Ezhmaar Sul
Alias Sulzheven Species Drow Gender Male Affiliation Weastern Pirates Occupation Soldier (formerly)
Ezhmaar Sul, known simply as Sul to those he meets, is a male Drow warrior and former soldier of the Queendom of Webberast on Aigora. Once a misguided member of a Cult of Nathair alongside his wife Ilzheven, Sul is now dedicated to the destruction of Nathair and his followers ever since they betrayed him and sacrificed his wife for their cause. He travels across Aigora searching for Nathair cults and putting them to the sword. Due to certain magics he does not fully understand, Sul is haunted by the spirit of his wife — which he believes is the source of his holy power.
Overview
Aliases: Sulzheven Species: Drow Gender: Male Height: 6’2” Eye Color: Red Date of Birth: Aries 23rd, 1227 Talamh Old (249 y/o) Place of Birth: Webberast, Endless Mountains Marital Status: Widowed Affiliation: Queendom of Webberast (formerly), Cult of Nathair (formerly) Occupation: Soldier (formerly)
History
Life in Webberast
Sul was born a commoner in the Queendom of Webberast, a matriarchal society of drow ruled with an iron grip by its queen. He was trained from youth to be a soldier for the Queendom, and it was during this time that he met Ilzheven, who was being trained in the ways of a cleric. As they grew older they grew closer, culminating in a marriage when they were in their 50s — considered foolish by their peers, as elves were expected to take their time, but Sul and Ilzheven paid no mind to the whispers.
As the years went on, the couple became increasingly frustrated by the oppression of the Queendom, and when they were approached by someone offering a chance at freedom, they leapt at the opportunity.
The Cult of Nathair
They were invited to join a Cult of Nathair. Neither Sul nor Ilzheven had ever heard of this mysterious entity, but members of the cult described him as a patron of freedom who could help them topple the monarchy and give equal rights to all in Webberast. The promise was everything they had been waiting for, and the two rose quickly through the ranks until they were entrusted with a secret project: an artifact that would drain the power of the Webberast Matrons.
Working alongside the cult’s leader, Tel’rann, they successfully crafted an artifact capable of this, but there was one drawback — it required souls to fuel its power. The decision was made that only the souls of criminals already sentenced to death would be used. And so it began.
In time, Tel’rann realized that certain souls were capable of powering the artifact far longer than others, and he began using criminals who had not been sentenced to death in pursuit of these more potent sources. Sul and Ilzheven began to object, warning that they were crossing a dangerous line, but Tel’rann swore that everything they were doing was for the greater good.
Ilzheven, unconvinced, began to look deeper into the cult and into Nathair himself. She eventually learned the truth — that the artifact was not intended to free Webberast, but to bring Nathair fully into Aigora — and confronted Tel’rann directly. Tel’rann revealed his hand, and before Ilzheven could reach Sul, she was captured and prepared to be used as fuel for the artifact. It was also during this time that Tel’rann confessed a long-held love for Ilzheven. She had not reciprocated.
Betrayal and the Shattered Blade
Sul refused to sacrifice his wife. Whether Tel’rann truly believed Ilzheven’s soul was a prime candidate for the artifact, or whether the real reason was her rejection of him — or what she had discovered — Sul did not care. He attacked Tel’rann during the ritual itself.
Using his greatsword, Sul struck the artifact. It shattered, releasing a powerful blast of magic that destroyed the artifact and killed Tel’rann outright. Sul was spared. But he was too late to save Ilzheven.
In the aftermath, Sul felt a new power coursing through him. He watched as his shattered blade reformed with magical energy, and the spirit of his wife appeared before him and told him the truth about Nathair. Armed with this knowledge and this power — his devotion to Ilzheven granting him the abilities of a paladin, and the primordial energy of the destroyed artifact binding itself to him as a hexblade — Sul walked out of the ruin of the cult and made his oath.
He would hunt down and destroy every Cult of Nathair across Aigora.
Personality
While Sul is haunted by his wife’s death, he tries — in honor of her — not to let that become the whole of who he is. At first glance he is stoic, taciturn, and intimidating. Once he warms to someone, it becomes clear that he still enjoys life and laughter, even if both come more slowly than they once did.
Sul is slow to trust, but once that trust is earned he will put his life on the line without hesitation. The reverse is equally true: once he has made an enemy of someone, he will stop at almost nothing to see them brought down.
His years in the cult left him with a deep and abiding contempt for the greater good mentality. He believes that anyone willing to sacrifice or hurt people in the name of a cause is a lazy coward, and that the act taints the cause beyond recovery. He holds a personal code of honor that he is largely unyielding on — not out of rigidity, but because he has seen firsthand what happens when people start making exceptions.
Relationships
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Ilzheven Sul (wife, deceased)
- The spirit of Ilzheven remains bound to Sul through magics neither of them fully understands. She is the source of his paladin power, and the compass he measures himself against. Sul does not treat her presence as a haunting so much as a continued partnership — though the grief underneath that framing has never fully healed.
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- Although having only recently met the Weastern Pirates, Sul has long heard of their adventures and of their dedication to halting Nathair’s plans. He believes they are fated to be the ones to finally destroy Nathair, and he is ready to fight alongside them when that moment comes.
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Desmond Blannis
- When Sul first encountered Desmond, he believed he had found a strong ally against Nathair. He quickly revised that opinion, finding the dragonborn inept and self-important, especially measured against the Weasterners. When he learned that Desmond had killed his own wife in the name of the greater good, Sul lost any remaining shred of respect for him. He does not consider Desmond an enemy so much as a warning.