Caradoc

Now deceased, Caradoc was once Lord Soth's seneschal on Krynn. In the recognition of his most devious and cunning servant. Soth called upon Caradoc to perform a number of illicit and evil deeds, the least of which included forgery of the financial records he presided over. Upon his master's orders, Carradoc murdered Lady Gladria, Soth's first wife. Much later, Soth sent Caradoc to the Lower Planes to retrieve the soul of Kitiara Uth Matar and store it in the Black Sapphire Medallion.

Like Lord Soth's other corrupt agents, Caradoc followed his master's curse into undeath but as a ghost. More than anything, Caradoc wished to become a living human, or else be finally put to rest, and it is for this reason that he betrayed his master even before they entered the Mists.

History

Life On Krynn

In life, Caradoc was the steward and clerk for Lord Soth's estates. Even long before his master's fall from grace, Caradoc was both corrupt and ambitious. Ever ready to improve Soth's standing, and thereby his own, Caradoc employed rumors, deception, slander, and false witness to boost the reputation of his knightly manner Yet Caradoc was more concerned with appearance and finery than actual virtuous conduct himself; Soth knew him as a fop. Despite being an eager assistant and sycophant, Caradoc evidenced some of his disloyal behavior after the assassination of Lady Gladria. Caradoc used his knowledge of the affair to blackmail Soth.

Undeath

Caradoc was burned by the fires that consumed Dargaard Keep and Soth's entourage. He rose against as a ghost, cursed with the inability to manipulate objects due to his incorporeal form. Caradoc's ancient bones bounded him to Dargaard Keep because he would eventually return to them no matter how far he roamed.

Centuries later, during the siege of Palanthas, Soth developed a scheme to capture the soul of Kitiara from Takhisis's realm in the Lower Planes. He promised Caradoc to restore him to living, human form if Caradoc did him a favor, to which Caradoc consented. While Takhisis was occupied battling against Raistlin Majere, Caradoc made off with Kitiara's soul imprisoned in the black sapphire amulet. However, suspecting his master to break a promise, Caradoc hid the amulet away until Soth fulfilled his promise.

Soth did not succumb to Caradoc's deception nor his extortion. Soth's violent reaction and attempted counter-extortion resulted in the snapping of Caradoc's ghostly neck (maiming but not destroying him.) During the attack, the Mists enveloped both and took them to the Land of Mists, where they eventually arrived in Barovia. In that domain, Caradoc escaped Soth thanks to the distraction provided by some of the minions of Count Strahd von Zarovich.

Defection and Demise

Temporarily free of Soth's yoke, Caradoc fled and eventually arrived at Castle Ravenloft. There he offered his service and allegiance to Strahd in return for sanctuary. Strahd benefited greatly from the arrangement, for he gained highly valuable information about Soth's past and character, knowledge he put to good use in the conflict with and exploitation of Lord Soth. On the other hand, Caradoc benefited little, for Strahd granted the ghost refuge only temporarily before expelling him from the castle in order to redirect Soth's wrath.

Soth and Azrael Dak, Caradoc's replacement, gave chase along the border between Gundarak and Barovia. Despite Caradoc's initial evasion, he is eventually caught, tortured, and ultimately killed by Soth. However, even in death, Caradoc achieved some matter of revenge, for Soth did not notice the oncoming Mist that claimed him. Subsequently, Soth failed his last chance for redemption and became darklord of Sithicus.

Legacy

Caradoc's defection to the service of Count Strahd inadvertently assisted Magda Ilyanova Kulchevich in creating A Dark Knight's Tale. Count Strahd von Zarovich discovered much about Lord Soth's past through this event, knowledge he subsequently bequeathed upon Duke Gundar. Duke Gundar in turn recorded this history in his journals. After Gundar's assassination in 736 BC, his journals were stolen and eventually wound up in the hands of Magda.

In the module When Black Roses Bloom, a mirror representations of Caradoc appears during one Soth's fantasy sequences in the Memory Mirrors. In this fantasy, Caradoc, rather than Soth, is put on trial for Gladria's murder.

Stats (Mirror Representation Only)

HD 4

Data from the Ravenloft Catalogue

		When Black Roses Bloom
		When Black Roses Bloom - pp42-43
		When Black Roses Bloom - pp42-43