The Baron of Raevel,
First of the Cabal of Five
and Master of the Ebon Lynx
The Baron (center) enjoys a quick get-together with his Uncle Roark (right) and Aunt Pleevis (left).
~Background~
~Background~
Jenson Marr is the Baron of Raevel, and is one of two members of the Dark Council who holds legitimate control over a major nation of Kulm. He is also a big fat pig (meant in more ways than one, as you will see below).
Marr's family has held influence in Raevel for six generations. The first Marrs were immigrants to Raevel, but they quickly established themselves as successful merchants, and out of great wealth they bought for themselves a noble status that became profoundly entrenched. It came as little surprise to anyone that the Marrs soon assumed the position of the Kingdom's Regency when no heir for the Last True King could be found.
It might surprise the Raevelans much more to know that the Marr family, from its immigrant founder right on down to the current Baron, are actually Devil Swine -- Werebeasts from the Far World who were cast out by the Light God Quetzalcoatl centuries ago. It was Jenson Marr's grandfather, Benjus, who first won his family the Regency of the Kingdom through his spy network, the Ebon Lynx. The Lynx was responsible for the assassination of the last King, and ever since they have been charged with keeping the prophesied True King from reclaiming Krakkev's Sword. Currently, Baron Jenson has been the most successful in keeping his family's claim on the Regency intact: he has secured the Sword of Krakkev, buried deep in the catacombs of the Marr family crypt in the Raevel City graveyard, guarded by traps, powerful Lynx agents, and a smattering of undead (for flavor). Baron Marr also believes that the True King is in hiding somewhere in Blackgate, and this is the primary objective of the Bugbear mercenaries that are operating in this area.
As Baron, and ally of the Dark Wrath, Jenson Marr is putting all of his nation's resources behind spreading the Wrath throughout Kulm. However, Marr is also concerned about developments at home that would compromise his continued rulership as Regent. To this end, he is enlisting the Ebon Lynx and several squads of mercenary Bugbears to occupy the attentions of his chief rival within Raevel, Darben Gray, the Steward of Blackgate.
Baron Marr keeps several people close to him. His lieutenants are charged with micro-managing the day-to-day operations of the Bugbear mercenaries and the Ebon Lynx, while the Baron himself maintains the facade of Raevel's government.
The Cabal of Five- This secretive body is the governing organ of the Ebon Lynx. In actuality, more often than not there are only four people present when the Cabal meets. The fifth seat is occupied by the Baron himself: Jenson Marr functions in all respects as the chairman of the Cabal and the leader of the Lynx. The Baron's four lieutenants on the Cabal are:
Vendalar Vivsen- The Second of the Cabal, Vendalar is also the head of the Ebon Lynx's main front operation: the Thieves Guilds. Most agents of the Lynx are those that are employed by way of one of the Thieves Guilds that the Lynx controls. His loyalty to the Baron is matched only by his ruthlessness in carrying out the Ebon Lynx's goals.
Celemmar "Clomhack" Madverby- The Third of the Cabal, Celemmar is a human wizard who is shapechanged into the form of a Bugbear. In his guise as the "Witch Doctor Clomhack", Celemmar serves as the liaison between the Ebon Lynx and the Bugbear mercenaries. Only the other members of the Cabal know him by his human name; outside the confines of the Cabal, he maintains his goblinoid alter ego with the care and professionalism of a stage actor, even going so far as to take a female bugbear mate.
Saun Ronmond- The Fourth of the Cabal, and its eldest member, Saun poses as a kindly old farmer who owns a humble plot of land just outside of Styz. Saun is responsible for the covert trafficking of weapons and supplies to Ebon Lynx agents throughout the Kingdom, and has established several secret storehouses along Raevel's trade roads for expressly that purpose. When the Cabal must meet, and requires Saun's presence, he leaves his farm in the hands of his six sons (who are Lynx agents) and travels to Raevel City to "visit his ailing elder sister."
Ages Canben- The Fifth of the Cabal, its lowest ranking member, Ages is responsible for tasking and overseeing all the field agents, thugs and assassins of the Ebon Lynx. He is generally regarded as lacking in the virtue of subtlety that his fellow Cabal members all seem to excel in, and so is more appropriately entrusted with the Ebon Lynx's ham-fisted dirty work.
Kreld Losterman- The Baron's axeman, Kreld is a large, beefy fighter. He originally belonged to a band of heroes contracted by the Steward of Blackgate to investigate the Ebon Lynx, but when he got in deep enough he found the Baron's operation was to his liking. So he offered his services to the Baron, and has been his bodyguard ever since.
Syl of Feyblood- The official spymaster of the Baron, though he is also in league with the Ebon Lynx. A half-elf and traitor to his own kind, he earned his high place in the Baron's government by providing the Baron's men with information on an Elven resistance that was forming in Jaehu province. Syl of Feyblood is the cousin of Solomoriah Loremaster, and sometimes serves as a liaison between the Baron and the Shadowlord.
There are, generally, four types of agents that the Baron might employ.
•Family Members- Members of the Marr family and
household are descendents of the Marr clan that immigrated into
Raevel several generations ago. These will invariably be Werepigs,
though unlike the Devil Swine found in the Far World, those who have
grown up in Raevel are allowed to use Character Point rules to build
their characters. The Baron's kin are keenly interested in
buttressing their family's control over the Kingdom, and Jenson has
decided (on behalf of the rest of the family) that the best way to
ensure that the Barons of Marr continue to hold the Regency is by
allying with the Dark Wrath.
•Thieves Guilds- High-ranking members of the Thieves
Guilds controlled by the Ebon Lynx are aware (somewhat) of the
conspiracy in which they are pawns. Those that are admitted as
full-fledged members of the Lynx are dedicated to furthering the
Baron's goals, though they may not be aware of all angles and
secrets. These characters will be either single-, dual- or
multi-classed thieves belonging to any of the various races native to
Raevel. As Raevelans, these characters
use Character Points rules.
•Lynx Agents- Members of any class that have joined the
Ebon Lynx, either as sub-ordinate to Saun (smugglers) or to Ages
(thugs). There might also be those who are sub-ordinate to the Baron
himself, holding dual-roles as Lynx agents and some sort of position
in the government or military. Like Thieves Guildies, Lynx Agents
will belong to any of the native Raevelan
races, and use Character Point rules.
•Bugbear Mercenaries- Sub-ordinates of "Witch Doctor
Clomhack," and servants of the Ebon Lynx. These Bugbears
originally arrived from the Hordelands, and some families have been
here for going on three generations now. Regardless of how long a
Bugbear has been in Raevel, Ebon Lynx liaisons have helped to train
and outfit them, and they can use character builds created with the
Character Points rules mechanics.
It is important to note that Raevel is a place that's so twisted with lies and deceptions and secret organizations and motivations that it's hard to keep everything straight. Depending on which of the above four broad archetypes a player selects, different characters will invariably begin play knowing either more or less of the "whole truth" than other characters who are also part of Baron Marr's contingent. For instance, a member of the Baron's family might (depending on how closely related the character is) know the truth about Celemmar/Clomhack, whereas a Bugbear character would definitely not know this when play begins.