Robilar
| Lord Robilar | |
|---|---|
| General info | |
| Home: | Bright Lands |
| Alignment: | Lawful Evil |
| Gender: | Male |
| Species: | Human |
| Class: | Fighter |
Robilar (also known as Lord Robilar or Sir Robilar) is a powerful warrior who serves as commander of Rary's forces in the Empire of the Bright Lands.
Description
History
Robilar first came to prominence in the early 560's, when he joined Mordenkainen's Citadel of Eight. Later, he gained more fame in the Free City of Greyhawk in 565 CY, when he and Yrag captured Sir Bluto Sans Pite, the perpetrator of the River of Blood mass murders. For their efforts, both men were ennobled by the city directors.
In 570 CY, Robilar, with his orc henchman Quij, accidentally released Iuz from his captivity beneath Castle Greyhawk. Robilar, realizing his mistake, tried to slay the weakened demigod, but was unable, and was fortunate enough to escape with his own life. This incident resulted in Robilar's being forcibly evicted from the Domain of Greyhawk and being named persona-non-grata throughout the region. It may have been around this time that Robilar took a journey to the eastern land of Lynn to study with the Dragonmasters, where he gained their respect through his own skills in handling dragons.
Shortly before the outbreak of the Greyhawk Wars, Robilar returned to the dungeons underneath Greyhawk Castle, where he encountered a potent artifact called the Orb of Opposition, which swapped him with a somewhat ideologically different double from an alternate Oerth called Uerth, named Bilarro.
In 584 CY, At the end of the Greyhawk Wars Robilar/Bilarro, with Rary, betrayed the Circle of Eight. Whilst Rary (himself a Circle member), killed Tenser and Otiluke, Robilar helped destroy their clones in order to prevent the wizards from returning to life. Rary and Robilar were unmasked and have now fled to the Bright Desert where they established the Empire of the Bright Lands. Tenser in the meantime has returned to life, while Otiluke is still dead.
In 597, Robilar was returned from Uerth through the aid of adventurers who had foiled the plans of Iuz underneath Castle Greyhawk.
Heraldry
Robilar bears as his coat of arms the following blazon: Or, a dragon rampant vert.
Creative origins
Robilar was named by, and after, original Dungeons & Dragons player and co-DM of Gary Gygax's Greyhawk campaign, Robert J. Kuntz, who played Robilar in Gygax's game. The character Robilar accomplished many impressive feats in Gygax's home campaign, including being the first to successfully complete the adventure Tomb of Horrors.
Kuntz was unhappy with Robilar's storyline involving the betrayal of the Circle of Eight, believing that Robilar would never turn on Mordenkainen, his old adventuring companion. Prior to the publication of Expedition to the Ruins of Greyhawk (2007), Kuntz speculated that this was not actually Robilar, but a rogue clone.
Bibliography
- Blume, Brian, David Cook, and Jean Wells. The Rogues Gallery. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1980.
- Broadhurst, Creighton. "Into the Bright Desert." Dungeon #98. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, 2003.
- Brown, Anne. Player's Guide to Greyhawk. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 1998
- Bulmahn, Jason, James Jacobs, and Erik Mona. Expedition to the Ruins of Greyhawk. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2007.
- Cook, David. "History of the Greyhawk Wars." Wars. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1991. Available online:[1]
- Gygax, Gary, and Frank Mentzer. The Temple of Elemental Evil. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1985.
- Holian, Gary, Erik Mona, Sean K Reynolds, and Frederick Weining. Living Greyhawk Gazetteer. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2000.
- Kuntz, Robert J. "Chambers of Antiquities." Dungeon #124. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, 2005 (pp. 70-101).
- Mona, Erik, and Gary Holian. "Wheels Within Wheels: Greyhawk's Circle of Eight." Living Greyhawk Journal #0. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2000. Available online: [2]
- Moore, Roger E. Greyhawk: The Adventure Begins. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 1998.
- -----. Return of the Eight. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 1998.
- Pryor, Anthony. Rary the Traitor. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1992.
- Sargent, Carl. From the Ashes. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1992.