Rhiannon DarkShade – Dark Shadow of Magic

For today, an antagonist at best and villainess at worst. A powerful necrourgist:

Rhiannon DarkShade, Dark Shadow of Magic

Quote: I am not sweet and I have not been innocent in many years.

Description: Rhiannon is a small woman, seemingly in her late teens, with long pale blond hair and ice blue eyes. Her skin is fair and unblemished. Looking more closely, one might decide her age is indeterminate. Something about those eyes and the set of her mouth do not seem young at all.

Rhiannon favors clothes in white and ivory, emphasizing her pale appearance and making her appear frail and vulnerable. Eight silver rings set with small gems decorate her fingers. She wears several charms, often changing from day to day, and has access to a small arsenal of magic devices as needed.

Background: Rhiannon was the second daughter of a minor Laccini noble, her talent with magic emerged early. She killed her cat, soon followed by her tutor, at the age of nine with spells learned from her family’s library. Her parents hurriedly sent her off to the School of Magical Philosophy. Her natural intelligence and talent soon brought her to the attention of Casru Shadowson, High Necrourgist of Laccini. Rhiannon became one of the Shadowson’s favored apprentices and, later, agent.

Rhiannon now acts as the Shadowson’s messenger and agent, traveling beyond Laccini gathering information and items for the School and her master. While her skills are said to be those of a master necrourgist, she is still officially only a journeyman in the school’s hierarchy.

Presenting this Character: Rhiannon is a cold as ice, nothing matters to her but herself and power. She can play the innocent, but only superficially as she has trouble hiding her contempt for those she considers weak or foolish, which is just about everyone else. Other magic wielders are the most likely to be treated as a peer. Those who can match her intellect will intrigue, though not necessarily impress, her.

She is a cold-blooded killer when needed and this should not be overlooked, those with high empathy may feel her as an emotional void.

What can she do?: She is a master level necrourgist and highly skilled with fear inducing magic. Rhiannon has access to a small arsenal of magic items and the Shadowson will provide her with specialized items as needed by her mission. Ever careful, she has layered magical defenses and always has an escape route planned.

A secret she keeps even from her master is her ability to summon creatures that feed on fear, but they can be difficult to control so she uses this talent only rarely. Lastly, she has shadow creatures bound to her own shadow as a last ditch defense and mode of escape.

Who might know her and why: Anyone who trained at the School of Magical Philosophy would know of her and perhaps have accomplished some mission or errand for her. As Rhiannon travels often for the Shadowson, those who were apprentices to other powerful wizards may have dealt with her in passing.

Rhiannon does not keep in touch with her family, feeling no ties to them at all. A Laccini Knight of Gold (or a former knight) may have served as her bodyguard on a mission, in which case they would know how ruthless she can be.

Plot Hooks: Rhiannon is usually dispatched on missions showing the friendly face of Laccini and the School of Magical Philosophy. Especially those involved in acquiring new items for the School. In such cases, she acts with subtly against her rivals. One of her preferred tactics is sending nightmares, manufacturing ill-omens and generally spreading unease and fear among the opposition.

She is also likely to be sent when the School of Magical Philosophy wishes to recruit a wizard to join its ranks. Rhiannon can be charming, if cold, and presents herself as an example of the freedom and resources given to those who serve the School.

Rhiannon showed up as a villainess in one of the Taren Kost games, though the characters were not able to pin anything on her directly. She was a fun, if creepy, character that I always felt would be fun to revisit.