Sikle D'Ario

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(I guess he looks like me, but Indian. lol skillz)

Background

"The most powerful tool of humanity is the mind, and it is an insult to their existence to rely on inborn talent and divine guidance. I will bring a new reality to them, a better reality based on the merit of the mind. Those who disagree with me now, will agree with me in time as their minds expand to fill the void left by the sudden absence of deliberate ignorance and blind faith." - cited from Sikle's Seven Spires journal

Sikle d'Ario is a highly knowledgable and powerful wizard, probably one of the most strongest mages in the world. He has been an enigmatic figure for the past two decades, but re-appeared as one of the apparent creators of the recent Elkis incidents. He met his demise.

• Age: 62 (at time of death)
• Birthdate: September 22
• Astrological Sign: Virgo
• Height: 6'0, average
• Weight: 150 pounds
• Sex: Male
• Race: Half-elf
• Hair: Black
• Eyes: Green
• Alignment: Unknown
• Deity: Elkis (?)
• Primary Weapon(s): Magic
• Other Weapons: Unknown
• Outlook: ?

Backstory

Sikle and his twin brother, Soren, were both born to a long-spanning family of powerful Sorcerers, the d'Arios. Arcane talent was paramount, the main focus of their entire marriage and mating selection being to keep magical power in the bloodline. The father of the twins, Sarus, was a human who had married an elven sorcerer of great power, looking to produce fine offspring.

Sikle and Soren were fraternal twins, and it was evident from birth that the two were definitely not equal in terms of magical ability. By the age of ten the difference was crystal clear: while Soren was already able to cast his first Fireball, Sikle was still struggling to alter the flickering of a candle. In the teen years Soren went on to become an adventuring mage, while the frustrated Sikle took up wizardry to fill the void in his talent. Sikle eventually gained a strong dislike of anyone relying on inborn talent, rather than hard work and rational thought, to solve problems. Despite this, he respected his family and wished fully to please them. Unfortunately his parents, disgusted with Sikle's failure as a Sorcerer, sent him away to the Seven Spires to "drown in his sea of musty tomes and scrolls," leaving him fifty thousand gold and a note that he was never to set foot on the family estates again.

At the Seven Spires, Sikle virtually forged a new life for himself. He excelled as a student, demonstrating a ferocious hunger for magical lore and an intellect to match. He became the top student in the school, even though he was extremely reclusive and did little to help others. He therefore gained little of their admiration or affection, though he did gain their respect for his power.

While still a student, he was hired to instruct initiates in arcane lore, and this granted him additional access to libraries and laboratories that were off-limites to other students. Hard work paid off, and he soon became a professor with tenure, presumably not far from a position on the school's legendary Circle of Eight. During his time in the classroom, however, he spent much time preaching the necessity of relying only on one's own skills and achievements, rather than bloodright, social station, or, most of all, divine power. So fervent were his words, in fact, that he was censured and had his tenure removed. From that point on his time in the classrooms diminished as he retreated more and more into his laboratory to further his own magical research. He eventually left the Seven Spires, citing the need to pursue his own work "outside the boundaries set by rich wizarding families and their money."

Years later, a plague swept across Sikle's homeland, killing his father and leaving his mother severely infirm for the rest of her life. Sikle's brother, oddly enough, arose as a threat to the peace of the world. Soren, mad with power and with no restrictions to using it, believed he was doing god's duty by mercilessly killing thousands. None could defeat him, such was the force of the energy he wielded. One, however, was believed to stand a chance: Sikle, now a full-fledged Wizard of great renown. Their battle raged over a castle in the mountains to the east of the Sweltermoor. It lasted for roughly a half-hour, during which most of that ancient keep was destroyed. However, Sikle at long last emerged victorious, trapping his brother in an emerald gem so his blackened soul could not be brought back to wreak further havoc.

After his congratulations, Sikle again retreated back into his magical research, departing the Material Plane to, as he put it, "pursue learning not found in this world." After that he appeared every so often, but never stayed long and rarely interacted with anybody during his time. What occurred during this time was a heavy amount of research and questing across planes, searching for powerful magical lore and relics that would aid him in his goals.

Goals

Sikle's true goals have always been somewhat veiled; early in life, his primary goal was to prove his value as a mage. However, given his upbringing and his later estrangement from his mostly-dead family, this hasn't been the case in over forty years. It has seemed that his goal, like many Wizards, was to gain knowledge and power for a variety of reasons.

Several recently-discovered documents, however, show that he once seeked (and possibly possessed) the Black Tomes of Vecna, which reveal ancient magical lore of great power. His primary opponents assume that he is attempting to follow in Vecna's footsteps and ascend to Godhood, though the details on his intentions are sketchy at best. It's a safe assumption to make, though, since this is (assumedly) the worst possible thing one can attempt to do with vast stores of arcane might.

Combat

From what has been observed of Sikle's fighting style, no two battles have been the same. The vary as widely as the shapes of clouds in the sky, some involving a few spells to nuke the opposition before they can act, some using trickier tactics to destroy them secretly, and others using summoned legions of extraplanar forces to overwhelm them. And these are the only battles where witnesses have survived.

One thing is certain, however: Sikle exercises his wizardrous power to the fullest and has an uncanny knack for being exceptionally well-prepared. On the rare occasion that he is beaten, he always has some sort of back up plan, making his defeat a temporary setback, rather than a actual loss. Because of this few dispute his claim of being "undefeated."

Sometimes, as it has been seen, Sikle can be ill-prepared for a situation, and if caught off his feet can be easily destroyed and taken down. That is, if one is able to work around his net of backup plans. If prepared and at full strength, he can be truly devastating.

Relationships

Sikle seems to have little, if any, empathy and mercy for others, demonstrating interest in people only when they have something he wants but does not have (such as knowledge or powerful magic). Once he has what they offered, he quickly loses any willingness to relate to them at all. He seems to have no interest or concern for other people's goals and dreams, assuming that his own are, by nature, more important and far-reaching. He does not seem malicious or intentionally destructive, since most of what he does seems to have some other purpose connected to it. However, because of his unsympathetic nature and thirst for power, he does not see a problem if this "higher purpose" involves the deaths of hundreds, if not thousands, of innocent people.

Strangely, Sikle protected the party from the magical energies that destroyed him, which makes his motives even less clear.