Arochel

Arochel 

One of the two most powerful aelin archmagi of the void in the War of Night, the enigmatic Arochel was one of Serachel's most trusted followers during that conflict.

Along with his lover (and fellow archmage) Sabanthe, Arochel stood first in the eyes of Serachel following his turn from the light. A masterful politician even among the aelin, Arochel was a popular demagogue among his people until he proposed a truce with the shuddeni in return for ending the aelin involvement in the war. Seeing his measure narrowly defeat in the Senate, Arochel left Ilodaiya, going on to set himself up as the power behind the collective assemblies of the various smaller city states where the debased (and by this point, proper) version of Serachel worship was practiced. It was in these cities that he saw that public resources were spent on an emergency program of research into the magics of the Void, with the justification of unraveling the 'secret' of shuddeni success in the War.

It was through these researches that Arochel met Sabanthe, a woman who matched even his own formidable intellect and charm. Both proved gifted scholars of the black arts, and they pooled their efforts to produce a standing army of demonkind to force a peace between their cities and the shuddeni. Temporarily secure, they expanded their influence and holdings through a series of deft political manuevers (backed by the shuddeni and their demon allies), acquiring more aelin cities in the name of Serachel.

These depradations would have gone unchecked (and indeed, might have completely sapped all aelin aid to the humans in the War), had it not been for an almost evangelical campaign by the Champions of Avendar, who brought their religious fervor to purging the blight at the heart of aelin culture.

Seeing their greatest enemy in the Champions who would expose their diabolical research and corruptive influence, Arochel and Sabanthe lead the bulk of their forces in a direct attack upon the Tower of Aramril. Arochel brought with him his shuddeni allies, and Sabanthe rode a great dragon (See: Tzet-Sabanthe) of the void against the Tower.