Andraax

Andraax (Iruaric: "First Claw") is the adopted name of V'gliin, the Lord of Essaence who founded the Loremasters, as well as the Library of Nomikos in the Second Era of the Shadow World history. He is the son of Utha and first cousin (once removed) of the Empress Kadaena. He aided his father on the side of the rebellion in the First Era cataclysm, and helped guard the Eyes of Utha after Kadaena was vanquished. Andraax was the first holder of the title Daenku (Ir. "Elder Mind") of the Ahrenreth (Ir. "Secret Circle"), originally an order of essence lords who hunted down and destroyed their remaining evil brethren. It would later be revived by a former comrade of his named Ondoval who was corrupted by the Void, and the most recent holder of the title is a warped hybrid of extra-planar origins. This so-called "Jerak Ahrenreth" (Ir. "Cult of the Secret Circle") is the most powerful cabal in Shadow World, including figures such as Lorgalis, Dragonlords, and a former bodyguard of Kadaena.

When Andraax was the last surviving member of the Ahrenreth and the world seemed safe, he put himself into suspended animation in a sarcophagus near the Isle of Ormian for 80,000 years. He awoke to discover the world had mysteriously been repopulated with intelligent life, owing to the Lords of Orhan (Liabo) whom his people had not known existed, so he pretended to be Iylari and set about bringing back civilization for the mortal races. However, he was not the only essence lord who was reviving over time, and he had to slay some of them. One was the father of Lorgalis, who swore vengeance, becoming his nemesis for thousands of years. These servants of the Shadow were his focus as ultimately the greatest threat to the world in the Second Era.

Andraax was almost killed by the Dark God Scalu (Sheru) near the end of the Wars of Dominion, in the Battle of Meagris alongside one of the Titans of Emer, when Cay (Kai) suddenly rescued him while announcing the light gods had chosen to fight the forces of darkness. Andraax had encountered the dark god of nightmares before, and was terrified knowing he could not escape this time. However, he only lost his sanity a few years later when slaying another Lord of Essaence called the Master of Malice, vanishing beyond the Wall of Darkness where servants of the Shadow were trapped. Andraax is widely thought to be dead in the Shadow World history, with his false sarcophagus on the continent of Jaiman. In actuality he disguises himself, with only dubious memory and sanity.

Behind the Scenes

Cheridin Avenue in Wehnimer's Landing was originally named Andraax Avenue when the town was called Kelfour's Landing. Andraax was the only world famous individual whose likeness would be widely recognized in both the Second and Third Era. The bust in The Monastery from the Second Era is likely reflecting this fact, including his true name being almost forgotten. It appears alongside a painting of the Wars of Dominion, which was later modified to say Undead Wars. This devastation of the landscape from the wars was also illustrated in the nearby shrine of Iloura (Imaera).

[Monastery, Gallery]
A magnificent modwir armoire and long tapestry dominate this room, which is lined with various pieces of artwork.  Among other pieces of note are an exceptionally well-crafted shadowbox and an elegant oil painting.  Off in a corner of the room stand a stone bust and a bronze statue, each on their own marble pedestal.
Obvious exits: east, south

>look bust
You have seen the image of the man portrayed in this stone bust before, but you can't seem to place a name with the famous face.

Andraax was sometimes used as a pseudonym, or possibly even an author surrogate character, by Terry Amthor the principal writer of the Shadow World setting. The character somewhat pre-dates this role in the "Loremaster" source books, along with Kadaena and Utha, and was also thought to be one of the Ainur in the Middle Earth roleplaying system (M.E.R.P.) of Iron Crown Enterprises. In the later lore from "Powers of Light and Darkness" the identities of Daenku and V'glin are separated, such that both were Ahrenreth members but Andraax was just Daenku the only son of Utha. It is worth noting that Andraax has a famous "vision" of the future where The Unlife blacks out the sun, which may motivate the hidden theme in the Bandur Etrevion story of trans-temporal mentalism.