Illiolus
Player: Owen
Class: Monk (multiclass potential: Commander, Artificer)
Ancestry: Angelborn (cursed into Tortle form)
True Identity: Iliolus Nocios
Campaign Status: Active (Session 14)
Character Overview
Illiolus is an exiled angel trapped in the body of a Tortle monk, carrying the weight of a heavenly crime he did not commit. His true self—a baby angel—was meant to be sacrificed by heaven’s governing coalition as punishment for his parents’ insurrection. He was instead cast into this world through The Gate alongside his older “brother” Felix Notios (Angus Umber), who flared his wings in revolt to save him.
Now, after reliving these traumatic memories in Dr. Kale’s Reverie during the latest campaign arc, Illiolus has physically shed his shell—a profound transformation that has left him fundamentally changed and seeking a path forward.
Stats (DC20 System)
| Stat | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Prime Modifier | +3 | Dexterity (Monk agility) |
| Save Modifier | +2 | Wisdom-based saves |
| Combat Mastery | +2 | Martial Arts training |
| PD (Protective Defense) | 18 | Turtle Stance—active post-Reverie |
| HP (Estimated) | 45-50 | Monk baseline with good constitution |
True Lore
Heavenly Parentage
Illiolus was born to Orani and Effiloma, two angels who stood against the new coalition that seized control of Heaven approximately 1,000 years ago (in our current timeline). Their resistance was classified as insurrection, and they were imprisoned.
The coalition decreed that Illiolus—then merely a baby—would be executed as collateral punishment. This was meant to erase the family line entirely.
The Gate and Exile
When the execution order came through, Felix Notios (then Illiolus’ elder companion/older brother figure) made a desperate choice: he flared his wings in open revolt within the heavenly court. This act of defiance was enough to trigger an immediate exile order for him—and in the chaos, Illiolus was also cast through The Gate.
Felix’s sacrifice was the only thing that saved Illiolus’ life. Neither knows whether their parents survived the coalition’s purge.
The Reverie Experience
During Session 14, Illiolus accessed Dr. Kale’s memory-lounge device and relived these traumatic events in full sensory detail. The experience was so profound that his shell literally shed—a metaphorical and literal shedding of his old self.
This moment of breakthrough has left Illiolus transformed. He now walks with a different relationship to his body, his identity, and his purpose. Owen has expressed a vision of this becoming a “Gandalf the White” transformation—a rebirth that uses both the Continuum and an Energy Crystal to complete his metamorphosis into something more whole.
Current Arc & Plot Hooks
Primary Thread: Illiolus is at a crossroads. The shedding of his shell represents unfinished transformation. The party has access to:
- The Continuum (a powerful magical anchor point)
- An Energy Crystal (for ritual focus)
These elements could be combined to complete his rebirth—but the ritual’s true nature and cost remain unclear.
Secondary Thread: Silas Kestra was Illiolus’ playmate in Heaven, centuries ago. Silas now serves House Kestra and possesses knowledge of Illiolus’ true identity. This relationship is tinged with complexity—Silas may be protecting Illiolus out of genuine affection, but also out of self-interest, keeping Illiolus’ secret as leverage in celestial politics.
Tertiary Thread: Phylax (another exile angel) also knows Illiolus’ true identity and lineage. Their intentions toward Illiolus remain ambiguous.
Character Development
Psychological State
The Reverie revealed Illiolus’ deepest trauma: he was never meant to exist in this world. He is not a cursed warrior earning redemption—he is a targeted sacrifice who escaped through another’s sacrifice. This weight shapes every decision he makes.
The shedding of his shell represents a necessary release of victim identity. What comes next depends on Owen’s vision: Does Illiolus become something new? Does he seek revenge? Does he search for his parents? Does he anchor himself to the Continuum?
Relationship to the Party
As a monk, Illiolus brings discipline and spiritual centeredness to the group. However, his internal struggles are profound. The other party members have likely noticed the change since the Reverie—a quietness, a new intensity, a sense of standing at a threshold.
Relationships
- Felix Notios (Angus): Brother-figure. The one who sacrificed to save him. Complex grief and gratitude.
- Silas Kestra: Childhood friend. Potential ally, potential complication. Holds leverage over Illiolus’ identity.
- Phylax: Fellow exile. Intentions unknown.
- Dr. Kale: The Reverie-keeper. Illiolus now owes her a debt for accessing his deepest memories.
- Hubert Little: Party member. Sees Illiolus as a source of strength and wisdom.
- Burburra Bardborn: Party member. May recognize the vulnerability beneath the discipline.
- Teevis Sweet Tea Snik: Party member. Healer. Perhaps sensing Illiolus’ transformation.
- Fishnet: Party member. Street-smart observer; may read Illiolus’ changed state.
- NYC: Party member. Mysterious; intentions unclear.
DM Notes
DM Only
Illiolus does not know his parents may still be alive. Orani and Effiloma were imprisoned in Heaven’s Deep, not executed. The coalition wanted them contained, not dead, to prevent them becoming martyrs to future resistance movements.
The Gate may offer a path back. If Illiolus completes his transformation at the Continuum with an Energy Crystal, he will gain the ability to sense the dimensional weight of The Gate. This could eventually lead to a quest to breach Heaven itself—either to rescue his parents or to confront the coalition.
Silas is actively protecting Illiolus as leverage. House Kestra maintains a secret alliance with certain factions in Heaven (perhaps even sympathizers within the coalition). Illiolus’ existence and lineage are valuable bargaining chips. Silas will not reveal this unless forced or until the political situation shifts.
Felix knows more than he has told. Felix’s trial was orchestrated to result in exile, not execution. Someone within the coalition—perhaps a secret sympathizer—ensured his survival and passage through The Gate. This person may still be active and watching.
Equipment & Abilities
- Martial Arts Focus: Monk training in unarmed combat, mobility, and inner discipline
- Turtle Stance (PD 18): Active defensive posture maintaining heightened protective defense
- Post-Reverie Status: Recently transformed; shell shed; awaiting completion of metamorphosis ritual
Campaign Significance
Illiolus represents the personal cost of the campaign’s larger political conflicts. The fight against Dr. Allera Solaris’ enemy is also, potentially, a fight that could reshape the balance of power in Heaven itself. If Illiolus’ story culminates in breaching The Gate, it could become the campaign’s defining arc.
The stolen Aetherium Battery plot may be directly connected to his transformation. Energy Crystals and the Continuum are not separate threads—they converge in Illiolus’ story.