Masked King

The enigmatic Masked King rules the so-called Claimed Lands from his palace in Cloud's Top with disdain for the security of the land and the relative safety of his people. Many have equated him with a bandit leader and a marauder king.

### Violent Transfer of Power and Phony Rule

The Masked King claims rulership of the Claimed Lands and has done so for 10 years. He conquered the realm after he and his marauding forces defeated the forces of the last ruler, the Snitch-King Relis Alavaska. The Snitch-King had in turn ruled for almost eight years since he took the throne from his sister after he broke his vow of silence, revealing the secret location where she would perform a sacred rite of her goddess during which she would be vulnerable. Some say that the Masked King himself was the assassin who killed the queen during that rite. Whatever the truth is, King Relis ruled for these eight years until he disappeared during a mysterious accident and in his absence, seemingly out of nowhere, the Masked King’s marauders and mercenaries attacked and destroyed the army of the king. Whatever forces were spared got absorbed into the Masked King’s service. He has ruled ever since and no one heard from the Alavaskas again.

During his rule, security in the land has become a joke and his marauders extort the people for ''protection'' or else they burn their house and businesses before other threats can even present themselves. The Masked King is practically a tyrant with no regard for his subjects and lands if one can call them that as he doesn’t seem to actually answer to any responsibilities. They say that the Masked King is the worst ruler that the realms has had for the last 80 years and more, and the place has changed a dozen bad rulers during these years like the Snitch-King and his sister Queen Loriea.

### Seemingly Untouchable

Even before the Masked King took over a resistance against King Relis was forming, and after a year of the Masked King’s rule a revolt was underway. However, it failed as fast as it was executed. The king’s forces were brutal and overpowering and employed strategies and tactics the realm hadn’t seen in ages. So overwhelming was that defeat that no one tried again since. It has been nine years since that organized resistance against the Masked King and during these years assassins have been sent against him in many occasions but he always seems to be coming out of such attempts unscathed, declaring his ultimate power and authority afterwards. He is seemingly invulnerable to the eyes of the people who have been utterly discouraged and have given up. In their minds, the Masked King is unbeatable, unkillable and terrifying.

### The Truth Behind the Mask

In truth however, the ''Masked King'' has fallen to battle and assassination attempts before, or rather the person behind the mask has. There have been 4 different people called Masked King, appointed in this position by the ''real'' Masked King: a Beholder named Grexmorg. However, the Beholder’s most trusted and secret minions always clean up the mess and the stragglers that killed the so-called Masked King. After all is done the Beholder then appoints someone else as Masked King claiming he is undying. This has made the figure of the Masked King ever vigilant and above any plans to overthrow him, as it seems that he is always a step ahead. Even the vast majority of the forces of the Masked King aren’t aware of that fact and of course don’t know that they work for a Beholder. Because of these past four deaths of his former incompetent, as he puts it, human employees posing as Masked King, Grexmorg has grown weary of replacing the figure and has now appointed one of his most recent and most formidable employees, the exiled and wingless erinyes, Lavithra as Masked King. Lavithra has been exiled from the Nine Hells and had her wings torn off from her back. Since then she has wandered the planes as a mercenary for many years and Grexmorg purchased her services for quite a lot. Lavithra lives in the palace of the capital of Cloud's Top and oversees all operations in the realm. Of course Grexmorg has spies watching her for possible betrayal.

Grexmorg himself lives under the capital city of the Claimed Lands and from there plans and leads his forces. Some of the minions that protect his underground lair are chosen from among the best of his forces in general that have been either coerced or threatened to serve as guardians. These guardians are scared of what their terrible master will do to them if they disobey and abandon their posts and will rather fight than face Grexmorg’s wrath. The good pay is also a plus.

Among these guards, Grexmorg also has other creatures guarding his underground lair that either followed him willingly when he arrived, were kidnapped and forced to work for him or are straight up being paid. Such creatures include Ettercaps, Hill Giants, Verbeeg, Fomorians, and Harpies. Golems of various kinds also guard the lair and Grexmorg has many traps and escape routes ready. Some Hill Giants and Verbeeg patrol the lands and sow fear to the common folk. They also act as enforcers and thugs for his extortions, and the harpies not only guard the lairs but also scout the land on his behalf.

### Grexmorg's Torment

Grexmorg might play the confident and scheming overlord that his minions fear but the truth is very different. He is at his wit's end, and while trying to keep everything intact he wishes he could just leave. He once dreamt of ruling but his dreams became reality in the worst way possible. All started when the Snitch-King sent a group of mercenaries to end his *then* gang and kill him. They almost succeeded but Grexmorg survived and killed them thanks to an entity that spoke to him while staring death. That entity turned out to be the ancient queen and founder of the city, Eilunia the Forbidden, sealed in a weakened ancient magical prison in the dungeons.

After she made him an offer to save his life, Grexmorg agreed and thus was saved and triumphed after he killed the mercenaries. However, Eilunia never left his thoughts afterwards, and wanted tribute and service for saving his life. Grexmorg couldn’t drive her away from his thoughts and even dreams, and after being tormented day and night he gave in on Eilunia’s demands. Her demands were many and Grexmorg was tasked with completing every demand. One of the demands was that he evolved his gang into an army and taking the Claimed Lands in her name after he took care of the king.

Grexmorg has indeed taken over the Claimed Lands as Eilunia wished but his rule is not how he dreamt it would be. He is effectively her puppet and acts as she wills. He has appointed others as rulers under the guise of ''Masked King'' to rule in his stead and represent him as he is exhausted by Eilunia, her demands and her torments. He keeps himself secret to most of his forces because the last thing he wants is more attention. Grexmorg is overwhelmed by his tasks and he is always watched by Eilunia to the point that he is terrified of her and just keeps doing what he is asked lest she starts tormenting his psych again. He is desperately searching for a way out of his predicament and doesn’t even want to be in charge of anything anymore. No matter where he goes Eilunia’s voice always haunts the beholder and should he fail her in any way she haunts his dreams and his thoughts, and terrifies his existence with unspeakable horrors.

What his minions see as anger and rage when they fail him is him venting his frustration and taking it out on them. Of course, no one but Grexmorg know of Eilunia and he wants it to stay that way as she has instructed him so. He hopes that he will somehow find a way to free himself from her influence, leave the Claimed Lands for good and rethink his life.