Villains' Lorebook.pdf - Department of Political Science

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Weapons of Proficiency: Dagger, staff. In addition
to these standard wizard weapons, Flattery is also specialized
in the long sword. How he came to master
such a weapon is unknown. His “creation” at the
hands of Finder Wyvernspur likely had something to
do with this however. Perhaps Flattery was “born”
with some degree of weapons skill, just as he was born
with knowledge of all of Finder’s songs and tales.
Nonweapon Proficiencies: Artistic ability (poetry,
song, and other skills; Finder’s “legacy,” which
Flattery refuses to acknowledge), astrology, engineering,
herbalism, musical instrument (several),
reading/writing, singing, spellcraft; 3 open.
Equipment: Flattery has access to all the spell
components and spell books a wizard of his level requires
(if components are used in your campaign).
Beyond these, Flattery possesses or can gain the use
of all standard adventuring gear.
Magical Items: Dagger +2, ring of protection +2,
ring of disintegration (functions as the spell, as if cast
by a 12th-level caster, see the DMG).
Combat/Tactics: Flattery is a very unusual mage
for many reasons, just one of which is his preference
for melee combat. On more than one occasion Flattery
has chosen to engage foes in physical combat
rather than using his spells to destroy them. Perhaps
the means of his creation caused this unlikely trait.
In any case, he is quite skilled with a sword (at least
for a mage). In fact, he more than held his own
against Giogi Wyvernspur in a fencing duel. Later,
Flattery used his shapechange spell to assume the form
of a large dragon to fight Giogi, who had used the
Wyvern’s Spur to change his own shape to that of a
huge wyvern.
Allies/Companions: His summoned and controlled
monsters and undead creatures, Cat (temporarily;
she felt she had nowhere else to go and no
one to turn to). Flattery’s relationship (if it could be
termed that) with Cat and his use of primarily unintelligent
undead creatures (beings not known for
their egos) says much of his inability to work with
others as equals.
Foes/Enemies: Giogi, Cat, Dorath, and all the
Wyvernspurs, including Finder. Flattery wanted revenge
on his creator, or lacking that opportunity, his
creator’s family. Flattery’s stated objective was the
Wyvern’s Spur, so the family bearing that name was
the perfect target.
Appearance: Flattery looks so much like Finder,
Olive Ruskettle even mistook Flattery for her friend
at first. Flattery has sharp, hawklike features; piercing,
predatory blue eyes, and silky black hair.
Personality: Flattery’s personality is stunted and
immature. He’s prone to vicious temper tantrums
and taking out all of his negative emotions on those
around him. He never learned any self-contro1 beyond
that which his desire for vengeance grants him.
His ill-developed personality is due, at least in part,
to his negligent upbringing by Finder. A poor childhood
does not excuse actively doing evil against in-
nocents, however.
Locales Frequented: Immersea, Redstone Castle,
and the flying citadel that he used as a base of operations
and had flown all the way from the desert to
Cormyr.
History: Flattery Wyvernspur was the first attempt
by Finder Wyvernspur, a.k.a. the Nameless
Bard, in creating a living receptacle for his songs and
tales. (He’d already created the Finder’s Stone, and
would later create Alias; see Alias’s entry in the Heroes’
Lorebook for more details on her “father.”)
Finder was his usual arrogant, impatient self, and
when the “newborn” Flattery (named by one of
Finder’s two apprentices) didn’t perform up to
Finder’s standards, Finder lost his temper and struck
Flattery. This abuse continued as Finder again and
again tried to get Flattery to perform, but Flattery
soon refused even to speak. This enraged Finder, and
the abuse became beatings.
Eventually, Flattery saw his chance to escape.
One of Finder’s apprentices left Flattery’s “cage” unlocked
and Flattery found Finder’s ring of disintegration.
Re-entering his cage, Flattery sought to use the
ring to kill his amoral creator. An apprentice leapt
in front of the beam, however, sparing Finder’s life.
Flattery maimed the other apprentice (Finder’s
lover), and fled. Finder’s love later committed suicide
rather than live with her condition. These
events are what led to Finder’s imprisonment and
the total erasure of his existence. Thus, the Name-
less Bard was created.
The story now jumps ahead to the year 1358 DR,
prior to the Time of Troubles. Flattery, now a powerful
wizard, found Cat on a battlefield his zombies were
searching for suitable corpses to create more of the
undead creatures. Flattery took Cat (who was actually
one of Phalse’s duplicates of Alias the swordswoman;
see CASSANA’S entry for more of this plot), a
young mage, as his apprentice. Like Phalse’s other
duplicates of Alias, Cat had no false memories of