### **Grigori – The Silver-Tongued Shadow of Pitax** --- ![[DALL·E 2025-02-22 15.06.20 - A cunning and silver-tongued bard with silver-streaked black hair, always immaculately combed. He has a sharp, foxlike face with a perpetual smirk, hi.webp]] #### **Basic Information** - **Name:** Grigori - **Race/Species:** Human - **Class/Profession:** Bard (Demagogue) / Agitator - **Alignment/Morality:** **Chaotic Neutral**, though he leans towards **self-serving pragmatism**. - **Age:** Late 30s to early 40s - **Gender & Pronouns:** Male (He/Him) - **Appearance:** - **Height:** Just above average, but with an unassuming posture. - **Build:** Lean, with the wiry strength of a traveler rather than a warrior. - **Distinguishing Features:** - **Silver-streaked black hair, always immaculately combed**—a calculated effort to appear distinguished. - **A sharp, foxlike face, with a perpetual smirk**—never quite smiling, always measuring. - **His eyes—intelligent, quick, and calculating**—they give the impression that he's always two steps ahead in a conversation. - **Notable Clothing & Accessories:** - A **worn but well-fitted cloak**, its fabric finer than it first appears. - A **lute slung across his back**, which he rarely plays for pleasure—it’s another tool, just like his words. - A **collection of letters, both real and fabricated**, that he carries to "prove" his accusations. - A **ring bearing the crest of Fort Drelev**, though its true origins remain murky. --- #### **Personality & Traits** - **Personality Summary:** Grigori is **a master manipulator, a man who weaponizes discontent with surgical precision.** He does not simply criticize leadership—he turns uncertainty into fear, and fear into resentment. He knows how to work a crowd, when to push and when to pull back, and exactly how to frame himself as the victim even when caught red-handed. His **confidence is absolute**, but not arrogant—he knows when to act humble, when to feign sincerity, and when to fan the flames of anger into an inferno. - **Strengths & Skills:** ✔ **Master Orator:** He can **turn an uncertain crowd into a furious mob** with just the right words. ✔ **Manipulative Genius:** Knows **exactly what buttons to push** to make people doubt their leaders. ✔ **A Walking Web of Information:** He has **studied Rivermarch’s weaknesses and knows where the fault lines are.** ✔ **Unshakable Composure:** **You cannot intimidate him**—he thrives on turning attempts against him into more propaganda. ✔ **Subtle Magic User:** His **rhetorical spells** allow him to cast **without being noticed**, bending minds without the crowd realizing they are being influenced. - **Weaknesses & Flaws:** ✖ **No Combat Ability.** If a fight breaks out, **he runs** or **hides behind civilians** to protect himself. ✖ **A Web of Lies.** If someone **uncovers one of his false narratives,** the entire illusion **can collapse.** ✖ **Overconfidence in His Influence.** He assumes that **no one can fully resist his charm**—a dangerous mistake. ✖ **Underestimates True Leadership.** **Brinn Whitewood’s silence rattles him.** He thrives in discontent but struggles against **leaders who inspire real loyalty.** ✖ **Pride in Manipulation.** **He enjoys watching** his work unfold, sometimes to the point of not cutting his losses when he should. - **Mannerisms & Speech Patterns:** - **Smooth, deliberate speech**—he never rushes, never panics. - **Often pauses for dramatic effect**, letting tension build before delivering his final blow. - **Rarely raises his voice**—instead, he speaks softly enough that people must lean in, making them feel like they are discovering something *important*. - **Favorite Phrases:** - “The people *deserve* better, don’t you think?” - “I bring only truth. If that truth is dangerous, well… whose fault is that?” - “Strange, isn’t it? How your rulers always seem to land on their feet while you struggle to stand.” - “I don’t *need* to convince you—the truth speaks for itself.” - “Ah, but why should I speak, when your *own heart* already knows the answer?” --- #### **Background & Story Role** - **Backstory Summary:** - A **former court bard of Pitax**, trained in **rhetoric, deception, and turning whispers into revolutions.** - Was **hired through layers of intermediaries**—he believes he’s working for **Fort Drelev**, but in truth, **King Irovetti orchestrated his deployment**. - **Has worked for multiple rulers before**, always selling his ability to **undermine governments without needing armies.** - **Current Motivations:** - **Undermine Rivermarch’s Unity.** He wants the people to **doubt their leaders**, **turn against them**, and **erode trust in the council.** - **Sow Chaos Without Breaking the Law.** His work is **only effective if he remains untouchable.** - **Ensure Rivermarch Never Becomes a Power.** His true employer, **King Irovetti, sees Rivermarch as a threat to Pitax.** - **Weaken Rivermarch’s Defenses Indirectly.** If he can **erode trust**, Rivermarch will **tear itself apart** without needing an invasion. - **Stay Just on the Edge of Legitimacy.** He never **breaks the law outright**, ensuring he cannot simply be executed. - **Connections & Relationships:** - **[[Castruccio Irovetti]] (True Puppet Master):** *I don’t know it’s him, but if I did? I’d thank him.* - **[[Tybalt Rattigan]] (A Dangerous Interference):** *If anyone can see through my game, it’s him. But does he have the nerve to act before it's too late?* - **[[Brinn Whitewood]] (A Leader Who *Should* Be Easy to Break… But Isn’t):** *His silence unnerves me. Does he see through me, or is he simply too blind to fight back?* - **[[Linzi Fairwind]] (An Unexpected Problem):** *I underestimated her. That won’t happen again.* - **[[Borion Nightshade]] (Intellectual, But Not a Threat—Yet):** *If he ever stops studying and starts *acting*, he might be a real problem.* - **[[Tartuk]] (A Powder Keg, If Pushed Right):** *He is prideful. Easy to manipulate. But kobolds are… volatile. A dangerous investment.* - **[[Maximus]] (Unshakable, Unmoving, *Unusable*):** *You cannot manipulate a machine. But you can turn the people against one.* - **Factions or Allegiances:** - **Thinks He’s Working for Fort Drelev, But It’s Really Pitax.** - **No True Loyalty—If His Position Becomes Unstable, He Will Flee.** --- #### **Notable Items or Equipment** - **His Lute—A Weapon of Words:** He plays songs that **reinforce doubts,** subtly influencing the emotions of those who listen. - **The "Evidence" He Carries:** Sometimes **forged, sometimes real**, always damning. - **A Ring of Minor Illusions:** Useful for **adding just the right touch of flair** to his performances. - **Infiltrator’s Elixirs:** Allows him to slip away when needed. --- #### **Additional Notes** - **Recurring Themes:** - *“A kingdom does not fall to an army—it falls to its own people.”* - *“The most dangerous lie is the one wrapped in half-truths.”* - *“What you call stability, I call stagnation.”* - *“You trust them? How quaint.”* - **Player/GM Notes:** - **Grigori is a *slow-burn antagonist.*** His *goal is erosion,* not an outright fight. - If **directly confronted, he will backpedal, deflect, and vanish—only to return later.** - He should be **a constant *presence* but never an outright enemy… until it’s too late.** --- Grigori does not need to **win battles**. If he has his way, **Rivermarch’s people will destroy themselves.**