Zathmore

Zathmore was a human necromancer, thought to have been born in the city of Qith in what was then the country of Garnath. Little is known of his early life, but at some point he began studying at the Purple Castle, where he came under the tutelage of Keraptis, who would eventually betray the castle and its master, Lorenz.

Following the castle's destruction, Zathmore fled with Keraptis, eventually becoming one of his most loyal servants. Many years later, during the Wars of Arin, Zathmore was given dominion over his homeland, making Garnath part of the Onyx Empire. To aid him, he crafted a great magic item, the Rod of Zathmore, which allowed him to bend the people to his will. During this time, he married, and had a single daughter, Azalalia.

Zathmore's power grew, and he took control of the Gnomish kingdom of Alior, hoping to use it as a path into Tanilon by seizing the Gap of Veclin. This led to a drawn-out war within the war, and eventually Keraptis lost faith in his ally, leaving him to his own fate so that he might focus his own armies to the south. Zathmore was outraged at the betrayal, and declared Garnath to be independent once more, and attacking Arin from the north.

The battle between the armies of Keraptis and Zathmore was brief, but bloody. In the end, it was Keraptis who was victorious, but at the cost of allowing the Dwarves of the Thair Mountains to recover their strength. Some say that without this betrayal, the Onyx Empire might indeed have been successful in conquering all of Lanad i'Sarois.

Zathmore's fate is unknown. Neither he nor his rod were found after the war, and it is rumored that he still lives. After all, he had already lived for over five hundred years -- well beyond the life span of a human -- and was highly skilled in the art of necromancy. Other rumors say that he perished with his master, Keraptis. Most of these latter rumors focus on the Swamp of Undeath as the location of Zathmore's Tomb, saying that he was eventually interred there by his daughter Azalalia. Several expeditions have been sent in to find this tomb, but none have ever located it.