Xa'aroch (Zah-ah-ROCH)
Meititan (a.k.a. The Aeboqar / Door-Opener; The Treacherous One)
Xa'aroch is an Azgorach Ba'athorog and was the first successful summoning of an intelligent being from the otherworld of the same name. He has a terrifying reputation left over from the War of the Six in which he served, and though willingly trapped on Icalar is regarded as a messiah-like figure by his kin. He is currently plotting their return to Icalar, their new 'land of plenty' according to their instinct-prophecies.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Athletic, strong.
Body Features
Those typical of the Ba'athorog: wedge-shaped head with a crest of bony spurs; gaunt verging on cavernous chest with secondary inner ribcage, long gauge splitting outer ribcage from stomach to sternum; bony spurs on elbows; four-fingered and taloned, elongated hands; three-toed elongated feet, with third 'toe' acting as a spurred heel; elongated forward-bending legs (stifle-jointed hips are large, outward-pointing spurs; lower legs and forearms have long gaps between bones and sinew. Prehensile floor-length hair-tail beginning between shoulderblades.
Facial Features
Three eyes; one centrally-placed in forehead (3.5"), two higher-placed near front sides of head (4.5"). A pinkish translucent nictitating membrane is present over all three eyes in higher-light conditions and withdraws in dim or dark conditions. Nose is a cartilageless orifice. Bony protrusions along jawline from temple to chin. Prehensile, fibrous, barbed, leathery 'hair' begins at back of skull and tapers to ground. Large mouth with an excess of teeth, six of which protrude -- front incisors, and two further shorter top incisors halfway along jaw; teeth are black at gum and lighten to white at tip.
Special abilities
Those naturally present in Ba'athorog, but honed: psychic control of lesser Azgorach and other weaker-willed human beings; controlled excretion of gleld to act as either a poison, awareness-inhibitor, or stimulant (usually aggression). Accomplished vocal mimicry with ventriloquism elements, provided he has touched and entered the consciousness of the individual at least once and for at least a minute -- the longer the contact, the more accurate the mimicry.
Apparel & Accessories
Though not typical of Azgorach, he has determined it necessary to occasionally clothe himself by draping a large, long piece of black coarseweave in various styles over his body.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Xa'aroch was successfully summoned by Kastis warlocks headed by Vasaeon Hejiq on the 3rd Day of the Season of Closing, 969AC. He represented the latest in a series of hitherto failed summoning experiments conducted that year. Xa'aroch frequently comments on his entrapment as luck on the part of the warlocks.
It then took a further two days for Xa'aroch to not only be able to communicate with his captors, but to agree to help them. He bartered his assistance with convincing more of his kin to cross over in exchange for his (relative) freedom, which he was given; he was thus called 'the Door-Opener', as well as 'the Aeboqar' by his kin, who saw him as fulfilling the instinct-prophecy of the Passage of the Aeboqar. To prove his loyalty he was sent to destroy the nearby Gild Whitewell, which he did that same night (the 6th Day of the Season of Closing, 969AC), and his insidiousness and ruthlessness earned him the moniker of 'the Treacherous One'. This moniker was also adopted by his kin when, on arriving, they only met servitude and death at the hands of warlocks. Nonetheless, he would become known as the most dangerous and talented of the already dangerous and talented Ba'athorog -- most of all because of his unique interest in his prey, as an alpha predator -- and thus the single most terrible asset in all of the Azgorach Horde once it was formed.
Advances in warlock summoning abilities and demonics meant they grew more efficient at creating more supplicant servants, and combined with his kin's resentment of their endenturement Xa'aroch fell somewhat out of favor, but did not impact his gaining of the Meititan rank alongside the other Ba'athorog Seekers. He also managed to maintain some power through careful releases of information to the Violet Accord leaders, such as the composition and origin of the ikam. When the Banishing began on the 43rd Day of the Season of Ripening, 989AC following the signing of the Inebi Armistice and the end of the War of the Six, Xa'aroch escaped into hiding -- where he remains to this day.
Failures & Embarrassments
Mild embarrassment over having been tricked by 'lesser beings' into initial servitude.
Intellectual Characteristics
Calculating, insightful, cruelly creative, intelligent, unwavering/thorough, intensely curious.
Morality & Philosophy
Notably apathetic/sociopathic; any vaguely-adopted morality is only circumstantial and used explicitly for manipulative purposes while on this plane.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
The return of his kin to this plane, with himself as monarch. Self-preservation. A burgeoning, remorseless interest in the psychology of the beings of Icalar.
Savvies & Ineptitudes
An immensely skilled psychological predator. Though most Azgorach have remarkably short memories due to their reliance on the collective memory provided by the rhésal, Xa'aroch has trained his to persist for longer. Likewise, while most Azgorach operate as a sort of collective consciousness, Xa'aroch is unique in exhibiting a sense of individualism.
Hygiene
Minimal
Social
Mannerisms
Quiet and aloof, only communicating and interacting with others when it is absolutely necessary.
Speech
Upon arriving in Icalar, broken and hard to understand; lately simplistic but full, easy to understand. Different from most Azgorach in that he makes habitual use of 'I' rather than conceptualizing himself as one of a collective. Isaia describes his voice as "deep but with a distinct hiss on the fricatives and rasp on the lingering vowels, as though a serpent had taught a cavern to speak".
Relationships
History
Brethoche was one of many underlings commanded by Xa'aroch during the War of the Six as one of his many acts of subversive and/or psychological warfare. Xa'aroch was the one to originally send Brethoche to the Temple at Willowbreak Field, where they chose Isaia as their designated victim.
Commonalities & Shared Interests
(Once upon a time) The success of the Host of Selephise and the Violet Accord.
History
Though Xa'aroch has no memory of Kaavius and would likely regard him as insignificant if he did, Kaavius considers Xa'aroch to be responsible for his life's path and grief.
Wealth & Financial state
None; does not understand it and finds it useless.
Current Location
Species
Currently Held Titles
Previously Held Ranks & Titles
Age
Unknown; assumed to be a mature adult.
Birthplace
Spouses
Siblings
Children
Current Residence
Pronouns
He/Him, They/Them
Gender
Male
Eyes
Glowing pale yellow-green
Hair
Dark gray-brown, leathery
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Dark gray-brown, leathery
Height
7'3
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations
Related Myths
Comments