Tagazin

Demonlord Tagazin (IPA: /tagaziːn/) was a Demonlord, one of the Lieutenants of Agarash, and servant to Ixiataaga, the Deathlord of Ixia.

Appearance

Tagazin is sabre-toothed and jackal-like in appearance with creamy colored skin, a muscular body and knife-sharp talons that extend from hairless paws.

Biography

Tagazin was one of the Demonlords that accompanied Agarash when he was first sent to Magnamund. He was one of Agarash's commanders, and second only in command of Death after Agarash himself. This role was usurped by Deathlord Ixiataaga when Agarash summoned him, as an avatar of Death itself. Ixiataaga possessed far more power and knowledge than Tagazin had ever had, and Tagazin was forced to serve Ixiataaga in fear.

Tagazin was likely trapped in the Pit of Eternal Pain together with Agarash after Agarash was defeated at the end of the Age of Eternal Night, in 3572 MS. Despite being sealed away, Tagazin had many loyal followers, who attempted to revive him. In MS 5060, during the events of The Kingdoms of Terror, the Stornlands noble Roark attempted to summon Tagazin using an amulet. However, this ritual was only successful in summoning a horde of undead, that quickly ran out of control; Roark fled, and in doing so, the undead vanished.

Roark was more successful in MS 5062, during the events of The Dungeons of Torgar. On the Isle of Ghosts, he and the Cenerese were able to attempt a second ritual, managing to summon a temporary apparition of him. Depending on the actions of the player, Tagazin was either defeated by the Sommerswerd and forced to return to the Pit of Eternal Pain, forced to return to the Pit after the player took control of the amulet that Roark used to summon him, or did not encounter Tagazin at all. In the latter case, it is known that Roark's plan was ultimately unsuccessful, and Roark died at some point beween MS 5062 and MS 5077, during the events of Dawn of the Dragons.

Regardless of the events of the player, Tagazin was resummoned in MS 5077, during the events of The Deathlord of Ixia. After Deathlord Ixiataaga returned to Magnamund, thanks to the Deathstaff, he began resummoning his followers, including Tagazin. Lone Wolf (on a quest to destroy Ixiataaga) and Tagazin fought, but Ixiataaga, angered at Tagazin's inability to defeat Lone Wolf, cast both Lone Wolf and Tagazin into a Shadow Gate to the Plane of Darkness. Tagazin fled through the Plane towards an open Shadow Gate to return to Magnamund, but wounded by the journey through the Shadow Gate, was moving slowly, and was forced to be helped by Lavas. Lone Wolf defeated the Lavas, whose remainder abandoned Tagazin. A new group of Lavas attempted to deliver a Power Helm to Tagazin. Depending on the actions of the player, Tagazin was either slain outright before the Helm could arrive, or was revitalised by the Power Helm and defeated.

It is not known if Tagazin was switched with a suitable Candidate to cross a Gate of Doom. As such, it is unknown whether this was a temporary summoning (in which case he may have been returned to the Pit of Eternal Pain), or a permanent one.

In the gamebooks

The Kingdoms of Terror

In The Kingdoms of Terror, player first hears tell of Tagazin during an encounter with Roark, Highborn of Amory, while pursuing the first Lorestone. Roark invokes Tagazin's name, which leads to several undead creatures rising from the grave, although the Demonlord does not physically manifest.

The Dungeons of Torgar

In The Dungeons of Torgar, Roark's ritual is more successful. Depending on the choices of the player, they may encounter Tagazin by entering the Isle of Ghosts. This route is by far the most dangerous route, with either an extremely difficult fight if the player possesses the Sommerswerd, or dangerous chances of death if not. This route can be thought of as the "punishment" route if the player "falls out" of the Pirsi or Cetza routes.

If the player encounters Tagazin, he will attack psychically (-1 Endurance if the player has Psi-Screen, or -5 if not). The player will have the opportunity to attack with a Bow and Arrow, although this is useless — normal weapons cannot harm the Demonlord. If the player has the Sommerswerd, Tagazin will be fought:

Demonlord Tagazin
Combat Skill 45, Endurance 65
Immune to: Mindblast
↪The Dungeons of Torgar: §286

This fight ends when Tagazin's Endurance is reduced to 20 or lower.

This fight is a notably difficult fight, and one reason to consider "cheesing" this route by leaving the Sommerswerd in safekeeping at the start of this adventure (the other fight, in the next book, against the Chaos-master, is another).

If the player does not have the Sommerswerd, the player has the option to attack the Demonlord anyway (instant death, even if the player wields the Dagger of Vashna; Tagazin's power is far older than a Darklord),, attempt to cut the amulet from Roark's neck, or fight Roark and attempt to take the amulet. Cutting the amulet from his neck is a difficult roll of death (≥ 7):

• Wielding a dagger or quarterstaff: -3
• Wielding an axe or mace: +1
• Possessing Huntmastery: +2

In other words, even in the best-case scenario, there is a 30% chance of death, rising to 90% in the worst-case scenario.

If Roark is fought:

Roark
Combat Skill 18, Endurance 20
↪The Dungeons of Torgar: §41

Roark must be defeated in 3 rounds or less, or Tagazin, originally disdainful and amused by Roark's fear, will eventually come to Roark's aid.

Regardless of the outcome, Tagazin is banished back to the Pit of Eternal Pain. This includes the scenario where the player does not stumble into the Isle of Ghosts at all, for Tagazin is resummoned in The Deathlord of Ixia. It is later revealed in The Dusk of Eternal Night that this could only ever be a temporary summoning.

The Deathlord of Ixia

Tagazin is met for the final time in The Deathlord of Ixia, summoned by his master, Deathlord Ixiataaga. He fights the player:

Demonlord Tagazin
Combat Skill 55, Endurance 60
Immune to: Mindblast
↪The Deathlord of Ixia: §45

The player has the option to use Kai-surge before the battle, weakening the Demonlord; the number of Endurance points should be noted and deducted.

This fight ends when Tagazin's Endurance is reduced to 25 or below. Ixiataaga then loses patience, and sends both the Demonlord and the player tumbling through a Shadow Gate that leads them to the Plane of Darkness. Here, the player tracks Tagazin to a Shadow Gate, attempting to return to Magnamund. The trip through the Shadow Gate had severely weakened Tagazin, rendering him vulnerable to normal weapons, but a group of Lavas are attempting to deliver a Power Helm to Tagazin, to empower him. If the player has Kai-alchemy and has reached Sun Knight or higher, they may use Strength and try to defeat Tagazin beforehand:

Demonlord Tagazin (injured)
Combat Skill 45, Endurance 45
Immune to: Mindblast
↪The Deathlord of Ixia: §230/§53

In this combat, only one or two rounds of combat are fought. Tagazin may be defeated outright, or else the Lavas succeed in giving him the Power Helm, forcing a second battle. Strangely, if the player has Grand Huntmastery, the player only has one turn, where as if not, the player will use the weaker Magnakai Discipline Huntmastery to spot the Lavas, granting them two.

If the player lacks Kai-alchemy, or has but has not yet reached Sun Knight, or the player failed to outright defeat Tagazin, the Lavas will give the Power Helm to Tagazin, who attempts to gore the player. A roll of death must be attempted (≥ 5; +3 if the player has Grand Huntmastery or Grand Pathsmanship), then Tagazin is fought:

Demonlord Tagazin (with Power Helm)
Combat Skill 55, Endurance 48
Immune to: Mindblast
↪The Deathlord of Ixia: §308/§142

The player then returns through the Shadow Gate to Magnamund. Depending on the resolution of Tagazin's death:

• If Tagazin was defeated while wearing the Power Helm:
  • If the player possesses the Sommerswerd, the player will be compelled to destroy the Power Helm.
  • If not, the player will snap off a Power Spike from the Power Helm. This weapon can be used to wound and defeat Deathlord Ixiataaga.
• If Tagazin was defeated outright without the Power Helm being given to him, the player will leap through the Shadow Gate to evade the Lavas. However, this means that if the player does not have the Sommerswerd, they will lack a weapon that can wound and defeat Deathlord Ixiataaga, resulting in death. As such, if the player does not have the Sommerswerd, can still potentially defeat Tagazin in one blow, and is Sun Knight or higher, the player should avoid having Kai-alchemy (or employ a house rule to not use it), to avoid an instant death scenario later on.