Caron Evenstone, Necromancer

History

Caron adjusted well to his new surroundings, and often ventured into the enchanted woods alone, against the advice of his foster family. One day, he came upon a severely injured traveler, whom he brought home to mend. While recuperating, the man confided in Caron that he was a great sorcerer, and that he would teach him, if he dared. Thus began his magical instruction. The mage turned out to be a necromancer, which intrigued Caron, and he applied himself strenuously to his studies. After a few years, and with his fosterage over, Caron moved to the necromancer's home to continue his education.

At the age of 22, Caron learned of his father's death in a war against a neighboring country, so he packed his belongings and moved home to claim his rightful title. Within a year, his mother had died of a broken heart, and Caron worked diligently to find suitable marriages for his two remaining unmarried sisters. These matches proved to be particularly astute, and he formed alliances with his new brothers-in-law. With his lands and future secure, he sent for his teacher and moved him into the manor.

Five years of hard secretive study later, his mentor was killed by angry villagers while ransacking a graveyard for the grisly requirements of a necromancer. Caron mourned him greatly, but he was well instructed and continued his research alone, with his only Spirit-Guide to lead him on. During this period, he found an ancient ruin deep in the forest on his lands, and began investigating it. In its depths, he found a temple to a dark insectoid god called Siith-Haz. Caron pledged himself to Siith-Haz, and resurrected the worship of this long-forgotten and forbidden deity. Within these ruins, he also found several books of ancient spell lore, many of which were necromantic in nature. Learning these spells took several years, and Caron still hasn't learned all of them.

Caron began another of his projects in the following years: bringing a dead body back to life, not the unlife of the zombie. Painstaking experimentation starting with small animals and working up to a dog and a warhorse took many years. Caron then spent five more years creating Dourmar. He is very proud of Dourmar, and protects him like his own child. On his first 'birthday', Caron gave Dourmar the horse and the dog he had brought to life. These are the only animals that will get near Dourmar.

Caron's relationship with Siith-Haz has provided several benefits. The demonic warriors in his army are insectoid demons from Siith-Haz. Caron was also led to a remote colony of an intelligent insect race thought to be long extinct. He made an alliance with them and they provided him with 5000 elite warriors. He turned six of these fearsome fighters into wraiths, who, along with six human wraiths, help command his army.

Again secure in his strength, Caron embarked on a Machiavellian political gambit. Through magic and intimidation, he assassinated rivals, made one-sided alliances, and did anything else necessary in order to increase his power base. At first he was very discrete, but as successes mounted, he became bolder and more open. Everyone in the kingdom feared him, but few could do much about it.

At the current time, Hardrick II, the king of Karista, can no longer stand for this slow whittling away of his power, and has gathered his loyal vassals to fight this foul sorcerer's minions. A full-scale civil war has begun. King Hardrick has an uphill battle ahead of him, but his ranks have recently been boosted by 2000 High Elves from the island of Branthar, the Elvish homeland. The Elves say that one of their elders, who had 'gone across the sea' (the Elvish equivalent of 'gone to heaven'), had returned from the Summerland (Elvish Heaven) with an urgent request. The elder had a vision of terrible evil in Karista that the elves were needed to combat. The elder elf gathered a force of warriors and ships to sail the 1000 miles to Tumera, the capital of Karista. Heartened by this unexpected arrival, Hardrick plans an offensive against Caron next spring.