John Lancaster Cavendish

"I was exposed to a vaudeville performer at a young age, and it scarred me for life."

In the long-running Eye of Anubis-campaign on the Fraternity of Shadows roleplaying forum, John Lancaster Cavendish was the main antagonist to the members of the Menetnashte Expedition.

Identity & Motivation

It was revealed over the course of the campaign that "John Lancaster Cavendish" was actually an identity fabricated by the Scholar-Fiend Adramelech, better known in Port-a-Lucine by his favourite identity, philosophy professor Adrian Ramsey.

Adramelech had entered into a wager with Balfour De Casteelle, Umbra of the Fraternity of Shadows; each would make arrangements to be first to acquire the emerald known as the Eye of Anubis. If Adramelech won, De Casteelle would be obligated to induct him in the ranks of the Fraternity of Shadows in spite of its bylaws against non-human members and Adramelech's ineligibility on account of being a Cleric, rather than a Mage capable of casting Illusion-spells. If De Casteelle won, Adramelech would be obligated to use his contacts in Necropolis to grant the Fraternity access to the library of the University of Il Aluk.

Creating the identity of John Lancaster Cavendish was Adramelech's way of playing the game; in the guise of an exuberant and possibly insane Necromancer, he would harry and try to destroy the Menetnashte Expedition, which had been sent by De Casteelle. Gradually, however, Adramelech/Cavendish came to desire the gemstone because it was the prison of the malignant Vestige Beherith. This entity could potentially make the dread doppelganger 'god-emperor' of the Core and allow it to make the changes it had dreamed of inflicting on its kindred in Paridon. This potential prize far outstripped membership in the Fraternity of Shadows, and Cavendish eventually made a play for the Eye when it was in the Fraternity's custody, setting himself against them as well as the Menetnashte Expedition.

Powers & Evolution

"Travel broadens the mind. Even the mind of a psychopath."

Although John Lancaster Cavendish started out with the already impressive powers of Adramelech, a masterful Cleric, a powerful melee combatant, a vicious manipulator, an experienced shapeshifter and Smith-level follower of the Via Plubum, he developed new talents and powers during the journey from Port-a-Lucine to Har'Akir.

As the campaign progressed, Cavendish took to animating ever more exotic undead minions, moving up from standard ghouls to Lebendtod, animated fossils, and any number of exotics from the Libris mortis.

In Phiraz, as part of a scheme to discredit the Menetnashte Expedition, Cavendish created the illusion that the Expedition had in fact been working for him in a scam to defraud money from Diamabel. The enraged Darklord attacked Cavendish, who actually gave a good accounting of himself; neither combatant died, but Cavendish managed to escape. Be it due to experience gained from the battle or a reward from the Dark Powers, but Cavendish gained access to the Darkness domain of divine spells, which is not part of the official Divinity of the Masters-list of domains. In addition, Adramelech's mastery of Necromancy was deepened in that Cavendish learned the use of Fell Spell; a metamagic feat that let him infuse spells with negative energy and thus inflict energy drain as well as standard damage in battle.

Arguably even worse was the development and expansion of a song-and-dance routine, combined with heckling at the Menetnashte Expedition's expense and jokes when in combat.