Insolios - Leo
Embermind Insolios Rhys Verminous (a.k.a. Black Thief; Architect of Ash)
Insolios Verminous was a cunning and calculating Baalzebul-blooded Tiefling artificer born in the frostbitten remnants of the Whispering Alps. Raised in impoverished Iceacre beneath the looming shadow of the ancient white dragon Shemrei, Insolios clawed their way from obscurity through theft, invention, and firepower. A brilliant tactician and developer of experimental artillery powered by the explosive compound “explowder,” Insolios eventually fell in with extraplanar forces, aligning with a powerful Efreet and the enigmatic Overseer. In the end, their ambition and greed led to a meteoric rise and an equally devastating fall—defeated in the arena of Coalacium by the very Archwardens they once betrayed.
Insolios Verminous was a paradoxical figure—a Tiefling shaped by hardship who sought salvation not through redemption, but through precision, fire, and cunning. Though he betrayed heroes and aided villainy, his brilliance remains undeniable. Some say his schematics still lie hidden beneath Ashbourne’s forges, awaiting another mind desperate—or daring—enough to unearth them. In the end, Insolios was not remembered for his morality, but for the burning ingenuity that reshaped war itself.
Original Backstory:
Leo – Insolios – Tiefling Artificer Artillerist Insolios was born among the remaining Tieflings that remained in the original homeland within the Whispering Alps after it was claimed by an Ancient White Dragon called Shemrei – a Member of the Prismatic Parliament. Wanting to help bolster the strengths of Iceacre, Insolios set out to the rumored tinkerers of Ashbourne, developing something that was only theorized to have existed hundreds of years ago, the use of explowder – a fine black power used in explosives. Jobs for Tieflings, let alone impoverished ones that remained in Iceacre were scarce. So, Insolios took jobs as a bounty hunter, stealing hard to get items and earning notoriety as a fantastic thief, in order to earn enough money to begin studying as an artificer. Insolios was a brilliant inventor, taking an interest in improving the current artillery already in place in Iceacre. However, Insolios was one day caught stealing something very expensive and rare and sentenced to 3 years in chains upon the summit of the ashen peak, as per the tradition of Ashbourne’s former leaders centuries ago. Something someone has not been sentenced to in over 50 years. Insolios was travelling to the summit of the ashen peak to collect valuable ores for his machines while awaiting for his sentence to be finished, where he came across a secret tunnel leading to an underground cavern where an efreet was awaiting their arrival. The Efreet had congratulated them on finding the council of Pyre’s stronghold – a singular large cavern adorned with a vast amount of treasure. With Insolios’ greed satiated he spent a few months building trust with this djinn before agreeing to work in exchange for money. The Djinn told them to go through the door at the end to meet their boss. Walking through a door they came face to face with an otherworldly being offering them the chance to help protect any person that they hold dear to them, but they have to do something first, another planar leader – Zion, had taken the armor that was fated for themselves. If they wanted to join the ranks of his personal force – he would have to take the armor from this pretender. With a clear goal in mind, Insolios will continue striving for the Efreet’s and the overseer’s goals as long as he gets paid, began working on crafting a number of items he would need for one of the greatest feats of thievery ever.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Wiry, lean, enduring under cold stress and intense heat from forges.
Body Features
Thin horns curled close to scalp; sharp, agile limbs; semi-glossy skin with mottled green-brown patches.
Facial Features
Slender face, pronounced cheekbones, angular jawline, often unreadable expression.
Identifying Characteristics
Twin brands of the Ashbourne Chains seared onto his forearms; glowing gem embedded in the chestplate of his armor.
Physical quirks
Constant finger tapping or fidgeting with mechanical parts.
Special abilities
Explowder synthesis and deployment
Constructing turrets infused with elemental payloads
Enhancing ranged weapons with short-burst enchantments
Apparel & Accessories
Reinforced ash-black leather coat, infernal circuitry woven through gloves.
Specialized Equipment
Armor of the Lionheart – Magical armor enhancing durability, resistance to fear, and bursts of retaliatory flame.
Ashen Ignitor – Wrist-mounted flintlock firing condensed explowder charges.
Forgebug Familiar – A mechanical beetle that scouts, sabotages mechanisms, or carries volatile vials.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Raised among impoverished Tieflings of Iceacre, scorned and overlooked. Survived through cunning, ambition, and theft.
Education
Self-taught with mentorship from Ashbourne’s rogue artificers; learned through experimentation and reverse-engineering.
Employment
Bounty hunter, thief, artillery designer, contractor for the Council of Pyre, lieutenant of the Overseer.
Accomplishments & Achievements
Invented functional explowder artillery for Iceacre
Designed and built the Anti-Dragon Cannons fo the Whispering Alps
Defeated Archwarden Andel in battle;
Orchestrated the capture of the Archwardens.
Failures & Embarrassments
Underestimating the Archwardens
Mental Trauma
Experiences of ostracization in youth; fractured trust due to exploitation and betrayal; corrupted by greed and infernal whispers.
Intellectual Characteristics
Methodical, deeply strategic thinker; obsessed with cause-effect reasoning.
Morality & Philosophy
Utilitarian and opportunistic; believes in self-made strength but will take shortcuts to power.
Taboos
Public emotional displays; breaking calculated agreements.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Power through invention; security through control; protection for kin—at any cost.
Savvies & Ineptitudes
Savvy: Engineering, sabotage, perception under duress
Inept: Trusting others long-term, working within hierarchies
Likes & Dislikes
Likes: Tinkering in silence, unusual alloys, cold whiskey, outsmarting authority
Dislikes: Clergy, nobility, impulsive orders
Virtues & Personality perks
Loyalty to those he deems worthy, unrivaled focus, fearless in battle
Vices & Personality flaws
Greed, manipulation, arrogance
Personality Quirks
Repeats names back slowly when processing trust; mutters technical terms aloud in tense moments
Hygiene
Clean, sterilized—hates grime not of his own making
Representation & Legacy
Remembered as one of Iceacre’s most notorious inventors turned betrayer; his inventions still influence artillery design today.
Social
Contacts & Relations
The Council of Pyre (Efreeti Syndicate)
Overseer’s Planar Cabal
Former connections in the Ashbourne Tinker’s Guild
Family Ties
Few known relatives—rumored to have a younger sibling still in Iceacre
Religious Views
Rejected traditional deities in favor of extraplanar patronage
Social Aptitude
Polite but distant; can be eerily persuasive when discussing technical topics
Mannerisms
Never turns his back fully to someone; often walks in circles while brainstorming
Hobbies & Pets
Metallurgy, blueprint redrafting, alchemical experimentation
Speech
Formal with a dry wit; voice like grinding cinders under frost
Wealth & Financial state
Modest by noble standards but rich in rare materials and schematics
Current Status
(Deceased) Formerly—securing engineers for the Overseer's planar expansion
Current Location
Honorary & Occupational Titles
Architect of Ash, Embermind of Iceacre
Age
44
Date of Birth
17th Veilshadow 786 AD
Date of Death
8th Umbravor 830AD
Life
785 BCE
829 BCE
Circumstances of Birth
Born into poverty during the deepening isolation of Tiefling clans after Shemrei’s dominance
Circumstances of Death
Fell to the mighty heroes known as the Archwardens
Birthplace
Whispering Alps - Iceacre Outskirts
Place of Death
Coalacium - Grand Arena
Children
Current Residence
Formerly Iceacre and later Ashbourne/Summit of Ashen Peak
Sex
Male
Eyes
Piercing emerald with a faint sickly glow
Hair
Short, slicked back, coal-black
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Oily dark brown with sickly sheen
Height
5'11"
Weight
145 lbs
Quotes & Catchphrases
“You want safety? I’ll build it from fire and fear.”
“Every flaw is just an invention waiting to be born.”
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