Ebon Skull Archives: Navrip Freemech, the Dark General

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This is reposted from OES documentation for the pleasure of the Atlantic Community. Story by Navrip Freemech of ToE.

I sat in a chair offered to me by my subject. Navrip Freemech was an amazing creature, if he could even be called that. He was not human, though his body was a mockery of the human form. It held the same basic shape as a man, two arms, two legs, a head, eyes, a nose, and a mouth, but none of them were flesh. Navrip was a being made completely of metal, seemingly some variation on shadow ore.

Every part of his body but his head had been fashioned in the shape of ornamental plate armor. His arms, legs, and chest were emblazoned with skulls, thorns, and lilies. His face was fashioned as a human's face, with a metal nose, mouth, and ears. His eyes burned red in his sockets, though the hitorian had seen them change with Navrip's mood. Strange black strands, meant to emulate human hair, cascaded down to his shoulders. For some reason, he wore a nose helm, though it gave him no extra protection against attack. Around his neck hung a medallion proclaiming his allegence to Takhisis, a dark goddess. A dark sword that seemed to crackle with vileness hung at his hip, while a similarly colored shield lay at his side.

"So," Navrip spoke to me, his emotionless voice deep and hollow, "what is it you wish to know?" A wave of trepidation overcame me. Until now, I'd only dealt with Navrip's underlings, never the being himself. To ask personally was much more difficult. Navrip's metallic eyelids lowered. "Speak or be gone!" he boomed.

My heart nearly stopped. A few more moments passed with Navrip cooly regarding me before I gathered my voice enough to speak. "Well," I began, "I want to know your story."

Navrip's eyes turned the color of yellow. "My story?" he asked, with the slightest hint of curiosity seeping into his voice. "That is a request few who remain alive have dared ask me."

My courage was growing at Navrip's sudden show of humanity. "Perhaps it is because they feel your story too unimportant to retell?"

Navrip stared at me a moment, then threw his head back and let out the most hideous laugh I have ever heard. It was the sound of a tinker's nightmare and a madman's fantasy rolled into one. When he looked back down, his eyes had regained their red cast. "Do not attempt to flatter me. Such things do not work," Navrip said, his voice carrying menace in it's emotionlessness.

"Sorry," I stammered. "But, if you would tell your story, I'm sure -" Navrip cut me off with a wave of his hand.

"Silence. I never refused your request. I shall tell my story..." Navrip's body seemed to relax and settle in it's position, possibly coming to the conclusion that I was no threat. Or perhaps, it was simply the burden of the memories that brought him to this point that caused him to slump so.

"I am a creature of three lives. I was a thought, a man, and then what you see before you now. Some will say I was blessed to have had three such unique experiences. Others will say I was cursed to have them pass so quick. I say I merely am, nothing more.

My first life began many years ago. A man named Pirvan had found his way from the planet of Krynn to the lands of Neverwinter. Outcast by a venegful god's assault on his planet, he found others that shared his background. He lived with them and was happy. But a small corner of his mind languished from a madness that the loss of his home had blighted him with.

"He knew not of it's existance, until a great war swept away many of the friends he held dear to him. His madness had been released, taking him into a swirling world of darkness and evil. He called himself Navrip and thus I was born of this darkness. I was him in every way, shape, and form. But such could not remain, as he was finally able to confront his madness and defeat it. I was locked into the deep recesses of him mind once again.

"There I remained, plotting my escape and revenge. One day, he went out with some of the friends that still lived. He encountered a creature known as a mind flayer, which, as it's name implied, stripped away the layers of protection in his mind, thus releasing me once again.

"I slew the creature and nearly escaped, but I was bedazzled by an umber hulk. His friends were able to capture me and attempt to purge me from his mind. A psionicist told them that he could lock me up, but I'd never remain in my prision for ever. The only other option was to expel me from Pirvan's mind. That required a living body without a soul.

"I had though I won, but one of his 'friends' was quite brilliant as well as insane. He managed to duplicate Pirvan's body, but leave it devoid of a mind. Thus I was expelled into this body, linked with Pirvan forever. Any pain one of us felt, the other also experienced.

"Thus, they couldn't kill me lest Pirvan also perish. So I escaped and made Pirvan's life a hell. I attacked his friends, knowing they couldn't return the favor. I did all I could, but I never could destroy him. Eventually, he concocted devices that me from his friends and I lost my one means of revenge.

"I managed to capture one of these devices from a demon Pirvan had foolishly trusted. I studied and disected it's magic. I could not undo it, but I could use it. With this knowledge, I severed my end of the link between us. I would no longer feel the pain that Pirvan did, though he would still share mine.

"There was a woman named Tinalanthalxius that Pirvan claimed as a friend. She was a weredragon, in actuality, a being able to assume human and draconic forms without the use of magic. He had fallen in love with her, but sent her away because of the threat I posed. I was able to capture her and several other friends of Pirvan. I held them in a tower I had constructed.

"I enthralled one of his friends with my magic, a paladin by the name of Igowner. I set him as my personal guard. I had hoped that Pirvan would be forced to kill him, but the fool proved to inept and got himself killed. His death broke my spell, however, and Igowner was able to call on his god to heal Pirvan.

"Pirvan bade him rescue his other friends, while he dealt with me. He came to fight me and I easily defeated him. Every blow he struck upon me was returned to him, while my own attacks suffered no such restriction. He tricked me, however, and as a last act of desperation, sacrificed himself by destroying my tower in an explosion. The both of us perished, seemingly beyond ressurection.

"I was found by a group of creatures called MECHs. They refered to themselves as 'Mechanically Enhanced Combat Humanoids.' They found the most powerful and brilliant mages, warriors, and priests and 'purified' them by turning them into what you see before you now. I was taken and given the task of returning a powerful being known as the Everman to the MECHs for study and possible purification. With their superior technology, they blocked out all of my emotion and free will.

"I hunted after the Everman, coming into conflict with one Lord Soth. He and his Knights of Takhisis were also searching for the Everman. One of them, the self proclaimed 'Evil,' a shadow wraith dragon claiming parentage from Takhisis, used his magic to destroy the technology holding me. Freed of the vile control of the MECHs, I pledged myself to Takhisis and her General, Lord Soth.

"My brother Pirvan had risen from the grave on his own volition, but he had no soul or personality. He lived to destroy me. He failed, and Evil very nearly slew his precious Tina. That caused the soul to reunite with the body and returned him to full life. He was able to drive me off in a love fueled fury.

"We next met when my Lord Soth had once again threatened. He had released Takhisis upon the land of Neverwinter, though she was trapped in her temple through vile magics. We were to meet in battle, but the forces of Chaos had come from Krynn to do battle with it's gods once more. The peoples of Neverwinter united as Chaos, in the guise of Steve Case, unleashed his horde on the Krynnish refugees and thus the city itself.

"Follower of Takhisis fought besides follower of Paladine who fought beside MECH who fought beside demon, all against Chaos's wrath. In the end, we were once again driven from the land of Neverwinter, never again to journey the land. We came to Sosaria and established ourselves here.

"Lord Soth once again rose to conquer the land, but the Krynnish refugees were able to fight back. By this time, I was Lord Soth's third in command, answerable only to Colonel Seige, Lord Soth, and Takhisis herself. Through the treachery of Evil, we were defeated and driven back, with Lord Soth banished and Colonel Siege apparently missing in action.

"I rallied the Knights and surrounded the castle of the Krynnish refugees. I offered them one way out of war; they send their severn bravest warriors forth to do one on one combat with me. If I were to win, then I would gain control of the refugees. If I lost, my army would withdraw peacefully.

"The seven put forth were my very own 'brother' Pirvan, his trollop Tina, the aged but dangeous warrior Oakeye, the foolish Knight of Solamnia Talmorr, the young blacksmith Unari, the leader of the refugees and son of Oakeye, Oakbow, and the bastard highlander ranger Connor.

"The rules of the challenge were simple. No magic, pure fighting skills. They came at me one at a time. If they stepped out of a circle, then they forfeited the match. I could not heal myself after each challenger besides what my own body would allow. They came... and they were met with my full strength.

"Pirvan, a pathetic mage and cleric untrained in the use of weapons, fell easily as I cast him from the circle. His bathtub bubble eater Tina followed him. The ancient Oakeye, fueled by alcohol and lust, proved a challenging match, losing only when he hit an electrical circuit of mine and nearly electrocuted himself. Talmorr lost when he mistakenly brought an enchanted sword into the circle and used it against me. Being an honorable man, he turned and left the circle when he discovered its magic. Unari managed to injure my knee, but I returned the favor many times over. Oakbow was defeated when Paladine interfered on his behalf, blasting me with powerful magic. I had Connor defeated, but I foolishly turned my back on him with my sword sticking from his chest. I had failed to take his head and thus he took mine.

"All had seemed lost for me, but I was always prepared for that happening. I was repaired and returned to lead the Knights of Takhisis. However, the baleful Connor had nearly slaughter the whole organization by the time I had returned. Thus, the Knights were weak and ineffective. I was forced to give up the command as the knights deserted in fear and frustartion.

"Eventually, I left the refugees all together and worked about forming the Temple of Evil... I believe the rest, as you humans are known to say, is history."

As he had been speaking, I had witnessed many profound expressions pass through Navrip's eyes and voice. The experience was so profound and frightening, that I fled the room immediately. I ran and ran and ran, never looking back. I found a cave and hid there, trembling in the darkness over what I had witnessed. The story had been burned into my mind, so even now, several years later as I sink further into the pit of madness, I am able to retell his words. But never shall I be able to relate the memories that flash through my mind even as I write these words. The memories of the evil acts and events that accompanied Navrip's tale. Such a thing would push me over the brink that I struggle to remain upon now. And while such a thing may benefit the whole of society, I cannot bear the thought. I must go now, for I hear the darkness approaching my light to extinguish it and me!

More Trouble for the Temple of Evil... by Navrip Freemech of ToE


The shadows in the room would seem oppressive to any normal person. The candle light flickered weakly, as the shadows seemed to attack it's very core. The shadows crept along the wall and up the alter, obscuring the gruesome standards that were the hallmark of Takhisis' worship. In front of the altar knelt a man that was beyond human. The Dark General of the Temple of Evil, Navrip Freemech, prayed and meditated there, in quiet communion with his Dark Queen.

"Now, my faithful servant, there are many more things for you to do" This 'Conclave of Shadows' you speak of is a start, but it is not the end of things. There is much to be done before you can claim vic-" Suddenly, Takhisis' voice was cut from Navrip's mind.

Navrip's eyes opened and flared a dark red. "My queen?" he hissed. He felt something in the room. There was a feeling of complete darkness and evil in the room. The candle flickered weakly as it fought against the encroaching darkness. Finally, the light sputtered out with a pitiful hiss of final defiance.

Navrip stood. "What is this?" he said, speaking to no one in particular. Though Navrip could see perfectly well in the dark, he had enchanted the candle to remain lit even within the living darkness of the room. The light had never been extinguished before. Navrip had even had it present when he had met the vaunted Lich Lord Azalin in the room. Even his malevolence hadn't extinguished its flame.

Navrip drew his sword, not anticipating meeting whatever was lurking about. It couldn't be in the room, else he'd see it. Navrip opened the door to the chapel and saw that the torches there were extinguished as well. He was about to ask the guards what happened, but he noticed they weren't standing at their posts.

"Cowards" he muttered, thinking they'd fled when the light went out.

"They'll be punished." He stepped forward and his foot caught something. Looking down, he saw the bodies of his guards. He checked them for life and found none forthcoming. His eyes flared purple in annoyance.

"Rise" he said, gesturing with his hand. The bodies remained where they were, unmoving. "Bah, blasted land" he cursed, his eyes returning to their red glow. The foul land of Sosaria sapped his necromantic powers to a degree he hadn't thought possible. Even animating the dead proved a challenging task. If he exerted more energy, they would rise. But that would leave him sorely depleted and lacking in power.

Navrip walked down the hallway and turned the corner. He flung open another door, startling the warriors inside. They all suddenly jumped to attention. "Sir, is something wrong?" one of them asked after he waved them down.

"Aye, quite possibly. Get a torch and re-light the ones down the hall to the chapel" he ordered. The soldiers jumped to obey. Navrip left the room and walked further down the hall, his sword still out. He felt something strange. It was a presence that was similar, but not familiar, to one he'd felt before. He searched his memory for that time.

The image came to his mind suddenly. The last time he'd felt it was when he'd last met Lord Soth in a debriefing. "Lord Soth?" he asked quietly, wondering if his former leader had returned to this world. Such an occurrence would cause the lights to extinguish. But no, he'd been around Soth many times after that last debriefing and hadn't felt that presence then. It wasn't Lord Soth, nor was it a death knight.

"What else had been there?" he wondered. Colonel Siege had been there, but he was still present among the Temple staff and Navrip knew it wasn't the same power. Finally, he realized what it was. "A banshee!" he hissed. The foul ghosts of the elf maidens that had led Soth to his downfall and whom he had slaughtered had tormented Soth night in and night out by singing his tale of betrayal over and over.

But the feeling wasn't the same as Navrip had gotten from any of those banshees. This feeling overwhelmed them 100 fold. He pondered this when his men shouted from down the hall. "Lord Navrip!" one called. Navrip turned and walked back down the hall, his eyes ablaze with purple.

"What is it?" he demanded as a soldier ran into him. The boy had fear in his eyes, fear enough to keep him from apologizing about rudely running into Navrip.

"M'lord, you need to see this" was all he said as he turned back around. Navrip's eyes blazed first in heavy purple, but were quickly replaced by the yellow of curiosity. Whatever could instill such unsettlement in his men must indeed be great.

"It's Tarik and Persus, m'lord" he said. Those were the two knights guarding the chapel whom Navrip had found dead. Navrip almost stopped, but his men were used to death. Surely they wouldn't react like this.

"They were dead," he said. "But suddenly, Suddenly, they weren't!"

Navrip's eyes burned a yellow brighter than the sun as he rounded the corner and saw his men, with their swords drawn, facing the animated remains of the two guards...

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