Chagroth Durinhelm
The "Wizard" in the World of Wizard's Peak
Archmage Chagroth Durinhelm (a.k.a. The Navigator of Worlds)
During a break in his studies, the journeyman wizard hikes the Silver Range alone. One morning, as Chagroth practices levitation, wild magic surges through him and pulls him bodily to the peak of a mountain. After an age of hibernation, Wizard's Peak has found its master.
Chagroth Durinhelm is the ur-wizard in the World of Wizard's Peak. He is centuries old now, considered the most powerful being on Erathia, and prevents his Ascendancy through force of will alone.
As the Navigator of Worlds, he stands in Chagroth's Tower steering the Kirinal Pit through the worlds and planes of the Great Wheel. He seeks the safest path for the world he loves and the people he has taken responsibility for.
The story of the Archmage Chagroth Durinhelm IS the history of Erathia for the last 250 years. Without him, there would be no Erathia.
Early Years
Chagroth Durinhelm was born in 2971 to Mical and Sulara Durinhelm. Mical was a Warrior of the Order of Tridensers, a former companion of the Ruby Knight, F'Tor, one of the Eternal Paladins. He eventually entered the minor nobility and bought a large house in Kirinal. Sulara was a sorceress of some power. She died when Chagroth was 12.
Chagroth apprenticed under Kaya Trillian when he was 13 and completed his apprenticeship to her at the age of 18. He then enrolled in Kirinal's Magus College and split his time between minor adventuring and school for the next four years.
In 2992, he left Magus College as a journeyman mage and began his adventuring career in earnest. From 2992 to 2998, he travelled most of the known world and several different dimensions with a variety of different companions. He is known to have spent several years in the desert kingdoms beyond the Vitran Sea as a companion and student of the Arch-Mage Martek.
Towards the end of this time, he met and married his wife, Bianca, also a mage
His travels eventually brought him home to Lozar where he served Lord F'Tor, the Ruby Knight and the Tridenser King T'Kor. He earned enough money to buy the title Count of Wizard's Peak. This gave him control of Wizard's Peak, an inhospitable mountain in the Silver Range in Northern Lozar, along with the surrounding valley and adjoining lake.
Taming Wizard's Peak
In 2998, Chagroth began digging into the stone of Wizard's Peak itself to make his home and the beginnings of what would one day be a great university.
In 2999, Chagroth and Bianca's twin daughters, Serena and Ariana, were born. They were followed in 3001 by Chagroth's son, Mikaal.
The Lichwars began far to the east in lands far from Lozar, but in the year 3000, the Lich-King of Safara arrived on the borders of Lozar.
After repeated attacks on Kirinal, Lozar's capital city, King T'Kor decreed the creation of secret training grounds and staging areas for Lozar's warriors and mages. He sent out teams of surveyors and discretely sought a location for secret bases.
Wizard's Peak's remote location and the teleportation circles maintained by Chagroth and his mages made it the logical choice.
T'kor named Chagroth Duke of the Silver Range and provided him with the funds and manpower to expand his academy into a university.
Founding of Wizard's Peak University & the Lichwars
Soon, the small academy that Chagroth had established, became Wizard's Peak University, the largest school for mages and warriors in Western Krosia. During the war it's location and purpose were kept mostly secret.
For security, many of the teachers and most of the books and materials from, Magus College, were moved to WPU.
A town, eventually known as Magus Valley, grew up in the valley surrounding WPU to meet the needs of the soldiers and mages training at the University.
The Disintegration of Kirinal
The battle between Lozar and her allies and the Lich King's hordes finally ended in 3005. The last battle of the Lichwars took place on the streets of Kirinal.
The mightiest magics of both sides were unleashed and the intermingling of forces resulted in an explosion that wiped Kirinal off the face of the planet. The Disintegration of Kirinal left a hole of wild magic ten miles wide and two miles deep.
Chagroth's older sister Shiarra, also a mage, was a member of the Lozarian forces at Kirinal. She and Mical Durinhelm perished during the Disintegration.
The explosion darkened the sky for a year and a half and sent surges of wild magic racing across the planet for many months. Thousands of beings died random deaths as the uncontrollable energies shot out of the earth or from the sky.
Chagroth's wife, Bianca, was one of the first to die from the surges in the yearlong winter known as The Year of Darkness and Flames - 3005.
The Lozarian Succession Wars
The aftermath of the Lichwars were particularly bloody for Lozar. There was no clear succession for the throne and multiple contenders arose from around the nation.
Chagroth's brothers, Kire and Lioquar, became embroiled in the civil wars. Chagroth, still in mourning, tried to stay out of it.
He lost his youngest brother, Lioquar in an assassination attempt on the contender they supported. The attack left his next youngest brother grievously wounded.
When the contenders were winnowed down to two challengers, Chagroth eventually sided with the eventual King Borland.
The other challenger, Duke Redoak was assassinated by Chagroth's surviving brother Kire, who fled the country.
The Interregnum
With the death of their leader and wage-payer, Redoak's forces quickly surrendered and Borland was crowned the first new King of Lozar for a thousand years in 3009.
With the end of the Succession Wars, Chagroth was named Councilor Arcane of Lozar, a title he still holds today. In this capacity, Chagroth is responsible for overseeing the use of magic in Lozar and for patrolling the Kirinal Pit.
He spent the years since the Succession Wars helping to bring Lozar back into prominence as the major trading and military power on the Talinian Ocean and the Vitran Sea. Wizard's Peak University is also gaining prominence as the finest magical school in the known world.
With King Borland's death in the Northern Border Conflicts of 3021, the country could have quickly fallen into civil war again. However, quick action from Chagroth and the other Royal Counselors averted this through the installation of a regent, Lord Darian an old warrior with no heirs and no real interest in keeping the throne.
Chagroth had agents, overt and covert, throughout Lozar, the countries of Western Krosia and the desert lands across the Vitran Sea. His intelligence network was almost the equal of the one that Darian inherited when he became regent. Most of the mages in Lozar have attended WPU and owe some allegiance, direct or indirect to Chagroth.
The War Against the Far Realm
Chagroth was instrumental in the defense of Erathia during the War Against the Far Realms. At this time he stepped down as Chancellor of WPU to oversee the arcane defense against the Far Realm while also trying to bring the Pit under control.
The Orrery of Worlds
Decades of work and experimentation culminated in the creation of the Orrery of Worlds. This tool finally brought the Kirnial Pit under control, allowing for a new flowering of civilization and culture in the Kirinal Concordance Zone.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
The defense of the world, the dissemination of arcane knowledge, the health and well being of House Durinhelm.
Social
Family Ties
Relationships
Archmage. Founder and Chancellor Emeritus of Wizard's Peak University. Duke Emeritus of Duchy of Silver Range. Knight Commander of the Order of Tridensers, Navigator of Worlds
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