Gallery : NPCs of Shian Saturday

[Zyraen]

Some Pictures for easy reference
In order of Appearance.


Name : Kray Brothers
Status : Dead, West Quarter Berklin
Appearances : 1.2, 4.0, 4.1, 5.3, 5.4, 9.0
Remarks : Despite the Pictures, they do not appear that noticeably different. Stylistically, the first / left picture is closer to Kray A, whereas the second / right is closer to Kray B (1 appearance in 5.3)


Name : Marlon Merenthis
Status : Alive, Flotsam or Berklin
Appearances : 1.3, 4.0, 4.2
Remarks : Apart from a Hair-color Change to Grey and more Human features, a pretty close image...


Name : Joien Merenthis
Status : Alive, West Quarter Constable HQ
Appearances : 2.3
Remarks : in FBO (yet to be seen) : i941.photobucket.com/albums/ad259/zyraen/Shian/zy2_zps7e2a9dde.jpg


Name : Aribeth
Status : Alive, South border of Amareld
Appearances : 3.0, 4.0
Remarks : Hide Armor instead


Name : Enethrin Kistarra (previously "The Lady in the Gem")
Status : Speculatively "Alive"
Appearances : 5.2
Remarks : a bit more ethereal in the gem, lighter colored skin and hair, emerald green in place of red, and no wings


Name : Captain Horace "Cook"
Status : Dead, decapitated.
Appearances : 5.3
Remarks : killed without hardly ever spoken a word.


Name : Vinarres Skamos
Status : Alive, presumably in hiding
Appearances : 6.1
Remarks : uses a long Radiant pact blade

[Zyraen]

Name : Dalanar Malferon
Status : "Alive", presumably somewhere in Elshezan
Appearances : 7.4, 8.5
Remarks : Flowing purple cloak (instead of blue) and azure robes beneath. First appearance did not use any implement against the party. Vampire with Dire Wolf form and mastery of spells. Slew Jit Babo (in disguise) in Vengeance for the utter demise of his brother.


Name : Egen (Lt.)
Status : Alive, presumably in the North Quarter Garrison
Appearances : 7.5
Remarks : wears Hide / Leather Armor
Notable Interactions: Lt Egen was a lieutenant serving in the Berklin Military.
The Heroes first came across his name after hearing it from the spirit of a goblin hexer as an adviser on where to set up caravan raids, and hence a traitor to the Empire.
The Heroes first encounter Caldwick and Egen leading their men to help against the onslaught of wraiths spreading throughout the city of Berklin after the Heroes attacked Dalanar's tower. They soon realized the description given by the Goblin Hexer did not match Egen at all, but it did match that of Caldwick.


Name : Caldwick (Lt.)
Status : Alive, presumably helping out in the West Garrison
Appearances : 7.5, 11.2
Remarks : Purple Cloak and Chainmail. Sword would be flaming. Holds a Staff in another hand.
Notable Interactions: Lt Caldwick was a lieutenant serving in the Berklin Military, now leading Flotsam while serving as a Lt.
Before the Heroes ever met him, Lt Caldwick supported the influence of his father's village Flotsam by getting goblin raiders to go behind lines and waylay supply caravans from Zeychand to West Garrison. By speaking to the soul of a dead goblin hexer, the Heroes managed to get a clue about the traitor's identity as "Egen", for he gave the name of his fellow Lt. instead of his real name to the Goblins.
The Heroes first encounter Caldwick and Egen leading their men to help against the onslaught of wraiths spreading throughout the city of Berklin after the Heroes attacked Dalanar's tower. It seems that Lt Caldwick was on leave from his military duties in Berklin due to mourning for his father's demise, but he spontaneously reported back for duty when the emergency situation was made known. After the Wraith invasion had ended, the Heroes realized that he was planning to travel to Flotsam and find the killers of his father. Deciding that confronting him while faced with his men and those of Lt Egen was a bad idea, they let him go, and failed to find him again before he left for Flotsam and assumed command of the village, also bringing in military presence to keep unwanted influences like Slavers out.
Later on (11.2) when the West Garrison came under a serious Orc attack, Lt Caldwick led his men from Flotsam to reinforce the Garrison. His arrival and word that no others had been sent earlier from Flotsam caused the Heroes to be suspicious of soldiers that they had let into the Garrison earlier, claiming to be from Flotsam, and they arrived in a nick of time to rescue Capt Ardon from an assassination attempt by the fake soldiers.

[Zyraen]

The "missing" Era of NPCs from 8.0 to 9.4.
It was hard to find pics for them so I kind of got lazy.
Again, in order of appearance.


Name : Alganon Felrath
Status : Alive, unknown
Appearances : 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.5
Remarks : Alganon has dark hair instead and horns instead of hair curls. Of course.
Notable Interactions: Alganon is the guard captain of Lord Blackhart's keep. He initially was suspicious of the Heroes but they prove themselves to him by defeating the attacking Violet Eye forces, and he sought Lord Blackhart for an audience at the Heroes' request. He became the messenger of Blackhart's refusal, and while persuading him the Heroes let slip Lord Blackhart's first name, which made him even more suspicious and he eventually asked them to leave.
When the Heroes launched a surprise assault on the keep, he fought in the foyer of the keep to drive them away, but was defeated. By some good fortune, they decided not to kill him but instead tied him to a statue. He was later freed when the Heroes and Blackhart were fleeing the island, and helped commandeer Lord Blackhart's ship when Blackhart chose to leave with the Heroes' ship.
The Heroes later learned that he was a son of one of the other Tiefling families placed in Blackhart's care for training.


Name : Lord Amilio Blackhart
Status : Alive, unknown
Appearances : 8.4, 8.5
Remarks : less the wings, with more rich looking robes. His skin color would be more normal if not for his transformation the Heroes encountered him in.
(sad to say, no Tiefling pics really have the face I wanted to bring across for him)
Notable Interactions: Lord Amilio Blackhart is the head of the Blackhart family, one of the 3 leading Tiefling families that heads the outlawed Red Scorn organization.
He rules over the harmoniously peaceful Blackhart island, and deployed his men and Bone Golems to protect his people when it came under attack by the Violet Eye.
When the Heroes stormed his castle, he used a Devil Form summoning ritual to enhance his combat abilities against the Heroes, a ritual that he took care to ensure would not kill his men should it be interrupted. The Heroes managed to stop his transformation to a more dangerous form, but angered him in intentionally slaying his Tiefling ritualists.
After his defeat, when convinced of their noble intentions, he revealed to the Heroes the location of the Tomb of Queen Valytha, a location he had intended never to divulge as he suspected his fellow Red Scorn lords would abuse it.
When Dalanar arrived to kill Lord Blackhart after his defeat, the Heroes interfered and just barely managed to save him from an icy death. Even when allied wit the Heroes, they could not defeat the Vampire Lord and fled, though he almost stayed behind when Dalanar threatened to kill all the people on the island unless he remained. After fleeing the keep, he did not flee the island immediately but got his men to transport as many people as possible onto his ship and the Heroes ship. He also accompanied the Heroes' ship to attack Dalanar's ship while the vampire was away, sinking it in the process. He blanched when after that the Heroes were about to open cannon fire on the crew escaping from the sinking ship onto the land and told them to look for the foe they wanted instead. This resulted in the Heroes noticing and eventually killing Althea, a former party member who joined the Violet Eye to battle the Heroes.


Name : Arelio Blackhart
Status : Alive, unknown.
Appearances : N/A
Remarks : Son of Lord Blackhart, Players never met him.


Name : Karanar the Lich
Status : "Alive", unknown.
Appearances : 9.2, 9.3, 12.0, 14.1, 15.0
Remarks : Karanar wears a cowl, do exclude that awkward looking headgear. His robes would be visibly of Elven court origin.
Notable Interactions: Karanar served as Xyphrenos' Guardian in the Tomb of Queen Valytha, and battled the Heroes. Later on, he revealed himself as the Necromancer who destroyed the town of a Hero, and "surrendered" his "phylactery" for punishment. Somehow, the Hero found it in his heart to forgive Karanar and he gave them a Sending Stone to communicate with the then-imprisoned Lord Marlon Merenthis.
Karanar later aided the Heroes in protecting Xyphrenos when they attempted to lure Dalanar to attack. As a reward for his services, Karanar suggested that instead of destroying Dalanar, he could bind Dalanar to his service on another plane, and also forever preventing him from returning to this plane.


Name : Xyphrenos the Dragonborn / Dragon
Status : Alive, unknown.
Appearances : 9.3, 9.4
Remarks : Xyphrenos has no hair and wields a single lightning greatsword in one hand in melee, if he ever fights in his dragonborn form.
Notable Interactions: Xyphrenos served as the final Guardian of the Tomb of Queen Valytha, but when he understood the Heroes' intention and noble spirit, he moved the real Hereditary Seal elsewhere and gave them a fake. He was later defeated by Dalanar but fortunately managed to escape without being killed.
Later when the Heroes asked him to provide them the true Hereditary Seal so Prince Ardon could ascend the Throne, Xyphrenos said that he would only release it for the "true Heir" of Reldon Shianis. It is implied he knows who this is, presumably a human with Tiefling Blood that would bring peace by reuniting the rebellious Tiefling clans under his rule.
When it became clear that Dalanar sought to kill Xyphrenos for one reason or another, the Heroes got Xyphrenos' agreement to lure Dalanar there, and thus eventually defeated the vampire lord.


Name : Reldon Shianis
Status : Long Dead
Appearances : N/A
Remarks : Some of you have read the story about Reldon, and his shade might have appeared at some point in the story.

Many Many thanks to Shaun for the awesome Pics!

[Zyraen]

More recent NPCs.


Name : Captain Ardon Shianis
Status : Alive, with the Heroes
Appearances : 11.0 to 14.0
Remarks: not so many fluffy white feathers. Uses a Radiant Dagger, heavy shield, and wears a purple cloak.
Notable Interactions: Captain in the West Garrison and an honorable Paladin / Sorcerer, he was protected by the Party from Talon's Assassination and in numerous encounters after that. (11.0 to 13.2).
Ardon was later revealed to be the oldest son of the Emperor Beldon Shianis (13.0). He would be crowned Emperor, except that there was another candidate faced with special circumstances he was not aware of. Being an honorable man, Celdon accepted the new Emperor graciously and was promoted to be a Major. He asked for Marlon Merenthis and Feldon Shianis to be freed instead of receiving it, and his request was granted. However, he was still promoted, and instead of taking a more relaxed post, he chose to carry his new rank back to head the West Garrison at the frontlines.


Name : Duke Galion Merenthis
Status : Dead
Appearances : 13.0
Remarks: Duke Galion would look a bit older than this picture, and he has a silver pauldron on both sides of him.
Notable Interactions: Duke Galion is the Commander-General of the Shian Military, effectively the head of the entire Military.
He was under investigation for leaking information of Ardon's identity that resulted in the assassination attempt, and rewarded the party for escorting Ardon safely back to the Shian City, also informing them of the Emperor's illness. (13.0)
He was later slain by Wraith Knight Balthus Aventis (13.3)
25-30 years ago, Duke Galion received and executed orders to contact Yuan-Ti to get them to ambush Balthus Aventis while he was sailing from the East Garrison back to Shian City.
Despite his role in causing Celdon Shianis to lose the throne, the new Emperor Celdon Shianis generously allowed his son Major Darion Merenthis to succeed him as the Commander-General and overall leader of the Shian Military.


Name : Lirian Merenthis
Status : Alive, in her estate.
Appearances : 13.0, 13.3
Remarks: This is Lirian in her armor with her sword. The Heroes encountered her in a serving girl's outfit, and she did not appear to carry any weapon
Notable Interactions: She appeared to be a teacup-bearing servant girl initially, but was called "sister" by Ardon. (13.0) She was knocked out by the Wraith Knight but was not slain (13.3)


Name : Feldon Shianis
Status: Alive, imprisoned in the palace.
Appearances : 13.0, 13.2, 13.3
Remarks: Feldon looks somewhat older, with many grey hairs.
Notable Interactions: Feldon is the youngest brother of the Emperor Beldon Shianis.
As a paladin, Feldon helped the party recover from Plague at the temple of Pelor. He seems on good terms with Ardon, and accompanied them to the palace (13.0)
Feldon tried to protect Emperor Beldon when the Wraith Knight came, but when he was psychically linked to Beldon's mind, Beldon confirmed that he was indeed not the rightful Emperor and that he sought to be put out of his suffering.
Feldon then killed his brother, and was taken to custody, but not before sharing most of what he knew to the party (13.3). He was later pardoned by the new Emperor.


Name : Celdon Shianis
Status: Alive, in the palace.
Appearances : 13.1, 13.3, 14.0
Remarks: Celdon uses a Radiant Quarterstaff and is older than the picture of him in action. Hence a close up has been provided. He is garbed in Gold and Purple.
Notable Interactions: Celdon is the second brother of Emperor Beldon Shianis.
Celdon helped the party protect Ardon against Wraiths, even taking a hit for him. Ardon identified him as an imperial uncle, only after he left.(13.1)
Celdon has an Orb artifact the party healer is seeking, and agreed to hand it over once this whole sorry business was resolved and mastermind brought to justice (13.3)
He was later revealed as the rightful Emperor in place of Beldon Shianis, and was in fact older than Beldon. It is possibly due to orders by Beldon and the betrayal of the Merenthis family towards him that he was not crowned Emperor instead of Beldon. But today in his older years, he seems ambivalent towards becoming Emperor. He also acknowledges that a few years ago he met an Eladrin called Dalanar. (14.0)
Without opposition from others, Celdon Shianis was chosen to be Emperor and ascended the Throne. He proved a gracious and magnanimous ruler who forgave those involved in the earlier situation, and also turned the kingdom towards the worship of a new God, Kadrigar, presumably the original God of Hope, Life and the Sun, and who created Humans.


Name : "Wraith Knight", Balthus Aventis (while alive)
Status: "Alive", presumably somewhere nearby, or has "moved on to rest"
Appearances : 13.2
Remarks: The Wraith Knight uses a Radiant Sword, and does not wear platemail with a skull motif. His platemail is intricate but not with gold edges, and has the emblem of the Shian Empire in the middle of his breastplate.
Notable Interactions: He is capable of telepathic communication as a Wraith. He fought the party when he was attacked, and seemed compelled to attack Ardon after the other wraiths perished. Eventually he fled (13.2)
The Wraith Knight was later revealed to have been instrumental in revealing the truth to Feldon Shianis and getting him to murder Emperor Beldon. He also killed Duke Galion Merenthis. (13.3)
According to Balthus' wife Jeneva, his spirit then visited her, said he came to set things right, and then moved on to rest. (14.0)
In life, Balthus served as a General of the Shian Military, the only Aventis to have ever attained that rank. He succeeded on a rescue mission to save a captive from Yuan Ti, but was betrayed by the Merenthis family (13.3)
The one he rescued was Celdon Shianis, and his ship was ambushed in an effort to stop Celdon from returning to the Shian City in time to be crowned Emperor. Though Balthus perished, Celdon survived the ambush but returned too late to crowned Emperor (14.0)

More thanks to Shaun for the truly awesome pics!
Hint: if it's an ugly, average pic, it is not from Shaun's collection

[Zyraen]

Latest 2 Notable NPCs


Name : Lady Jeneva
Status : Alive, in her home
Appearances : 13.3, 14.0
Remarks: For a younger pic during her mourning period -
i941.photobucket.com/albums/ad259/zyraen/Shian/Jenevayoung_zpsb3762387.jpg
Notable Interactions: Jeneva is the Magistrate of Shian City, and a well-reputed, neutral and fair-minded even in judging matters between powerful noble families and royalty, who has broken off ties with both Merenthis and Aventis family. With the actual judge Feldon Shianis imprisoned and unable to arbitrate the succession, she has been appointed Arbiter to decide the next Emperor, and seems tight-lipped about her choice. She is Lord Marlon Merenthis' older sister and is the widow of Balthus Aventis. (13.3)
The heroes later found out she was visited by the Wraith Knight Balthus Aventis, who may have told her quite a few details, and the Heroes suspect she may favor Celdon over Ardon as the next Emperor. They also found out she is a Mage / Cleric who worships Ioun. (14.0)
After Celdon Shianis' ascension, Lady Jeneva received special honor and was offered to be made a full noble on her own, but she declined. With little else to offer to her as thanks, the new Emperor gave her a Seal of Amnesty, then led his entire court in bowing to her and symbolically to her husband Balthus Aventis, before ending off by leading all present in a prayer in memory and thanks to her husband.


Name : Duke Xanthus Aventis
Status : Alive, in his Estate
Appearances : 14.0
Remarks: garbed in blue and silver (not gold). He wore no circlet nor any headgear in the meeting with Heroes. Somewhat balding, with grey-black hair, and beard is about one-third length of illustration.
Notable Interactions: He is the Premier of the Shian Empire.
When the Heroes first arrived in Shian City, the Duke had already sent his men to summon them to visit him, but they refused him time and again. (13.0)
By the time they did agree to see him, many events had already happened. The Duke treated them honorably but was suspicious of them. When they did not fight as expected when he asked to arrest them but instead reasoned with him, and even had his safety in consideration, he took a risk and walked alone with the Heroes to see what they found out. After they opened up to him, he too revealed what he knew, and unveiled the history of Celdon Shianis as the oldest son of the previous Emperor who should have been crowned in place of Beldon Shianis. (14.0)

[Zyraen]

Name : Night Dragon, aka Kalid-Ma's Body
Status : "Alive", Freed
Appearances : 17.2, 18.0, 19.1
Remarks: The portions of his body retrieved seemed like part of a Large Beast, but as of being freed, it is a Huge dragon. The bluish white energy streaks in the picture are all tinged red.
Using this temporary Link as a Reference before uploading to my repository on Photobucket at home.
Notable Interactions: Kalid-Ma was the Sorcerer-King of Kalidnay, then the capital of the Tyr regions, before Tyr became a City-State in its own right. He was deposed and slain by a group of Adventurers called the Wrathbringers, led by Kradgar the Lightbringer.
Though they killed him they were too late to stop the ritual, and it turned Kalidnay into an undead city existing partly in Athas and mostly in the Shadowfell domain of Elshezan. Kalid-Ma's corpse took the form of a Dragon, but it was soul-less without his spirit to control it, and became the Night Dragon. The Night Dragon rampaged across the Tyr region until it was defeated by the combined might of the Dragon of Tyr and a few Sorcerer-Kings. After that, it reformed in the ruins of Kalidnay but the process was interrupted by Kradgar, that broke it up into pieces and sealed it away. It is said that Kradgar later became the Sorcerer-King of Tyr.
Meantime, Kalid-Ma's spirit haunted the Kalidnay within Shadowfell and took form as the Nightwalker. The Heroes encountered his minions and his former High Templar Thakok-An, now a Lich. They agreed to help Thakok-An recover Kalid-Ma's body in Athas in return for passage to Nightwyrm Fortress, and Thakok-An sent them through a partial portal to Athas. The portal only took their spirits to Athas to inhabit prepared undead bodies in the ruins of Kalidnay, while Thakok-An held their real bodies hostage in the Shadowfell.
The Heroes negotiated with Kistarra the High Templar of Tyr, who divulged to them the location with the understanding that it would be drawn into the Shadowfell rather than left to terrorize the world of Athas. After more adventures, they eventually freed the separated pieces of the Night Dragon allowing it to form back into its Dragon form, then led it to the ruins of Kalidnay where it was drawn into the Shadowfell, along with the Heroes.
The Heroes found themselves back in their own bodies in the ruins of Kalidnay within Shadowfell, and saw the Night Dragon combining with the Nightwalker. Sensing its power was beyond them, they wisely chose to take the portal Thakok-An opened as passage to Nightwyrm Fortress, leaving Kalid-Ma to his plans to invade the city of Nightshadow in Elshezan where the body of Kradgar was interred and take his revenge.
After recovering the final Orb of Kradgar from Nightwyrm Fortress, the Heroes returned back to aid the city against the invasion, and after capturing Kalid-Ma's flying fortress, they confronted Kalid-Ma himself and with the help of the Orb, managed to drive him away. This ruse allowed them to turn Kalid-Ma into the Darklord of Elshezan, and as they slew him they won for themselves passage from that Domain of Dread. Presumably, Kalid-Ma would eventually return to life as the Darklord of Elshezan.