Basrek

"Remember Basrek, if you fail me, your life will mirror the dreaming of mortals; broken and fleeting at best."

- Balphurus to Basrek during The Myseyn War.

Summary

Basrek was one of the Demon Lieutenants of the dark god Balphurus, and the primary antagonist during the events of Forgotten Light. He was a demon of Order, once the Realm Prince of Ophilak within the Burning Eternities. The realm has since collapsed into the Abyss after Basrek consumed the souls within to achieve greater power (the ability to infuse objects and beings with Abyssal energy), leading to the Three Demons Night within the Abyss, pitting the demon against 2 other rivals in a blood sport to ascend as the left hand of Balphurus. Basrek defeated the others, along with their hordes using the power gained by consuming a pocket realm; the secrets to gaining power in this manner have been lost to demon kind and it is generally believed that Basrek had already been granted the favor of Balphurus in order to pull off such a feat.

When the god Kantoram became trapped within the Abyss he encountered Basrek and convinced the demon to side with him to put an end to the Myseyn conflict. In return, Basrek was promised a place in the natural world, free from the chaos and struggles of the Abyss. Kantoram granted Basrek with a unique power to combat his opponents - one that could turn them to stone from a wave of energy. Basrek then stepped through the rift that Balphurus had torn between the Abyss and Saratta, becoming one of the major tide turners of the war. Upon the physical plane he confronted the Demon Lieutenant Namcholoran in a place known as Poleskien. Basrek was dwarfed in comparison to Namcholoran's presence but pulled ahead in the battle, slaying the greater demon and transforming his armies into a forest of stone.

Basrek returned to the Abyss to seek Kantoram who had already been freed. Balphurus confronted his Lieutenant, tricking him into believing that his deception had been part of the plan and that Kantoram had been banished to the depth of the Abyss. Basrek was allowed to search for the god while believing he still had the favor of Balphurus.

Basrek and the Rune Wars

Nearing the end of the Age of Runes (Rahsa) two powerful Runic Clans battled for dominance over their dwindling holdings in Thistol Narod; Clan Zaldoril and Clan Ralgosta. Rune wizards from Zaldoril had performed the calculations necessary for a large scale summoning to call several mighty beasts to assist them. Up to this point runic summoners had gathered only 8 wizards together to perform a summoning but in desperation the Zaldoril gathered 18 wizards together in an attempt to speed up the summoning process. As the runes twisted and drew the life energy from their bodies it rent a temporary gateway into the Abyss drawing Basrek onto Saratta once more.

Disoriented and furious at his summoners Basrek went on a rampage, decimating both forces in the process. Rune wizards weakened the demon under the force of their magics and Zaldoril Priest-Mages succeeded in creating and using a spell to bind the demon within the earth. The spell was recorded within the pages of the Kel'nad and is one of the first instances of Flux Magic being employed by the peoples of Saratta.

With Basrek bound, the Priest-Mages lifted the section of earth he was sealed within and took the earth prison with them when they fled Thistol Narod. It was their hope that they would manage to subdue the demon and force it to cooperate if the Ralgosta pursued them. Basrek did not oblige and was placed to rest for eternity in the North Western reaches of Naltrim.