he darklord of Ricoba is Játiva Reniego. She is the head of the Reniego merchant family, and the most powerful wererat in the domain. Játiva dwells in a magnificent fortified estate in Ponferrada, which connects directly to the sewers beneath the city. Ricoba society could be described as somewhat like feudalism, although abject poverty is virtually unknown. The merchant families rule by virtue of their hereditary ownership of almost the entire domain. Though the other nobles would deny it, most of the folk tend to view the Reniegos as the ruling family, and Játiva as their monarch. Still, the farther one moves away from Ponferrada, the less dominant is her presence. Játiva promotes Ricoba's growth by actively envouraging foreigners to immigrate to the domain, and recently she has also sternly "encouraged" her subjects convert to the Pescadores.

Ricoba's cities boast some of the most heavily armed soldiers in the Core. Though the merchant families of Borca are wealthier, the Ricoban nobility invests more of its assets in military might. Unfortunately, these warriors are tools of the upper classes, primarily meant to serve noble interests. There are few laws regularly enforced by the militia, and thus urban life tends to be somewhat rough in Ricoba. Thief guilds and other underground organizations operate relatively smoothly as long as they respect the nobility. A typical Ricoban militia unit is composed of ten 2nd-level fighters wearing plate mail--four armed with halberds, four with broadswords and shields, and two with heavy crossbows. Each unit is led by a 4th-level commander wearing field plate and wielding a two-handed sword.

Játiva Reniego
5th-Level Wererat Arcanist, Chaotic Evil

Armor Class: 10 or 6 Movement: 12, Sw 6 (Beast aspect only) Level/Hit Dice: 5 Hit Points: 39 THAC0:19 or 17 No. of Attacks: 1	Str 11 (18) Dex 16 (19) Con 15 Int 15 Wis 9 Cha 17
Damage/Attack: 1d4 or 1d4+2 (Dagger) Special Attacks: Spells (4/2/1), Command Undead Special Defenses: Hit Only by +1 or Silver, Resistant to Necromancy and Divination Magic Resistance: Nil

In her human aspect, Játiva is quite attractive for a wererat. Though hardly stunning, the darklord has drawn the eyes of more than a few men, and broken more than a few hearts. Játiva has pale, olive-tinged skin and small, deep green eyes flecked with gold. Her sleek ebony hair is normally worn straight, but she sometimes curls it into cascade of dark ringlets for special occasions. The only indication of her lycanthropic nature is the severe angle of her chin and cheekbones. Játiva prefers to dress in beautiful, expensive gowns that are nonetheless simple compared those worn by Dementlieu's nobility. Though she is nearly fifty years old, the Mists have apparently allowed Játiva to retain her youthful appearance. Only the white streaks in her hair give any indication how old she truly is. In beast aspect, Játiva looks for all the world like a nondescript, plump giant rat. Játiva speaks Mordentish, Falkovnian, Faerunian Common and Balok.

Background: Játiva originally hails from another world. Her wererat family was fleeing the dogs and enchanted blades of a group of vigilantes when they discovered a mist-filled portal in the sewers. On the other side of that gateway, they found themselves near Silbervas in Falkovnia. Játiva and her family dwelled beneath that city until Vlad Drakov tired of the lycanthropes' depredations. With the Talons on their trail, the Reniegos fled once again into the Mists. This time, however, the Dark Powers revealed a new land to the wererats, one now ruled by Játiva's grandfather, Cristofo.

Játiva was Cristofo's favorite grandchild. The Reniego patriarch groomed her into a truly twisted young woman, and Játiva was an eager student. Perhaps Cristofo groomed his granddaughter too well, though. In 726, Játiva murdered her grandfather and assumed the head of the Reniego family. The Dark Powers evidently were pleased with this act, for Játiva became the new darklord of Ricoba.

Current Sketch: Játiva has become accustomed to the pampered life of a noblewoman, but is also a deft mover and shaker in courtly life. Many nobles believe that the Reniego matriarch is oblivious to much of what occurs in the shadows around her. Nothing could be farther from the truth: Játiva remains keenly aware of the politics or her domain (as well as nearby domains) and always keeps one step ahead of her rivals. She is also the head of a wererat clan which controls nearly all of Ponferrada's sewer system. Only a powerful rat king and his small group of fanatical followers oppose her.

Like all darklords, Játiva is cursed by the Dark Powers. She is destined to fall hopelessly in love with one man after another. Unfortunately, she always involuntarily transforms into rat when alone with the man with whom she is enamored. True love will always elude Játiva, and she inevitably destroys her lovers in a tearful rage. Lupita Reniego, Játiva's twin, entertains the idea of one day supplanting her sister. Unfortunately, she lacks Játiva's intelligence and focus, and is currently far too preoccupied with courtly romance to pursue such a plot. Játiva is insanely jealous over her sister's wanton love life, and quickly murders any man in which Lupita takes an interest.

Játiva is possibly the most underestimated darklord in the Core. The other lords view her as a petty shrew whose primary interests are worldly pleasures and sadistic games. True, Játiva is a lusty and mean-spirited woman, but her ambitions go much farther than her own security and pleasure. Her greed is boundless, and in truth Játiva desires to topple her fellow darklords one and a time, and seize their lands. Játiva has watched other lords attempt to conquer new territory, but to no avail. She knows that raising an army to widen her borders would be pointless, and that she has no head for military strategy anyway. Instead, Játiva intends to wage a clandestine war, fought in the minds and hearts of the Demiplane's people.

Though she does not understand the metaphysical realities of the Demiplane, Játiva does correctly believe that force of will, not military might, is the true measure of a ruler's power. She encourages outsiders to immigrate to Ricoba in order to increase the number of souls under her dominion, and to foster a positive image in foreign lands. She also uses her wererat minions to promote rebellion and discontent in the surrounding domains, particulary Borca and Dementlieu. Her recent conversion to the Pescadores in her courtly life is a part of this strategy as well. Játiva perceives the sect as the most corruptible of the Salvador Faiths. She wishes to use the church as a weapon against the other nobles and all who oppose her. Eventually, she intends to declare that a vision from Salvador himself has commanded her to bring a holy war against the Sometos and Escogidos . . . as well as all other faiths.

The crown jewel of her plot, however, is yet to be completed. Játiva is in the process devising a way to unleash a devastating magical plague on her own people, possibly with the aid of powerful fiend. This disease will be carefully spread through rat bites, thus allowing her to control who becomes ill. In order to cement her power over the region, she will promise "protection" from the plague for those who convert to the Pescadores and submit to her rule. Ultimately, she plans to expand this strategy into surrounding domains. By promising salvation from the terrible plague, she hopes to inspire open rebellion against other darklords. Játiva intends to one day be nothing less than queen of all the Core.

Closing the Borders: When Játiva wishes to close Ricoba's borders, thousands and thousands of rats swarm from the shadows themselves to gather at the edges of the domain. This horrid squealing mass is over fifty feet thick, and anyone who attempts to cross the border experiences an unimaginably agonizing death at the teeth of these beasts. Those who try to fly over this wall of rats find that they slowly sink into the furry throng.

Combat: Játiva is not a warrior. She flees at the first opportunity, relying on her guards and/or wererat minions to defend her. She utilizes her spells to cover her escape and cripple her foes, but never risks exposing herself to excessive danger. If Játiva is ever forced to defend herself physically, she attacks with a dagger. She can command undead in a manner identical to a 5th-level priest (see Domains of Dread pg 264). Játiva's necromancy and divination spells carry great potency; victims suffer a -2 penalty to their saving throws against these spells. She also receives a +2 bonus to her save throw when a similar spell targets her. Like all wererats, she can only be harmed by weapons of silver or of at least +1 enchantment. Because of her status as a darklord, wounds inflicted by Játiva have a 10% chance per hp of damage of infecting the victim with lycanthropy.

In addition to these powers, Játiva has several abilities that appear to have been granted to her by the Dark Powers. At will, she can transform into a reeking cloud of greenish-brown vapor, much like a vampire. If Játiva is ever wounded to the point of death, she automatically assumes gaseous form. She regenerates 1 hp per day while so transformed until her hit points rise above zero. Játiva can climb across any surface, vertical or horizontal, no matter how smooth. She also has the ability to gnaw through any material if given enough time.

Játiva suffers from a crippling monophobia-a fear of being alone. She constantly surrounds herself with her allies, whether they be guards, ladies-in-waiting, or other wererats. If for some reason she finds herself alone, Játiva suffers a -2 penalty to all her attack rolls and saving throws.

Spellbook: (4/2/1) 1st Level armor, chill touch, comprehend languages, detect magic, detect undead, identify, light, protection from good, read magic, unseen servant; 2nd Level alter self, continual light, darkness 15' radius, detect good, detect invisibility, ESP, levitate, locate object, spectral hand, summon swarm; 3rd Level blink, clairaudience, clairvoyance, dispel magic, fly, haste, monster summoning I, protection from normal missiles, slow, vampiric touch, water breathing.
(Note: Játiva can never cast spells from the schools of invocation/evocation, enchantment/charm, or illusion/phantasm.)