Archlord Vashna is the leader of the Darklords, and their most powerful member. During the Age of the Black Moon, Vashna and his fellow Darklords conquered much of Northern Magnamund, but were dealt a severe blow in the Battle of Moytura Pass, where Vashna was slain by King Ulnar I wielding the Sommerswerd, casting his spirit and the Darklord armies into the Maakengorge. However, his spirit remained intact, allowing for his Cult to attempt to resurrect him. They were successful on the third attempt, where he rose from the Maakengorge, merged with the Nengud-kor-Adez.
Appearance[]
Vashna has prismatic, faceted eyes that let him see a rainbow of different colors. He has a furry snouted face with a helical horn juts from his forehead. His arms and snout are covered in luxuriant hair and his hands seem to be made of jointed, metal, sharp claws which curve evilly backwards from each finger. The number ninety one was that of Vashna which he chose because of its factors, seven and thirteen. Seven to signify the everlasting death in life and life in death he possesses and thirteen to denote the power of evil at his command.
History[]
Arrival on Magnamund[]
After the departure of the Shianti, the Age of the Black Moon began with the arrival of the 20 Darklords created by the evil God Naar. Vashna soon achieved mastery over the others and launched the War of Desecration, succeeding in conquering vast portions of the Northern Continent and exterminating multiple races. He took the title of Archlord in MS 3192. He was the architect of Helgedad and eight other colossal fortress-cities.
Pushback[]
The Sommlending, lead by King Kian, stopped their total conquest of Magnamund and took the land that was to become Sommerlund. Vashna swore vengeance on Sommerlund for his first defeat. He initiated the Helghast Wars in retaliation, but the Brotherhood of the Crystal Star helped turn the tide against the shape-shifting hordes. As his defeated armies streamed back to the Darklands, Vashna challenged Ulnar to a 1-on-1 duel. Ulnar agreed, staking the thrones of Sommerlund and Durenor on the outcome. Wielding the Sommerswerd, Ulnar emerged victorious. As he lay defeated, Vashna cursed Naar as a false master. Naar retaliated by opening the Maakengorge, which consumed both Ulnar and Vashna.[1] It was said that Vashna and his army's spirits are still in the Maakengorge, waiting to be summoned to obtain vengeance against Sommerlund and the House of Ulnar.
Vashna's death sent the Darklords into retreat and disarray. It would take over 400 years for Darklord Zagarna to establish himself as the second Archlord.
First attempted resurrection[]
In MS 5054, during the attempts of The Chasm of Doom, the Vassagonian renegade Barraka attempted to the Dagger of Vashna to sacrifice Madelon, daughter of Baron Vanalund and descendant of King Ulnar I, in order to resurrect Vashna and his army. Lone Wolf succeeded in thwarting this scheme, and acquired the Dagger of Vashna. It is stated that as long as Lone Wolf possesses the Dagger of Vashna, Vashna cannot be resurrected.[2]
Second attempted resurrection[]
In MS 5077, during the events of The Legacy of Vashna, the Dark God Naar created another magical object known as the Deathstaff that was to be used by Archdruid Cadak to raise Vashna from the dead. It was to be transported via Shamath as a vessel. Lone Wolf also thwarted this attempt, killing Cadak in combat, although the Dagger of Vashna was lost in the process.
Resurrection[]
Prior to the events of The Storms of Chai, an earthquake lengthened the Maakengorge by more than 25 miles, and numerous Acolytes of Vashna began making a sacred pilgrimage to the chasm.[3] The Nengud-kor-Adez also extinguished itself in Helgedad, and during the events of Dead in the Deep, it was discovered that it had somehow made its way into the Maakengorge. A fortress, Zekgazad, was constructed under Emolyria, using the power of the Nengud-kor-Adez to power its forges and harness its evil.
In Zekgazad, a plot to revive Vashna was discovered by both Steel Hand (who was captured) and Grand Master (who rescued him in turn): Again, a descendant of Ulnar I would be sacrificed into the Maakengorge using the Dagger of Vashna. The Acolytes of Vashna had run into trouble trying to fulfill these requirements. Firstly, the Dagger of Vashna could not be found, as it was lost in a Shadow Gate - the forces of Darkness were unable to find it, even after scouring the realms of Shamath and Avarvae. Secondly, a descendant of Ulnar I also proved to be elusive.[4]
To retrieve the Dagger of Vashna, a Shadow Gate was opened to the Daziarn, to summon the Chaos-master, one figure who could find the Dagger of Vashna. However, without a descendant of Ulnar I, this plan would have been useless. As a result, the forces of Darkness had decided that an alternative plan would be put in place: To resurrect the Chaos-master himself in Magnamund.
In MS 5102, prior to the events of Dead in the Deep, Lone Wolf sent Steel Hand to investigate Zekgazad and thwart the plans of the Acolytes of Vashna. Steel Hand, however, was captured whilst destroying a sarcophagus intended for Vashna's resurrection.[5][6] Lone Wolf then sent Grand Master out to rescue Steel Hand and complete his mission. However, it was discovered that Steel Hand himself was a descendant of Ulnar I, allowing the ritual to take place. The Dagger of Vashna was summoned by the Chaos-master, and although Grand Master was able to rescue Steel Hand, he was recaptured, and prepared to be sacrificed by Luthos Vorgada. However, Grand Master had given their Nyxator Mail to Steel Hand, and this armour proved to be more powerful than the Dagger of Vashna, protecting Steel Hand and giving him time to turn the tables of Vorgada, throwing him and the Dagger of Vashna into the Maakengorge.[7]
However, the Nengud-kor-Adez had taken on a lifeform of itself, and the Dagger of Vashna contained a small part of Vashna's soul. Although the Dagger of Vashna was unmade as a result, a part of Vashna fused itself with the Nengud-kor-Adez.[7] This proved to be enough to resurrect Vashna, now one with the the Nengud-kor-Adez.[8]
In MS 5103, during the events of The Dusk of Eternal Night, Vashna revealed himself to the forces of Good during the Battle of Ruanon Homelands,[9] after the battlefield was torn asunder by the power of the Nengud-kor-Adez, Vashna rising from its supernatural fire. Vashna attempted to kill Grey Star, and was almost successful despite the interventions of Grand Master and Blazer. However, Lone Wolf intervened and wounded him with the Sommerswerd, forcing Vashna to retreat. Before leaving, however, Vashna threatened to extend the Maakengorge further, swallowing up the Freelands, unless Lone Wolf fought him in Zekgazad.[8] Here, deep under the ground, the Sommerswerd was ineffective, making this a trap, but one that had to be faced, as the Kai had no way of stopping the Maakengorge from expanding.[10]
Lone Wolf and Steel Hand made a return to Zekgazad and faced off against Vashna. Lone Wolf had learnt how to master the Sommerswerd without the power of the Sun, using it to slay Vashna, but he had underestimated the bond between Vashna and the Nengud-kor-Adez: Every time Vashna was slain, he was reborn from the Nengud-kor-Adez, again and again. Lone Wolf was forced to flee, with Steel Hand's help, but not before Vashna was able to brand Lone Wolf's chest with a void of supernatural fire, where Vashna constantly taunted him.[11]
Agarash the Damned was also resurrected around the same time, meaning the forces of Good faced the prospect of the twin threats of Agarash and Vashna at the same time. Grand Master, however, received the blessing of the God Kai while facing the Vaag Prime infused with the spirit of Agarash, denying Agarash's first victory in destroying the New Order Kai on the Isle of Lorn. Lone Wolf then requested that Grand Master, now Kai Supreme Master, handled the threat of Agarash in Southern Magnamund, whilst Lone Wolf faced the threat of Vashna in Northern Magnamund.[12]
Combat Stats[]
Although the player never fights Darklord Vashna in the gamebooks, Darklord Vashna's combat stats are available:
- Combat skill: 58
- Endurance: 88
Darklord Vashna's Combat Skill and Endurance points are reduced by 20% if he is more than 400 miles from Helgedad.[13]
Notes[]
- Strangely, Vashna is shown attacking Lone Wolf on the American cover art of The Masters of Darkness.
References[]
- ↑ The Sacrifice of Ruanon, Legends of Lone Wolf
- ↑ The Chasm of Doom: §350
- ↑ The Storms of Chai: Timeline of Notable Events in Magnamund
- ↑ Dead in the Deep: §300
- ↑ Dead in the Deep: §175
- ↑ Dead in the Deep: §219
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Dead in the Deep: §350
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 The Dusk of Eternal Night: §175
- ↑ The Dusk of Eternal Night: §150
- ↑ The Dusk of Eternal Night: §10
- ↑ The Dusk of Eternal Night: §2
- ↑ The Dusk of Eternal Night: §350
- ↑ Lone Wolf Club Newsletter 6