Mocic Ashplantt

**Mocic Ashplantt** (also known as Izek Strazni) is a human fighter from the Cosarchian Kingdom. He is the older brother of Narid Ashplantt and the grandson of Zemli Dubovoye.

Once a promising young officer within the Cosarchian cavalry division, Mocic was implicated in a plot against the ruling Ronamy dynasty and was imprisoned. Subsequently the labour camp he was kept at was broken into by bandits and he was sold into slavery.

He was part of a group that were able to escape the captivity of the fearsome Skullfuckers Pirate Gang and escaped to the city of Leon.

In 1492 DR in Barovia the Vallaki Commander of the Watch Izek Strazni revealed his true identity to be Mocic Ashplantt, having been transported to the demiplane years prior.

## History

### Cosarchian Kingdom

#### Early life

The son of Levo and Olga Ashplantt, Mocic was born in the village of Sedossa in 1469 DR. He is the older brother of Narid and Ekatia.

Levo Ashplantt was a cobbler by trade, however when merchants from Cosarchia City moved into the village their cheap imported goods put Levo out of business and he was forced to take up work on a local farm.

Mocic helped his father in the fields until he was 15, at which time he was allowed to join the Cosarchian army, and within 12 months he had been admitted to the cavalry division where he showed substantial promise as a soldier and as a leader.

#### Cavalry

In his second week with the cavalry they were dispatched to disrupt and destroy a gang of dwarves that were kidnapping large groups of villagers at a time and selling them into slavery. Mocic was to learn that these fearsome and merciless beings are known as the duergar. Their ruthlessness and magical prowess lead to the death of many members of his unit, including Joffe Illian. Joffe had joined the Cosarchian army three days before Mocic and the two of them struck up an immediate friendship. Despite his unathletic build Joffe was an accomplished rider. On his final eve the cavalry were posted on the brow of a hill overlooking the small village of Micrea on the edge of a thin forest. Their scouts had alerted them to possible duergar activity in the area and the village was thought to be a prime target.

Upon hearing the first cry of despair the order was given for the cavalry to charge and the front line, including both Joffe and Mocic whistled down the banking with ferocious haste. The duergar were caught unsuspecting and were mowed down. The mission appeared a complete success, with the remaining dwarves retreating deep into the dark forest, yet a flash of lightening was cast back into the village. There was no time to react. Joffe fell from his steed. Mocic and his mount, Kresinsky, carried his body back to base.

When Mocic was 18 Levo fell ill and could not work, yet Mocic was not granted leave from the cavalry due to the ongoing War of Green Fields; he went home to support his family anyway.

Soon afterwards, in the year 1487 DR, he was falsely implicated into an assassination attempt against Lord Duckmountain in the city of Thollos and was deported into the Cosarchian wastelands to the notorious Kirkis labour camp, where he remained for two years.

### Ithica

#### Imprisonment

Initially interned in the Kirkis labour camp, in 1489 DR Mocic was part of a group of prisoners that were broken out and kidnapped by bandits to be sold into slavery at Skullfucker Bay on the island of Ithica.

The new jailors were an unsavoury rowdy bunch of hobgoblins, goblins, and humans who were at best a violent gang. For months he and other captured prisons continued to be kept in conditions even worse than those at the labour camp.

Mocic was asleep when the wanton slamming of jail doors opening began, and he was jerked from his six cubic metre cell by two armed hobgoblins. He and three other prisoners – Guardiana Lessien Woodsoul, Baern Balderk, and Brocc Ningel Stumbleduck Brightblade - were all lead down a dark corridor and into a hallway by their accompanying hobgoblins to another who stood before a table. He offered the prisoners weapons from the table, from which Mocic took a shortsword and a dagger. The dwarf cast an entanglement spell on a hobgoblin blocking the exit and attempted to flee down the passageway ahead of them, and after briefly attempting to calm the situation Mocic followed. The corridor opened into the arena of a colosseum.

As further prisoners across from them lined up to enter the arena it was clear that the bloodthirsty mob around them expected to see the prisoners fight their fellow slaves. Mocic dashed across the colosseum floor and leapt into the air, reaching the top of the 10 foot high arena wall, where he pulled himself up to scale the barrier.

Hobgoblin guards from either side raced towards him and Mocic picked a direction and charged – with a burst of strength he powered a hobgoblin from the wall into the pit below. He barged into a tavern and went for what looked like a back door to exit, however it was a broom cupboard, and as he turned back around he was struck in the face by a hobgoblin guard.

He regained his composure and slashed at the guard with his shortsword, and as the hobgoblin clasped at his gaping stomach Mocic thrust the dagger into the hobgoblin's chest, finishing him. Mocic took the guard's spear along with keys found on his person then turned to the panicking mob within the tavern. He stepped forcefully towards a nearby goblin and demanded its backpack and directions for escape; the opposite end of the arena was pointed out.

He placed his sword, dagger, and the keys into the backpack and wielded the spear as he made his way around the colosseum. He lunged through a silk curtain and skewered another hobgoblin, who was finished off by a burst of fire from the dwarf down below.

As Mocic looked below at his fellow prisoners being forced to fight there was a final hobgoblin approaching – the guard he had barged down below once before. Mocic ran to meet him again and before they met he swung his spear sideways to crack the hobgoblin down once more, this time to his end.

Mocic lay flat on his stomach and extended the spear to the three prisons he had entered the colosseum with and using the spear managed to climb out of the pit. The gnome, Brocc, was unconscious and Mocic carried him once they had got him up.

They made their way through an alleyway which lead out into a bustling cove containing a pirate port. Mocic recognised the insignia around him – this was the lair of the fearsome Skullfuckers pirate gang lead by Drussus Skullskewer.

They charged onto a rowing boat where Mocic was able to put down Brocc and begin rowing with force, and they left the beach, attempting to sail out of the cavern to seek shelter. However they were caught before their escape could be made and after their rowing boat was sunk were forced to surrender, and were badly beaten before being taken into a new prison room. Before being left Mocic and Guardiana had ther noses cut off as punishment for trying to escape.

The room was filled with groupings of all races and the group set about trying to persuade the various tribes to their cause, with varying degrees of success. Brocc managed to broker an understanding with the imprisoned humans, headed by Zanthe of Leon, a princess from the northern Rosarian dominion. Mocic formed a bond with the orcs following a bloody brawl, and ultimately the orcs, along with the humans, dwarves and hobgoblins within the dungeon united to overthrow their captors.

Baern and Guardiana managed to locate a tunnel into the hobgoblin guards’ break room and the group burst in and killed the guards within, and from here staged their escape. The group descended on the colosseum to face Drussus Skullskewer and his fearsome crew, who opened fire with magical shooting sticks. Baern wildshaped into a bear and charged at the crew from one side with Brocc riding his back whilst Mocic and the orcs charged from the other, with Guardiana and the humans following up with ranged offensives.

As the battle wore on the Skullfuckers were scythed down, and Brocc was able to steal two of the three magical shooting sticks from Skullskewer. After his crew were defeated Skullskewer challenged Mocic to one-on-one unarmed combat, which Mocic naively accepted. As Mocic gained the upper hand Skullskewer attempted to draw weapons but he was not able to turn them on Mocic and was defeated. Mocic realised his revenge and executed Skullskewer, taking his nose as a prize.

As part of the agreement with the hobgoblin prisoners they were to be anointed the new leaders of Skullfucker Bay, with their head Festun to be the new chief. As he demanded the ceremonial shooting sticks be handed over to him Brocc opened fire, killing Festun. In the resulting melee with Festun’s remaining men Guardiana was struck down and killed.

As the group handed over control of the territory to a dwarven ally from the dungeon, Falin, they renamed the bay Guardiana Bay in honour of their fallen friend, before commandeering one of the Skullfucker boats and sailing to Leon to return Zanthe and her people home.

#### City of Leon

All was not well in Leon, and it soon became apparent that the King, and as a result the Kingdom itself, had fallen under undue influence of a group of people headed by Grantham Epplestein. After failing to glean much information from former ministers of the Kingdom it was the fearsome soldier Constantin Baldor that shed most light on the situation.

Epplestein and his people had arrived two years ago and ever since seemed to occupy all of the positions of power, and the King himself, formerly a proud warrior, was now a shell of himself and seemed only to operate with Epplestein’s instruction.

After a lengthy drinking session Baldor advised the party of some of Epplestein’s top men, including Weinstein - his right-hand man, Sachs, and Goldman - who was in control of tithes given to the unseen shadow dragons, from which Epplestein claimed to keep the Kingdom safe.

The party drunkenly found their way to Goldman’s home and began spying on the house to work out how viable an attempt on his life could be. Baern managed to find a way inside the house undetected, however he did not let Mocic and Brocc know, so when he did not return after five minutes they became concerned he had been discovered. In the ensuing chaos Goldman’s three guards were drawn outside with Goldman himself and on impulse, with Brocc’s assistance in distracting and blinding the guards, Mocic executed Goldman.

### Barovia

#### Izek Strazni

At some point between 1489 DR and 1492 DR Mocic was transported to Barovia, and had a disfigured demonic arm with the ability to cast fire. He quickly rose through the ranks in Vallaki and proved his prowess in battle, earning him the top rank in the town's guard.

During the Festival of the Blazing Sun he beheaded Sigismund in combat in protection of the Baron's son, Victor Vallakovich.

At the wedding of Count Strahd von Zarovich and Ireena Kolyana he revealed his true identity to his brother, Narid.

He lead a force during the Battle of Ravenloft, keeping many of Strahd's forces out of Castle Ravenloft and preventing them from reinforcing the Count's numbers.

## Appearance

Mocic stands at 6'5" and is of a broad and muscular build. He has blue eyes and short brown hair. His nose was cut off by the pirate captain Drussus Skullskewer as punishment for attempting to escape captivity.

## Personality

Brave and loyal. Mocic feels the urge to help protect those who are not strong enough to protect themselves.

## Relationships

Mocic is close to his family and is especially protective of them.

From their time on the island of Ithica he has struck up a friendship with Brocc.

## Abilities

Mocic is known primarily for his awesome strength and unrelenting ferocity in battle. He is a talented rider and a card shark.

## Goals

### Short term

* Liberate the King of Leon from his apparent bewitchment
* Head out to find his family with Narid

### Long term

* Find out who was behind his imprisonment within the Cosarchian hierarchy so that he can reveal the truth and seek redemption for himself and his family.
* Become General of a large army, and lead his men to glory, defeating evil and conquering lands.
* Make the Ashplantt family into a dynasty.