Nikola Tesla

Nikolai Tesla (Born 979, Age of Men) is a human scholar, arcanist and prodigy. He is best known for his affinity for lightning and electricity-based spells, and his role in the Stormlord Prophecy.

Early Life
Born in the small Malicite town of Mohrglenn, he was one of five children born to Milutin and Duka Tesla. He had an older brother (Dane) and sister (Milka) and two younger sisters (Angelina and Marica). His father was a cleric of Frigga (Achaea), and his brother was also training to become one. Much of his youth would be spent in his brother’s shadow, as Dane was often the centre of attention. This suited Nikolai just fine however, as he was often too absorbed in books and manuscripts to care. Throughout his childhood he would be cared for primarily by his older sister Milka, and often followed her about when he had nothing to read.

When he was ten, a travelling arcanist passed through their town. Upon seeing the wizard’s magical powers, he had a revelation – His calling was not that of an acolyte, but of an arcanist. He soon became obsessed with magic - a trait that often caused conflict between him and his father – ultimately resulting on Tesla running away from home at the age of 12. He headed south to Malus City, where he would join the Magiery. Unbeknownst to him, his father and brother gave chase but were ambushed by Redcaps, resulting in their death. Because of this, hardship came upon their family and over the next few years they struggled to survive, with Marica losing both her arms to illness.

During this time, it became apparent that Nikolai was no ordinary boy. He absorbed knowledge at an exponential rate, and his power and skill quickly surged forward. Not even halfway through his first year he was extended an invitation to the academy at Oron City, an offer that he happily accepted.

Time in Oron City
Nikola took to his new home like a duck to water, and sped through his years at the college in record time, graduating at the age of 17 – making him the youngest scholar to graduate with honours since Archmage Baurinn himself. He received a research grant from the Mageocratic Council and began his research into the nature of magic. He quickly gained a reputation as a controversial and reckless scholar, with many wild ideas and theories about the essence of magic. Despite his brilliance, he could not get recognition from the magical community and after three years of frustration he left the City, determined to find proof of his theories in the world below. Nikolai made few friends during his time in Oron City, as many viewed him as too eccentric and wild for proper society. It is these exact traits however that earned him the friendship of one Callon [NAME], a sprite musician and troublemaker with whom he shared a loft with during his research days. Callon, or Cael as he preferred to be called, would often help Tesla in his experiments – a habit that cost him his eyebrows more than once. Even so, the sprite was fascinated by the energy that Tesla seemed to exude when talking about his theories, perhaps one that could even rival the energy of his own kind. And you know, what’s an explosion or two between friends?

Journey to Verde
When Tesla decided to venture to the mainland, he was joined by his friend Cael, who would accompany him for much of his journey. Arriving in the port city of Minato, Tesla and Cael joined a Black Order convoy heading to Clador, where he hoped to get his answers. He could feel a powerful storm brewing in the north, and knew that he must be there when it breaks. It was in this convoy where he met Evi and Fishy Joe, and the four would soon become fast friends. The convoy itself was lead by Ikaros the Metal Mage and his apprentice Cecilia. On their travels they would meet Belius the Hunter (and his familiar Janie), Enoch the Sanhedrin and Ester of the Long Cloud.

Stopping near the ruined city of Shiroishi, the Order began preparations to cross the Black Lands. During this time, Tesla met the MK IV Black Initiates as well as Hektor the Woodling and Gennadios the Dirgesinger. While waiting, Evi struck out towards the ruined city and Tesla, Joe and Cael quickly followed her in attempt to stop her. They found themselves trapped in the redcap-infested citadel when they were suddenly attacked by a Blutkrieger. While trapped, Tesla learns that Shiroishi was once Evi’s home, explaining her sudden urge to see it once more.

Exploring the ruins, they happen across a dishevelled, mute prisoner in the dungeons. They quickly discover he is there of his own volition as it seems he possesses superhuman strength and endurance. The man joins them briefly, helping to fend off the redcaps before he is assaulted by a huge spectral monster which seems to render him helpless. They spend two more days trapped in the citadel before they are rescued by the Black Initiates. During this time, they do the only thing they can – talk. They learn much about each other, and their bonds grow ever closer. When they are finally rescued, they learn that it is nothing more than a happy coincidence as the Initiate’s true objective was to apprehend the prisoner they found, whose name is revealed to be Isembard. He is taken into custody and they return to the camp unharmed.

Upon returning, they discover the means by which they are to cross the Black Lands – a massive, crustacean-like construct that Ikaros calls ALICE. The convoy board ALICE and head through the Sanmyaku pass and into the Black Lands.

Through the Black Lands
Their first stop is to pick up their guide and navigator Fane, whom they are surprised to learn is a redcap. A native to the Black Lands, he is a Redcap of demonic persuasion who is bound into service by the Order by cold iron shackles. With his knowledge, they would not get lost in the shifting wastes of the Black Lands. Their journey brings them into conflict with the hostile creatures of the Black Lands and they fight back many perils including giants, zombies and necromentals. To complete their journey, they must first pass through the realms of three Lords of Black Lands.

Crossing the border into the realm of Faelion the Drider King, they battle against his undead forces until Faelion himself appears to fight them. After a brief battle, he is recognized by Ikaros as a former student of his from Ancient Suel. Seeing this, the Drider King allows them to pass unmolested.

The next realm they enter is the fog-filled lair of the Watcher in the Waste, an enigmatic and horrifying being covered with unblinking eyes. Gen barters a deal with the horrifying being and they pass through his realm with relative ease.

The final region to go through is the marsh-filled lair of the Black Wyrm. Across the murky swamps and poison lakes they do battle with Grimshaw, an undead pirate and herald of the Black Wyrm. As it looks like they’re about to defeat the zombified scourge, the Black Wyrm himself appears. With no other choice, the Initiates free Isembard from his bindings and he does battle with the great dragon as the convoy escape into Threllkeld. They pass through here as well, eventually stopping in Ryedale. The convoy depart, taking the south road to Malus. Tesla decides to accompany Evi and Joe a while longer, and they take the west road towards Heim. They don’t make it to Heim however, and are ambushed on a cliff-road by Fey. On the brink of death Tesla unleashes a massive surge of power, causing a landslide. In the chaos the group are scattered and Tesla is knocked unconscious.

The Stormlord Prophecy
As he lies unconscious, he has a vision of a mansion floating in the sky. He enters, compelled by a female voice. There he meets Prophet, who tells him of his role in things to come. She says that he is the Stormlord, a safeguard created by the Gods in case mortals ever become too powerful, and that he will destroy the world. She tells him that when the time comes, he will have to make a choice, and that what he chooses will spell the world’s ending.

He awakes, having been found by Graham Talbot, a Knight Vindicator who happened to be passing by. The two travel south towards Malus, Tesla still reeling from his dreamlike revelation. Soon they pass through Tesla’s home town of Mohrglenn, only to find it infested by vampires. Tesla charges in in a rage, completely destroying the vampires with the help of Talbot and Naxalotl, the town’s crypt-keeper and sole surviving resident. As his anger builds, his control weakens until he can no longer maintain it. Much of the town is destroyed by the blast that emanates from Tesla as he loses it and he is left in a smoking crater. Nax perishes in the blast, and Talbot barely survives.

Tesla arrives in Malus City and meets Evi and Gen, who happen to arrive at a similar time. Evi decides to stay with Tesla for the time being, as Gen attempts to get help from the Black Order in the city. They find board with a mage tailor named Xavier Dalhand, whose practices are being impinged on by the strict regulations on magic being enforced by the government due to a magical accident that occurred in the western quarter, resulting on it being evacuated. They learn of the Eldritch Freedom Fighters, a group of rogue arcanists led by Sarah Walker, who plan to overthrow the current, oppressive government. The group learn that Xavier is a necromancer, and that his manservant Haig is in fact a ghoul. He recognizes her clan symbol and memories flood back into him, revealing his past as a reijin warrior.

The group is swept up in the revolution and things quickly spiral out of control. As the rebellion turns into open battle in the streets, the quarantine around the western quarter is broken, causing the contamination to begin to spread into the rest of the city. Monstrous creatures pour into the streets, causing mayhem and havoc. The Black Order quickly jumps into action – as the Eldritch Freedom Force celebrates their success, an arcane warhead is detonated in the Western quarter. The destruction is immense. Half of the city is consumed by fire, scourging the contamination from the streets along with many innocents. Tesla is blown away by the blast, as is Xavier.

In his dreams, Tesla meets the giantess Prophet once again. This time she explains to him what his powers truly mean – he is to become the Stormlord, a being whose power shall grow so immense that it can destroy all evil and rend the world into pieces – a blank slate from which life can begin anew. He is given a glimpse into the future, and where his path must lead. He awakens in the ruins of the city, shielded by a dome of crackling energy. Rising from the debris, he knows he must head back to Mohrglenn – there he will find his path once again.

Tesla explores the crypts of Mohrglenn. He learns that a nest of vampires has survived, hiding deep within. He goes deeper, eliminating each vampire he meets until he comes across Archen, one of his fathers friends, now a vampire. Archen, knowing he is no match for Tesla, brings forth a giant flesh golem to battle him. The golem is too much for Tesla to handle, but he knows better than to fight it. Avoiding the giant’s blows, he darts past after Archen and destroys him with a burst of lightning. The golem, freed from his servitude, rampages through the tomb but is calmed by Tesla who is able to feed it a stable current. He continues exploring the tomb until he reaches the tomb of his father and brother. At this time he hears his brother’s voice, telling him that his family survived the vampire massacre. His brother challenges him to come to Halifax, where his family now reside. Tesla is filled with resolve and begins his journey westward, his new companion in tow.

On the way however, he is captured by the sellsword Mercer and imprisoned. Here he meets Twigs, an ex-bandit (or so he says) whose slippery skills help both of them escape to Halifax. Twigs decides to stick around, finding it very convenient to partner up with someone with such explosive talents.

Tesla arrives in Halifax where he is greeted by the half-mad Novigen, who introduces himself as a student of Tesla’s father. He tells him that he is aware of Dane’s trial, and will help Tesla any way he can. They head to an abandoned temple of Frigga, where they finally meet Dane face-to-face, and they discover his status as a fallen angel. He states that because Tesla abandoned his family in his youth he will now be punished by knowing what it feels like to truly lose them. After subjecting him to a number of impossible trials in which his family members are gruesomely killed, Dane reveals that their family was safe all along, and that Novigen was in on it the whole time. Tesla, with a newfound appreciation of the family he almost lost, resolves to protect them and make sure the Stormlord prophecy never comes true.

The Enigma
What follows now is a mystery. On all accounts it seems like Nikola Tesla just disappears from the world, as does people’s memories of him. Events close in like scars to fill the gaps, but cannot completely erase his presence. There are a handful who can still recall him – His face, his voice, his deeds… But all in a misty, ephemeral way like a half-remembered dream or feeling of déjà vu. Those who were closest to him, those whose destiny was entwined with his – Twigs, Evitaerc, Cael, Joe… These are those who Remember. They are the only ones who can untwine this mystery.

Powers and Abilities
Nikolai Tesla is a formidable Arcanist who specializes in the use of electricity- and lightning-based magic. He can conjure bolts of lightning from his fingertips and make tremendous static explosions at a distance. He can fly using magical means and charge him and his allies with magical energy, increasing their speed and reactions. Later in his career he learned how to transmute his body into living lightning, granting himself immense speed and manoeuvrability.

In addition to his magical powers, Tesla is an extremely fast learner, able to quickly understand and manipulate most things after only a brief period of observation. However, this gift doesn’t translate too well to words and he finds it difficult to explain to others what he can so easily comprehend.

Tesla’s main weakness is his lack of hand-to-hand combat experience. He is not particularly strong and can easily be overcome by an experienced warrior should he be able to get close. Unfortunately for them, Tesla’s ability to attack from a long range combined with his extreme manoeuvrability make this situation very unlikely.