Xander Ivoryvale
(a.k.a. Xander the Mad, the Fallen Paladin)
Known as one of the worst monsters of all time, Xander Ivoryvale went down into history as the man who nearly destroyed the mortal world as we know it, and was single-handedly responsible for the persecution of the Paladin class in the years directly following the Cult Crisis. Before his death, he was called 'Xander the Exalted' by his followers, but both historians and the common folk refer to him as 'Xander the Mad'.
While some on the College of Wanderers insisted on destroying their records of Xander the Mad's registration as an adventurer in order to move on from this black page in the mortal plane's history, archivists argued to keep them: remembrance causes history not to repeat itself. Thanks to the effort of these archivists, historians could piece together the early days of the man who almost destroyed the mortal world as we know it. Formerly a Paladin of Siarus, Xander fell from his old religion into the Cult of Azdar. He was originally sent to eliminate the Cult, but they convinced him to join through Xander's ambitious nature. After joining, he adopted their beliefs over time and murdered his way to the top of the Cult. Now with a dark army at his command, he rebirthed this small cult as the dread Cult of Azdar that history knows today.
Xander the Mad infamously initiated of the Cult Crisis, plotting to steal the Netherbane to create a world modeled after his deplorable ideals, under the guise of a Azdarian prophecy that the world needed to be razed to the ground to be rebirthed in Azdar's image. He called for the destruction of any mortal that fell outside of the confines of Humans, and the two binary gender identities. However, Xander proved a greater threat then the common Azdar worshipper: he had charisma on his side, and knew how to manipulate people's weaknesses in order to get them to do his bidding. As his dark army grew, many innocent lives were at stake. Through the sheer numbers of his followers, he managed to gain a lot of territory to lord over. However, Sayen, his brother and his friends discovered the plan in its early stages, and worked to stop it. Xander originally made the mistake of not seeing them as a threat, turning his eyes to matters he found more important: he knew he needed a grand army to storm Gelladur and obtain the Netherbane.
Xander later found the four to be thorns in his side, and tried to eliminate them, but failed at every turn. Even his trusted five generals, who he sent to either assassinate them or keep them busy while he recruited more followers, failed to kill the mighty heroes. In fact: the four prevailed over each one, Sayen himself avenging Zayin Wright's past attempt on both his life and his brother's in the process. Sayen and his friends managed to convince pivotal political figures to help them in stopping this plan of Xander's, and showed evidence of it. But it would be Sayen allying with a Lich that would prove to be his undoing: this increased the numbers of his Undead horde to a level where a siege would become an option. A last resort, given Xander the Mad's success in his recruitment drive, but an option. And despite Xander's best efforts, the foursome amassed an army which could hold fast against the sheer numbers that gave Xander his trademark advantage over most of his enemies.
The Cult Crisis ended with Sayen's famous siege on Xander's fortress, and culminated in a final duel between the two. And while Xander managed to lay the deathblow, he forgot that Necromancers rarely stay dead... Having recently discovered a variation on the process of becoming a Lich, the last part of Sayen's soul left for a phylactery with his dying breath. This raised him from the dead on the spot, ready to fight for the innocents once more. This would spell the Fallen Paladin's downfall: a surprise attack disbalanced Xander the Mad, rendering him struggling to block most of the Necromancer's attacks. But the fateful blow from the Undertaker's rapier straight to monster's the heart ended Xander's reign of terror.
Controversionally enough, Xander the Mad was awarded the honor of a funeral. It is a common belief that the College of Wanderers had made this decision to prevent his soul from lingering in the mortal plane, and thus a possible resurrection at the hands of other Azdar worshippers. Because while the leader of the feared Cult of Azdar was now gone, around 5000 of the Cultists present in the Siege of Deepview had managed to escape in the ensuing chaos. These were still at large, and were still eluding adventurers sent at the behest of the College of Wanderers at the time. The College feared that they might aim to resurrect their leader, so under pressure, they entombed Xander the Mad's body in the deepest crypt under the College itself. The fractured remainders of the Cult of Azdar haven't managed to reach the madman's remains to this day, and have so far not managed to muster up the numbers for a siege upon the College. So for now, the world is rid of Xander the Mad.
Physical Description
Special abilities
Xander knows both light-elemental magic and basic healing magic.
Apparel & Accessories
Heavy armor adorned with the Cult's symbols and spikes, a shoeld bearing their crest, and an enchanted sword.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Xander had a relatively uneventful childhood. He was raised by a middle class Human family. And though he had been conservative in his teens, he wasn't an extremist. He was a pious young man, and joined the temple to train as a squire under a Paladin, one day hoping to become one himself.
When reaching adulthood, he managed to achieve that. Paladin life seemed right for Xander, yet he felt something was missing. He enjoyed the social status the position brought with it, just as he enjoyed the financian comforts his family knew. But he always held so much ambition, that the temple clergy doubted whether Siarus would call it arrogance or not. They tried to instill a bit more humility in him through the tasks they gave him. But Xander knew what they were doing, and he would have none of it. He was often a loose cannon on tasks, and partners in the missionary groups the temple sent out would often have to reign him in.
It was one fateful mission to eliminate a medium-sized, local Cult of Azdar that would eventually spell trouble for the rest of world. Xander was sent on his first solo task, and did intend to kill them. However, he allowed them last words. In these last words, they not only convinced him to spare them, but also convinced him to join. Xander cut ties with the Temple of Siarus, and eventually murdered his way to his current position as leader.
Gender Identity
Cis male.
Sexuality
Heterosexual, heteroromantic.
Accomplishments & Achievements
Having seized control over the Cult of Azdar.
Failures & Embarrassments
Losing the final battle of the Cult Crisis to Sayen: a bisexual, biracial Necromancer. Had he still been alive, he would be feel the deepest of shame over this, as he sees the Necromancer as lesser then him for both his heritage and sexuality.
Personality Characteristics
Virtues & Personality perks
He's ambitious, and thinks that the sky is the limit in what one can achieve.
Vices & Personality flaws
He seeks to gain power and status at any cost, and sees certain people as somehow 'more' then others. He tends to think in strict hierarchies, and feels there is only one right way of doing things.
Personality Quirks
When agitated, he tends to drum his index finger on a surface. If he's not sitting at a table or leaning on something, then he'll cross his arms to do it. And when thinking, he tends to tilt his head, gently pluck the bottom of his beard, and place his hands on his side.
Relationships
Relationship Reasoning
Zayin sees Xander as a visionary and thinks that the fallen Paladin is chosen by Azdar himself.
Shared Acquaintances
Klark Moonfall, Heskel Wolfmoon, Dommik Frost, and Richmond Grimm.
Relationship Reasoning
Dommik sees Xander as an underappreciated genius, and hopes to learn more.
Species
Currently Held Titles
Circumstances of Death
Slain by Sayen the Undertaker.
Place of Death
Deepview
Spouses
Siblings
Children
Gender
Male
Hair
Medium length, dirty brown
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
White
Aligned Organization
Ruled Locations
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