Techlea the Zealot

 is an antagonistic Rider fought in Monster Hunter Stories Ultimate. One of the eight Riders of the Void, he views the world around him as vile and disgusting, seeking to "cleanse" it in cruel and unusual ways.

Description
Techlea the Zealot is a tall, thin man with pale, ashen skin, red eyes, rotted yellow teeth, long, white hair, and a scar under his right eye. He wears a tattered white robe adorned with platinum filigree and jewelry, and his face is covered by the robe's hood.

Personality
Techlea is an overzealous man who sees no value in the world around him, viewing it as full of unforgivable corruption and sin, and seeks to "cleanse" it through cruel and sadistic means. These means include enslaving and trafficking humans and monsters alike, starving and abusing them on a regular basis, covering their bodies in open wounds, and forcing them to live in sewers where infections are rife, leading to slow and painful deaths.

Background
Born and raised in a distant land, Techlea was both a Rider and a reverend, teaching followers about the religion founded within his town long ago. This religion taught about the importance of Monster Riding, viewing it as a sacred art and its followers as messengers of Redan, the First Rider. Seeking to spread his message in an attempt to enact world peace due to wars and conquests being frequent in his land, the reverend and his disciples travelled throughout it in an attempt to quell them and unify the populations throughout it. Unfortunately for him, his message fell on deaf ears.

Upon reaching a formerly-grand city ruled by Hunters known as Nidomis, the government of the city was quick to arrest him and his disciples, viewing Riders as threats to their establishment that needed to be suppressed, humiliated, and exterminated. The reverend's beloved Monsties were slaughtered before his very eyes, his faithful followers were reduced to slave knights who would be used as cannon fodder for many a battle, and he himself was made the personal slave of King Nidomis, who frequently abused and starved him while sadistically reminding him of the deaths of those he once called his friends and comrades. Eventually, King Nidomis grew bored of Techlea, and sent him away to a void-like chasm known for the many Matter-elemental monsters found within it, with it being the grave of many a warrior who sought to prevent its influence. This would be the king's greatest, and last, mistake.

Upon entering the chasm, Techlea, knowing that he wouldn't survive on his own, pilfered the weaponry and armour of the fallen hunters, which had become corrupted with Matter energy, and cut his way through the monsters found within it, taking some of them as companions after taming them. As he ventured through it, he heard voices reaching out to him, as if they were attempting to compel him to leave and take his revenge on Nidomis, and upon reaching the end, he encountered the monster believed to rule over the chasm. Bizarrely, the monster did not seek to battle the Rider, but appeared to be attempting to communicate with him. The Rider's mind was consumed by messages ordering him to go back to Nidomis, enslave it, then move on to other cities, claiming that doing so would cleanse the world of corruption and enact salvation. Techlea, consumed by a drive to enact the peace he sought by any means necessary, agreed, and went back to the city to "redeem" it.

Granted great power by the void, Techlea returned to Nidomis and easily conquered it, as the Hunters of the region were heavily intoxicated due to a night of heavy partying and couldn't properly fight back against the vengeful reverend and his new allies. Everyone within the town was enslaved by him, for he decided that it would be the perfect way to cleanse them of sin and corruption, and were mistreated the way he and his friends were: bound and gagged, frequently beaten and starved, covered in open wounds, and thrown in inhospitable conditions which led to deadly infections that killed them in slow and agonizing ways. However, Techlea was not satisfied, deciding that the entire world needed to be cleansed the same way Nidomis was, and now seeks to conquer and enslave all in his path. Due to his actions, he earned the titles of "Pontiff of the Void" and "Techlea the Zealot".

Abilities
Techlea specializes in the Matter element, utilizing a Matter-elemental Long Sword and Matter-elemental Monsties. Due to his corruption at the hands of the void, he displays greater strength, durability, and aggression than the average Rider.

Tropes that Apply to Them

 * Berserk Button: Although he typically remains calm at all times, approaching the monuments dedicated to his fallen followers and Monsties drives him into a mad rage. This is because he thinks the player intends to desecrate them.
 * Due to the Dead: Built monuments to his fallen followers and Monsties, and personally cleans them himself, not trusting his slaves to do the job right.
 * Even Evil Has Loved Ones: He was legitimately distraught by the deaths of his Monsties and followers, and had his slaves build monuments to them near his land to honour their memory. If the player approaches the monuments, he'll become enraged, assuming they came there to desecrate them and becoming more aggressive than usual.
 * Evil Albino: He has ashen skin, white hair, and red eyes, and is also a cruel zealot who enslaves and traffics humans and monsters alike.
 * Face-Heel Turn: He went from a well-meaning reverend who desired world peace to a cruel trafficker and murderer following his tenure as a slave.
 * Faux Affably Evil: He talks to the player in a cordial manner, but it only serves to mask his cruel intentions.
 * Glass Cannon: As a Long Sword user, Technea prioritizes power over defense. Downplayed in that his corruption by the void had boosted his defenses, making it less of an issue to him.
 * Kick the Dog: Enslaves, starves, and abuses innocent people to the point where their bodies are covered in open wounds, then throws them in his land's sewage pits, where they slowly die from infection. He also cares little if they die, simply making piles of their bodies to keep other slaves in line.
 * Knight Templar: He views the world as being filled with corruption and sin, and seeks to "cleanse" it through conquest and enslavement, not caring if his targets are innocent or guilty.
 * Light Is Not Good: He wears white robes with platinum filigree and jewelry, and is also a raving zealot who wants to enslave, traffic, and murder people as a means of "redeeming" them.
 * Made a Slave: He was reduced to being the personal slave of the late King Nidomis, who frequently starved and abused him before sending him away to the chasm that led to his corruption. He gets his revenge upon leaving it.
 * Pet the Dog: His care for the monuments dedicated to his fallen Monsties and followers is one of the few positive traits he has.
 * Power of the Void: He specializes in the Matter Element.
 * Sinister Minister: He's a reverend who partakes in slavery, abuse, and murder as a means of "redeeming" those he considers corrupt and sinful.
 * The Dog Bites Back: He enslaved and trafficked King Nidomis and his subjects as revenge for being enslaved and abused by the king and witnessing his Monsties' and followers' deaths at their hands.

Notes and Trivia

 * Like with the other Riders of the Void, killing Techlea the Zealot doesn't reduce the Karma Meter due to his cruel and sadistic ways.