About Lucasz of Ulcazar☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ Lucasz of Ulcazar
DEFENSE:
AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 13, (+3 armor, +2 Dex)
OFFENSE:
Speed 30 ft.
STATISTICS:
Str 10, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 15, Cha 13
Current Encumbrance: 74.5 lbs. Light Load: 66 lbs. or less (with Masterwork Backpack) ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ DESCRIPTION:
Height: 6′2″ (187 cm), Weight: 174 lbs. (79 kg) Lucasz is a tall, slender man of Varisian descent. His skin is unusually pale for one of the wandering folk, and overall his countenance is somewhat sallow and sickly. The man's exact age is difficult to determine. At a glance, he would seem to be in his thirties, but his thin, prematurely gray hair and the deep creases on his forehead make him look far older. His eyes are a very dark shade of purplish blue, almost the color of ink or a fresh bruise. Lucasz dresses similarly to the other Pharasmin inquisitors (long coat, high boots, wide-brimmed hat), but prefers to accentuate his black attire with blue rather than red. All of his clothes seem worn and weather-beaten, but well-maintained. The pommels of two sickles can be seen occasionally sheathed under his coat, behind the small of his back. He has the holy symbol of Pharasma tattooed on his left palm. Although he is very single-minded in his pursuit of the walking dead, Lucasz does not see himself as a hero. Even though most Ustalavic peasants would not raise their hand against a servant of Pharasma, Lucasz knows they loathe and fear him. He is very pragmatic, and not above using tactics that could be considered cowardly or immoral by some (such as using a villager as bait to lure out a monster), as long as it leads to results. He is coolly polite to most, but he does have a dry, sarcastic sense of humor which occasionally rises to the fore. He appreciates frankness and honesty, annoyed by duplicity even more than outright bigotry. He is patient and calculating, but fearsome in his wrath when provoked, letting loose the bloodlust constantly raging inside him. While he usually prefers working alone, he understands the value of teamwork, having cooperated with other inquisitors and other like-minded people in the past. He has a hard time trusting people, but he tries to not let his personal weaknesses get in the way of his sacred mission. In those rare times that someone actually earns his trust, like the late Professor Lorrimor, they will find the is a staunch ally (at least as long as their goals align). Although Lucasz tends towards melancholy, he has lived long enough to understand that there is no point in brooding endlessly over his existence. If the Pharasma herself has accepted him, there is no mortal who can say otherwise. He channels most of his self-loathing into fervent devotion to the Lady of Graves, and a burning hatred for all things undead. He has witnessed the rise of a generation of zealots, from the misguided Penitents to blood-thirsty witch hunters and worse. As a result, he is rather disillusioned with the overall church of Pharasma in Ustalav, sometimes feeling like he alone has maintained the true focus of the faith. Lucasz fully expects to die doing what he does, and has long ago come to terms with this eventuality. He is not suicidal, but he does understand that there is little place in the world for one such as he, and he tries to spend his time proving his worth to the Lady of Graves. The only thing he truly fears is being turned to an undead creature, denying him his place at Pharasma's side. BACKGROUND:
Lucasz does not know the exact circumstances of his birth. The wandering Varisians who raised him claimed his parents gave him to them in order to protect him from their superstitious neighbors, but he suspects that the caravan found him in the backwoods of Ustalav, abandonded. He never inquired further, not wishing to insult his benefactors. The wandering folk undoubtedly thought they were doing the child a favor, and they were in fact kind, open-hearted people. Yet Lucasz never felt truly loved. There was always an untangible wall between him and his adopted parents and siblings, some deep-rooted fear in their eyes that Lucasz could never understand. Although he did not learn what he truly was until reaching adulthood, he had long ago heard the whispers of his peers, and had come to know that he was different. Once he did learn of his cursed heritage, Lucasz set off on his own, wandering alone for a few years. The revelation of what he was haunted him, and he avoided civilization for the most part, afraid that he might be driven to hurt someone. The aimless wandering turned into a pilgrimage, although he himself did not know where it would end. For a while he looked to Desna's stars for guidance, but they lead him nowhere. Every once in a while he felt the need for company, but all of his visits to civilized areas ended in disaster. Town after town of leering faces, no more succor to be found amongst the settled folk than his adopted family. He kept on moving. After a few years, his travels finally brought him to the county of Ulcazar. Atop the highest peaks of the Hungry Mountains, the young man found the Monastery of the Veil. The ascent took its toll on Lucasz, who felt oddly compelled to reach the structure looming amongst the clouds. The blighted land barely provided him sustenance, and he was hounded by strange, unseen beasts for most of his climb. Collapsing at the gates of the monastery, he finally lost his consciousness, looking up at the spirals depicted on the stained glass windows of the building. He woke up within the walls of the cloister, in a warm bed. He was offered food and fresh clothing by oddly silent monks, who refused to answer any of his questions. It did not take him long to note that they communicated wordlessly even amongst themselves, and so he quieted down and observed them as they went about on their business. After a while, he was visited by a smiling man, the only one in the whole monastery who seemed to be allowed to speak. He introduced himself as Bishop Rithwayn, the abbot of the order. He asked Lucasz why he had come, telling him that the monastery was usually off limits to outsiders. Lucasz did not know how to answer, and only told that he had felt the need to do so. The bishop kept smiling, and told him that it must have been Pharasma herself who had fated him to come, to join the ranks of their order. It did make sense, after a fashion. Knowing what he was, Lucasz felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe by serving the Lady of Graves, he could find acceptance, and atone for the sins of the monster that spawned him. Lucasz's education begun innocently enough, learning about the teachings of Pharasma and other faiths. The libraries within the monastery contained books on a variety of additional subjects, which Lucasz studied for hours each day, trying to learn more about his cursed forebears, and other beasts of the night. He was trained by other monks in combat, supposedly to combat the forces of undeath. Yet there was always something off about the monastery. As Lucasz came to know more about the faith of Pharasma, he understood that this sect was more than just a bit unorthodox. He realised he was not only being schooled to slay the undead, but the living as well. Lucasz was simultaneously fascinated by the prospect, and abhorred the though of giving in to his bloodlust. Unbeknownst to the young dhampir, he was being trained to be an assassin. For the monastery was not home to an peaceful order of monks, but ruthless killers devoted to Norgorber who called themselves Anaphexia. The bishop saw promise in the young dhampir, knowing that in his veins flowed the blood of the night. The servants of the Reaper of Reputation were slow to give away their secrets, but as the time for the taking of Lucasz's own "vow of silence" neared, he became more and more convinced that he had been misled. Terrified of what he might become, he decided to escape. This was easier said than done. The order had trained him well, but he was still an acolyte. As he slipped away in the night, his keen eyes could see the assassins tracking him through the dark mountains. Trying to descend a steep cliff next to a waterfall, his pursuers finally caught up with him. In desperation, he leapt off, praying to Desna, Pharasma and whoever else that listened that he would not be killed by unseen rock below the water's surface. In a way, he preferred that to what the Anaphexia might do if they caught him. Yet luck or fate deemed that he was to survive, as the stream swept him towards Lake Kavapesta. Nearly drowned in the blighted waters, he was swept ashore near the town of Kavapesta, in the county of Amaans. The peasants who dragged him to a temple thought him dead, noticing his pallor, but the priests of Pharasma knew better. A holy city for Pharasmins, Kavapesta became Lucasz's home for a brief while after his recovery. Still afraid of being chased down by the assassins, he kept silent about the secrets of the monastery. The local priesthood did not attract him in the least, regardless. He saw the Pharasmin Penintence as misguided fanaticism, and instead sought the company of the inquisitors. Already trained in combat, they took the dhampir in with some reservation. He soon proved his worth, however, hunting the unliving with zeal that impressed even veteran inquisitors. After some additional training Lucasz moved on, carrying out the will of Pharasma wherever he went. Visions of being caught by assassins continued to haunt him for years, but it seemed that they were not actively pursuing him any longer. First he thought that perhaps they thought him dead from the fall, but years later Lucasz came to know that Ulcazar had a new bishop. Perhaps his escape had been overstaged by some internal conflict. Lucasz decided to keep the secret regardless, paranoid about how far the Reaper of Reputation's influence had spread within the priesthood. Perhaps one day, Lucasz himself would root out the heretics. But not yet. For now, the hunt called him. During his early years as a true servant of Pharasma, he met Professor Petros Lorrimor. Lucasz was on the hunt, tracking a lone ghoul across the northern county of Odranto. He followed the creature across the plains, to an ancient Kellid ruin. Knowing there might be more of the beasts within the barrow, Lucasz was about to turn back and go gather reinforcements, he heard the sounds of struggle from within. Weighing the risks, he decided to aid the people who were already there, rather than risking them being turned as well. As he entered the ancient structure, he was met with a scholarly fellow, cowering behind a few Kellid mercenaries. One of the brutes had already fallen, and other was paralyzed by the ghouls' touch. Lucasz joined the battle, flanking the undead. Soon they were vanquished. After the deceased Kellid's body and the ghouls' remains were taken care of, Lucasz decided to make camp with the researcher, both to make sure no one was infected with ghoul fever, and, admittedly, to sate his own curiosity. The young men became fast friends, the professor intrigued by the dhampir's "affliction," and Lucasz keen on learning more about his nature. Through the professor's research, Lucasz came to truly know his heritage. The two stayed in contact through the years, both through correspondence and a few personal visits whenever their travels made it possible. Yet, eventually it came Lorrimor's time to go to Pharasma's judgement. Having seen the professor's handwriting turn more and more jittery and uncertain, Lucasz was keenly aware that he himself had barely aged a day in the decades after they had first met. Although the thought of burying a friend was new and painful to him, Lucasz was determined to see his body interred properly. Whatever the professor had in store for the inquisitor in his will could be of importance as well. Perhaps one last revelation, something to help Lucasz carry on the hunt for both himself and his old friend. ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ |
