Griseo Fulvina
by Giampaolo AgostaViscount of Verazzano
AC 1014
"The people of Caurenze has been the bastion of true Glantrian culture since the time of the Great Migration, and yet we are not represented at the Council of the Princes! We, the Fulvina, Viscounts of Verazzano, have been defenders of Caurenze for three centuries, and we won't fail now, when we are most needed! We call for the enfeoffment of Verazzano as the Principality of Nuova Caurenze!"
(Signor Griseo's speech to the people of Verazzano in AC 1012)
History
Griseo was born in AC 951, first son of Signor Vittorio Fulvina, heir to Signor Lamberto Fulvina, Visconte di Verazzano. Griseo and his brother, Lamberto il Giovane, were raised both to be wizards, under the tutoring of their granduncle Signor Umberto, an expert magic user and brother to the Viscount.
At the age of fifteen, Griseo was already a powerful transmuter, skilled in the art of shapechanging. But he was not yet ready to be the heir of his father and grandfather, since he had not graduated from the Great School. Both brothers were sent to Glantri City, and Griseo easily got his degree in just three years. His younger brother, who was not as skilled as him in the family craft, was more influenced by his teachers, and developed an affinity for divination and abjuration magic.
In AC 963, when Griseo returned to Verazzano, he discovered that his grandfather Signor Lamberto had "died in a laboratory accident" and his father, Signor Vittorio became the Viscount. His relatives never talked about the incident, and Griseo never asked about it.
In AC 975, Griseo married Umberto's granddaughter Rosabianca and they had two children in the following years. In the same year, Griseo's younger sister Eleonora married Signor Giovanni di Malapietra, who at that time was the heir-apparent to Principe Mario di Malapietra, placing the Fulvinas very close to the reigning powers of Caurenze.
In AC 987, the Awards Festival was mired with a great conspiracy involving the Caurenzan nobles, which resulted in Signor Vittorio vying against Lord John Beaumarys-Moorkroft, Viscount of Redstone, for the vacant position of Count of Wylon. Although Signor Vittorio had no intentions of leaving Verazzano, his Caurenzan honour (and Principe Mario's threats) demanded that he face Lord John in a magical duel. It was very tragic (though far from unexpected) that Signor Vittorio was immediately killed in the first round with a death spell. Somehow, the scarab of protection which Griseo lent to his father before the duel failed to protect him. Thus, Griseo became Visconte di Verazzano that year.
In AC 991, Innocenti di Malapietra became Prince of Caurenze instead of his brother Giovanni, and Griseo was not pleased. But still, he was quick to offer his services to the new Principe, becoming Innocenti's most trusted ally during the next decade-if "trusted" is such a word that could be applied to Innocenti's allies.
When the Great Meteor destroyed the Principality of Caurenze, killing Giovanni di Malapietra and most of his family, Griseo saw his next political opportunity. Griseo was now the strongest mage in the area, more powerful than the Malapietras, and with a network of allies comparable to that of Signor Antonio di Tarento, his most dangerous competitor.
Since the end of the Great War, Griseo has been campaigning for the establishment of a new Kerendan principality in the areas not touched by the Great Crater, that is around Verazzano. Of course, he himself would the new Prince.
Appearance
Griseo Fulvina of medium height for a Caurenzan, but rather thin and of light built. He has deep black shingled hair and light brown eyes. He never sports beard or moustaches, and appears to be in his mid-twenties. His features and built are so similar to that of his wife, that they are almost indistinguishable.
At the Tower of Verazzano, they both wear long, hooded robes in dark colours, and they put on some makeup to complete the effect. Not even their closest relatives can distinguish them when they do not want to be recognised.
However, when they host parties in Palazzo Fulvina in the village of Verazzano or when they go to Glantri City, they dress with perfect Caurenzan elegance.
Griseo is very handsome, with delicate, almost elven features, but he is able to change is appearance and manners, with or without magic so well that he could just as easily pass for a Hattian man as a Belcadizian elf.
Personality
Griseo is a dedicated wizard and an ambition politician. He is a good ruler both for his family and for his people. He enjoys his work for Innocenti first as a hobby, and then as a way to acquire information that his family can use. Rosabianca shares his tastes completely.
Griseo and most of his family are an exception to Glantrian standards, in that they almost never plot against each other, or at least they never try to kill other members of the family. Their "lawfulness" partially extends to their Princes. Griseo will never directly act against Innocenti or Harald, but on the other hand he will not help them unless he can gain something from his actions, possibly more than the Prince intended him to.
Web of Intrigue
Griseo is supported by his whole family. Rosabianca, his wife (T12, Assassin Kit, NE), is skilled in non-magical disguise and often works with her husband during espionage missions. She also is the family's assassin.
Lamberto, the Viscount's younger brother (M11, LN), is less powerful as a wizard then Griseo, but he has a deep knowledge of divination and abjuration, which has preserved the family from the assassination attempts of the Unseen Hand. Being wiser and more insightful than his brother, he is his main adviser. He also represents the Viscount in the Parliament.
Eleonora, Griseo's sister who was married to Giovanni di Malapietra, has unfortunately shared her husband fate as a wraith haunting the ruins of Sirecchia.
Griseo's sons, Cesare and Giulio, are both skilled transmuters. The older son, Cesare (Transmuter10/Alchemist 1, LN), rules the Viscounty for his father. He has recently joined the Secret Craft of Alchemy, since he recognises the family's need for more allies. Giulio (Transmuter9, N) has left Glantri after graduating at the Great School, to travel to Thyatis and learn more about the roots of his family. While in Thyatis, he discovered that the legends about the shapeshifting Immortal Proteus, and now, the Immortal has been tempting him with the promise of great polymorph powers.
Griseo's grandchildren are still young, but they are being carefully watched and trained by the Viscount and his brother.
Among the Princes and noble houses of Glantri, only Prince Harald Haaskinz of Sablestone directly supports Griseo, though Prinz Jaggar von Drachenfels of House Ritterburg is not opposed to him (They are distant relatives). Of the other houses, only the Krondaharans and the Erewan elves are interested in the possible reestablishment of Caurenze, but neither has particular love for Griseo.
Antonio di Tarento and the surviving Malapietras are all competitors of the Fulvinas. Antonio especially hates them because they are ancient nobility, and has frequently tried to assassinate Griseo. On the other hand, Innocenti has warned the Viscount of Verazzano that Antonio was becoming difficult to control, so Griseo has taken all possible precautions against him.
As a Caurenzan, Griseo is politically opposed to House Linden, and to what remains of the Aendyrs. Also, Lord Pieter Vandehaar, Baron of Oxhill, is a personal enemy of the Fulvina family, due to the events involving Lord Pieter's lover, Leena Tijlen.
Prince Kol, and also Princess Dolores, oppose Griseo's campaign for enfeoffment, as they have plans for expanding New Kolland, and a new principality in the Arnus area would get in their way. Also, Griseo and his family think that goblinoids are only worthy as cannon fodder for the Lizzieni Circus. Griseo was rather surprised that Jaggar supported the establishment of the goblinoid principality.
House Sylaire and House Marais are generally neutral towards Griseo. Even though Innocenti hated the House Sylaire, the Viscounts of Verazzano have been in good standing with Étienne d'Ambreville for a very long time. The longer-lived Princes, including Morphail Gorevitch-Woszlany, also recognise the importance of the Fulvina as an element of stability in Arnus river area. They too remain neutral.
As for House Crownguard, Prince Brannart McGregor hates both Innocenti and Harald, and he was not sad at all when Caurenze was destroyed. However, he does not consider the Fulvinas worth his time. Also, the Kaelic nobles generally do not appreciate the Fulvina style of magic, as they find it weaker than the Secret Crafts.
Statistics, Skills & Style of Magic
16th-level transmuter (Spy Kit*).
Str 14 Int 16 Wis 12 Dex 16 Con 10 Cha 17; AL C (D&D), NE (AD&D).
Languages: Thyatian (Caurenzan, Glantrian, Aalbanese dialects, and Common Thyatian, all fluently!), Alphatian (Blackhill dialect), Elvish (Belcadizian dialect).
Weapon Proficiencies: Dagger, stiletto, and staff.
Skills: reading/writing (Thyatian and Alphatian systems), disguise, information gathering, observation, alertness, acting, etiquette, heraldry, spellcraft, spell combination, agility training, quick casting, ancient history (Fulvina family), dancing.
The Fulvinas have some sort of a family secret craft, of which Griseo is a part of. The Fulvinas have been experts in shapechanging magic for more than two centuries, and Griseo inherited the vast knowledge gathered by his ancestors. This means that Griseo knows every non-unique spell that deals with polymorphing (alter self, enlarge, reduce, change self, wraithform, tongues, polymorph self, polymorph other, massmorph, and polymorph any object), and that he has access to a lot of secret spells developed by the Fulvina wizards.
Griseo's personal field of research is disguise magic, a branch of polymorph magic that deals with taking the appearance of a specific individual. These spells are quite difficult, and must be tailored for the individual replicated.
"The Viscount of Verazzano? Don't worry, he has no chance against me! I will be the next Prince of Caurenze... when we got rid of my brother, of course."
(Agostino do Malapietra, to a Thyatian envoy, who was, of course, Griseo Fulvina in disguise)
Notes
* The Spy kit is introduced in the SAVAGE COAST Campaign Setting
Player Characters rules. If these Kits are not used, then Griseo is just a
16th-level transmuter, with a lot of skills for espionage. Bonus NWP from Spy
kit are included in Griseo's stats, and should be maintained even without the
Spy kit rules.