Nicolas Beaufont is a powerful wizard and dungeon raider. He is a noted collector of magical artifacts and a practitioner of Animancy.
Nicolas was a major antagonist of The Search for the Star, but played a supportive role in The Shadows of an Empire.
Appearance
Nicolas stands at 6'1", but appears taller due to his affinity for wearing heels. He is never seen without a telltale black wide-brimmed hat. Due to his immortality and regular use of restorative magic, he looks as if he were in his mid-thirties despite his chronological age.
Nicolas has been described as looking like a native of northern Noravia, rather than the region in which he was born.
Personality
Nicolas prefers to stay out of the spotlight, but has a natural charisma despite his introversion. He is clever and self-assured, but impatient and susceptible to deception.
Nicolas also has a noted tendency toward aggressive outbursts.
Background
Early Life
Nicolas was born to a yet-unnamed sex worker living in a town somewhere on the outskirts of Myrelda. Despite his poverty, he was able to make magical breakthroughs through self-study that enabled him to cast spells.
Myrelda
At the age of fifteen, Nicolas was drafted into service under the Laertagnian military. After seeing some combat, he felt his talents were better used elsewhere and deserted, taking up residence in the city of Myrelda in hopes of completing some formal study.
Although Nicolas faced penalties for his desertion, Myrelda's Lady Raella Sterling offered him absolution in exchange for work as her Court Mage. Having taken her up on this offer, however, he found that she had little interest in aiding him with his magical interests, as she was more interested in his company and relative naïvete.
The Cult of Az'Gamon
Before making his escape from Myrelda, Nicolas' natural curiosities led him to an underground sect of demon-worshippers. He spent some time among their ranks as a fugitive, eventually discovering the study of Animancy. His hunger for knowledge would only grow, eventually leading him to experiment in the area of mortality and manipulate his own soul.
Noravia
After his rituals, Nicolas eventually emigrated to Noravia and used property holdings there as a base for expeditions around the region.
The Star of Abbathor
Early in 1342, fellow wizard Orris Findlay proposed to Nicolas that he might be able to achieve his wish if he found the ancient Star of Abbathor, an artifact Orris knew to exist. Facing the challenge of collecting each of its stones, the pair spent the next few years assembling a group of companions whose abilities would benefit them in the search.
Abilities
Nicolas has noted magical ability and knowledge of a wide variety of spells, as well as a degree of natural skill in Illusion and Animancy.
Most of Nic's spells are illusory in nature rather than offensive, but he is capable of a large amount of damage.
Interactions
The Search for the Star
Despite the time commitment, Nic wouldn't find any suitable leads to the artifact until the discovery of the temple in the Selliduin mines. After following the Aurumvorax party through the dungeon, Nic managed to secure the Star and five of its stones, losing a sixth in the process.
Nicolas stated that he acquired his sixth stone sometime in the interim by successfully charming Queen Beshala on her island of Sel Gehana.
After repeated attempts to acquire the remaining two stones from Aurumvorax failed, Nic sent a segment of his party to the Shadowfell in order to steal them from the Raven Queen's sanctum. While tumultuous, they were eventually able to return to the Material Plane with the remaining stones. However, under pursuit by the Shadar-Kai, Nic was forced to use his wish to prevent the Raven Queen and her associates from being able to affect him.
The Shadows of an Empire
Aurumvorax encountered Nicolas again in Morravin, where he informed the party that he believed there was a Nagpa in disguise somewhere in the city and played a role in uncovering Lacoraethiel's true identity.
Nicolas was also pivotal to the suppression of the Sindelain coup, drawing Three's attacks to himself until its proto-phylactery was destroyed by Yashh.
After the battle in Morravin, Nic suggested that Aurumvorax continue on to Sel Gehana to acquire Queen Beshala's Avarice Stone, and agreed to teleport the party there after a short stop in Nostellian.