Aerbax

Also referred to as "The Progenitor" or simply "Master" by its minions.

Aerbax has been a character in Asheron's Call since The Rise of the New Singularity, the 2nd story arc. It started out as one of the rogue Virindi that had gained individuality.

Early Experimentations
In its earlier days Aerbax was responsible for the Virindi augmentation of many creatures and the creation of new servant beings. Most notable of its creations were the Dolls and Marionettes and the experiments on the Tumerok, resulting in the Hea Tumerok.

After splitting from the Directive and gradually began to realizing its own independence, it was one of the more important members of the New Directive, and responsible for many experiments on Derethian creatures.

When again part of the Directive, Aerbax also created Oolutanga , the augmented Tusker, and Martine. Both experiments escaped and became major characters in Dereth. He might also be responsible for the alteration of Harker, one of the first Simulacrum experiments. From later notes it is derived that Aerbax experimented with the concept of "Worship", using Idols, when trying to gain control of the Mosswarts. When it came to defeating the Harbinger, Nuhmudira and Aerbax each went their own path. To reach the Harbinger, one can chose helping Aerbax by handing an item to its represenative, the Virindi Vincadi.

Experiments on Caul
When the New Singularity was defeated Aerbax found a way to rejoin the Quiddity without losing its individuality. In this role, it was responsible for the shaping of Caul,though it was still secretly persecuting its own goals, amongst it the defeat of the "Light Child", i.e. Asheron. It managed to develop an observation system on the Island. At some point, Aerbax discovered an “Energy Source”, under which influence it became more and more aware of its individuality and its own goals, separate from the Directive. It used this source to augment creatures and Virindi to new strengths, such as the Virindi Profatrix and the Virindi Paradoxes. Some were less successful than other, like its experiments on Mosswarts (referred to as "croakers"). . Its experimentations on Shadows however, were more promising. It also experimented with Mattekars, with partial success. The description of the result resembles a being later introduced as the Gurog. Most of these experiments were put in "stasis" for further study.

One of the first signs of Aerbax mingling with Dark or Shadow Energies came to the fore when Nuhmudira sent Isparians to Aerbax's Holding to obtain the Bracelet of Dark Essence. The dungeon is filled with Shadows and Shadowy Statues of the Hopeslayer. It becomes apparent that Aerbax is at odds with the Directive.

Aerbax had a companion at the Energy Source which it called its Mirror. It was later revealed that Aerbax's Mirror was Ler Rhan, and the Energy Source was a Kemeroi, one of the great evil beings hidden deep within the world, which further twisted it towards Shadow and destruction. Together, they were responsible for taking over Caul Island from the Directive and the once Virindi dominated island now shows a strong Shadow influence. Not only did the island physically change (ridges becoming higher and more pronounced, and the plateau in the middle changed into a crater, Caulcano), but also the flora, and for all, the fauna.

For some time Aerbax and Ler Rhan were rather inactive, with their only major activities on Dereth being the creation of the creatures which now populate the Valley of Death, such as the shadow-touched Virindi and the alteration of the once Virindi stronghold of the Singularity Caul into a place twisted by Shadow.

Aerbax used three Power Forges to "harness the power of the Inner Eye". Another power source it was looking into was the [[Dark Monolith.

It also tried to compromise the different Houses of the Tanada, with partial success.

Prodigal Children (Favored Sons Story Arc)
After the defeat of Grael, Aerbax returned to the story, featured as the major villain in the Favored Sons story arc. Aerbax hatched a plot to dominate the creatures of Auberean by crafting prodigal versions of several selected different races. To obtain this goal, it planned to use its new knowledge to create "Prodigal" creatures, which would serve as leaders for these selected races. One of the results of the experiments is that Aerbax is linked to and "feels" his "Children, especially the Paradox-touched Olthoi Queen, Bonecrunch the prodigal Drudge, Harraag the prodigal Banderling and Bragara, the prodigal Mosswart, thereby creating a new Quiddity, one very similar to the Quiddity of the Virindi that Aerbax had separated himself from. This Quiddity is an amalgamation of the memories and powers of all the beings that are linked to it. It is a shared consciousness, the perfect apotheosis of all the spirit-walking, mind-sharing rituals that the Tumerok tapped into so primitively and incompletely. And Aerbax's Quiddity is made entirely of beings created and more or less controlled by Aerbax's own will.

The first noticeable activity was the creation of the simulacrum Tusker Mudmouth, who was sent to Oolutanga as an adviser, but who was in truth slowly poisoning and weakening the Tusker King. Mudmouth fled, and was later discovered in a cave, together with Dark Bobo.

One of its experiments was on a young Olthoi Queen, captured by the Tanada. The results of its experiments are the Paradox Olthoi and the Paradox-touched Olthoi Queen. As was expected, the altered Queen destroyed the Tanada, and This was one of the experiments Aerbax regarded as a success.

To obtain subjects for its experiments, sentient beings were kidnapped throughout Dereth. This included a Hea Tumerok, a Banderling, a Drudge, an Isparian and Claude the Archmage.

Another of its actions was the establishment of an imposter of Lord Kresovus in Linvak Tukal and the alteration of Lugians into Shadow Lugians and therefore, indirectly, the kidnapping of Balor. The Shadow Kresovus, the Prodigal Lugian, was discovered and the real Lord Kresovus was rescued from the tunnels below the fortress city of Linvak Tukal. Balor's pelt was found below the city, but the fate of the beast was still a mystery.

The experimentation on Drudges resulted in a significant higher intelligence and planning capabilities, such as their occupation of the town of Cragstone and the creation of the Drudge Fort, the base of the Prodigal Drudge, Bonecrunch. The drudges were also holding Monougas captive to be used in Aerbax'experiments, These experiments were not meant to create a leader of the altered creatures, but a champion destroyer of its forces.

Another result was the creation of Harraag, the Prodigal Banderling. Though it seemed the altered Banderling adapted well, the Banderling themselves were highly resistant to following any being perceived as different from or from outside their species, and this included Harraag. The Banderlings gathered large numbers to drive it off, and Harraag retreated to a physical cave, and, surprisingly, "ripped a hole into Portalspace*" in which to escape. Because of its unanticipated abilities, Aerbax did not perceive this experiment as a total failure, but decided to leave Harraag for now.

Also the Mosswarts showed an increased degree of organization and besieged the town of Kryst, directed by Bragara, the Chosen One, the Prodigal Mosswart, who was supposed to inspire a kind of "worship" amongst his kin. The experiment was considered a partial success, since while Bragara, the Chosen One was able to unify a force of Mosswarts, they were fraught with dissension in the ranks, they were inclined to believe a range of things, which sometimes made sense and sometimes didn't. They were inclined to be confused, and would not have worked as a stable organized force to conquer the neighboring human town.

After a relatively quiet period, the Prodigal Harbinger was discovered underneath the town of Old Yanshi. . Ler Rhan's experiments instigated by Aerbax resulted in the creation of a Prodigal Shadow Child by the name of Kirienne Palacost.

Claude the Archmage, the Virindi who was abducted from Ayan, returned to his shop. He had been twisted by Aerbax into his Prodigal Virindi, but Claude acted as if he had never been taken and altered at all. Leopold, the other Virindi of Ayan, was concerned by his companion's change, and sent adventurers on a quest that would take them into the very mind of Claude.

An experiment to alter a Hea Tumerok further did not have the desired result, since the altered Tumerok kept a mind of his own and had no desire to meet, let alone unite or enslave, his brethren. Nor did he care to wage any kind of war, by arms, sorcery, or guile, against humankind.

Another of its actions was the alteration of Lugians into Shadow Lugians and therefore, indirectly, the kidnapping of Balor.

Based upon its experience with Martine, Aerbax had high hopes for the alteration of the Human, and thought this one to be the most promising of his Children. The experiments on the kidnapped human, Dojiro Sangi, performed by Demerax the Sculptor in the Hidden Laboratory, could not be finished before being interrupted, and the subject itself was resisting and kept a will of his own.

Aerbax summoned his Children (amongst them Bonecrunch, the Paradox-touched Olthoi Queen and Dark Bobo)to the desert near Yaraq, where during a Live Event the Isparians fought a long and hard battle. Aerbax goal was not so much to defeat the Isparians, but it was supposed to be a test of the creatures' power.

Quiddity Seeds
After being defeated by the Isparians and the failure of his prodigal experiments, Aerbax tried to erase the memories of important events from the mind of the Isparians in an attempt to break their spirits and make them more easily controlled, such as the memory of the defeat of the Olthoi Queen , of the triumph against Bael'Zharon  , and of Asheron saving the Empyreans from the Olthoi. It was finally defeated at its Citadel in the center of the Obsidian Plains during a one-time event. though his Shadow remains.

Aftermath
Aerbax's shadow has now been sundered, but Aerbax still exists and may one day again attempt to guide the course of history from afar.

Isin Dule studied the work of Aerbax and learned of the misguided plans it had. There, in the work left behind, he discovered the means to redemption – a means to channel the maddening sway of chaos elsewhere. This way, the Shadows were able to join the Isparians.

Appearances In Game

 * Aerbax (Creature)
 * Aerbax's Shadow

Lore Articles

 * Virindi Lore
 * New Directive
 * Aerbax's Quiddity

Characters

 * Candeth Martine - Relationship (optional).

Quests

 * Aerbax's Citadel
 * Monouga Laboratory
 * Aerbax's Prodigal Banderling
 * Aerbax's Prodigal Drudge
 * Aerbax's Prodigal Harbinger
 * Aerbax's Prodigal Human
 * Aerbax's Prodigal Lugian
 * Aerbax's Prodigal Mosswart
 * Aerbax's Prodigal Olthoi
 * Aerbax's Prodigal Shadow
 * Aerbax's Prodigal Tumerok
 * Aerbax's Prodigal Tusker
 * Black Death Catacombs Quiddity Seed Quest
 * Ithaenc Quiddity Seed Quest
 * Knorr Quiddity Seed Quest
 * Dark Monolith Quest
 * Harbinger Quest
 * Power Forges
 * Singularity Recall

NPCs

 * Oolutanga - Escaped result of early augmentation experiments
 * Dojiro Sangi - Aerbax' Prodigal Isparian
 * Vincadi - representative for Aerbax' path to the Harbinger

Creature Classes and subclasses

 * Dolls
 * Marionettes
 * Paradox Olthoi

Prodigal Children

 * Bragara, the Chosen One - Aerbax Prodigal Mosswart
 * Bonecrunch - Aerbax' Prodigal Drudge
 * Giant Imprisoned Monouga, Huge Imprisoned Monouga, Large Imprisoned Monouga - Aerbax Prodigal Monouga
 * Harbinger (Prodigal) - Aerbax' Prodigal Harbinger
 * Harraag - Aerbax' Prodigal Banderling
 * Kirienne Palacost - Aerbax (& Ler Rhan) Prodigal Shadow Child
 * Mudmouth and Dark Bobo - Aerbax' Prodigal Tusker
 * Paradox-touched Olthoi Queen
 * Shadow Kresovus - Aerbax Prodigal Lugian

Miscellaneous

 * Aerbax's Apprentice - replaced Aerbax in Aerbax Laboratory (Haven)
 * Martine

Locations

 * Aerbax's Antechamber
 * Aerbax's Citadel (POI)
 * Aerbax's Holding
 * Aerbax Laboratory (Main)
 * Singularity Caul
 * Valley of Death