Az’kerash

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Perril Chandler

By Chalyon

Aliases	Perril Az’kerash The Necromancer Necromancer of Terandria Archmage Chandler Archmage of Death Gravewarden of Therras Undying Shield of Calanfer Great Master of the Dead Anonymous Spellcaster A Azzy
Species	Human (Formerly)
Age	200+
Gender	Male
Status	Active
Affiliation	Order of Seasons (Formerly) Order of Felgeist (Formerly) Chosen
Occupation	Necromancer
Residence	Castle west of the Blood Fields
First Appearance	Chapter 2.29

Perril Chandler, 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 has the appearance of 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. That said, the black color is the result of an illusion spell, as his eyes are supposed to be violet.

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. 

Personality

Once an honorable and noble individual, after being betrayed by those he counted as friends, Az'kerash became consumed with hatred for the living and has vowed to eradicate all life. While he had initially gone on a rage-filled rampage for the first century, he has become more patient in the present day, willing to secretly lie in wait and make long-term plans. However, he can still become wrathful, sometimes having a tantrum by shooting random spells of destruction. Cold and calculating, Az'kerash is a master manipulator, having tactics such as secretly replacing people with undead puppets.

Being the foremost [Necromancer] of his time, Az'kerash has an innate knowledge of anatomy of many different species, having achieved the class of [Archmage]. A brilliant scholar and intellectual, Az'kerash is analytical and methodical, often explaining things verbally as he examines something, as if he was explaining to a group of students. However, he is often arrogant, with an overconfidence in his own abilities. Additionally, his [Parallel Thoughts] allows him to multi-task on a dozen projects simultaneously, though it also causes him to be neglectful and absentminded.

Aside from his hatred of life, Az'kerash also possesses a loathing of Wistram, even being angered by a mention of it. He also views the Demons as his enemies, having fought the Deathless back when he was an [Archmage]. He also abhors the idea of [Slaves] or anyone in chains, even freeing Ferkr from mental hexes when he had no reason to. He regarded his former apprentice Reiss as a useful tool and a means to an end.

He considers the Chosen as his children, despite often being exasperated by their failures and antics. While he initially did not think much of Pisces (only taking him as an apprentice to prevent him from telling everyone he was alive), Az'kerash began to see something of himself in Pisces. Over time, he has developed something of a soft spot for Pisces, becoming exhilerated by his feats and accomplishments.

Background

Perril Chandler was born to a family of [Chandlers] in the Terandrian kingdom of Silvaria. His powerful magical potential led him to become apprenticed to the [High Mage] of his city, mastering Tier 3 spells before the age of sixteen. After the death of his master, he discovered his talent for necromancy, while also becoming a duellist, eventually enlisting in Silvaria's army. Perril Chandler became friends with Lady Bea, who sponsored his education in Wistram.

A few years later, he became a mercenary and was hired by the Drakes to fight the Naga Incursions. During the war, he encountered Zelkyr Amerwing, whom he had once met in Wistram, and struck up a genuine friendship. Together with undead and Golems, they became a genuine threat to the Lizardpeople.

After the war, Perril returned to Silvaria, when plague had struck the land. He summoned undead to assist with the harvest, thus gaining the gratitude of King Redoris. By the age of 30, Perril Chandler became a [Lord] of Silvaria. Eventually, with the nomination of Zelkyr, both became Archmages of Wistram.

During a war with the Dawn Concordat against Calanfer, Perril Chandler was able to single-handedly fight off an army of four hundred thousand with the help of the Thronebearers, thus achieving the class of [Archmage], and becoming known as the Archmage of Death.

However, Perril Chandler's fall of grace began, brought about by the jealousy and envy of King Redoris. Seeking to diminish Perril Chandler, Redoris sent him to Rhir to fight the Demon Kingdom where, together with Zelkyr and several armies, they fought the Deathless. Though they managed to kill two of the Deathless and severely injure the rest, all the armies were broken, and the Archmages were driven back. This loss, along with other events such as rampaging undead and a Wailing Pit, cost Perril Chandler his reputation and began souring people towards necromancy. However, the inciting incident was the attempted assassination of Redoris with a bone needle. Despite protesting his innocence, Perril Chandler was executed, and the Necromancer would rise in his place. Hating all life, he would return ten years later to Silvaria and destroy it, killing Redoris, Bea, and thousands of citizens. He would continue on to plague Terandrian kingdoms for the next hundred years, leading armies of death against the living. He would destroy and despoil kingdoms, his undead armies beaten back only after much effort and then he would disappear before he could be slain, returning after years or sometimes decades, sometimes even faking his demise. Each time he returned he was stronger. At some point, he slew Kerash, the beloved Chieftain of the Gnolls whom some had labelled the first ‘King of Gnolls’. As such, the Gnolls dubbed the Necromancer as Az’kerash (‘Slayer of Kerash’), a title he adopted.

Second Antinium War

During the Second Antinium War, Az'kerash led a massive army against the port-Kingdom of Desonis, where he quickly overwhelmed the kingdom’s army but did not approach the capital. Rather, he seized a local port and then departed for Izril.

While his intentions for invading Izril were never revealed, Pisces speculates that his aim were the walls of the Walled Cities, the foundations of which potentially contain Dragon bones.

In his invasion of Izril, the Necromancer clashed with the army of the Goblin King once before approaching Liscor. He besieged the city which was however quickly relieved by Zel Shivertail. After three months, the ruinous and increasingly desperate siege was lifted when an Antinium army under Klbkch came to Liscor's help. Zel Shivertail himself assailed the Necromancer's position and tore Az'kerash into two pieces. The undead army was swept up in the aftermath. (See: Necromancer's Siege of Liscor).

Aftermath

However, Az'kerash had once again only faked his death at Zel's hands. While Zel and the majority of Izril's population was convinced of Chandler's death, he settled down in a huge castle located in the Blood Fields. No one, aside from a handful of people, is aware of its existence, as he cast a powerful veil around his domain.

Eight years before the main story started, he or one of his many undead constructs posed as a [Merchant] and went to a Drake village, bringing a wagon laden with goods and asking for news. There he met a Hobgoblin under illusion spells that intrigued him. Az’kerash saw that the Hob could read as well. That night, he attacked the Drake village with a horde of undead, slaughtered the Drakes and cornered the Hobgoblin 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. Az’kerash then started training him, by giving him spell books and scrolls to read, so that he could make him his own Goblin King and use him as a weapon to strike the living with.

Chronology

Volume 1

Az'kerash was mentioned several times in Volume 1 as an historical threat, to both show [Necromancy] is considered a threat in general and a death-worthy crime in Liscor especially, but also that the [Necromancer] Pisces is not nearly as dangerous as The Necromancer was.

Volume 2

After Skinner's Attack on Liscor, Az'kerash called all the undead (including Toren) and commanded them to come to him and bring him all the magical artifacts of the Ruins of Liscor. However, none of the undead made it all the way to him and he failed to receive any of the artifacts.

When Ryoka Griffin approached the Necromancer's castle on her delivery run for Teriarch, Az’kerash was occupied creating a huge whale-sized creature out of bone designed to threaten the Walled Cities. He only focused a fraction of his mind on casual surveillance of the battle between Zel Shivertail of the Trisstral Alliance and Ilvriss and the forces of Salazsar, which also occurred near his abode. One of his servants, Venitra regularly briefed him on the situation as it unfolded, but the Necromancer decided not to interfere in the Drake's petty squabbles, just sweep up the fallen after the battle as future resources. He issued a kill order on anyone that penetrated his veil.

Ryoka broke through that veil, followed by Periss who was slain, together with her Elite Soldiers, by the Undead. Ryoka could run straight towards Az'kerash's study where he - his main consciousness still occupied with the Undead creation spell - stopped her with a [Sticky Webbing] and a [Silent Sickle] spell. He reprimanded Venitra and dismissed her, then dealt with Ryoka himself, commending her for coming this far.

As he then learned she was a [Courier] sent to him from Teriarch, he relieved her of the package and revealed to Ryoka that the Dragon had sent him a birth-year greeting and a considerably minor artifact: an original ring enchanted with warding and movement spells in the Silvarian duelling fashion.

Supposing that it would not do to kill one of Teriarch messengers, he lets her go afterwards. A week later, he finished his new undead creation, and woke from his focussed trance, ready to give orders on collecting fresh material for his next creations, of which he states to need at least six, and fourteen would be ideal. Still, he started to work under time constraints. When Venitra reported to him the incident with Ryoka, Az'kerash became furious that the messenger had escaped alive to tell of his location: spilling the knowledge of his current abode could undo a decade of preparation and force him to act. So he tasked Venitra, together with Ijvani, to track Ryoka down and kill her along with everybody else who knew of his castle - unless the Runner has kept confidential about it, in which case he expected Venitra to either call him but use her own judgement because he was similarly occupied with a creation again.

After she left, Az'kerash considered that he was ready for a war, if the need arose; but if not he would have yet more time to prepare. He also pondered about Teriarch's role in the chains of events, as the Dragon was his mortal enemy but also a neutral entity that might now take sides in the conflict.

Volume 4

Az'kerash interfered in the battle between his apprentice, the Goblin Lord, and the forces of Garusa by possessing him. Seemingly casual, he kill Garusa and her Soldiers and reanimated them as Draugr to send them towards their former comrades. After telling his apprentice to finish this, he left. After the battle, Az'kerash reprimanded the Goblin Lord, telling him that he had alerted the Drakes of his greatest weapon and failed to use it to proper effect: While Reiss tried to separate Undead and Goblins and hold back the Goblins forces to spare their lives, Az'kerash expected him to ruthlessly sacrifice both in order to win more effectively. He tasked Reiss to comply with those battle orders, and to unify the Goblins, or otherwise perish in despair.

A few days later, he contacted the Goblin Lord to give him his orders. Then he asked him why he was keeping 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.

Volume 7

Az'kerash educated Bea on sexual intercourse, which was something he never deigned to teach his Chosen before.

When Ijvani finally arrived at Az'kerash's fortress, the Necromancer studied the Healing Slime and Toren, determining the latter to be a masterpiece that Pisces had created unknowingly of his true achievement: a levelling, sentient Undead made from a Necromancer's Archmages bones, inscribed with the spell matrix of a sentient Golem. That discovery made Az'kerash destroy much of his less valuable property in excitement (including major parts of his castle, his bone giants, his laboratory and the forest surrounding his fortress). He then resolved to reshape his Chosen, make them leveling undead (starting with Ijvani), and raise their number from four to ten.

...

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 millenium. He is so powerful that not even Teriarch is confident that he could beat him.

He can enslave wraiths and ghosts.

Despite not having the [Fencer] class, he was good enough to have owned a golden bell.

The Necromancer may know at least 500 different destructive spells.

Classes/Levels:

• [Undying Lich, Myth of Death and Vengeance] Lv. 78

Former Classes:

• [Archmage of Death]
  • Derived from [Necromancer]
• [Mage] Lv.?

Skills:

• [Bound Spell – (Spell)]
  • [Blackfire Fireball]
• [Create Spectral Undead]
• [Parallel Thoughts]
• [Sanctum: Death Magic Leyline]
• [Teacher of Magic (Universal)]

Spells:

• Tier 1:
  • [Cooling Wind]
  • [Detect Death]
• Tier 2:
  • [Flame Jet]
• Tier 3:
  • [Detect Magic]
• Tier 4:
  • [Deathbolt]
  • [Invisibility]
  • [Void Air]
• Tier 5:
  • [Blackfire Fireball]
• Unknown Tier:
  • [Absorb Recollections]
  • [Accelerate Spell]
  • [Appraisal]
  • [Barrier of the Damned]
  • [Beguiling Aroma]
  • [Bloodcaller’s Curse]
  • [Bone Rapier]
  • [Breath of Life – Extended]
  • [Concealed Presence]
  • [Curse of the Frozen Flesh]
  • [Death King’s Mirage of the Living]
  • [Death Wail]
  • [Deathblast]
  • [Deep Freeze]
  • [Detect Lies]
  • [Detect Poison]
  • [Diamond Body]
  • [Diamondshard Spray]
  • [Eagle Eyes]
  • [Enhanced Strength]
  • [Eye of Clairvoyance]
  • [Eye of Revelations]
  • [Flash Step]
  • [Flesh Regrowth]
  • [Greater Invisibility]
  • [Greater Scrying]
  • [Gust of Wind]
  • [Hush]
  • [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]
  • [Might of the Glomroath Beast]
  • [Mindhaze]
  • [Mists of Madness]
  • [Muffle]
  • [Preservation]
  • [Purify Water]
  • [Regeneration]
  • [Resistance: Cold]
  • [Restoration]
  • [Sanctuary of Protection]
  • [Scribe Thoughts]
  • [Scrying]
  • [Sightless Winds]
  • [Silent Sickle] (Low-level spell)
  • [Snap Freeze]
  • [Stasis Field]
  • [Sticky Feet]
  • [Sticky Webbing] (Low-level spell)
  • [Stone Lance]
  • [True Sight]
  • [Void Room]
  • [Wall of Stone]
  • [Wall of the Damned]
  • [Warming Touch]
  • [Word of Death]

Creations

Chosen:

• Kerash
• Oom
• Ijvani
• Bea
• Venitra
• Devail
• Wesixa

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.
• Enchanted Adamantium Armor - Bounce back Spells attacks.
• Wyvern Scaled Helmet, with Phoenix’s feather plume - Allows the wearer to exhaled a plume of magical fire. Additionally those who are burned by it feel pain, even if they were an Undead.
• Boots that left a trail of Black Flame
• Gauntlets with Crystal edges - Explodes to embedded crystal shards tearing through the opponent.
• Prismatic Glass Shield - Counter the attacker hit with their own attack force but crisscrossed and duplicated dozens of times, on and around them. Only works with melee contact.
• Anti-light Sword
• Enchanted Javelin - Grows Barbs into the opponent flesh, that are nigh-impossible to remove.
• Enchanted Mace - Caused a meteor-strike of a blow.
• Enchanted Hand-axe - Creates glittering cuts in the air that only faded after 10 seconds or so. Each one could cut or block blows.

Scrolls

• Tier 6 Spell Scrolls

Former Possessions

• [Greater Teleportation] Scrolls - He owned a limited amount of scrolls containing the spell [Greater Teleportation]. He was very careful when to use them, because he had no means to acquire further ones. During the fight against Zel, Az was forced to use the eleven scrolls he had left.
• Unknown Ice Scroll - A Tier 6 Spell that shoots down, at the targeted enemies designated, [Ice Spikes] from the ceiling in a constant barrage, like hail, as well as [Ice Spears] that can blast enchanted marble to pieces. Used by Toren on the original Chosen to defend Healing Slime.

List of people who know Az'kerash is alive

The following people are aware of the threat that Az'kerash is still alive.

• [Lady] Magnolia Reinhart, who only considers the Antinium a greater threat than him
  • Her confidante, Ressa
  • Erin Solstice, having been told about him on their first meeting
• Teriarch, his mortal enemy who sent him a token birthyear gift out of courtesy
  • his messenger, Ryoka Griffin, later forced to flee from Liscor to stay far away from Az'kerash
• Wall Lord Ilvriss Gemscale, who is organizing a secret taskforce disguised as an anti-Antinium strike force
  • Osthia Blackwing, who was captured by Reiss and confirmed to Ilvriss about the threat
  • Plus some of his retinue such as Welsca Crimsonscale and Captain Veel.
  • Nerul Gemscale
  • Shriekblade
  • Xesci
  • Luciva Skybreath
• Cognita
• Fetohep
• Archmages of Wistram
  • Eldavin
  • Feor
  • Viltach
  • Verdan Blackwood

Trivia

• He has a strained relationship with Teriarch.
• Despite Oom and Ijvani being his oldest creations, Az'kerash favors Venitra, his youngest one, though she would fall from grace after her failure in Liscor.
• 'Az’kerash' is a title given by the Gnolls, meaning ‘Slayer of Kerash’.
• He owes Belavierr a favor. She made the robes he wore, and also sold him the castle west of the Bloodfields.
• Back when he was still an Archmage at Wistram, Feor was one of his students.
• Az'kerash is one of the few leveling individuals in Innworld who can comprehend the idea that the gods are alive.