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{{Quote|Damned no more, the True Son of [[Naar]] rises in terrifying greatness.  He has haunted your nightmares since you were a boy &mdash; the claws, the leathery wings, the three horns and fearsome tusks.|[[Grand Master]] witnesses Agarash's return|<ref>{{Bookref|31|60}}</ref>}}
'''Agarash''', also known as '''Demonlord Agarash''',<ref>{{Bookref|31|10}}</ref> is a creature of incredible evil power who was sent by the dark God [[Naar]] to [[Magnamund]] to defeat [[Nyxator]], whom his servants had tried to kill for two millennia.  Dubbed the '''True Son of Naar''' on Magnamund, Agarash waged a war on Magnamund to conquer it in Naar's name.  After slaying Nyxator, he fought the Elder Magi, created by [[Kai (god)|Kai]] and [[Ishir]] for over a thousand years.  He was eventually trapped in the [[Pit of Eternal Pain]], a pocket dimension caused by the suffering caused in his fortress, [[Naaros]], and subsequently-dubbed '''Agarash the Damned'''.

Agarash lay trapped in the Pit of Eternal Pain for millennia, although he was able to manifest some of his power after the Pit was independently-opened by [[Shasarak]] and [[Sejanoz]].  Agarash granted both immense power to further their goals, but with a promise that they would eventually switch places with himself to release him back into Magnamund.  Both these plans failed; the former due to [[Grey Star]] sealing the Pit with Shasarak added, and the latter being slain by [[Grand Master]].

In MS 5103, during the events of ''[[The Dusk of Eternal Night]]'', a plot took place to free Agarash from the Pit of Eternal Pain.  Unbeknownst to all, however, this plot was forged by Shasarak to free ''himself'' first, and Agarash later (but only if required).  Agarash was eventually released from the Pit, either switching places with [[Blazer]] or [[Grand Master]] (depending on the actions of the player in ''The Dusk of Eternal Night''), to resume his conquest of Magnamund.

==Appearance==
:''An illustration of Agarash, partly-obscured, is available in [[The Dusk of Eternal Night]], section 60.''
Agarash has three horns, and cruel, eyes of pure darkness.  He possesses claws, leathery wings and tusks, as well as a spiky tail.<ref>{{Bookref|31|60}}</ref>

==Biography==
===Rise to power===
Agarash rose from [[Naaros]] in 6700 MS, during the [[Age of Eternal Night]].  During his lifetime, Agarash created many powerful artifacts that would haunt Magnamund for millennia to come, and created countless creatures, called [[Agarashi]], who served as the soldiers of his army.  His strongest Agarashi were called the [[Children of Agarash]], who bore the largest sliver of his essence, who became Agarash's immensely-powerful lieutenants.

To mock the [[Lorestones]], Agarash created the [[Doomstones]], stones of immense power.  Agarash and his Children used the power of the Doomstones to fashion even more Agarashi, each with an ever-decreasing sliver of his essence.<ref>{{BestiaryRef|page=6}}</ref>

Agarash also created three magical runes: The [[Vorka Rune]], the [[Vaag Rune]], and the [[Zorkaan Rune]].  The first two summoned the powerful Agarashi breeds of the [[Vorka]] and [[Vaag]] respectively, whilst the last summoned the entity [[Zorkaan]] the Soultaker, a dark shadow that fed off souls.

With his Children, and aided by his three magic runes and his [[Claw of Naar]], Agarash was able to conquer all of southern [[Magnamund]].  Under Agarash, Naaros had become the most terrible place in Aon, countless mortals suffering unimaginable tortures before dying or being consumed by Agarashi.  The depravity distorted the fabric of Aon itself.<ref name="31-90">{{Bookref|31|90}}</ref>

In 4906 MS, Agarash then traveled to the center of the planet, killed [[Nyxator]], and stole his [[Lorestones]]. In desperation not to lose [[Magnamund]] to evil, [[Ishir]] and [[Kai]] sent the [[Elder Magi]], a race of magical beings who were able to combat Agarash, sparking the [[Age of War]].

===Downfall===
In 3572 MS, after over a thousand years of war, the Elder Magi had become desperate.  The Elder Magus [[Scaldar]] made a bargain with [[Pyrash]], Lord of the Flame, to obtain the [[Scarlet Fire]] to defeat Agarash, in exchange for Scaldar becoming the gaoler of the [[Fire Elemental]]s that had contested Pyrash's tyranny.  Scaldar taught the Elder Magi to protect themselves against the Scarlet Fire - creating the first [[Platinum Amulet]]s - although only a small number were ultimately able to be constructed.  In Naaros, the Elder Magi confronted Agarash, and used the Scarlet Fire against him.  Agarash's body was destroyed with the Scarlet Fire, but to the Elder Magi's horror, this was not enough to destroy him.  Worse still, Agarash learnt how to wield the Scarlet Fire himself.  With this new power, Agarash unleashed a storm of destruction on Magnamund not seen since the [[Draconic Holocaust]], destroying not just the forces of Good, but his own Agarashi, undead and mutants alike.<ref name="31-90"/>

However, this proved to be his unwielding.  The Scarlet Fire became the spark that tore open the fabric of Aon in Naaros, creating a pocket dimension.  The countless souls in Naaros were trapped in this dimension, doomed to relive their tortures.  Agarash and many of his Agarashi were also bound to this pocket dimension, along with his wrath and the power of the Scarlet Fire.  Furthermore, as this dimension lies outside the dimension of time, the bound souls, Agarash included, were forced to relive this fate for all eternity.  The souls were also never able to escape without a soul, comparable in power, being exchanged, to suffer the same fate.  The Elder Magi were able to seal Agarash inside this pocket dimension, calling it the [[Pit of Eternal Pain]].  From here on, Agarash himself was called "Agarash the Damned", to reference his trapping within his own creation.<ref name="31-90"/>

The Elder Magi were able to recapture the [[Lorestones]].  However, Agarash was able to hide his [[Doomstones]], as well as his other relics.  Agarash the Damned's legacy is vast; his instruments of evil have aided evil causes long after his defeat.

===Return===
After Agarash's fall, many Agarashi fled and hid under Magnamund.  However, many of his servants sought to bring him back.  This was the goal of a secret cult called the [[Naarvakim]], who operated behind the shadows on Magnamund, over millennia.  Their main plan of attack was to reopen the [[Pit of Eternal Pain]], using a pathway dubbed a Gate of Doom.

In MS 1620, the ambitious warrior [[Sejanoz]] was able to perform a ritual to spirit-walk to the Pit of Eternal Pain.  Agarash offered a bargain: He would provide Sejanoz with the forces to become the great ruler he wished to be, but in exchange, once Sejanoz became powerful enough to rival his [[Children of Agarash|Children]], Sejanoz would swap places with Agarash.  Agarash held his side of the bargain, with Sejanoz becoming one of the most powerful tyrants on Magnamund, but it is later suspected that Sejanoz delayed his end of the bargain as long as possible.<ref name="31-35">{{Bookref|31|35}}</ref>

Independently, over 1500 years later, the rogue [[Shianti]] [[Shasarak]] discovered how to open a Gate of Doom, by causing a powerful explosion in a place where the fabric of Aon was weak (such as the aftermath of a [[Shadow Gate]]).  Shasarak opened one by accident while experimenting with the [[Sun-stone]].  Shasarak too made a bargain with Agarash, similar to Sejanoz - Agarash would give Shasarak the troops to conquer Magnamund, but with a different bargain: If Shasarak were defeated, he would change places with Agarash.  Shasarak, in his arrogance, thought he could not lose; however, the forces summoned appeared to be unable to cross large stretches of water (possibly due to the Scarlet Fire), and, as no sacrifices were performed to switch places with the released Agarashi, these forces were temporary, and bound to the Gate of Doom.  [[Grey Star]] sealed the portal, causing the Agarashi to disappear.<ref name="31-40">{{Bookref|31|40}}</ref>  Grey Star then confronted Shasarak, who had opened another Gate of Doom to fulfill his side of the bargain, choosing eternal torment over eternal death.  Grey Star defeated Shasarak, and on his deathbed, Agarash dragged Shasarak through the Gate.  However, Grey Star used the power of the [[Moonstone]] to seal the gate, trapping Shasarak and Agarash inside.<ref>{{Bookref|gs4|356}}</ref>

In MS 5085, prior to the events of ''[[Vampirium]]'', the [[Claw of Naar]] was rediscovered in Naaros, and at his wife [[Balerodah]]'s (a member of the [[Naarvakim]] herself) urging, Sejanoz set out to recover it.<ref>{{Bookref|27|place=The Story So Far}}</ref>  The Claw of Naar was an artifact that possessed the power to open a Gate of Doom as Shasarak did.  However, [[Grand Master]] was able to steal the Claw.  After a to-and-fro between Grand Master and Sejanoz, Grand Master was successful in keeping the Claw, slaying Sejanoz in the process using an [[Arrow of Atonement]], ending the Naarvakim's plot to turn Sejanoz into the Candidate to exchange places with Agarash with.

Unbeknownst to all, Shasarak had began to plot his release from the Pit.  He was able to corrupt the Naarvakim, creating a plot to open a Gate of Doom and sacrifice [[Grey Star]] into it to release himself.  He would also have a backup plan to sacrifice a [[Kai Grand Master]] to release Agarash, if required.  In MS 5103, during the events of ''[[The Dusk of Eternal Night]]'', this plan was put into motion.  It is believed that Shasarak helped the Naarvakim find the Claw of Naar once more, and use this to open a Gate of Doom in the throneroom of Naaros itself.  Shasarak was also able to manipulate [[Blazer]], planting a crystal of an [[Ice Demon]] in his brain, possessing him.  With Blazer travelling with [[Grey Star]] and [[Grand Master]] on their quest to discover the Naarvakim's plans, Blazer unwittingly transmitted their plans to the Naarvakim.  In Naaros, Blazer's possession took over, and he himself delivered Grey Star into the Gate of Doom, releasing Shasarak, much to the dismay and confusion of everyone in Naaros.<ref name="31-170">{{Bookref|31|170}}</ref>

Agarash, however, threatened Shasarak beyond the Gate.  Shasarak, in fear, pointed at Blazer and Grand Master, as a Candidate for him.  One of the two is sacrificed for Agarash, depending on the actions of the player:

* If Grand Master suspects Blazer is a traitor, Grand Master will attack Blazer, and succeed in temporarily breaking his possession.  Shasarak will then cast Grand Master into the Gate of Doom, but be blocked by Blazer in atonement for his actions.  Blazer will fall into the Gate of Doom, releasing Agarash.  Grand Master will then duel Shasarak, and cast him into the Gate of Doom, where Blazer will refuse to return, insisting Grey Star does in his stead.
* If Grand Master attacks Shasarak, Blazer will betray Grand Master, and Shasarak and Blazer will combine their powers to cast Grand Master into the Gate of Doom, releasing Agarash.  Blazer, as the Ice Demon, will then request Agarash to fight Shasarak for enslaving his race, which Agarash agrees to.  Blazer will then awaken and join forces temporarily with the Ice Demon, to fight a common foe in Shasarak, and succeed in casting him into the Gate of Doom, freeing Grand Master.  Blazer will then sacrifice himself willingly to bring Grey Star back.

Either way, Agarash was released from the Pit of Eternal Pain, no longer Damned.  Two of his Children &mdash; [[Vag'kroag]] the Swamplord and [[Drednurash]] the Mindscourge &mdash; had also been captured, not to exchange places with Agarash as the forces of Good thought, but to rebuild him (possibly after the damage of the Scarlet Fire).  Vag'kroag's flesh was torn apart and filled the holes in his body, whilst Drednurash was forcibly-compressed and rebuilt his brain.<ref>{{Bookref|31|250}}</ref><ref>{{Bookref|31|260}}</ref>

Agarash's first act was to resummon the [[Vaag]] and attack the [[New Order Kai]] on the [[Isle of Lorn]].  Grey Star teleported himself and Grand Master to the Isle of Lorn to setup its defence.  However, with the Shianti defenses reactivated, and Grand Master receiving the blessing of [[Kai (god)|Kai]], Grand Master, now [[Kai Supreme Master]], defeated [[Vaagarash]], the Vaag commander possessed by Agarash's spirit, inflicting Agarash his first defeat since returning to Magnamund.

==Powers==
{{section-stub}}
Agarash is an immensely-powerful being.  Dubbed the "True Son of Naar", he is said to be the greatest threat the forces of Light have ever faced.

;Battle prowess
:Agarash's notable kills include:
:*[[Ailendar]]
:*[[Nyxator]]
;Durability
:After being broken by the [[Scarlet Fire]], he was able to still keep a non-corporeal form intact
;Magical power
:Able to communicate and manifest his power beyond the [[Pit of Eternal Pain]], between dimensions
;Knowledge of magic
:*After being broken by the Scarlet Fire, he mastered its knowledge and wielded it against the [[Elder Magi]]
:*Cursed the [[Shianti]] in [[Kalte]], forcing them to migrate south
:*Creator of many forms of [[Agarashi]], including the [[Children of Agarash]]
;Enduring power after death
:After his defeat, his body was divided into multiple parts, scattered, and kept under guard, lest he was put back together.  However, these body parts simply became powerful relics of their own, such was his power.  Examples include the [[Skull of Agarash]] and the [[Heart of Agarash]].

==Artifacts==
Agarash created and wielded many artifacts of evil:

*The [[Vorka Rune]] was capable of summoning the [[Vorka]], a breed of [[Agarashi]] long thought extinct. [[Vorka]] are reptilian creatures with an odd grace. They were summoned in titanic numbers during the Rune War and were the driving force for Eldenora’s invasion of Northern Magnamund. The Vorka were destroyed when the Rune was cleaved by [[Grand Master]].
*The [[Zorkaan Rune]] summoned to [[Magnamund]] the entity [[Zorkaan the Soultaker]]. A dark shadow that feeds off souls, Zorkaan was imprisoned on [[Magnamund]] following the destruction of the Rune.
* The [[Vaag Rune]] summoned to [[Magnamund]] the [[Vaag]], a flying race of [[agarashi]] capable of conquering the world. Unimpeded by any obstacle, the [[Vaag]] were destroyed when their rune was shattered in [[Duadon]].
*The [[Skull of Agarash]] is a dark relic that fell into the hands of a Nadziran. It may have been discovered on [[Bukimi]] by accident, but [[Naar]] himself may have had a role in the discovery of Agarash’s skull. The power of the skull was used to ensnare the pirate [[Khadro]], and the ensuing events led to the kidnapping of Lord [[Rimoah]] at the port of Kadan in 5077. [[Lone Wolf]] destroyed the Skull at [[Bukimi]] in that same year.
*The [[Claw of Naar]], an evil wand of power, was crafted by Naar himself and used by Agarash the Damned during his conquest of [[Magnamund]]. Though believed to have been lost forever in the chasm of [[Naaros]], it resurfaced when Autarch Sejanoz of Bhanar sent his Imperial Guard into the [[Doomlands]]. There, they excavated an unmarked burial mound near Naaros, and inside this mound they found the [[Claw of Naar]]. The Claw was to be delivered to Autarch [[Sejanoz]]. Lone Wolf sent [[Grand Master]] to secure the Claw, and this led to a running sequence where the Claw changed hands several times. In the end, it was the Kai warrior who possessed the Claw as he neared the border to Chai. At [[Zuda]], west of the [[Chai]] forts, Autarch [[Sejanoz]] personally attempted to wrest the Claw from the Kai warrior. A fire and a timely escape allowed the Sun Lord to escape to [[Chai]] aboard [[Sejanoz]]’s personal chariot with the Claw. The [[Claw of Naar]]’s head resembles a petrified vulture’s foot, cast in a black metal that is flecked with shimmering scarlet specks. Its shaft is twisted, like the length of a gnarled root, and it is perforated along its length with pea-sized hollows. The wand is capable of discharging a blast of energy, and cannot be harmed by ordinary means. However, the Elder Magi were unable to destroy it. The wand was stolen by an Ice Demon who possessed a Vakero scholar by the name Gaetano who swapped it with a replica. It eventually fell into the hands of the Nadziranim sorcerer Zashnor.
*Seven [[Doomstones]] were created by Agarash, a mockery of the seven Lorestones of Nyaxator to encapsulate the great power the dark god Naar had given him. Each crystal "glows darkly with black fire" and has the power to attack with fire and energy, though they are physically fragile objects. Using these powers, he created vast hordes of monsters called Agarashi. Before his final defeat by the Elder Magi, he hid the doomstones and for an age they were lost.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Creation of Naar]]
[[Category:Demons]]
[[Category:Characters of Evil]]
[[Category:Agarashi]]