The Headless Horseman: Difference between revisions

From Mistipedia
Jump to navigationJump to search
← Older edit
Delyun (talk | contribs)
216 edits
No edit summary
 
(46 intermediate revisions by 5 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
<!-- START CATALOGUE IMPORT :  Please do not edit from here to END of import. 1 items imported. -->
{{canon}}
==Overview==
The darklord of the [[Winding Road]].  He seeks his lost [[head]] (see: [[Headless Horseman's Head]]). The Headless Horseman is a [[legend]]ary figure throughout [[the Core]] and beyond, with an endless number of possible local variant origin stories.<ref>[[Darklords]] p.42</ref>
 
The Headless Horseman carries a wicked [[The Headless Horseman's Sickle|sickle]] that can cleave a person's head off with any clean blow. He is not inhibited by most [[spell]]s that impede movement, and he is unaffected by turning.<ref>[[Darklords]] p.43</ref> The Horseman's fearsome activities have not gone unnoticed, as he is a subject of fear spoken of in [[ghost stories]] in at least the [[domain]] of [[Borca]].<ref>[[Ravenloft Gazetteer IV]], p.14</ref>There, he is said to have been a [[victim]] of [[Lady Ivana Boritsi]]'s dangerous whims, a [[bard]] that failed to provide her with amusement. Unusually, Ivana did not [[poison]] him, but instead ordered his [[decapitation]], due to the crescent shape of the [[moon]]. Elsewhere in [[Falkovnia]], legend has it the Horseman felt to the [[Talons]], whereas in [[Barovia]] he was said to have taken his own life before [[Strahd]]'s minions could get to him.<ref name="Darklords p. 44">[[Darklords]] p.44</ref>
 
==The First and the Last to Follow==
Just because the Headless Horseman has passed does not mean the danger is over. [[The First to Follow]], a mob of [[reanimated]] [[head]]s of the Horseman's past victims, usually swarm the survivors of the Horseman's attacks en masse.<ref>[[Darklords]] p.45</ref> The truly unfortunate survivors of this second wave have to face a third wave of attacks from [[The Last to Follow]]. The Last to Follow is a group of flying reanimated [[head]]s but instead of normal [[humanoid]] heads, they are the heads of [[medusa]]e and [[maedar]].<ref name="Darklords p. 46">[[Darklords]] p.46</ref>
 
==Activities During the Grand Conjunction==
The Headless Horseman played a strange and anomalous role in the [[Grand Conjunction]]. Apparently serving the interests of [[Azalin]], the Horseman began riding around causing havoc in order to lure out a group of [[hero]]es who would ultimately be used by [[Azalin]] to manipulate [[Hyskosa's Hexad]]. The heroes were directed to fight the Horseman by [[Soldani]], where they were ultimately defeated and [[decapitated]], and their heads delivered to [[Azalin]] through unknown means.<ref>[[From the Shadows]] p. 5-9</ref>
 
As out of character as it is for the [[bogeyman]]-like Headless Horseman to seemingly work for another [[darklord]]'s benefit, this was not the only anomaly. Instead of the usual [[Last to Follow]], the final wave of the Horseman's barrage was a group of bounding [[beholder]]s that finished off the last of the survivors of the Horseman's attack.<ref>[[From the Shadows]] p.8</ref>
 
==In [[Tales of Ravenloft]]==
The Headless Horseman appears in the [[Tales of Ravenloft]] [[short story]] [[Tales of Ravenloft:The Freak|The Freak]], where the Horseman doggedly pursues the [[disfigured]] [[hermit]] known as [[Anatole the Freak]] while at the same time seemingly acting as the poor soul's [[guardian]].<ref>[[Tales of Ravenloft:The Freak]] p. 222-250</ref>
 
==In [[4th Edition]]==
In the [[4th Edition]] [[Dragon Magazine]] article [[Domains of Dread: The Endless Road]], the Headless Horseman is not a [[darklord]] but more a manifestation of a [[domain]] itself. The Headless Horseman wanders [[the Endless Road]] looking for prey and killing them as per standard Horseman behavior.
It has effectively [[trapped]] the domain's true darklord, [[Eli van Hassen]], in the [[van Hassen Estates]] that are [[warded]] against the Horseman. The Horseman rides upon [[Spitfire]]<ref name="Endless Road">[[Domains of Dread: The Endless Road]], [[Dungeon Magazine]] #174</ref>
 
[[Domains of Dread: The Endless Road]] also provides the Headless Horseman with a background. In life, he was a [[mysterious]] [[hero]] known only as [[the Horseman]]. He eliminated a [[Hydra of Tranquility|hydra]], earning the gratitude of the public and the love of [[Talitha van Hassen]], Eli's [[daughter]]. As the Horseman overstayed his welcome, Eli van Hassen brought him to trial for the supposed [[rape]] of his daughter. Under pressure from Eli, Talitha bore [[false witness]] against her (now former) lover, the Horseman. The Horseman was summarily [[executed]] by [[decapitation]]. A week later [[the Mists]] enveloped the town, taking with it when it dispersed the van Hassen's and their [[servant]]s. Overnight, the people had heard the sounds of galloping hooves, and in the morning the peasantry found their [[crop]] fields flattened.<ref name="Endless Road">[[Domains of Dread: The Endless Road]], [[Dungeon Magazine]] #174</ref>
 
 
{{ref}}
 
[[category:Character]][[category:NPC]]
[[category:2nd Edition Character]]
[[category:4th Edition Character]]
[[category:Beheader]]
[[category:Curse]]
[[Category:Daily Lunar Cycle Dependent]]
[[Category:Darklord]]
[[category:Demilord]]
[[Category:Decapitated]]
[[category:Disfigurer]]
[[category:Exploiter]]
[[category:Fictional Character of Earth]]
[[category:Ghost Story]]
[[category:Head Collector]]
[[category:Horseback Rider]]
[[category:Humanoid Hunter]]
[[category:Infamous]]
[[category:Inhabitants of the Endless Road]]
[[category:Inhabitants of the Winding Road]]
[[category:Killer]]
[[category:Legend]]
[[Category:Lunar Cycle Dependent]]
[[category:Manipulator]]
[[Category:Monthly Lunar Cycle Dependent]]
[[category:Murderer]]
[[category:Mysterious]]
[[category:Native Monster of Borca]]
[[category:Native Monster of the Endless Road]]
[[Category:Pathfinder 1st Edition Character]]
[[category:Professional Killer]]
[[category:Professional Murderer]]
[[category:Pursuer]]
[[category:Reanimator]]
[[category:Rider]]
[[category:Serial Killer]]
[[Category:Sickle Moon Dependent]]
[[category:Villain]]
[[category:Wanderer]]
 
==Data from the Ravenloft Catalogue==
 
<!-- START CATALOGUE IMPORT :  Please do not edit below this line. 1 items imported. -->
<!-- Catalogue entry last modified: 24-Apr-2002 last import: Sun Dec 27 21:50:34 2009-->
<!-- Catalogue entry last modified: 24-Apr-2002 last import: Sun Dec 27 21:50:34 2009-->
{|
{|
Line 11: Line 78:
|[[Image:rldb_art.gif]]
|[[Image:rldb_art.gif]]
|
|
''[[From the Shadows]]'' - p58 [http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads Download Now! ]<br />
''[[From the Shadows]]'' - p58 [http://web.archive.org/web/20100329193632/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads Download Now! ]<br />
''[[Darklords]]'' - p6
''[[Darklords]]'' - p6
|-valign="top"
|-valign="top"
Line 17: Line 84:
|[[Image:rldb_stats.gif]]
|[[Image:rldb_stats.gif]]
|
|
''[[From the Shadows]]'' - p7 [http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads Download Now! ]<br />
''[[From the Shadows]]'' - p7 [http://web.archive.org/web/20100329193632/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads Download Now! ]<br />
''[[Darklords]]'' - pp44-47
''[[Darklords]]'' - pp44-47
|-valign="top"
|-valign="top"
Line 24: Line 91:
|
|
''[[Tales of Ravenloft:The Freak]]'' - pp222-250<br />
''[[Tales of Ravenloft:The Freak]]'' - pp222-250<br />
''[[From the Shadows]]'' - pp5-8 [http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads Download Now! ]<br />
''[[From the Shadows]]'' - pp5-8 [http://web.archive.org/web/20100329193632/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads Download Now! ]<br />
''[[Darklords]]'' - pp44-47
''[[Darklords]]'' - pp44-47
|-valign="top"
|-valign="top"
Line 37: Line 104:


<!-- IMPORTED : Darklord of the Winding Road (Domain) -->
<!-- IMPORTED : Darklord of the Winding Road (Domain) -->
[[Category:npc]]
<!-- END CATALOGUE IMPORT :  You may edit below freely -->
<!-- END CATALOGUE IMPORT :  You may edit below freely -->
----
'''WIKISEED FROM CATALOGUE :''' Darklord of the [[Winding Road]]''(Please edit freely, then remove this note and WIKISEED label)''
[[Category:Darklord]]

Latest revision as of 15:29, 25 October 2020

Overview

The darklord of the Winding Road. He seeks his lost head (see: Headless Horseman's Head). The Headless Horseman is a legendary figure throughout the Core and beyond, with an endless number of possible local variant origin stories.[1]

The Headless Horseman carries a wicked sickle that can cleave a person's head off with any clean blow. He is not inhibited by most spells that impede movement, and he is unaffected by turning.[2] The Horseman's fearsome activities have not gone unnoticed, as he is a subject of fear spoken of in ghost stories in at least the domain of Borca.[3]There, he is said to have been a victim of Lady Ivana Boritsi's dangerous whims, a bard that failed to provide her with amusement. Unusually, Ivana did not poison him, but instead ordered his decapitation, due to the crescent shape of the moon. Elsewhere in Falkovnia, legend has it the Horseman felt to the Talons, whereas in Barovia he was said to have taken his own life before Strahd's minions could get to him.[4]

The First and the Last to Follow

Just because the Headless Horseman has passed does not mean the danger is over. The First to Follow, a mob of reanimated heads of the Horseman's past victims, usually swarm the survivors of the Horseman's attacks en masse.[5] The truly unfortunate survivors of this second wave have to face a third wave of attacks from The Last to Follow. The Last to Follow is a group of flying reanimated heads but instead of normal humanoid heads, they are the heads of medusae and maedar.[6]

Activities During the Grand Conjunction

The Headless Horseman played a strange and anomalous role in the Grand Conjunction. Apparently serving the interests of Azalin, the Horseman began riding around causing havoc in order to lure out a group of heroes who would ultimately be used by Azalin to manipulate Hyskosa's Hexad. The heroes were directed to fight the Horseman by Soldani, where they were ultimately defeated and decapitated, and their heads delivered to Azalin through unknown means.[7]

As out of character as it is for the bogeyman-like Headless Horseman to seemingly work for another darklord's benefit, this was not the only anomaly. Instead of the usual Last to Follow, the final wave of the Horseman's barrage was a group of bounding beholders that finished off the last of the survivors of the Horseman's attack.[8]

In Tales of Ravenloft

The Headless Horseman appears in the Tales of Ravenloft short story The Freak, where the Horseman doggedly pursues the disfigured hermit known as Anatole the Freak while at the same time seemingly acting as the poor soul's guardian.[9]

In 4th Edition

In the 4th Edition Dragon Magazine article Domains of Dread: The Endless Road, the Headless Horseman is not a darklord but more a manifestation of a domain itself. The Headless Horseman wanders the Endless Road looking for prey and killing them as per standard Horseman behavior. It has effectively trapped the domain's true darklord, Eli van Hassen, in the van Hassen Estates that are warded against the Horseman. The Horseman rides upon Spitfire[10]

Domains of Dread: The Endless Road also provides the Headless Horseman with a background. In life, he was a mysterious hero known only as the Horseman. He eliminated a hydra, earning the gratitude of the public and the love of Talitha van Hassen, Eli's daughter. As the Horseman overstayed his welcome, Eli van Hassen brought him to trial for the supposed rape of his daughter. Under pressure from Eli, Talitha bore false witness against her (now former) lover, the Horseman. The Horseman was summarily executed by decapitation. A week later the Mists enveloped the town, taking with it when it dispersed the van Hassen's and their servants. Overnight, the people had heard the sounds of galloping hooves, and in the morning the peasantry found their crop fields flattened.[10]


References

  1. ↑ Darklords p.42
  2. ↑ Darklords p.43
  3. ↑ Ravenloft Gazetteer IV, p.14
  4. ↑ Darklords p.44
  5. ↑ Darklords p.45
  6. ↑ Darklords p.46
  7. ↑ From the Shadows p. 5-9
  8. ↑ From the Shadows p.8
  9. ↑ Tales of Ravenloft:The Freak p. 222-250
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Domains of Dread: The Endless Road, Dungeon Magazine #174

Data from the Ravenloft Catalogue

Darklords

From the Shadows - p58 Download Now!
Darklords - p6

From the Shadows - p7 Download Now!
Darklords - pp44-47

Tales of Ravenloft:The Freak - pp222-250
From the Shadows - pp5-8 Download Now!
Darklords - pp44-47

Headless Horseman, The Headless Horseman


Retrieved from "http://fraternityofshadows.com/w/index.php?title=The_Headless_Horseman&oldid=155495"