The Viceroy

Appearance
The Viceroy is a rather plain looking man well on in his years. While there is nothing that truly stands out about him, there is a certain air of unwholesomeness that permeates his very being. His attitude wavers between pedantic arrogance and fawning admiration, depending on who his audience is. The Viceroy looks down his thin nose with a faint sneer on his thin lips all the while almost feverishly wringing his thin hands.

When he speaks, his voice is generally exasperated. Though his knowledge of the kingdom and its works are second to none, it is presented as a burden that he alone can bear

History/Background
The Viceroy was a strange child, one obsessed with the counting of things and their ordering. He was introspective and aloof from the other children. Seeing his behavior, his parents hoped that he might have the abilities of a wizard or sorcerer. They were disappointed to learn that their child was unable to perform even basic magics. However, he did establish himself as a competent and capable practitioner of the low sorcery realms. Most notable was his ability to summon people and in crafting alchemical concoctions of lower level.

He worked as an apothecary, and alchemists assistant, a beast wrangler, and a number of other odd jobs. He didn't find his true calling until he found employ as a clerk within a lord's keep. Finding the records and archives in disarray, he quickly sat to work straightening them out. Within a month the oldest archives had been put into order and the books were altered to reflect the new, correct information. Impressed with this work, the lord took the youth on as an apprentice to the seneschal of the castle.

When the seneschal retired, the Viceroy took his place. After working hard for nearly a decade, the Lord of the Keep promoted him to the seat of Viceroy, his second in command, and as a regent should the need arise. This all sat very well with the new Viceroy as he had come to like his position of authority.

Time weighed heavily on the man. He had neither wife nor child and his work was his life. The tasks of administration had become tedious, with the new clerks and scribes all being inept and incompetent. Even worse, some of them had grumbled about his competence and ability. The thought of stepping down, or even promoting juniors to higher ranks were alien to him, he would never relinquish what he had achieved.

Special Equipment
Being in such a prestigious position, the Viceroy has full access to the royal treasury and armory. Should he need a magical item, book, or other dingus he has a good chance of getting it in a short amount of time. He often sends cadres of acolytes to retrieve items for him under the aegis of his position.

The Staff of the Viceroy
A more potent version of the Staff of the Majordomo, this six foot silver rod allows the Viceroy to alternately summon unseen attendants of some skill, observers who are partially visible in the manner of ghosts, or spectral soldiers in service to the state.

Mitre of the Viceroy
The infallible cap, so long as the viceroy wears this large and ornate hat bedecked with opals, moonstones, and chips of emerald, tanzanite and ruby he is protected as per the power of Majesty. To raise hand against him, a potential assassin would have to make a successful willpower save or be overcome by the effect of the Mitre.

Sword of the Viceroy
An ornate longsword with a full silver blade and a large polished sphere of obsidian set into the hilt. The weapon has no bonuses to combat, but in truth acts as a magical rod. It is able to allow its bearer to 'cut' through the red tape of bureaucracy and cause people to abandon tangled stories in the manner of Alexander and the Gordian Knot.

Plot Hooks
Hands Tied - The PCs are involved in a search for something, perhaps a charter for their new keep, a new village, or permits to practice sorcery in the Kingdom. To get this they have to face the wheels of the machine, the human cogs and acolytes backed by the Viceroy. Can the Slayer of Dragons be confounded by a clerk?

The Whatsit - There is a dingus in the possession of the Viceroy, the PCs have to find a way to steal/cajole/blackmail the Viceroy into letting them hold it for a bit.

Not in My Kingdom - In an act of hubris, the Viceroy has declared some facet of adventuring as against the crown and state. To possess or perpetrate this act id to become a criminal. It could be sorcery, having a sword over 30 inches in length, or something along those lines. The Viceroy is begining his climb to power becoming the new commoner backed dictator of the new plebian state!

The Backer - The PCs complete a task for the Viceroy, grabbing the dingus, knocking off an evil mage or two and earn his favor. They gain a potent ally in the govt, but soon find strings attached in new missions and if they decline the offer they are faced with the state not as a friend, but as an enemy.