Reydrich
| Reydrich | |
|---|---|
| Names and titles | |
| Title(s): | Prince of Ahlissa (Herzog of South Province, later Graf of South Province) |
| General info | |
| Occupation: | Ruler, nobility |
| Home: | Zelradton |
| Alignment: | Neutral evil (lawful tendencies) |
| Gender: | Male |
| Species: | Human |
| Ethnicity: | Oeridian |
| Class: | Wiz20, or Wiz15/Archmage 5 |
| Dates | |
| Birthdate: | 525 CY |
| Death: | 586 CY |
| Raised: | 587 CY |
Prince Reydrich of Ahlissa is a mage and noble of the former Great Kingdom and later of Ahlissa.
Description
[edit | edit source]Appearance
[edit | edit source]Reydrich is "a pencil-thin, 6 foot tall man with cropped steely gray hair and watery gray eyes. He limps fairly heavily, as his left leg is withered due to an old magical curse unable to be removed even by a wish spell. His staff of power, a stout hornwood stave, is used to support himself as he walks." He never has been seen to smile, with deep lines on his frowning face as evidence, his expression frozen into one of seeming permanent disapproval and harsh judgment.[1]
Personality
[edit | edit source]He is highly politically astute and knows the value of nepotism in achieving his ends. He knows the factions and forces of Zelradton probably best of anyone in the city. "He is as hard as steel, holding to life and power with an utterly tenacious grip". He loves power and wants to extend it further, but is highly pragmatic.[1]
Abilities
[edit | edit source]He rings himself around with magical protections, including unique spells and items of his own devising, in part against the wrath of a powerful greater baatezu.[1]
Reydrich is presented with statistics in Ivid the Undying (1995), while he is still Graf of South Province, as a level 19 mage, with Int 18 and Wis 17.[1]
Following this, Reydrich is described as a level 20 wizard in the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (2000).[2]
Later, in 2007, with the advent of the new "Archmage" prestige class, he is given stats still as a level 20 character, but as a wizard 15/archmage 5 with the following ability scores:[3]
Str 8, Dex 18, Con 18, Int 31, Wis 18, Cha 12
However, his base statistics are also given before modifiers such as ability score increases, stat boosting items, and inherent bonuses gained through casting wish:[3]
Str 8, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 15, Wis 14, Cha 10.
Possessions
[edit | edit source]Reydrich has possessed black robes of the archmagi, a ring of protection +5,[1] and a staff of power (a stout hornwood stave). The staff is a grisly item carved with gargoyle faces and leering visages, and rumored to need blood to recharge it. He also has worn a cloak of displacement, and a ring of counterspells[3], in addition to using various scrolls, potions, and wands.[1]
Home
[edit | edit source]Reydrich resides in the realm he rules, in the capital of the Principality of Ahlissa, Zelradton.In 584 CY, he lives in a majestic 140' tower built in just a year which is rumored to have extensive dungeons. It apparently involved magical aid in its construction, because even the slaves, dwarves, and a trio of stone giants recruited from an unknown place who all worked on it could not have completed it so quickly. Reydrich made sure visiting princes saw dergholoths at work inside the place, and that more powerful fiendish allies are available.[4]
History
[edit | edit source]Reydrich was born in about 525 CY into House Naelax of the Great Kingdom.[1] His ancestors are steeped in the history of the land, and he can trace his family line back more than 400 years to grim mages like Reynevar the Snakeheaded and Allreynen the Gripper. He possesses tomes filled with genealogies and histories of all the princes of Ahlissa.[5]
Reydrich serves as court mage to the Chelors for 19 years (from about 564 CY), in their role as the Herzog of South Province.[1] During the Greyhawk Wars Chelor III is Herzog. Prior to the Wars the South Province builds up a powerful standing army, and threatens the Iron League. The armies do not readily march to war against Nyrond when war broke out, and suffer humiliating defeats with the unexpected invasion by Almor under the leadership of Osson in 583 CY. Chelor begs his cousin Ivid V for aid, but these forces arrive too late to help. They do, however, detain the Herzog and most of his senior advisers who are taken to Rauxes and executed as punishment for Chelor's dithering. Most of House Naelex-Selor are killed by Ivid's executioners or assassins at the same time as the Chelors.[5]
Reydrich is an adviser and archmage to Chelor at the time, as well as a prince of House Naelex. He denounces Chelor to Ivid, and saves himself as a result. With his brother (Fleet Admiral Llarnen[4]) being an admiral of the Prymp fleet, and Ivid also being insane, Reydrich is declared ruler of South Province as the only major Ahlissan noble not obviously conspiring against Ivid. Reydrich quickly consolidates his position by eliminating Chelor's previous supporters, many of whom are rumored to have been sent to Rauxes to suffer the Endless Death (but most are actually executed by Reydrich). He makes himself undisputed head of House Naelex in Ahlissa, and spreads fear amongst the nobles of the province due to clearly having the ear of Ivid. He gains the support of the military generals and commanders of Ahlissa, and makes it known that he (like Ivid) has dealings with fiends.[5]
In the years following the Wars, Reydrich remains firmly in control, with none offering serious opposition. He is content being secure as Herzog, with Ahlissa being fertile and fair fief, and he has no designs on taking the Malachite Throne for himself. Reydrich resurrectes the archaic title of Graf, and assumes it in place of the previous title of Herzog. However, many petty princes are quietly carving up small portions of Ahlissa, fighting each other and making quiet alliances with foreigners. Many of House Darmen princes west of the Thelly River quietly advise Xavener that they would support him in return for expanded landholdings in Ahlissa.[5] Reydrich generally does not execute those who opposed him, considering them often more useful for ransom or as hostages held in Ker Bazainn.[6]
In 585 CY Reydrich sends sorely needed support in the form of weapons and funds to Prince Carwend of Rel Deven, as a method of protecting himself against Duke Szeffrin in Almor by shoring up the lands to the northeast of him as a buffer.[7][8] He also builds the Grayflood Keeps as a fallback defensive line along the Grayflood River after abandoning the lands between the Grayflood and the Rieuwood as too hard to defend.[9][8] He is concerned by the sporadic piratical war with Nyrond, as it requires help for local rulers to build defensive walls which he is reluctant to provide. He seeks an alliance with the dwarves of Irongate with offers of food exports, as he fears being vulnerable to the lands held by the Scarlet Brotherhood even if their fleet in Onnwal has not menaced South Province and he has found no spies of theirs in his lands.[8]
Reydrich is hampered by the loss of his fiendish allies and servants after the invocation of the Crook of Rao and the consequent Flight of Fiends. However, he enlarges South Province. It is believed he is able to identify and slay many of the Scarlet Brotherhood's commanders in Onnwal and Idee by means of spells, enchanted assassins, and a network of spies (some extra-planar). The powerful South Province army invades Idee in late 586 CY and conquers the northern reaches. Plans to invade Onnwal are delayed by bad weather and heavy fighting in Idee.
Before Sunnsebb 586 CY, Reydrich makes plans to invade the Tilvanot Peninsula. However, Reydrich is found dead in his quarters by one of his generals who returned to Reydrich's quarters after being told of those plans by Reydrich. Evidence points to Reydrich being assassinated while casting spells against the Brotherhood's leaders. The general disseminated news of Reydrich's death after fleeing to Nyrond.[10]
Tyrum, a Suel arcanamach and member of the Scarlet Brotherhood, is later credited with the assassination[3] though the assassin are never found.[10]
Although Reydrich is found dead in his quarters,[10] he reappears at the royal investiture ceremony of Prince Xavener as the first Overking of the United Kingdom of Ahlissa in Zelradton in 587 CY.[11] None are bold enough to demand to know details of his resurrection, and he never offers any.[11] Though he is unaccounted for months, since 586 CY, his demands to reclaim his previous domain are not challenged and the three remaining oligarchs abandon their claims of abeyant peerage (or, noble titles which remain unfilled or in dispute). Reydrich is named a Prince of the realm instead of the oligarchs, is given control of the Principality of Ahlissa, and made a royal advisor on magic.[11] Though uncomfirmed, Xavener possibly makes stipulations in return for the noble title, which incenses Reydrich despite his accepting them.[11]
In 590 CY an attempt to assassinate Overking Xavener by several nobles of House Naelax is foiled, followed by the disappearance of many important Naelax nobles in which Reydrich is suspected to be involved. The survivors of House Naelax affirm their loyalty and the Overking declares the matter closed.[12]
Reydrich continued to rule the Principality of Ahlissa, a province of the Kingdom of Ahlissa, thereafter.[2]
Relationships
[edit | edit source]Enemies
[edit | edit source]Reydrich greatly feared the Scarlet Brotherhood, leading him to build the strength of Ker Bazainn[6]. In 585 CY he is suspicious of Karnquiza, the inquisitioner of Zeraldtron, mainly due to the power he held. Hr surrounded him with his own relatives as understudies and assistants to monitor him. One of Reydrich's cousin's is appointed the city's assistant head jailer, and his nephew Tarannis appointed as a liaison between the army and Karnquiza in his intelligence-gathering role[4]
Reydrich has a special hatred of the Circle of Eight and Mordenkainen. In 560 CY he "pleaded with Mordenkainen to become a member of the Circle of Eight. The rejection did not overly surprise him, but the manner of it did; Mordenkainen let it be known that one who relied so much on compulsion and servitude is no true mage, for such acts are a substitute for true magical prowess and understanding. Reydrich took the insult badly indeed, and if given any way of stymieing the Circle, he would certainly do so."[13]
The Circle of Eight is greatly disturbed at Reydrich’s reappearance in 586 CY, given his known ill will toward the Circle for unrevealed reasons.((csb|TAB|26}}
Allies and minions
[edit | edit source]His brother is Fleet Admiral Llarnen, an admiral of the Prymp fleet, for whom he had made a bowl commanding of water elementals.[4]
Reydrich maintains a network of watchful spies. He deals with fiends, primarily baatezu summoned from the Hells, but has no formal pacts instead using magical compulsion and threats to force service. It is a dangerous practice resulting in Reydrich surrounding himself with powerful magical protections.[1]
Tarrak is previously his apprentice and concubine, but by 585 CY she had left these roles to make her home at Ker Bazainn.[13]
In Living Greyhawk
[edit | edit source]External links
[edit | edit source]Disclaimer:Any lore presented through the following links does not necessarily adhere to established officially published content, and the views expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the editors of this wiki.
- Prestige Class: Archmage—including stats and brief profile for Reydrich. (archived from Wizards.com).
References
[edit | edit source]Citations
[edit | edit source]- ↑ a b c d e f g h i Ivid the Undying (1995), p.135.
- ↑ a b Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (2000), p.22.
- ↑ a b c d Prestige Class: Archmage (2007).
- ↑ a b c d Ivid the Undying (1995), p.133.
- ↑ a b c d Ivid the Undying (1995), p.128.
- ↑ a b Ivid the Undying (1995), p.131.
- ↑ Ivid the Undying (1995), p.137.
- ↑ a b c Ivid the Undying (1995), p.129.
- ↑ Ivid the Undying (1995), p.153.
- ↑ a b c The Adventure Begins (1998), p.24.
- ↑ a b c d The Adventure Begins (1998), p.26.
- ↑ The Adventure Begins (1998), p.28.
- ↑ a b Ivid the Undying (1995), p.136.
Bibliography
[edit | edit source]- Broadhurst, Creighton (29 August 2007). Prestige Class: Suel Arcanamach. Wizards.com. WotC. Archived from the original on 21 December 2019. Retrieved on 2 May 2023.
- Prestige Class: Archmage. Wizards.com. WotC (30 January 2007). Archived from the original on 31 October 2016. Retrieved on 2 May 2023.
- Sargent, Carl. Ivid the Undying. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1995. Published online. PDF by William Allman with maps. Original RTF archived:Wizards.com. WGR7 or WGRx
Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index
The Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index (EGI) is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, continued by numerous other fans. The EGI article has a list of sources, product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.
| Topic | Type | Description | Product | Page/Card/Image
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reydrich (Graf) (Prince) | Non-player character | Male, Human, [3e M20], | From the Ashes: Atlas of the Flanaess | 27 |
| Reydrich (Graf) (Prince) | Non-player character | Male, Human, [3e M20], | Ivid the Undying | 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 138, 153, 155 |
| Reydrich (Graf) (Prince) | Non-player character | Male, Human, [3e M20], | Living Greyhawk, Living Onnwal Gazetteer, D&D 3.5e | 27, 109 |
| Reydrich (Graf) (Prince) | Non-player character | Male, Human, [3e M20], | Living Greyhawk Gazetteer | 22 |
| Reydrich (Graf) (Prince) | Non-player character | Male, Human, [3e M20], | Player's Guide to Greyhawk | 12 |
| Reydrich (Graf) (Prince) | Non-player character | Male, Human, [3e M20], | The Adventure Begins | 24-26, 28 |
| Reydrich (Graf) (Prince) | Non-player character | Male, Human, [3e M20], | The Scarlet Brotherhood | 6, 18, 24 |
| Reydrich Sharn | Non-player character | Living Greyhawk, Living Onnwal Gazetteer, D&D 3.5e | Dis |