History Characters / FightingFantasyAntagonistsKhul

This is a page for the villains of the ''Literature/FightingFantasy'' universe, fought in Khul: one of the three continents of the world of Titan, called "the Dark Continent" due to the colour of its soil and the mark of evil that devastated it during the nightmarish Chaos War, devastating it and reducing it to small kingdoms and city states surrounded by hostile wilderness. It serves as a FantasyCounterpartCulture of the [[UsefulNotes/TheMiddleEast Middle East]], [[ImperialChina China]] and [[UsefulNotes/ImperialJapan Japan]].

* AssholeVictim: The country and the world at large owe a big thanks to the Triurge for blasting the sod into smithereens.

* BigScrewedUpFamily: [[spoiler: Between the tyrannical father being the GreaterScopeVillain, the evil brother being the BigBad and the heroic brother being TheHero, his line more than qualifies.]]
* BlackEyesOfEvil: [[spoiler: As a spirit, his eyes are pitch-black and void-like. He is described as quite normal looking in the flashbacks.]]

* TheCaligula: Not so crazy, but definitely vicious, twisted and rotten to the core. His rule was but a nightmare to the kingdom.

** Zig-zagged, Bezenvial clearly has magic powers [[spoiler: as evidenced by his lingering spirit,]] and each son of his is a considerably powerful MagicKnight, but whether he himself masters magic or gets his power from something else is left unexplained.

* LukeIAmYourFather: [[spoiler: Maior, I am your father. Though by the time you confront him, you have known this for long.]]

* NiceJobFixingItVillain: [[spoiler: Thank you for appearing Bezenvial, now we can destroy Feior's deadliest weapon and you along with it, which would have been impossible at worst, considerably harder at best had you not showed up.]]

* OurSpiritsAreDifferent: [[spoiler:He manifests as a gigantic dark cloud, shaped like a snake prolonged by his own face when you confront him at the end. It turns out that he can still manifest on the Earthly Planes through his sons.]]

* RevengeByProxy: His entire plan amounts to getting delayed revenge on the descendants of his successors.

* SocialDarwinist: He clearly values power over all, and is hinted to have set his twin sons to fight to the death to see who would reign rather than cooperate.

-->See his entry on the [[Characters/FightingFantasyAntagonistsThePit The Pit]] page under '''The Snake Demons, Rulers of the Pit'''

The evil ruler of Stayng Island, who came very close to taking over the Arrowhead Archipelago, two hundred years before the start of the story. He fell in battle against the Legendary Hero Qadarnai, wielder of the magic, elven-crafted Ivory Spear. And now he returned from the grave, took over Stayng Island, and threatens the archipelago once more, having struck an alliance with the bloodthirsty Chaos Pirates. But another hero is sent by the Varradian Alliance ruling the archipelago, to take him down once and for all...

* TwentyFourHourArmour: Never seen without his antiquated, tarnished silver armour.
* AchillesHeel: As any undead, he is highly vulnerable to the Ivory Spear of Quadarnai, which cost -4 stamina to undeads instead of the regular 2. [[spoiler: You can use it to slay him without fight.]]

* CripplingOverspecialization: His undeads are only meant for warfare, forcing him to keep living slaves for the menial tasks.

* TheDreaded: Everyone is terrified of Mortis, especially in Stayng Island where he is based, plaguing the lives of its denizens.

* TheFaceless: Mortis always hides his face under his helmet. You do see his face as you destroy him, but it is only said that he is so ugly and makes such a GameFace in the throes of agony, that seeing it turns your hair white.

* FinalBoss: One who can be confronted in two different places. [[spoiler: You can kill him without fight with the Ivory Spear.]]

* ForTheEvulz: Pretty much everything he does outside planning and enacting conquest is to act like a dick for shits and giggles.

* HandBlast: Mortis never uses it against you, but in his backstory, he killed the hero Qadarnai with a dark energy blast.

* KillItWithWater: Like every undead, Mortis greatly fears running water. [[spoiler: If you use the Charm of Unbinding to destroy the Dam of Bones when you are facing him there, the released river will sweep him away and destroy him without fight.]]
* KnightlyLance: He bears one when he exits Bloodrise Keep on horseback to fight you on the Dam of Bones. But this is just for a (rather cool) illustration, since he ditches it for his trusty mace as soon as he sets foot on the dam.
* MadeOfIron: He has lots of stamina, which makes him quite tough to take down.
* MagicKnight: Mortis is a very powerful sorcerer, but when it comes to fighting, he needs nothing more than his mace.

* OurLichesAreDifferent: He is described as a lich, and fits the bill by being a very powerful undead necromancer. But he lacks the SoulJar of classic ones and is presented as a TinTyrant warlord.
* RaceAgainstTheClock: If Mortis makes his junction with the pirates, the Varradian Alliance is pretty much doomed.

* SummonMagic: He summons a dangerous Skull Beast, neither alive nor undead from the other side of the Veil.

An evil archmage who long ago founded the twisted cult of the Howling Gods and gained power in the city of Zagoula, devastated by the Chaos Wars. He turned the residents into a fanatical cult and invaded the continent of Khul, only to fall in battle against the Legendary Hero Skarlos, and was sealed under the city of Neuburg. His fanatical servants just took control of Neuburg and help him swarm it with [[HumanoidAbomination awful creatures]]. But an old friend of the lord of Neuburg, will put a dent in his plans...

* TheArchmage: He bears the title and given his immortality and creations, he sure has the power.
* AxCrazy: Xakhaz is stark raving mad, and extremely dangerous.

* BodyHorror:

* CombatTentacles: His main form of attack: either "normal" ones, tipped with claws, or even ending in fanged mouths.
* TheCorrupter: Xakhaz corrupted the entire population of Zagoula, destitute and suffering from their city's destruction. He twisted their desperate needs into greed and hatred, making them a fanatical army that still worships him centuries after. Even though he's buried deep under Neuburg, his ill presence still extends all the way to the surface, twisting people's mind.

* DarkMessiah: He presented himself as a savior to the people of Zagoula in dire need of guidance. Even now, his fanatical devotees revere him as a real messiah.
* DespotismJustifiesTheMeans: He strived to take over the continent of Khul and impose his twisted religion to everyone. He still does but what he would make of it after centuries of festering madness would be even uglier...
* TheDreaded: People never forgot the damage he caused centuries ago, and the prospect of his return rises no enthusiasm.
* EldritchAbomination: Downplayed dueto his mortal origin and artificial nature but still.... Just look at his current form on the picture. This grotesque, shapeless, twisted, festering, biology-defying, logic-shattering... thing goes as close to a genuine Lovecraftian Horror as can be and is plenty unsettling. The mere sight of him affects your sanity.

* EvilIsBigger: His new makeshift body towers over 13 feet, and he is as evil as he is hideous, which means '''a lot'''.
* EvilSorcerer: Xakhaz was this at first, and still is in some ways but has become something much, much worse.

* ExtraEyes: He has six pair of eyes on two of his tentacles, just to mention those located on what can evoke a face.

* FinalBoss: An enormously powerful foe with skill 14 stamina 32 (2 over the regular maximum in the former, 8 in the latter). Without the [[InfinityPlusOneSword Trident of Skarlos]], you stand no chance in a regular fight. [[spoiler: The trident raises your skill scores and deals enormous damage, and the Talisman of Loth costs him -1 skill. With both, you can defeat him without much Trouble. You also have means to destroy him without a fight or drastically weaken him.]]

* HolyHandGrenade: [[spoiler: You can infuse an orb of green glass with the Talisman of Loth's light to create one. If you successfully throw it at his ugly mug, the blast of holy light reduces him to ashes. If you fail to obliterate him, you can still deal crippling damage that make the FinalBattle considerably easier, costing him -4 skill and '''-23''' stamina.]]

* NaturalWeapon: Enormous fists, claws, pincers, CombatTentacles, fanged mouths... The sod's spoilt for choice.

* SkippableBoss: You can destroy him without fight should he prove too powerful for you. [[spoiler: If you can fill a globe of green crystal with the light of the Talisman of Loth and successfully throw it at him. If you fail completely, it explodes without harming anyone, but if you win a test of luck he is grievously wounded and much easier to fight straight on.]]

* TheUndead: With his body long dead and his new made from corpses, Xakhaz fits in the category, albeit strangely.

* BenevolentBoss: Judging by the high esteem and UndyingLoyalty his vassals show for him, he treats his men well.

* BigScrewedUpFamily: [[spoiler: between the tyrannical father being the Greater-Scope Villain, the evil brother being the Big Bad and the heroic brother being The Hero, Bezenvial's line more than qualifies.]] See also RoyallyScrewedUp below.

* TheDutifulSon: A villainous example. He wants to honour the legacy of his father by being as rotten a ruler as he was.

* FinalBoss: The last enemy fought in the game, and a challenging one. The battle unfolds as a WizardDuel and a PuzzleBoss.

* FourStarBadass: Feior leads an enormous army, outnumbering the royal forces ten to one, and is a very powerful MagicKnight.

* ImpossiblyTackyClothes: Feior's armor is described as this, too ornate and gaudy to be as impressive as he wants. Still, it serves its purpose.

* StrongFamilyResemblance: He looks like a clone of his father [[spoiler: and his twin brother of course, but that was to be expected.]]

* TrialAndErrorGameplay: You cannot know what spell can best counter his own until you try. And he will cast many.

* WizardDuel: You fight him casting the spells of the Isles of Dawn, countering his own and using magic to defeat him.

Once the wisest and mightiest mage of south-west Khul, leader of the local Mage Order, Jaxartes got corrupted when delving too much into TheDarkArts, and was banished. He gained the allegiance of [[TheDragon the mighty warlord]] [[TheGhost Ostragoth the Grim]], whose formidable armies are threatening the land, and moves to destroy the city of Zamarra and kill the Mage Order he belonged to, before taking over the continent. He is depleting the fire of the titular volcano, the Fangs of Fury, powering the magic Dragon Statues that make the city unassailable, the only thing that could destroy his forces, and times run low before the city's defences are destroyed. But the king and the Mage Order just recruited one warrior who could thwart is plans...

* AffablyEvil: Jaxartes is rotten to the core but speaks with perfect courtesy, and even his taunts show an amount of respect.

* TheChessmaster: Jaxartes displays great cunning and his EvilPlan is much less straightforward than it seems. [[spoiler: He directs Ostragoth's invasion of the land and breaks the magic protecting Zamarra to enable his attack. He knows the secret of the volcano and deduces the nature of your mission, sending his EliteMooks always one step ahead of you to kill your potential allies before you reach them, and putting a bounty on your head for good measure. And he planted a mole in his enemies' ranks, to gain intel and cause distrust, before sending him to lead you into a trap.]]

* EvilGloating: Jaxartes indulges in this when he has you prisoner, [[spoiler: and especially when he snuffs out the volcano at the end.]]

* GoodWitchVersusBadWitch: Jaxartes and his Mage Warriors play a male version against Astragal and the Mage Order.
* InTheHood: He wears his hood over his head, though as he faces you directly on the illustration, the creepy effect is quite lost.

* NoSell: If you happen to confront Jaxartes in a SwordFight, you do win attack rounds normally but don't harm him.

* SinisterSurveillance: He can see you and often taunts you through {{Telepathy}} during the course of your mission.

* {{Telepathy}}: He can communicate with his servants and perceive their calls through his mind. He speaks to you this was on occasions.

One of the few female {{Big Bad}}s of the franchise, Morgana is a very powerful and evil witch who resides in the dangerous Krill Garnash mountains. She assembles the [[CosmicKeystone Twelve Sigils representing all aspects of creation]], with which she could gain power over all things. She created eleven immensely powerful Giant Golems, each imbued with the power of a Sigil, and all she needs is the twelfth Sigil to create her final Golem and make them fully unstoppable. As the King of Arion, one of the many kingdoms she threatens, you cannot let this happen...

* AmazonianBeauty: Morgana is quite beautiful, but lithe and physically fit, with a slender yet powerful built. This is evidenced by the illustration, which depicts her jumping into battle in an almost feral way.

* BadassBoast: As arrogant as she makes it sound, when Morgana boasts to your face that her plan worked and that she can recreate in a finger-snap the Golems you just destroyed, she is right.
* BadassBookworm: Morgana is an expert witch, skilled enough to harness the divine power of the Twelve Sigils and create the mightiest golems in existence, an exceptional (if catastrophic) breakthrough in itself. Not to mention a very tough BlackMage to fight.

* DespotismJustifiesTheMeans: She plans to take over the entire continent and spread mayhem all over, just for shit and giggles.
* DidNotThinkThisThrough: It never occurred to her that you could learn the truth about the Twelve Sigils, [[spoiler: and as such realize that your mission is a trap.]] To her credit, there was no way you could know it and she could not foresee that you would meet TheOmniscient BigGood [[TimeAbyss Vashti the Ageless]]. Also, there was no way you could have stood a chance against her golems on your own, [[spoiler: hence getting supernatural help from beyond the Veil.]]

* EvilPlan: Using a powerful McGuffin and controlling unstoppable creatures are textbook standard plans to TakeOverTheWorld for {{Evil Overlord}}s, and she plans to combine both. [[spoiler: The way Morgana intends to get the final Sigil deserves mention. She has her secret second in command (your own court wizard Ifor Tynin) send you to defeat her in what looks like a standard Fantasy quest, but is in fact a trap. They want you to die against the golems you would not be able to defeat, to take your helmet bearing the final Sigil, and turn your corpse into the final golem.]]

* FauxAffablyEvil: Morgana speaks to you in a mock formal way, but openly taunts and scorns you at the same time.

* GottaCatchThemAll: Morgana is collecting the Twelve Sigils, [[spoiler: by capturing and killing everyone bearing them (each representing a distinct trade). She only lacks the last and most important one. It's yours, the Sigil of Royalty.]]

* PraetorianGuard: Her Golems serve as the last line of defence between you and her, and are far too powerful for you to face head on. [[spoiler: If you cannot summon an army of ghosts to dispatch them, you are screwed.]]

* ShoutOut: To Morgan Le Fay herself, from Myth/ArthurianLegend. See MeaningfulName above. Not only her name, but she opposes you, TheHero and TheGoodKing, [[spoiler: who bears a special artefact setting you apart from other rulers.]]

* TakeOverTheWorld: Downplayed, since she covets the continent of Khul instead of the entire world, but still...

* BadassBoast: He gloats that he can make pretty much everything he wants into reality, and he is not bragging.
* BadassBookworm: One of the only mages skilled and powerful enough to wield the [[ArtifactOfDoom Staff of Rulership]] to its fullest potential.

* BigBad: The EvilSorcerer who stole the ArtifactOfDoom planning to TakeOverTheWorld, and must be defeated.

* DissonantSerenity: Shanzikuul raves about violence, tyranny and subjugation of millions in a genial tone, as if saying that he enjoys the weather. This is the first of many hints that "unhinged" is the kindest thing that can be said about him.

* ElaborateUndergroundBase: Shanzikuul is established in one in the ruins of Kabesh, fittingly named [[IDontLikeTheSoundOfThatPlace the Chaos Pits]].

* HairTriggerTemper: Don't let his AffablyEvil mannerisms fool you, the second things don't go his way he becomes livid.

* ManOfWealthAndTaste: Shanzikuul uses the Staff of Rulership to surround himself with enormous, over-the-top luxury.

* {{Narcissist}}: Shanzikuul is full of himself something big, having grandiose sense of self-worth and liking to flaunt his "magnificence" and to lord over "inferiors" just because he can. If you swear allegiance to him, fine. If not, PrepareToDie.
* NoMisterBondIExpectYouToDine: Shanzikuul treats you with a wondrous feast as a welcome, that gives you +4 stamina. Justified in that he fully expects you to accept his [[WeCanRuleTogether offer]] and bears you no ill will. At first...

A powerful witch and {{High Priest}}ess of the Howling Gods, the twisted ReligionOfEvil founded centuries ago by the mad archmage [[EldritchAbomination Xakhaz]]. She rules the fanatical southern warriors from the dead city of Zagoula, and exerts her nefarious influence over the city of Neuburg from behind the scenes, working to revive Xakhaz. Then, an old friend of Baron Tholdur, the ruler of Neuburg, comes by and realizes that something is amiss...

* AllEncompassingMantle: [[spoiler: What she wears when around Baron Tholdur]].

* CharmPerson: She can bewitch people to make them do whatever she wants, controlling their minds and actions. [[spoiler: Just ask poor Baron Tholdur. She brainwashed him when he ventured into Zagoula and controls Neuburg through him, bringing her southern warriors with her to make law in town.]]
* ClimaxBoss: The third to last boss before Xakhaz and his bodyguard, yet the main architect of the plight of the city, of your friend Baron Tholdur and of your own. With 9 in skill and 8 in stamina, she is very tough, but not very durable.

* DistractedByTheSexy: One of her favourite tricks is to cause this to people and take profit of their distraction to mesmerize them.
* DoppelgangerSpin: Senyakhaz can create illusory doubles of herself to confuse her foes. [[spoiler: Strike her two doubles wthout finding her and she mesmerizes you, feeding you to a monster.]]

* EmotionBomb: Senyakhaz's CompellingVoice is powerful enough to influence your emotions and state of mind.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: Even someone as cold, cruel and sadistic as Senyakhaz is disturbed by your gory fate, [[spoiler: after she tricks you into looking at a mirror wearing the Talisman of Loth, which kills you in a particularly messy way.]]

* FalseInnocenceTrick: She often uses her illusion magic to take on unassuming appearances and take her foes by surprise. [[spoiler: If you meet a beautiful servant girl, or three entrancing dancing maids, it is in fact her trying to mesmerize you.]]

* FemmeFatale: Senyakhaz knows how to use her beauty as a weapon, and can charm foes in every sense of the world.
* TheFundamentalist: She is fanatically devoted to Xakhaz and his twisted cult, adding "Khaz" at the end of her name.

* HighPriest: Senyakhaz is the current ruler of the Khaz priesthood, the twisted cult of the Howling Gods.

* MagicMirror: She has one through which she can teleport. [[spoiler: It serves as a critical plot device, as you need it to reach Xakhaz.]]

* OlderThanSheLooks: She states that the passing years mean little to her, implying that she is less young that she appears.
* PuzzleBoss: [[spoiler: Which double must be attacked? Should we fight the GiantSpider? The one on the left and no for the matter.]]

* RecurringBoss: You can fight her twice, but only if you accidentally returns to the immediate past after killing her.
* ReligionOfEvil: The cult of the Howling Gods is utterly depraved, fanatical and violent, fitting [[Creator/HPLovecraft its inspiration]]. They create many {{Humanoid Abomination}}s and {{Animalistic Abomination}}s, each more atrocious than the previous, and horribly mutate innocent people. Whether the Howling Gods really exist or were made out by Xakhaz is left unexplained, but it is hinted that this is in fact an even more twisted than usual worship of the Dark Gods and Demon Princes.
* SamusIsAGirl: [[spoiler: Tholdur's mysterious advisor who secretly controls him is in fact the witch Senyakhaz, right-hand of Xakhaz.]]

* SequentialBoss: You must overcome her many tricks before fighting her.

* SquishyWizard: Very powerful but frail. Senyakhaz does put up a tough fight, but armed combat is obviously not her forte.

An EvilSorcerer living in a tower near the gloomy and highly dangerous [[BubblegloopSwamp Scorpion Swamp]]. As your character is given a RingOfPower enabling them to always find their way and detect danger ahead, the gamebook gives you the choice between three quests of different moral alignment: Searching a magical plant for the good wizard Selator, drawing a map of the Swamp for the neutral merchant Poomchucker, or stealing the AmuletOfConcentratedAwesome of five mages living there, the Mistress of Birds, the Master of Gardens, the Master of Frogs, the Master of Wolves and the Master of Spiders, for the evil wizard Grimslade. Whether you accept the quest, fight the wretched mage, or decide to ignore him altogether is up to you...

* BadassLongRobe: He wears a black robe covered in crimson magic symbols, befitting his status as a wizard.

* ClimaxBoss: Fight him after destroying his [[HopelessBossFight summoned demon]] or his LivingStatue and insulting him ends the evil quest. Skill 9 stamina 10 makes him a tough foe, but after that you can try your luck at the neutral or good ones, with an InfinityPlusOneSword to boot. You can also do the quest for him and [[FinalBoss fight him if he swindles you, or just if you feel like it.]]

** He owns one of the Magic Swords of Great Power, a [[SerratedBladeOfPain jagged blade]] glowing red that grants +2 skill to its wielder. He somehow incorporated it within his MagicWand, as he transforms his wand into his sword when fighting. You can take it after killing him and pocket the power boost. [[spoiler: If you kill him right after meeting him, you might use it when trying another quest. If you kill him after the quest, the story ends here and it is useless.]]

* {{Curse}}: Grimslade masters all sorts of nasty ones, and can teach you the Curse spell: It costs a dice roll worth of stamina but causes undetermined bad things to the target. Be careful, for it is as unpredictable as it is dangerous to cast. [[spoiler: He might regret to have taught it to you, as it kills him instantly if you use it against him.]]

** Played with, the bargain you strike with him looks very much like one, but if you succeed, you get nothing worse than a feeling of unease, and possibly less than what he promised.
** Grimslade himself is implied to have made one to gain power, as a demon appears to take his soul after you kill him.
* DraggedOffToHell: His final fate if you kill him, as a demon appears to take his soul. No one wastes a single tear.

* GottaCatchThemAll: Grimslade covets the Amulets that the five Masters of the Swamp use as a power source, to gain their powers for himself. He promises you 500 gold coins for each amulet you give him. [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential No matter how you took it...]]

* HealingHands: He gives you potions to restore all your scores back to the maximum if you strike a bargain with him.

* LoadBearingBoss: It's not his death itself that destroys his lair, but it is still the trigger. If you don't exit Grimslade's tower quickly after killing him, a demon appears to take his soul and makes everything explode while he is at it.

* NoSell: Most of your spells will only make him laugh. He dispels them easily and retaliates. [[spoiler: He is highly vulnerable to the Curse spell however.]]

* QuestGiver: Grimslade tasks you to take the amulets of the five Masters of the Swamp if you choose the evil path.

* RedMage: He can cast nasty spells, but also give himself SuperStrength, restore your luck or brew healing potions.
* RightHandAttackDog: Grimslade uses the most ludicrous example of the franchise, being able to sic a highly powerful demon after you. With skill 16 (4 over the normal maximum) stamina 12, it makes the local DemonLordsAndArchdevils look like pansies, and all but a few {{Final Boss}}es as well, for good measure. [[HopelessBossFight There is absolutely no hope of surviving such a ridiculously broken battle, plain and simple.]] To add insult to injury, the narration treats it as no big deal and describes what comes next, as if you just put down a rabid wolf, while other gamebooks pitting you against overpowered enemies provide you with {{Game Breaker}}s and/or ways to [[DramaPreservingHandicap nerf]] or [[SkippableBoss avoid them]] to even the odds. This one? Zilch! Nada! Mercifully this is a SkippableBoss.
** The Demon might have been intended to have the still formidable but more manageable skill 12 stamina 16, or plainly being a punishment for the SchmuckBait situation leading to the battle... [[RiddleForTheAges Nothing is known for sure.]]
* SchmuckBait: [[spoiler: If you're stupid enough to tell him about your one-of-a-kind Magic Ring, he summons a virtually invincible demon to kill you and take it from your corpse. Your only chance then is to attack him at once before he can summon it. If you're lucky you might wound him before fight.]]

* ShrinkRay: He can magically shrink things to make them fit in his pocket, then give them back their normal size.

* SummonMagic: Grimslade can summon a highly powerful and horribly dangerous demon to fight in his stead.
* SuperStrength: Grimslade can cast a spell to give himself this. He uses it when pursuing you after you flee his tower. If he catches you he lifts you with one hand, rise in the sky on his MagicCarpet and drops you, sending you plummet to your doom.

* TrapDoor: He has one in his study. If you try to flee, you must test your luck to avoid it or fall in a pit and lose the game.

* YouHaveFailedMe: Woe betide you if you come back to him empty handed. He immediately jumps for the kill.

* BadassLongRobe: Subverted. [[spoiler: The Traitor wears a robe, being a wizard and all that jazz, but badass he is '''not'''.]]

* EvilSorcerer: [[spoiler: Being your personal court wizard, it comes to no surprise that Ifor is a powerful sorcerer who actually employs magic at one point to kill the poor messenger trying to inform you of his presence.]]
* FalseFriend: [[spoiler: Who could have known? Your own court wizard and prime advisor is actually a traitor planning the continent's doom.]]

* HeroKiller: [[spoiler: While you are away on your quest, the Traitor kills your loyal armourer Kevin Truehand, who likely discovered his treachery. And then, he adds insult to injury by sending his corpse possessed by a demon to fight you.]]

* TheStarscream: [[spoiler: He is directly below you in the chain of command and wants to kill you to seize control of Arion. But he does not stop at your kingdom and seeks to rule the continent under Morgana. And he would shed no tears if Morgana were to die, leaving him to rule supreme. He might even have been counting on it when he sent you to your quest.]]
* SummonMagic: [[spoiler:He summons a Hellfire Spirit to possess your friend Kevin Truehand's corpse and sends it to fight you.]]

** [[spoiler: During the FinalBattle, he tries to stab you instead of casting a deadly spell and passing it as a DyingCurse from Morgana. Even stupider, he fights you with weapons when he stands no chance. Justified since having him spell cast would give away his identity, but still.]]

* WalkingSpoiler: Look, a line that's not blanked... [[spoiler: His existence and mostly his identity, are the main PlotTwist of the book.]]
* AWolfInSheepsClothing: [[spoiler: He appears to be a noble man concerned with the kingdom, which he plans to doom for power.]]

* MadeOfIron: Due to his monstrous size, Horfak has a whooping STAMINA stat of 20. [[spoiler: Although if you uncover his weakness you can bring it down by half]].

* AffablyEvil: Naas is very polite and sincerely affable, but still very evil.

* BadassNormal: He owns magic trinkets, but displays no magic power himself. He relies on his trusty blade to kick ass, and that's all he needs.

* DropInNemesis: [[spoiler: He will appear out of nowhere with a magical rope to fight you after you've dealt with Shanzikuul.]]

* ALighterShadeOfBlack: A villain through and through, but one of the most nuanced of the series. Compared to scum like the AxCrazy BigBad or the GraveRobbing BigBadWannabe, he is downright pleasant to be around.

* TechnicolorEyes: His eyes are bright violet. Such colour is quite uncommon, even among supernatural beings.

* WeWillMeetAgain: He tells you this after you helped each other. And warns you that next time will be [[DuelToTheDeath the last]].
* WorthyOpponent: He regards you as one, and it is implied that the feeling is mutual. But this does not prevent either of you from fighting to the death at the end.

* OurElvesAreBetter: Elves are described as tall, handsome and powerful, and even as a dark elf, who are notably rougher, uglier and less refined, he fits the bill.

* NighInvulnerable: [[spoiler: Nothing you can dish out will do anything against his spirit when he attacks you. Defeating him is a matter of making the right choices.]]

* HornsOfVillainy: Ornating his helmet.
* KeystoneArmy: As soon as you kill him, his undead soldiers start shambling around and dying again.[[spoiler:If you kill him by destroying the dam]], the undead soldiers destroy themselves by setting fire to the citadel, and [[WingedSoulFliesOffAtDeath their liberated souls fly to the Afterlife under the shape of hundreds of white birds.]]

An evil archmage who long ago founded the twisted cult of the Howling Gods and gained power in the city of Zagoula, devastated by the Chaos Wars. He turned the residents into a fanatical cult and invaded the continent of Khul, only to fall in battle against the Legendary Hero Skarlos, and was sealed under the city of Neuberg. His fanatical servants just took control of Neubourg and help him swarm it with [[HumanoidAbomination awful creatures]]. But an old friend of the lord of Neuberg, will put a dent in his plans...

* TheCorrupter: Xakhaz corrupted the entire population of Zagoula, destitute and suffering from their city's destruction. He twisted their desperate needs into greed and hatred, making them a fanatical army that still worships him centuries after. Even though he's buried deep under Neuberg, his ill presence still extends all the way to the surface, twisting people's mind.

* EldritchAbomination: Downplayed to to his mortal origin and artificial nature but still.... Just look at his current form on the picture. This grotesque, shapeless, twisted, festering, biology-defying, logic-shattering... thing goes as close to a genuine Lovecraftian Horror as can be and is plenty unsettling. The mere sight of him affects your sanity.

* SealedEvilInACan: Being dead (at least in body) and buried deep under Neuberg Keep. Then Senyakhaz managed to awaken him.

* SorcerousOverlord: An undying EvilSorcerer who controls a ReligionOfEvil, the entire dead city of Zagoula and an army of monsters. [[spoiler: Not to mention the city of Neuberg through Senyakhaz.]] He used to control all this himself, but now rules by proxy due to being a SealedEvilInACan.

* EvilutionaryBiologist: Most of the monsters you fight are his creations. Or worse, the subjects of [[BodyHorror hideous mutations]] he inflicted them to "better" them.

A powerful witch and {{High Priest}}ess of the Howling Gods, the twisted ReligionOfEvil founded centuries ago by the mad archmage [[EldritchAbomination Xakhaz]]. She rules the fanatical southern warriors from the dead city of Zagoula, and exerts her nefarious influence over the city of Neuberg from behind the scenes, working to revive Xakhaz. Then, an old friend of Baron Tholdur, the ruler of Neuberg, comes by and realizes that something is amiss...

* BadassLongRobe: A beautiful, ornate, red-coloured one, signaling a powerful and dangerous foe.

* CharmPerson: She can bewitch people to make them do whatever she wants, controlling their minds and actions. [[spoiler: Just ask poor Baron Tholdur. She brainwashed him when he ventured into Zagoula and controls Neuberg through him, bringing her southern warriors with her to make law in town.]]

* DragonInChief: Xakhaz being a SealedEvilInACan, he can only direct things from afar, while Senyakhaz helps him rebuild his body. It is her who rules Neuberg and does most of the work.

* GetBackHereBoss: She flees as soon as you unveil all her tricks, doing all she can to impede you as you track her down so that she can escape through her MagicMirror. It is only when you corner her for good that she fights back. But despite this, don't peg her for a whimp.

* SorcerousOverlord: One who serves another, but one nonetheless. She rules the southern warriors and the ruins of Zagoula. [[spoiler: And she rules Neuberg from the shadows.]]

* {{Curse}}: Grimslade masters all sorts of nasty ones, and can teach you the Curse spell: It costs a dice roll worth of stamina but causes undetermined bad things to the target. Be careful for it is as umpredictable as dangerous to cast. [[spoiler: He might regret to have taught it to you, as it kills him instantly if you use it against him.]]

** Played with, the bargain you strike with him looks very much like one, but if you succeed, you get nothing worse that a feeling of unease, and possibly less than what he promised.

* EvilOldFolks: Grimslade is past is prime, but still very dangerous, and rotten to the marrow.

* FauxAffablyEvil: Grimslade can be perfectly courteous and cordial, even healing you and providing you assets, but only if you prove useful to him. If not, he adresses you with disdain at best, and scathing insults at worst. And the least we speak about when you fail him the better...

* LoadBearingBoss: It's not his death itself that destroys his lair, but it is still the trigger. If you don't exit Grimslade's tower quickly after killing him, a demon appears to take his soul and makes exerything explode while he is at it.

* RightHandAttackDog: Grimslade uses the most ludicrous example of the franchise, being able to sic a highly powerful demon after you. With skill 16 (4 over the normal maximum) stamina 12, it makes the local DemonLordsAndArchdevils look like pansies, and all but a few {{Final Boss}}es as well, for good measure. [[HopelessBossFight There is absolutely '''no way''' you can even hope to win against such a ridiculously broken beast, plain and simple.]] To add insult to injury, the narration treats it as no big deal and describes what comes next, as if you just put down a rabbid wolf, while any other game book pitting you against overpowered enemies provides you with {{Game Breaker}}s and/or ways to nerf them or [[SkippableBoss avoid them]] to even the odds. This one? Zilch! Nada! Mercifully this is a SkippableBoss.
** [[RiddleForTheAges The Demon might have been intended to have the still formidable but more manageable skill 12 stamina 16, or plainly being a punishment for the SchmuckBait situation leading to the battle... Nothing is known for sure.]]

* BigScrewedUpFamily: [[spoiler: between the tyrannical father being the GreaterScopeVillain, the evil brother being the BigBad and the heroic brother being TheHero, his line more than qualifies.]]

** Zig-zagged, Beznvial clearly has magic powers [[spoiler: as evidenced by his lingering spirit,]] and each son of his is a considerably powerful MagicKnight, but whether he himself masters magic or gets his power from something else is left unexplained.

* AndIMustScream: If he casts Shangshuo, the Power of Locking on you, he takes your paralyzed but still conscious body to ornate his future throne room. [[spoiler: To show you for the rest of your life how a true heir of Bezenvial shall rule.]]

** Biantai, the Power of Mutation, forces a FusionDance between the target and their surroundings, causing an awful, excruciating and debilitating mutation. [[spoiler: It can be countered by Tiao He, the Power of Harmony.]]

* BecameTheirOwnAntithesis: Started as a wise BenevolentMageRuler, but became a [[CardCarryingVillain]] and a continent-threatening Sorcerous Overlord.

* MeaningfulName: Feior's name sounds like "fear", fitting his role as TheDreaded and the BigBad. [[spoiler: Maior's name sounds like "major", i.e. "the greatest" fitting the one who rose above his cursed legacy.]]

* ScrewDestiny: [[spoiler: You spend the entire story doing just that, playing as Bezenvial's son Maior, who got mysteriously purged of the evil of his bloodline, ridding the Isles of Dawn of your father's blight.]]

** His return is in fact a Revenge By Proxy and ThanatosGambit by Bezenvial, who kept him as a HumanPopsicle until he grew-up into a MagicKnight powerful and evil enough to take back the throne.

* HighPriest: The founder and supreme leader of the cult of the Howling Gods and the Khaz Priesthood. The adepts revere him almost as much as their gods, with every priest adding "Khaz" at the end of their name.

* {{Narcissist}}: As if creating his own cult, in which the adepts revere him almost as much as they worship his foul idols, was not enough. Naming all his priest after him, and waxing lyrically about his genius and "wonderful" creations clearly show that this guy's greatest love is his own self. Eeewww!

* ReligionOfEvil: His cult dedicated to the Howling Gods is, in short, an utterly depraved, fanatical and violent sect, as well as a factory of nameless and twisted horrors from beyond the veil. Whether the Howling Gods really exist or were made out by Xakhaz is left unexplained, but it is hinted that this is in fact an even more twisted than usual worship of the Dark Gods and Demon Princes.

-> '''Appears in''': ''Black Vein Prophecy''

-> '''Appears in''': ''Black Vein Prophecy''

-> '''Appears in''': ''Fangs of Fury''

-> '''Appears in''': ''Masks of Mayhem''

-> '''Appears in''': ''Masks of Mayhem''

* PurpleEyes: Deep violet, fitting his supernatural origin.

* GreaterScopeVillain: He is the reason behind Feior's invasion, but he does not directly influence the plot. [[spoiler: Even his surprise appearance after you defeat Feior is more of a way to tie-up the remaining plot threads than a real BossFight.]]

* UnholyMatrimony: He was married to an equally evil noble lady named Lady Lotmora, whom he made into TheDragon after his return, turning her into a ClassicalMovieVampire. She is the second hardest enemy of the game, but nothing more than a tough BossFight, and a SkippableBoss at that.

* FinalBoss: The last enemy you face in the game, as per tradition. But the BossFight is a PuzzleBoss instead of a straightforward battle. [[spoiler: Instead, you'll try solving an enigma while tanking his attacks.]]

* RecurringBoss: You can face Jaxartes several times before the end, though he only fights you in one of these occurrences. [[spoiler: And the last BossFight is nothing like the others.]]

* AxCrazy: He hides it much better than most under a MaskOfSanity, but make no mistake, he is unhinged, violent psycho with a HairTriggerTemper who enjoys skewering any opposition.

* ForgotAboutHisPowers: [[spoiler: It's a wonder why he uses a mere dagger instead of his magic, especially since he proves proficient with it and you already know that he can by the time of the BossFight. Perhaps not to clue readers in the same page to the paragraph in which you fight him.]]

* RecurringBoss: You can fight him twice in the game, but the first BossFight is a SkippableBoss. If you face him the first time, when his stamina (or yours) drops to 5, the fight is interrupted by incoming guards and he teleports away on his magic rope. [[spoiler: Averted when he fights you for real after you get rid of Shanzikuul.]]

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Morris cares enough about his wife Lady Lotmora to raise her as a powerful and sentient vampire, free to establish her own power base. He has something to gain from it of course, but she rules by his side in life and in death.

A very powerful warlord with vast magic powers, whose immense armies threaten the Isles of Dawn. He is one of the twin sons of the evil king Bezenvial, out to restore his father's rule as tyrannical as he was.\\\

* KeystoneArmy: As soon as you kill him, his undead soldiers start shambling around and dying again.[[spoiler:If you kill him by destroying the dam,]], the undead soldiers destroy themselves by setting fire to the citadel, and [[WingedSoulFliesOffAtDeath their liberated souls fly to the Afterlife under the shape of hundreds of white birds.]]

* BioManipulation: Xakhaz's signature power. He does it through BlackMagic of the worst, foulest kind.

* EldritchAbomination: Downplayed to to his mortal origin and artificial nature but still.... Just look at his current form on the picture. This hideous, grotesque, shapeless, deformed, twisted, shambling, festering, biology-defying, logic-shattering... thing goes as close to a genuine Lovecraftian Horror as can be and plenty unsettling.

* EyesDoNotBelongThere: Covering his body.

* FinalBoss: An enormously powerful foe with skill 14 stamina 32 (2 over the regular maximum in the former, 8 in the latter). Without the [[InfinityPlusOneSword Trident of Skarlos]], you stand no chance in a regular fight. [[spoiler: The trident raises your skill scores and deal enormous damage, and the Talisman of Loth cost him -1 skill. With both, you can defeat him without much Trouble. You also have means to destroy him without a fight or drastically weaken him.]]
* HighPriest: The founder and supreme leader of the cult of the Howling Gods and the Khaz Priesthood. With every priest adding "Khaz" at the end of their name.

* HumanoidAbomination: He was human at first and retains a vaguely human-shaped upper body atop the repellent, indescribable monstrosity he has become.

* TheUndead: He is one of the most hideously twisted and atrocious sort, being an undying soul incarnate in a huge pile of sewn-together corpses who can only function through his dark magic.
* VertebrateWithExtraLimbs: He still retains a... somewhat human-looking torso, loosely keeping him in the vertebrate category, and has '''far''' too many appendages.

* AntagonistAbilities: This wench's magic will give you no shortage of trouble, and she can cripple you with words alone. Fortunately, when it comes to fight she is tough but hardly insurmountable.
* BadassBookworm: Senyakhaz masters powerful magic, knows how to fight, and is a crafty, manipulative schemer.

* ClimaxBoss: The third to last boss before Xakhaz and his bodyguard, yet the main architect of the nightmare, who is behind the plight of the city, your friend Baron Tholdur and yourself. With 9 in skill and 8 in stamina, she is very tough, but not very durable.
* CompellingVoice: Senyakhaz can influence people's actions, and even their feelings and sensations, with words alone. [[spoiler: Never, ever speak to her as you confront her, for just her telling you that you should rest tires you so much that it deals a crippling -4 stamina.]]

* EvenEvilHasStandards: Even someone as cold, cruel and sadistic as Senyakhaz is disturbed by your gory fate, [[spoiler: After she tricks you into looking at a mirror wearing the Talisman of Loth, which kills you in a perticularly messy way.]]

* LadyOfWar: She is beautiful and dignified, and a force to reckon with a dagger in hand.

* XanatosSpeedChess: When she notices that you escaped the jail she had you thrown into, she tries to have her soldiers kill you. But that's only the beginning.

* TechnicolorEyes: His eyes are bright violet.Such colour is quite uncommon, even among supernatural beings.

--> '''Horfak''': ''You dare face me? Fool! I am Horfak! My strength alone could defeat you; with the Portal, I arn invincible. Feel my power!''

* KeystoneArmy: Subverted; if you defeat Horfak, the Slave warriors are now easy pickings for the LaResistance, however the Portal is still active and you still need to shut it down for good.

* ShutUpHannibal: You decide to intervene his gloating and confront him immediately.

* PurpleEyes: Such colour is quite uncommon, even among supernatural beings.

* TechnicolorEyes: His eyes are bright violet.