Lakash Quallad

Lakash Quallad presents himself as a charming and successful Oeridian Oerid merchant from Dyvers, recently relocated to the bustling city of Verbobonc. Known for his friendly demeanor and community involvement, Lakash quickly established himself as a respected figure in local commerce and society. His partnership with gnome families from the Kron Hills and his charitable activities have earned him a reputation as a trustworthy and benevolent individual, enhancing his integration into the highest circles of Verbobonc society.

• Public Perception: Lakash is seen as a generous and savvy businessman who actively contributes to the community’s welfare.
• Business Acumen: Successfully navigated the complex trade dynamics between Verbobonc and the Kron Hills, seemingly fostering good relations and economic prosperity.

Lakash Quallad: The Shadow of House Krivaltis

Lakash Quallad, born Lakash Krivaltis, was the youngest child of Lord Eldris and Lady Marietta Krivaltis. As the only son in the family, he was originally groomed to one day inherit the family’s small estate. Lakash displayed a keen intellect and an uncanny ability to manipulate those around him from an early age. However, these qualities, which should have served House Krivaltis well, were instead directed toward ambition that would ultimately diverge from his sister’s goals.

Youth in the Shadow of a Failing House

Privileged Beginnings:

Lakash enjoyed a comfortable upbringing, sheltered from the burdens of ruling the estate that his father and elder sister bore. As a boy, he was indulged by his mother, who believed his intelligence destined him for greatness.

Witnessing the Betrayal:

Lakash was privy to his father’s secret dealings with the Temple of Elemental Evil, often eavesdropping on conversations between Lord Eldris and Lucius Graeme, the Temple courier. While Nysera sought to uphold the family’s honor, Lakash quietly admired Lucius’s cunning and resourcefulness.

The Fall of House Krivaltis

When their father was exposed and executed for treason, Lakash fled with his sister under the guidance of Sir Torvel Hawkes. Though outwardly united, the siblings harbored vastly different ambitions. While Nysera sought to restore House Krivaltis by reclaiming her title and lands, Lakash viewed the family’s downfall as an opportunity to forge a new identity and pursue personal power. He abandoned the Krivaltis name, adopting his mother’s maiden name, Quallad, to escape scrutiny and craft a new reputation.

Relationship with Lady Nysera Krivaltis

Shared Goals, Divergent Paths:

Though Lakash and Nysera Krivaltis both aim to rise in the ranks of the Viscounty, their methods often clash. Nysera is focused on restoring the family’s honor and influence through political maneuvering and calculated alliances. Lakash, in contrast, thrives in the shadows, using subterfuge and manipulation to gain leverage.

• Mutual Dependency: Despite their differences, the siblings maintain a pragmatic alliance:- Nysera’s Perspective: Nysera views Lakash as a valuable but dangerous ally. She respects his cunning but remains wary of his loyalty, knowing his ambitions often supersede familial bonds.
• Lakash’s Perspective: Lakash supports Nysera's bid to become mayor of Nulb, recognizing that her success could provide him with valuable connections and resources. However, he sees her quest for honor as naïve and is prepared to act against her if it jeopardizes his plans.

Role in House Krivaltis’s Downfall

Silent Accomplice:

While Lakash never directly assisted his father’s treasonous activities, his inaction spoke volumes. Unlike Nysera, who openly opposed their father’s dealings with Lucius Graeme, Lakash quietly observed and learned from the subterfuge.- He used his knowledge to ingratiate himself with Lucius and, by extension, the Temple of Elemental Evil.- After the house’s fall, Lucius recognized Lakash’s potential and brought him into the Temple’s network as an informant and recruiter.

Resentment Toward Eldris:

Lakash harbored mixed feelings about his father’s actions. He resented Eldris for his failure and weakness but admired his audacity in seeking power outside the constraints of the Viscounty’s nobility.

Ascending the Political Ladder in Verbobonc

Lakash Quallad, already established as a successful and influential merchant in Verbobonc, is now strategically fostering alliances with the nobility and affluent merchants. His aim is clear: to secure a position within the esteemed Senate, an influential body in the city’s governance. His charm and cunning have made him a popular figure among the city’s elite, setting the stage for his ascent to political power.

Building Influence

Lakash's efforts to ingratiate himself with Verbobonc’s upper echelons are multifaceted, involving both public engagements and private negotiations.

• Social Engagements: Attends and sponsors key social events, using these platforms to build relationships with influential figures in the city.
• Strategic Partnerships: Forms alliances with powerful merchant families and nobility, offering them lucrative business deals and mutual support in civic matters.

Target: The Senate and Chamber of 13

Understanding the political structure of Verbobonc is crucial for Lakash’s ambitions. His ultimate goal is to gain a seat within the Senate and potentially influence the Chamber of 13.

• The Senate: Composed of the wealthiest members of the merchant class, it holds considerable sway in the city's governance. Gaining a seat here would provide Lakash with significant legislative power and access to the city’s inner political workings.
• The Chamber of 13: While not his primary target, influencing this judicial body could further secure his position by aligning legal outcomes with his interests. The Chamber, responsible for most legal claims and policy reviews, is crucial for maintaining his operations under the guise of legality.

Political Strategy

Lakash's approach to climbing the political ladder involves careful manipulation and the exploitation of the existing political framework.

• Influence Campaigns: Conducts campaigns to influence public opinion and the perception of his business and philanthropic activities, enhancing his reputation as a benefactor of the city.- Legal Manipulations: Leverages legal loopholes and his connections within the Chamber of 13 to protect his interests and extend his influence in city politics.

Goal: Senate Membership

Securing a position in the Senate is not merely a matter of wealth for Lakash; it requires strategic positioning and the accumulation of political capital.

• Election Strategy: Engages in behind-the-scenes maneuvers to ensure his election to the Senate, including securing endorsements from key figures and deploying his wealth to outmaneuver competitors.
• Long-Term Ambitions: Aims to use his Senate position to further his hidden agenda, strengthening his control over the city’s economic and political systems to benefit his true masters.

Role in Nysera’s Campaign in Nulb

• Covert Support: Lakash assists Nysera Krivaltis by undermining her rivals in Nulb, spreading misinformation, and recruiting allies through his connections in the Temple. He feeds her valuable intelligence while keeping her unaware of his direct ties to the Temple’s leadership.
• Hidden Agenda: Lakash’s ultimate goal is to leverage Nysera’s rise to power to gain greater influence within the Temple. He believes that by solidifying their control over Nulb, the siblings can become indispensable to the Temple’s plans, securing his own position as a trusted agent of its leadership.

Conclusion

The Wolf in Merchant's Clothing: Lakash Quallad epitomizes the danger of a wolf in sheep's clothing, using his charm and business acumen to mask a nefarious agenda. His role as a seemingly benevolent merchant belies a calculated effort to destabilize Verbobonc from within, serving as a stark reminder of the complex interplay between appearance and reality in the world of commerce and politics.

Beneath the Surface

Hidden Agendas and Secret Missions

While Lakash Quallad's public persona is that of a model citizen and merchant, his true motivations and affiliations are far more sinister. Unbeknownst to the people of Verbobonc, Lakash serves a dark agenda aimed at sowing discord and advancing the goals of the Temple of Elemental Evil.

• Double Life: Publicly a merchant, privately an agent of chaos and destruction under the guise of normalcy.- Secret Mission: Tasked by Hedrack of the Temple of Elemental Evil to disrupt the socio-political landscape of Verbobonc, particularly targeting the alliance between humans and gnomes.
• Elemental Agent: Conner Bridgeforth is his most valuable agent in the field that lobbies political advantage in The Council of Lords of Verbobonc.

Devious Strategies

Fomenting Discord

Lakash’s operations in Verbobonc are calculated and manipulative, designed to undermine the stability of the region without exposing his true affiliations or intentions.

• Creating Incidents: Initiates subtle provocations to strain relations between humans and gnomes, exploiting existing prejudices and minor conflicts.
• Economic Sabotage: Employs brigands and other malevolent forces to disrupt trade routes between the Greenway Valley and Verbobonc, framing each side against the other to foster mistrust and resentment.

Phase 1: Inciting Subtle Discord

Objective: Subtly strain relations between humans and gnomes Subtly strain relations between humans and gnomes

• Stirring Minor Conflicts: Introduce small, seemingly isolated incidents that highlight and exacerbate existing cultural tensions.
• Cultural Misunderstandings: Capitalize on historical prejudices and misunderstandings between the two communities to sow seeds of discord.

Methodology: Covert Operations

• Anonymous Agitators: Deploy agents to instigate disputes at markets and public gatherings.
• Propaganda: Spread rumors and misinformation that question the loyalty and intentions of both human and gnome traders.

Phase 2: Economic Sabotage and Misdirection

• Objective: Escalate tensions by disrupting critical trade routes
• Interference with Trade: Hire brigands to attack caravans traveling between the Greenway Valley and Verbobonc, specifically targeting gnome caravans.
• Planting Evidence: Leave evidence that implicates Verbobonc's patrols in these attacks, such as gnome coinage on defeated brigands.

Methodology: Strategic Disruption

• Targeted Attacks: Selectively disrupt only those trade shipments that would cause the most suspicion and potential for conflict.
• False Flag Operations: Operate in a manner that directs blame towards the other party, ensuring that each side views the other as the aggressor.

Phase 3: The Breakdown of Relations

Objective: Sever all political and economic ties between gnomes and humans

• Inciting Major Incidents: Engineer a significant event that would force the city's leaders to take drastic action against the gnome population.
• Legal and Social Pressure: Manipulate the legal system and public opinion to support the expulsion or severe restriction of gnome activities in Verbobonc.

Methodology: Final Push

• Ultimatum: Create a scenario where the city must choose between its safety and its economic relationship with the gnomes.
• Exploitation of Outcomes: Use the outcome of the ultimatum to solidify the separation and ensure ongoing mistrust and division.

These phases outline a meticulous plan by Lakash Quallad to destabilize the region, each step building on the last to achieve a comprehensive breakdown in relations, paving the way for his benefactors' greater ambitions.

Strategic Ambition

Lakash Quallad’s Ascent to the Chamber of 13

Lakash Quallad's ultimate political ambition extends beyond mere membership in the Senate to securing a seat on the prestigious Chamber of 13. His goal is rooted in a calculated desire to exert direct influence and control over the Council of Lords, which operates under the oversight of Viscount Wilfrick Verdanhart of Verbobonc. This move is crucial for Lakash as it represents an opportunity to manipulate the highest levels of governance in the city, aligning them with his shadowy objectives.

Influence and Control

Gaining a position on the Chamber of 13 is not just a status symbol for Lakash—it is a strategic necessity that would allow him to shape policy and legal outcomes at the highest level.

• Direct Access to the Council of Lords: As a member of the Chamber of 13, Lakash would have regular interactions with the Council of Lords, providing him with opportunities to influence their decisions and align them with his hidden agendas.
• Manipulation of Legal Frameworks: The Chamber of 13 plays a critical role in reviewing and adjudicating legal claims and policy issues. By being part of this body, Lakash could manipulate legal outcomes to protect his operations and weaken his adversaries.

Political Leverage

Being on the Chamber of 13 would also give Lakash leverage over other political entities and key figures within the city, enhancing his ability to maneuver and consolidate power discreetly.

• Influence Over Judicial Decisions: The Chamber's role in overseeing legal judgments provides Lakash with a potential tool to exert pressure or offer favors, solidifying his influence over other merchants and political figures.
• Control Over Policy Direction: By influencing policy decisions, Lakash can ensure that the city’s regulatory environment favors his business interests and those of his covert associates.

Long-Term Goals

Lakash's interest in the Chamber of 13 is also driven by long-term strategic goals that align with his deeper affiliations and objectives.

• Stability for Subversive Activities: With a seat on the Chamber, Lakash can create a stable environment that allows him to further his true mission—sowing discord and weakening the city from within to prepare for larger schemes orchestrated by the Temple of Elemental Evil.
• Expanding Influence Beyond Verbobonc: Control over the Chamber could also serve as a stepping stone to broader regional influence, potentially impacting neighboring territories and advancing the overarching goals of his malevolent patrons.

Living Greyhawk Modules

• COR1-00 The Citadel - TOEE dissension in Verbobonc against the Gnomes of the Kron HIlls - Part 1
• COR1-00 The Citadel - TOEE dissension in Verbobonc against the Gnomes of the Kron HIlls - Part 2
• COR1-00 The Citadel - TOEE dissension in Verbobonc against the Gnomes of the Kron HIlls - Part 3
• VER1-04 How Greenway Was My Valley - VER1-04 How Greenway Was My Valley
• VER1-03 Gift of Beauty - VER1-03 Gift of Beauty
• VER1-09 Knights and Days VER1-09 Knights and Days

Lakash Quallad

human male Wiz12 (Enchanter) STR 10 (+0) | DEX 14 (+2) | CON 13 (+1) | INT 22 (+6) | WIS 12 (+1) | CHA 15 (+2)

• Medium humanoid (6 ft. tall)
• HD 12d4+12; hp 40
• AC 17 (+2 Dex, +5 bracers of armor)
• Saving Throws Int +9, Wis +5
• Skills Arcana +10, Deception +7, Insight +6, Persuasion +7
• Senses Passive Perception 11
• Languages Common, Infernal, Elven, Draconic

Equipment: +5 bracers of armor, +5 cloak of resistance, +4 headband of intellect, periapt of proof against poison (+4 bonus to Fort saves vs poison).
Abilities

• Arcane Ward. Lakash has a magical barrier that absorbs up to 12 damage before fading.
• Master of Enchantment. When Lakash casts an Enchantment spell that charms a creature, he can target one additional creature within range.
• Subtle Manipulator. Lakash has advantage on Deception and Persuasion checks when influencing charmed creatures.

Spellcasting. Lakash is a 12th-level spellcaster (Spell Save DC 18, +10 to hit with spell attacks).
Wizard spells 5/7/7/6/5/5/4:

• 0 lvl—read magic, daze, daze, mage hand, open/close;
• 1st lvl—expeditious retreat, charm person, hypnotism, sleep, magic missile, hold portal, ventriloquism;
• 2nd lvl—Tasha’s hideous laughter, detect thoughts, knock, arcane lock, charm person (extended), whispering wind, see invisibility;
• 3rd lvl—displacement, dispel magic, suggestion, suggestion, fly, haste;
• 4th lvl—emotion, magic missile (maximized), confusion, polymorph self, arcane eye;
• 5th lvl—dominate person, dimension door (still), prying eyes, seeming, scrying (extended
• 6th lvl—invisibility (quickened), dominate person (doubled), mass suggestion, circle of death.

Actions

• Arcane Bolt. Ranged Spell Attack: +10 to hit, range 120 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (3d8) force damage.
• Mind Twist (Recharge 5-6). Lakash targets one creature he can see within 60 feet. The target must make a DC 18 Intelligence saving throw or take 22 (4d10) psychic damage and be stunned until the end of its next turn.

Reactions

Instinctive Charm. When a creature targets Lakash with an attack, he can force it to redirect the attack against a different target within range (DC 18 Wisdom save negates).

Alignment

Neutral

Current Status

Political Lobbyist

Current Location

A12 Lakash Quallad's Manor

Species

Humans of Greyhawk

Ethnicity

Oeridian Oerid

Year of Birth

545 31 Years old

Gender

Man

Eyes

red eyed green

Hair

curly balding greying

Height

5'11"

Quotes & Catchphrases

"In the intricate dance of commerce, one must lead with grace and follow with guile."
"A true merchant doesn't just trade goods, he cultivates relationships and harvests trust."
_{This quote showcases Lakash’s purported philosophy of valuing relationships and trust, while secretly manipulating those very bonds for his own ends.}

Aligned Organization

Verbobonc, Viscounty

Other Affiliations

• House Krivaltis

Ruled Locations

• A12 Lakash Quallad's Manor