NPC for the Planar Harmonium: Factor Durkayle

I made this guy up for the Umbra article I'm doing but I thought he might work better in this book.

Name: Kos Durkayle
Race: Human Male
Age: 45
Position: Mover 5
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Faction: Harmonium, Hardliner, Colonial Alliance
Class: Fighter 12
Province of Origin: South Thaera

Kos Durkayle is a tall, brown haired, middle aged man that shows no signs of deteriorating strength as his age progresses. He's the severe type of man that looks like he wears his armor around the house (which he's been known to do). Kos was once extremely good looking but stress and torture has left him merely striking.

Kos is the type of commander whom can simultaneously make his men fear him but also follow him to Hell and back (or the Abyss). He is uncomfortable in civilian settings and his perfect world would be one that is inhabited solely by soldiers. Unlike many Primes in Sigil, Kos Durkayle has ample experience with extra-planar beings and is completely comfortable with missions involving Angels or Devils (especially the later).

Kos Durkayle's biography is a story of triumph, tragedy, and revenge. At least, that's how he prefers to remember it. In truth, Kos Durkayle is a man that exemplifies everything that is wrong with both the Harmonium as well as the people of Ortho as a whole. If there is any tragedy in his life story, it is the fact that he has managed to return from a well deserved end to his ambitions. While a seeming model Harmonium officer, he's willing to destroy any amount of innocent lives and break any moral barrier if he believes it will further the cause of order in the cosmos. His charisma and belief are enough that many willingly follow him in this 'glorious cause.'

Kos Durkayle is from Ortho's Devil ridden province of South Thaera, originally. The child of a Prov Prostitute and a soldier of the Harmonium, he was taken from his parents at the age of thirteen and shoved into military training. Life in South Thaera's Harmonium was not like life in other provinces, even for children being prepared for a career in the military. One grew stronger or one simply laid down and died. Kos soon learned to take a punch and, more importantly, how to deliver one back. The soldier soaked in the ideology of the Harmonium and tuned out anything that could be construed as a weakness.

Kos managed to rise to the status of Captain in a manner that is wholly frowned upon in South Tharea; He earned it through merit. Kos lacked the predatory instincts of most members of South Thaeran's officer core and was willing to let actions speak for themselves. That resulted in him being labeled a trouble maker by superiors whom were certain that the handsome and talented warrior was plotting something. Ironically, this just brought him to the attention of his superiors who could see past the petty jealousies to the real talent beneath.

Captain Durkayle was picked out a hundred candidates by Marshal Bridget Kurz, secretly a pit fiend, to join the Planar Harmonium. Factol Sarrin was less than pleased with the fact that he was going to be receiving reinforcements from a place that bred bullies and thugs. In fact, most of the troops under Durkayle were the very scum that would terrorize Sigil for years. Durkayle, however, had been chosen by Marshal Kurz because she sensed that he was the kind of blind believer in Order that was perfect for the Baatezu's cause. To guarantee his rise to 'greatness', he was also assigned an Eriynes 'keeper' named Emalcia.

Durkayle, quickly managed to impress most of the Sigil Harmonium. He was a quick, decisive, and effective leader that almost always came back with a victory in hand. Factol Sarrin also knew that he was a blind believer in the State without an ounce of compassion in his heart. Emalcia managed to eliminate what enemies that the Faction member lacked the political expertise to handle. Durkayle quickly befriended large numbers of Mercykillers, cynical Harmonium members, and Baatezu. His experiences in South Thaera had left him well prepared for environments like Sigil. Over his own objections, Kos Durkayle was soon promoted to fourth in command of the Planar Harmonium. Only Sarrin, Tonat Shar, and Killeen Caine outranked him.

That was when Kos Durkayle's life fell apart. On a routine mission, he ended up being charmed by a succubus whom held him enthralled in his home for an Alu-Fiend to be born (Emalcia was, unfortunately, tied up with business on Arcadia that lead to the plane of Nemausus sliding into Mechanus.) In a comedy of errors, a failed attack on Bedlam and his ties with Devils were exposed just as his Alu-Fiend child rose to become head of the revived Zactar faction. *

Durkayle was brought back to Ortho in chains and sentenced to spend the rest of his life in a penal colony. That was when he was mysteriously cleared of all charges on the grounds of being under Demonic Influence that is no longer a Danger by Sin Eaters and then restored to his full rank. Only then did Durkayle discover that the Harmonium had been kicked out of Sigil and he was required to help gain control of the chaotic situation. Inspiring the troopers that felt disheartened, Durakyle managed to seize a captured Baatezu fortress on Acheron and promptly began fortifying it with portals to dozens of Planar layers.

Faith, very reluctantly, then promoted Durkayle to Mover 5 and only under herself along with Tonat Shar. He is in charge of all Lower Planar Harmonium excursions and has been actively recruiting across all the colonies of Ortho and on the homeworld itself. With Faith's focus on the Plane of Nemausus, she's disturbed by the number of Lawful Evil recruits that he's managed to bring in. Durkayle and Emalcia, however, are sure that the Harmonium is in good hands. It'll be in even better hands when she's replaced for her bleeding heart ways. Kos Durkayle thinks that being Factol looks very good right now. To him, Ortho's future lies in controlling the centers of belief in the world rather than the Prime Material Planes. After all, what hope would the Prime Material worlds have if they can be accessed from the heart of the god's realms?

Kos Durkayle, despite his position as leader of the Lower Planes orientated Harmonium, visits Ortho on a fairly regular basis. He is, primarily, interested in recruiting more Harmonium soldiers for tours in the Outer Planes. In South Thaera, this often amounts to press gangs and purchasing slaves to serve in the places firmly under his control. Kos has associations with everyone from mind flayers to an Aminzu named Greptaug whom handles brain washing the more reluctant candidates.

After becoming Factol of the Harmonium, Kos fully intends to eventually
ascend to the Octave and orientate the OCA towards a more Planar orientated world view. His masters hope he will make the alliance with the Baatezu more formal. Kos envisions far more than that and secretly dreams of becoming the next Julhein with the conquest of conquest worlds that are rid of 'chaotic' filth underneath his boot.

* As detailed in Dungeon 55#'s immortal adventure, Umbra.