Quote:
Originally posted by josh
Who is this Telamont guy they're talking about? |
Wow, that's a long story. Okay, we'll start at the begining. Here's Telemont's profile back when he was known as Shadow, prior to the fall of Netheril. This excerpt is taken from
Netheril: Empire of Magic:
Shadow
Birth/Death: 3214-3469 Netheril Calendar (note: Shadow didn't die in 3469, just disapeared)
Alignment: Lawful neutral
Class: 28th-level arcanist (mentalist)
Hit Points: 47
Str 15; Dex 17; Con 15; Int 20; Wis 14; Cha 13
This ingenious arcanist was the first to theorize of demiplanes. His research was banned and assassins were sent to claim his life for his theories. With the backing of Karsus, however, he published conclusive proof of the existence of the demiplanes. The first plane discovered was named after the arcanist, and dozens of other arcanists entered the demiplane to discover its proper-ties. Many never returned, but those who did exclaimed that the plane was appropriately named: the Demiplane of Shadow.
In 3469, Shadow became involved with a beautiful bard from Ioulaum, Alashar Crywinds. As the two planned to get married, however, Alashar revealed that she was actually an assassin sent to slay the arcanist for his work on demiplanes—this despite the fact that the death mark had been lifted years earlier—by the arcanist Grenway. Since neither could stand the thought of killing the other, they came up with a different plan.
Shadow’s research had provided him with the knowledge he needed to transfer himself into the Demiplane of Shadow, leaving his physical form behind on the Prime Material Plane. Creating a simulacrum of Alashar, they sent her duplicate back to the arcanist Grenway to report her success (where she was promptly executed). Karsus oversaw the marriage of the two in a secret ceremony, and Shadow cast his spell that drew them both into the Demiplane of Shadow forever.
Now here's the up to date info of Telemont as he is today. This excerpt is taken from
Lords of Darkness:
The Netherese arcanist known as
High Prince Telemont Tanthul (NE male shade Wiz20/Acm5/Sha10) is one of the most powerful mages now in Faerun. He was known once, thousands of years ago, as Lord Shadow. One of the few remaining citizens of Netheril who survived the destruction of the empire, he rules the Shadovars with absolute authority. When he considers the time to be right, Telemont plans to reveal to the Shadovars the fact that he is the Lord Shadow of legend, inspiring them to victory.
Well over two millennia old, Telemont preserves his life by means of powerful magic, such as
wish spells. This process has been made easier by virtue of the fact that he is no longer human, but rather an outsider. The natural lifespan of a shade is many times longer than that of an ordinary human. However, Telemont acknowledges reluctantly that as his outsider body begins to fail, stronger measures are required to keep him alive. He has not yet decided on the best means of continuing his existence, but the Shadovars return to Faerun offers a wealth of possibilities, including transformation into an undead creature.
Telemont has taken great pains to preserve what he believed were the best elements of Netherese society and merge them with the characteristics necessary for survival on the hostile Plane of Shadow. The result is a society bound by formality and regimentation, in which even the most mundane aspects of daily life have some level of ritual bound up in their execution. In this fashion order is maintained, but more important, so is continuity of culture from century to century. As the final arbiter of all that transpires in the City of Shade, in many ways Telemont
is the city. His subjects view him as the living embodiment of all their customs, beliefs, and values. And that is exactly how Telemont sees himself as well.
Those who meet the High Prince encounter someone who has had millennia to practice keeping his true thoughts and feelings in check. Telemont is as difficult to read as he is to bluff. Even his sons rarely know what their father is thinking behind his impermeable mask of glacial calm. Despite his inexpressive exterior, Telemont’s mind is always in motion. At heart the High Prince is an autocrat. His determination to lead his city stems from a strong inner conviction that no other indivisual could possibly be as successful at it as he considers himself to be.
Still tall and robust despite his age, the High Prince cuts an imposing figure whether seated on his floating throne or presiding over ceremonies in the streets of the city. Whenever he appears in public, the High Prince prefers to wear the traditional dark armor of the Netherese Imperium, with its dragon-winged overmantle, stylized vambraces, and flowing, dark purple robes.
As you can see, Telemont's personality underwent a bit of a change over those two thousand years (being on the Plane of Shadow will do that to you). He's basically an ancient Netherese arcanist who is now a shade and wielder of the dark magics of the Shadow Weave.
(Whew! Copying all that stuff was a pain in the ass!)
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