Professor Erik van Rijn

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Erik van Rijn is a former member of the Fraternity of Shadows whose spectacular falling-out with the Fraternity hierarchy is the event precipitating the Fraternity's in-game series of Gazetteers, as they search the Land of Mists for their former colleague. Frustrated by his inability to achieve the highest levels of the Fraternity, due to his being a transmuter rather than an illusionist, he betrayed the Fraternity to the Unholy Order of the Grave in exchange for the secret of lichdom. He is now engaged in building a copy of the Doomsday Device invented by Azalin at the behest of Death, although he may have his own plans for the Device...

Background

Erik Van Rijn is not from Ravenloft, rather he is an outlander originally from Gothic Earth (Amsterdam, to be precise.) There he studied the arts of the occult and alchemy. He committed many evils in his quest to develop the Philosopher's Stone and gain immortality. These ranged from embezzlement and grave robbing all the way up to murder and consorting with dark forces.[1]

Eventually Erik's depredations ensured his capture by the Mists. Delivered to Richemulot, Erik joined up with the University of Richemulot and later the Fraternity of Shadows. While at the University, van Rijn became a professor of Anthropology and Modern Languages.[2]

While initially invested in the cause of the Fraternity because the higher levels of the associated prestige class offered an alternative path to immortality that did not require the Philosopher's Stone, van Rijn found himself frustrated. His style of magic and favorite subjects of study were considered to be base and low-brow by the Fraternity's leadership, and access to the secrets he needed to become immortal was barred.

On October 29, 759 BC, Professor Erik van Rijn enacted his plans of betrayal against the Fraternity.[3] Now a lich [4], van Rijn organized a contingent of the Unholy Order of the Grave and unleashed an attack upon the Ste. Ronges Cell of the Fraternity of Shadows.[3] The Fraternity's headquarters, the Manoir de Penombre was burnt to the ground, and the cell's members were put to flight. In the chaos, Van Rijn stole plans for Azalin's Doomsday Device from the Fraternity's archives.[4]

A number of months later, several of the former members of the St. Ronges cell settled down in Souragne at La Maison Soulombre at Ambrose Skully's suggestion, where they would begin looking for the traitor.[3]

Stats

Neutral Evil[5] male human lich Transmuter 8/Fraternity of Shadows 6

Behind the Scenes

Erik van Rijn is the in-world representation of Nathan Okerlund[6]

References

  1. Undead Sea Scrolls 2002 p.29-30
  2. Undead Sea Scrolls 2002 p.30
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Souragne Gazetteer p. 5
  4. 4.0 4.1 Fraternity of Shadows Message Board Post
  5. Undead Sea Scrolls 2002 p.28-29
  6. USS 2002 p. iii