Rodrizhal¶
"No fighting. No stealing. No religion. Obey the Dead." — the Four Laws of the Necromancer (S153)
Rodrizhal is the arch-lich who rules Delvarn, the Lands of the Necromancer, in the Fifth Age. "Known only as the Necromancer", he governs the living and the dead of his country through liches, wights and agents from "a large tiered citadel where it is believed he resides", and the Sancturi legions that marched into his land in 700 SM never came back (S153, S326).
Also called: the Necromancer; Rodric (S133).
Nature and aims¶
"He is an arch-lich and suffers no rivals. He has several liches under his command, but will destroy any that become too powerful" (S153). He "controls the area through his minions", the hierarchy of Crypt Sovereigns, Deathmongers and Deathpriests described on the Dominion of the Necromancer page, and he has given his land "simple code of laws - known as the 4 laws", which are kept in the Law page (S153).
"His goal is the creation of life, to become a creator and permanently conquer death. He also aims to create a godless society of living and dead, where the gods are not relevant" (S153). His power is reckoned against other great undead: his right hand is "about 20% of Rodrizal, which is slightly less than Amer" (S153).
See Liches for what a lich is.
War with the Imperium¶
The Griffon Legions of the Sancturi Imperium, advancing through the petty kingdoms of Faragond, "ran afoul of the enigmatic Necromancer in 698 SM. The Necromancer has marked boundaries (usually skulls on sticks), which if approached trigger an assault by a horde of undead" (S326). In 700 SM the legions "drove deeply into the Necromancer's territory ... with the intention of cutting off the head of the snake. Instead, the legions disappeared and not a single soldier returned" (S326). By the fall of 704 SM "the Sancturi advance in Faragond has been all but halted" (S319). His Reapers, "a killing machine part incorporeal undead and part physical", are "used heavily against the Sancturi and rebel villages/towns", and his Baelim Necromages "form special corps in major battles against the Sancturi" (S153). The war is part of the Sancturi Campaigns.
Lieutenants¶
"He keeps these close and they work in the Citadel alongside him when they are not running errands" (S153).
Tatruna¶
His Right Hand, a "powerful Lich, about 20% of Rodrizal" (S153). "Rodrizhal has her phylactery hidden well and moves it occasionally. Rodrizhal likes her immensely, but will kill her off once she reaches 25%" (S153).
Nul'Xenul¶
His Left Hand, "recently promoted after the fall of" something the source leaves blank. He is "about 5% of Rodrizal" (S153).
Druk'rhinatraz¶
"Rodrizhal defeated an Elder Black Dragon and turned it into a Draco-lich under his control (and he controls it's phylactery)" (S153). Druk'rhinatraz is that black draco-lich, and breathes "a Necrotic Shock-cloud" (S153). See Dragons.
Gap
The sources give no history for Rodrizhal before his rule: not when he rose, what he was in life, or how he became an arch-lich. Nothing is said of Tatruna or Nul'Xenul beyond their rank and strength, nor of where Druk'rhinatraz was defeated.
Earlier accounts¶
The earliest plot outline calls him Rodric, "with Vanthe's Skull. He isn't evil, in a brutal war for survival with the Imperium" (S133). A later session note still places the "Necromancer to the east. Skull of Vanthe" (S174). The treatment of the Necromancer himself does not mention the skull (S153).