Scholar of Decay

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Hamiclar
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Scholar of Decay

Post by Hamiclar »

Is there stats of the charector or an updated summary of what he did afterwards following the novel? I thought he became a lich.
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Re: Scholar of Decay

Post by Zilfer »

Really he becomes a lich??? Aww.....
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Re: Scholar of Decay

Post by Lost Heretic »

I haven't seen anything about that guy being a Lich...

Wasn't that an idea from Raphael's personal game or something?
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Re: Scholar of Decay

Post by Hamiclar »

I have been looking for it, I thought I saw it under people or Borca or Richemolot. Thanks for the answer.
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Re: Scholar of Decay

Post by brothersale »

My personal pet theory is that he eventually gains enough knowledge to travel back in time to steal the book that caused his wife's transformation. Thus he arrives and causes the tragedy he sort to prevent. Don't believe it, compare the descriptions of the main protagonist at the end of the book with that of the intruder at the start, the similarities are striking, making the story all the more tragic
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Re: Scholar of Decay

Post by Gonzoron of the FoS »

To the best of my knowledge, Auric Nuikin doesn't appear anywhere else in canon other than Scholar of Decay. If he did, Gaz III would be the most likely place, but I don't recall seeing him there. I know nothing about him becoming a lich. Sounds fan-made.
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Re: Scholar of Decay

Post by Zilfer »

Well interesting theory for causing his own suffering. I'll have to go back and possibly look at their conversation to each other and see if you could twist the story to be that way. :D

Still want to possibly use those characters but I think I missed my chance in Borca thus far but that doesn't mean they couldn't return to Richemulot! :D
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Re: Scholar of Decay

Post by Hamiclar »

They are noble and merchants from what i remember. The group could work into meeting Auric Nuikin which could still be searching for away to bring his wife back. That goal could have driven down the path to lich which could be ongoing also. He has the personality for it and if the option to return again to Richamolout with Louis' permision he could continue his search alone this time or with hired help he knowing what enemies still reside in Richamolot above and below ground.


I thought i had read about him on the one of the net books a while back I Should have saved it.
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Re: Scholar of Decay

Post by Zilfer »

Well the book's ending leaves much open to interpertation i think. Is Louise even alive? I know Jackie is still, and they kind of shared an understanding for a moment. It seemed that his brother would not show brash anger for his brother any more now that he knew the secret. Though he seeems broken at the very end, bearing years beyond what he already has at least that's how I read it. It was pretty fun reading about a wizard who pretended not to be one, thus far probably one of my favorite characters. Along with Strahd, and now Jander Sunstar.

Almost done with Azalin's first book and I must say I went from liking him as an idea and not knowing much about him to not feeling sorry for him at all, to feeling a bit for him because of his family to not feeling sorry for him again with what he did to wife and son. *shakes head* Azalin's despicable. I can tolerate Strahd. :P
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Re: Scholar of Decay

Post by Hamiclar »

He's an interesting read the first one was great i loved the ending. The second wasn't so good I wouldnt waste your time with it, look at strahd two my war with azalin which has more of the azalin feeling better to background.

I've been working on my gc campaign and have many cut scenes from the book which the charectors sometime glimpse in a dream or vision. Strahd's always been interesting especially with the tie in with Azalin and especially if you work in both of their influences. I for instance during the GC campaign have the revival of Ba'al Verzi prestige class by Strahds suttle introducton of the tool that they used on the attempt on him. The group would eventually flee to Borca and Dorviania which could be good or bad thing for Ivan and ivana depending on the charector and being that Disliyanna family has had a connection in the past. Later on GC during on the second to the last module which name escapes me at from the moment Strahd calls in the help later when they return to prime world Borovia, but being assassins that help could be fickle.
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Re: Scholar of Decay

Post by Ryan Naylor »

I think he;s utterly broken at the end of Scholar of Decay. It was a great book - quite underrated.

I found King of the Dead a bit flat. Lord of the Necropolis is much better, despite the non-canon ending.
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Re: Scholar of Decay

Post by Zilfer »

Ryan Naylor wrote:I think he;s utterly broken at the end of Scholar of Decay. It was a great book - quite underrated.

I found King of the Dead a bit flat. Lord of the Necropolis is much better, despite the non-canon ending.
I agree with Scholar of Decay, as i said he was pretty broken. I'm not sure where you could take him from there but it seems you could almost do anything from there. Play up the insanity, a resurgence from darkness, or a spiral in a completely different direction.

Yeah again Azalin, makes me up down about Azalin wondering if I really feel sorry for him or if he deserves such a fate though i'm not sure i believe anyone deserves it. He's got cold hard reasoning behind his reasoning, and almost no emotions interfere. Maybe frustration every once in awhile but when planning his next step it's cold and calculating. xD
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Re: Scholar of Decay

Post by alhoon »

Cold, emotionless and calculating = evil.
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Re: Scholar of Decay

Post by Lost Heretic »

alhoon wrote:Cold, emotionless and calculating = evil.
Hurting yourself or others = evil
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Re: Scholar of Decay

Post by HuManBing »

Zilfer wrote:Yeah again Azalin, makes me up down about Azalin wondering if I really feel sorry for him or if he deserves such a fate [...] He's got cold hard reasoning behind his reasoning, and almost no emotions interfere. Maybe frustration every once in awhile but when planning his next step it's cold and calculating. xD
Yeah, that's how I see him too. The scariest enemies are the ones who are utterly implacable and undistracted by things like emotions. Going up against Azalin in my RL campaigns generally feel like going up against Ravenloft's equivalent of Deep Blue in a chess game: he knows far more than any other single individual in the realm, and he has almost limitless reach within his own country. The only thing going against him is the huge number of claims on his attention throughout his cares of state and magical research.
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alhoon wrote:Cold, emotionless and calculating = evil.
Hurting yourself or others = evil
Both definitions give rise to many exceptions or questionable cases. I typed up a fairly long response but then deleted it, because it would be too much of a threadjack. Suffice it to say, by your definitions above, my desktop computer, surgeons, tattoo artists and customers, and people who like rough sex, could all be termed as "evil".

On a related note, I did try running 3.5 initially without the Good/Evil alignment mechanic, but found it was too difficult to do so. It shuts down a significant number of spells, magical items, and class powers.
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