Luther



For many inhabitants of the City of Dreams, their home is one of swords and sorcery, untouched by what one would called "the modern world." Luther's home is as far from this as can be imagined. The only son of proud, demanding parents, Luther Koenig was raised in a Germany that sat astride the globe. Victorious in the Second World War, the Third Reich was the preeminent superpower in the post-war world, and Luther, born forty years after the War, was the poster child of the so-called "Aryan ideal." Tall, blonde, blue-eyed, possessing a keen intellect along with impressive physical fitness, Luther was commissioned as an officer in the Waffen-SS with the blessings of his family and friends. Luther proved quite adept at his chosen profession, spending a number of years suppressing partisans in what was once the USSR; still active almost sixty years after the defeat of their nation. His emphasis on efficiency, discipline, and his tendency to lead by example soon drew the eye of his superiors, and after several years of active service, Luther had reached the rank of Sturmbannfuhrer. It was at this time that his life would take a drastic turn. Luther caught the attention of a select group of Ahnenerbe scientists in SS Burgundy, a bizarre state that had been carved out of the French provinces of Burgundy and Champagne by Heinrich Himmler, where SS law reigns supreme. For reasons unknown at the time, the SS were compiling an elite group of soldiers under the grandly-named "Raven Division". As it turned out, the Ahnenerbe scientists and occultists had discovered a method to travel between parallel worlds; indeed, a whole multiverse was opened for conquest. Luther was offered training, briefing, and equipment, and the night before he was to depart through the "portal", his sleep brought him to the City of Dreams. Interestingly enough, Luther dreamed that he had indeed gone through the portal, and that some sort of malfunction has left him stranded here. As such, he believes himself to be actually present, a notion that is subconsciously reflected is his Germanic accent. Upon his arrival here, Luther was quick to go to ground, getting a feel of the nature and politics of the City, as well as enjoying the benefits of legalized slavery. Such carnal pursuits, while entertaining, soon became routine for him, and he began to search for ways to increase and acquire what he determined would be critical to his survival in an unfamiliar city swarmed with dangerous entities: influence and power. By capitalizing on some keen investment opportunities with a loan taken from the Bank, Luther found himself with a small but steadily-increasing amount of income. Indeed, with some judicious management, Luther was soon free of debt, and was content to amass his fortune while continuing to meet and befriend those in the City. Still, it was not until he had enough money to acquire some property in the alpine mountain to the east of the City that he truly became involved in the social life of the City. While it would take far too long to detail all of Luther's social networks and maneuvering, there are several key items that deserve recognition. Luther was in close confidence with the drow Zaraun Torret, and was one of the founding members of the community known colloquially as "the Below". Indeed, rumor has it that Luther was one of the group of explorers that discovered the dragon lurking just beneath the streets of Mages' Alley, though there is little evidence to support such a claim. In any event, Luther's ambitions soon turned to the political sphere, and after seeing what he believed to be the failure of the previous Crimson Cardinal to uphold her duties to the City, he ran in opposition to her during the election. Though defeated, Luther received a significant showing; his willingness to host parties and the like for the public went a good way towards establishing him as a viable alternative. The election being a temporary setback to Luther's ambitions, he consoled himself with the fact that even Hitler had had his putsch, and that his time would come still. Indeed, Luther was in correspondence with a vast array of wildy-different people, and he continued to deliver to the masses what they had not received from their Cardinal; entertainment. Opportunity suddenly arrived with the departure of Talon from the office of Emir. His abdication, combined with the apparent disappearance of the Cardinal, caused a series of emergency elections to be held. Despite the plurality of candidates, along with some fierce competition from the Archmage of the Tower, Luther managed to secure an absolute majority in the elections, and as the sun rose over the City the next morning, Luther arose from the infamous Throne of Bones, unscarred by the tribulations of the night. His reign was a turbulent one, overseeing some of the most radical events to pass in a long time. Holding the fury of Atlantis at bay until the Dream Weaver settled the matter permanently, dealing with the myriad of changes brought about by the drastic realignment of the City structures and arrangements, and making the fateful decision over his Arcanus Consuar, Xyrthia, that allowed her succession to his throne; all were dealt with in a firm, direct manner. Very much a benevolent autocrat, Luther expanded the purview of the Tower considerably, though not all approved of such measures, even if taken for “the good of the people.” The ascension of Xyrthia to the Throne of Bones was surprising for Luther, to say the least, considering her known desires to wreak havoc upon the City. And sure enough, once the witch had taken her place, freakish weather began to plague Akashat. Luther moved behind the scenes, agreeing to serve as the Tower Lieutenant while never really stating his reasons for doing so. Throughout his tenure, he remained close to the Witch-Cardinal, although was rarely seen anywhere near the Tower. Rather, the man spent his time forging and re-forging connections neglected during his reign as Cardinal, and acting as the public liaison for the otherwise-reclusive Xyrthia. Before long, the political term had come to an end, and the office of Margrave was deemed in need of his attention by the citizens of Akashat. Not one to shirk from duty, especially when it involved a position of power, Luther agreed to run for office, and defeated his opponent by a substantial margin. Now, in this new office, he has set to his tasks in earnest, undertaking a variety of reforms to help tailor his position to his tastes. Who knows what lies in store with this ambitious man at the helm?