Lord Ratha

Lord Ratha is a major noble for the country of Rygild.  As the foremost lord of the province of Rathane, his family's seat of power, he is influential and powerful - particularly as his province governs a good portion of the trade leaving the interior of the country for the northern coast line.  For generations his family has been at odds with the province directly across the river known as Rheene.  This rivalry became all the more pronounced when the countries of Adara and Rygild split from each other during the Rygildian Civil War.  Since then, the two famlies have had their hostilities elevated greatly due to their strategic importantance as prosperous border states and the two territories skirmish and posture constantly even in times of peace looking to get the upper hand.  The latest scheme was hatched when Lord Ratha contrived to capture Lord Xavier in a border skirmish through the manipulation of his court.  Lord Ratha contrived and succeeded in buying/convincing Marshall Andrew and Sir Unther to his plot.  Once Ratha had Xavier in custody, he purposefully held back information on his state of health.  Now with the younger brother, lacking the martial mind of his elder, sitting the throne of Rheene Ratha advanced his plans to once and for all wipe out his family's nemesis.  Throwing an incredible amount of Rathane's considerable wealth at the cause, he purchased one of the newest ship designs from Vartia, a galleas he dubbed Dragon after his family's crest.  He further brokered a deal with Su-Khan Ruska of Druglug - who was hungry with ambition - to help him conqueor Rheene, promising the hobgoblin with the best armor and weapons his smiths could make along with a share of the conquest when the job was finished.  He further spent money hiring Harkasian mercenaries to his cause to bolster his advantage.  He plans began to unravel at a dramatic pace when the party found out from one of their old connections, Anton Vonskrill, that Xavier had been hidden away on the Dragon so that he could be hanged from a yardarm in full view of the defenders prior to the battle.  With unexpected help, they stormed the ship and defeated the renowned Harkasian mercenary Hektoran who Ratha had placed as guard of Xavier.  Soon they were also able to uncover the turncoats in Rheene's court.  Ratha's hopes of victory fell flat at the Battle of Rheene where he was soundly defeated and captured with a restored Lord Xavier surviving to hold the field successfully.  He was later ransomed back to Rathane and Rygild for a large sum of money used towards reparations.