Dolmenwood Factions #16: Ygraine Mordlin

20 Nov, 2024

Meet the mysterious Sorceress of the North, Ygraine Mordlin. Her mastery of time magic and intricate dealings with the Fairy courts spark conflicts that could have far-reaching consequences. Will her schemes prevent the frost elves' return to Dolmenwood, or will her ambitions lead to her downfall?

Goals

As a prominent figure in the Fairy courts¹, Ygraine is deeply enmeshed in their politics, leveraging her influence and connections to pursue her own aims—chief among them, preventing the Cold Prince's return to Dolmenwood². Her dealings with the immortal nobles of Fairy consume much of her time, as their alien perceptions leave them oblivious to mortal urgency³. Meanwhile, she works to address the unintended consequences of her magic in Meagre's Reach—a task driven more by perfectionism than compassion. Though guilt is rare for her, she does feel it—just a little⁴.

Ygraine's ultimate ambition is to perfect her craft, pushing the boundaries of magical mastery. She also yearns for peers of equal talent to exchange knowledge with, though finding such individuals is no easy feat³.

• 🐵 Root Meagre's Reach in the Present Day. A task awaiting completion.
  • Restore trust among villagers or suppress rebellion.
  • Acquire, create, and enhance the Talismans of Dimensional Anchoring.
  • Channel Phandrwyl's energy to ground the village in time.

• 🙈 Prevent Alliances With the Cold Prince. A forgotten but real threat.
  • Discredit the Cold Prince's name among Fairy nobles.
  • Offer enticing alternatives to potential allies.
  • Craft appeals tailored to each noble's unique ambitions.

• 🙊 Advance Research Into Time and Illusion Magic. If only the days were longer!
  • Delegate responsibilities to capable, loyal servants.
  • Forge connections with other arcane scholars, particularly women.
  • Focus research efforts on magical automation and rewinding time itself.

Resources

Few truly comprehend the extent of the Lady of the Mirror's assets, as she guards this knowledge closely. Her most notable resource is Chateau Mauvesse, an enchanted Fairy stronghold that defies aging and eludes magical detection⁵. Within its walls lies an extensive arcane library, invaluable to her studies and ambitions. This sanctuary shields her from external threats.

Ygraine's influence among the Fairy nobility is well-known to those familiar with their circles. Her ability to navigate their intricate politics has earned her respect, though maintaining this position demands constant vigilance. However, her most significant and secretive resource is Phandrwyl—a powerful nodal stone buried beneath her chateau⁶. Even the Drune, though suspicious, cannot confirm its existence⁷.

• Access to Phandrwyl. The hidden fifth nodal stone on Ywyr.
  • Enhances the potency of magical rituals.
  • Stabilizes dimensional disruptions in Meagre's Reach.
  • Holds untapped potential for ley-line manipulation.

• Diplomatic Ties to the Fairy Nobility. An advantage and a burden.
  • Wields influence in Fairy court politics.
  • Commands trust and respect from several nobles.
  • Uses neutrality as leverage in negotiations.

• Control of Chateau Mauvesse. An ancient Fairy stronghold.
  • Provides timeless protection to its occupants.
  • Houses rare and powerful tomes in its arcane library.
  • Cloaks itself from magical surveillance and prying eyes.

Actions

The constant demands of the Fairy courts often pull Ygraine away from her personal ambitions, forcing her to prioritize maintaining her position among the immortal nobles. Mechanically, this means actions involving the Fairy courts are more likely to be selected during a faction turn. Meanwhile, her broader goals—stabilizing Meagre's Reach and harnessing the ley lines—compete for her limited focus. Her most ambitious plan involves increasing the power of Phandrwyl by drawing energy from the other nodal stones on the ley line, starting with the Endstone⁸. This endeavor risks provoking the Drune, whose dominance over ley-line magic conflicts directly with Ygraine's ambitions.

• 📔 Study the Limits of Dimensional Anchoring Talismans⁹.
  • 🕵️ Lope Barhaim
  • 📝 Map the maximum distances around Meagre's Reach.
  • 📝 Stress-test the duration of the talismans.
  • 📝 Relay findings to Ygraine for analysis.

• 📔 Gain the Favor of the Lady of Midnight¹⁰.
  • 🕵️ Petal-in-the-Abyss
  • 📝 Send an agent to Everborne to assess the political climate.
  • 📝 Host a diplomatic festival honoring Tainglass citizens.
  • 📝 Negotiate aid in exchange for cutting ties with the Cold Prince.

• 📔 Harness the Ley Line Ywyr¹¹.
  • 🕵️ Ygraine Mordlin (DCB p84)
  • 📝 Study the nature and flow of the ley line.
  • 📝 Establish a controlled feedback loop in Phandrwyl.
  • 📝 Divert small portions of the Endstone's energy.

Further Thoughts

Ygraine's primary objective is to oppose the Cold Prince, a task that places her in an uneasy position. While her goals align with the Drune in keeping the Prince at bay, her plans for the ley lines—particularly her designs on the Endstone—put her in direct conflict with them. This rivalry creates fertile ground for manipulation, as clever factions or opportunistic frost elves could exploit their mutual animosity. Cooperation between Ygraine and the Drune seems unlikely, and an outright clash may be inevitable if her ambitions threaten their dominance over ley-line magic.

Her role as arbiter in the Fairy courts is both a strength and a burden. While it grants her significant access to influential nobles, it also ties her to their endless and often petty disputes. The immortal courtiers' lack of urgency often leaves her frustrated and distracted from her broader goals. Additionally, her standing in the courts exposes her to subtle opposition. Her foster father, Prince Mallowheart¹², undermines her quietly, seeing the Cold Prince's return as a way to advance his own position. Meanwhile, the Duke Who Cherishes Dreams, once a close ally, grows increasingly resentful of her failure to fix the temporal issue in Meagre's Reach, further isolating Ygraine within the courts¹³.

The situation in Meagre's Reach adds another layer of complexity. Ygraine's time-manipulating magic saved the village from ruin but left it in a strange, liminal state. While some villagers are grateful, many blame her for the unnatural conditions of their home¹⁴. Insurrection brews among the discontented, but Ygraine has delegated the matter to Reynold Barhaim¹⁵ for now. Should the unrest escalate or draw the attention of rival factions, she may be forced to take a more direct role in resolving the crisis.

House Brackenwold's interest in the northern Aldweald further complicates matters. While the Duke currently lacks the motivation or resources to challenge her, any sign of weakness on her part could embolden him to act. Depending on how events unfold, this could lead to delicate negotiations or direct confrontation, especially if Ygraine refuses to cede ground to mortal influence¹⁶.

Potential Alliances

While Ygraine could theoretically ally with most factions in Dolmenwood, some partnerships are far more plausible than others:

• The Witches: This alliance holds great potential, as both sides could benefit significantly from each other's expertise. However, neither Ygraine nor the witches have made moves to initiate such a partnership, leaving the opportunity unrealized for now.
• House Guillefer: Friendly relations make alignment with this house likely, but much depends on the path House Guillefer ultimately takes¹⁷. Their ambitions tied to Hypnagogia could either strengthen their loyalty to Ygraine or lead to betrayal, depending on how the situation in Meagre's Reach is resolved.
• Fairy Nobles: Ygraine's deep connections to the Fairy courts give her a strong chance to ally with one or more nobles. The Cold Prince remains the obvious exception—an alliance with him is unthinkable. Others, like her foster father Prince Mallowheart or the Duke Who Cherishes Dreams, would require substantial effort to win over due to strained relationships.

Example

In my game, Ygraine's priorities leaned heavily toward Fairy court politics. I adjusted the faction turn mechanics to reflect this, increasing the likelihood of diplomatic actions in Everborne to a 3-in-6 chance while reducing her personal research time to 1-in-6. Despite this, it was surprising that diplomatic efforts only came up in the fourth turn, with initial rolls advancing two tasks related to the Talismans of Dimensional Anchoring. Once Ygraine receives the data on the talisman, her focus will shift to extending its duration and creating additional ones, aiming to reduce unrest in Meagre's Reach.

Conclusion

Ygraine Mordlin is one of the most powerful and enigmatic figures in Dolmenwood. Her unparalleled mastery of arcane magic is matched only by the challenges she faces—chief among them, time itself. As an ageless resident of Chateau Mauvesse, she enjoys the luxury of eternity, but her tampering with time magic has created complications even she struggles to resolve. The endless demands of the immortal Fairy courts, who care little for mortal urgency, often stretch her to the limits of her patience.

This makes Ygraine a fascinating faction for players to encounter. Will they align with her, aiding in stabilizing Meagre's Reach and exploring the mysteries of time? Or will they oppose her, exploiting her weaknesses and vying for her vast power? Either way, Ygraine brings depth, intrigue, and unique challenges to your campaign.

This concludes the series on Dolmenwood factions. I hope these entries have inspired you to create your own factions, adapt these for your setting, or use them as they are to bring Dolmenwood's tangled mysteries to life.

References

#dolmenwood #faction turns #legwork