Rikkert Velnaar

''"You're not a hero. You're just another monster. And monsters get slain." --Rikkert Velnaar''

Rikkert Velnaar is a main character and player controlled character in the Legends of Altmar campaign. A monster hunter from Ithilia, Rikkert is a highly trained fighter and expert investigator. As a result of a curse contracted during his travels with the other Legends of Altmar, he suffers from lupine lycanthropy.

Biography
Rikkert grew up in a small Ithilian village in Cantervern. His parents died of a pox when he was a boy and he was left as a child to raise his young sister. When Rikkert was a teenager his sister went missing and he ventured into a nearby wood to find her. He found her but was too late to stop her from being killed and eaten by a horrifying monster. He ran crying and the death of his sister and his inaction still haunts him.

After a few years of grief, he decided he would not let such a thing happen again and he joined the Hunters of the Forgotten, a guild of monster hunters. They treated him poorly like they do most new recruits and forced him into rigorous study and training for several years. Through determination he survived the grueling recruitment process and became a full member of the guild. Thereafter he took on contracts throughout the Duchies of York, Leohampton, and south into Abington and Falasan.

Threat From Beyond
Rikkert traveled with the Legends of Altmar and their Ithilian companions on their way to York when their caravan was ambushed by Leonian marauders. Dispatching the renegades and saving the caravan earned him and the others an audience with Sidd Kinglsey, King of Ithilia. Rikkert accepted the lead King Sidd gave him about strange monsters in Silver Woods. Upon investigating, Rikkert and company learned that the forest had been invaded by demons from another plane.

After informing King Sidd, Rikkert agreed to help the party take the corpse to the Magicians in Fallharbour for inspection. They travelled north through viking territory and Wailing Wood where he uncovered the Blade of White, an old magic sword, deep in cavern where they had taken shelter. Continuing their journey the group was then ambushed by a band of Viking warriors. While the rest of the party dealt with the raiders, Rikkert dueled their raid chief in the snow near the entrance to the Northern Passage, killing the large warrior with the Blade of White. Rikkert trudged through the snowbound passage up the mountains and took shelter in the Shrine of Exodus with the other members of his party.

When the party descended into the caverns below the Shrine, they uncovered a strange fungal cavern which rendered all of the party but Rikkert unconscious. Rikkert was then surrounded by the Myconid people who lived there who brought him to Sovereign. Sovereign informed Rikkert that a great evil destroyed the dwarves who once lived in this cavern. Upon the waking of the rest of the party, he and Alia decided to venture further below in order to stop whatever evil might be down there. Eventually rejoined by the party, they explored Duuravhiin and met the black dragon Argorok as well as uncovered the Earth Stone which Rikkert kept with him. He was with the party as they journeyed back up to the Shrine and through the rest of the passage to Strombran.

Arriving in Strombran, Rikkert and company met with Count Tarkin Halford, the city's ruler. Of the party, Rikkert was the only one who got along well with Count Tarkin, earning his respect. He also earned the eyes and yearning of his daughter Emilia. After Count Tarkin banished Alia and Oscar from the city. Rikkert and the other party members left after her. As they left they were approached by Emilia who asked them to allow her to join them. Rikkert quickly refused noting her place was in Strombran, but with her pleading and the convincing of Cal and Niavara, he acquiesced.

The party headed for the Magician's Tower when they arrived in Fallharbour and were immediately brought in for questioning by the Archmage. Rikkert avoided most of her questions and she eventually allowed him and the others to leave, but after Baravio informed the Archmage that he was carrying the Earth Stone, she immediately ordered Jon Goren to bring the stone to her by any means necessary. Jon and Rikkert had a standoff but with the help of Cal's cooler head, Rikkert gave the artifact to the magician. He was present at the council of the magicians when it was revealed to the party that the invaders had come from another plane and it was likely the strange omens were probably related. With this troubling news, Rikkert set off with the rest of the party to investigate, taking the offer of Reemo Starson to teleport them to Vice.

Bad Tidings
Rikkert teleported to Heen with most of the rest of the party and was with Niavara when she interrogated Reince's contact in the prisons below Heen. Upon leaving the city and meeting Baravio's father in the outskirts he gave the wizard the space he needed, but helped him bury his mother and sister.

During the party's adventures in Vice, Rikkert became interested in a gang of vigilantes who had been committing murders throughout the city. Due to his expertise he helped the city watch uncover that the murderers were in fact werewolves. While searching for a way into the Kingside district, Rikkert was able to track the wolves to their den below Vice. He came up with a plan (albeit sarcastically) to lead the wolves to them which Otie assisted him with. He was with the party when they met Blackheart and got into Kingside. He and Baravio sneaked into the quarters of Doge Pavel Jeffries and discovered he was corrupted by demonic influence. Rikkert subdued him and they made off with the Doge to rejoin the rest of the party in the sewers where they escaped to Old Byseah. He attempted to comfort Emilia when she broke down after the flight from the palace, but failed.

When they arrived, the Wolves of Vice had followed them there and confronted them in order to coerce them into assisting them murder a local crime lord. Though Baravio negotiated terms Rikkert ignored the new alliance and attacked the wolves, following his duty as a monster hunter. He and the others killed the wolves but Rikkert was cursed in the process, which he immediately realized but did not inform the rest of the party. Soldiering on, he assisted the party in defeating the corrupted form of Blackheart and sealing the portal beneath the city. He and the others escaped Vice into the Empire.



During the battle of Fairn Forest, Rikkert assisted the others in helping the forest spirits of Fairn Forest take back their home from demonic invaders. He also joined his party in delving into Cir's Tomb and closed the portal threatening Fairn Forest.

Rikkert met Sir Duncan Heyward on the road to Calis and traveled with him to the city. When the party split up he visited Excelsior Theatre to see a play with Otie. During the Calis Incident he and Otie foiled a plot to blow up part of the ducal palace and apprehended Ferrick Redwarren, a wererat and smuggler, though Rikkert released him. He later revealed to the party that he was cursed with lycanthropy.

Rikkert then arrived in the Imperial Capital with his party and met with Professor Laina McDowell to learn more about his condition. She informed him of a drug that could suppress his transformation but that it would take time and money to retrieve. Rikkert agreed. He was also present when the party met with Xavier Penchant and during their adventure beneath the Temple of the Saints.

Before setting off for their next destination, Garad Estus, the party decided to deal with Rikkert's werewolf problem and waited for the full moon in an abandoned church outside of Cagil. There Rikkert turned into a werewolf and they spent the night battling him and subduing him. When morning came, Rikkert was exhausted but glad to be past his forced transformation.

While in the village of Sendberg, the party met with another group of adventurers and discovered they were escorting Emilia Halford back to her father in Strombran. After a lot of discussion, Alia convinced the reluctant Rikkert to assist her in liberating Emilia. They broke Emilia away from her escorts and rode off towards Garad Estus to deliver her to her sister and brother-in-law.

On the road, Rikkert helped a local town with its werewolf problem tracking down the monster living in town and slaying her. During his travels through the Midlands, Rikkert grew closer to Alia and Emilia, however their happy trails came to a quick end when they were confronted by Valla Blackveil who demanded they surrender Emilia. When Alia refuses and is knocked down by Valla, Rikkert came to her rescue, subduing Valla and riding off with Emilia.

They were then tricked and captured near Velen on the road to Garad Estus by Reince and his thugs. Reince threatened to kill Emilia and Alia and force Rikkert to watch. While Oscar freed Alia, Rikkert transformed voluntarily into his werewolf form, slaying many of Reince's thugs and protecting Emilia. Together they defeated Reince and his men, but failed to capture Reince who teleported away with a magic amulet. Emilia pet Rikkert, telling him she trusts him and that he is not a monster, which comforted him.

Rikkert spent the rest of his time on the road to Garad Estus resting and was not present during the excursion to the caves outside Velen. Upon arrival in the city he reunited Emilia with her sister and helped pay for some of the mountaineering gear the party needed to traverse the mountains above.

Rikkert helped the party reach the top of Altmar's spine as he was knowledgeable about many of the monsters who lived there. When they reached the top he helped the party again defeating the magicians guarding the Temple of the Air Orb and avoiding the dangerous traps within the temple itself. Upon freeing Kisara, Rikkert kept the Air Orb with him during their trek down the mountain.

While journeying back to Cagil the party was held up in Tryst and were overcome by the horrific influence of the Wendigo, a monster that amplified their fears and insecurities. Rikkert briefly lost the Sword of White to Ahamed who was incorrectly convinced by the Wendigo's influence that it was the Sword of Sagaras. During the fight with the Wendigo, Rikkert was nearly killed but was saved by Kisara's magic when she revealed herself to be a dragon. Ahamed returned Rikkert's sword after the Wendigo's influence faded.

Rikkert was captured by the Imperial Army and interrogated on suspicion of sedition for travelling with Ahamed, a newly proclaimed enemy of the Empire, but was released on the orders of Xavier Penchant. Though reluctant to owe the Senator a favor he was glad not to rot in Imperial prison. He travelled up the Red Road on the way to Redspan and helped uncover a murderous priest in Cael's Landing and lifted a curse over the town.

In Redspan Rikkert helped defend the town of Aegir from monsters in the nearby forest but left the town to its fate after the citizens began to revolt. He also helped best Burkhardt who attempted to kill Aras and his gang of thieves. On the road to Redspan city, Rikkert, along with Alia and Gim Lee, cleared a pond of dangerous frog monsters. He had a snowball fight with Ahamed in Redspan while the party relaxed between adventures.

After crossing the High River and spending an evening in Illmarsh, Rikkert sought to help lift a curse over the town caused by spirits of soldiers from a horrible massacre that happened hear years earlier, exacerbated by the strange events plaguing Altmar. After successfully burying the bones of the dishonoured dead, Rikkert (with the help of Ahamed and the others) lifted the curse over Illmarsh and continued to the ruins of Da Hall, an old Redspaniard temple, where they were beset by illusion magic and captured by the temple's priests.

Rikkert was interrogated by Ojidag Shagstead, the high priest of Da Way. During their conversation Rikkert accidentally glimpsed into a Chaos Orb and saw visions of himself beset by monsters and the friends he had made helping him up and assisting him in battle, and by Emilia, a great black dog in her lap. He refused Shagstead's offer and was taken back to his cell where he was freed with the help of Kisara. He helped Gim Lee and Luther out of their cells and confronted Shagstead, killing him and taking the Chaos Orb he held. They then escaped to confront Alia and Ahamed in Aegir.

Arriving in Aegir, Rikkert helped Luther capture his brother, by preventing his escape by killing his horse with an arrow. He then entered the Old Chapel and helped convince the other two to spare Uhlman Longarm, capturing him. Attacked again by monsters and terrible storm, Rikkert hurried with his party to take shelter in Bulwark.

Rikkert was an essential figure in the Battle of Bulwark where he and Ahamed held first breech for nearly an hour before being fought back to the keep. When Sir Rafe Harstone arrived and attempted to arrest Ahamed on suspicion of sedition, Rikkert quickly jumped to his defense prompting Sir Rafe to arrest him as well. They were both quickly released after Ahamed showed his writ of safe travel from the Senate, but were shanghaied into Rafe's army as they marched on the city.

After helping remove Governor Markham from power, Rikkert and the others headed to the center of the storm, a cathedral dedicated to the Warrior Saints currently under construction. Delving into the crypts Rikkert confronted the Traveler, sealing the portal below the city with Shagstead's Chaos Orb, and helping the party to defeat the Traveler.

Personality
Rikkert is typically a dour figure whose cheap leather armour, general reluctance, and usual frown do not inspire confidence as an adventurer. He is often quick to the point and doesn't like getting bogged down in politics and social games which can be unwelcoming to some. As a result, Rikkert does not have many friends, though those who do take the time and expend the effort to get to know him will realize that he is a good man who genuinely tries to do the right thing and to help people. His gruff exterior and cautious nature are often mistaken for indifference but from his deeds it is clear that Rikkert wants nothing more than to help others.

Rikkert longs for a normal life but accepts that it will never happen as his conscience does not allow him to stand idle while others are in danger. He often attempts to stay neutral or take the paths of least resistance but his heart generally forces him to involve himself in matters when innocent are on the line.

Rikkert has slowly grown close with his fellow adventurers and has begun to abandon some of his lone-wolf attitudes in favor of working together with others. While he is still often his usual dour self he has opened up more to the party and to others as a result of his adventures.

Alia Ashfeld
Rikkert and Alia have a complicated relationship. While outwardly they are often seen arguing and have a contentious relationship, it is clear they have formed a close friendship. Alia's brash nature conflicts with Rikkert's more cautious approach. And though they extremely different methods, they have similar pasts and goals, such as a tragic past and missing a sister figure. Rikkert sees a lot of good in Alia, but is often disappointed by her slice-first-ask-questions-later attitude, while Alia sees Rikkert as overly cautious and afraid to act. While they definitely have their differences, Alia and Rikkert care about many of the same things and respect each other as warriors who ultimately seek to protect others.

Gim Lee
Rikkert and Gimlee formed a quick friendship and are often seen working together on their adventures. They both help the other open up and are quick to assist each other in battle and in intraparty discussions. Rikkert views Gim Lee as one of his closest friends. While Rikkert's status as a werewolf initially concerned the dwarf, Rikkert's bravery and commitment to helping others quickly earned the dwarf's trust and respect.

Baravio Lanar
Rikkert was often frustrated by the rogue wizard but saw potential for goodness in him. Though this potential was never really met, Rikkert attempted to act as a guiding figure for Baravio, though Baravio rarely showed any interest in Rikkert's wisdom, derisively reminding Rikkert that he is not his father. While Baravio was a near constant stream of disappointment for Rikkert, the two parted on good terms.

Ahamed al-Sagar
While Rikkert does appreciate the knight's combat ability and pragmatism, Ahamed's stories "exhaust" Rikkert and he finds the Talerian's tendency to exaggerate somewhat exasperating. Despite this, the two get along fairly well, even if Ahamed's flair for the dramatic sometimes contrasts with Rikkert's more reserved nature, as they both seek to protect and help people.

Emilia Halford
Rikkert's relationship with Emilia is somewhat complicated as it is clear that he has grown close to her over their adventures together. However, he rejects her advances (romantic and platonic) out of his fear of closeness to others. Despite this he is very protective of her seeing her in a younger sibling role, perhaps as a surrogate to the little sister he once failed to protect. Her acceptance of his condition helped him come to terms with his lycanthropy and is grateful for her support.

Hunters of the Forgotten
Rikkert feels his guild is a bit of a mixed bag, while there are some good hunters, many of them are out for little but coin, and things have only gotten worse since the Ithilian Civil War began and Leon began flooding the guild with gold. This has caused the guild to become somewhat complacent and greedy leaving Rikkert somewhat resentful, however he still recognizes the importance of such an organization and seeks to do good through it.

Statistics

 * STR: 15 (+2)
 * DEX: 20 (+5)
 * CON: 15 (+3)
 * INT: 15 (+2)
 * WIS: 14 (+2)
 * CHA: 13 (+1)

Class
Rikkert is a Battlemaster fighter and is proficient with most weapons. His versatility with weapons has been utilized more so than most of the other characters in the party and he carries a wide array of weapons mostly used to kill various monsters but also to stop those who would harm others.

Rikkert's fighting style is dexterity based and he typically uses finesse or ranged weapons, fighting in a flurry of blows, pirouettes, and flashy techniques used to catch opponents off guard. As a result, Rikkert is particularly lethal in one-on-one combat. He typically uses a longsword (usually The Blade of White) but also carries a silver blade to fight many kinds of monsters and a bow to strike at range. He also carries a hatchet which he uses as a concealed weapon, or a last resort when disarmed.

As a Battlemaster, Rikkert can perform several combat maneuvers including:
 * Parry
 * Riposte
 * Evasive Footwork
 * Menacing Attack
 * Precision Strike

His selected maneuvers represent his quick and evasive style of fighting.

Other Abilities
Rikkert is an expert investigator and excels at tracking leads and examining evidence. He often correctly deduces the answer to many of the mysteries the party encounters and has a sixth sense when it comes to following certain leads to their conclusion, correctly predicting likely outcomes of some scenarios the party faces.

Rikkert is very knowledgeable about the monsters that plague the continent of Altmar, as a result of intensive study and training to defeat them during his time with the Hunters of the Forgotten. He is able to give the party detailed information about many of the creatures they encounter.

Rikkert is also a werewolf, capable of shifting at will to his lycan form. In this form he transforms into a large direwolf, becoming larger than a man, gains resistance to damage, enhanced senses, the ability to pounce on enemies and abuse pack tactics. He can also communicate with other wolves.

Trivia

 * Rikkert is the only character to appear in every chapter.
 * Rikkert is one of two characters left from the original party.
 * Rikkert was originally inspired by Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter in the Witcher series.
 * Rikkert can use longswords as a finesse weapon.