Keeping up with the Vendelstalhs

[Pentaxius]

It's been a terrific year for me playing EFU. There is nothing out there like this game and its wonderful community. Alas, I've been running out of time (and funding) and I need to wrap up my PhD thesis. This means I can't be daydreaming EFU at work, chatting you folks all afternoon on IRC, and spending my time plotting my next drama. I can't help but put my soul into this game.

I've accomplished far more than I could ever have hoped on this PC. It's been a sick ride, and I got too many people to thank for it! I'll be back at some point, and you bet I'm looking forward to it.

Piss and Pox EFU, and rock on!

Vyrgil Vendelstalh was an anti-agent. An inhuman villain with a human side. A man of many contradictions and plentiful flaws. On the outside, he was a crude and callous alcoholic. On the inside, he was a lonely man, struck with grief and bitterness.

He had very simple goals.

Rise to the height of political power
Become the greatest "scholar" by fraudulent means
Become unrivaled in the Art.

All for a single purpose

To found a dynasty of privileged heirs, to carry the name and endure the test of time.

He put the utmost trust into his "family" - and hated everyone else. How surprising that he would be betrayed time and time again by those closest to him. Perhaps, it was a bit his fault. The idea was to portray the most authoritarian an abusive father figure imaginable, balanced by unwavering loyalty and a propensity to dispense undue favours. And it was amazing, and led to fantastic stories, from Daro to Cavanac to Cousin Reman to Rebecca to Elizabeth to Elaine to ghost daughter Vyrginia! These were my favorite moments with Vyrgil, and amongst my favorite of all time in EFU.

The book plot was interesting. I did enjoy copying all these books, and coercing other PCs into writing more and more books to satiate his petty scholarly ego. In the end I probably spent far too much time perfecting forum material and copy-pasting other people's stuff. But it was a worthy ride. I can't thank the people who went along enough. Writing a forum pseudo-book for someone else is an effortful thing. I'm amazed so many of you went with it. A real testament to the devotion of our players! (except you, Moony. You still owe me a book!)

Vyrgil had a perpetual conflict with WAW, more so than with other factions. Under his tenure, the Watchers and Warders would be perpetually divided. Vyrgil was an abusive, demeaning overlord who stepped on the toes of just about everyone. This lead to an incredibly tense and cloak and dagger atmosphere, with Investigators busy collecting evidence for all of Vyrgil's acts of corruption and murder. It all culminated in an internal tribunal, where thankfully - the dead can't speak.

And then there were a plethora of other things. And this is Agent life. You become tied up in a zillion little things. But I think, it makes it even more important to remain focused on personal things - because the risk of spreading one's attention too thinly is a very real one! It's easy to become an archetype of an Agent by trying to Marie Sue it, and dilute one's character - losing track of what really matters in the process.

I think it was ultimately this character that made me realize just how sweet defeat could be, and how enjoyable it is to "set yourself up" for a good whooping. Flawed is beautiful.

Background
Vyrgil Vendelstalh was born to a physician of Old port who held daring repute. He was amongst the few who scoured the shores of Ymph in search of the fable cure that would wash away the Maiden's embrace, leaving everything behind in search for his cure for the masses!

The neglect of his father caused a profound family crisis. Vyrgil's mother had to "work the docks" while his sister died of the pox at a young age. All while his idealistic progenitor was away - unknowing of the family's tragic ruin - pursuing some fleeting vision of relief for the have-nots.

When his father returned, he was too ill to pursue his quest, or to care for his family. Soon, he felt the maiden's grip coiled around his ailing soul. Before the fever took him, he whispered words unspeakable to his eleven-year old Son.

"Vyr-Vyrgil, the dagger..."

There are some who would forgive, and carry the burden of their father to pursue with thricefold fervor what remains unfinished. To abandon themselves in the names of others - to walk the martyr's path. And then there are others.

Vyrgil grew up to become a petty, fearful man. Terrified of disease, curses, and "miasma," he shut himself into an ivory tower, and became a peddler of snake-oil amongst the Upper class of Old-Port; Conning minor barons and wealthy merchant in believing his famed father had found a miraculous remedy.

Most of all, he never forgave his father for abandoning the family.

Synopsis
The overarching theme was that of decadence, bitter entitlement, and grief. Bitter entitlement because of all his victories for the Spellguard, and the lack of recognition he felt as a result. Grief would come as a consequence of his failed attempt at uniting a perfect family - and the untimely death and betrayals of beloved children.

Food, wine, and orgiac gatherings in the Red Lantern were his coping mechanism at first. Slowly but surely, he turned into a morbidly fat alcoholic. The wine would dull his pain every morning - so he could go about his miserable existence for one more day at a time. Vyrgil kept on drinking despite knowing it would be his undoing. He did listen to the counsel of others, and tried to pick up hobbies beyond the self-destruction he was inflicting upon himself.

So he picked up painting. And he became obsessed with depicting his ideal family. The happy Vendelstalhs - with him, sitting as patriarch of this lucky bunch. As time flew by, he remained more and more cloistered in the Tower, with less and less interest in the world - he spent his time painting and drinking, to heal the wounds.

But healing never came. At some point, the grief felt over the loss of his lost daughter Vyrginia culminated into a delirium. His child was alive. Somewhere, beyond the veil. Speaking to his father during his delirious drinking sessions in his room. In truth, she was but a lock of hair in a wooden box. But she was alive, she was something he could hold onto.

Then she was taken away from him, and the box burned and salted by the only being left in existence that he cared for - Elaine Vadrell.

And so his spirit was broken one more time, betrayed one last time. And he kept on drinking. Alone in his room, clinging onto the surreal portraits of his loved ones.

His final relief from this world would come from the inside. His skin turned into a sickly yellow as his liver gave up the struggle. In the darks to follow, he would remain bed-struck, severely ill and woefully ignored by the Reformed Order he so often challenged.

On Eleasis 25rd, he died as he lived.

Alone.

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And now, screenshots. I lost a lot of mine when my SSD died. If you have any screenshots worth sharing, please do! Presented in no particular order.

Vyrgil Vendelstalh (Black_Bile)

This character was created on Wednesday, March 2nd, 2016 at 04:34:24 AM.
Since creation, this character has logged on and off 378 times.
The character has spent 22 days, 23 hours, 34 minutes, and 42 seconds online.

He was a frequent patron of Intryzz, who never failed to summon him for a show.


He needed his wine poured…


The housing Vaults, what a great experiment.


He had the strangest vallets…


Betrayal was a constant in his life.


Mageduels was his forte, but even then…


He got his arm replaced in an effort to git gud


He oversaw critical directives in the Deep Forges.


He entertained cordial relations with the Exiles.


His son, Daro, had frequent tantrums.


He raised Agents, from cradle to grave.


He hated the law, and loathed tribunals.


And tribunals hated him back.


But some of his apprentices, weren't so bad.


He had many women in his life.


He loved bloodsports.


Many were jealous of his children.


He discussed philosophy


He made many paintings.


He was terrified of these people


He grew quite fond of mindflayers


And rescued quite a few.


But they didn't always love him back in return


He ate people. And his Chef Jacques was a great cook.


He had a rivalry with Operative Miller.


And was always serious while conducting business


He presided over the war council.


And then these guys came in once the hard part was done.



He was fond of conscription, and bathing recruits.


He saw some fight.


Crushed some Thralls


And spent some time in dream world


Mutulakt was his.


He became drunk by victory - but promotion never came...
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He held good company in the Lantern. Here, with the Old-Port crew.



And finally, his iconic respirator. Courtesy of our favorite brown snake wrestler.


Rock on EFU. It was a wonderful year, and I'll see you soon.

[Wench]

I always wished to interact with Vyrgil more! Everytime I saw you log in, I knew there was going to be a great time! I wish you all the luck in the world with your schooling and can't wait to see another PC from you at some point! :D

[Burke]

This fuckin' guy, am I right?

You know well how much I loved playing with and interacting with you Pentaxius. I can not wait to spam your IRC when next I see you.

[tinfoilhat]

Superb characterization as usual Pent. It's always cool to see how your characters develop over time and the plots they follow!

[Bearic]

Was so sad Ajax didn't get to become some sort of estranged nephew, but was fun while it lasted. XD

[TheSpooky]

I've been saving this for a long, long time. A lot longer than I expected. Vyrgil made Daro who he was, literally and figuratively. I had a completely different arc for that character planned, but the moment Vyrgil sat him down in the Red Lantern and proposed adoption, I had to stop and think about it. The conclusion that I came to was that I'd be missing the hell out if I didn't sign the papers.

Never have I made a better decision on EFU. Godspeed, paterfamilias.

[The Samophlange]

Vyrgil was a very fun character to be around, even though I'd wager nine out of ten reactions to seeing him wandering around were 'Not this asshole again'. From the marriage plot to Yseult to butting heads and murdering(?) his daughter(?) on Kurenov, I really enjoyed our time together. I didn't think you'd manage to make a old man more vile than Albrecht, but you succeeded in spades! I pray you never try and tackle another despicable old man, because the only territory left at this point is some truly haunting shit.

Good luck with your thesis, Pent, and I hope to see you again on the server in the future! Nobody can make grind my IC gears the way you can.

[Gentlemen of the Empire]

I always enjoyed my interactions with Vyrgil. It's a shame to see him go!

A few screenshots of some of my favorite encounters below.

[Halfbrood]

Great story arc, excellently portrayed PC. Well done, come back to us soon!

[Demure]

Oh man you were just waiting for me to see the invitation for screenshots, aren't you?

For some reason I didn't screenshot all the creepy weird daddy shit. But I did catch a lot of Dear Vyrgil's formative moments...



Bossing around the Warders, and making them actually ward things...



... and then hurting them when they could not.



Using Necromancy to interrogate a deceased victim of the Housing Vaults Slasher...



Making good and frequent use of the Petty Chamber.



Performing fantastic feats of surge-- actually just killing a guy we went through all the effort of rescuing from the surface.

[GriffIsaBastard]

Dude. I seriously loved your character. He was a cunt, the good kind, actually scary & competent despite his corrupted personality. I'm sad to read this obituary, I had hoped this sickening man to lead Sanctuary into flames for his own ambitions. Well done Vrygil <3.

[Golgo13]

Gold standard of villainy.

[TheTacoWizard]

Got to say it is sad to see Vrygil go, honestly he is the only character that has been around nearly as long as Bunwhal perhaps longer. You played the Agent role perfectly, not only acting like a full on spell tyrant, but also getting him in a drunken slobber the whole way through. He was a fantastic character and he defiantly puzzled Bunwhal a shit load of times. Can't wait for your next PC Puss-brain!

[goate]

Vendelstalh was amazing, a great presence whether he was in the foreground, or the background.  Having his portrait painted in the boat to Mutulakt was A+++++.

-Grackattack

[Eyesore]

a haiku for vyrgil vendelstalh:

dribbling idiot
see you in hell ya fat cunt
bring the fucking box