Ler Rhan

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Character Summary

Ler Rhan

Race:

Empyrean (Dericostian)

Eras Active:

Important Dates:

Date 1 - event
Date 2 - event

Related Characters:

There are only three Shadows known by name. Ler Rhan and Black Ferah are "generals" in the service of Bael'Zharon. They are extremely powerful entities that do not seem to fully exist in our world. Instead, they send aspects of themselves into Dereth.<ref>AC:DM CD Lore/Bestiary/Derethian Bestiary#Shadows</ref>

Empyrean Shadow War

During the occupation of the Dericost town of Daralet by Yalaini soldiers, Ler Rhan accompanied Ilservian Palacost when he was banned from the village. <ref name="A Brief History for Travelers">2000/11 - Should the Stars Fall/The Child of Daralet--Leafcull to Frostfell, PY 11 / (November to December, 2000)</ref>
Ler Rhan is described as "a once-corpulent scribe who spent much (some said too much) time spinning tales for the children of the town". <ref name="A Brief History for Travelers">2000/11 - Should the Stars Fall/The Child of Daralet--Leafcull to Frostfell, PY 11 / (November to December, 2000)</ref>
Ilservian Palacost's forces assault the Empire's holdings in the Haebrous continent, and, after laying waste to a large part of the continent, was captured by the Council of Five and imprisoned in the Soul Crystals.
Three of the companions of Ilservian Palacost, Isin Dule, Ferah and Ler Rhan survive the Empyrean Shadow War, two (Omadin and Elithra of Daralet) are slain.

You hear a childish voice say, "Long ago there were five, but now there are three. They will have their revenge."<ref name=ShadowChild>1999/11 Release - Shadow Child#Notes</ref>

The Fourth Sending of Darkness

Ilservian's surviving friends became corporeal once more and raised the Thorns, using them to alter the patterns of magic in the world. Ferah, by now called Black Ferah, and Ler Rhan attacked the Isparian population and kidnapped some of them for individual trials. <ref name="A Brief History for Travelers">2000/11 - Should the Stars Fall/The Child of Daralet--Leafcull to Frostfell, PY 11 / (November to December, 2000)</ref>
The Shadows launched their invasion during the Thorns of the Hopeslayer patch. Their armies poured into the Direlands under the leadership of general Black Ferah. After being defeated a few times, she moved her command post into one of the Shadow Spires where she was overwhelmed after a coordinated attack of the Isparians.<ref name=HistoryDerethV>2000/05 Heroes' Respite General History of Dereth Vol. V</ref>

The invasion of Ler Rhan's forces started in A'mun Desert. Unlike Ferah, he elected to directly establish his headquarters in the Spires. After he was slain there, he moved on to the plains in the Aluvian-settled regions of Dereth. Again, he was tracked and defeated. Once more he moved, into the Spire found in the Blackmire Swamp. Once more he fell.

The conquered Spires held keys to the Nexus Crystal, which was defended by an army of Undead and Shadows (See als Nexus Shadow Armor Quest). <ref name=HistoryDerethV>2000/05 Heroes' Respite General History of Dereth Vol. V</ref>

Until the To Raise a Banner of Flame, the Spires moved over the landscape, but their army and their generals remained unseen.<ref name=HistoryDerethVIII>2000/08 Taste of Twilight - General History of Dereth Vol. VIII</ref>
The Spires of Ferah and Ler Rhan's Spires attacked Cragstone and Arwic.<ref name="A Brief History for Travelers">2000/11 - Should the Stars Fall/The Child of Daralet--Leafcull to Frostfell, PY 11 / (November to December, 2000)</ref>
Ler Rhan's forces invested Anadil's garrison at the Fenmalain Vestibule, but the battle ends indecisive, partly due because Isin Dule withheld his forces.<ref>2000/09 Twilight's Gleaming - Shadow Dispatch</ref> Before any action could be taken by the divided Shadows, the Isparians interfered again and destroyed all three of the Vault Crystals.<ref name="A Brief History for Travelers">2000/11 - Should the Stars Fall/The Child of Daralet--Leafcull to Frostfell, PY 11 / (November to December, 2000)</ref>
After five of the Soul Crystals were destroyed, only the Shard of the Herald kept Bael'Zharon imprisoned. On most worlds, also this last Crystal was destroyed relatively quickly. Only on the world of Thistledown, a strong defense was organized.<ref name=PY1112LttP>2000/12 The Child of Daralet - Announcements - 2000/12 - The Child of Daralet#Letter to the Players</ref>

To overcome this, Ferah and Ler Rhan assumed human form once more and contacted the Isparians they abducted and tested before. Together with one of them, Vidorian, they swept into the dungeon, drove the defenders back and shattered the Shard of the Herald. With a shriek that could be heard across worlds, Ilservian Palacost was freed. <ref name="A Brief History for Travelers">2000/11 - Should the Stars Fall/The Child of Daralet--Leafcull to Frostfell, PY 11 / (November to December, 2000)</ref><ref name=PY1112LttP>2000/12 The Child of Daralet - Announcements - 2000/12 - The Child of Daralet#Letter to the Players</ref>

The Shadows of Ler Rhan disturb the parlay of the forces of the Empyreans, the Virindi and the Shadow faction of Isin Dule, and the Senechal of Chalicmere, Lord Amarand perishes.<ref>2001/04 A Reign of Stone - Scrawled Note (Aerbax Laboratory)</ref><ref>2007/10 Masked Memories - Delving into Claude's Mind#Lore & Dialog</ref>
Ilservian Palacost is finally weakened and his physical form destroyed, however, Ferah and Ler Rhan] are not. Isin Dule retreats to "somewhere in the lonely wastes".<ref name="A Brief History for Travelers">2000/11 - Should the Stars Fall/The Child of Daralet--Leafcull to Frostfell, PY 11 / (November to December, 2000)</ref>

After the Fourth Sending

After the second time the Hopeslayer is defeated, the Shadows retreat<ref>2006/05 - The Price of Loyalty - Isin Dule's Orders</ref>
The first mention hereafter of Ler Rhan is during the Mirror, Mirror event. The island of Caul undergoes a radical change due to experiments of Aerbax in cooperation with Ler Rhan, also referred to as "The Mirror".The island now shows an additional strong Shadow influence. <ref name=CaulOverhaul>2004/01 - Mirror, Mirror - Announcements - 2004/01 - Mirror, Mirror#Teaser</ref>
During the The War of Blood and Shadow Story Arc, the Shadow Leaders become active again. The three generals, Ler Rhan and Black Ferah on one side, Isin Dule on the other, concentrate their activities on Caul, where Isin Dule keeps a close eye on the whereabouts of the other two <ref name=IsinOrders>2006/05 - The Price of Loyalty - Isin Dule's Orders</ref><ref>2006/01 Reprisals - Instructions (Shriveled Lump)</ref><ref>2006/02 A Change in Tactics - Instructions (Shadowfire Stone)</ref>
Ler Rhan's experiments together with Aerbax result in the creation of a Prodigal Shadow Child by the name of Kirienne Palacost.<ref name =PulsatingLump>2007/09 Dark Materials - Translation of the Pulsating Bony Lump</ref><ref name=Scrap>2007/09 Dark Materials - Description of Scrap of Shadow Essence</ref>One of his aspects defends the Child, together with an aspect of Black Ferah.<ref>2007/09 Dark Materials - Aerbax's Prodigal Shadow</ref>

The Tou-Tou Shadow Invasion

During the Hidden In Shadows patch, a Shadow Spire appeared near the town of Tou-Tou.<ref>2011/03 Hidden In Shadows - Teaser</ref><ref>2011/03 Hidden In Shadows - Shadow Communication#Lore & Dialog</ref> This was the starting point of a new wave of Shadow activity, led by Ler Rhan and Black Ferah, both now in their true forms, and not as aspects.<ref>2011/04 Dark Deliveries - Teaser</ref><ref>2011/06 Stirrings in the Dark - Teaser</ref> Though it seems their goal is to bring back Bael'Zharon to the surface, this was merely a test of theories.<ref>2011/06 Stirrings in the Dark - Fate of Bael'Zharon#Lore & Dialog</ref>. In fact, they are collecting information on the ley lines around Tou-Tou in the hope of bringing the Hopeslayer on for a prolonged time, to defeat Isin Dule and to spread the corruption all over Dereth.<ref>2011/07 Shifting Shadows - Ulgrim Rumors</ref><ref>2011/07 Shifting Shadows - Teaser</ref> The Shadows started the attack Tou-Tou and many of the townsfolk decide to evacuate.<ref>2011/08 A Rising Darkness - Teaser</ref><ref>2011/08 A Rising Darkness - Shadow Assault#Lore & Dialog</ref> The siege of Tou-Tou succeeded and the town, and the inhabitants that stayed behind, was corrupted and pulled toward the shadow<ref>2011/09 Loss - Announcements - 2011/09 - Loss#Teaser</ref>. The remaining townspeople were turned into shadows, be it weak and unwilling.<ref>[2011/09 Loss - Tou-Tou Blockade</ref><ref>2011/09 Loss - Jeweler Lo Dai-Ou (Creature)#Notes</ref> The event culminated in the reappearance of the Hope-Slayer, and its subsequent defeat by the combined forces of Asheron, Isin Dule, the golem Deewain and even Ulgrim left his favorite drinking spot to give a wack or two with his sword. The forces of Ler Rhan and Black Ferah retreated, though the town of Tou-Tou remains devastated and occupied by the shadow forces and their leaders will keep trying to collect crystals to keep trying to summon the Hopeslayer.<ref>2011/10 Cloak of Darkness - Announcements - 2011/10 - Cloak of Darkness#Teaser</ref><ref>2011/10 Cloak of Darkness - Stop the Rebuilding#Lore & Dialog</ref>

Related Pages

Appearances In Game

Ler Rhan (NPC) - Shadow Communication Quest

Ler Rhan himself used to not appear as such ingame. Instead, he sent aspects of himself into the world. Destroying these aspects does not destroy Ler Rhan himself.<ref>2000/04 Thorns of the Hopeslayer - Nexus Shadow Armor Quest#Lore & Dialog</ref> <ref>2007/09 Dark Materials - A Shadow of Ler Rhan#Notes</ref>

Ler Rhan Shadow aspects appear in various quests and he was one of two leaders (along with the A Shadow of Black Ferah) that led the Shadow invasions during the Thorns of the Hopeslayer event.<ref>2000/04 Thorns of the Hopeslayer - Thorns of the Hopeslayer Maggies Site- Thorns of the Hopeslayer</ref>