Sougad Lawshredder
This power-in-the-making came to my attention almost a decade ago when he committed a series of grisly murders here in the Cage. For seven days, Sougad stalked, terrorized, and killed members of factions who had a lawful outlook on the multiverse. The only clues in the case pertained to the peculiar methods of death-dealing.
Each of the 11 victims was terrified at the time of his death. Each murder was committed using the same weapon, a large metal blade believed to be a long sword. Sougad inflicted a number of slashes to equal the number of the victim. The first victim was killed with a single slash of the sword, while the eleventh victim received 11 slashes. He always left a note written with the victim's blood on the finest grade of parchment, reading: "Chaos is the only law, washed clean in the blood of order."
Incidental evidence alerted me to the fact that we weren't dealing with an ordinary barmy. Some victims had been buried by a discharge of magical energy, and the few times that the Harmonium or the Mercykillers closed in on the stalker, they were frightened off by supernatural means. I ordered a special team of Believers to track down the murderer. I wanted him for Harbringer House - even evil powers need a place to develop before they ascend. The team got lucky, I must admit, and stumbled across Sougad as he was about to enter a twelfth name in the dead-book.
During my work to bring him the knowledge of ascension, I learned some important information about Sougad Lawshredder. He came from the prime world of Toril, where he was the ward of an evil wizard. He came to Sigil for a definite purpose - to become a power of chaos and murder. Sougad has certain innate abilities that identify him as a power-to-be. He can cause fear, know alignment, and produce the effects of shocking grasp. He is resistant to magical effects himself, and any long-sword he uses to commit a murder immediately becomes an enchanted law slayer weapon. His murders follow a definite pattern and are part of an elaborate ritual that he believes will elevate him to godhood. He refuses to provide details, but it appears that the ritual did unlock additional abilities in Sougad, even though it went unfinished (he needs to commit 13 murders to complete the rite.) Strangely enough, Sougad also likes to eat Abyssal leeches.
In the decade since we started working with him, Sougad's innate abilities have grown stronger. His hatred for law and order was not abated, however. I fear that he'll never develop into a good being, but that isn't our concern. When he reaches the full state of powerhood, we'll release him to find his place in the multiverse.
My greatest worry is Sougad's constant threats toward myself [sic] and those who follow the ways of law. He believes that something monumental will occur after he's spilled the life blood of 13 lawful beings. He can't wait to return to that task, so he'll have to remain in Harbinger House. Of course, I may be hindering a potential power by preventing Sougad from making his 13 kills, but that's not something I want to contemplate right now.
Trolan the Mad
Trolan of Ecstasy came to Sigil following a dream most consider to be evidence of an addle-coved mind. I agree, but it also shows Trolan's place as a power-to-be. He grew up in the Outlands town of Ecstasy, where as a young tiefling he developed the skills of a bard. Early on, he also showed signs of powerhood, for he developed innate abilities not commonly available to mortal cutters. When the young bard first heard the tales of the Lady of Pain, his future course became apparent - he wanted to win the Lady's love and devotion.
As anyone who's spent event a little time in the Cage knows, the lady doesn't want devotion or worship. The rules are clearcut: Worship her and earn a fast, painful trip to the dead-book. The warnings didn't stop Trolan, however, and he arrived in Sigil six years ago to offer the Lady his heart. He sang of his love in taverns and on street corners, hoping to prove his worth. Those who heard him fled in terror of the Lady's impending wrath, and many bashers tried to silence him before the Lady did it herself.
Days passed, and Trolan remained alive and unflayed. The Cagers around him still kept a fair distance, afraid that when the Lady's shadow fell upon the bard, they'd be caught by its sharp edges. Eventually, the Mercykillers decided to punish Trolan for his flagrant disregard of Sigil's customs. But when they found him, they discovered that a group of dabus has surrounded the bard. The dabus carried him away, apparently ending the threat to Sigil's order. For me, it was only the beginning.
The dabus brought Trolan to Harbringer House. We took him in, for it was rare indeed for the Lady's servants to bring anyone to us, let alone a barmy who seemed destined to be trapped in the mazes or flayed by the Lady's blades. Intrigued by Trolan's case, I listened to his ballads, heard the love in his voice, and discovered innate abilities that marked him as a power-to-be. He can use the following spell-like abilities without reciting arcane words or tossing around mystical components: charm person, friends, suggestion, and emotion. He has a natural resistance to magical effects. He is also a friendly, good soul who will make a splendid power when he finally ascends the ladder of existence.
If not for his fatal attraction to the Lady of Pain, he wouldn't be in our care. To profess such feelings with obvious sincere emotion and not meet instant destruction shows me that even the Lady recognizes how special Trolan is. Still, we can't have him disturbing the Cage, so he remains our guest at Harbringer House until he finds a way to curb his feelings and desires. After all, he won't achieve his place as a power if he forces the object of his affections to put him in the dead-book.
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