| aliases =Terrium Archelis Dorishe<br />
Teriarch soth Verines<br />
Teriarch of Kerozel<br />
Dragonlord of Flame<br />
High Eminence Teriarch<br />
Starfire Dragon of Iltanus<br />
Ward-Regent of Voltail<br />
Champion of Ashen Wings<br />
Doom of Amerital Goolm<br />
Grand Magus [[Eldavin]]<br />
Hot Thing ([[Rags]])<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2020/03/15/7-12-g/ Chapter 7.12]</ref><br />
Old Smoker (Frost Faeries)<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2017/04/18/2-14/ Chapter 2.14]</ref><br />
Old Fool (Frost Faeries,<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2017/05/26/2-24/ Chapter 2.29]</ref> Magnolia,<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2017/09/19/3-14/ Chapter 3.14]</ref> Az'kerash<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2017/07/29/2-41/ Chapter 2.48]</ref>)<br />
Mr. Dragonlord of Burning Things (Erin)<ref name=":9.33">[https://wanderinginn.com/2023/01/22/9-33/ Chapter 9.33]</ref>
| species =Brass [[Dragons|Dragon]]
| status =<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" data-expandtext="Show Spoiler" data-collapsetext="Hide Spoiler">Alive</div>
| affiliation =[[Magnolia Reinhart]]
| age =58,792 <ref>{{VERef|10.31 – Pt. 2}}</ref> | residence =[[High Passes]]
|first appearance = [https://wanderinginn.com/2017/03/03/rw1-00/ Chapter 1.00 ]
|image=Teriarch webcomic.jpg
|caption1=From [[The Wandering Inn (webcomic) | the webcomic]]
|family=[[Nirayicel]] (''Daughter'')}}'''Teriarch''', (originally known as '''Terrium Archelis Dorishe'''), is an ancient Brass [[Dragons|Dragon]] who lives in [[Izril]]. He is the Dragonlord of Flames.
In his true form, he is as large as an Airbus A380.<ref name=":2.46">[https://wanderinginn.com/2017/07/22/2-39/ Chapter 2.46]</ref> He looks like a Dragon depicted in Western culture, but instead of horns on his head he has a luminous mane that looks like molten bronze turned into some kind of living hair. His scales are deep golden bronze that glow and glint in the light.<ref name=":2.45">[https://wanderinginn.com/2017/07/18/2-38/ Chapter 2.45]</ref> His eyes have heterochromia, his left eye being heliotrope and his right cerulean, with celestial lights shimmering within the moving pupils.<ref name=":2.17">[https://wanderinginn.com/2017/04/22/2-16/ Chapter 2.17]</ref>
In his most common mortal form he looks like a 6+ ft tall elderly half-Elf, with a lined face and a beard like an elderly statesman,<ref name=":1.08 R">[https://wanderinginn.com/2016/12/18/1-08-r/ Chapter 1.08 R]</ref> with a pair of eyes that are both heliotrope and cerulean, pointed ears and a lustrous mane of silver-gray hair. His body looks like a an Olympian athlete past his prime but with the same body, with a moderate olive brown whitened skin. His clothing looks like magical robes of shining silk, like it was the most expensive stuff, on par with Lady Magnolia’s attire.<ref name=":1.09 R">[https://wanderinginn.com/2016/12/28/1-09-r/ Chapter 1.09 R]</ref>
[[File:TeriarchSeal.jpg|thumb|290px|Seal of Teriarch, inspired by [[:File:Ryokabanner by Raoul Solomon.png|Ryoka's banner]] by Raoul Solomon.]]Teriarch is highly arrogant, greedy, and protective of his possessions, which are personality traits that appear to be shared by most Dragons shown in the story. He is incredibly world-weary, having lived for countless millennia, been everywhere, and done everything, only to see all his efforts inevitably come to dust. This has understandably caused him to become a recluse in the present-day, preferring to spend years sleeping in his sanctum rather than become entangled with the affairs of the world once again. While Teriarch often seems like a grumpy old man, his gruff countenance hides a kind heart, with a particular soft spot for headstrong young women. Highly-intelligent, Teriarch enjoys teaching others, though he has a tendency to ramble and go off-topic.
Teriarch is ancient beyond measure, confirmed to be the oldest being alive. All numbers assigned to his age are estimates. He is so old that even the most impassioned arguments now fail to move him from his isolation - not because he's heartless, but because he's heard it all, done it all, and seen the results of his efforts crumble to dust every single time.<ref name=":0" /> A few of the people he knew and historical events he participated in are as follows:
When he was a hatchling, the Dragonthrone of flame was still under construction.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2022/09/25/9-17-r/ Chapter 9.17 R]</ref> He also met one of the last [[Gnomes]] still alive in that era.
He was told the truth of why the Elves schismed and went to war and the reason the divine are dead by his mother in a room whose privacy rivaled or even exceeded that of the Last Boxes of the Gnomes<ref name=":3">{{VERef|10.25 MG}}</ref>He's met the [[Man on the moon]] twice in his life. First as a hatchling when some Dragonlords tried to tell the secrets of the world to the younger generation, where the [[Halflings|halfling]] killed the Dragonlord of Storms of the time. The second time, Teriarch had tried to impart his knowledge to his daughter. The halfling beat three Dragonlords and wiped his memory.<ref name=":3" />
He has gone to the heart of the [[Grand Design of Isthekenous|Grand Design]] when Dragons were judged for the right to join the system of classes and levels.<ref name=":2">[https://wanderinginn.com/2023/04/16/interlude-levels/ Interlude - Levels]</ref>
He once told the secret of Goblin Kings to a Goblin. He regrets the event and never tried to do so again, implying it resulted in a new Goblin King.<ref name=":3" />
Teriarch knew the fourth incarnation of the [[Quarass]] — while they were sworn enemies, they struck a deal to work together. At some point, he was the protector of the Empire of [[Iltanus]], feared by the [[Walled Cities]] who held fast against the Empire. He knew Empress Sheta of that empire, among others, and protected the [[Harpies]] until their last city fell.<ref name=":0">[https://wanderinginn.com/2020/05/27/7-25/ Chapter 7.25]</ref>
He once burned [[Invictel]]. The [[Iron Vanguard]] holds a grudge over this to the present day.<ref>{{VERef|10.31 – Pt. 2}}</ref>Teriarch fought the Great [[Wyrms]] of Chandrar alongside the remaining Dragonlords of the era and won. During the war, he created the [[Glass Straits]] with his killer move. The fire from his strike lasted eight days and nights.<ref name=":1">[https://wanderinginn.com/2022/07/12/9-06/ Chapter 9.06]</ref>
Teriarch has known [[Magnolia Reinhart]] since she was a girl. They didn't lose contact, but she managed to hide the secret of his existence from the world.<ref name=":0" /><ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2017/04/14/2-12/ Chapter 2.12]</ref>
During the [[First Antinium War]], an Antinium army led by [[Xrn]] and [[Devrkr]] tried to encroach north to invade and attack the Human army rescuing Liscor from the rear. Teriarch destroyed the force and foiled that plan.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2023/01/29/9-34/ Chapter 9.34]</ref> Later, during the [[Second Antinium War]], the [[Antinium]] again tried to seize parts of northern Izril. However, they again encountered Teriarch, who burned two armies and ended those plans.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2022/08/30/9-12/ Chapter 9.12]</ref> He refused to further participate in the war besides delaying [[Velan]] when he came to the High Passes, as he refused to fight the Goblins.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2018/06/26/s02-the-antinium-wars-pt-5/ S02 - The Antinium Wars (Pt. 5)]</ref> He made the keys to Velan's treasure.<ref>{{VERef|Goblin Days (Pt. 6) – Of Dragons}}</ref>Teriarch occasionally walks the world in disguise using a fake persona, such as [[Eldavin|Grand Magus Eldavin]], and used to make quite the impression each time. He was recently convinced to do so once again by [[Ryoka Griffin]].<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2020/07/29/7-37/ Chapter 7.37]</ref>
When Erin Solstice was summoned by the [[Blighted Kingdom|Blighted Kingdom's]] ritual, she was teleported directly into Teriarch's cave while the Dragon was sleeping in his cave. Startled awake, Teriarch breathes fire at her, causing the young woman to flee. He teleports himself and his possessions to his backup cave, and spent the next two days checking his spells and fortifying his new location. Realizing that [[Az’kerash|Az’kerash's]] 200th birthday is coming up, he makes arrangements for a Runner to come.<ref>{{VERef|1.01}}</ref> His request is sent to anonymously to the local runners guild, asking for a runner to meet with him for further details. [[Ryoka Griffin|Ryoka]] is the only runner who succeeds in making it to him, and he rewards her with a potion of haste, then uses magic to compel her to complete the delivery to Az'kerash. The deliver consists of a custom-made enchanted ring and a letter.<ref>{{VERef|1.43 R}}</ref> Returning to to the lair for the second time with the aid of a stench potion crafted by [[Octavia Cotton|Octavia]], Ryoka expresses her anger with Teriarch for compelling her with magic, surprising him by resisting some of his further attempts. At first, she refuses to continue the delivery out of anger, but after some negotiation, agrees for the price of 800 gold coins.<ref>{{VERef|2.12}}</ref> Teriarch, unaware of the value of currency, feels that the price is reasonable. He also gives her a magical stone to aid her in finding the Necromancer. Teriarch via his Eldavin simulacrum goes to Wistram Academy
Teriarch challenged the nations of Terandria to head to the new lands before hiding back in his cave
Teriarch is a magic user of superlative skill, with power and knowledge superior to some [Archmages]. He is speculated to be the single most skilled/powerful magic user currently living. Unlike the modern mages of [[Wistram Academy|Wistram]], Teriarch does not normally categorize spells into tiers, and even seems to find the idea to be ridiculous.<ref name=":2.46" /> The most powerful magic he has been seen to cast was equivalent to roughly Tier<ref>{{VERef|1.00}}</ref> 6-7, but it is almost certain that that is not his limit.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2017/04/22/2-15/ Chapter 2.16]</ref>One of Teriarch's commonly demonstrated abilities is a magical projection that he can control over a distance, which he frequently uses to interact with people and objects, sidestepping the limitations of his massive, conspicuous true body. However, the greater the distance between his real body and said projection is, the less powerful the spells he can cast with it. For instance, he was limited to Tier 2 spells when he was fighting at an area that is located somewhere between Celum and Liscor.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2017/11/04/3-30/ Chapter 3.30]</ref>
In Volume 8, he also used a simulacrum (essentially an artificial body controlled via telepathic link) to achieve a similar effect without the power drop-off, though at significantly higher risk to himself.
Teriarch also has his breath weapon, Dragonfire, which easily crippled [[Az’kerash|Az'Kerash's]] most durable minion and later destroyed an entire wing of his castle from several hundred miles away.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2018/04/24/4-31/ Chapter 4.31]
</ref> He can also use Dragonfire to propel himself like a jet fighter, which is considered an advanced technique far beyond most Dragons.<ref name=":1" /> Other than flame, he can also breathe smog, lightning, ice, and purifying flames.
His killer move was to fly up into orbit, turn his scales into dense metal, and then crash down as a meteor blazing with Dragonfire, devastating the entire area.<ref name=":1" />
As Eldavin, he sometimes pretends to cast spells the same way as [Mages]. It should also be noted that this is only a list of the spells Teriarch has been seen to cast, ''not'' all the magical effects he likely knows.
**[Arrow of Light] (Tier 1)
**[Detect Death] (Tier 1)
**[Field of Deepest Slumber]
**[Wave of Seething Acid]
**[Foundational Recreation of Mundanity]
**[Annie’s Contemplation of the Mind]
**[Arrows of the Lightning Queen]
**[Bolt of the Lightning Giant]
**[Bound Spell: (''Spell'')] / [Bound Spells] (Can bind up to a 100 spells)**[Claw of the Deep Abyss]
**[Cometfall of the Harpy Queen]
**[Crippling Indigestion]
**[Dimensional Sh—] (Presumed [Dimensional Shift]?)
**[Directed Compressed Burst of Air]
**[Disintegrate] / [Disintegration]
**[Earthshift: Stone Flows Through Me]
**[Finger of the Fire Giant]
**[Five Alchemies: Anchorage]
**[Fivefold Arcane Barrier]
**[Fly: Speed of the Swallow]
**[Fortress of the Ice Queen]
**[Full Body Synchronization]
**[Greater Light Bindings] / [Greater Bindings of Light]
**[Greater Resistance: Cold]
**[Javelin of the Frost Giant]
**[Legions of Radiance, the Sundrenched of Caonis]
**[Lightning Meteor Swarm]
**[Mass Ray of Disintegrations]
**[Meridae’s Save—] (''Name Incomplete'')**[Pentagram of the Five Alchemies: Annihilation]
**[Pentagram of the Five Alchemies: Hellfire Pillar]
**[Pentagram of the Five Alchemies: Protection]
**[Pillar of Flame, Unbounded]
**[Prismguard’s Sh—] (Presumed [Prismguard’s Shield]?)
**[Rays of Disintegration]/[Disintegration Rays]
**[Recast]/[Recast: (<nowiki>''</nowiki>Spell<nowiki>''</nowiki>)]
***[Rays of Disintegration]/[Disintegration Rays]
**[Repair] (presumably Tier 1 or Tier 2)
**[Sealing Gate of the Five Sages]
**[Snowstorm] (strongly implied; presumably ''at least'' Tier 4)
**[Solar Ray: Wide Diffusion]
**[Spear of the Lightning King]
**[Stone Wall] / [Wall of Stone]
**[Summon Spectral Skeletal Warriors]
**[Tempest of the Lightning Giant]
**[Ten Thousand Spriggan Stakes]
**[Tenfold Refraction Barrier]
**[The Bindings of Belavierr]
**[The Winding Lair of Solce’s Jellyfish]
**[Translation: Animalspeech]
**[Valmira’s Falling Starry Sky]
**[Volcanic Rain of the Ash Giant]
**[Vortex of Annihilation]
**[Zelkyr’s Emergency Golem]
**[剑圣 – 心火之刃] / [Sword Saint - Edge of Heart’s Fire]<ref>Pirate's "official" translation on discord.</ref>
**??? - Appraisal / Identification Spell (Allows the Caster to see the Classes/Levels of his target).<ref name=":1.09 R" />
This is not a comprehensive list, encompassing only those items in Teriarch's hoard that have been explicitly described in-text.
*Teriarch possesses a massive broadsword<em>, </em>which previously belonged to a Giant until Teriarch took it from him.<ref name=":2.17" />
*A pile of ruby gemstones, each one larger than a fist.
*Baneblade<ref name=":7.00">[https://wanderinginn.com/2020/01/19/7-00/ Chapter 7.00]</ref>
* An Original Wadeir.<ref name=":7.00" />
*Magical Trident that vaporize whatever it hits, even Wyverns hide.<ref name=":7.00" />
**Maia Whitforgers' Concealed Spoonblade. A Spoon that transforms into a Rapier.
*Around 700 pounds of prime beef from a breed of magical cows that went extinct 800 years ago.
*A jade throne that confers unto the person sitting on it the power of an ancient empire until their death.
*[[Drath Archipelago|Drathian]] porcelain teacup set.
*[[Earthworlders|Earther]] Electronics
**Copy of [[Ryoka's iPhone|Ryoka’s iPhone]]<ref name=":2.17" />
**Copy of [[Kevin's Laptop]]
**Copy of Tablet<ref name=":0" />
*Many, ''many'' other things that are not explicitly described. Teriarch's hoard is massive.
*Orb of Scrying. It’s embedded in pure jade and enchanted with several enhancing spells that increase the range and scope of the spell itself - Shattered it in irritation.<ref name=":2.17" />
*A first-edition tome of Rihal; three hundred years old and in perfect condition. This book was a crystallization of the Rihal Imperium’s knowledge of six hundred years, which was merely a book the apprentices and novices would study - Given to Ryoka.<ref name=":2.46" />
*Grave Rot Scroll - Burnt.<ref name=":7.00" />
*Magical Arrowheads that explode into a rain of magical crystal that are so sharp and propelled so fast by the explosion that they can pierce even Wyvern hide - Used against Ice Wyverns.<ref name=":7.00" />
*Vial glowing like starlight, presumably a panacea - Given to Ryoka, and used to cure Fierre's silver poisoning.
*Perfect Bag of Holding (Has minimum magical interference) -Given to Ryoka to hold the gold from the delivery
*Potion of Greater Haste - Given to Ryoka for her delivery
* He is the oldest known living being in Innworld.
*Teriarch is the first person that [[Erin Solstice]] met when she arrived in [[Innworld]].
**Ironically, both individuals have yet to meet with both having full knowledge of one another. After their initial meeting, Erin only met Teriarch while he was incognito under his Eldavin persona. Their formal re-introduction in Volume 9 was after most of Teriarch's memories of the past century was lost after his simulacrum went rogue.
*Teriarch has heard of (and possibly known) Elves, who vanished tens of thousands of years ago, implying that he is at least that old. However, most of them were before his time implying that he was born after the majority of Elves died.<ref name=":0" />
* He incinerated two Antinium armies sent against him in the Second Antinium War.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2017/07/04/2-34/ Chapter 2.34]</ref>
*One of his favorite curses is "[[Tamaroth|Tamaroth’s beard]]!"
**In-story, this is the earliest mention of one of the [[Dead Gods|dead gods]],<ref>{{VERef|2.17}}</ref> which was the first hint that Teriarch is old enough to have intimate knowledge of the gods.* He dislikes keeping plants unless they are in preservation, as he can’t stand to water them, even with spells, and they still die after centuries, even with the finest care.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2022/12/11/interlude-the-first-and-last-of-us/ Interlude - The First and Last of Us]</ref>
*The Grand Design theorized that he had done enough to reach Level 100 if he was capable of leveling.<ref name=":2" />
[[Category:Fire Dragons]]
