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Perril Chandler, now mostly known to all as Az’kerash or simply as The Necromancer, is a highly skilled Necromancer, as he isn't just able to control zombies or skeletons but create far darker armies, such as Draugr, advanced and incredibly powerful zombies, wraiths, wights and Bone Giants.

Appearance

He looks like an old man with facial lines, white locks, and albino white skin. His pupils are described as pale ghostly white light shining from behind two black corneas.[1] That said, the black color appears to be the result of an illusion spell, as his eyes are in actuality supposed to be violet.[2]

He wears dark robes that seem to be made from shadows that slowly ripple over his form, sucking in all light, and a silver ring on his finger.[1] 

Personality

Background

Before he was known as "The Necromancer" and still went by the name of Perril Chandler, he studied at Wistram.[3] While he emulated his teachers, he was also dismayed at poor innovative students. He wad even teaching there, and called Zelkyr a friend.[4]

A century ago, he slew Kerash, the beloved Chieftain of the Gnolls who some had labeled the first ‘King of Gnolls’. For killing him, the Gnolls dubbed the Necromancer as Az’kerash (‘Slayer of Kerash’).

For over a century, he plagued Terandria, by leading armies of death against the living. He would destroy and despoil kingdoms, his undead armies beaten back only after much effort and then disappear before he could be slain, returning after years or sometimes decades. Each time stronger.

2nd Antinium War & "Death"

During the time the 2nd Antinium War had started, he returned leading a massive army against the port-Kingdom of Desonis, were he quickly overwhelmed the kingdom’s army but did not approach the capital. Rather, he seized a local port and departed for Izril.

While his intentions for invading Izril were never revealed, some believe that his aim were the walls of the Walled Cities, as they may theoretically contain Dragon bones in them.

He would land to the north of the continent, and his arrival would herald a plague that swept the Human cities while his armies grew in number, leaving only death in his wake. With an army consisting of Draugr, advanced and incredibly powerful zombies, wraiths, Crypt Lords, wights, and Bone Giants, he marched south, towards Liscor.

While he was advancing south, he clashed with the Goblin King’s forces once, and the battle between them ended as a stalemate. After the battle, both forces largely ignored each other. He then marched his army to Liscor unimpeded, by exploited the fractured militaries of both Humans and Drakes.

It was there the his armies besieged Liscor and cut the continent in two. Because of him the Drakes could not assist the Humans and vice versa. Perhaps this was to aid the Goblin King as well, because it meant neither side could assist one another while the Goblins enjoyed the use of the High Passes. His armies even spread out past Liscor while he besieged the city, heading south of the Blood Fields to harvest more bodies for his army and caused much damage to Drake lands.[5] He even obliterated an Antinium army that was sent north, although he did not make them into undead.[6]

As the siege of Liscor began, the Liscorian army withdrawn around their city in advance of his assaults, and held the walls of their city as he concentrated the bulk of his forces in an attempt to bring it down, with his powerful undead and the aforementioned Bone Giants to assault Liscor’s walls. The Liscorian army was forced to fight the undead on the walls and slew the giants only at great cost. And though his giants failed to break Liscor’s walls, they had done such terrible damage that there was no hope of Liscor repelling the undead alone.

As truly grueling siege of Liscor began, he inflicted plagues on the city’s inhabitants, launched rotting corpses over the walls and personally unleashed his magics on the city’s defenders. Against all odds, every citizen fought to defend the city and endured for four weeks, hoping against hope for relief.

When Zel Shivertail heard of Liscor’s plight, he abandoned his battles against the Antinium to march north, with three other Drake [Generals] and their armies. They cut a path to the him and assaulted the entrenched army around Liscor.

On the first day of the battle, he slew [General] Hekiss, then on the second, he slew [General] Vusso and two hours later, he slew [General] Misa. Only Zel Shivertail remained as his undead forces threatened to overwhelm both the city of Liscor and the attacking army.[5]

He had ordered his undead to encircle the army and Liscor, hoping to swell his deathless horde further. But he failed to destroy the Drake army because of he could not kill Zel Shivertail. Not by magic, not by overwhelming numbers or ambush! General Zel Shivertail remained on the battlefield despite Az’kerash’s repeated assaults on him day after day. But Zel Shivertail refused to retreat, and it was his rallying presence and Skills that kept the Drake armies and the valiant defenders of Liscor from folding under the Az’kerash devastating attacks.

Yet due to Zel Shivertail's Skills mainly revolving around defensive formations and holding the line, he lucked offensive strategies. Thus, he was unable to launch a decisive strike and corner Az’kerash, as every time he would charge at his position, Az’kerash would screen himself with his undead troops or disappear. Still, due to Zel Shivertail’s army continue assault on him, they holded the battle lines and shielding Liscor from the full brunt of his attacks.

And so the battle became a deadly stalemate, as both armies refused to retreat. So long as the he lived, the undead would continue rising, empowered by him. And so long as Zel Shivertail refused to fall, the Drakes fought on.

Yet, his undead began to triumph, as for every Drake that fell at Liscor, an undead zombie or ghoul would rise in its place. And his own magical mastery allowed him to create a number of greater undead each day. Meanwhile, the people of Liscor and Zel Shivertail’s own army were finite in number.

Day by day Zel Shivertail forces decreased and Az’kerash’s undead increased. The Siege of Liscor had continued for three months by the time they had reached the breaking point.[6] This all changed when an army of Antinium lead by Klbkch, came to Zel Shivertail forces as allies.

Klbkch send the first wave of Antinium Soldiers at his undead army, crushing his zombies in an instant while the Draugr held their ground and grappled with the Soldiers and boring down a bone Giant. The Soldiers stomped on the fallen undead, brutally pounding them with their fists. But his undead army was full of horrors and the Soldiers stalled.  

Then Klbkch send the second wave of Antinium Soldiers crashing into the backs of the first wave of Soldiers, not slowing even as they ran into the backs of their comrades. They trampled ally and enemy alike, pushing forwards without regard for casualties on their side. The undead were unprepared for the savage momentum that carried the Soldiers forwards, and their lines began to cave in. 

At the third wave, Zel took all his forces with him and attacked as well. Az’kerash held his ground, trying to stop the attacks from Zel and Klbkch’s armies. But then Liscor’s gates opened and a group of Drakes poured out. Attacked from three sides his undead army was engulfed.

As he was cutting down Drakes and Antinium with black magic, reanimating their corpses and hurling them at his enemies, he snarled as he saw Zel and he turned to run. He fired a jet black beam of energy at Zel’s head, but he ducked and lunged with his claws swiped left to right. His blow caught him on the chest and tore through whatever protection he had on him. He stumbled as Zel laid his chest open. Then Zel’s claws went through his chest and torn him apart and throwing both halves of his body to the ground. With his "death" the undead around him stumbled and then began to fall and crumble, unable to sustain themselves without their master’s mana.[7]

Aftermath

While Zel and the majority believed that he dead, he in fact had survived. At some point, he settled down in the Blood Fields, where his huge castle is located that houses his numerous undead servants. Although the castle is very large, no one, aside from a handful of people, is aware of its existence, as he casted a powerful veil around his domain. Their he strengthens his army and is waiting for the time to unleash, again, his legions upon the continent.

Eight years before the main story started, he posed himself as a [Merchant] and went to a Drake village, bringing a wagon laden with goods and asking for news. There he met a Hob that could read and stared at him because he saw through the Hob’s illusions.[8] Az’kerash saw that the Hob could read[9] as well, and took interest in him and that night, he attacked the Drake village with a horde of undead and slaughtered the Drakes.

Then he cornered the Hob and fought him. After defeating the Hob, Az’kerash offered him the choice of serving him in life or serving him in death. The Hob chose to live, and so he became his apprentice.[8] Az’kerash then started training him, by giving him spellbooks and Scrolls to read,[9] so that he could make him his own Goblin King and use him as a weapon to strike the living with.[8]

Chronology

Volume 2

While he does not make an appearance, after Skinner died, he called all the undead (including Toren) and commanded them to come to him, while carrying all the magical artifacts of the Ruins of Liscor.[10]

As he was focused creating something never dreamt of by any species, now or in the past, Venitra came to report him that another being has breached the outer web of the castle region. Finding it curious, he asked the description and features of the intruder. After hearing about her, he believing that she was a runner, or possibly a Courier, that was delivering a message for one of the armies.

He then asked about the progress of the engaging armies between Zel Shivertail and Wall Lord Ilvriss, and sighed of how troublesome the petty squabbles of the Drake cities can bring an army upon their doorstep. Before dismissing her, he tells her to observe them, mark the spots where the dead fall and to kill anyone that penetrate the veil and enter the castle.[11]

While he was still focused on his creation, he stops Ryoka with a [Sticky Webbing] spell, after she had entered the room, and tells Venitra to lower her sword and reprimands her for failing, and to regard this as a lesson and to learn from it. He then tells hear that he will take care of Ryoka and dismissed her.

Alone with Ryoka and still focused on his creation, he express his displeasure for the incompetence of his servants, for not keeping out a single intruder. He then tells her how impressive she was for making it this far, but as he was busy, he will kill her and discover anything of value from her corpse at a later time.

Ryoka evaded his [Silent Sickle] spell, which he found interesting and commended her for showing him that low-level spells have their weaknesses. As he was going to cast again, he stops when Ryoka tells him that Teriarch sends him a letter and a ring.

He removes the webs from her and summons her belt pouch to him to take both the ring and the letter. Recalling that he was expecting this, he starts reading it swiftly, while murmuring around about the usual long-winded greetings, Teriarch deepest congratulations, and to accept an original ring enchanted with warding and movement spells in the Silvarian dueling fashion, as a token of esteem.

He vanishes the ring and express Teriarch predictability for the note and token of esteem for his two hundredth year of existence, and says that he didn't have to bothered especially given their strained relationship.

As he turns back towards his creation, he asks Ryoka if their was anything else, and supposing that it would not do to kill one of Teriarch messengers, he lets her go. He tells her goodbye and to shut the door on her way out.[1] 

A week later, he finish his new undead creation, and awaken from his focus like trance. He turned smiling to Venitra, and told her that with this wonderful new undead creation, his army is nearly complete, ant that even the Walled Cities will tremble to see his creature upon the battlefield.

He then told her that he will need more corpses, as he used all of their limited supply to create this one, and that they will need as many corpses as they can retrieve. He was worried that it would be difficult to send a group to the ocean without being detected, and refused to send Venitra when she offered, as without enchantments she would sink to the bottom of the ocean. He believed that he might send Bea, as her plague abilities would allow him to harvest entire pods without damaging their bodies.

He stated that they will need at least six to complete their army, and that while fourteen would have been ideal, they could not as that would require far more harvesting than they have time for. Regardless he will test his new creation’s capabilities shortly, but for now, he asked Venitra what has passed while he's been working.

Venitra told him that she failed to stop an intruder to make her way into his personal quarters, and that he did not kill her, but let her go. He recalled that he did talk with her, and that she was a messenger who delivered a gift from Teriarch, who had gifted him a ring to celebrate his 200th year of existence.

He than asked her if they had killed her, as he did not because he was focused, but the messenger should never have been allowed to live. He was furious that she escaped with knowledge of this location, and that she could undo a decade of preparation and force them to act.

He calmed down when he realised that even if she were going to use that information, it would be too late in any case, and that he will scry the leaders of various cities and if they are not moving towards their location, then they are safe.

He felt that he was careless for being so confident, that any mortal could never penetrate the illusory forest, let alone bypass all of his guards so easily. He shook his head and admitted that even now, arrogance is still his flaw and that Teriarch would insist upon delivering him a gift, even if they are mortal enemies.

Feeling that he has erred, he tells Venitra to go rectify his mistakes. He told her to take Ijvani or Oom and track down the locate of the Runner. Before she left, he stopped her to impress on the importance of this mission and that the Runner must not speak of what she knows, but if she has truly kept his secret, it might be she can be bargained with, and in that case, he will count on her to exercise his own judgment. He also told her that he will look through her eyes if the need arises, but if he is preoccupied or his spells are blocked, she must decide whether she will be able to slay her or whether the cost will be too high. He conclude that he wants her to know, that he places his trust in her.

After she left, he admonishing himself for his failure now that he was alone. But he quickly put his self-recriminations aside and considered the ramifications of this new information instead. If it came to war, he was ready. It would be soon, but he could begin, as the armies that could be brought to bear against him didn’t worry him. And if not…then he would have more time.

Then he thought of Teriarch and how his gift fit perfectly in line with his character and what he knew of Dragons. And then about the messenger that had slipped past even his elite undead, just for a delivery? He also dimly remembered that two armies had been engaged in combat in the forest near his home. And then they had gone and fought the Goblin Lord.

He wandered if it was all a coincidence or not? And if it were not mere happenstance that Teriarch had sent her, as he finally be taking sides at last? And if so, whose?

He stood in the dark room, ignoring the lumbering beast by his side, and considered sending a message to his apprentice, even if it would have been more interesting to let him run free a little while.

He wandered if he should act, as Teriarch was a true concern, even more than the Antinium Hives. And so, he stood in his castle, sensing his minions as two left in search of the Runner, he stood and stared into the darkness, pondering.[12]

Volume 4

Believing that his apprentice, the Goblin Lord, was going to be killed by Garusa, he intervented by possessing him, so that he could protect him. Then afterwords, in a voice that everyone in the battlefield could hear, told him that he was disappointed in him, as he should not have to intercede on his behalf.

He then processed to kill Garusa with a black bolt of energy and shoot out a black scythe that cut through the ranks of the soldiers that had followed Garusa and through the Goblins as well, killing everybody in two hundred meters of the direction he had pointed. He then reanimate them as Draugar and sent them charged back towards their former comrades. After telling his apprentice to finish this, he left.

After the battle, he contacted him again to reprimand him, as for all he had taught him, defeating two armies should have been a simple task. He told him that he had alerted them of his greatest weapon and failed to use it to proper effect, and that he should have placed the Goblins among his own forces and unleashed them deep within the enemy ranks when they least expected it. If he had done so, he could easily have obliterated the army’s most elite warriors in the opening engagement, instead he wasted them by confining the undead and his Goblins to separate groups.

When the Goblin Lord was about to tell him that he cannot kill his own, Az’kerash said that he was foolish and that if he want victory, he must sacrifice. He processed that next time, he places the Goblins among his force and to not fail him next time. Before leaving, he told him to unify the Goblins, or perish in despair.[13]

A few day later, he contacted the Goblin Lord to give him his orders. Then he asked him why he keeps the Drake, as that while she is an Oldblood, as a useful corpse, she was not. Upon hearing that he is using her as a spy for information, he told him with a voice filled with scorn that he already has all the information required, and that he does not need spies, only magic.

Then he remind him of his orders to go past Liscor and reclaim the Goblins in the mountain, by taming their leader, so that he could build his forces and wreak havoc among the Human lands. He also told him to become a Goblin King if he is able, and If not, then die cursing his weaknesses.

He then told him that he has his trusted servants in Liscor, and that their tasks must not be compromised, as they have been occupied there for a long time, gathering information. Upon hearing this, the Goblin Lord started laugh and told him that his servants were not in Liscor for a long time, as he had met them a week ago, as they were lost and could not find Liscor.

Hearing this, Az’kerash said that he will reprimand his servants and thanked the Goblin Lord for telling him. Before vanishing, he told him to go north as he had told him, and burn the cities as he passes, while leave the strong ones undefended. He also told him to kill the Oldblood Drake, as he does not like loose ends.[14]

Powers and Abilities

Az'kerash is a master of magic. He gazed deeper into the heart of magic than any but the greatest [Archmages] before him. His name is infamous as the most powerful [Necromancer] of this mileniea.[15] He is so powerful that not even Teriarch is confident that he could beat him.[16]

He can enslave wraiths and ghosts and built new types of undead.

Classes/Levels:

  • [Necromancer] Lv.? (highly likely over 70-80)[17]

Skills:

Spells:

  • Tier 2:
    • [Flame Jet]
  • Tier 3:
    • [Detect Magic]
  • Unknown Tier:
    • [Absorb Recollections]
    • [Accelerate Spell]
    • [Beguiling Aroma]
    • [Bloodcaller’s Curse]
    • [Bone Rapier]
    • [Concealed Presence]
    • [Deathblast]
    • [Deathbolt]
    • [Deep Freeze]
    • [Detect Lies]
    • [Diamondshard Spray]
    • [Eagle Eyes]
    • [Enhanced Strength]
    • [Flash Step]
    • [Flesh Regrowth]
    • [Greater Invisibility]
    • [Gust of Wind]
    • [Ice Floor]
    • [Lesser Teleport]
    • [Mass Stone Lances]
    • [Mass Flame W—] (Full name yet to be revealed. Likely [Mass Flame Ward].)
    • [Mass Silent Sickle]
    • [Mend Bones]
    • [Mindhaze]
    • [Mists of Madness]
    • [Muffle]
    • [Parallel Thoughts]
    • [Preservation]
    • [Purify Water]
    • [Sanctuary of Protection]
    • [Sightless Winds]
    • [Silent Sickle] (Low-level spell)
    • [Snap Freeze]
    • [Sticky Feet]
    • [Sticky Webbing] (Low-level spell)
    • [Stone Lance]
    • [Void Room]
    • [Wall of the Damned]
    • [Warming Touch]
    • [Word of Death]

Creations

Chosen:

Possessions

Magical Artifacts

  • An original ring enchanted with warding and movement spells in the Silvarian dueling fashion. Gifted to him by Teriarch, as a token to celebrate his 200th year of existence.[1]

Former Possessions

[Greater Teleportation] Scrolls

  • He owned a limited amount of scrolls containing the spell [Greater Teleportation]. He wass very careful when to use them, because he had no means to acquire further ones. His servants were shocked when Az'kerash handed out only 4 of them.[18] During the fight against Zel, Az had to use all 11 scrolls he had left. [19]

Trivia

  • He was mentioned for the first time in Ch 1.23.
  • He has a strained relationship with Teriarch.
  • Despite Oom and Ijvani being his oldest creations, Az'kerash favors Venitra, his youngest one.[20]
  • Az'kerash lived in Terandria and was expelled from Wistram hundreds of years ago.[21]
  • The name Az’kerash means ‘Slayer of Kerash’.[5]
  • He owes Belavierr a favor.[22] She was also the one that made the robes he wore, as well as the one who sold him the castle west of the Blood Fields.[23]
  • Back when he was still an Archmage at Wistram, Feor was once one of his apprentices.[23]

Gallery

Quotes

  • (To Ryoka) “Ah, hm. Goodbye. Shut the door on your way out.”
  • (To himself) “Arrogance is my flaw; even now, it seems. Of course Teriarch would not send anything less than a Courier to do his bidding. And that old fool would insist upon delivering me a gift, even if we were mortal enemies.”
  • (To Goblin Lord) “You have disappointed me, my apprentice. I should not have to intercede on your behalf.
  • (To Goblin Lord) “If you want victory, you must sacrifice. Next time, place the Goblins among your force. Do not fail me this time. Unify the Goblins, my apprentice. Or perish in despair.
  • (To Zel) “Hardly. My battle was never with one individual. I wage war with Drakes, with species as a whole. The living are my enemy, Shivertail. You do not merit my presence. My creations are enough for you. Each one is a masterpiece, unique among their kind. Look upon them and despair, for they are your betters.”
  • (To the Chosen) “I see I have overestimated your capabilities. Or perhaps underestimated that of my foes. The next generation of your brothers and sisters will lack your weaknesses.”
  • (To Reiss) “A foolish attempt. Why would anyone conceive—ignore fools like that, my apprentice. That girl is not too far from a zombie in terms of intellect. And why she would assume…do I know her?
  • (To Pisces) “That name is old. Archmage Chandler was a man from a different era. Over a century dead. Address me as you will. But do so by the name they have given me.”
  • (To Pisces) “Someday, you will see the depths of their hatred for you, boy. Rejoice in your today, for that tomorrow lies ahead. Inevitably.”

Chapter Appearances

See Here.

References

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