Razoul Sand

Razoul bin Jamila
File:Razoul160.gif
Profile
Status:	Alive
Age:	26
Race:	Human
Gender:	Male
Class:	Warrior
Nation:	Libaterra
Faction:	Black Guard Dresdens Grand Alliance Sultanate of Karaganda
Era:	Third Age

"You're a monster!"

"I am what I am. Someone has to be."

—Khalid al-Saif and Razoul

Captain Razoul bin Jamila (lit. Razoul, son of Jamila), also known as Razoul the Merciless, is the son of Ismail and Jamila and acts as the current commanding officer of the Black Guard. He served Sultana Adela al-Saif until the Battle of Vanna when Khalid al-Saif took the throne. Razoul accompanied Khalid and the Grand Alliance after the Northern Horde drove the Sarquil away from the desert. While in Alent, he began a relationship with Rain, a travelling warrior who has taught him to see the world in less harsh terms.

Biography

Early Years

Training in Vanna

Razoul was born as the son of Ismail the Strong and Jamila the Vicious in the city of Vanna. According to a custom the next captain of the Black Guard would be the son of the current captain, so Razoul would eventually take his father Ismail's place. Ismail began teaching Razoul at a surprisingly early age of three (usually the Sarquil begin training at the age of seven), and Razoul showed surprising skill.

Ismail rarely showed love to Razoul, though, because he wanted his son to grow independent; it was a way of preparing Razoul for taking the mantle of the captain of the guard. However, Razoul thought it was a sign that he had not been good enough, so he kept training even more furiously just to earn affection from his father that he never really got.

Some years later Razia al-Saif, the Sultana of Vanna, had a son, Khalid. Ismail spent some of his time looking after the young Khalid, and he made Razoul learn combat in the care of other senior officers in the Black Guard. Razoul was not happy about this and thought that Khalid meant more for Ismail than he did. This jealousy resulted in hatred, and Razoul began beating Khalid up when he was eventually tasked to train the young prince. However, this inadvertently made Khalid learn necessary survival and combat skills as he had to learn to outwit the stronger Razoul.

Matters remained thus for many years. The Yamatians invaded Libaterra but had to leave the Tronin Desert and the Sarquil alone, because the Sarquil proved more than capable of slaying hundreds of Yamatian soldiers. The Grand Alliance began its campaign some time later, but the Sarquil only cared about what happened in the desert and thus remained neutral and ignored world politics.

Captain of the Guard

However, by the time when Razoul turned 16, things changed. Sultana Razia was killed in a duel by her twin sister Adela al-Saif who became the new Sultana, and Adela made Iblis al-Djinn, a blond foreigner who had aided her in the coup, the Grand Vizier of Vanna. Khalid and a court mage named Awar were sent into exile, but Razoul was shocked when he heard that his father Ismail would also suffer the same fate because he had been a loyal servant of Razia.

Ismail explained to Razoul that he had to take care of Khalid and that he would eventually return with help from his old friend Belial de Ardyn. He appointed Razoul as the next captain of the Black Guard and left before Razoul could properly say goodbye. This infuriated Razoul who thought that Ismail had only followed Khalid because he loved him more than Razoul, and Adela only fueled this rage as it served her interests. He promised to make his father pay for such treachery and that he would wait for his eventual return.

The young captain led a bloody campaign throughout the desert under orders from Adela and slaughtered many brave warriors and even helpless children of the rebellious Sarquil tribes in his quest to unite the bickering tribes at long last. These cold-blooded deeds eventually gained him the nickname Razoul the Merciless.

He was successful in defending Vanna against an early demon scouting party, which brought him fame, and he also dealt harshly with any of the Sirithai lizardmen who were by then threatening any Sarquil caravans in the desert.

Eventually the Sarquil tribes were united under the banner of Vanna, and this loose alliance became known as the Sultanate of Karaganda, named after Karaganda, the Black Stone of Vanna, which had a prominent place in various Sarquil myths.

Godslayer Era

Echoes of War

Razoul observed the Alentian councillor Harrad U'niviel's meeting with Adela, but the two men did not exchange a word. Razoul was glad when Harrad, whose magic he feared, left Vanna after the brief argument with Adela was over. Despite his fear, he had been prepared to strike the old mage down if he had dared to lay a finger on the Sultana, but he luckily didn't have to act thanks to Harrad's polite demeanour.

Tears of the Sun

"If that brat Khalid wants a war, he'll have more than he bargained for. I'll kill him until he dies from it!"

—Razoul to Adela al-Saif

Razoul learned from The Three, who were acting under orders from the Crimson Coalition, of the impending arrival of Khalid al-Saif after all these years and wasn't happy about the news. He asked the Three to prove their loyalty by observing Khalid and the Grand Alliance and report their actions directly to Razoul. The Three complied and left to carry out the captain's orders.

When Razoul heard that Iblis and Adela were planning to use Hannibal Losstarot, the blond captive boy whom Totenkopfs had brought to Vanna, as a means to make Khalid back down, he suggested that they shouldn't play Khalid's game and should instead just finish him off. Adela overruled Razoul's suggestion in Iblis's favour, which made the captain none too pleased.

When Khalid entered the court with his companions and challenged Adela, the court was ready and presented Hannibal as Adela's supposed son which, under the Law of Tronin, prevented Khalid from outright challenging Adela as per ancient Sarquil customs. Razoul openly threatened Khalid who acted disrespectfully towards the Sultana, and was downright angry at Ismail who showed up to defend Khalid.

It was then that Artemicia intervened, stunning many Alliance members and even Razoul when she trapped both Khalid and Xerathas d'Zarnagon in a giant hourglass and ordered Khalid's companion Axikasha Keiran to bring back the head of the Sirithai leader Qadohi in one week or the two men in the hourglass would drown in sand.

The Three meanwhile acted on their own while still helping Razoul. They poisoned a well in the slave district and blamed the poisoning on the Alliance. They even murdered Andros and Brutus, one of the Alliance's associates, and framed his death while also guiding the Black Guard to arrest Brutus's master Jonathan Ferron. Razoul immediately stated that Brutus and Andros had killed each other and Brutus had been responsible for the poisonings so that he could blame the Alliance on the deed. Some people, such as Azriel al-Zarar, suspected that Razoul wasn't telling the whole truth, however.

The Winds of Wrath

"What are you waiting for? Kill me! You always favoured Khalid over me, anyway!"

"I'm not going to kill my only son. You're my flesh and blood, Razoul, and no matter how close Khalid is to me, he can never replace the bond between the two of us. You've been loyal to your masters, but it's time you realized that the Sultana has used you and poisoned your mind."

—Razoul and Ismail

When news of a slave riot spread, Razoul immediately suspected someone was guiding it from behind the scenes although he wasn't sure who it was. He took what men he could to put an end to the riot one way or another. He also worried about the disappearance of his right-hand man, Sergeant Obama, whom he hadn't seen in a few days. It was highly unusual for someone like Obama to disappear without at least leaving a word behind, and Razoul suspected his disappearance might also have to do with recent events in Vanna and the desert although he wasn't sure what the connection might be.

Eventually Ax returned with the Sirithai leader Qadohi and with her companions. However, she then stated that she had no intention of handing the Sirithai over and had instead come to insist on Khalid's freedom. Artemicia intervened once again but was driven away by another god, Hephaestus, who freed Khalid and Xerathas while letting the mortals deal with the conflict without divine assistance.

Iblis goaded Adela and the Totenkopfs into attacking, and an all-out battle began in the throne room. While Iblis fled up the tower to prepare a ritual which in his words would put an end to the Alliance, Adela faced Khalid and Razoul faced Ismail in brutal duels. Although Razoul was skilled in swordplay, his father turned out to be even better and bested him.

The beaten Razoul inquired why his father didn't kill him now that he had the chance, but Ismail simply stated that he could never kill his own son who mattered to him more than Khalid. Ismail also explained that Adela must've poisoned Razoul's mind and that she was the true enemy of both of them. Razoul was surprised and shaken by Ismail's words, and he and his men stood down once Khalid had beaten Adela. Both Razoul and Adela were taken to the dungeons beneath the citadel while the Alliance battled the Totenkopfs and Iblis.

While imprisoned, Razoul eventually learned that Iblis had in fact been playing both the sultanate and the Alliance: the Grand Vizier had in fact been a demon in disguise who had been plotting to weaken Vanna from within so that his masters from one of the demon hordes could invade the Sarquil capital with ease. Thanks to Iblis's schemes and the Alliance's meddling, the Black Stone existed no more, and a magical ward around Vanna had fallen. Razoul was angered by Iblis's betrayal and how he'd been blind to the Grand Vizier's true nature. He hoped there would be no battle against demons while Vanna would still be recovering from the recent battle.

One night something unexpected happened. One of the Alliance members, Briss Phoenixheart broke Adela out of prison. Razoul worried that Adela would come to harm, but the Sultana explained that she would be fine and escape. She also said words which would resurface in Razoul's mind for the months to come: "Stay loyal and when I return, you will be rewarded."

Sowing Season

"I know now that I wasn't as good a father as I should've been. I should've made it clear to you from the start that I saw both you and Khalid as my sons but I was too clouded by my duty to see your sorrow until it was too late. You don't have to forgive me for what I did in the past, Razoul. All I ask is that you give Khalid a second chance."

"You don't have to say anything, father. I said that I'll protect this city, and I mean it. I don't know if I can ever see Khalid as my Sultan, but I shall try. Just get back here once you've beaten the shit out of that demon bastard, and we can talk more."

—Ismail and Razoul

Ismail, now having reclaimed his title as Captain of the Black Guard, released Razoul from prison when the Northern Horde besieged Vanna because Razoul's experience in fighting with demons was invaluable.

As soon as Razoul heard what was going on and how severe the situation was, he agreed to help the Grand Alliance defend Vanna. Razoul reasoned that his love for his homeland was greater than his hatred for Khalid, who had been crowned as the new Sultan of Vanna, and that they all had to work together to repel this greater threat to the sultanate. He also reminded the Alliance that demons should not be trusted and that the Alliance had to be prepared for treachery once the battle began. He found it curious that Khalid had apparently married Ax and made her Sultana, but he suspected it was all part of Khalid's bid for power because he needed a woman by his side to be allowed to rule the Sarquil tribes as a man.

Ismail went to face Dreadlord Leraje Thanadar to buy some time for a group of heroes to rescue the Sarquil prisoners from the demons' camp. He also told Razoul how proud he was of him and that he was sorry that he had treated Razoul so unfairly in Razoul's childhood. He also said that if anything should happen to him, Razoul would inherit his title as the captain of the guard. This caught Razoul by surprise: he had expected Ismail to remain stern and this sudden emotional tone felt strange to him.

Razoul could hardly believe his eyes when Dreadlord Leraje slew Ismail after a brutal duel. However, he managed to keep himself calm even though he saw his father being butchered in front of him. He realized that Ismail had perhaps foreseen his demise and had thus wanted to leave Razoul on good terms. Razoul also calmed Khalid down and reminded him that Ismail's sacrifice would be in vain if Khalid got himself killed. They would have to get ready for the siege and defend the city with all they got: the future of the sultanate and Libaterra as a whole depended on it.

Razoul took his father's bloodstained Ebony Helmet and put it on. He had become the captain of the Black Guard once more. He was busy readying the troops and keeping their morale up, however, because demons used horrible tactics and sent many severed heads of their captives flying into the city with help from their infernal catapults. The Sarquil defenders endured this demoralizing attack and prepared for the horde's next assault.

Devourer's Reach

"We, the Black Guard, exist for only one purpose: to protect our homeland and our proud tribes. No matter what's in our way, we won't stop. No matter what comes through the gate, we'll kick its ass back to the fiery pits it came from. Know this, brave warriors of Vanna: we're not alone in this fight! The spirits of our dead shall stand with us and guide our blades into the hearts of our enemies. Today every generation of the Sarquil will rise up to defend our homeland, and our joined blades shall pierce the heavens!"

—Razoul to the defenders of Vanna

Despite help from the Sirithai, the Akai Tora who came to aid the defenders, and Azriel who unleashed a sand elemental on the horde, it still wasn't quite enough to stop the horde's advance although these actions did stall them. It became apparent that the defenders couldn't hold off the entire horde for long and that they'd have to think of another strategy to defeat or at least drive back the mighty foe.

It was thanks to the suggestion from Ronove Thanadar, a goofy follower of the Alliance, that the Alliance came up with the idea to try to defeat the horde's current Dreadlord Leraje by with help from the Alliance's half-demon comrade Refan d'Zarnagon and then use Refan's demonic bloodline as a means to seize control of the horde and make the attack stop. It was a risky, even foolhardy plan, but everyone in the war council understood that the horde's leadership had to be stopped anyway if the Alliance and the sultanate's combined forces could stand a chance against the horde.

By the time demons were about to breach Vanna's main gate, Razoul symbolically discarded his Ebony Helmet as he wanted to be seen as the Black Guards' equal, not their commander. He held a rousing speech to the defenders just as demons crashed through the gate, and the furious berserkers entered the fray not only to satisfy their bloodlust but also to protect their loved ones--and entire Libaterra--from demon jaws.

Although the initial charge was successful and they managed to kill powerful demons, the defenders found themselves in a predicament when they faced Dreadlord Leraje in combat. At first they thought they could beat the Dreadlord with their sheer numbers, but the greater demon proved to be more powerful and more cunning than they had anticipated and slaughtered anyone who stood in his way. When Razoul tried to cut Leraje down, the demon countered the move by brutally beating Razoul and preparing for a finishing blow which would've hit its mark if Refan hadn't shown up to stop the blade just in time.

When Razoul woke up, he met with a dismal sight: Vanna which would fall under the horde's power. It turned out that Leraje had been defeated but not by Refan but by Ronove who had regained his memories of being a powerful demon lord. Ronove had assumed leadership of the horde in Refan's stead but had also, to everyone's surprise, decided to betray the Alliance by taking over Vanna anyway. In an interesting act of mercy which most Sarquil saw as cruel mockery, the new Dreadlord allowed the survivors to flee from Vanna while the Northern Horde would turn the battered city into its new base of operations for its Libaterran campaign. In another twist Refan, the Alliance's once loyal supporter, had suddenly chosen to side with the demons after the battle had been lost.

Razoul considered Refan and Ronove's actions as treasonous, as did most other Alliance members. He swore in his mind that if he ever crossed paths with either of them, he would cut them down. He also swore to find a way to restore Vanna to its former glory. However, he was unsure what to think of Khalid whose claim to the throne was on shaky ground at best because he wasn't female as Vanna's rulers had traditionally been. The captain decided to stay loyal to the Sultan for the time being, however, but he did sympathize with the Sheikhs of the Council of Elders who saw that Khalid's ascension to the throne might've caused all this calamity and brought a curse upon the Sarquil tribes.

After a ceremonial burning of the Tomb of Tronin and the scrolls of lore the refugees couldn't take with them, the survivors had a bleak wake for the memory of those who had fallen in defense of their homeland. The Sarquil swore to reclaim their homeland one day and make the demons pay for their actions. The Sirithai decided to stay behind in the desert to hamper the demons' activities in any way possible, but Qadohi sent the powerful Sirithai warrior Xolkai with the rest of the refugees to act as the Sirithai emissary abroad.

The following morning the large group of survivors left Vanna and headed for the only safe city in the northern heartlans: Alent.

The Point of No Return

"There's no hope in these dark times. Never has been, never will, if you ask me. What matters the most is your strength of will. Listen to your heart, and trust your instincts. That's the first rule of the warrior."

"You make it sound so easy. But how will I know when my heart is telling me something important? What if I have conflicting feelings, and don't know what to choose?"

"I never said it was easy. I never said listening to your heart provides the best or even clearest results; it's hardest to get to know oneself, after all. However, by doing that you'll be true to yourself and no one else. That's what is important in the end."

—Razoul and Rain

More info later.

Fool's Errand

More info later.

Defiler's Touch

"How do I know you're telling the truth and not weaving a convincing lie?"

"Do you want to stand by that statement? I've seen men die from lesser insults. When the captain of the Black Guard speaks, he speaks the truth. Implying anything else is a direct challenge. So choose carefully what you'll say next."

—Schtolteheim Reinbach III and Razoul

More info later.

Day of the Damned

"You must choose eventually; a loyal dog can't have two masters for long."

—Adela al-Saif to Razoul

Razoul suffered from more and more intense nightmares after he'd returned to Alent. Some of the contents of his dreams showed a naked Adela welcoming him to her bed, a long-buried desire which surfaced from the depths of the captain's mind. He had denied her before because he'd deemed himself unworthy of her, and his hesitation applied even more so now that he had found Rain. Still, the former Sultana's words haunted him, and he knew she was right about his desire for her but also about the fact that he now had two masters--Adela and Khalid--and that he'd have to eventually choose between them no matter how hard the choice might end up becoming. This choice also reminded him of the Prophecy of Harbringers which he had heard during the adventure in Illunii, and he wondered what role he'd actually end up playing in it.

The captain and Rain went for a walk outside despite the harsh water because he needed to clear his thoughts. They met with the travelling performers of the Midnight Circus and talked briefly with two people from the troupe called Tarna and Troy whom they directed to the inn district.

While on a walk, Razoul and Rain decided to have a romantic moment in an alley when they were interrupted by a clash they accidentally ended up in the middle of: a group of dwarven assassins had targeted the Order of the Black Rose's operative Danielle Deveraux and also decided to target Razoul who they also saw as a useful asset for some reason. The thieves Samuel and Malik showed up on the scene, and so did Antigonus, and they all helped Rain, Razoul and Deveraux fight off the brutish dwarves. However, in the end Deveraux lost her life but not before she handed a letter to Antigonus and asked him to deliver it to Khalid.

Razoul was none too pleased that his romantic evening had been interrupted and he now had to keep an eye on Antigonus, but Rain convinced him to follow along. Samuel and Malik also mentioned to Razoul that there was trouble brewing in the underworld and that the Union would be willing to keep all the Dresdens safe although Razoul should spread word to the other members just in case.

Although the Union's offer of a safehouse was tempting, Razoul had to decline it for the time being because he had his duty as the Captain of the Black Guard to his people and the Sultan. He and Rain chose to escort Antigonus to Khalid not only out of duty but also to keep an eye on Antigonus and find out what had been written in the letter which was addressed to Khalid.

A Cry in the Dark

More info later.

Deceiver's Gambit

More info later.

Heart of Darkness

Razoul accompanied Khalid and severan other Sarquil to the King and Queen's Ball. He was meant to give orders to the Black Guard and make sure there would be no battles in the ball which celebrated the successful alliance between the Sarquil, the Grand Alliance and Alent. When the ball began in earnest, the Sarquil seemed hesitant to move to the dance floor even though several of the men and women, both Sarquil and Alentian, showed interest in one another. It wasn't until Lamashtu asked Razoul to accompany her to the dance floor as her date that the other people at the ball followed. Although Razoul hesitated for a moment when he glanced at Rain, his focus quickly turned back to Lamashtu whose sweet words and smile won him over.

While they were dancing, Lamashtu finally confessed her feelings to Razoul who was caught by surprise. He was already admiring her revealing green dress which showed her fit body, but he hadn't expected she felt something for him, especially because he was already in a relationship with Rain. However, Lamashtu's vulnerable look once again affected Razoul who ended up kissing her before he realized what was really going on while the Black Mages played romantic music in the background.

Lamashtu pointed out to Razoul how Rain was conversing with two people, Mathias and Stylianos Kinley, and wondered out loud if Rain was being unfaithful. Razoul felt feverish and angry at Rain and decided to teach her a lesson. He approached the talking girl, accusing her of being unfaithful, while Lamashtu stood and watched. Rain began venting that Razoul was wrong because she had never been unfaithful to him and that Lamashtu's presence was driving a wedge between them. She ended up accusing Lamashtu of doing all of this on purpose, which made Razoul react violently as he slapped her for the first time.

Razoul couldn't help but notice the shocked and hurt look in Rain's eyes, and it affected him too. Before he could utter a word to try to clear everything up and come to an understanding with the girl, Lamashtu interrupted and said she'd been deeply offended by Rain's accusations and was now feeling unwell. Lamashtu asked Razoul to escort her to her room in the inn in the Sarquil Downs, and Razoul agreed and left the ball with her while Rain remained behind.

Razoul and Lamashtu eventually reached the inn and briefly met with Qarinah, one of Lamashtu's subordinates from the Faarisah unit. The captain witnessed a tense conversation with the two women until Lamashtu's legs seemed to falter, and he caught her just in time before she collapsed. Lamashtu asked him to carry her to her room, and he did as he was told.

Much to his surprise, there was a lion locked up in a cage in the room. Before he could ponder in more depth why Lamashtu would want to keep such a dangerous animal in an inn, he saw how Lamashtu undressed herself and invited him to her bed, saying she could no longer contain her passion and that she wanted to share her love with him. Razoul blacked out for a moment due to the intense emotions he was feeling and found himself naked on bed with her. An image of Rain faded from his mind which calmed down, and his vision was filled by Lamashtu alone.

While the pair had sex, something Razoul couldn't have foreseen happened: while in the throes of passion, Lamashtu ended up transforming into a voluptuous demon and called herself Lust. Although Razoul desired her, he realized he'd been duped and the Sarquil lieutenant had been playing him all along for some sinister gain. He attacked her while she was distracted and tried to strangle her, only for Lust to respond by making her face resemble several people from Razoul's life, the women he felt strong emotions for: his former Sultana Adela, his girlfriend Rain and his mother Jamila. He also realized that the strange visions he'd seen about Adela may in fact have been Lust's doing all along in an effort to weaken his mind over the past weeks.

Lust quickly took control of the situation by pinning the confused captain down. She mocked his lust for her and how easy it had been to make him cheat on Rain; part of her reason for seducing him had been to cause misery between him and Rain as she felt their love had been too pure to her liking. She used her demonic pheromones to turn Razoul into a more or less mindless drone who would focus on having sex with her until she got what she wanted from him, and she also explained that once she was through with him, she'd kill him slowly while making him experience the most intense pleasure he'd ever felt his life.

The timely arrival of Rain, Mathias, Styl, Antigonus and several Shadowstrike members thwarted Lust's plans for the captain, making the demoness flee with his enthralled captive to the street below while unleashing the demonic lion she'd kept locked up in the cage. The group pursued the duo, however, although their attacks only acted as distraction to the powerful demoness. It wasn't until Lust orgasmed that Razoul managed to break free from her lust spell but he also happened to glimpse a more vulnerable side of her in the process, which confused him and made him wonder if this monster actually had a heart.

Rain rushed to Razoul's side, and the captain did his best to regain his focus although his mind was still reassembling itself after the sexual encounter. Much to his horror, Lust then gave "birth" to nightmares, creatures of darkness, which were born from the tainted mix of his sperm with her demonic blood within her body.

Aliases and Nicknames

Razoul the Merciless

The warriors of the Black Guard do not have traditional surnames. Instead, they gain titles that describe their strengths in battle. In Razoul's case this turned out to be 'Merciless' because he killed his enemies brutally and spared no one, not even children, when he served as captain of the Black Guard during Adela's reign.

Appearance

Razoul is a tall, muscular and black man with black-ish hair and dark eyes. He looks very much like Briss Phoenixheart except he is darker than Briss and has a gruesome scar which he received during a demon ambush. He wears the traditional greyish armor of the Black Guard which works well in the desert as it blends into the surroundings. He also wears a black helmet, known as the Ebony Helmet, which symbolises his high rank in the Black Guard. He also wears a necklace made from the fangs of the demons he had slain around his neck, but it is often hidden under his armor.

Personality and Traits

Razoul is rather cold and distant, but if he is angered enough, he will stop at nothing to bring his provoker down. He is also brutal and merciless in battle, which gained him his monicker. However, Razoul has shown fierce loyalty to whoever has been leading Vanna, and he will fight to keep his beloved home safe from any invading forces. He is quite arrogant because he has always been victorious in battle, and he considers almost everyone as puny weaklings who deserve to die. However, he is afraid of magic because he has no understanding of it.

His time in the Grand Alliance has slowly been thawing the ice around him, particularly after he began a relationship with Rain whose sincerity and wisdom made him open up. Although still brutal in his actions, he's starting to act more nobly like his father once did, and he has his comrades in the Alliance and Rain to thank for his change of heart.

Powers and Abilities

Razoul knows how to use his scimitars in battle. He possesses no magical ability, but he makes up to it by being a very fast and strong warrior. He can adapt to changing tides of battle and is known to survive in battle even against numerous opponents. The only person he has ever lost a duel to is his father, Ismail, which speaks of how skillful he is in swordplay.

Relationships

Adela al-Saif

Razoul respects Adela as a mother figure. While Razoul's mother Jamila has become weaker because of an illness, Adela is still strong despite her graceful figure. Adela became quite fond of Razoul and tried to make advances, but Razoul did not see himself fit to sleep with a sultana whom he respected above anything else. This infuriated Adela who eventually slept with Briss who resembled Razoul, but Razoul himself did not mind what Adela did with her life, as his only task was to protect her from her enemies.

Iblis al-Djinn

Razoul both fears and hates Grand Vizier Iblis al-Djinn who possesses powerful magic. He has never liked any mage, and there is something about the small and weak-looking Iblis that makes him feel uncomfortable whenever he is near him. He has to tolerate Iblis for Adela's sake, though, but he nevertheless tries to keep an eye on the Grand Vizier because he thinks that something suspicious is going on in the court of Vanna. Iblis sees Razoul as a warrior who should not question the sultana's orders, and Razoul grudgingly acknowledges it.

Ismail

Razoul respected and loved Ismail not only because Ismail was his father but because Ismail was the only person who had ever succeeded in besting Razoul in a fair duel. He was quite hurt when Ismail began caring for Khalid, and he considered this a betrayal in their father-son relationship. Adela's manipulations eventually drove Razoul into a bitter hate, and he now considers his father an enemy who might try to take back his position as a captain. Razoul is not aware that Ismail in fact did care for him but only acted cold in order to prepare Razoul for the eventual leadership position within the Black Guard.

Jamila

Razoul cared for his mother but lost her early on when she went to intercept a raiding party which decimated her unit. Her fate made Razoul cling even more to his father, his sole remaining family member.

Khalid al-Saif

Khalid hated Razoul with burning passion, and the feeling was mutual. Razoul always bested Khalid in fighting and was older and stronger, and this infuriated Khalid who was used to being the best of the best everywhere he went. As the two grew up a bit more, they grudgingly came to respect one another, although Razoul continued treating Khalid as a brat. Nevertheless, Razoul's beatings helped Khalid develop his skills as a warrior, so in some way Khalid is indebted to his rival.

Lamashtu Gallu

Lamashtu set her eyes on Razoul once she entered Alent under the guise of a Sarquil lieutenant to infiltrate the magicracy from within. She quickly noticed how deeply Rain and Razoul loved each other, and she wanted to turn that love upside down by any means necessary to prove that all men are deceitful when given an opportunity. She began seducing Razoul slowly but surely, first very subtly and then quite openly until Razoul fell into her trap. Lamashtu finally revealed her true, demonic self to Razoul while they were in bed, and explained everything to him in horrific detail, intending to give him untold pleasure and then devour his broken heart. Razoul had conflicted feelings for Lamashtu even when he realized what she really was, and he's driven by an odd mix of desire and rage when dealing with her while not being able to resist her charms.

Rain

Razoul caught Rain's attention as soon as they met. The handsome yet stern captain intrigued Rain who eventually got to know him better. As the two spent more and more time together and survived an ambush, they quickly came to respect each other. One thing led to another, and they shared an intimate moment, finally expressing their mutual attraction to one another.

See also

• Adela al-Saif
• Black Guard
• Farah
• Iblis al-Djinn
• Ismail
• Jamila
• Khalid al-Saif
• Lamashtu Gallu
• Rain