Co-Regent of the Capitolian Empire
Founding Member of the Dark Council
Captain of the Free Enterprise
Taylor Liege, pledging to take his people into the Stars
~Background~
~Background~
Taylor is one of the two Co-Regents who now is in charge of the Capitolian Empire. He also happens to be one of the founders of the Dark Council, and is therefore an influential leader of the Dark Wrath.
Taylor began as a member of the priesthood in Perenus, one of the eastern provinces of Capitol. He lost faith early on, however, and left the priesthood to pursue a life of adventure. He became a rogue, leader of a gang of ten rugged bandits and thugs (all of whom were named Jim). Taylor and the Jims made names for themselves working the highways in the Empire's provinces, but eventually Taylor's reputation earned him such an enormous bounty on his head that he had to flee Capitol entirely. By this time, his gang had grown beyond ten lads named Jim to include Taylor's brother Kyreel, a hulking Giff mercenary, and a gnome illusionist named Gerrit, who would become Taylor's closest partner and advisor.
Taylor and his gang fled to the Far World islands, hoping to make it as pirates. There, they fell in with the crew of the pirate lord Red Magnus, aboard his ship, the Celestial Wind. Taylor didn't get on well with Captain Red, and the two came to blows quite often. After a near mutiny, Taylor and his gang were forced to leave the ship. They were re-assigned to a vessel under Captain Red's flag, the Freedom Fox, which was a spelljamming vessel like the Celestial Wind.
While aboard the Fox, Taylor began to grow homesick. As first mate, he had influence over where the Fox roamed, and he began directing the vessel ever closer to Capitolian shores. He desperately longed to return to his homeland, and these longings were fueled by a message he received in his sleep from an avatar of Thanatos. Operating under the delusions of Thanatos' visions, Taylor believed himself destined to rule the Capitolian Empire, bringing his people to dominance over Kulm and the Stars beyond.
Taylor confided in Gerrit about his dreams, and the gnome agreed to aid him. Under Thanatos' guidance, the Freedom Fox's next forray into Capitolian airspace brought them into the patrol route of the Free Enterprise, the flagship of the Capitolian Skyfleet. The Enterprise took the Fox into its talons for inspection, and while the two ships were connected Taylor and his confederates snuck aboard. A short time after the Fox was released, the Free Enterprise was attacked by a swarm of Chasme Tanar'ri (gated onto the Prime by Thanatos' influence). During the confusion of this melee, Taylor and his men assassinated the Enterprise's officers, and assumed leadership of the vessel -- following instructions given to Taylor by Thanatos himself.
Decorated for their heroism in saving the flagship, both Taylor and Gerrit were taken into the Lich-Emperor Sarkies' inner circle. After first meeting Taylor, Sarkies began to fall ill -- a plague handed down by Thanatos himself. Taylor and Gerrit assumed more and more of the Emperor's powers and duties, until Sarkies was reduced to ash and bone -- dead, by all rights, though Taylor and Gerrit kept the secret of his condition and declared instead that Sarkies was pursuing greater power as a demilich. The pair were crowned Co-Regents a short time later.
Why Thanatos chose Taylor as his mortal agent remains unknown. But in his position as Co-Regent, he sought out and made contact with the other three founding members of the Dark Wrath (Ioronius, Tristan and Solomoriah) and together pledged that they would conquer Kulm in the name of all the Dark Gods.
Taylor retains most of his friends from his humble beginnings, and has placed them into positions of power as his lieutenants.
Gerrit Torvald- A gnome illusionist, and Taylor's closest friend and advisor. He fancies himself a scholar and scientist, and oversees the development of new technologies and innovations within the Capitolian arsenal. Though he and Taylor are equally-ranked Co-Regents, Gerrit defers in all things to Taylor, and considers himself a secondary to Taylor in terms of authority.
Brethra- Brethra is a Giff mercenary who joined Taylor's crew just before he left Capitol to seek his fortunes in the Far World. Over the course of their association, Taylor has fallen in love with the gigantic hippo-woman, and plans to marry her and make her his Co-Regentess (?).
Kyreel Liege- Taylor's brother, an accomplished ranger and woodsman. He is one of Taylor's most loyal companions, and under Taylor's regency has been named the Imperial Governor of Perenus. Kyreel follows the Liege family tradition of beastiality: he is married to Terana the Wemic (see below).
Terana Liege- Kyreel's wife. While aboard the Freedom Fox, Taylor and company ran afoul of a Neogi Leech raider that was making an attempt to land and take prisoners on the Capitolian coastal islands of Percilus. The Fox engaged the Leech, and sent her crashing to the sea. One of the slaves they rescued was Terana, a wemic warrior-shaman, for whom Kyreel instantly fell. On the eve of their wedding, Kyreel gave Terana a magic ring that allows her to assume human form whenever she wishes.
Francis- A Halfling cleric, originally part of the crew complement of the Free Enterprise, who remained aboard the Flagship and continues to serve Taylor to this day. After Gerrit, Francis is the Stand-by Helmsman, and falls in the chain of command behind Gerrit, Kyreel and the Liege beast-women. Though Francis is a halfling, he has been cursed: he only appears as a halfling during the light of a full moon. The rest of the time, he appears as an Orc.
The Ten Jims- Taylor's original gang of bandits, all of whom are coincidentally named Jim. They serve now as Taylor's elite honor guard.
All of Taylor's followers are Capitolians of one sort or another. However, Taylor's undead followers also have access to the Death Knight kits, granted by way of the Dark God Thanatos' evil power:
Death Knight (cursed warriors)
Death Stalker (cursed rogues)
Death Adepts (cursed priests)
Death Warlocks (cursed wizards)