Nikovid Von Karstein

High Marshal, or "Persecutor", Nikovid Von Karstein is the religious zealot who leads the Lightguard and a major antagonist to the players. He is a stoic, implacable and fearless leader with a burning hatred of those who defy the laws that he sees as sacred.

## History

Nikovid was not born into wealth, he was the bastard son of a metalworker, and was originally named "Nikovid Vargald". Nikovid was raised as a blacksmith's apprentice but soon joined the Whytehold Military. In the military he learned to fight and more effectively use the strength that he already had. He soon became a competant warrior.

### The Dark Cult

In 1994 a dark cult from the Hinterlands caught the attention of the Whytehold military, a cult called the "King's Claw", who worshipped the dark figure known as Azjol the Spider King. Nikovid's band of warriors, lead by Commander Leona Carrus, arrived at a village close to where the cult was last seen. Soon they saw a group of dark cultists running towards the village at high speed. However, they soon noticed that the cultists were not attacking, they were fleeing. The cultists explained, in crazed and panicked tones, that they'd left the cult after discovering something terrible. One of them accidentally walked on on their leader; a man known as Vhan the Venomous, and witnessed him as he was eating one of their own cultists. The leader, enraged at being discovered, turned on the entire cult, utilising his dark magic to kill and consume many more innocent cultists. Those left alive fled for their lives.

Leona took a smaller offshoot of the band with her, including Nikovid, and they headed towards Vhan's base. The remaining soldiers were told to escort the cultists back to Whytehold, where they would be put on trial. As they entered the cave they encountered many troubles, and traps. A few of the soldiers found themselves caught in webs, difficult to see in the darkness, and impossible to escape, Nikovid could only watch powerlessly as some of his fellow warriors were eaten alive by spiders and unable to move. By the time they reached the sanctum, there were only four of them left. They found Vhan, who was dining on a human being on a cave floor covered with glowing symbols and surrounded by idols of black magic. They rushed forward to attack but were quickly swarmed by thousands of spiders who crawled out from the cracks in the walls and floor. The spiders crawled up into their armour, but while the others were desperately trying to get rid of the beasts, Nikovid strode forward, determined, bearing the many spider bites. Vhan stood with a calm and sinister smile as Nikovid attacked the evil man, who did nothing to defend himself. Nikovid bashed the man's head into a bloody pulp with his mace, at which points the spiders scurried away. Believing that they'd gotten rid of the cultist, the soldiers left the terrible place as soon as they could. Nikovid stayed for just a moment, because he was suspicious of how easy it had been. After a while, Vhan's body transformed into a horde of spiders, which scurried away, following the rest.

### Knighthood & Settling

After "Defeating" Vhan the Venomous, Nikovid became a knight of the castle of Karstein, and was given the name "Nikovid Von Karstein". Commander Carrus herself knighted him, since he did kinda save her life. Nikovid served for four more years as a devoted Knight of Whytehold, before he settled down with a family. He was still a knight, but his only responsibility would be to keep in shape so that they could call upon him next time he was needed. Nikovid settled down in the lands around Karstein Castle, married a woman named Regina and had a daughter named Yvette.

### Darkness Returns

In 2010, while Nikovid was back in Whytehold, his village found itself attacked. Dark cultists appeared from all over the place, indiscriminately destroying. They were lead by Vhan the Venomous. He hadn't died, not really, but still he was out for vengeance. When Nikovid returned, he found half the village burned down, and the other half burning down Nikovid found Vhan in the villager centre, surrounded by bodies, chanting incantations into a magic circle of alien writing. In the daylight Nikovid finally got a good look at Vhan. A tall lanky man, with skin and hair darker than common in Tyrrus, he wore robes that didn't look like they came from anywhere in Tyrrus either. Vhan noticed Nikovid approaching and, with strange spiderweb magic, ensnared the knight. Nikovid began to demand answers from the man, who said only that he'd come from a land to the west of here, beyond the mountains. He then watched powerlessly as Vhan's cultists brought over his wife and daughter, who were similarly wrapped in webs. Vhan sadistically slit both their throats and laid them down, to bleed into his magic circle. Something inside Nikovid snapped. He was done with watching powerlessly.

A beam of sunlight shone down and lit up Nikovid, whose eyes began to glow with golden power. With a feat of inhuman strength, he tore apart the webs surrounding him. All this time his facial expression remained stoic and calm. He strode forward and reached out an arm. From the light itself materialised a glowing shield. He then picked up a fallen plank of wood and proceeded to beat Vhan's dark cultists into the dirt with it. All the attacks made his way were easily deflected by his holy shield. The warlock stood laughing, but stopped as Nikovid slammed into him with the shield. Upon contact with the hallowed piece of metal, Vhan's skin began to burn, and he started to scream. Vhan began to summon spiders which swarmed all over the knight. At first, Nikovid was terrified of the spiders and rolled onto the ground, tearing at his clothes and skin to try and get them off. But as he watched Vhan, the man who killed the only people he loved, laughing with a sadistic smile, Nikovid was filled with rage and anger, and got back up to fight. Nikovid chased the dark mage into a burning building where they continued to fight. Vhan's spiders crawled over Nikovid's skin and harassed him, but they could not touch the shield. The warlock's webs were easily torn apart by the holy light. Nikovid ended the man a second time by splitting his skull with the plank, then calmly exited the building, placing a plank on the door to bar it, and setting more fires around the building. As Vhan disintegrated into spiders again, he found there was nowhere to go. The spiders slowly cooked to death inside that building, finally ending the life of Vhan the Venomous.

### The Lightguard

Nikovid became a quiet, and stoic man after that. He lost contact with all his old friends, and didn't try to make new ones. Many were quick to congratulate Nikovid at his victory, but he ignored them all and refused their rewards. All he cared about now was the will of Aldin, the Father, god of justice and vengeance. Aldin was of course the one who blessed him so that he could defeat Vhan. He knew what the Father wanted. The Father wanted him to destroy all those like Vhan, and make sure they could never again come to Tyrrus from those savage outside lands. After doing a bit of research he discovered that long ago an explorer named Professor Durond had trekked beyond the Western Mountains. Nikovid was reminded of the ancient scriptures of Zythia the Dragonqueen which prohibited travel beyond the borders of Tyrrus, for they would only bring trouble back. Nikovid made the connection.

For a while Nikovid tried to rally people to his cause, and he did get a small following in Whytehold. They had formed the Lightguard, a group of people who were dedicated to the belief that Tyrrus was a sacred land, and that going beyond its borders was breaking many holy laws, allowing the darkness in. In 2015 Nikovid was proven right as the country of Hirokir declared war on Tyrrus. This, as well as the undead invasions, gained him a much larger following. By the beginning of 2016 the Lightguard had become one of the largest religious factions in Whytehold, outnumbered only by the Elders and the Metallurgists.

### Since the start of the Adventure

Nikovid was biding his time, for in the long term his plans were to destroy the Dark Monks and their allies. When the Siege of Eredan began, he was one of the knights to accompany General Talon Austermark to the city to defend it from the undead. He was taken by surprise, and disgusted, when the general not only allowed, but helped, the adventurers to go beyond Tyrrus. While the adventurers were away, Nikovid plotted and planned, and began to gain a following in Eredan and Thassalus.

After the infamous party in the summer of 2017, Nikovid siezed his chance. He rallied up the Commanders of Whytehold, with the claim that the General had put his faith and trust in the wrong people, and was only bringing suffering and madness into Tyrrus. He dug up an ancient law and challenged the general to a duel. Nikovid eventually won the duel, and Talon Austermark was forced to abdicate as High Marshal. The commanders then made Nikovid High Marshal of Whytehold and General of the Tyrranean Military, giving him unparalleled military power within the city.

To make examples, Nikovid holds an execution every day in Whytehold. The characters he has killed so far include; Philip, Cedric's butler. Master Surgeon Zahid Al-Haram. General Talon Austermark.

## Trivia

Nikovid Von Karstein is the only bald character in Tyrrus. Outside of Tyrrus he has some competition with Saa III, Shukrizah IV, and Malak.

Nikovid has arachnophobia

Nikovid's favourite food is bacon