Robert Vaultanis

**Robert Vaultanis,** also known as **The Reaper**, is an NPC on *Another Bad Side Quest*. His race is unknown and has only been seen cloaked in a black hood that obscured most all of his form, but has been described as a man with skin that was heavily disfigured. He is later revealed to be a water genasi and his disfiguration is made of badly burned skin and dark rooted purple veins that stretched from the wound. He also has the mark of the Ruin Moon on his left hand as well, with the same green color as Alaerith's mark. He is a part of a destructive group of people who have been antagonistic forces against the party, called the Order of Ruin.

**Ep. 19 - Bar Brawls & Singing Sirens**

Robert, known only as the Reaper, met the party aboard the unfinished ship Killian and Jelly Bean were posing as bait for sirens and appeared, as the lights around the docks became a sickly green glow, as a hooded figure wielding a staff and a green Ruin Moon mark on his left palm, similar to Alaerith's color. He went on to taunt Killian, calling him "Wrathful Red" and Killian responded in kind before he attacked, which he revealed his ability to cast powerful magic and control undead sirens around the docks, even using them to protect himself. As combat came into full swing, he addressed the party as "new recruits".

**Ep. 20 - The Shipyard Shuffle**

The Reaper continued to display powerful abilities, including his staff which could transform into a scythe called *Snuff,* constantly hovered which made him immune to being knocked *Prone* and could cast *Counterspell* which he used to prevent Seren's attempt to heal Killian and temporarily brought Killian to death's door. Despite considerable effort from the party, Robert consumed the energy of his remaining siren thralls and escaped, moving out over open water wear the party could not follow.

**Ep. 29 - Deeper Into The Cold**

The Reaper's first name, Robert, was revealed by Esmeria when she called for him, and she and him cornered the party in the Aetian ruins outside of *Nij'a*.

**Ep. 30 - Mirror Tricks & Magic Books**

After the party handed over the devil book they had retrieved from the ruins, Esmeria and Robert left the party alone and were not spotted again.

**Ep. 38 - Putting Pieces Into Place**

Robert was mentioned by Charles, who revealed he was formally part of the Skorian Empire's Holy Collective, and that he was also part of the Holy Collective as well, specifically a wizard that specialized in Necromancy, which Charles attributed to Robert's "dark streak". Charles seemed confused by his involvement in the Holy Collective as he was from a rich family, revealed as the Vaultanis family, which made him the brother of Edward Vaultanis, a man, who once was the Head of International Trade for the Skorian Empire, but was recently promoted to Merchant King after the death of Merchant King Quolong in the fires of *Kra'Kash*. Charles also revealed that Robert was also in on the real plan for *Qahrizoq,* and was killed there by a bolt of lightning which rendered him "burnt to a crisp".

**Ep. 44 - A Friend in the Darkness**

Robert was mentioned by Sterling when he explained to Seren of their encounter with him in the Aetian Ruins outside *Nij'a*.

Robert, during the group's battle with the zombies and skeletons, took Bo and attempted to take his place, but under Seren's suspicion was quickly *Banished* to his home plane. His voice (unknown to the group) later rang out to say *“Oh, you didn’t think it would be that easy, did you? Oh, no, no, no, no, no.”*

**Ep. 45 - House of Ash and Ruin**

Robert revealed himself to the group without his shroud as a badly burned water genasi man before he summoned his *Shroud* revealing his identity as the Reaper and deactivating it soon after. He spoke a lot to the group, conversing to find out who destroyed Kalistock's mirror, revealed the mirror acted as a shortcut into their home and prison for those of the Order of Ruin not needed at that time and that he and the other members were told not to kill the party, by Lunala's orders, unless they had to because Lunala had plans of her own and had to do so of their own volition, which was why so they were brought here. He also revealed that the location they were in was the *Dusterburyan Lighthouse*. Seren enquired about the Formless, something that the Order had taken and he revealed Esmeria had it and Seren was likely brought here as he would be have been easier to deal with there.

Robert also told them the *Dusterburyan Lighthouse* was what caused the magic in the *Maltrop Strip* to be disastrous and that it was there long before they as a prison for Sezrin, the exiled Rahkind Forefather, who was now known as Kalistock, that he first brought ruin to the world before Ob did, that he was put him away where he could not cause any issues since they knew he would never agree to help them and instead brought one of his bloodline, who was revealed to important to one of the group.

Robert also informed the voice from the mirror that Alaerith was a joke by he and Kalistock to warn off people from touching the mirror, and that this place was built to break them. He also returned to them a few items including the *Handy Haversack*, *The Book of Sanguis, Vile’s Fang*, a number of Sterling’s old missing spell scrolls and *Panache*, though it's *Soul Piece* was no longer attached to it and made it clear they were returned as they were of no use to them.

Robert also told them Sezrin never broke in this place, though it was meant to, that he, Ilvwinter, Esmeria and Darie were broken by it and the mentally strong Ilvwinter only made it to it's third level. He also alluded that he was the lowest of the totem pole within the Order. He also told the group that causing them to fight amongst themselves brought Lunala entertainment, even though he felt it was sadistic and preferred to kill them, that he didn't know what would happened if they made it through this place and even if they did would still have everything they needed with Ob's bloodline.

Robert also explained the plan had been going for a long time, that their meeting was pre-ordained by Lunala, that Yashani herself was quite important and Bo and Sterling were not accounted for. He also admitted the group would likely kill Lunala if they could, that they were bound by their contracts to her, and while not sure what would happen if their contracts were destroyed assumed they would die. He added that the contracts were used when the person was considered broken enough till they were willing to sign of their own accord, but would happen if they were dead anyway and the group offered to restore him as dead if they could for his information.

Robert also told Seren that Lunala wanted to Formless as a contingency, that she couldn't bring ruin without it, that she couldn't exist without the ruining happening, that she would use it to consume and destroy what she could. He also noted the contract the group had belonged to Ilvwinter and that.

Robert also mentioned he broke after six months, Ilvwinter for five years, Kalistock had not broken after thousands of years and that Kalistock worked of his own free will. He also revealed he joined the Holy Collective due to his natural affinity for magic and that he was tricked into joining the group, told he would do good and ended up only slaughtering people. Robert also pointed out to Quincy that their smell couldn't be hidden before he disappeared.

**Ep.46 - The Dead Room of Dusterbryn**

Robert was referenced when Bo enquired as to who in the Order of Ruin were intelligence based and Quincy noted he likely was as he was a wizard.

**Ep. 47 - A Find, A Furnace and Frozen Bodies**

Robert was mentioned briefly when Yashani privately reminded Alaerith of his words that she was important to the Order of Ruin and revealed what she had learned of the twisting within her from her mother.

**Ep. 51 - At Unexpected Corners**

Robert was mentioned briefly when Yashani told Seren of the first time she saw the change in Alaerith's eyes during the fight with him. He was mentioned later when the discussion of the sapphire with Sterling's mother Lysandra in it that he didn't appear to have it and later again when they were confused as to how Yashani's monastery and that he claimed the *Dusterburyan Lighthouse* had entrances to the real world.

**Ep. 52 - Behind the Waterfall**

Robert was mentioned briefly when the group discussed the members they had seen in the *Dusterburyan Lighthouse.*

**Ep. 53 - So. What Now?**

Robert was mentioned briefly when Yashani brought up his words, that the Order of Ruin was still recruiting and used it as an idea that they should do the same as well.

**Ep. 54 - We Have To Kill Alaerith!?**

Robert was mentioned briefly when Alaerith, speaking about his past and worries, brought up his words how their meeting was pre-ordained.

**Ep. 56 - The River's Port**

Robert was referenced briefly when, the group hearing of the undead in *Su'Hish,* recalled what happened in *The Underbelly* and in *Krapjess,* and pondered if he had been responsible for that as well.

**Ep. 59 - The Old Artificer**

Robert was mentioned briefly when Alaerith revealed how his friend Darie was possibly one of the Order of Ruin's members, how he said she broke along side him and that Alaerith feared she held a higher position then he did in their ranks.

**Ep. 64 - The Death Dealer**

Robert was mentioned when Ilvwinter revealed he also wasn't happy with their circumstances with Lunala, that he and Kalistock were the ones responsible for the ever growing swamp for Lunala, which she wanted more volatile. Ilvwinter noted that he possibly knew the conditions to release Ob from his imprisonment, but couldn't ask him at the moment and asked Darie to find out instead.

**Ep. 68 - Signs from the Sand**

Robert was alluded when, after Kaz's mother told them of the debilitating danger the *Chasm of Spire* would affect on people and enquired on the effect of undead, suggested as one was a master of undead might be immune to it.

**Ep. 70 - Vayilcor & The Clockwork Castle**

Robert was mentioned briefly when, during the party search for information in the *Clockwork Castle,* had a family history related to *Belroadine*.