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Tilsman, the Ambitious

Alignment: Evil
Domain: Greater God, known as the God of Shadows
Symbol: Mask of the Scarred
Appearance: On the mortal plane, Tilsman appeared as a human of average build garbed all in black. The most noticeable thing about Tilsman's appearance is that he is always seen wearing a grotesque mask which covers 3/4 of his face, and a black glove covering his left hand.

History: Like many of the gods, Tilsman's greatest desire is to rule supreme. Unfortunately, Tilsman was among the youngest and least respected of the gods and was never afforded the opportunities of the more senior gods like Phykrell or Crest. He was even required to share a stair in the heaven's with his twin brother, Canter. As a result, Tilsman became an angry and jealous god who was frustrated with his place among the stars. Since he was unable to gain power through the same means as the other gods, Tilsman decided he would retreat to the shadows and wait for his own opportunities.

When Phykrell made his first attempt to rule the gods, Tilsman agreed to support Phykrell in exchange for a gift. Phykrell presented Tilsman with a great silver staff that contained powers not yet completely understood by the gods, but Tilsman could sense that the staff possessed great power, perhaps more power than even Phykrell was aware, and he set a goal to find out precisely what those powers were. Soon thereafter, Crest came forth with knowledge of magic and offered to share this knowledge with the other gods in exchange for gifts of their own. From Tilsman and Canter, Crest desired an enchantment cast upon his moon fortress in order for him to control the four elements. Tilsman was not thrilled about the idea, but Canter was so excited to learn this new magic that Tilsman agreed to assist his him. After all, Canter had always been a loyal and considerate brother and, unlike the other gods, had never discouraged Tilsman from his pursuits.

As the years passed, Tilsman watched Crest gain more and more power from his followers, and he became immensely jealous. It was not fair that Crest should have so much power! Tilsman approached the god Walltell, who had also been watching Crest with interest, and told him of his feelings. Walltell advised Tilsman that the key to Crest's growing power was his increasing number of followers, and that Tilsman need only gain followers of his own to increase his power. After thinking about Walltell's words, Tilsman came upon an idea. He went to Walltell and suggested that the two of them cast a great spell upon so that the two gods could draw power from the moon fortress and gain followers of their own. While Walltell advised Tilsman that he had no desire to gain power or followers that way, he told Tilsman that he would assist him in exchange for Tilsman's Midnight Dagger, a dagger which contained powers of light and darkness, and that could kill a mortal instantly with a mere scratch by the blade. Tilsman reluctantly agreed to the bargain, for his Midnight Dagger was his most prized possession, but he possessed other powerful daggers and it was worth sacrificing for the power that awaited him.

Thus, Walltell and Tilsman cast the spell upon Crest's moon fortress. As a result, Tilsman was able to draw power from Crest's moon and gained a great number of followers. As Tilsman's power increased, Crest began to weaken. When Crest ultimately discovered what was happening, he ordered his followers to wage war on Tilsman, resulting in the First War of Fate. After the war had gone on for several years, Walltell came to Tilsman and told him that Crest wanted to make peace with him, and was even offering to share power from the moon fortress with Tilsman. Tilsman was encouraged by this, and instantly agreed. With information provided to him by Walltell concerning the various traps laid out throughout the fortress, Tilsman went to Crest. Once inside the fortress, Tilsman instantly fell prey to Walltell's traps. Walltell had betrayed him!! Soon thereafter, Crest bore down upon him with all his might, inflicting massive cuts across his beautiful, youthful face, wounds which would never heal. Fortunately for Tilsman, Crest had underestimated Tilsman's power, and was not aware that Tilsman had mastered the use of shadows. As Crest bore down upon Tilsman a second time, Tilsman disappeared into the shadows and escaped the moon fortress. When he saw his face, Tilsman created a mask out of the shadows and wore it to cover his wounds. He would never forget the trickery of Crest and the betrayal of Walltell and vowed that one day he would get his revenge.

During the Second War of Fate, Phykrell had called Tilsman forth from the shadows to seek his assistance in defeating Veldex and the other gods of good. Since Tilsman felt there was more to gain from assisting Phykrell, he accepted. Phykrell advised him that he needed Tilsman to cover the mortal plane in darkness so that Hellacaster's Army of Death could march unopposed and unchallenged. Tilsman followed the army on its great march, ensuring that the darkness held. What Tilsman did not expect was a soldier from Hellacaster's army to suddenly turn upon him. The undead body of Magilone, still bearing the spirit of the great warrior of good, turned and attacked Tilsman, severing Tilsman's left hand from his body. Screaming, Tilsman fled into the shadows and light spread accross the plane. Not caring what happened to Hellacaster and Phykrell's army, Tilsman fled, blinded by the pain. Since it was a wound inflicted by a mortal, Tilsman knew his hand would eventually return, but he was not prepared for the pain. It was then he realized that, with the loss of his left hand, he had also lost the silver staff given to him by Phykrell. After the war was over, Tilsman returned to the battlefield, engulfed in shadows, but the staff was no where to be found.

So it was and to be that Tilsman was ever hateful of those that had caused him such pain. His vengeance was, of course, placed most prominently on those that had directly caused him harm, the Knights of Magilone. Knowing that the Knights had come to mean a great deal not only to Veldex, but Valdor, Vidal, and Allanbay as well, they would seem a most profitable target. So Tilsman made plans for revenge so sweet it would make even his sober sister Hester smile in appreciation.

The lands of mankind were still ravaged by the many epic battles, undead and other devious beasts had been pushed back but not destroyed. A new city was starting to grow, on the shores of a great lake (some say created by the very tears of Sorn). This city was the gateway from East to West; through it trade caravans began to pass in great numbers. It was this city where the Order of the Knights of Magilone made their home, protecting the city from the evils that still lurked.

Tilsman stood outside the city walls, watching with great interest, as the night patrols were set. He called forth and brought darkness upon the city, a night so black that light dared not puncture it. In the darkness he entered the city and to the great hall where the Knights of Magilone made their home. Whispering in their dreams, Tilsman talked of evil among them, of blaspheme against their chosen god. He laid down memories of a dastardly conspiracy and of charlatans walking among the pure in priestly robes.

At the stroke of midnight, all the knights, 100 strong, rose and laid down their precious amulets upon their beds. They would not defile the great temples by slaying the mimics while wearing their god-given gifts. They marched forth in full armor, before their eyes demonic creatures sprung forth. At every turn, stood another creature of evil tempting and taunting them. With great pride and with glory in their chants, they slew the beasts and marched upon the temples. Inside the temples, they found many more hellish creatures, which they struck down while singing praises to their god Veldex.

Morning came, long overdue, and the streets of the new city were filled with freshly slain and the ruby red blood of nearly 1000 of the cities’ citizens. Every priest in every temple was found savagely dismembered. Women, children, old and young, none were spared. In the center of city, stood a 100 knights caked with blood and flesh. They stared in disbelief at the terror and destruction they had reaped, realizations shining through like the morning sun.

Without a word, without a command, they turned to the Temple of Veldex and the great alter at which they had shared prayers on so many such mornings. A hundred warriors, tears making tracks down blood-covered faces, entered the holy place. Again, purely silence, as the chosen of Veldex committed the only act that could possible consist as punishment in their eyes. And before the sun reached the noon sky, the hundred lay dead at their own hand.


Followers: Tilsman has followers throughout all of the races on the mortal plane. Like their god, the followers of Tilsman are masters of the shadows. They move about unnoticed, and are usually only seen as they are about to inflict a deadly strike upon their victim. Dark thieves, assassins and murderers constitute the majority of Tilsman's followers and they are feared by all other mortals. The greatest of Tilsman's assassins are called the Shadowlords, and they are hired often by the Shroud to seek out priests, clerics, and warriors who follow the gods of good. The most sought-after victims of the Shadowlords are the paladins, for the Shroud is known to heap generous rewards on anyone who can bring forth the severed heads or hearts of these great warriors.