Lucien Tavelle

Lucien Tavelle is a tiefling blood hunter and leader of the Tombtakers. As an NPC, Lucien is played by Matthew Mercer.

Appearance
Lucien was a lavender-skinned tiefling with red eyes, curling horns, and a pronounced Irish accent. He had nine eye tattoos scattered on his body, which had been integrated into other tattoos that Mollymauk Tealeaf had had done while he was in control of Lucien's body.

When the Mighty Nein encountered him on Eiselcross, he and his party were dressed for winter in layers of heavy furs, leathers, and cloaks. Beneath the cloak, he wore a simple white silk shirt.

Neo-Somnovem After fusing with the Somnovem, Lucien's body was transformed. He had nine thick stalks growing out of his back with a red eye on each tip, replacing the eye tattoos which were now gone. His body was also a lot more muscular with long, dark purple, wildly drifting hair.

Somnovem Omega Lucien went through a second transformation and fused his body with the living Cognouza ward. His lower body was connected to a twisted mass of flesh, eyes, teeth, stone and buildings. His back sprouted two giant wings of muscle tissue, replacing the eye stalks.

Personality
Lucien, while having some characteristics and ideals in common with his fragment Mollymauk, also had some striking differences. He tended to be more charismatic, intelligent, and ruthless around others instead of being jovial and aloof. Like Mollymauk, he generally rejected his past life and was not opposed to being the center of attention, being notably arrogant and self-absorbed.

Lucien never slept (although he stated he did still dream), as a gift of the Somnovem, and did not blink his eyes.

Early life
Lucien Tavelle was born in 810 PD in Shadycreek Run of the Greying Wildlands, Wildemount. He had a sister Aldreda, who is a year younger, and he protected himself and Aldreda against their parents. Generally, Lucien found that people were unkind and not eager to help him because of his infernal blood, particularly in Shadycreek Run, and was highly aware that he was different from others because of it. Eventually, some time before 822 PD, Aldreda left Shadycreek Run to seek work cleaning manor houses in Rexxentrum in the Dwendalian Empire and, hopefully, become the mistress or wife of a rich nobleman. She occasionally wrote to Lucien, who maintained hope in 822 PD that she would send for him in time.

Before 822 PD, he stumbled into the cottage of Azrahari, a witch living in the Savalirwood. He destroyed one of her "finest creations", likely one of her skin-and-flesh puppets; however, she also came to owe him a debt. This debt was cleared in 822 PD, when she helped him escape the mercenaries of the Red Debt. By 822 PD, when he was twelve, he was living on the streets, occasionally sleeping in the cellar of a local, Auntie Mama, when the weather was poor. He worked as a "freelance" criminal taking odd jobs from the Tribes of Shadycreek Run; he preferred the Mardoon family, though he disliked them, over the brutishness of the Jagentoth family, whom he generally avoided. He had met and made acquaintance with Cree Deeproots, a child around his age, and began working with her. Cree told him that he had a "glint" that indicated he has the attention of The Raven Queen, which was either a blessing or a curse.

Before 829 PD, he and Cree joined the Claret Orders, where he was trained as a blood hunter, but he and others discovered that they disliked authority and felt that the Orders were "clouded" in their path. They left the Orders and returned to Shadycreek Run, where they formed the Tombtakers in about 829 or 830 PD.

Tombtakers
They began traveling together and working as mercenaries out of Shadycreek Run, performing work ranging from theft to bodyguarding. They were also hired for a number of expeditions into the ruins of Molaesmyr and other locations; on at least one expedition, they encountered hags and made it to the tower of Caes Mosor. Vess DeRogna eventually hired them to accompany her on expeditions, claiming that she contracted them for two total. They accompanied her to the ruins of Aeor in Eiselcross, and she claimed that they went with her to the exterior of Molaesmyr.

At some point, Lucien acquired a mysterious ciphered journal that described an excursion into Aeor. He described reading it as: "When I looked in, it looked back." He felt that his identity as Lucien "became more of a costume" and that he was increasingly becoming the Nonagon, one who was chosen by the Somnovem (or, the Eyes of Nine) to free them. The Somnovem visited him in his dreams to show him a city in the Astral Plane, the Cognouza Ward of Aeor and a collection of minds that became one under the Eyes of Nine. With each visit, he received one mark of a red eye on his body, until he had nine such eyes.

Death, Mollymauk, and resurrection
The journal contained a magic ritual that could reach the city, where he hoped to learn secrets and become powerful. Because the ritual was too complicated for Lucien, he contacted Vess, and she agreed to perform it for him. Lucien, Vess, and the Tombtakers gathered in a forest in 833 PD, two years before the start of Campaign 2, and held a feast, at which Lucien gave a speech. Vess told the other Tombtakers that it would be difficult to immediately tell whether the ritual succeeded, and Lucien instructed them to get rid of any trace of the ritual should anything go wrong. She—who sought to be the Nonagon herself, feeling it to be her own right—sabotaged the ritual so that Lucien's soul was shattered into pieces and scattered instead of being projected into the Astral Sea whole. Lucien stopped breathing for one hour, and his body went cold. Though the Tombtakers knew that he was dead and Cree found no pulse, they waited further. At dawn, with no change, they buried him near their hideout, and the group disbanded. Vess took the journal, as part of her agreement with Lucien.

Shortly after, his body later became inhabited by a portion of his soul, who woke up and dug himself out of the grave. Amnesiac, near catatonic, and barely speaking, the fragment of Lucien's soul started a new life as Mollymauk Tealeaf, ultimately wanting little to do with the person that Lucien was. While traveling with the Mighty Nein Mollymauk briefly met Cree and pretended to remember her to avoid conflict. He was eventually killed and buried on the Glory Run Road near Shadycreek Run.

Cree was later informed of this and the location of his grave. She had been having "cold and sad" dreams of Lucien or Mollymauk following his death. Since the "vessel was available", she and the surviving members of the Tombtakers met at the grave roughly fifty days before, about 11 Thunsheer 836 PD, to resurrect Lucien. His soul was reconstructed by the Somnovem, and he was successfully resurrected. The group eventually left for Eiselcross.

At Balenpost and Aeorian site A5
After the Mighty Nein discovered Mollymauk's grave empty, Jester Lavorre learned via Scrying that Lucien was alive and in Eiselcross and further details of the resurrection via Speak with Plants. The group, who had been contracted by Vess to visit the ruins of Aeor, hastened their expedition to pursue him. Jester checked in on him through Scrying on the journey, allowing Lucien to track Vess.

Once Vess and the Nein arrived in Balenpost, Lucien and the Tombtakers infiltrated her room. Lucien killed her using abilities granted by the Somnovem and stole back the journal from Vess. While he and the Tombtakers raided the room, Jester discovered him via Scrying. Again using his abilities, he was able to see the sensor. He spoke to her directly, thanking her for helping him find Vess and saying, "To Alpha and Alpha, we trek till homeward bound we be. Maybe we'll see you there." He left through the window and terminated the Scrying spell. The Nein progressed to the Aeorian ruins at crash site A5. During the journey, Fjord noticed a Scrying sensor watching the group, which he presumed to be from the Tombtakers. Lucien and Cree, speaking telepathically in unison to Jester, welcomed the Nein to the ruins. Lucien claimed he did not mean them any harm and was only pursuing his own interests; he invited them to follow and claimed he was not forcing them.

The group eventually found him and the Tombtakers in a threshold crest chamber the bottom of the ruins, just as he killed the last of a group from the Kryn Dynasty. He revealed to them that he had none of Mollymauk's memory and that he regarded Mollymauk as a temporary uninvited guest in his body. He explained to them that he was the Nonagon and that Vess shattered his soul in an attempt to become the Nonagon herself. He additionally displayed his abilities to speak through the other Tombtakers. He then invited the Nein to continue following him. Before he left the ruins with the threshold crest, Yasha Nydoorin gave him a four-leaf clover that Mollymauk gave her for luck long ago. Lucien accepted it and tucked it in his jacket.

Traveling with the Mighty Nein
After the Nein retrieved a treshold crest from the A2 ruins, before Lucien could, he had the Tombtakers travel overnight to intercept the Nein in the morning before they could finish resting. He and Caduceus Clay, who was on watch, had a cordial conversation before Lucien dispelled the Tiny Hut. As the Nein's threshold crest was the last item Lucien needed before arriving at Aeor proper, he offered to trade information for it. Fjord counteroffered that instead, the Nein would join the Tombtakers. Lucien agreed.

When the two traveling parties camped for the night, Lucien shared much more about his past and his relationship with the Somnovem. They crossed the lava river and that evening, Lucien dispelled Caleb's tower when Caleb cast it without permission. Caleb and Beau confronted Lucien, pointing out that the Nein were being held hostage. Caleb asked Lucien to let them look at the tome in return for staying in the tower the following night, and Lucien said he'd think on it. Jester did a tarot reading in which Lucien's final card representing his future was Death, apparently disturbing him.

The next day, Lucien told the Nein a bit more about the Somnovem. In the morning, he allowed Beau and Caleb briefly to read the book he recovered from Vess DeRogna during her murder. Later, the same day, they woke in the middle of the night, each bearing a red eye mark similar to Lucien's. In the morning, the two parties continued traveling together toward Aeor but were attacked by Gelidon and drove her off. That night, the Tombtakers left in the middle of the night with the party's stolen Bag of Holding, pursued by the Nein. The ensuing battle went badly for the party while demonstrating Lucien's strengths and abilities.

At Aeor and Cognouza
After seeking aid from their allies elsewhere in Exandria, the Mighty Nein returned to Eiselcross and arrived at the ruins of Aeor before the Tombtakers. They prepared an ambush, utilizing Intuit Charges and Glyphs of Warding, which killed all but Cree and Lucien. In the ensuing battle, Cree Dimension Doored herself and Lucien safely away.

The party caught up to them when they were about to escape into the Astral Plane through the Immensus Gate in the Genesis Ward, but were unable to prevent them going through it. Following them to Cognouza, the Nein killed Cree and found Lucien in the Aether Crux of the Somnovem as he set off multiple Intuit Charges and transformed himself into an amalgam of all of the Somnovem, the Neo-Somnovem. In a battle above the rooftops of Cognouza, the party severely wounded Lucien and he fled back to the Aether Crux, where he transformed once again.

In the final battle, Lucien became a fusion of all of the trapped souls of the Cognouza ward, including the Somnovem in the form of eyes that joined with Lucien in battling the Mighty Nein. The deaths of the Somnovem eyes in the fight impacted Lucien as well, and when the party eventually succeeded in killing him, he ripped himself into two pieces as he fell to the ground. In the aftermath, the voices of the released souls whispered, "Thank you," as they departed at last.

Caleb destroyed his Transmuter's Stone to cast Raise Dead on Lucien's body in an attempt to resurrect Mollymauk. With the aid of Caduceus's successful Divine Intervention, the Mighty Nein restored someone into the body, who became Kingsley Tealeaf.

Mollymauk Tealeaf
Lucien's body was briefly inhabited by Mollymauk Tealeaf who stated multiple times that he wanted nothing to do with whoever he was before his body was buried, and only cared about living his current life. After Molly died, Cree resurrected Lucien, who did not retain Mollymauk's memories. Lucien indicated to the Mighty Nein that Mollymauk means nothing to him, although he understands their grief.

During their final battle against Lucien, the Mighty Nein began to talk to him as if he were still Molly, making allusions to Mollymauk's life and their relationship with him. This seemed to cause Lucien pain, prevented him from completing attacks, and made him lose Legendary Actions, strongly suggesting that Molly's memories and personality still exist within him.

Vess DeRogna
Vess DeRogna enlisted to help Lucien on his quest, but betrayed him and took his ritual tome. She attempted to become the Nonagon herself, but although she had nine eye tattoos on her body identical to Lucien's, she didn't quite succeed. After Lucien was revived, he sought out DeRogna and killed her in revenge, taking back his book.

Cree
Cree was deeply devoted to Lucien. She was one of the original Tombtakers, participating in the sabotaged ritual that killed him and scattered his soul, and greeted Mollymauk Tealeaf warmly when they met at the Gentleman's headquarters, thinking him to be Lucien returned. When she later learned of Molly's death, she sought out his body and performed a resurrection ritual to restore Lucien to life, following him thereafter and becoming telepathically linked to him through the five eyes she bore on her body. Her holy symbol and spell focus was a necklace with a hollow crystal orb containing the blood of the Nonagon. When she was dying in the battle against the Mighty Nein, she telepathically called out to Lucien for aid, and he transformed her into a horrific flesh creature that continued the fight against the party to buy Lucien time.

Notable items

 * Ritual tome (stolen back from Vess DeRogna)
 * Two black scimitars
 * Four-leaf clover (given by Yasha Nydoorin)
 * Cloven Crystal (from the stolen Bag of Holding)

Abilities

 * Damage resistances: fire, necrotic
 * Damage immunities: psychic
 * Condition immunities: charmed, frightened, stunned
 * Legendary actions
 * Tumble: Move up to half his speed
 * Shift Focus: Moves his antimagic cone in any direction, using two legendary actions.
 * Legendary resistances
 * Can seemingly speak and see through his companions
 * Doesn't require sleep

From the Eyes of Nine
Each eye grants an ability. As a chosen of the Somnovem, Lucian had all nine eyes.
 * First eye: Mild telepathy with others bearing eyes (120 feet)
 * Second eye: Darkvision
 * Third eye: Ability to see through illusions
 * Fourth eye: Ability to see into the ethereal plane
 * Fifth eye: Ability to scry into the "eye" of another
 * Sixth eye: Ability to sense all beings with minds (300 feet)
 * Seventh eye: Rend Mind: Recharging melee attack that deals 10d10 psychic damage
 * Eighth eye: Ability to control the minds of others with "eyes"
 * Ninth eye: 30-foot antimagic cone that dispels rather than suppresses magic

Variant Tiefling abilities

 * Darkvision
 * Devil's Tongue
 * Vicious Mockery cantrip
 * Charm Person spell (as a 2nd-level spell)
 * Enthrall spell
 * Hellish Resistance

Blood Hunter abilities
Lucien is at least a 17th-level Blood hunter. The following assumes Lucien's blood hunter abilities are from Matt's 2020 update for his blood hunter class.


 * Hunter's Bane
 * Hemocraft Die: 1d10
 * Blood Maledict (5/rest)
 * Blood Curse of the Eyeless
 * At least 3 other Blood Curses
 * Crimson Rite
 * Primal Rite: Rite of the Frozen
 * Esoteric Rite: Rite of the Oracle
 * One other Primal Rite
 * Subclass: Order of the Ghostslayer
 * Esoteric Rite: Rite of the Dawn
 * Curse Specialist
 * Ethereal Step
 * Brand of Sundering
 * Blood Curse of the Exorcist
 * Brand of Castigation
 * Grim Psychometry
 * Dark Augmentation
 * Brand of Tethering
 * Hardened Soul

Neo-Somnovem abilities

 * Multiattack: Lucien uses 3 eye rays from Gaze of the Somnovem. He can replace one Gaze with his Psychic Touch attack.
 * Psychic Touch
 * Gaze of the Somnovem
 * Culpasi: Feeling of guilt, disadvantage on saving throws, take psychic damage when attacking enemies.
 * Elatis: Marks target with an eye, forced pull to Lucien on a failure
 * Fastidan: Necrotic damage effect similar to high-level Blight
 * Gaudius: Charm effect, can be forced to attack ally
 * Ira: Fireball
 * Luctus: Slow, though with a Dexterity save rather than a Wisdom save
 * Mirumus: Wisdom save, "awestruck wonder"
 * Timorei: Psychic damage and become frightened
 * Vigilan: 60-foot Anti-magic cone (passive)
 * Legendary Actions (4)
 * Fold Space (costs 2): teleport of up to 60 feet
 * Gaze: one eye ray
 * Legendary Resistances

Cognouza Incarnate abilities

 * Multiattack: Lucien makes 6 clawed wing attacks.
 * Will Aether: Can use two times:
 * Summon Cataclysm: Lucien summons or manipulates an object and throws it at a creature, making an attack roll. The creature makes a Strength save to avoid being restrained.
 * Nightmare Cage: Lucien wraps a tendril around a creature and traps them in a nightmarish illusion. The creature can make a Wisdom save to escape the nightmare.
 * Call Upon the Open Eyes: Creatures marked with eyes must make a Wisdom save. Unknown effect. Lucien then makes 3 wing attacks.
 * Gaze of the Somnovem (separate creatures): Creatures targeted by an eye gain a Somnovem eye
 * Legendary Actions (5)
 * Fold Space (costs 2)
 * Gaze
 * Shift Somnovem: move the location of one Somnovem eye.
 * Attack (costs 2): Lucien makes 3 wing attacks.


 * Lair Actions
 * The Pattern Revealed: Creatures make a Wisdom save or gain a Somnovem Eye. Ability checks made to manifest reality have advantage until the next Lair turn.
 * Gravity Well: Creatures floating in the air slowly fall to the ground.
 * Absorb Flesh: The city attempts to absorb creatures within 20 feet of a structure or the ground. Affected creatures are grappled and take psychic damage.

Appearances and mentions

 * Campaign 2: The Mighty Nein
 * The Nine Eyes of Lucien
 * The Nine Eyes of Lucien
 * The Nine Eyes of Lucien
 * The Nine Eyes of Lucien
 * The Nine Eyes of Lucien
 * The Nine Eyes of Lucien
 * The Nine Eyes of Lucien
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 * The Nine Eyes of Lucien
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 * The Nine Eyes of Lucien
 * The Nine Eyes of Lucien
 * The Nine Eyes of Lucien
 * The Nine Eyes of Lucien
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 * The Nine Eyes of Lucien
 * The Nine Eyes of Lucien
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 * The Nine Eyes of Lucien
 * The Nine Eyes of Lucien

Quotations

 * Lucien: To alpha and alpha we trek 'til homeward bound we be.
 * Lucien: My apologies. You've arrived early. I was hoping to tidy up a bit.
 * Lucien: If it helps put your feelings to rest, I am sorry, for whatever it's worth, that your friend is gone. Whatever part of me they were, is not of me anymore. Truly gone. And I understand that can be challenging, and I'm sure even my presence now opens a wound.
 * Lucien: (to Caduceus, as he attacks him) It's just business, friend. My apologies. But you didn't have to follow.
 * Lucien: I'm here to open a door, to take my reign.  Long may it be.

Trivia

 * Following Lucien's introduction, the shot of Mollymauk's grave in the fourth title sequence was altered to suggest digging had occurred, and it ends with wind blowing Mollymauk's coat off its post.
 * A 3D render of the original sculpt for the Neo-Somnovem mini, including a full turnaround, was shared online by Steamforged artist Thomas Lishman. It can be viewed on Artstation.
 * Lucien originates from the Latin name Lucius, itself from the word lux (meaning "light", "shining", or "resplendent").
 * Nonagon is the name of a nine-sided polygon (also called an enneagon), from the Latin nonus ("nine") + gōnía ("corner").