * BigBad: The mad Weather Mage out to wreck Femfrey for {{Revenge}}, whom you swear to destroy. |
| 498 | * BlowYouAway: In the fourth stage of the FinalBattle, he transforms into a very powerful living maelstrom with skill 12 stamina 10, who fortunately gets no power-boost when fought on a Wind-day. [[spoiler: Summoning Arkolith the Earth Elemental smothers him. Without him, you must fight to reduce his stamina to 3.]] |
| 499 | * BossRush: Sturm is one all by himself. You might fight him no less than five times in succession, one for each element he turns into, and a final one under his normal form. [[spoiler: You can skip the fight with the element transformations by summoning the Elementals that can neutralize them.]] |
| 500 | * CantKillYouStillNeedYou: He keeps Inigo Crank prisoner to use him to repair the ship, whether he wants it or not, in case something went awry. |
| 501 | * ContinuityNod: Playing ElementalRockPaperScissors with [[ElementalEmbodiment Greater Elementals]] against a powerful wizard expert in the trade, evokes the FinalBattle against [[Characters/FightingFantasyAntagonistsDemonicThree Oldoran Zagor]] in ''Literature/ReturnToFiretopMountain''. |
| 502 | * CoolShip: The Eye of the Storm is a gigantic, fish-shaped aircraft channelling his Weather Magic, as well as the power of Greater Elementals, and uses them to wreak all sort of climatic havoc. |
| 503 | * DespotismJustifiesTheMeans: Sturm seeks to take over the kingdom of Femfrey, or what is left of it after he is done with his cataclysms. |
| 504 | * DishingOutDirt: During the second stage of the FinalBattle, he transforms into a dangerous ten-feet tall rock colossus, with skill 9 stamina 12 (+1 skill +2 stamina when fought on an Earth-day). [[spoiler: He loses -3 stamina with a bludgeoning weapon. Summoning Oceanus the Water Elemental erodes him away. Without him, you must fight to reduce his stamina to 3.]] |
| 505 | * DisproportionateRetribution: He was banished by the Council of Wizards, within reason mind you, so he swore to destroy them all and to wreck the kingdom they serve before taking it over, killing hundreds of innocents who just happened to be in the way. This guy and the concept of "measure" make two... |
| 506 | * ElementalPowers: Like Zagor, Sturm specialises in Elemental Magic and is powerful enough to master the Four Major Elements, while most Elemental Mages can only focus on one. He summoned Greater Elementals (among the mightiest beings in existence), and sealed them in his {{Steampunk}} aircraft to syphon their power. [[spoiler: You must gather Greater Elementals of your own to use against him.]] |
| 507 | * ElementalRockPaperScissors: [[spoiler: When he turns to an element in the FinalBattle, you can counter him with another. Air blows out Fire, Fire evaporates Water, Water erodes Earth and Earth smothers Air.]] |
| 508 | * ElementalShapeshifter: Sturm turns into four very powerful elemental versions of himself to fight you, until he runs out of elements. He turns into Fire, then Earth, then Water, then Air. |
| 509 | * EvilEyebrows: Casting shade on his hollowed eyes. |
| 510 | * EvilGloating: Posturing and boasting his pretty much all he does. |
| 511 | * EvilIsPetty: The Council of Wizards banished him because his experiments were potentially disastrous, and he wastes no time proving them right by unleashing untold disasters, just because he could not stand contradiction. Really mature there... |
| 512 | * EvilSorcerer: Notice a trend? |
| 513 | * FallenHero: He was once a respected member of the Council of Wizards, until he started delving into very dangerous experiments... |
| 514 | * FanDisservice: A well-toned WalkingShirtlessScene wearing tights should normally be easy on the eyes, but his BaldOfEvil, the demented gleam in his eyes, his thuggish face and his all-around twisted features makes him as unappealing as possible. |
| 515 | * FinalBoss: You first have to defeat all his OneWingedAngel forms before facing him in person. He is a powerful foe with skill 10 stamina 10 (+1 skill when fought on a Storm-day). He is hard to reach as he flies, costing you -1 skill [[spoiler: unless you can drink a Levitation Potion]], and blasts you with lightning, costing -2 stamina if you fight him with a blunt weapon, -3 stamina if you fight him on a Storm-day or with a sword, and -4 if both. [[spoiler: He dies sucked out of the broken windows when you reduces his stamina to 2.]] |
| 516 | * {{Flight}}: Sturm can fly using air currents and winds. |
| 517 | * GoodEyesEvilEyes: Clearly evil ones, wide with narrow pupils and a permanent demented look. |
| 518 | * GoodHairEvilHair: Few good guys have no hair but a [[BeardOfEvil nasty-looking goatee]]... |
| 519 | * HoistByHisOwnPetard: He his killed by the hero who witnessed first-hand the destruction he could bring, being in the first town he attacked. |
| 520 | ** [[spoiler: You can call the Greater Elementals to defeat him, besting him in his own field of Elemental Magic.]] |
| 521 | ** [[spoiler: His falling aircraft drops right on the troops of TheDragon Khaddan Khan, killing him and TheHorde he rules, saving Femfrey as their army was too disoriented by the apocalyptic storms to retaliate.]] |
| 522 | * ItsPersonal: You were investigating the strange hurricane that devastated the village you were taking shelter in. Upon learning that this is the doing of a crazy, power-hungry EvilSorcerer, you swear that he will be another name on your quite furbished hit-list of {{Big Bad}}s. And so he will. |
| 523 | * KarmicDeath: He dies sucked out of the broken windows of his aircraft into the void. In other words: he who kills by the storm shall perish by the storm. |
| 524 | * LoadBearingBoss: Justified, as it is the damage you dealt to his CoolShip before and during the FinalBattle that causes it to explode. |
| 525 | * {{Magitek}}: Sturm combines sorcery and mechanics to build magic-powered {{Steampunk}} machines, and fitting lesser Thunder Spirits into isolated combinations to use as workers and gaolers. |
| 526 | * MakingASplash: During the third stage of the FinalBattle, he transforms into a powerful humanoid flood with skill 11 stamina 11 (+1 skill +2 stamina when fought on a Seaday), who can swipe you off your feet and cost -2 stamina and -1 skill for the first turn, until you get back up. [[spoiler: Summoning Vulcanus the Fire Elemental evaporates him. Without him, you must fight to reduce his stamina to 3.]] |
| 527 | * MeaningfulName: In German, his last name means... Oh come on! Only one letter needs changing... |
| 528 | * NoShirtLongJacket: The illustration depicts him wearing his BadassLongcoat like this. |
| 529 | * OneWingedAngel: He turns into a monster to fight you, [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill four times]]. See ElementalShapeShifter above. |
| 530 | * PlayingWithFire: During the first stage of the FinalBattle, he transforms into a powerful fiery humanoid, with skill 10 stamina 9 (+1 of each when fought on a Fire-day). [[spoiler: Summoning Zephyrus the Air Elemental blows him out, but you won't be able to use him to avoid falling to your death after killing Sturm so you'd better have another way. If not, fight him and reduce his stamina to 3.]] |
| 531 | * PostClimaxConfrontation: Played with as despite it being quite an ordeal and the direct result of the climax, it's not a confrontation... [[spoiler: After you get rid of him, you must still escape safely from the aircraft as it crashes to the ground; either by calling a Pegasus, summoning Zephyrus the Air Elemental, or by having a parachute. If you cannot, victory does not save you from plummeting to your doom.]] |
| 532 | * PowerFloats: Sturm floats in the air during the final battle, which makes him harder to reach while you stay on the ground, costing you -1 skill for the FinalBattle. |
| 533 | * PreAsskickingOneLiner: "Feel the power of the storm" says he before going all ShockAndAwe on you. |
| 534 | * PsychopathicManchild: Sturm is an unhinged madman in what amounts to a child throwing a tantrum for being punished because he knowingly played with matches near a flaming material. |
| 535 | * RevengeMyopia: What better way to avenge a slight from a select few people than destroying their entire country and everyone in the way? Really mature there... |
| 536 | * RoaringRampageOfRevenge: His attacks on Femfrey are this against the Council of Wizards that banished him, and the entire kingdom while he is at it. This filth sure can hold a grudge. |
| 537 | * SequentialBoss: You will first fight his Fire Form, second his Earth Form, third his Water Form, fourth his Air Form, and finally his normal form. |
| 538 | * ShockAndAwe: After you vanquished his four [[ElementalShapeshifter elemental]] [[OneWingedAngel transformations]], he fights you one last time with blasts of lightning. He gains power when fought on a Storm-day, and deals greater damage if you fight with a sword, as it conducts electricity. |
| 539 | * SmugSnake: Sturm sure loves to gloat and considers himself invincible. Guess what? He's not. Story-wise, he's not even that scary for you, TheHero, who makes it quite clear. |
| 540 | * SorcerousOverlord: Not only does he control a CoolShip full of monsters, but he spreads his influence all over the land and commands a powerful army that threatens to invade the kingdom. |
| 541 | * {{Steampunk}}: His signature style, as all his machines from his airship to his mech-golems look steam powered, in a MedievalStasis Fantasy setting. |
| 542 | * SummonMagic: He can summon elemental spirits, mostly thunder ones. And don't get him started on Greater Elementals. |
| 543 | * VillainousCheekbones: Talk about sharp features... |
| 544 | * WalkingShirtlessScene: Sturm is surprisingly buff for an EvilSorcerer, in an aversion of SquishyWizard, but still too creepy to count as anything else than FanDisservice. |
| 545 | * WeaponOfMassDestruction: His aircraft can cause climatic catastrophes of untold scale: blizzards, sandstorms, hurricanes, storms, droughts, among other delicious treats... |
| 546 | * WeatherManipulation: A Weather Mage, who controls climatic variations. Taken up to eleven with his ship, with which he can cause untold disasters. |
| 547 | [[/folder]] |
| 548 | |
| 549 | [[folder:Belgaroth]] |
| 550 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dread_lord_belgaroth.jpg]] |
| 551 | -> '''Appears in''': ''Literature/KnightsOfDoom'' | ''Literature/NightOfTheNecromancer'' (mentioned) |
| 552 | |
| 553 | A monstrous, undead, sorcerous Chaos Lord, and one of the franchise's worst {{SNK Boss}}es. Belgaroth was once one of [[ThePaladin the Knight Templars of the Warrior God Telak]], younger brother of King Chivalras IX of Ruddlestone, but he forsook both his brother and his god in his lust for power. He established his own Templars in the name of the Dark Gods, [[EliteArmy the Knights of Doom]]. His initial attempt at taking over the kingdom resulted in the gruelling Crusade Against Chaos, ending with his death, pierced by the legendary hero Sir Rhyaddan with the [[WeaponOfXSlaying Elven Spear Aelfgar]]. Alas, after a hundred years, Belgaroth has returned from the dead and amassed another army and new followers, intending to steal the throne once more. But he shall find another paladin on his path... |
| 554 | ---- |
| 555 | * TwentyFourHourArmour: He never takes off his Armour, and he is very likely no longer be able to... |
| 556 | * AchillesHeel: [[spoiler: You stand no chance to finish him off for good without the Elven Spear Aelfgar.]] |
| 557 | * AlienBlood: Hideous green slime oozes from his wounds, just to emphasize how deep he has fallen. |
| 558 | * AmbitionIsEvil: Wanting to rule instead of their (worthier) brother is never the mark of virtuous characters. He did at first genuinely, albeit mistakenly, believed himself to be better for the realm, but envy and thirst for power soon eclipsed any good intention he had... |
| 559 | * AntagonistAbilities: Part of what makes him so frustratingly hard. He is a powerhouse with max stats, whose overpowered EvilWeapon and DamageReduction give the impression of poking him with a stick while he bashes you with a sledgehammer. Not to mention his deadly magic... |
| 560 | * BackFromTheDead: He got killed a hundred years ago, but returned more evil and twisted than ever. |
| 561 | * BadPowersBadPeople: Belgaroth corrupts people, withers the land, spreads plagues after plagues, and summons hellish monsters... No way he could be anything less than the BigBad. |
| 562 | * BadassCape: He wears a long, dark cape that expands his frame. |
| 563 | * BecameTheirOwnAntithesis: Belgaroth used to be ThePaladin, stalwart if over-zealous, with God-given powers, and a trusted protector of the realm. He is now a cruel TinTyrant empowered by dark forces, out to turn the realm into a desolate land of Chaos. |
| 564 | * BigBad: The evil Chaos Lord, who must be taken down to save the land. |
| 565 | * BlackKnight: Pretty much the basis of his character. |
| 566 | * BlackSwordsAreBetter: Belgaroth certainly thinks so. See EvilWeapon below for more details. |
| 567 | * BloodKnight: He was violent and warmongering even before his corruption, and coveted the throne because he deemed his brother weak, lenient and unworthy... Note that said brother is remembered as one of the best monarchs the realm ever knew. Might is not enough to rule, who could have thought? |
| 568 | * TheCaligula: It is a good thing that Belgaroth never became king. His obsession with ruling with an iron fist and needlessly dominating the neighbouring nations would have spelled the kingdom's doom. |
| 569 | * CainAndAbel: He reviled his brother, and launched his invasion to steal his throne. |
| 570 | * TheCorrupter: Belgaroth can channel power in the Runes of Chaos to corrupt anyone into evil and twisted version of themselves, with no hope of turning back. [[spoiler: You must win a difficult test of honour to resist, or become a Chaos Knight at his command.]] He can also do it through his EvilWeapon. |
| 571 | * CowardlyBoss: [[spoiler: He flees like a coward when bested and lets the Traitor alert his guards to overwhelm you while you're busy. You can only track him down after unmasking and killing said Traitor...]] |
| 572 | * DamageReduction: His armour makes him lose only 1 stamina point instead of the regular 2 when hit. |
| 573 | * TheDarkArts: Belgaroth is quite adept with them, casting all sorts of curses and summoning evil spirits whenever he can. |
| 574 | * DarkIsEvil: He is rotten to the core, wears black armour and hurls black lightning... |
| 575 | * DespotismJustifiesTheMeans: Belgaroth gave up his family, his faith, his humanity, and ultimately his very life for a grab for power... What a waste... |
| 576 | * DirtyCoward: For all his bravado and scorn for weakness, Belgaroth flees without turning back when beaten, letting his guards do the work and doing anything he can to avoid another confrontation. |
| 577 | * DraggedOffToHell: As soon as you strike him down for good, a dimensional vortex opens to send him and the entire VeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon back to the Realm of the Damned, the nightmarish afterlife where the wicked suffer for eternity. And after all he put you through, it's hard not to cheer. |
| 578 | * TheDreaded: Even a hundred years after his death, his name alone still frightens everyone in Ruddlestone. When the king announces that he has returned even the BadassCrew of Templars get an OhCrap moment. |
| 579 | * EvilCounterpart: To his brother and to the current king, who leads the order of Holy Templars in contrast to his Chaos Knights. |
| 580 | * EvilIsHammy: Like you would not believe. Taunts, threats and curses are like this sod's native tongue. |
| 581 | * EvilIsPetty: Belgaroth did not get (nor deserved) the throne, so he renounced his King and his God, and very nearly destroyed the whole kingdom he coveted so much. Twice. Overreacting much? |
| 582 | * EvilOverlord: Dark Powers ? Check! ObviouslyEvil? Check! Creepy SupervillainLair? Check! Armies of monsters? Check! Evil influence? Check! Threatens the land by himself? Checkmate! He is even a DarkIsEvil TinTyrant, and a FallenHero for crying out loud! |
| 583 | * TheEvilPrince: The younger brother of King Chivalras IX, who coveted his brother's crown. |
| 584 | * EvilSorcerer: Subverted. The narration does describe him as such, and he is indeed no slouch with TheDarkArts, but instead he is pretty much ''Fighting Fantasy'''s answer to the Chaos Lords from ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}''. |
| 585 | * EvilWeapon: Belgaroth wields a great, black rune-sword ornate with the Runes of Chaos, which inflicts -3 stamina instead of 2 and depletes your KarmaMeter, which can turn you into a Chaos Knight at his beck and call should it falls to zero. |
| 586 | * TheFaceless: You never get to see what he looks like under his helmet, and that's probably for the best. |
| 587 | * FallenHero: He was once one of the holy Templar's of Telak, one of the mightiest forces of Good in the continent of the Old World. Too bad his jealousy and his harsh disposition got the better of him. |
| 588 | * FinalBoss: Easily one of the hardest of the franchise. It takes much more than beating him to win. |
| 589 | * FrontlineGeneral: Being a warlord through and through, he fought on the first lines during the Crusade Against Chaos. If your quest takes too long, he leads his troops to invade Ruddlestone in the [[MultipleEndings Bad Ending]]. |
| 590 | * GlowingEyelightsOfUndeath: His eyes glow an eerie light under his helmet. |
| 591 | * GreenEyedMonster: His bitter jealousy for his brother's throne led to his downfall, then his death when attempting to seize the throne by force; delusionally fancying himself as better suited to be king... |
| 592 | * HellishHorse: He rides a black, winged demon steed known as a Night-Mare, and can sic it against foes. It is a powerful monster with skill 10 stamina 11, but he recalls it after its stamina drops to 6 or less. |
| 593 | * HighAltitudeBattle: The last stage of the FinalBattle takes place in a stormy sky, with him riding his winged HellishHorse and you riding a divine bird. It is as epic as it sounds. |
| 594 | * HornsOfVillainy: Two long, straight menacing horns ornamenting his helmet. |
| 595 | * {{Hypocrite}}: Normally, a BloodKnight never acts like a DirtyCoward, even when bested. Not this one... |
| 596 | * IHaveManyNames: He is known as the Dread Lord, the Dark Tyrant, the Usurping Serpent, the Iron Fist, the Warmonger of Caer Skaal, the Lord of Havoc... [[SarcasmMode All promises of sunshine and rainbows.]] |
| 597 | * JaggedMouth: His helmet figures a creepy mouth of serrated fangs. |
| 598 | * MagicKnight: Belgaroth is a formidable warrior, with vast dark powers and mastery of magic on the side. |
| 599 | * MasterSwordsman: He "lives" and breathes through fighting, so it goes without saying that he is a consummate expert in the field. |
| 600 | * MightMakesRight: Belgaroth's mindset in a nutshell. In his twisted point of view, anything else than a ruthless BloodKnight is a weakling unfit to rule... But he'd rather flee with his tail between his legs like the cowardly hypocrite he is, rather than admitting defeat. |
| 601 | * MonsterLord: A Chaos Lord, superior to Chaos Knights and Chaos warriors, commanding every chaotic being around, even causing their rise all over. |
| 602 | * NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: Belgaroth sounds quite ominous. And the least we speak of his many titles the better. |
| 603 | * ObviouslyEvil: Just one look tells you that he is '''really''' not the kind of guy you would take for a drink... |
| 604 | * PraetorianGuard: The Knights of Doom serve as his own, who must be destroyed before facing him. They are powerful and dangerous foes with skill 10 stamina 12, DamageReduction and blades that can deal greater damage than normal. You stand no chance against the whole lot, [[spoiler: and must cast the Five Words of Power to destroy them, risking getting destroyed by the power it unleashes.]] |
| 605 | * PrincelingRivalry: Younger princes jealous of their kingly brothers are almost more commonplace than loyal vassals in stories, and this one is no exception... |
| 606 | * RageHelm: Wears one as scary and evil looking as possible, complete with HornsOfVillainy and a JaggedMouth. |
| 607 | * RankScalesWithAsskicking: The Knights of Doom might be a formidable BadassCrew, but he makes them look like green-horns. While [[TheDragon the Chaos Champion]] is as skilled a fighter as he is, his enormous dark powers keep him firmly on top. |
| 608 | * RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver: He is clad from head to toe in a black suit of armour covered in red sigils. |
| 609 | * RedBaron: He has many, but the most recurring one throughout the story is the Dread Lord. See IHaveManyNames higher to see them all. |
| 610 | * ScrewThisImOuttaHere: He turns tail like a filthy coward as soon as you best him, and takes great care to avoid a direct confrontation from then on, until you leave him no choice. For such a powerful and arrogant BigBad, it clearly illustrates the vile, insecure bullies they often are under the threatening allure and posturing. |
| 611 | * SequentialBoss: The other reason he's so frustratingly hard. You must overcome ordeal after ordeal before '''and''' after the fight, to earn the immense satisfaction of ending the sod.\ |
| 612 | 1) Prying open the doors to his throne room. No kidding. [[spoiler: Use magic tree sap.]]\ |
| 613 | 2) Destroying his [[PraetorianGuard Knights of Doom]] and fighting the super tough survivors. [[spoiler: Use a dangerous spell.]]\ |
| 614 | 3) Winning a hard test of honour to resist his corruption.\ |
| 615 | 4) Surviving his bolt of black lightning.\ |
| 616 | 5) Besting him in a nightmarish battle.\ |
| 617 | 6) Having gotten rid of the Assassin's Dagger.\ |
| 618 | 7) Unmasking and killing the traitor, hopefully a laughable BreatherBoss.\ |
| 619 | 8) Fighting his powerful HellishHorse.\ |
| 620 | 9) Having a flying mount to go after him as he flies away, and surviving the storm he causes. [[spoiler: by summoning the divine bird Celastrix.]]\ |
| 621 | 10) Successfully piercing him with the WeaponOfXSlaying (if you have it), or get killed by his black bolt.\ |
| 622 | No big deal, right? |
| 623 | * ShockAndAwe: One of his new powers is casting a bolt of black lightning that cost -5 stamina, [[spoiler: or obliterates you if you wield a [[AmplifierArtifact Black Orb]]. It will also dismount you if you duel him in the sky.]] |
| 624 | * SingleStrokeBattle: Either you or him win after landing a hit in the final stage of the FinalBattle. Justified as it is a HighAltitudeBattle in which being struck sends you plummeting to your doom, while you throw the WeaponOfXSlaying to pierce his heart. |
| 625 | * SkeletonMotif: His emblem is a skull over a tower, and his castle is named "Caer Skaal", basically the Skull Fortress. Seriously, how could Chivalras not guess that he was turning bad from that clue alone? |
| 626 | * SkeletonsInTheCoatCloset: Dons a skeleton-shaped armour, covered with skulls and SpikesOfVillainy. |
| 627 | * SkullForAHead: Wears a skull-shaped helmet, that has become for all intent and purpose his true head. |
| 628 | * SNKBoss: Doubtless the second hardest of the franchise after the infamous Razaak from ''Literature/CryptOfTheSorcerer''. He is a formidable foe with skill 12 stamina 17 and DamageReduction, mowing down your LifeMeter and KarmaMeter with each strike of his EvilWeapon. Fortunately, the battle ends when his stamina drops to 7. Unfortunately fighting him is but one step of a nightmarish SequentialBoss battle. You need very high skill, stamina and honour scores to even stand a chance, not to mention all you need to survive all he throws at you. Good luck, you'll need it. |
| 629 | * SpikesOfVillainy: His armour is covered with spikes. |
| 630 | * SummonMagic: He conjures an [[LivingWeapon Assassin Dagger]] at the start of your quest, a ghastly hand wielding a dagger, [[SuperPersistentPredator that tracks you down wherever you go]] and attacks you with skill 10. [[spoiler: You must get rid of it at all cost, by Exorcism or a special potion, lest it fatally stabs you during the FinalBattle.]] He also summons his HellishHorse and other {{Hell Hound}}s and demons from [[CirclesOfHell the Pit]]. |
| 631 | * TakeOverTheWorld: Downplayed. He merely (so to speak) wants to take over the kingdom of Ruddlestone, which he considers his to rule. He is implied to covet the continent, if not the world though. |
| 632 | * ThroneRoomThrowdown: You confront the sod before his throne, in true EvilOverlord fashion. |
| 633 | * TinTyrant: A bad guy clad in a dark Armour. |
| 634 | * TheUndead: He and his Knights of Doom returned as undead of an unspecified kind. He is more likely a sort of revenant or lich. Being undead made him unsurprisingly even more twisted and evil that he was when corrupted but alive. |
| 635 | * UndeathAlwaysEnds: After you destroy him and his entire BadassCrew of undead Chaos Knights. |
| 636 | * UnholyMatrimony: He married a powerful WickedWitch as evil as he is named Morgwyn, who threw herself from the highest tower of their castle after his death, and returned as a demented spectre you must fight. With skill 9, stamina 9, immunity to normal weapon, nasty BlackMagic and a LifeDrain touch, she is not a foe to be trifled with. |
| 637 | * WalkingWasteland: His presence alone slowly wastes the entire country, and condemns the king himself to an incurable illness, for the king and the realm are linked. |
| 638 | * WasOnceAMan: He used to be a holy knight, but is now a hideously twisted undead, bordering on HumanoidAbomination. |
| 639 | [[/folder]] |
| 640 | |
| 641 | [[folder:Karam Gruul]] |
| 642 | [[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/karam_gruul_unmasked.jpg]] |
| 643 | -> '''Appears in''': ''Literature/{{Moonrunner}}'' |
| 644 | |
| 645 | The ruthless [[TheInquisitorGeneral Inquisitor General]] of the kingdom of Brice, who rose to infamy during the gruelling War of the Four Kingdoms, by becoming a war criminal of the worst kind. He is now wanted all over the continent of the Old World, though presumed dead. Alas, not only is he still alive, but he secretly rebuilt a considerable power base, exerting his influence all over the [[WretchedHive lawless frontier-town of Blackhaven]] that links the nations of Gallantaria, Brice and Mauristasia. There, he controls pretty much the entire underworld and plots in total secret to restart the war. Peace cannot truly exist with him out there, but there is one BountyHunter determined to bring him to justice, whatever it takes...\ |
| 646 | |
| 647 | Karam Gruul might look like your typical EvilSorcerer and EvilGenius who must be taken down, but light-years beyond your usual HighFantasy quest, you will find yourself neck-deep in a nerve-wracking detective story, that would not be out of place in a FilmNoir. You cannot prevail here without stealth and guile... |
| 648 | ---- |
| 649 | * ZeroPercentApprovalRating: No one likes this wretch. It is telling that even his lieutenants are wary of him. [[spoiler: Which you can use to your advantage.]] |
| 650 | * ActuallyADoombot: [[spoiler: Thought you had caught him? Too bad pal, that it was just a [[PlantPeople Mandrake]] assuming his shape, which he uses as a decoy.]] |
| 651 | * AffablyEvil: The sod is haughty but impeccably civil. He will never hesitate to threaten and torture you when he can, especially when you thwart him, but he genuinely respects your skills and treats your BattleOfWits like an enjoyable game. Even his EvilGloating shows an amount of respect. |
| 652 | * AmbiguouslyHuman: Karam Gruul looks human and is described as a normal mortal by most, except that he has PointyEars and is ReallySevenHundredYearsOld. |
| 653 | * AnimateDead: He is no {{Necromancer}}, but he can raise {{Voodoo Zombie}}s to serve as mindless slaves, and dangerous [[PlagueZombie Fog Walkers]] undeads [[PlagueMaster who spread a deadly plague]]. Not to mention the powerful [[RevenantZombie Corpse Master]] serving as one of his lieutenants, summoned from a limbo-like dimension. |
| 654 | * AntagonistAbilities: He masters nasty spells he devised himself, and you need one specific counter for each. Lack one and you're in trouble. Counter all however, and you'll wipe the smug grin off his face... at least for now. But his deadliest asset will always be his diabolical intelligence. |
| 655 | * BadGuyBar: Some of his agents like to spend time in the seedy tavern of the Last Octupus, a gathering of vermin. [[spoiler: This is in fact the main cover to keep the many fronts of his gang HiddenInPlainSight.]] |
| 656 | * BadassBookworm: He is a ruthless and competent inquisitor, an exceptionally intelligent mastermind, tactician, and schemer, as well as a very powerful wizard, whose magic is more than enough to overcome the best warriors in the unlikely event that he would ever need to fight. |
| 657 | * BadassLongrobe: As a magic-wielding Fu Manchu, he cannot wear anything else. He dons a long, flowing one covered with his cabal's symbol. |
| 658 | * BaldMystic: He is a very powerful sorcerer, masterfully intelligent and charismatic, and his baldness gives him quite some style. |
| 659 | * BaldOfEvil: Hairless and heartless... |
| 660 | * BigBad: The reviled war criminal wanted all around the Four Kingdoms, who controls a huge network of spies and terrorist agents, as well as pretty much every group in the WretchedHive he is based in, [[spoiler: and used you as his personal, SuperSoldier assassin.]] |
| 661 | * BlackMage: He casts vicious curses and magic attacks in battle. |
| 662 | * BodyDouble: [[spoiler: He uses one to keep himself surrounded in total secrecy. The one who poses as him is in fact a shape-shifting [[PlantPeople Mandrake]] who must be unmasked with fire.]] |
| 663 | * TheChessmaster: Hands down the best one of the entire franchise, always three steps ahead of you. |
| 664 | * CourtMartialed: Your end-goal is to make him this, by capturing him and bringing him to face justice. |
| 665 | * CovertGroupWithMundaneFront: [[spoiler: His cabal is hidden behind another cabal, found in a seemingly innocuous tavern whose only purpose is in fact to serve as the meeting point for his many agents.]] |
| 666 | * CrazyPrepared: The number of counter-measures and incentives he devised to every possible situation is positively staggering. Hiding places, decoys, false leads, assassins, this wretch leaves '''nothing''' to chance. You could swear he has the EvilOverlordList on his bedpost... [[spoiler: He plants deliberately false clues during his assassinations, to lead wannabe investigators into deadly traps, just to name one.]] |
| 667 | * TheDarkArts: Not only did he mastered them, but he came up with a brand new one he called the Notura, an eldritch mix of alchemy, sorcery and physiology powered by the very rare beings known as the [[OurSpiritsAreDifferent Ectoplasmic Lurkers]]. It has multiple use ranging from MindManipulation to TransformationHorror, to [[MookMaker monster creation]], to {{curse}}s, and so on and so forth... |
| 668 | * DeathTrap: Gruul can come up with ones that would make every ''Film/JamesBond'' villain green with envy, with lots of nasty details added to make them as inescapable as can be. [[BoobyTrap He hid them everywhere]], in the most innocuous places. [[Franchise/HarryPotter Constant Vigilance!]] |
| 669 | ** He sets up a medieval variation of TrappedInASinkingCar. |
| 670 | ** He devised a DrowningPit [[spoiler: rigged to prevent all means of escape of course.]] |
| 671 | ** An alchemic DeadlyGas that dissolves everything and everyone it touches. |
| 672 | ** An alchemic variation of the AcidPool right before you confront him. |
| 673 | * DeflectorShields: He can conjure a Force Wall of energy during the FinalBattle, in exchange of -1 Notura. It harms anyone at contact and costs -1 skill. [[spoiler: The Mask of Belthegor neutralizes it.]] |
| 674 | * DiabolicalMastermind: He built an intricate conspiracy of warmongers, answering to the delicious and flowery name of the Cabal of the Werewolf, [[spoiler: expanding it to control Blackhaven in all but name.]] |
| 675 | * DoomsdayDevice: The major crux (but far from the only one) of Gruul's EvilPlan is to obliterate opposition with a WeaponOfMassDestruction he devised himself. |
| 676 | * TheDreaded: Everyone in the Old World is terrified of him. And rightly so. |
| 677 | * DystopiaJustifiesTheMeans: His ultimate goal is to impose his rule everywhere, most likely to play the WarHawk and TheInquisitorGeneral over every population, and Titan only knows what else. |
| 678 | * EmperorScientist: He pretty much rules the entire WretchedHive you search him in, and covets much more. His magical breakthrough and twisted inventions are more than enough to make him a Fantasy variation of the trope. See MadScientist below for more details. |
| 679 | * EveryManHasHisPrice: He cannot be a DiabolicalMastermind without bribing people left and right. |
| 680 | * EvilGenius: The smartest villain of the franchise and a worthy homage to his inspiration. You cannot hope to prevail without cunning to match his own. |
| 681 | * EvilGloating: He only does when he is certain to have the upper-hand. Otherwise, he wisely refrains. |
| 682 | * EvilSorcerer: One who uses a specific brand of magic that he devised himself, enough to elevate him on the level of the others on these pages. |
| 683 | * EvilTowerOfOminousness: He uses a derelict, abandoned one as the VeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon. It was his base of operation during the War, and he plans to restore it and make it this once more. |
| 684 | * EvilVersusEvil: Not normally. [[spoiler: Karam Gruul's lieutenants are on board with his EvilPlan, but if you can convince the Corpse Master that he plans to betray him, he will appear during the FinalBattle and turn against his master, forcing him to exhaust his power to destroy him and leaving him open for capture.]] |
| 685 | * EvilutionaryBiologist: Engineering mutations and specy creations with perfect result, at an almost industrial level. |
| 686 | * {{Expy}}: Of [[Literature/FuManchu Fu Manchu]], the international criminal mastermind and the most famous representation of the YellowPeril in fiction. Gruul looks exactly like all depictions of him, and like him he is a genius-level DiabolicalMastermind expert in {{Death Trap}}s, {{Xanatos Gambit}}s and MindManipulation, not to mention his international ambitions. The original would be proud. |
| 687 | * FakingTheDead: He did this after the War of the Four Kingdoms, to evade justice and disappear underground. Erasing virtually all trace of his existence while he was at it. |
| 688 | * FedToTheBeast: One of his many tortures is to lock people in a cage with hungry rats who would like to taste their meat. [[spoiler: He does it to you if you get captured, and without the sleight of hand skill you're rat toast.]] |
| 689 | * FemmeFatalons: Another male example, common among {{Evil Sorcerer}}s in the franchise. Like his inspiration, he sports them really long and pointy. |
| 690 | * FinalBoss: Unusually for the series, your goal is to capture him instead of slaying him. Which means that he can still prove dangerous even when neutralized. The fight is not the typical FinalBattle though. |
| 691 | * FrameUp: He has his spies framing you for the murder of your allies by his assassins. Usually by having TheMole tipping the guards to find you at the wrong place at the wrong time. |
| 692 | * {{Glamour}}: Karam Gruul can use magic to alter his appearance, which comes quite in handy in hiding. |
| 693 | * GoAmongMadPeople: Forcing this is just one of Karam Gruul's many ways to dispose of a nuisance. He commits them to rot forever in the BedlamHouse of Craven Asylum. Sane of mad he does not care. [[spoiler: The director, Dr. Welsch, is one of his lieutenants, and two inmates are there because they know too much.]] |
| 694 | * GoodHairEvilHair: That long, thin moustache of his does not gain him many trust points. |
| 695 | * HandBlast: He can fire bolts of dazzling energy costing -3 stamina during the FinalBattle, for -3 Notura. [[spoiler: The Shroud of Angevin deflects them.]] |
| 696 | * HealThyself: Karam Gruul can magically heal his wounds. |
| 697 | * HiddenInPlainSight: [[spoiler: He uses this for his operations, his gangs, and himself. After all, what better front than a mundane one? Expect such front to be a front though. Yes, he is '''that''' CrazyPrepared.]] |
| 698 | * HiddenVillain: Played with in that you track him down right from the start. But he always hid his face as much as could be, and takes great care in remaining hidden and disposing of anyone who [[HeKnowsTooMuch knows too much]]. However, if you think you are just searching for a powerless fugitive, well think again... |
| 699 | * HoistByHisOwnPetard: [[spoiler: Karam Gruul ends up captured by his own creation. Who can turn the Corpse Master (one of his mightiest lieutenants) against him, and destroys his conspiracy with the DoomsdayDevice he just finished to sweeten the deal.]] |
| 700 | * TheInquisitorGeneral: His initial role. And he was very good at this, too good for everyone's sake in fact... His first mission was to investigate his soldiers, but he quickly instituted a WitchHunt against his own people, and it all snowballed FromBadToWorse. |
| 701 | * ItsPersonal: Your PlayerCharacter swore to capture all war criminals of the recent conflict, and Gruul is by far the worst. [[spoiler: You were in fact a captured Gallantarian officer he turned into the titular [[OurWerebeastsAreDifferent Moonrunner]], a mighty nocturnal monster whom he compelled to fight your comrades. You could find a cure, but have yet to make him pay for it.]] The author Stephen Hand likes averting ViolenceIsTheOnlyOption, hence your goal to bring him to Justice instead of killing him. |
| 702 | * LeanAndMean: Tall, dark, slim and one of the vilest scums ever faced in a gamebook. |
| 703 | * LevelDrain: Several instances. |
| 704 | ** One of his traps makes you forget one of your special skills. |
| 705 | ** During the FinalBattle, he can cast a spell of his invention called the Skein of Undoing, which makes the target useless at what's normally their speciality at the cost of -4 Notura. [[spoiler: Without the Blood of [[VampireMonarch Baron Milescu]], you forget all your special skills. Fortunately, you can still win without them by now.]] |
| 706 | * LivingStatue: [[spoiler: He animates an effigy of himself, disguised as the real deal, to offer you a bribe. Never touch it lest it shocks you to death, and only fight it with special skills.]] |
| 707 | * LockedInTheDungeon: His final fate after you defeat him and bring him to trial, is to rot in a dingy cell for the rest of his unnaturally long life. |
| 708 | * LuckBasedMission: The FinalBattle against him in a nutshell. His score of Notura measuring how many spells he can cast at you is determined by a dice roll, ranging from 7 to 12, and so are the spells he casts. You need the right protections to resist whatever he throws at you until you can capture him. |
| 709 | * MadScientist: He's really good with both magic and science. From devising his own brand of magic and making it a major field, to creating all sorts of monsters and ways to brainwash people without them knowing, to inventing a magic-powered DoomsdayDevice, he dives into the trope headfirst. |
| 710 | * TheManBehindTheMan: He is the one who pulls the strings from behind the scenes, [[spoiler: to every villain and seemingly unrelated shady bloke you will come across.]] |
| 711 | * ManchurianAgent: Being the EvilGenius he is, most of Karam Gruul's agents don't even know they are, but he can activate a hypnotic implant within their mind to make them his blindly devoted followers. [[spoiler: Like he can and will do to you, should he realize that you are the Moonrunner he created.]] |
| 712 | * MindManipulation: Karam Gruul uses this to control his agents, or use them as a ManchurianAgent should the need arise. [[spoiler: He can try during the FinalBattle costing him of -5 Notura, needing the HandOfGlory to resist it, and will surely do after you reveal that you were once TheDragon. If you could not resist first or fail to resist then, be ready for a NonStandardGameOver in which you fall back under his control.]] |
| 713 | * MookMaker: Karam Gruul created many unique monsters to use as agents or lieutenants. From terrifying EliteMooks like the Obisian Predator, to creepy PlagueZombie called the Fogwalkers. |
| 714 | * MultilayerFacade: He uses secrets to hide facades, to hide decoys, to hide smoke-screens, to hide... Well you get the picture. [[ParanoiaFuel Or do you really?]] |
| 715 | * NebulousCriminalConspiracy: The Cabal of the Werewolf only exists since the end of the war, but it gained huge influence. [[spoiler: It has secretly infiltrated every faction in Blackhaven, controls dark elves, [[OurOrcsAreDifferent orcs]] and [[OurTrollsAreDifferent trolls]] for good measure, with seemingly unrelated evil-doers as its commanders.]] |
| 716 | * ObviouslyEvil: He doesn't exactly look like a charming fellow you want for neighbour. |
| 717 | * OlderThanHeLooks: He looks in his forties, despite being old enough to have witnessed the Chaos Wars. Being a master of TheDarkArts has its perks... |
| 718 | * PlayingWithFire: One of his gloomiest crimes during the war was to plant magical fire traps all across the Brician border, killing countless people. |
| 719 | * PlayingWithSyringes: Being a MadScientist, this is a given. And he's exceptionally good with it. |
| 720 | * PointyEars: A definite hint that something is very wrong with him. Perhaps a result of his use of Notura? |
| 721 | * PostClimaxConfrontation: After capturing the sod, you must bring him to the capital of the Gallantaria Kingdom for trial. [[spoiler: You must thwart his MindManipulation and go straight to the capital to win. If he escapes, you must catch him back at once or risk a CruelAndUnusualDeath.]] |
| 722 | * PraetorianGuard: Karam Gruul is protected by the Jai-Hulud sorcerers-assassins, a group of powerful {{Magic Knight}}s blindly devoted to him, who protect him, watch over his lairs, and attack all opposition. They somehow look like him and attack with bewitched sabres. |
| 723 | * PutTheLaughterInSlaughter: He gets his kicks in the violence and carnage he unleashes. |
| 724 | * RankScalesWithAsskicking: His enormous magic power (and ruthless efficiency) cements his hold over his Cabal of the Werewolf and the criminal underworld. Some of his lieutenants are more physically threatening, but he surpasses them all in term of magical abilities and intellect. |
| 725 | * ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: Only around three-hundreds, but it still counts... |
| 726 | * RedBaron: Known as the Hand of Death by allies and enemies alike. Lovely isn't it? |
| 727 | * TheRedMage: He can curse and attack with magic, but also expand his lifespan and heal his wounds. |
| 728 | * RogueAgent: Once a high-ranked Brician official, he is now an incredibly dangerous terrorist wanted everywhere. [[spoiler: Not that it prevent him to control directly or indirectly the entire underground activity around.]] The other nations demand that he can be tried in an international court, but the grudging Brician King would rather believe his FakingTheDead and erase all mention of his existence from official records. |
| 729 | * SecretIdentity: [[spoiler: The Magus Radu, the powerful mage and second-in-command of the Cabal... Never existed. He is actually Karam Gruul himself, under a magical disguise.]] |
| 730 | * SoftSpokenSadist: He might be poised and courteous, but he is at heart a vicious sadist with a creepy enjoyment for tortures and war crimes. |
| 731 | * SorcerousOverlord: Karam Gruul aims to openly become one. He already exerts considerable, albeit underground, influence, combining this trope with DiabolicalMastermind. |
| 732 | * SquishyWizard: He is a tremendously powerful warlock, but too feeble to be a threat without magic, to the point that he is never faced in a direct battle and effortlessly subdued when he exhaust his powers. |
| 733 | * SummonMagic: Karam Gruul's can summon many otherworldly beings, but his deadliest trick is to summon a monstrous amoeba-like entity for -6 Notura, to devour you whole during the FinalBattle. [[spoiler: Without the Skull of Mora Tao you're dead meat.]] |
| 734 | * TakeOverTheWorld: He hides it behind his plans of WarForFunAndProfit, but his ultimate goal is to take over Titan as a whole. After all, what is a true Fu Manchu {{Expy}} without global ambitions? |
| 735 | * TortureTechnician: He had countless people horribly tortured during the war and after. |
| 736 | * TrapMaster: A champion of the trade who can come up with just about every DeathTrap in the list, for all sort of effects ranging from lethal to debilitating, and some more. |
| 737 | * UnPerson: The Brician King would rather think him dead and remove all trace of him in History, rather than admitting having had a war criminal wanted everywhere at his command. This served his plot of FakingTheDead and he went along erasing everything that could lead to him. |
| 738 | * VillainousCheekbones: He is evil, it has to show. |
| 739 | * WarForFunAndProfit: Karam Gruul has no intention of stopping his war crimes, and wants to ignite the War of the Four Kingdoms anew. |
| 740 | * WarHawk: He pushed his country to war then worsened it, and the bellicose king was all too glad to comply. He is now blowing on the cinders of conflict and manipulates everyone who share his goal. |
| 741 | * WeakButSkilled: He is built like a twig and would be unable to resist a direct assault if it were not for his powerful magic. [[spoiler: Resist everything he throws at you and he folds like wet paper.]] |
| 742 | * WeaponOfMassDestruction: He invented a DoomsdayDevice called the Ethereal Projector, able to fire blasts of pure Notura [[CruelAndUnusualDeath overwhelming all targets with dread before exploding their hearts]]. He plans to attack the Four Kingdoms with it, [[spoiler: but you end up using it to wipe out everyone under his command.]] |
| 743 | * WindsOfDestinyChange: He can cast a Curse of Ill-Fortune during the FinalBattle, at the cost of -2 Notura. [[spoiler: You need the Chain of Argolis to counter it or lose -1 luck.]] |
| 744 | * WitchHunt: One of his many war crimes. He used to lead "traitor-hunts" during the war, routing and imprisoning his own people for the odious crime of not being warmongering enough for his tastes, going as far as assassinating generals standing in his way. |
| 745 | * XanatosSpeedChess: [[spoiler: Even when defeated, he immediately seize the chance to take you back under his magic control, when he learns that you were the titular Moonrunner. If he fails, he tries his best to stall and escape at the first opportunity.]] |
| 746 | * YouGotMurder: The sod will send you letters containing EvilGloating, magically poisoned to kill you at contact. [[spoiler: You need an antidote if you touched it.]] |
| 747 | [[/folder]] |
| 748 | |
| 749 | [[folder:Mordraneth]] |
| 750 | [[quoteright:280:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mordranez_le_malfique.jpg]] |
| 751 | -> '''Appears in''': ''Literature/StealerOfSouls'' |
| 752 | |
| 753 | An evil Archmage of considerable influence, feared all over Titan. He is waging war against the benevolent mages of the city of Pollua, the only obstacle standing between him and his goal to TakeOverTheWorld. His agents recently abducted the wizard Alsander, who had just discovered crucial intel on Mordraneth's EvilPlan. As such, Vanestin, the [[BigGood Great Mage of Pollua]] and Mordraneth's {{Archenemy}}, sends you to the Isle of Despair where Alsander is held captive, to save him and use his knowledge in the war, and ultimately slay Mordraneth himself before it's too late. To a warrior like you, such a challenge is quite welcome... |
| 754 | ---- |
| 755 | * AntagonistAbilities: He masters wicked spells, that can either deal great damage or kill you outright. Not to mention the countless deadly nightmares he created, which you survived by the skin of your teeth. |
| 756 | * AntagonistTitle: The title refers to one of his aliases. |
| 757 | * AntiMagic: He disturbed the balance of magical forces to make spellcasting impossible for anyone but him and his students within his many lairs. [[spoiler: Unless one discovers how he did so and how to circumvent it. Like Alsander did, using it to teach you useful spells after you rescue him.]] |
| 758 | * AnticlimaxBoss: Played with. Mordraneth is genuinely powerful and dangerous, but for someone touted as so formidable by the narration, as far as {{Final Boss}}es go in the franchise he is in the lowest tier, a walk in the park with max stats. Compared to the uber-powerful {{That One Boss}}es that Keith Martin would later come up with, he appears really lacking. |
| 759 | * ArchEnemy: He is this to the BigGood Vanestin, who wages permanent war against him, sending his benevolent mages against Mordraneth's evil ones. |
| 760 | * TheArchmage: He bears the title and is pretty much unrivalled in sorcery, which he pushed to RealityWarper territory. Among the plethora of {{Evil Sorcerer}}s of the franchise, many surpass his stats, but he is far and away the best of them all when it comes to mastery of magic. |
| 761 | * BadassBoast: When Mordraneth speaks to you through {{Telepathy}} in his lair, he tells you that he was expecting you and that you are in for a world of hurt. Especially as he taunts you when you're about to die, gloating in typical villainous fashion that you were skilled but not a match for him. |
| 762 | * BadassBookworm: And immensely powerful and accomplished wizard, who achieved considerable magical breakthroughs, as well as a cunning and crafty mastermind, and a gifted MagicKnight. |
| 763 | * BadassCape: He wears one, made quite sinister by the cover art. |
| 764 | * BadassLongRobe: A given for the EvilSorcerer he is. |
| 765 | * BadassTeacher: He is to his [[EvilSorcerer Dark Priests students]], making them powerful {{Magic Knight}}s. |
| 766 | * BatmanGambit: He is very good in predicting his foes' actions and taking advantage of them for his plans. [[spoiler:Just ask Vanestin.]] |
| 767 | * BeatThemAtTheirOwnGame: [[spoiler:So Vanestin, you play a diversion? Too bad pal, he already had a much bigger in store for you and you fell for it hook, line and sinker.]] |
| 768 | * BigBad: The powerful SorcerousOverlord who threatens the entire world. |
| 769 | * BlackMage: His students cast powerful attack spells he likely devised and taught them himself, not to mention his own deadly RazorFloss attack. |
| 770 | * BloodKnight: He is described as a smiling when he kills, and states that he will enjoy killing you slowly when he greets you, clearly indicating how much he enjoys it. Geez! [[SarcasmMode What a real peach!]] |
| 771 | * TheChessmaster: He is very good in devising plans that look simple, but are anything but, [[spoiler: not to mention to feign an opening and to devise traps.]] |
| 772 | * TheCollector: He collects his victims' souls, being interested in the fears they held. |
| 773 | * CoolSword: The cover art shows him with a wicked-looking oriental sabre, with a carved golden handle ornate by an emerald. Say what you will about him but he has taste. |
| 774 | * CruelMercy: Your character once met a dwarf who faced Mordraneth in battle and lived to tell the tale. He just (ahem) cut off the arm the dwarf raised against him. |
| 775 | * TheDarkArts: One of the best experts of the trade in the franchise. |
| 776 | * DespotismJustifiesTheMeans: Mordraneth craves to rule the world solely to satisfy his lust for power. |
| 777 | * TheDreaded: He is feared '''everywhere''' in Titan, by humans, dwarves, elves and everyone else. |
| 778 | * ElaborateUndergroundBase: The Steel Crypts are this, but what makes them stand out is the Empire of Illusions, which either expands it or open a new dimensional plane, filled with all sorts of horrors. |
| 779 | * EliteMooks: Mordraneth's students are all this. You fight only two of these Dark Priests in the story, but they are among the toughest foes in the game, casting a fearsome spell that costs around -6 stamina before fighting you, with skill 9 stamina 10+. There is a third, but he is a DefectorFromDecadence who flees from his master's madness after saving your life. |
| 780 | * EmperorScientist: A Fantasy variation who pushed the limits of sorcery beyond the reach of even best wizards. He built his rule with his discoveries, and is now using them to try and TakeOverTheWorld. |
| 781 | * EvilCounterpart: Mordraneth is this to his ArchEnemy Vanestin. He is the [[ColorCodedForYourConvenience black-clad]] BigBad and an EvilSorcerer who wants to TakeOverTheWorld, while Vanestin is the rich BigGood and BenevolentMageRuler who wants to protect his people. They are both warlords with powerful and competent wizards at their command, with a great tactical mind. |
| 782 | * EvilGenius: The sod is really smart and it shows. |
| 783 | * EvilGloating: He does love to gloat, and will often do so as you confront his Illusory Nightmares. |
| 784 | * EvilIsHammy: Mordraneth often taunts you, loudly, as you progress in his lair. |
| 785 | * EvilSorcerer: One of the most classical examples in the entire franchise, but [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools still quite impressive and with some interesting variation]]. |
| 786 | * EvilSoundsRaspy: He has a low, unnerving voice. |
| 787 | * EvilWearsBlack: Subtlety is not a stranger concept to him, except when it comes to his looks... |
| 788 | * TheFaceless: His face is hidden InTheHood to the point that it is never depicted in the illustrations and kept nondescript in the narration. The only thing we know is that it looks as evil as he is. |
| 789 | * FauxAffablyEvil: Mordraneth speaks quite genially to you as you progress in his lair, but mostly to taunt you, and does not even bother hiding that he wants you to suffer for his amusement. |
| 790 | * FinalBoss: The final enemy of the game. With skill 10 stamina 17, he makes a powerful enemy who can deal heavy damage before fighting with his attack spells. |
| 791 | * {{Fireballs}}: He hurls one costing -6 stamina at the beginning of the fight, and can later hurl smaller ones costing -4. [[spoiler: Only -1 if you wear a bronze ring.]] |
| 792 | ** You can attack him with a Fireball Spell of your own, and cost ''him'' -6 stamina if you overcome him. |
| 793 | * GlowingEyesOfDoom: Eyes that glow as much as the torches in his lair. |
| 794 | * GoodWitchVersusBadWitch: A male variation. Mordraneth and his Dark Priests are evil wizards locked in conflict with the benevolent Vanestin and his agents. |
| 795 | * ImaginationBasedSuperpower: He extracts his victims' worst fears and nightmares and materializes them as truer-than-real illusions. A fear of the dark causes an all-engulfing darkness, a fear of drowning causes a tidal wave, and the fear of any monster, be they imaginary, brings them to existence. |
| 796 | * InTheHood: He always keeps his face hidden in the shadows of his hood, for additional creepy points. |
| 797 | * LeanAndMean: Deathly thin and rotten to the core. |
| 798 | * MagicKnight: Mordraneth is not only a powerful archmage, he is also not so slouch with a sabre in hand. |
| 799 | * ManOfWealthAndTaste: He lives in a stunning palace; whose entrance alone is wondrous, lavish and exquisitely decorated. |
| 800 | * MasterOfIllusion: Mordraneth is so skilled with this branch of magic that his illusions are undistinguishable from the real deal. They can affect reality and kill you for real. |
| 801 | * MasterOfOneMagic: Contrary to most wizards of the franchise, Mordraneth averts it by being expert in regular dark magic, necromancy and illusionism. |
| 802 | * MasterSwordsman: Mordraneth wields his blade with enough skill to face even the best warriors. |
| 803 | * MysteriousPast: Nobody knows where he comes from, nor how he rose to power. |
| 804 | * NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: '''Mor'''draneth does not make a pleasant picture. And let's not get started on [[RedBaron his many gloomy titles]]. |
| 805 | * {{Necromancer}}: Necromancy is Mordraneth's main field of expertise. He can raise and control undeads just fine, but specializes in enslaving dead souls and using them as a power source. |
| 806 | * NoOntologicalInertia: All of his magic vanishes as he dies, extinguishing his PocketDimension and his palace, and releasing every soul in his grasp. |
| 807 | * ObviouslyEvil: Creepy, [[EvilWearsBlack clad in black]], face hidden InTheHood... No picture needed, he' up to no good. |
| 808 | * OutGambitted: At the beginning, Vanestin sends you to the Isle of Despair to rescue Alsander, while he sends a huge squad of his best wizards and warriors as a distraction, making sure that Mordaneth's spies concentrate on the diversion as it was the real deal. Admittedly smart. [[spoiler: But it was a trap and Mordraneth baited him, making it look like he was in his lair to fool Vanestin's spies, in order to strike from behind from the Isle of Despair while he is defenceless. Seasoned players know from the start he will be where you are sent to serve as the FinalBoss, but the extent of the ruse he pulls up is quite a shock.]] |
| 809 | * PlayingWithFire: He is very adept with fire spells. |
| 810 | * RankScalesWithAsskicking: His students might be very tough, but he is even tougher. |
| 811 | * RazorFloss: One of his deadliest spells conjures a sphere of dark energy threads that tangle, strangle and slice its victims to death. [[spoiler: If you have a Silver ring you are protected, but if not you must test your luck to escape it, and automatically lose -4 stamina. If you fail you get killed.]] |
| 812 | * RealityWarper: Mordraneth toys with the laws of magic to a huge extent. In addition to the AntiMagic, he turns a small cavern into an immense and lavish subterranean palace, and distorts space itself to create a vast PocketDimension filled with his illusory nightmares named the Empire of Illusions, where there is only the aforementioned small cave. |
| 813 | * RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver: He wears a black robe, a red gem as fastener, and a black and red cape. Could he be any more glaring? |
| 814 | * RedBaron: Mordraneth is known and feared as the Wicked One or the Evil One, and he sure deserves it. He is less often referred to as the [[AntagonistTitle Stealer of Souls]]. |
| 815 | * SequentialBoss: When you enter his lair, he first attacks you with a [[{{Fireballs}} Fireball Spell]], and you can counter it with a spell of your own. Then you must reach him, and depending on how you act, he attacks either with a weaker fireball or with a deadly RazorFloss spell. Then, you face him in a SwordFight. |
| 816 | * SinisterSurveillance: He can see and hear everywhere in his domain, and is even able to create images of himself or to make his voice heard to taunt you. |
| 817 | * SorcerousOverlord: Mordraneth rules his own domain in Allansia and many bases in the world, with lots of monsters, spies and agents at his command everywhere. |
| 818 | * SoulPower: He draws power and knowledge from enslaved souls, as well as fears he can materialize. |
| 819 | * TheSpook: Among the many villains of which little is known about, he's the one with the least context or background, not even AllThereInTheManual. He is TheDreaded out to TakeOverTheWorld and that's it. Deal with it, [[FinalBoss literally]]. |
| 820 | * SquishyWizard: He's frail and relies on skill with weapons and mastery of magic rather than raw power. Subverted however, in that he avoids the downside of the trope by fighting as a MagicKnight. |
| 821 | * StockEvilOverlordTactics: [[MasterOfIllusion He can create powerful illusory nightmares]] from the fears of his victims, and plans to build a huge army of them to invade Titan, increasing it with each and every victim. Nice and quite original, but the unstoppable army is still pretty standard as far as villains' schemes go. |
| 822 | ** [[spoiler: However, the way he goads Vanestin to concentrate his forces on an empty target shows an excellent grasp of strategy...]] |
| 823 | * TakeOverTheWorld: His ultimate goal. And he has the means to pull it off. |
| 824 | * {{Telepathy}}: He uses this to speak to you in his Empire of Illusions. He never speaks directly through your mind though, instead appearing to you as a vision or making his voice resonate all around. |
| 825 | * WeakButSkilled: Mordraneth is physically frail but a talented fighter, and a very powerful and incredibly skilled wizard. |
| 826 | * WizardClassic: The evil variation. Hard to find an EvilSorcerer whose looks scream the trope more. |
| 827 | * YourSoulIsMine: He can seize the souls of the dead and use them as he pleases. He adds yours to his collection if you fall against him. |
| 828 | [[/folder]] |
| 829 | |
| 830 | [[folder:Nazek]] |
| 831 | [[quoteright:140:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nazek.jpg]] |
| 832 | -> '''Appears In''': ''Literature/{{Spellbreaker}}'' |
| 833 | |
| 834 | ItWasADarkAndStormyNight when you first met this crafty fellow. Who were you to refuse when a seemingly friendly stranger offered you a place by his campfire, then suggested to take shelter in the nearby abbey when the storm broke out? [[LittleDidIKnow Little did you know]] that he used you to invite you in, for no evil can enter uninvited in Rassin Abbey, where the [[TomeOfEldritchLore Black Grimoire]] is kept away from dark forces. And of course, he steals it and disappear.\ |
| 835 | |
| 836 | Turns out that he was an orphan raised by the monks of the abbey, who despite their tutelage became an EvilSorcerer, worshipper of the evil Goddess of Sorcery Shekka. Nazek plans to use the Black Grimoire to release the Kurakil, a demon equal to the [[DemonLordsAndArchdevils Demon Princes]]. It is up to you to make up for your mistake, to find him, and thwart his schemes before it is too late... |
| 837 | ---- |
| 838 | * AntagonistAbilities: Nazek masters nasty spells and summons, is a very skilled fighter, and can use the local TomeOfEldritchLore to its fullest potential. |
| 839 | * AnticlimaxBoss: Downplayed and justified. While lower-tier for a FinalBoss, skill 10 remains powerful and dangerous. Besides, considering how tough the Kurakil is, another unforgiving battle right after would be overkill. Even in such a difficult gamebook. |
| 840 | * BadMoonRising: Nazek is waiting for the night of Shekka's Moon, also known as the Witches' Moon: A gloomy night happening once every thirty seven years, in which the moon rises blood-red, spreading the power of Shekka all over Titan and vastly empowering practices of TheDarkArts. This is the only time in which he can free the Kurakil. If you take too long to reach Nazek's lair, it will be too late. |
| 841 | * BadassBookworm: A very smart ManipulativeBastard and a very powerful and accomplished warlock, who can hold his own against expert warriors. |
| 842 | * BadassLongrobe: An EvilSorcerer, clad in a black robe covered in esoteric-looking sigils and symbols. It is torn and ragged, in accord to his general looks, but is no less imposing. |
| 843 | * BaldOfEvil: Judging from the few we can see under his hood, he has no hair at all... |
| 844 | * BigBad: The EvilSorcerer who tricked you to get the McGuffin and tries to set free the Kurakil. |
| 845 | * ChildProdigy: He was very precocious, mastering difficult magic very young. Too bad it was for evil... |
| 846 | * CreepyChild: Nazek was this when growing up, much to the monks' dismay, performing experiments of BlackMagic at the tender age of twelve years old. |
| 847 | * TheDarkArts: His speciality. Among other gloomy things, he is very proficient with demon summoning. |
| 848 | * DeceptiveDisciple: He learning all he could under the monks (and dark magic behind their back), while they tried in vain to curb his dark impulses and set him on the right path. |
| 849 | * DeviousDaggers: He fights with a sacrificial dagger and proves quite handy with it. |
| 850 | * DystopiaJustifiesTheMeans: By unleashing the Kurakil, Nazek plans to wreak untold destruction upon the Old World, likely to dictate his law to what is left or pledge himself to the Demon Princes. |
| 851 | * TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt: He plans to release a demon who can bring it about, but has the means to survive it in a position of power. |
| 852 | * EvilGenius: Nazek is a very clever and crafty fellow, who plays you like a fiddle in the beginning, and uses the [[TomeOfEldritchLore Black Grimoire]] to make sure that he can handle [[DemonLordsAndArchdevils the Kurakil]] he plans to release. Or to remain in position to TakeOverTheWorld should the demon be vanquished. |
| 853 | * EvilIsAngular: Creepy we tell you... |
| 854 | * EvilIsNotAToy: Subverted. Nazek plans to release one of the mightiest demons of [[CirclesOfHell the Pit]], but it is clear that mastery of the Black Grimoire would make him too powerful to be disposed of. Plot-wise, the Kurakil is merely the ClimaxBoss GreaterScopeVillain while he is the BigBad and TheHeavy, and he basically makes one of the monarchs of Hell themselves into his bitch... |
| 855 | * EvilMakesYouUgly: Boy howdy! Just look at the picture... The sod looks like a corpse without being one. |
| 856 | * EvilSorcerer: One in charge of a whole coven of equally rotten witches and wizards. He is one of the few in the franchise who is not a SorcerousOverlord, but he is well on his way to become one. |
| 857 | * EvilWearsBlack: He wears a black robe. |
| 858 | * FauxAffablyEvil: Nazek was perfectly cordial with you at the beginning, but this was but an act. After he drops the pretence, he keeps calling you "my friend" and speaks to you in a pretty cordial way, while still jeering at you and trying to kill you. |
| 859 | * FemmeFatalons: Yet another male example. Long, pointy nails might as well be fashion among {{Evil Sorcerer}} in Titan. And it makes him look even more like a corpse... |
| 860 | * FinalBoss: The final threat of the book. With skill 10 stamina 9, he is powerful and [[YouCanBarelyStand takes advantage of your weakened state]] after the tremendous battle against the [[ClimaxBoss Kurakil]]. |
| 861 | * GlowingEyesOfDoom: The illustration show his eyes creepily gleaming through the shadow of his hood. |
| 862 | * InTheHood: As seen in the picture, in an attempt to hide his [[Literature/HarryPotter Voldemortesque ugly mug]]. |
| 863 | * ItsPersonal: Let's just say that you really don't appreciate having been made a fool, and that it feels very good when you finally skewer him on your blade. |
| 864 | * KnightOfCerebus: Nazek is the BigBad of one of the darkest books of the franchise, full of horrible plagues, witches and wizards cursing the land, innocent getting burned at the stake, fanatics imposing trials, rabid witch hunters with BlackAndWhiteInsanity, and more. All of which you experience first-hand and most of which is his doing. |
| 865 | * TheLastDance: [[spoiler: When you have him at sword point, he tries to invoke the dark powers of Shekka to destroy you in a villainous DeathOrGloryAttack. You must win a test of evil to finish him off, or get corrupted by the evil of Shekka's moon.]] |
| 866 | * TheLeader: Nazek rules a coven of evil witches and wizards named the Midnight Cauldron. They are quite expanded, and have a hand in most, if not all the dark phenomenon plaguing the countryside. |
| 867 | * LeanAndMean: There is thin, there is unhealthily skinny, and there is Nazek... Seriously, the sod could be undead for all it would change. If he wanted to get skinnier he would need to lose a bone. |
| 868 | * ManipulativeBastard: Nazek is very good in playing people into serving his interests without them knowing. [[UnwittingPawn You yourself can attest it,]] and he neglected no detail to make his charade convincing. |
| 869 | * MonochromaticEyes: His eyes are entirely white, and would not look out of place on a corpse. |
| 870 | * MosesInTheBullrushes: He was an orphaned baby left at the doors of Rassin Abbey, who was found and raised by the monks. Alas, there was something rotten in him... |
| 871 | * MustBeInvited: The reason why he couldn't enter Rassin Abbey on his own, as no evil can enter uninvited. He set it all to make you enter it, before urging him to follow, to take shelter from a storm and pursuing demons... NiceJobBreakingItHero... |
| 872 | * NightmareFace: It looks like that of a corpse, and not a recent one. Sweet dreams... |
| 873 | * TheNoseless: Related to the trope above, he is one example the creepiest variety, the one who should have a nose, but has skull-like nostrils instead. |
| 874 | * NothingButSkinAndBones: His twig-like limbs and body only serve to make him even more unsettling. |
| 875 | * ObviouslyEvil: [[LeanAndMean Thin as a rake]], skeletal mug, pale skin, black tattered robe, hood? Yup, trustworthy... |
| 876 | ** You not noticing it might seem stupid but he carefully hid it InTheHood in the dark of the night, feigning kindness to lower your guard and using an incoming storm and a swarm of demons to keep you from looking too closely. |
| 877 | * ProphetEyes: Subverted. He has them but is not blind, and is not a {{Seer|s}}. There as just that way to make him look creepy, and it works. |
| 878 | * APupilOfMineUntilHeTurnedToEvil: He was raised in Rassin Abbey, but he soon manifested an uncanny interest for TheDarkArts. Before they could stop him, he ran away when he was twelve years old to become the villainous warlock he's today. |
| 879 | * RaceAgainstTheClock: If your quest lasts too long, he releases the Kurakil and all is doomed. |
| 880 | * RankScalesWithAsskicking: The mightiest wizard and the best expert of Dark Magic of his coven. |
| 881 | * RapidAging: He can cast a spell that makes you age for more than a century, reducing you as a skeleton in a few seconds. [[spoiler: Never use a bone ring against him.]] |
| 882 | * SequentialBoss: First you must survive the venomous spiders he summons, then you must fight him, and finally you must survive [[TheLastDance his final trick]] to finish him off and settle your score once and for all. |
| 883 | * SkullForAHead: His head is pretty much a skull with skin. |
| 884 | * SpiderSwarm: He summons dozens of tiny but highly venomous spiders all over your body after you destroy the Kurakil. [[spoiler: You need a Venom's Bane potion to survive and settle your score with him.]] |
| 885 | * SquishyWizard: While his magic is powerful, his frail body isn't suited for fighting, as evidenced by his quite low stamina score. |
| 886 | * StockEvilOverlordTactics: Goes with freeing the local SealedEvilInACan, but much more smartly than most. Phase One, using an unsuspecting traveller to infiltrate Rassin Abbey. Phase Two, get the Black Grimoire and the Casket of Shadows. Phase Three, use the Grimoire on Shekka's Night to release the [[BeastOfTheApocalypse Kurakil]] and bring about TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt. Part one is successful because of [[UnwittingPawn you]], phase two is a given and you're up to make phase three a failure. |
| 887 | * SummonMagic: Nazek specializes in summoning demons to fight on his behalf, including a Brimstone Demon in the abbey and an invisible assassin demon later on. |
| 888 | * TimedMission: You have four days to catch up with Nazek and defeat him, or else he unleashes the Kurakil and lets him loose on the world, backed by his own forces. |
| 889 | * ToCreateAPlaygroundForEvil: Nazek's goal in a nutshell. With him on top of course. |
| 890 | * TomeOfEldritchLore: The Black Grimoire that Nazek stole from Rassin Abbey is the most dangerous grimoire of BlackMagic in Titan, full of the worst secrets and vilest rituals there is. With that in hand, Nazek is pretty much unstoppable, with or without the Kurakil. |
| 891 | * UndeathlyPallor: Nazek's skin is a deathly greyish white, to complete his undead-like looks. |
| 892 | * VillainousCheekbones: To push the corpse-like aspect even further. Did we tell you that the sod is hideous enough to give Literature/ThePhantomOfTheOpera a solid run for his money? |
| 893 | * WeakButSkilled: He is deathly frail and owes much of his threat to his vast mastery of magic. He covers the downside of it by fighting with a dagger with expert proficiency. |
| 894 | * YoungConqueror: He is a young man who controls a vast and influential coven of warlocks, and is about to raise a huge army of warlocks, demons, undead and monsters. |
| 895 | * YoungerThanHeLooks: Would you guess that he is a young man in his early to mid-twenties by looking at him? Yeah, pretty incredible... |
| 896 | [[/folder]] |
| 897 | |
| 898 | [[folder:Voivod]] |
| 899 | -->See his entry on the [[Characters/FightingFantasyAntagonistsThePit Pit]] page under '''Demonic Generals'''. |
| 900 | [[/folder]] |
| 901 | |
| 902 | !!Cultists |
| 903 | [[folder: [[spoiler:Unthank]]]] |
| 904 | [[caption-width-right:270:[[labelnote:spoiler]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/necromancien.jpg[[/labelnote]]]] |
| 905 | [[caption-width-right:350:[[spoiler:He's the one speaking with the masked guy.]]]] |
| 906 | -> '''Appears In''': ''Literature/NightOfTheNecromancer'' |
| 907 | |
| 908 | One of the few ''Fighting Fantasy'' villains whose identity is a mystery that must be unveiled. You play the Lord of Valsinore, one of the illustrious [[ThePaladin Templars of the Warrior God Telak]], who returns to your domain after a three-year-long crusade against a [[ReligionOfEvil Death Cult]] in the {{Uberwald}} neighbouring land of Bathoria. As you reach your castle, you are ambushed and killed by a cultist, and now, you are a ghost who has until the night ends to wind out [[WhodunnItToMe who could order your death]].\ |
| 909 | |
| 910 | It soon becomes clear that this is more than the doing of a revengeful survivor. The cult is still fully in action, plaguing your beloved domain with evil forces. You then swear to unmask the mysterious, titular Necromancer who truly leads the cult, and settle your score with him for good... |
| 911 | ---- |
| 912 | * TheAgeless: [[spoiler: The course of his life was frozen to stop his aging. [[TheGrimReaper The Watcher of the Gate]] is not amused.]] |
| 913 | * AntagonistAbilities: A powerful necromancer and skilled fighter with a dagger, whose TurnUndead spell proves pesky when you play a ghost. |
| 914 | * AntagonistTitle: The titular necromancer ladies and gentlemen. What a shocking surprise don'tcha think? |
| 915 | * ApocalypseCult: The Shadow King openly seeks to cover Titan in darkness, cause a ZombieApocalypse and [[OmnicidalManiac claim the soul of everyone alive]], and this nutcase and his followers still gladly worship him, likely foolishly thinking they will be spared... |
| 916 | * AristocratsAreEvil: [[spoiler: Chamberlain Unthank, your second-in-command and replacement while you were away, and the despicable, self-centred necromancer who plagues your land, had you killed and plans to sacrifice your sister. Though it is implied that he only passed as a noble as part of his plot.]] |
| 917 | * AssholeVictim: [[spoiler: No one sheds a tear as the Shadow King kills him. You only regret not doing it yourself.]] |
| 918 | * BadassBoast: He tells you to "witness his final victory" during the culmination of his EvilPlan. |
| 919 | * BadassBookworm: He is a very powerful necromancer who wrote his own SpellBook, as well as an excellent fighter and a very intelligent schemer, mastermind of an elaborate plot. Too bad he is far too repulsive to be truly impressive. |
| 920 | * BeardOfEvil: [[spoiler: A trimmed goatee that screams "piece of filth".]] |
| 921 | * BlatantLies: [[spoiler: Unthank calls your death a tragedy to officials. [[SarcasmMode He sure is devastated]]...]] |
| 922 | * TheChessmaster: His EvilPlan is more complex that most. [[spoiler: The crusade you fought for three years was in fact a distraction to send you away, against a disposable DecoyLeader set up as a big enough threat, while the core of his forces were hidden in Valsinore. This removes your entire order as a threat to prepare his master plan. And he has an ambush set the moment you would least be on your guard, should you survive and return before he is done.]] |
| 923 | * ClimaxBoss: While not the FinalBoss, facing him is still the culmination of your quest. [[spoiler: In most cases, you don't even get to fight him and the Shadow King gets rid of him. If you do fight him, he is a very powerful enemy with skill 11 stamina 10, making the long-awaited fight suitably epic.]] |
| 924 | ** [[spoiler: You still get to skewer him on your blade if he ends up on the Shadow King's blade, as he raises him as an undead. Less powerful but still quite the challenge, with skill 9 stamina 8, and dealing big damage if he strikes you twice in a row.]] |
| 925 | * DealWithTheDevil: [[spoiler: He gloats about having gained agelessness by selling his soul to the Shadow King.]] |
| 926 | * DeviousDaggers: He wields an obsidian dagger able to harm spirits, and he uses it very well. |
| 927 | * DraggedOffToHell: His final, much deserved, fate. [[spoiler: His spectre dissolves while he is sent to the Land of the Dead to face judgement at last, and be sent to the Realm of the Damned for eternity.]] |
| 928 | * TheDragon: He is this to the Shadow King, being his HighPriest and main agent on the Earthly Planes. |
| 929 | ** The Death Mage [[MeaningfulName Thanatos]], the DecoyLeader whom your order of Templars crusaded against in Bathoria, was in fact this to him. |
| 930 | ** Now the Dark Chapter Master, the leader and mightiest fighter of his EliteArmy, serves as his Dragon. With skill 12 stamina 12, he is even stronger than his boss, himself a bona-fide BadassBookworm. |
| 931 | * DragonInChief: With his boss unable to leave the Land of the Dead, he is the one who channels his influence and orchestrates his arrival. |
| 932 | * TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt: The Necromancer is ready to enact it without so much of a qualm, if it can make him immortal. EvilIsPetty? You bet! |
| 933 | * EvilChancellor: [[spoiler: He is in fact your Chamberlain, Unthank. However, seizing power in Valsinore is only a mean to a much more sinister end for him.]] |
| 934 | * EvilEyebrows: [[spoiler: His every features screams "evil douchebag".]] |
| 935 | * EvilGenius: Gotta grant him that, the sod has smarts. |
| 936 | * EvilGloating: Pretty much 90% of his lines. |
| 937 | * EvilIsNotAToy: He is persuaded that the Shadow King will reward him with immortality and rulership. [[spoiler: He is completely out of his league, and the Shadow King wastes no time in trashing him after he appears.]] |
| 938 | * EvilIsPetty: He wants everyone to crawl at his feet or suffer his wrath, for eternity. Just because he cannot stand not being the number one. [[SarcasmMode How lovely]]... |
| 939 | * EvilSorcerer: A staple of the franchise. |
| 940 | * EvilWearsBlack: The guy is ColorCodedForYourConvenience. |
| 941 | * GoodHairEvilHair: [[spoiler: Only a villain can sport such hairdo '''and''' a thin moustache merging with a goatee.]] |
| 942 | * GhastlyGhost: [[spoiler: When he returns as a spectre, he looks horribly twisted by his sheer loathing of you.]] |
| 943 | * FauxAffablyEvil: [[spoiler: Unthank maintains a thin veneer of courtesy as part as his charade, but when he is not busy taunting, he is spiteful and bitter.]] |
| 944 | * HandBlast: He can fire surges of dark energy costing -3 stamina. [[spoiler: And does so if you rush blindly at him during the {{Climax}}.]] |
| 945 | * HateSink: An utterly loathsome, smarmy and self-important asshole, who hikes beyond the MoralEventHorizon for a hobby. He uses and backstabs everyone from his men to your subjects, all out of petty spite. [[spoiler: TheGrimReaper hates his guts and even his boss despises him.]] |
| 946 | * TheHeavy: The titular villain who orchestrated the plot and earned your staunch hatred. |
| 947 | * HiddenInPlainSight: [[spoiler: This piece of filth got himself a comfy position by your side just to set up his plan.]] |
| 948 | * HiddenVillain: For the sake of the quest to uncover his plot. |
| 949 | * HighPriest: The true founder and leader of the Acolytes of Death who worship the Shadow King. |
| 950 | * HumanSacrifice: A classical requisite for worshippers of Death. [[spoiler: He plans to sacrifice your sister Oriana during a lunar eclipse to bring the Shadow King to the Earthly Planes.]] |
| 951 | * ImmortalityImmorality: [[spoiler: Unthank sacrificed the souls of everyone in his village to stop aging.]] |
| 952 | * ImmortalitySeeker: He desperately craves CompleteImmortality, calling it "his final victory over the vault." |
| 953 | * ItsAllAboutMe: He wants to lord over all forever, because he feels entitled to. His plan would doom everyone to everlasting darkness and damnation? Sucks to be them. You thwart his plan to save the world? [[MoralMyopia DIIIEEEEE!!!!]] Talk about childish... |
| 954 | * ItsPersonalWithTheDragon: [[spoiler: You hate him for not only having you killed, but for plaguing the domain you entrusted him with evil forces, and targeting your beloved sister Oriana.]] Quite obviously, settling your score is '''very''' satisfying. |
| 955 | ** [[spoiler: While at first he merely rants that you should have stayed dead, after you destroy his cult, his liege and his plan, he hates you enough to return as a spectre. But not for long.]] |
| 956 | * KarmicDeath: [[spoiler: Either getting killed by the demon he spent is life serving instead of the immortality he craved, or getting killed by you, his last victim, is just desserts. Especially if you kill him by breaking the DeathsHourglass that TheGrimReaper gave you for he hates death-cheaters. And his spectre getting destroyed by the rising sun, while he planned for TheNightThatNeverEnds, sweetens the deal.]] |
| 957 | * KarmicTransformation: Twice. |
| 958 | ** [[spoiler: The Shadow King turns him into a witless, shambling undead, he who wanted to be an immortal ruler.]] |
| 959 | ** Later, he returns as a spectre, just like you returned as a ghost, only to be destroyed by the rising sun. |
| 960 | * LivingOnBorrowedTime: [[spoiler: He lives the life-expectancy of his victims.]] |
| 961 | * LongLived: [[spoiler: With a very gloomy explanation right above...]] |
| 962 | * TheManBehindTheMan: The Necromancer behind the Acolyte who killed you, and the cult you crusaded against in Bathoria. [[spoiler: In fact a front for his real base of operations, your very castle.]] But the Shadow King remains the one calling the shots, even for him. |
| 963 | * MeaningfulName: [[spoiler:"Undank" is a German word meaning "ungratefulness". Anglicize it and whose name you get? What a surprize... Not!! - Considering what he did to you ''after'' you promoted him to being a Chancellor, yeah sure, that made a lot of sense.]] |
| 964 | * MoralEventHorizon: [[spoiler: Unthank not only sacrificed everyone in his hometown, he sold their souls, condemning them to a [[FateWorseThanDeath eternity of damnation and torment]]. Just so he could live longer!]] |
| 965 | * MoralMyopia: He does not give the slightest crap about his countless crossings of the MoralEventHorizon, but regards your meddling as an unforgivable offence. [[spoiler: Especially after you ruin his plan.]] |
| 966 | * MotiveRant: [[spoiler: He gives one to the Acolyte who killed you when you discover his treachery. To sum it up: "I will be immortal nyah nyah, dash with the plebians." Charming...]] |
| 967 | * {{Necromancer}}: His main field of expertise in magic, as advertised in the title. |
| 968 | * ObviouslyEvil: [[spoiler: Not only does he look untrustworthy as hell, but also downright punchable.]] |
| 969 | * OlderThanHeLooks: [[spoiler: Unthank looks in his early forties at most, but is well over a hundred years old.]] |
| 970 | * OurGhostsAreDifferent: He returns as a spectre in the ending, but is quickly destroyed. |
| 971 | * OurZombiesAreDifferent: [[spoiler: The Shadow King turns him into a shambling, witless and rotting undead, whenever he disposes of him by his hand.]] |
| 972 | * PraetorianGuard: He commands the Dread Knights of the Order of the Black Shroud: fifty powerful undead Chaos Warriors. They are dangerous fighters with skill 9, who can deal greater damage than normal depending on a dice roll. |
| 973 | * PreFinalBoss: [[spoiler: Either as a powerful necromancer or a weaker undead, he is the last obstacle right before the Shadow King.]] |
| 974 | * PsychopathicManchild: As evil and dangerous as he is, he is pretty much a bratty child throwing a tantrum because he is not the greatest in the world as he fancies himself to be. |
| 975 | * RankScalesWithAsskicking: The leader of his ApocalypseCult and the mightiest mage among them. His [[TheDragon Dragon]] is a better fighter than him, but not by much and he surpasses everyone else. |
| 976 | * ReligionIsMagic: Averted, he is the HighPriest of a cult using TheDarkArts, but he does so due to being the titular {{Necromancer}}. |
| 977 | * ReligionOfEvil: As if worshippers of Death could be anything but evil. |
| 978 | * RevengeMyopia: [[spoiler: Unthank is furious at you for the crime of trying to protect your subjects from him. The fact that you have a legitimate beef against him flies miles over his head.]] |
| 979 | * SecretIdentity: [[spoiler: Chamberlain Unthank is the Necromancer.]] |
| 980 | * SkippableBoss: [[spoiler: Inverted, as you must find a way to face him instead of dodging the confrontation. You do confront him in the {{Climax}}, but you only fight him if you destroy his coven with the Spirit Stone.]] |
| 981 | * SmugSnake: One of the worst offenders of the franchise. He is powerful, smart and very competent, but his constant gloating and disgusting pettiness are meant to be despised. |
| 982 | * SpellBook: He wrote one, aptly named the Codex Mortis. [[spoiler: You can find it and use it against him.]] |
| 983 | * StockEvilOverlordTactics: Unleashing a powerful demon and expecting a reward is basic as heck, but the complexity of his schemes deserve mention. Still, he is painfully GenreBlind about the result. |
| 984 | * TakingYouWithMe: [[spoiler: After you destroy him, he returns as a spectre and rushes at you in hateful frenzy to kill you a second time. Fortunately, the rising sun destroys him before he can touch you.]] |
| 985 | * TurnUndead: He masters a spell banishing spirits whence they came. [[spoiler: He first casts it on you when you discover his secret, second if you fight him. You need the magic Shield of Souls to counter it.]] |
| 986 | * VillainousCheekbones: [[spoiler: To complete the "look I'm eeeevil" package.]] |
| 987 | * VillainousWidowsPeak: [[spoiler: Seriously it's a wonder how you could trust him for more than a minute.]] |
| 988 | * WalkingSpoiler: Quite obviously. Finding out his true identity and motivations drives the plot. |
| 989 | * WhereIWasBornAndRazed: [[spoiler: Unthank killed everyone in his hometown of Fetchfen, to live forever. You have the option to visit the creepy ghost town that was once a thriving village, and it is not pretty.]] |
| 990 | * WouldHitAGirl: [[spoiler: Not only does he brutally takes your sister Oriana away, but he plans to sacrifice her.]] |
| 991 | * YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: [[spoiler: The first thing the Shadow King does upon appearing is to casually kill him. Complete with disparaging insults.]] |
| 992 | [[/folder]] |
| 993 | |
| 994 | !!Others |
| 995 | [[folder:Captain Cinnabar]] |
| 996 | [[quoteright:310:[[Literature/{{Bloodbones}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bloodbones.jpg]]]] |
| 997 | [[caption-width-right:320:[[labelnote: Click here to see him as a human]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/combat_contre_cinnabar.jpg[[/labelnote]]]] |
| 998 | -> '''Appears in''': ''Literature/{{Bloodbones}}'' |
| 999 | |
| 1000 | A vicious, murderous pirate who terrorises the seas of the Old World, most notably the Diamond Sea and the area around [[WretchedHive Port of Crabs]]. He and his crew are voodoo cultists, and followers of the evil Death Spirit Quezkari. By the time ''Bloodbones'' rolls around, the law has caught up with him and Captain Cinnabar was killed, or so it seems. Returning as an undead, Cinnabar resumes his reign of terror, and plans to achieve CompleteImmortality through voodoo magic. But that's without counting without the RoaringRampageOfRevenge of a former victim... |
| 1001 | ---- |
| 1002 | * AntagonistAbilities: Cinnabar has max stats and trained his PirateParrot, of all things, as a very annoying AttackAnimal that does little damage but greatly hinders you. |
| 1003 | * AntagonistTitle: The title refers to [[RedBaron gloomy alias]]. |
| 1004 | * AttackAnimal: His PirateParrot keeps attacking you during your climatic duel with him, handicapping you by -1 skill, and costing -1 stamina 1 in 6 times. |
| 1005 | * BackFromTheDead: First as a sentient RevenantZombie, [[spoiler: second as an immortal with a SoulJar.]] |
| 1006 | * BadassBandolier: He holds his weapons in one. |
| 1007 | * BadassLongcoat: He sports quite the nice crimson red captain coat. |
| 1008 | * BadassNormal: HollywoodVoodoo aside, he only fights with weapons and needs no more to kick ass. |
| 1009 | * BeardOfEvil: Pointy and neatly trimmed when he was human, bushy and unkempt as a zombie. |
| 1010 | * BigBad: The Pirate King who terrorizes the Diamond Sea and killed your family, whom you swore to destroy. [[spoiler: But he is not the FinalBoss, for after killing him you also have to defeat his idol [[GreaterScopeVillain Quezkari]].]] |
| 1011 | * BowAndSwordInAccord: He shoots you with a crossbow before facing you in a sword fight. You must test your skill or lose -2 skill for the first turn of the battle against him and -2 stamina. |
| 1012 | * TheCaptain: A villainous example, but Cinnabar is still the captain of his Pirate Ship, the "Virago", and by extension the captain of all pirate crews in the Diamond Sea. |
| 1013 | * ClimaxBoss: [[spoiler: He might not be the FinalBoss, but the fight against him is still the culmination of your quest that fulfils your {{Revenge}}. As such the battle against him had to be suitably epic, and with skill 12 stamina 16, he does not disappoint.]] |
| 1014 | * {{Curse}}: Cinnabar turned a ship he destroyed into a GhostShip, along with all its crew. [[spoiler: If you defeat the captain in battle, they are all freed and help you out of gratitude.]] |
| 1015 | * TheDarkArts: Cinnabar masters enough HollywoodVoodoo magic to cast the curse above, and more. |
| 1016 | * DirtyCoward: [[spoiler: When Cinnabar realizes that you have the idol where his heart is hidden, he immediately begins to grovel and plea for his wretched life, like the filth he is.]] |
| 1017 | * TheDreaded: Everyone in the Diamond Sea breathed a sigh of relief when news of his death spread around. Too bad his death is not permanent, but you are here to fix that. |
| 1018 | * DressedToPlunder: He wears the typical attire of a classical pirate captain, down to the tricorn hat, the BadassLongcoat and the BadassBandolier. The only things missing are the peg leg and the eyepatch. |
| 1019 | * EmpoweredBadassNormal: Being able to resurrect as a zombie when killed [[spoiler: and later being resurrected as an immortal]] sure helps... |
| 1020 | * FauxAffablyEvil: He acts courteous, but this is a veneer to hide his scorn and hatred. One second he speaks nicely, the other he taunts you spitefully and encourages his PirateParrot to peck your eyes out. |
| 1021 | * TheFundamentalist: Cinnabar is fanatically devoted to his wretched idol, and plans to dedicate all his future domain to him. |
| 1022 | * GenocideBackfire: He wasn't actually going for genocide, but Cinnabar's slaughter of Clam Beach leads directly to his destruction, as you play a survivor howling for his blood. |
| 1023 | * GhostPirate: ''Zombie'' pirate to be technical but the trope still applies, [[spoiler: until the very end of the game when Cinnabar has been restored to true life.]] |
| 1024 | * GlowingEyelightsOfUndeath: He has them as a zombie. |
| 1025 | * HeartTrauma: [[spoiler: When you confront him, the illustration shows him with a gaping hole in his chest, for his heart was torn out to make his SoulJar.]] |
| 1026 | * HollywoodVoodoo: Oh ''yes'', the cult Cinnabar is part of is this trope all over, with curses, zombies, death magic, sacrifices, yadda yadda yadda. |
| 1027 | * IOwnThisTown: Cinnabar considers Port of Crabs as a whole as his personal playground. He already ruled it in all but name, but plans to take it over for real. |
| 1028 | * KingMook: He is this to all the pirates you face. Justified in that they always have a captain, but he rules more than a single crew. |
| 1029 | * MagicKnight: Downplayed, he does have great powers but you never see him use them and he fights with weapons alone. You do see the result of his evil magic though. |
| 1030 | * MasterSwordsman: A formidable expert in swordplay. |
| 1031 | * MoralEventHorizon: As if slaughtering most of the population of the settlements he raids was not enough, dooming a crew he killed to a FateWorseThanDeath as wandering FlyingDutchman ghosts certainly is. |
| 1032 | * NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: His nickname is "Bloodbones". |
| 1033 | * NoBodyLeftBehind: See right below. |
| 1034 | * NoImmortalInertia: He crumbles into dust when you kill him for good. |
| 1035 | * {{Pirate}}: Thank you CaptainObvious. |
| 1036 | * PirateParrot: He has one named Jezebel, which constantly pesters you throughout the final battle. |
| 1037 | * SailorsPonytail: Pirates are sailors after all... |
| 1038 | * ThePiratesWhoDontDoAnything: Hideously averted. His pirates do exactly what pirates did and the result is not pretty at all. |
| 1039 | * PosthumousCharacter: Seems like this at first when you find out that Cinnabar is already dead, but you soon discover that he has become a zombie instead. |
| 1040 | * PreFinalBoss: So you've just dusted the really tough Pirate Lord? Don't party just yet for the even tougher Demon Spirit rises without leaving you time to breathe. |
| 1041 | * RankScalesWithAsskicking: The leader of the Pirates of the Black Skull and hands down the best fighter of their wretched lot. |
| 1042 | * RapePillageAndBurn: That's how his pirates work in a nutshell, as your character can attest. Yes, no trace of freedom-loving LovableRogue there... |
| 1043 | * RedBaron: Bloodbones. He is also known as the Scourge of the Twelve Seas. |
| 1044 | * ReducedToDust: No need for a burial. |
| 1045 | * ResurrectiveImmortality: First by raising as a GhostPirate after his demise. [[spoiler: He later gets restored to life.]] |
| 1046 | ** [[spoiler: After you kill him during the FinalBattle, he rises again fully healed, being now immortal. You need to destroy his heart to fully take him down.]] |
| 1047 | * RevenantZombie: As a zombie, Cinnabar retains his sentience, intelligence and ability to speak. |
| 1048 | * SharpDressedMan: He is impeccably groomed as a human. Subverted as a zombie, as his once refined clothes are reduced to tattered rags. |
| 1049 | * ShoutOut: To the novel ''On Stranger Tides'', which inspired pretty much every {{Ghost Pirate}}s of fiction. |
| 1050 | * SoulJar: [[spoiler: After being resurrected, his heart is contained in a small fetish, resurrecting him as good as new after you defeat him. Unless you can destroy the fetish that is, then he won't be that smug.]] |
| 1051 | * TakeOverTheWorld: Downplayed in that he only covets an ocean and its coasts, but he plans to rule Port of Crabs and all its surroundings for real. |
| 1052 | * UndeathAlwaysEnds: [[spoiler: His own ends after he is restored to true life and made immortal, but you kill him for good shortly after.]] |
| 1053 | * WalkThePlank: The fate he has in store for you on his boat, in true pirate fashion. |
| 1054 | * WouldHurtAChild: He killed your brother and certainly many more. |
| 1055 | * YouKilledMyFather: Ten years before the book takes place, Cinnabar and his crew sacked a small fishing village called Clam Beach, killing most of its inhabitants. Your father and brother were among them, so you swore to destroy Cinnabar in revenge. |
| 1056 | * YourSoulIsMine: He steals the souls of his victims, but not for himself as he gifts them to Quezkari. |
| 1057 | [[/folder]] |
| 1058 | |
| 1059 | [[folder:Conrad Zaar]] |
| 1060 | [[quoteright:161:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/whatsapp_image_2018_04_01_at_111302.jpeg]] |
| 1061 | -> '''Appears in''': ''Literature/{{Moonrunner}}'' |
| 1062 | |
| 1063 | A Man-Orc city guards with a bad attitude and currently on the pay book of Gruul and his Brotherhood, Conrad hides a startling secret: normally nothing more than a corrupt brute, he's actually the undead, unstoppable SerialKiller known as the Maniac Guard, a restless hulk wandering the streets hiding his face with a steel mask and brandishing a massive machete, spontaneously reviving when killed. |
| 1064 | ---- |
| 1065 | * AxCrazy: He doesn't emote much, but it's assumed that he really, really enjoys killing and butchering people for fun. |
| 1066 | * TheBrute: Highly implied to be this to Karam Gruul. |
| 1067 | * CaptainErsatz: He's, essentially, [[Franchise/FridayThe13th Jason]] in a fantasy setting. |
| 1068 | * CementShoes: If you fight him outside the inn, you get rid of him permanently (for this book at least) by chaining him up and throwing him into a river. |
| 1069 | * DeathActivatedSuperpower: After a disappointing performance in his "alive" form, he turns into the much more formidable Maniac Guard after he's killed and struck by a lightning bolt. |
| 1070 | * HalfHumanHybrid: Being a Man-Orc he's half man and half orc. |
| 1071 | * HockeyMaskAndChainsaw: Not the latter, thankfully, but his mask has an uncanny resemblance to a hockey mask, being a great homage to SlasherMovie villains. |
| 1072 | * ImplacableMan: Nothing is going to stop him permanently. Nothing. |
| 1073 | * MacheteMayhem: Again, it's unlikely that a fantasy urban setting resembling medieval Europe would have a machete, but he wouldn't make a good {{homage}} without one. |
| 1074 | * RecurringBoss: If you do run into him, it's possible to fight him at least three times (one in the mill, one in the Wax house and one near the river, outside the inn). |
| 1075 | * ResurrectedMurderer: Formerly a murderer who died sometime in the backstory, but was revived by Karam Gruul to be one of his main enforcers, with the revived murderer now spending every scene [[HockeyMaskAndChainsaw clad in a hockey mask]] for good measure. |
| 1076 | * ResurrectiveImmortality: No matter how bad he's hurt or damaged, he can seemingly resurrect himself at will as often as he needs. |
| 1077 | * RiddleForTheAges: Aside from the obvious ShoutOut, no explanation is given in Universe for his incredible stamina and immortality. Is it a curse? Is he one of Gruul's most successful experiments of Notura? Who knows... |
| 1078 | * SerialKiller: As Conrad, the Maniac Guard, he looks straight out of a SlasherMovie. |
| 1079 | * SkippableBoss: That being said, it is possible to avoid encountering him at all. Even if you do encounter him, you can skip the first battle by throwing him a lantern (which sets the place on fire) and avoid the other two encounters if you skip the Shroud side quest or have a way to infiltrate the inn. |
| 1080 | * SuperStrength: The second he grabs the ladder you realize that you're unable to push it away, and if you trying to throw a pitchfork at him he will bend and crack it with just the grip of his hand. |
| 1081 | * TheUndead: Never outright stated, but he acts as a super persistent RevenantZombie. |
| 1082 | * WindmillScenery: His hideout is in a mill overlooking the city, complete with iron portcullis and a dungeon room with a CrystalBall to contact Gruul. |
| 1083 | [[/folder]] |
| 1084 | |
| 1085 | [[folder:Katarina Heydrich]] |
| 1086 | [[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/katarina_the_witch.jpg]] |
| 1087 | ->'''Appears in''': ''Literature/VaultOfTheVampire'' | ''Literature/RevengeOfTheVampire''. |
| 1088 | |
| 1089 | The younger sister of the Vampire Lord Count Reiner Heydrich, as evil, ambitious and dangerous as he is, serving as a major villainess in the gamebooks of which he is the BigBad. She is a very powerful and seductive WickedWitch who uses BloodMagic to retain her youth and astonishing beauty. In the first, she lives in luxury, keeping a (mostly) cordial relationship with her brother, and has equal plot relevance.\ |
| 1090 | |
| 1091 | In the second, she is resurrected as a vampire to serve as his second-in-command, and her role is drastically reduced. |
| 1092 | ---- |
| 1093 | * AerithAndBob: Katarina Heydrich is a name one could come across, contrary to most names in the franchise. |
| 1094 | * AntagonistAbilities: A powerful fighter with fearsome HypnoticEyes, immune to normal weapons. |
| 1095 | * AristocratsAreEvil: Like you would not believe. |
| 1096 | * AvengingTheVillain: Despite all the [[{{Pun}} bad blood]] between them in the first book, Katarina will '''not''' be happy if you kill her brother before her in the second. |
| 1097 | * BackFromTheDead: Courtesy of her brother in the second book. |
| 1098 | * BadassBookworm: Katarina is a well-read and very intelligent manipulator, with impressive mastery of magic and fighting skills. |
| 1099 | * TheBaroness: She gains points for being noble. She is a composed, vain and sarcastic FemmeFatale whose appearance and mannerisms scream aristocracy, and she is plenty competent and dangerous. |
| 1100 | * BerserkButton: Basically, shaking her control of the situation is bad for your health. |
| 1101 | ** Don't tell her that you are here to save her next victim-to-be, you will soon regret the AffablyEvil [[ManipulativeBastard Manipulative Bitch]] you were speaking to moments earlier. |
| 1102 | ** She also cannot stand when Reiner one-ups her and reacts violently. |
| 1103 | * BigBadEnsemble: In the first book, it soon becomes obvious that Katarina means as much trouble for you and Mortvania as a whole as Reiner. [[spoiler: While they are in good terms overall, she makes no mystery of her ambition to replace him, and he knows this.]] |
| 1104 | * BigBrotherBully: Well, big sister bully. She won't have a lil' bro going around using good magic and HealingHands powers if she has something to say about it. And considering how much Gunthar fears her, she has volumes to say... |
| 1105 | * BloodCountess: A noble lady whose... ahem, youth treatment fits the gloomy story of Countess Bathory, of which she is inspired, albeit with real sorcery to make it work. See {{Expy}} below for further details. |
| 1106 | * BloodMagic: She uses the blood of captive youngsters in a gory ritual to remain young and pretty. |
| 1107 | * BlueBlood: Katarina is descendant of a long-lasting noble line. |
| 1108 | * CainAndAbel: With Gunthar the healer, the last Heydrich sibling. She is implied to harass him and he never dares using his powers out of fear of her retaliation. |
| 1109 | * ConsummateLiar: She blatantly lies to you if you strike a deal with her, but unless you were warned beforehand, you have no way of knowing it. [[spoiler: She tells you that Lothar the Castellan is untrustworthy and would never part with the stake you need to finish off Reiner, while he is if fact one of the most benevolent and helpful characters around, and gladly gives it to you.]] |
| 1110 | * CulturedBadass: She is a WickedCultured aristocrat and a powerful WickedWitch. |
| 1111 | * {{Curse}}: If you promise something to her without intention of upholding your bargain, her magic will make you suffer. [[spoiler: If you agreed to kill Lothar but don't attack him, you lose -4 stamina and only owe your life to a potion he makes you drink.]] |
| 1112 | * DarkActionGirl: An evil witch and a deadly foe. |
| 1113 | * DealWithTheDevil: Katarina offering to help you slay Reiner is this though and through. [[spoiler: There is nothing to gain from accepting.]] |
| 1114 | * DemotedToDragon: She goes from the second half of a BigBadEnsemble [[spoiler: and the TrueFinalBoss]] in the first game, to a vampire under her brother's command in the second. |
| 1115 | * DemotedToExtra: After sharing the spotlight with Reiner in the first book, she has but a minor role in the second, [[spoiler: being mentioned once or twice before being fought during the Final Battle.]] |
| 1116 | * DespotismJustifiesTheMeans: She loves power [[spoiler: and covets her brother's title.]] |
| 1117 | * DeviousDaggers: Katarina wields a silver dagger in battle, with enough proficiency to face expert fighters. |
| 1118 | * TheDragon: Reiner resurrected her as a vampire to serve as this in the second book. |
| 1119 | * TheDreaded: Everyone who knows what she is capable of, and is not swayed by her charms, are scared witless of her. Just ask her poor lil' brother Gunthar. |
| 1120 | * EarlyBirdBoss: If you fight Katarina in her quarters, facing a skill 10 foe immune to normal weapons can prove unforgiving at a point of the game when you have yet to gain a MacGuffin. |
| 1121 | * EvilGenius: Katarina is very cunning and devious, and an excellent manipulator, who can make you do her bidding even without hiding the fact that she is using you for her nefarious purposes. |
| 1122 | * EvilSorcerer: One of the finest female examples of the franchise. |
| 1123 | * EvilWearsBlack: She wears a simple yet high-class black gown. |
| 1124 | * {{Expy}}: She is based on [[SerialKiller Countess Erzsebet Bathory]], the infamous [[RedBaron Bloody Countess]] of [[RealLife History]]. She murdered dozens of young women, and according to folk tales, bathed in their blood believing that it would make her young forever. Needless to say it didn't. She ended up sentenced to be walled up alive. |
| 1125 | * FalseInnocenceTrick: [[spoiler: If you talk to her in the second Book, Katarina pretends to be an innocent captive to take you by surprise. If you attack her, she has skill 9 stamina 9, but if you listen to her, she strikes you and costs -2 stamina, before fighting you with skill 10 stamina 11. While not nearly as powerful as her formidable brother, she remains tough, so if the previous fight crippled you, better attack at once.]] |
| 1126 | * FauxAffablyEvil: Katarina is always courteous, but only when she's in control, if not she immediately becomes much less personable. Make no mistake, no matter what you are but a tool to use and discard as she pleases, and she makes it crystal clear. |
| 1127 | * FemmeFatale: She is very sexy, sultry, seductive but never openly lascivious... And rotten to the core. |
| 1128 | * FemmeFatalons: She sports long, pointed nails. |
| 1129 | * FightingAShadow: As her LifeMeter is never displayed if you fight her in her quarters, it is implied that she is using this trick to test your worth. |
| 1130 | * {{Foil}}: A stark contrast with her last sibling Gunthar the healer. See SiblingYinYang below for more details. |
| 1131 | * GirlyBruiser: Katarina looks every bit like your average ProperLady and some more, being aristocratic, dignified and gorgeous, but she can and will take on even the best warriors and give them hell. |
| 1132 | * HotWitch: Katarina is as far as the stereotype of the old crone as you can imagine. The narration strongly emphasises her stunning good looks and the illustrations do not disappoint. |
| 1133 | * HypnoticEyes: Her signature power, that sure comes in handy to defeat her enemies without fight and make them powerful servants. |
| 1134 | * ItsAllAboutMe: For all of her undeniable power, intelligence and style, she at heart is but a vicious, power-hungry, pretentious and vain bitch, who only cares about herself, her wealth and her looks. |
| 1135 | * KickingAssInAllHerFinery: She wears a lavish gown, and can match seasoned warriors in battle. |
| 1136 | * KnowWhenToFoldThem: If you strike her four times when battling Katarina in her quarters, she sees no point in fighting further and teleports away. (Unless you were FightingAShadow in the first place.) But don't think for a second she is done with you. |
| 1137 | * LadyOfBlackMagic: She is poised, graceful, refined and elegant, and masters deadly magic. |
| 1138 | * LadyOfWar: She is poised, graceful, refined and elegant, and deadly in battle. |
| 1139 | * ManOfWealthAndTaste: Well, woman in that case. She has very good taste and lives in lavish quarters. |
| 1140 | * ManipulativeBastard: Well manipulative bitch in that case. She is very good at wrapping people around her finger (just ask the sage of the castle) and use others to do her dirty work. You included. |
| 1141 | * MasterActor: [[spoiler: She seldom bothers, but her captive pretence in the second book is very convincing.]] |
| 1142 | * MindControl: Katarina can outright brainwash people with her HypnoticEyes. Just for one task if she feels generous, or condemning them to a life of slavish servitude. |
| 1143 | * MsFanservice: Did we mention that she is devilishly attractive? Even you somehow avert the ChasteHero trope by being visibly enticed by her looks. Though it does not prevent you from fighting her. |
| 1144 | * NoImmortalInertia: She reverts to her real age when she dies, and the result is not pretty '''at all''', not helped by the illustration. |
| 1145 | * NoSell: Face her without a magic weapon and you’re toast. And as a living human, she laughs off Holy Water and TurnUndead spells. |
| 1146 | * OlderThanHeLooks: Would you believe upon seeing her that she is seventy-six years old? |
| 1147 | * OpportunisticBastard: She immediately sees a skilled fighter like you as a mean to get rid of her hated foe Lothar the Castellan, who has the nerve of not being an evil bastard. And if you can slay her vampire brother while you're at it, you won't find her complaining. |
| 1148 | * OrcusOnHisThrone: She spends the entire game in her quarters [[spoiler: save from the GoldenEnding]], and uses people for her dirty work. But she does it with such style that she does not even need to move from her quarters to get what she wants. |
| 1149 | * OurVampiresAreDifferent: She is resurrected as a vampire in the second book. |
| 1150 | * PostFinalBoss: Twice under the right circumstances: |
| 1151 | ** [[spoiler: While a TrueFinalBoss is usually harder that the regular one, she is much less dangerous than her brother. With skill 10 stamina 10, she is no laughing matter still. [[YouCanBarelyStand She takes advantage of your weakened state]] after the tremendous BossBattle against Reiner, and the power boost granted by the InfinityPlusOneSword is lower against her for she is alive. Yet, the battle remains pretty much a breeze for someone who could take down the powerful Vampire Lord.]] |
| 1152 | ** [[spoiler: She again serves as the last enemy in the second book, if you killed Reiner. Still, as a fledgling vampire blinded by rage, she has only skill 9 stamina 9, making her quite tough, but a joke for someone who destroyed a foe such as her brother. She averts the PostFinalBoss trope if you let Reiner escape though, as you will fight him again after killing her.]] |
| 1153 | * RapidAging: The last sight you get of her. Sweet dreams... |
| 1154 | * RavenHairIvorySkin: She fits this standard of beauty like a glove. Even more in the second book, after she has become a vampire. |
| 1155 | * RecurringBoss: You can fight her twice during the game, but the fist BossBattle is a SkippableBoss, and she teleport's away after you strike her four times. [[spoiler: You can first fight her if you venture in her quarters, and then after you killed Reiner.]] |
| 1156 | * SexyVillainsChasteHeroes: She has ''very'' good looks, frequently mentioned by the narration. And while it does not prevents you from slaying her, your character is described as enticed. |
| 1157 | * SiblingsInCrime: In the second book, Heydrich resurrects Katarina as a vampire to serve as TheDragon, which would make them this. [[spoiler: He seems to have EasilyForgiven her attempt at usurping him, but having her as his vampire thrall prevents her from playing by her rules any longer, which can be a form of revenge and using her as an asset.]] |
| 1158 | * SiblingYinYang: With Gunthar Heydrich: She is an artificially young, evil, spoiled, self-centred and ambitious WickedWitch, while he is an aging, benevolent, down-to-earth, generous and humble [[HealingHands healer]]. |
| 1159 | * SilkHidingSteel: She barely conceals the steel, but still plays the ProperLady game to lull people into a false sense of security. Just don't underestimate her, or you are in for a world of pain. |
| 1160 | * SimpleYetOpulent: She wears a lavish yet not fancy robe, and only one piece of jewellery. |
| 1161 | * ASinisterClue: She wields her dagger in her left hand. |
| 1162 | * SkippableBoss: You can avoid meeting her altogether when coming close to her quarters. [[spoiler: And you can only fight her in the end if you could fully destroy Reiner.]] |
| 1163 | * SlouchOfVillainy: Just look at the picture. |
| 1164 | * TheStarscream: [[spoiler: She not so secretly waits for an opportunity to kill Reiner and take his throne. He is fully aware of it and takes his precautions.]] |
| 1165 | * TrueFinalBoss: [[spoiler: If you managed to stake and destroy Reiner, she appears before you to prevent you from freeing her captive, being the last obstacle between you and the GoldenEnding.]] |
| 1166 | * UglyAllAlong: She really '''was''' that gorgeous, emphasis on the past tense. But using TheDarkArts to stop aging has a cost. [[spoiler: The spell [[NoOntologicalInertia breaks as she dies]], reverting her to her real age and face, showing how it destroyed her good looks.]] |
| 1167 | * VainSorceress: Katarina would stop at nothing to retain her youth and astonishing beauty forever. |
| 1168 | * VillainTeleportation: She appears right before you out of nowhere before the BossBattle against her. If you fight her in her quarters, she vanishes after you land four blows. |
| 1169 | * WickedCultured: Both Heydrich siblings love luxury, are very refined and have very good taste. |
| 1170 | * WickedWitch: She seems at first to turn the trope on its feet, but she is in fact OlderThanSheLooks. [[spoiler: Her true aspect, deprived of artificial youth, makes her this through and through... And this is awful.]] |
| 1171 | * WhatBeautifulEyes: Her gorgeous green eyes are repeatedly described as her most stunning feature. [[HypnoticEyes In more ways than one]]. |
| 1172 | * XanatosSpeedChess: Katarina is not into elaborate schemes, she'd rather go with the flow, and alter the flow's course following the opportunities. She immediately figures out that you are her to kill her vampire brother and offers to help you, adapting her offers and bargains to what you tell her. |
| 1173 | [[/folder]] |
| 1174 | |
| 1175 | [[folder:The Kurakil]] |
| 1176 | -->See his entry on the [[Characters/FightingFantasyAntagonistsThePit The Pit]] page under '''Night Demons and other Demon Princes''' |
| 1177 | [[/folder]] |
| 1178 | |
| 1179 | [[folder:Quezkari]] |
| 1180 | -->See his entry on the [[Characters/FightingFantasyAntagonistsThePit Pit]] page under '''Night Demons and other Demon Princes'''. |
| 1181 | [[/folder]] |
| 1182 | |
| 1183 | [[folder: The Raven]] |
| 1184 | [[caption-width-right:320:[[labelnote: Spoilers]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/varen.png[[/labelnote]]]] |
| 1185 | -> '''Appears in''': ''Literature/KnightsOfDoom'' |
| 1186 | |
| 1187 | A mysterious traitor whom you only hear about in the right circumstances. [[spoiler: By meeting with the ghost of your friend Sir Connor.]] A member of the court [[TheGoodKing King Rannor]] and a fellow knight, but a secret vassal of [[EvilOverlord Belgaroth]], who recieved the power to turn into a raven to better spy the land and report his liege without suspicion. Should you fail to unmask him, it may be too late... |
| 1188 | [[spoiler: He is in fact Taris Varen, Lord of Cleve Manor, whom you befriended (or so you think).]] |
| 1189 | ---- |
| 1190 | * AnimalMotifs: A Raven obviously. [[spoiler: Pay attention to the middle shield in the background of the picture.]] |
| 1191 | * {{Animorphism}}: His aforementioned power. |
| 1192 | * BadassCape: [[spoiler: Wears one when you first meet him. Though you won't fight him at his peak.]] |
| 1193 | * BeardOfEvil: [[spoiler: Although since you're unaware of his true nature on your first meeting.]] |
| 1194 | * BirdPeople: Exposing him as a traitor turns him into a deformed raven-human hybrid. |
| 1195 | * BodyHorror: When his transformation is disturbed, in place of his right arm, a huge black wing sprouts from his shoulder and his left leg is that of a bird, while his head is part-human, part-raven. In such a state, he becomes unable to properly move, let alone fight, justifying the trope below. |
| 1196 | * BreatherBoss: You fight him right after battling the insanely tough [[SNKBoss Belgaroth]]. His stats? [[ZeroEffortBoss Skill 7 stamina 8]]. |
| 1197 | * CavalryBetrayal: [[spoiler: If you recruit Varen's army, this will happen right as you battle the [[AlwaysChaoticEvil beast-men]]. Hope you have other legions in your ranks, or you're screwed! This is a clue about his true obedience.]] |
| 1198 | * CreepyCrows: His shape-shifted form is definitely not the friendly type. |
| 1199 | * DoubleAgent: [[spoiler: Pretends to be supporting the Knights of Ruddlestone while actually serving Belgaroth.]] |
| 1200 | * EnemySummoner: If you manage to reduce Belgaroth's stamina to 7, the Raven flies away to call reinforcements. If you cannot expose him as a traitor on time, you're dead meat! |
| 1201 | * FalseFriend: [[spoiler: He pretends to be your ally and supply you with resources (including members of his own army) only to reveal his true nature in the end.]] |
| 1202 | * FindingJudas: Even though its kinda obvious in retrospect, you still need to identify him to expose him. |
| 1203 | * {{Foreshadowing}}: [[spoiler: When you meet him for the first time, he's wearing a black cloak (much like a raven's wings) and have long, jet-black hair. Also in his feast hall where he invites you to dine, the middle shield hanging in the back wall has a raven motif on it.]] |
| 1204 | * FaceHeelTurn: He betrayed the Knights for an allegiance with Belgaroth. |
| 1205 | * InvoluntaryShapeshifter: You invoke this trope on him... as identifying him break his transformation. |
| 1206 | * KarmicTransformation: Breaking his transformation turns him into a grotesque hybrid. Hard to feel sorry. |
| 1207 | * MyInstinctsAreShowing: He literally ''sqwaks'' like a raven before dueling you to the death! |
| 1208 | * TheMole: [[spoiler: Among the knights of the kingdom.]] |
| 1209 | * SignificantAnagram: [[spoiler: Lord Taris '''Varen''' is a '''Raven'''. ]] |
| 1210 | * ASinisterClue: [[spoiler: He offers to shake your hand... with his left hand.]] |
| 1211 | * VoluntaryShapeshifting: He can shape-shift into a raven at will, hence his moniker. |
| 1212 | * WalkingSpoiler: A traitor can only be this. |
| 1213 | * WingedHumanoid: Subverted as he only becomes this if you screw up his transformation. |
| 1214 | [[/folder]] |
| 1215 | |
| 1216 | [[folder:The Shadow Warriors]] |
| 1217 | -->See their entry on the [[Characters/FightingFantasyAntagonistsThePit Pit]] page under '''Demonic Servants'''. |
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