Dingus McDiarmaid

Seneschal of Kutchevski

AC 1016

"'Dingus, prepare my carriage! Dingus, find this traitor! Dingus this! Dingus that!' I'm fed up with this life! Just give me the time to finish this book of magic and I'll have them call me 'Laird Dingus'!"

(Dingus to himself, pouring upon a stolen spellbook)

Appearance

This short 3 and a half-foot lupin is an uncommon sight in the dark lands of Boldavia. He always dresses in his clan's tartan kilt. He carries an ashwood staff, with a sharply pointed end, which he uses as a spear, or as a stake against vampires. The lupin also carries a silver short sword, and, concealed under his skirts, a hand crossbow and a container with six poisoned quarrels.

Those versed in lupin lore would easily recognize him as a hound of Klantyre, the breed of undead-hunting lupins, sometimes called "scotties." But even these experts would hardly notice Dingus' unusual features—the unusually large teeth, the pale skin underneath the fur—which would otherwise belie his undead state.

Background

Dingus McDiarmaid was in life a bounty hunter, often employed by the Boldavian Liberation Front against the undead nobles of that Principality, or by the citizens of Klantyre against the many ghosts that haunt the Highlands.

On his last contract against a suspected vampire noble, Baron Mathias Wutyla of Mariksen, Dingus had the unfortunate idea to travel to first consult with the renowned expert on vampires, Baron Piotr-Grygory Timenko of Kutchevski. Dingus traveled to Timenko's tower to discuss the vulnerabilities of his quarry, but instead recognized Baron Piotr-Grygory as a vampire himself! A battle ensued, where Dingus was killed by the vampire baron, but Baron Timenko had a warped idea of raising him as his own vampire pawn (The first and last time Baron Timenko disobeyed the Vampire's Law!) As such, Dingus has proven useful in betraying some sects of the Boldavian Liberation Front to Baron Timenko, and ultimately to Prince Morphail Gorevitch-Woszlany. (And because of this, the Prince of Boldavia has decided not to destroy him... yet.) Dingus has now been a vampire for more than thirty years, and is rather experienced for a Glantrian vampire, as most other vampire pawns of Prince Morphail tend to "die" fairly early in their vampire unlife.

Dingus McDiarmaid is currently serving as the Seneschal of Kutchevski, and Baron Timenko's right hand. His duty is to protect Piotr-Grygory by identifying and destroying any possible threat—living or undead.

Dingus is trying to discover the instigator of an attempt at Baron Timenko's life some years ago, by sending vampire hunters to Kutchevski! Dingus knows that the Boldavian Liberation Organization was not involved in this attempt, and he has recently uncovered that the evidence he found of Kaelic involvement was clearly counterfeited. However, while Dingus suspects one of the other barons of the deed, he remains uncertain as to which one. At present, Dingus suspects most Baron Laszlo Wutyla of Mariksen or Baron Youri Ivanov of Palatinsk.

Personality & Quirks

Dingus McDiarmaid had a mercenary attitude in life. He didn't hunt undead to smite evil or for other idealistic reasons, neither he had personal grudges against the living dead, as many Hounds of Klantyre have. He just destroyed them because it was his job—the one best suited to his skills and one which got him more money than rat hunting in Glantri City. His transition to undeath has not changed this one bit, but he has become more scheming and ambitious, making long-term plans he would not have otherwise thought of if he were not undead.

Web of Intrigue

Dingus McDiarmaid serves Baron Timenko because he need the support of his master to survive as a vampire, and because he knows that Timenko will destroy him if he betrays the Vampire's Law and their masquerade.

This does not mean that Dingus does not have any plan for improving his standing. In fact, he has been hatching a plot since his creation. Dingus knows a lot about vampirism, and he is aware that he can easily break free from Timenko's direct control. What he really fears is Prince Morphail of Boldavia, who is far more powerful than the Baron of Kutchevski.

His main plan is to enter the service of the dark Prince himself, climbing one step in the hierarchy of the Boldavian vampires. If he can rid himself of Piotr-Grygory in the process, the better. However, he is aware that this scheme can easily go wrong, so he is taking all the needed time to set it in action.

Being a wise vampire, he keeps an escape route open, a plan which involves destroying Baron Timenko, implicating the Boldavian Liberation Organization, and planting evidence of his own destruction.

In the last years, Dingus has started a new plan. He noticed that, after his transition to undeath, he developed a talent for magic. He stole a few magic books from hedge wizards and apprentices, and has been able to learn how to cast cantrips. Emboldened by this success, he has decided to learn magic, thinking that it will help in furthering his plans. He has not achieved the desired goals yet, but he trusts that in time, when he will improve his control of his vampiric powers, he will also develop the needed magical talent for starting a new career.

In the end, Dingus hopes to become the first lupin baron of Glantri, and, being a bit megalomaniac, he also dreams of creating a lupin principality. It is a long-time goal, but if the dead have one faculty, it is certainly time.

Style of Magic & Combat

Statitstics: 8th-level lupin (Hound of Klantyre) thief, Fledgling Vampire; Str 18/76(11), Int 16(14), Wis 15, Dex 16, Con 18(10), Cha 14(12); AL C (D&D), LE(LN, AD&D). Statistics in parentheses were his scores in life.

Languages: Lupin, Kaelic, Thyatian (Glantrian dialect), Traladaran (Boldavian dialect).

Weapon Proficiencies: short sword, dagger, hand crossbow, spear.

Skills: hunting, local history (Klantyre), undead lore (vampires), tracking, observation, hunting, blind-fighting, cantrip, tracking ( +6).

Thief Skills: CW 60%; DN* 84%; FRT 65%; HS 60%; MS 50%; OL 70%; PP 30%; RL 65%; backstab x 3.

Lupin Skills: detect undead, howling, detect scent, infravision, detect invisible and ethereal*, undead master**.

In combat, Dingus chooses to use his vampiric powers to surprise his opponents, then he will try to backstab them one by one, using his bite only to finish his victims. Alternatively, with his natural strength, Dingus can use his wooden spear to stake a vampire (or even a living target) right throw the heart with a successful strike.

Dingus will not stand to face strong enemies, using instead his shapechanging powers to avoid combat, and to return only when a surprise attack is possible. He will use any possible minion, both animal and undead, to keep spellcasters busy during his attacks.

If Dingus cannot use his vampires in withdrawing, he tries to minimize chances that his true nature be discovered, to surprise them later. He will fire his crossbow to the most dangerous opponent (a wizard, if possible), and then he will flee hoping that his pursuers will be forced to spend some time trying to heal their comrade.

Dingus carries a special sword of the McDiarmaid Clan, forged by Dingus' great-grandfather and a famous hunter of undead. The blade is made a short sword +1, +3 vs. undead and its blade is made entirely of silver. The sword is also enchanted to cast a protection from evil, 15' radius spell up to three times per week, upon the command word "McDiarmaid" which is carved on the blade.

*Due to the sharpened senses of the vampires, Dingus as the High level of lupin senses instead of the racial Medium level.

**Instead of the standard protection from evil enjoyed by non-cleric hounds of Klantyre, Dingus can control undead as if he was two categories older.

"Oh, Piotr-Grygory, how cute! A lapdog of your own! Wherever did you find him? Would he fetch a stick if you threw one at him? What about a wooden stake?"

(Baroness Szasza Markovitch of Vladimirov)

References: Lupins of Glantri 

Author: Giampaolo Agosta