High Cardinal Krozen
Lawful Evil Human Male Cleric 12 (Silver Flame)
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Appearance: Cardinal Krozen is a plain looking middle aged man by Thranish standards but traces of the dashing crusader that he used to be can still be (occasionally) seen. There is something disquieting about the man even as there is always something plotting behind his eyes.
Personality: In Public company, Krozen is always the height of charm and disarming wit. He has a tremendous sense of humor that tends towards the deadpan. He is a font of ruinous slander and insinuations as his weapons versus the many spells he reaches.
In private, Cardinal Krozen has no sense of humor and is all business. He, literally, has been known to terrify subordinates to utter ruin. He is an autocrat who doesn't take suggestions very well and has difficulty taking orders even from Jaela.
Cardinal Krozen is a conservative; which means he's a bigot against warforged with a bitter loathing against other nations. He believes that the Next War should be prepared for and that Thrane shouldn't shy away from a pre-emptive strike against the godless Karrnath or the heathen arcanists of Aundair.
Background: Cardinal Nathaniel Krozen was one of the greatest heroes of the Age during the Last War as he did battle repeatedly with the undead of Karrnath plus every concievable horror that could be spewed from Aundair's magics. He performed many exorcisms with a tireless dedication and was promoted swiftly.
This changed when he attempted to assume the throne of the Keeper before the discovery of Jaela and was subjected to the infinite power of the Flame. He was exposed to his fundamental hypocrisy, need for glory, and contempt for others of lesser nature. Minor sins but they were also combined with a foreknowledge of the future that he was going to lose everything he held dear.
This occurred not too much later when the Church that contained the Cardinal's wife, brother, two infant children, and family was burned down along with his home village. Later, he was also displaced by an innocent young girl whom managed to face the Keeper's Throne's Trials and pass.
Since then, Nathaniel Krozen has been widely accused of being behind any number of plots against the Keeper or the Flame itself. They have accused of him of everything from conspiring with werewolves to infernalism. Which of these accusations is correct? Why, all of them.
Krozen has made him the center for all intrigue in Thrane with the Flame's Full Blessing (if not the Keeper). No longer able to flee from the evil in his heart, he's put it to good use by being the Church's "Doer of Evil Deeds." Countless plots have been foiled by his secret mastery of the Argentum and use of everything from House Deneith to the Aurrum to aid him in protecting his nation.
Secretly, Cardinal Krozen is afraid that he will betray his purpose and become an enemy of the Flame instead of its spiritual martyr. He genuinely does love power and cannot hold himself back from his needs. It is a delicate balance he walks between his evil heart and aspiring to higher ideals. At night, he dreams of what might have been with his wife living....
