Zadimus Hellgave
Archmage of Necromancy and Keeper of the Dead Zadimus Hellgave
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
He is physical appearance seems very fragile and weak. He is much taller than a normal human but also much thinner.
Facial Features
His face is very smooth and soft for his old age. His eyes are dead and emotionless and very hard to look at.
Identifying Characteristics
His left arm from the elbow down is a skeletal arm.
Physical quirks
When walking publicly he seems to float instead of walk.
Special abilities
Has mastered many forms from Necromancy including life, death, undeath, and summoning. Is also very good at soul magic which is an extremely rare type of magic almost unpractised.
Apparel & Accessories
Wears a black robe with a golden rope belt. In public has his hood up but never hides his arm.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Hellgave was born in Bleakburn in the defense district, meaning his family was extremely poor. Growing up he knew he was different as both his appearance was different from his normal human parents with his gray skin and dark gray hair, and the powers he felt within himself as he grew up. He did not have anyone to guide him as his powers were discovered so his way of learning was through accidents and luck. His early days were filled with working at the docks loading and unloading ships from merchants from all over the world. He did not feel satisfied with life, but never found the confidence or an opportunity to change what he had. It was not before he was 27 years old a raid on Bleakburn happened. It was a band of pirates that started raiding the docks and killing people, Hellgave saw a woman and her child being attacked by a pirate and found some confidence within him which he never knew was there and leaped in front of the attacker to save them. To his surprise, he managed to control his powers enough to send a bolt of necrotic energy through his body, killing him instantly. The corpse, however, did not lie down, it stood up as an undead creature and fought for him and turned on his former band. As more and more pirates fell Hellgave managed to raise them and build a small army to force the pirate back and out of Bleakburn, single-handed saving the day. Hellgave felt a sense of pride for once, but this pride would die quickly as the black-berets rushed to action and killed his undead and arrested him. The commoners of Bleakburn also called him out as a monster, even his parents denied him as their son. He received a choice between death or exile from Bleakburn. He chose to live and left Bleakburn.
As Hellgave traveled the world he would start to figure his powers out and use them for survival and to help those in need. He would go on to both heal the sickly and wounded, but also take the lives of those who threatened the innocents. He would go on this journey for around 11 years alone before he met someone else that he would continue with. Hellgave found himself in New Hamswurth defending the city as the purple night threatened the city. A big battle had just happened outside the city between a giant goblin hoard and an army of Tru Guards. This battle had made the purple night extremely dangerous as the corpses of those slain would rise and attack the village in a giant hoard made up by goblins and tru guards alike. Hellgave fought bravely, but he was overpowered and thrown on the ground with dozens of undead piling on top of him tearing him apart. He was sure this would be his end and for a moment found peace in what he had accomplished, but a blinding light appeared above him and the undeads were turned into ash. He had not studied divinity but was sure this was what an angel looked like. A female half-elven figure in a shining armor wielding a giant maul with an aura of life and light came to his aide, healed him and continued to fight with him through the night. He eventually learned her name, she was Vanzara of Oord. A cleric of light following the teachings of Sune. Hellgave is still unsure how he found the confidence, but he eventually asked to join her on her travelers, and later asked for her hand in marriage. They married and kept on adventuring for decades.
In the year A4 573 Hellgave and Vanzara had been asked to help the empire with a foreseen demon attack on the Irongate. They agreed and traveled to the Irongate to learn that a large army of demons has just entered the material realm, the army was bigger than any army seen in over 300 years. It was lead by a powerful demon lord known as Azarog. He came to the prime material plane to take over the Irongate and prepare for a larger invasion to come. Hellgave and Vanzara were tasked with personally stopping and killing Azarog as the Gray Guard and Tru Guard would carve a way through the riff-raff giving them the opportunity they needed to end him. As the battle started spells, arrows and ballista bolts were flying through the air and guards and demons clashed on the battlefield. Hellgave and Vanzara made their way through the demons eventually reaching the huge demon that was Azarog. The battle began and Vanzara lit her maul up with divine flames and Hellgave unleashed waves on waves of necrotic energy. The battle was hard and exhausting and many blows were traded. The battle shifted when Azarog summoned a long sharp black spear and threw it towards Hellgave. The spear never hit Hellgave, but rather Vanzare who threw herself in front of her husband taking the weapon through her chest, dying, only being able to say a few words "You were always my light". Hellgave held his wife in her arms as she died an Azarog marched towards him with the intent of killing him as well. Hellgave filled with both anger and grief let out a cry of power and astral skeletal wings sprouted from his spine and he took the spear from his wife and imbued it with the last of his energy. As the two clashed Hellgave managed to pierce his chest with the spear and kill the demon, sending him back to the Abyss. After the demon fell and melted into slime he rushed towards his dead wife. He had read about rituals and spells to bring people back from the dead. Hellgave desperate as he was would try to bring her back, but without any knowledge would try to sacrifice himself for her. He linked his life to her trying to bring her back, as the magical ritual started he felt an immense pain in his body and did not stop as he hoped it would work. He blacked out from the pain. And as he woke up he was laying next to his still dead wife, but could not feel his left arm. His arm had been stripped of all flesh, muscle, and blood and only the bone was left. He had failed the ritual and he had failed Vanzara.
A few years passed and his grief would eventually come to an end. He would not let himself feel strong emotions ever again to feel such a pain, but he would also not forget the moments he had with Vanzara, those he would treasure. Hellgave did not find any personal joy or satisfaction going on adventurers or journeys anymore, but would stumble into Evlora and while staying there he was contacted by Zavronth the principal of Shimmerford. He wanted him to become the school's archmage of necromancy and keeper of the dead. He didn't understand why he was chosen but accepted as he had nothing else to do. Over the years of Shimmerford, he found satisfaction in teaching those he saw potential in, and doing his own experiments and learning more about his favored magic. He did eventually learn to bring people back from the dead. And over the years he would bring back 15 people, 13 students, and 2 commoners. Every time he brought a person back to life he felt as he failed Vanzara. But this feeling would quickly fade as he took back control over his feelings. Over the years at Shimmerford he had only a very few exceptional students, he had many that could learn his school but only a very few that stood out and he personally liked. One of these students was Ambrose Locket . He was a born sorcerer like Hellgave and he saw himself in Ambrose. It was this likeness and fondness he had of Ambrose that made him blind to what he actually wanted. He wanted to learn necromancy for selfish reasons. He wanted power for himself, not to understand life. heal or save people but rather kill and manipulate life so that he could live. Hellgave did not see this evil before it was too late. On a dark winter night in A4 631 Ambrose robbed Hellgave of some of his books and items and killed three students that tried to stop him. He would leave Shimmerford and the empire and not be heard of again. Hellgave knows he is alive and that he is doing evil, but has no idea what or where. After Ambrose Hellgave did not open up or teach his own methods to other students for a long time. He did help a few mages from time to time and would eventually go back to teach a few students, but none as closely as he did Ambrose. Until in A4 648 when a new student of interest with seemingly good intentions came to Shimmerford. A man with a similar background as himself, a man by the name of Illidan Windsor .
Teaching Illidan and mentoring him about his own powers and teaching him new things gave his life meaning again. He enjoyed their conversations and the time spent together, he was something else than his last students and especially Ambrose who had become one of his biggest regrets and fears. But he would make sure that he would not repeat his mistakes with Illidan and rather help him become better than Ambrose. Together they had a few exploits and a close call or two. Illidan also proved himself a great student and mind when he together with Colynn Novshade managed to finish a spell he had not been able to complete. The spell was dangerous but in the right hands it could save, or even bring back people. Illidan was part of a group of adventurers and left to do great things, but would always come back to learn a few new things and talk about his decisions and what they had done. Zadimus felt a feeling of proudness each time he came to him to either learn or just talk about morality and life. It was like having the son he and Vanzara never had. It was therefor in A4 649 when he told him he was seeking The Tower of Wonder he became afraid of not seeing him again as that tower had claimed many adventurers and arcanist over the last milennia. But he taught him a few new things and had much faith in Illidan, he was sure he would see him again. This would, however, turn out to never happen as in A4 649 on the 11th of Xhanatir the man known as Black Talon had tracked him down and would go on to torture him for information over many hours befire finally killing him. Zadimus never told him anything, and during his dying moments he only taught of finally meeting Vanzara again, and the sadness of not being there for Illidan. His body was first found by Illidan almost two and a half year later when he and his friends finally returned from the Tower of Wonder.
Education
Self-thaught and educated.
Employment
Works as a teacher at Shimmerford.
Accomplishments & Achievements
Stopped a pirate raid in Bleakburn at a young age. Defeated a powerful demon lord named Azarog. Became an Archmage at Shimmerford. Brought back 15 people.
Failures & Embarrassments
Was exiled from Bleakburn and denounced by his parents. Could not save his wife and at the same time lost his arm. Could not stop Ambrose from becoming evil and killing his fellow students.
Intellectual Characteristics
Extremely intellectual. Very wise and also philosophical.
Morality & Philosophy
Hellgave is a very good-hearted person with his focus on life and protecting innocent life. He believes that life is the most precious in all of existence and would do everything to protect it, he does, however, despise extending one's time by taking from others.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
To preserve life and make sure necromancy is not misused.
Virtues & Personality perks
Patient, honest, good-hearted, trusting and self-sacrificing.
Vices & Personality flaws
Has become a bit careless of outside conflict.
Social
Family Ties
Hellgave has no more ties to his family as he has outlived his parents and was an only child.
Religious Views
Has started to worship Sune as he wants to reconnect with his wife in death. He makes offerings to her and asks questions about his wife and his own death.
Alignment
Neutral Good
Current Location
Species
Life
504
650
146 years old
Circumstances of Death
Zadimus was murdered by Black Talon in his home. His death was drawn out for unknown reasons.
Birthplace
Bleakburn
Children
Current Residence
The Hollow Woods
Gender
Male
Eyes
Dead, white
Hair
long dark gray that floats
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
pale gray
Height
192 centimeters
Weight
54 kilo
Aligned Organization
Ruled Locations
Comments