KURTIS TRENT
AND THE LUX VERITATIS
Kurtis background
[Kurtis-Greys-Notes]
01-August-2000
"KURTIS WORKING FOR THE FIVE
1/ Kurtis is a modern Ronin, a sword for hire. As an ex-mercenary and legionnaire he gets offered plenty of work in private security forces, usually on a no questions asked basis. As long as he is not expected to transgress his personal moral parameters he will consider anything.
2/ Taking whatever work he can find in the gun-for-hire market gets him in some odd situations not unlike Lara’s own. All too often unwanted occult elements keep popping up in his life however much he tries to deny his freaky family history. (Kind of a freelance demon hunter.)
3/ When his father Konstatin is murdered he can no longer reject his past. . He knows the killer is Eckhardt, the abomination his father was dedicated to defeating. Konstantin’s death demands retribution.
4/ The engraved metal disc, the Periapt, which protected his father through more fifty years of constant hostility with The Abomination, comes into his hands. Konstantin was killed by Eckhardt after he was betrayed and separated from the disc.
5/ The need to revenge his father is Kurtis’ wake up call. In deciding to pursue Eckhardt, known publicly as the Monstrum because of his serial killings, he will be finally accepting the task inherited from the deceased Kriegler family and fulfilling the destiny of the Lux Veritatis. He sets off on the trail of the killer starting with Eckhardt’s usual haunts, the dark cities of Europe.
6/ Whilst in Munich he is recruited by a security bureau, The Agency, for some semi-legal surveillance jobs. The Agency is obviously a front for a much bigger operation but this isn’t unusual in Kurtis’ line of work and at first he doesn’t pay it too much attention. All briefs are on a strict need to know basis.
7/ After proving he can handle himself effectively The Agency offers him increasingly covert action. He is still pursuing his own investigations tracing the whereabouts of the Monstrum but is using the limited resources available to him through The Agency for his own purposes.
8/ He ends up in Paris as part of an unusual security operation overseeing a safehouse and providing cover for various murky activities. Whilst there he hears through contacts about the serial killer’s movements and figures that Eckhardt is on the trail of one of the five paintings here in Paris. Kurtis knows the significance of the paintings for Eckhardt and makes plans of his own.
9/ When he gets wind within The Agency of an operation to ‘retrieve’ a particular painting from the Louvre Kurtis senses something big is going on. He decides to run a solo action and see if Eckhardt turns up.
10/ Which is how he happens to be at the Louvre when Lara and several Agency operatives break in."
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Kurtis working for the Agency
[Kurtis-Agency-Notes]
December-2000
"KURTIS WORKING FOR THE AGENCY
- The need to revenge his father’s murder is Kurtis’ wake up call. In deciding to pursue Eckhardt, the Monstrum, he will be finally accepting his destiny as inheritor of the Lux Veritatis mantle passed on from his grandfather from the deceased Kriegler family.
- He sets off on the trail of the killer starting with Eckhardt’s usual haunts, the dark cities of Europe.
- Whilst in Munich he is recruited by a security bureau, The Agency, for some semi-legal surveillance jobs. The Agency is obviously a front for a much bigger operation but this isn’t unusual in Kurtis’ line of work and at first he doesn’t pay it too much attention. All briefs are on a strict need to know basis.
- After proving he can handle himself effectively he is offered increasingly covert action by The Agency. He is still pursuing his own investigations tracing the whereabouts of the Monstrum but is using the limited resources available to him through The Agency for his own purposes.
- He ends up in Paris as part of an unusual security operation overseeing a safehouse and providing cover for various murky activities. Whilst there he hears about the serial killer’s movements and figures that Eckhardt is on the trail of one of the five paintings here in Paris. Kurtis knows the significance of the paintings for Eckhardt and makes plans of his own.
- When he gets wind of an Agency operation to ‘retrieve’ a particular painting from the Louvre Kurtis senses something big is going on. It is time to leave the Agency and go solo.
- Which is how he manages to pick up Lara’s trail through his underworld contacts and shadow her to the Louvre when she breaks in."
To read the original document, click the download button.
Kurtis profile
[Kurtis-profile-v4]
22-May-2001
"KURTIS TRENT
Age 29. Kurtis is the grandson of Gerhard Heissturm, sole Lux Veritatis guardian at Castle Kriegler in 1945. Kurtis is the last inline to inherit the Lux Veritatis secrets after his father Konstantin Heissturm is hunted down and murdered by Eckhardt.
Kurtis is a modern Ronin, a sword for hire. As an ex-mercenary and legionnaire he gets offered plenty of work in private security forces, usually on a no questions asked basis. As long as
he is not expected to transgress his personal moral parameters he will consider anything. Taking whatever work he can find in the gun-for-hire market gets him in some odd situations not unlike Lara’s own.
Despite being raised by his father Konstantin Heissturm in the Lux Veritatis traditions and skills and knowing the history of the Monstrum - Eckhardt, he has rebelled against the role. Which is why he changed his surname and enrolled in the foreign legion. However, he seems unable to get away from ‘bizarre’ occult elements which keep popping up in his life. He seems unable to forget his freaky family history. He has become a kind of a freelance demon hunter.
When his father Konstantin is murdered at the age of 68 he can no longer reject his past. The need to revenge his father is Kurtis’ wake up call. He inherits two crystal shards or Periapts which were his father’s only true protection from the Monstrum. Only by being betrayed and separated from the talisman Shards has the old guy finally been defeated.
Kurtis knows the killer is Eckhardt, the Monstrum. He also knows he is now the last link with the ancient order of the Lux Veritatis. All other surviving members have been hunted down and killed by Eckhardt with the backing of the Cabal -Alchemists.
To read the original document, click the download button.
Kurtis next game
[KURTIS-NEXT-GAME-v3 2016]
02-July-2001
"THE NEXT GAME - KURTIS
THREE ALTERNATIVES FOR THE NEXT GAME:
1. Kurtis goes completely solo. ‘Kurtis Trent Demon Hunter,’ or some such, and there would be no sign of Lara.
2. Kurtis gets his own game – and Lara guests for a level or two.
3. Lara has disappeared and Kurtis plays the opening levels tracking down what has happened to her.
In going solo Kurtis moves into Lovecraft territory, Cthulthu Mythos, Hellboy, John Constantin’s Hellblazer, Clive Barker. We already have a wealth of background for Kurtis that can be expanded on from Game 6, much of which will be on the website.
With Kurtis going solo there would be no attempt to recreate Tomb Raider but to break entirely new ground, come up with something as unique and powerful in its own way as TR was back in ’96. Because Kurtis and Lara shared pixels in Next Gen some details have to be adhered to but basically the sky is the limit. We can expand on the special universe he inhabits, the unique abilities he has, the exceptional dark forces he gets to put down.
The K-game would not be as dense in story material but much more linear with action driven game play.
The second game of this story arc/cycle could use some of the elements in Next Gen, such as the THE CABAL, the NEPHILIM, the LUX VERITATIS histories. All or some (or none) of the story clues deliberately left in the first game could be picked up. How Kurtis survived after Castle Kriegler could be revealed in flashback when Lara returned at the end of Game 6 and found Kurtis still alive (barely) in the ruins. This would be a rich vein of established material to use. Or it could be all entirely new and we could delve into the dark side of Kurtis’ past as reluctant Demon Hunter..."
Kurtis abilities
[Kurtis-Abilities-V2]
03-July-2001
"KURTIS - ABILITIES
Because of his unique upbringing, as son to the last of an ancient order of Guardian initiates (the Lux Veritatis) Kurtis has unusual abilities. He also has access to skills and realms of knowledge not available to everyone. Some abilities he can control, some are still dormant, some only work in conjunction with certain artefacts or in special settings.
The range of occult or semi-occult capabilities can be enhanced with the use of certain Lux Veritatis techniques or with artefacts that he has to find or win or unlock within himself. So long as they are consistent with the kind of settings that are created for Kurtis’ world he can do whatever we want him to.
MENTAL POWERS: could be displayed in the inventory as a brain where different areas are unlocked as abilities are brought to the fore and used:
- Can ‘farsee’ ahead of his physical body, which must be left in a protected location whilst he travels non physically.
- fast speed reactions, time slows down for protagonists.
- limited levitation.
- special night vision without the use of goggles.
- Telekinetic – manipulating objects with his mind
- Telekinetic – levitating objects.
- Telekinetic – controlling and turning bullets.
- Telekinetic – creating mental shields-force fields.
- Limited controlling of other characters. He can see through their eyes.
- Can inhabit animals minds for a limited timeframe.
- Takes psychic energy from slain enemies.
- Can shut down all traceable signs of life to avoid detection – deep trance.
- Projects multiple images of himself slaved to his movements.
…and so on with strength boosters, energy bolts from finger tips, babe magnet eyes, and leaping tall buildings with one bound. Think DARK CITY, DR. STRANGE, CLIVE BARKER, HELLBLAZER, LOVECRAFT, HELLBOY etc..."
Kurtis powers
[KURTIS_POWERS]
19-June-2002
"KURTIS’ POWERS
Kurtis has many psychic abilities, the strength of which are connected to the Periapt Shards. In this game we only get a glimpse into Kurtis’s true power.
If Kurtis uses it all he will have to wait a short while for the psychic energy to re-generate, or he can harvest energy from some of the creatures he kills. The Proto Nephilim can also re-generate in this way.
Powers that use psychic energy –2. Psychic double jump (adds extra height and distance)
3. Telekinesis (opening the lift doors)
4. Far seeing (using the minds eye to explore at a distance, without being seen)
5. Psychic sight (to see in dark areas - his eyes glow green)
6. Takes energy from defeated non-human enemies."
Kurtis personal timeline
[Kurtis-Chronology-v3]
19-August-2002
"KURTIS CHRONOLOGY AND BIRTHLINE
1954 - Kurtis’ grandfather Gerhardt is hunted down and killed by Eckhardt and the Cabal. Kurtis’ father Konstantin, age 21, inherits his father’s Lux Veritatis role as Adept. From this point on Konstantin is a target for the Cabal’s murderous attacks trying to totally eradicate the Lux Veritatis. There are only a few surviving Lux Veritatis Adepts and these wage a constant war with Eckhardt and the Cabal. The world at large knows nothing of this ‘Shadow War’ fought in the dark corners of history.
1966 - Konstantin, age 33, meets an American Navajo Indian specialist on Shamanism and the Way of the Warrior on a lecture tour of Europe. She gets caught in the crossfire of a Cabal assault against Konstantin but proves to have unexpected innate powers that enable the attack to be defeated. ‘Things’ happen between Konstantin and Marie Cornel (go on, guess – this is the 60’s). She returns to the States.
NB. Marie Cornel’s father was one of the U.S. Marines officers who worked with the Navajo Code Talkers during WW II, which explains her area of specialist interest.
1969 – On a Lux Veritatis mission against the Cabal’s forces Konstantin arrives in the US. He looks up Marie Cornel. Whilst visiting the Anasazi ruins of Chaco Canyon in New Mexico they get attacked and have to wipe out a contingent of Cabal agents. Shortly after that Konstantin and Marie get secretly married in a desert tribal ceremony. For the next few years they move back and forth between the States and Europe.
1972 – KURTIS IS BORN 26/06/72.
Konstantin takes Marie to a secure Lux Veritatis bolthole beneath the Utah Salt Flats and Kurtis is born. As soon as they can travel Kurtis and his mother go into hiding whilst Konstantin makes return trips to Europe to help in the ‘Shadow War’.
1975 – The whole family return to Europe. Kurtis is 3 years old. They move around a variety of Lux Veritatis safe houses in ancient stronghold sites throughout Europe and the Middle East. There are many close calls with forces of the Cabal i.e. lots of really exciting adventures.
The Lux Veritatis
[FULL NOTES on-Lux-Veri-v2]
28-August-2002
"SHORT FORM
LUX VERITATIS: literally - ‘Light of Truth’. A secret 12th century inner order of initiates within the Knights Templar. Founded in 1176 to combat magic and the dark arts as brutally as possible.
In 1314, when the Order of the Knights Templar was itself wiped out, a Cabal of Black Alchemists fought back against the Lux Veritatis. The conflict between these two forces, fought in the shadows of history, was characterised by acts of staggering barbarity.
Both sides possessed artefacts of mysterious power. The Three Periapt Shards of the Lux Veritatis had been looted from some ancient site in ‘Anatolie’ (late Cappadocia, Turkey) during the last Crusade. They were revered as “weapons of light”.
Some historians claim that Lux Veritatis activities can traced as recently as the late 1800’s, but this remains unsubstantiated.
LUX VERITATIS: literally - ‘Light of Truth’. A secret 12th century inner order of initiates within the Knights Templar. Founded in 1176, about 60 years after the Templar Order itself, to undertake “perilous and most secret tasks” which the Templars needed to distance themselves from. In practice this translated as a mandate to suppress the dark arts as brutally as possible. Magicians, sorcerers, magi, warlocks, alchemists, witches, necromancers and the like were to be “persecuted and extinguished with consummate and righteous force...”
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Lux Veritatis knight names
[UPDATE 2013-LIST-LUX-V-KNIGHTS-v1]
10-July-2002
"NAME ON LUX VERITATIS STATUES IN VAULT OF TROPHIES
Over the underwater entrance to the Vault of Trophies area is a Latin engraving
[Gp-12.10].
FRATRIBUS COLLATES IANUAE PATENT.
[THE BROTHERS REUNITED SEE THE GATES THROWN OPEN.]
There are eight identical statues of Lux Veritatis Knights guarding the entrance.
On the footstone of each statue is carved a unique name.
It is clear that by pulling sets of chains each of the statues can be moved to the centre of the room and set face to face. But the right two must be positioned for the gates to open.
Two of these names appear somewhere on the fifth OBSCURA ENGRAVING which is embossed or water marked with a prominent LV symbol of the Order.
[The engraving also contains an encrypted map of the Vaults location which is how Lara is able to work out where the Vault lies - details to be worked out].
THE EIGHT NAMES: secret Order, or ‘given’ names in brackets.
“Beauceant!” “Outremer!” – battle cries.
BÉRANGE LOUIS AICARD [MONSAL]
ELKE KLÉMENT BOGOMIL [KALTBLÜT]
VOEGELE CHAUNCE De COMBEL [BENHAMIN]
IRMGARD LOURDES GUILHELM [RÉGIS –JEAN]
BEAUSÉANT LIMOUX [ERWAN]
HUGH LANTRICE de MONTSEGUR [GRÖSSMER]
GENOFFROI OCCITAN [CENDRINE]
AYMERICE VASILEY [VYKANAUR]
Other possibles:
Telle, d’Orlac, Ramondina, Delfinat, Limoux, Faydit, Hugo, Albi, Caraman, Delpech, Domergue, Garnier, Narbona, Lagarde, Arnaud, Mirepoix, Bonsomme, Consolata."
To read the original document, click the download button.
Kurtis factfile
[KURTIS-FACTFILE-short-V2_v2016]
17-March-2003
"KURTIS TRENT (neé Heissturm)
Birth date: 26/06/72
Birth place: Utah Salt Flats.
Father: Konstantin Heissturm
Mother: Marie Cornel
Blood type: Brh+
Favourite transport: Classic Brough Superior SS 100. Porsche Spyder.
Preferred weapons: Fists. Chirugai.
Profession: Freelance security work. Mercenary.
Favourite music: Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Nirvana, Mozart, Sun Ra.
Eye colour: Blue-grey.
Hair colour: Dark brown.
Hobbies: Any extreme sports. Building Grinnall Scorpions from scratch. Flying helicopters.
Extra details: Kurtis holds helicopter and aircraft pilot licences.
Points of information:
The Brough Superior SS 100 was the bike Lawrence of Arabia was killed on in 1935.
The Porsche Spyder was the car James Dean died in in 1955.
Chirugai = combination of shuriken/assegai. Also: chirurgai (Latin) surgery and chirugus (Latin) surgeon. It is forged of meteorite iron and attuned to the particular vibrations of a LV adept or initiate."