Kulos

Gatshadow

### Cause(s) of Death

1. Killed by an Alchemist's fire explosion (Resurrected by Riza)2. Shot in the head by Bishop (Returned via soul tying to a Tiefling body)

3. Bisected by a blow from Merril's bladed chain.

Kulos, also known as The Reaper, was a high elf rogue/wizard and a member of the Council of Echoes. He was slain by Felix Bishop during the Echoes Crisis and his soul was imprsoned in Carceri. 22 years later he briefly returned as an agent of Carchuri before being killed again by Merril.

## **Description**

### **Appearance**

Prior to his death, Kulos was a tall, thin elf with black hair. He wore long black cloaks and dark leather armour.

After his resurrection Kulos took to wearing a blank white mask over his face which hid a horribly deformed and burned face that came as a result of his death. These wounds were later regenerated however Kulos often still wore the mask and projected an illusion of his destroyed face to terrify his opponents.

When he was soul tied by the Cult of Broken Chains, Kulos' soul was bound to a young levistus tiefling with pale skin and dark hair. He wore fine blood-red leather armour during this period.

### **Personality**

During his adventures in Barovia, Kulos had a very monotone voice and acted like he cared little for the events he was party to.

After he was resurrected, Kulos became much more emotionally open and often acted with a morbid sense of humour. He spent his time creating new constructs for the Council of Echoes. Kulos feared death and would try hard to avoid it.

When he returned to the material plane and was bound to a tiefling body, Kulos feared death much less, knowing that his soul could easily be retrieved from its prison in Carceri.

His alignment was Chaotic Neutral and changed to Chaotic Evil after his death. His birthday was Duscar the 1st.

## **Biography**

### **Early Life**

Kulos was born in Stilben and grew up there, learning how to become a deadly assassin as a part of the Clasp.

### **Curse of Strahd**

When he was 25, Kulos was travelling between cities for a mission when a thick mist gathered around him. The mist transported him to Barovia in the Shadowfell and there he encountered a few fellow wanderers, also lost in the mist. Riza, a tiefling warlock, Hannah, a human bard and Tarrell, a human wizard. The group then travelled deeper into Barovia where they took on a mission to defend a young woman named Ireena Kolyana from the vampire overlord of Barovia, Strahd von Zarovich. In a battle with a coven of night hags, Tarrell was polymorphed into a toad and then killed when Riza sent an *Eldritch Blast* wide and shattered the floor beneath him, sending him falling to his death. The next day, the party were joined by a half-orc barbarian named Korg. Soon after this, Hannah was killed by Strahd as he attacked the town of Vallaki in search of Ireena, with Kulos also barely surviving. The remaining party members fled to a tower west of town and discovered a vistani caravan outside it. Kulos decided to investigate and accidentally set off a trap within it. The last thing he saw was a jar of *alchemists fire* falling towards a wall of other jars which then exploded, throwing Kulos' burned body across the clearing the tower was in, killing him instantly.

Around a month later, Kulos was resurrected by Riza to join the Council of Echoes who now ruled Barovia. Pikkik and Ireena Kolyana then led a Barovian uprising against the Council and Korg and his mountain tribes joined them. However, this revolution was overthrown when Riza used blood magic to seize control of Korg's mind and turned him against his allies, allowing the Council to capture Pikkik and Ireena. During this time, Riza also enlisted the aid of Portia and her mongrelfolk, promising that Portia could use whatever supplies she needed to attempt to cure the mongrelfolk.

### **Arrival in Tal'Dorei**

About a month after the rebellion's defeat, Riza left her Council to return to Xhorhas at Tharizdun's urging. While she was away, Kulos and Hannah found themselves at one another's throats in a bid to become Riza's right hand within the Council of Echoes. This fighting was settled when Riza returned to Barovia and tasked the Council with locating the required vestiges for freeing Tharizdun, stating firmly that Kulos was to serve as her right hand. The Council then headed into Tal'Dorei and took up residence at the Whispercreek Estate north east of Kraghammer. Over the course of the next seven years, the Council secured several other vestiges and quietly built their influence. During this time, Kulos began to learn and use magic as a wizard, bolstering his power.

### **Becoming the Reaper**

As the years went by, the council found themselves in need of more powerful shows of force to secure the vestiges. Kulos took on a terrorist persona called the Reaper. This personality became the face of the Council of Echoes and was wanted all across Tal'Dorei. His greatest success during this time was stealing the Crown of Lolth during an assault into the Underdark. Also during this time, Ireena Kolyana succeeded in escaping from the Council. In late Quen'pillar of 822 P.D. Riza and the council caught wind that the Ring of Erathis was being transported to Westruun and she tasked Korg and his Ravagers to recapture the vestige.

### **Council of Echoes**

However, Korg's Ravagers failed and the Ring was successfully taken to Westruun. Annoyed, Riza tasked Kulos to recapture the vestige, and he set out for the city. He investigated the adventurers who defeated the Ravagers and discovered that they had met with Ireena Kolyana, who was being hidden and protected by Rosalind Songsteel. Kulos then captured the two women and began to plan a heist of the Ring of Erathis. During the Civilisation's Dawn festivities, he overloaded the *Sunsword* which exploded and destroyed the observatory at the city's western edge. He then teleported across the city to the temple of Erathis where he faced down and tortured Baern, the Ring's keeper. Eventually Kulos discovered that Baern was secretly wearing the Ring and severed the finger. However, before Kulos could finish Baern, he was interrupted by Argos, Bishop and Ember. This frustrated Kulos and so he slit Baern's throat. He then fought the adventurers and fled, taking the Ring and using a *Wall of Force* spell to block pursuit while also taunting the group with the imprisoned Rosalind and Ireena.

Kulos then fled Westruun disguised as part of a vistani caravan, guiding them to the Gladberry farm where he turned on and massacred them, aided by some of his constructs, the Oblex living on the farm and the monstrous Nuckelavee. He then gave Rosalind to the Gladberry Oblex to feed on as she was unneccesary while he left with Ireena and the Nuckelavee. Having taken the Ring from Baern and secured Avandra's Lucky Coin from the Gladberry farm, Kulos returned to Riza with two vestiges.

Kulos without his mask

Kulos was next seen at a castle ruin outside the Syngorn woods where he, along with Korg and the Ravagers, fought Hindsight and Melora's escorts to secure the Ring of Melora. Kulos revealed he had constructed a gun and shot Bishop with it before forcing Hindsight to surrender by threatening to kill an unconscious Ariawyn. Hindsight were then captured by the Council of Echoes apart from Argos who successfully fled the battle. Hindsight were brought before Riza at Whispercreek and she then attempted to recruit them to her side. Kulos watched with amusement as she attempted to use her prisoners as bargaining chips, executing Theodore Balmhand and threatening the others, she also taunted Williner using Din's skull. Lindal and Ariawyn refused to surrender and in retaliation, Riza beheaded Lydia Starguard. Riza also demanded punishment for the deaths of Hannah and the Nuckelavee and had Hindsight draw tarot cards. As Bishop and Williner drew the *Devil* and the *Hanged Man* cards respectively, Riza had Bishop use the Fang of Zehir to sever Williner's right arm. Having secured Hindsight's tentative allegiance, Riza teleported them and the bodies of their dead to the fields outside Emon, sending her pseudodragon, Diavolo with them to act as a watcher.

A month later, after Hindsight secured the Scale of Bahamut, the last vestige Riza needed, she teleported to their location with the Council and took the vestige in exchange for Belin and Elana's freedom. However, this freedom was at a cost as the Council destroyed the skyship that Hindsight were on, sending it plummeting to the ground. Riza, Korg and Kulos then teleported to the Gatshadow and began the ritual to free Tharizdun. In the Gatshadow, Riza slew Morxes, a paladin of Sarenrae that stood in the Council's path.

Riza's ritual took nearly two days and on the second day, towards the end of the ritual, the Council were attacked by Hindsight, who had survived the crash. Williner succeeded in freeing Korg from Riza's influence, although she regained the control later in the fight. Kulos used his poisoned daggers to kill Ariawyn and severely wounded Bishop, however the fighter was able to overcome Kulos and blew off a section of his torso with *Sybil's Regards,* his scattergun. As Kulos stumbled back, barely alive after the wound, Bishop pressed his pepperbox pistol to his head and fired, killing Kulos at last.

### **Legacy**

Despite Kulos' death, he had succeeded in wounding and killing enough members of Hindsight that Riza and the remaining forces of the Council of Echoes were able to overcome them and succeed in freeing Tharizdun. Later on, after the Echoes Crisis, Kulos' main legacy was in the constructs he had made that were left behind and replicated by many inventors over the next years.

### **Fallen Citadel**

23 years after his death, Kulos' soul was freed from the prison plane of Carceri and bound into the body of a young tiefling slave by Carchuri. The devil then sent Kulos to Zadash to retrieve an *Amulet of Proof against Detection and Location* alongside a fellow cultist named Ellian. The two arrived to the city and set about tracking down the amulet, but they were observed by Torthil, who had been investigating the kidnapping of the tiefling boy. Suspecting Carchuri was involved, Torthil began tracking the duo, locating the amulet at the *Sable Spellbook* shop. Torthil sent her former student, Merril and the group he was travelling with to watch the shop.

Kulos and Ellian arrived to the store and after getting his hands on the amulet and passing it to Ellian, Kulos killed the shopkeeper. He then observed Merril move into position and briefly taunted the blood hunter, introducing himself before striking at him. The speed of the attack greatly wounded Merril and forced the blood hunter to retreat, blocking the doorway as his allies moved into position. Kulos was then shot and badly wounded by Misha, which forced him to rethink his tactics. Using his natural tiefling magic he covered the store entrance in *Darkness* and lay in wait, able to hear any approaching foes. Lonnel was the first to engage him and Kulos quickly dealt several well placed strikes to the barbarian, but realised that he wasn't doing damage fast enough to stop him. Ophelia then joined Lonnel, having located Kulos due to her *Eyes of the Grave* and dealt serious damage to him. Seeing as he had become cornered, Kulos fell back, circling around, though this gave Merril time to catch up to him. He located Ellian's corpse and found that Misha had stolen the Amulet from it. Without many options, Kulos fled back into the darkness, landing another critcally placed strike on Lonnel, but he was quickly cornered by Merril, who bisected him from shoulder to hip with his spiked chain, killing the Reaper once more, though this time Kulos died with a smile on his face.

## **Relationships**

### **Riza**

Kulos was the closest thing Riza had to a friend, especially during their early days together facing Strahd. However, later on, as Riza was further consumed by her mission, she came to see Kulos as her right hand and most reliable servant. Kulos served Riza faithfully, believing that the chaos that Tharizdun would bring if she succeeded would provide a great deal of opportunity and amusement.

### **Korg**

Kulos regarded Korg as a powerful fellow warrior and respected him more than the other members of the Council did. Despite this, Kulos did not speak out against the blood magic control Riza exerted over the barbarian, instead appreciating the power that Korg wielded and therefore provided the Council.

### **Hannah**

Hannah and Kulos had a deadly rivalry, even attempting to kill one another in a bid to serve as Riza's right hand on the Council of Echoes. As such, Kulos was almost gladdened by the news of her death at Hindsight's hands.

### **Hindsight**

Kulos often fought against Hindsight and found them to be worthy opponents. He was capable of defeating certain members of the party, yet against certain members, he found himself outmatched. He learned this far too late as he fought Bishop in the Gatshadow and the gunslinger overcame and slew him.

### **Ireena Kolyana**

Despite his inital promise to protect her, Kulos came to resent Ireena. He blamed her and the task to save her from Strahd for causing his original death. As such, he took great pleasure when torturing and interrogating her while she was a prisoner of the Council of Echoes.

## **Equipment**

Kulos wore black studded leather armour, a blank ivory mask and a top hat.

### **Notable Items**

* Pepperbox pistol - After his encounter with Bishop in Westruun, Kulos was inspired and created his own gun in mockery of the hero.
* Poisoned Daggers - Kulos wielded twin daggers that had been blessed by the cults of Zehir, coating them in a constant layer of wyvern poison that would last until the magic on them was dispelled, after his death these daggers passed on to Lindal Greenbottle.
* *Death's Sting* - Following her capture, Ireena Kolyana's rapier was taken by Kulos and enchanted, turning the metal black and causing the weapon to also assault the minds of its victims, dealing psychic damage.

## **Trivia**

* Riza, Korg and Kulos were all briefly played again by their original players in a one shot adventure that involved the council uncovering Tharizdun's prison in the Gatshadow following the gathering of all the required vestiges.
* Kulos' personality as the Reaper was drastically different from the one seen in Barovia, a fact that was meant to emulate the Joker going insane after falling into chemicals in Batman.
* In the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse makeup of the Council of Echoes, Kulos was meant to represent Conquest, one of the original horsemen, who is now more traditionally replaced with Pestilence.