Dhansis Khaldun

Appearance
Dhansis almost always dresses in disguise, but even his real old face is a disguise to what he has become. He stands at an average Half Elf height of 5’10 with long black hair. Dhansis has a very young face and maintains his beauty to satisfy his own personal vanity. He often wears a different hair color and often prefers to walk around with silver or blonde hair. He dresses in anything and everything. His truest outfit is a red white and black robe given to him from his master. It is a robe made from the soul and skin of a weaker Arch Fiend that he had helped slay for his lord Asmodeus. The Hell woven robes are ornate as they are powerful. Dhansis prefers to wear robes and usually dresses in the most ornate clothing available. He dresses in the most expensive clothing and often wears jewelry simply to show people how rich he is. Like maintaining his beauty for his personal vanity, he satisfies his greed and lust to make other envious of his wealth by flaunting it around to people.

Personality
Dhansis is a deceitful worm. He has no true friends and seeks to do nothing but promote his own image and increase his collection of items. Pride and greed drive him to do the greatest and the most horrible deeds. He would be willing to stab his own family in the back for even a little bit of wealth, and he has done it before. Betrayal is a business for him, his game is most effective when he is the one in control. His very deplorable life style choices once signified his evil, but after the Spellplague define his existence. He now seeks to bring people to eternal damnation through envy, lust, and greed. Like all messengers of Hell, he uses his personal attributes or success to lure people into submission. A gift is exchanged for a favor until it becomes a habit. When people are disarmed, they will sign the contract that offers their soul to Hell. Dhansis is capable of the worst betrayal, but many see him as a reliable person. His deception is beyond even the sharpest people, and he is extremely cunning. Dhansis when and who he can lie to. He is lived this long by being very careful and not picking any unnecessary fights.

Someone like him is always looking to be his own boss. This kind of pride is one reason why Asmodeus keeps him so close. Someone who is incapable of betraying Asmodeus, but thinks of methods all the time is a mind that he can use to great profit when looking at his closest rivals. Dhansis is truly a lazy individual. His energy is fueled completely by greed and pride. His goal is to live in a more lavish way than anyone else ever. He works endlessly to ensure that he will be able to rest for all eternity with a greater palace and greater artifacts than any other being in existence.

He is a sadistic mind. He often acts humbled around most the people he deals with in business. As a result, he finds himself angry with people in general and often has to commit a horrible atrocity to someone much weaker than he is to feel fulfilled about his position. His almost seemingly random acts of horrible violence and unspeakable wrath help cleanse his mind of this anger when he needs to say what his clients want him to say or do what his clients want him to do.

Family & Relationships
Not much is known of his family. What is known is that they were killed fighting in a battle between two desert gangs in the Anauroch. Dhansis was said to be one of a several remaining survivors after that battle.

Khaldun is mostly unknown to all forms of radar. The only people that know him are the people he wants to know him. He keeps this sort of track record to keep him safe from his enemies and to keep him safe from possible would be enemies. He often travels in disguise, but often pride himself for not using magical disguises. He generally does not give a part of his real name to people he deals with and rarely gives his whole name to anyone. This changed after the Spellplague. Though relatively unknown still, his work as the False Prophet for Asmodeus's Emissary has given him attention. He is far less secretive about his business since this is a world of shadow rather than a world of light. He is well known in the Nessus, and often loathed by Asmodeus's existing more loyal servants. Like many Dukes of Baator, he is often accompanied by pitfiends on important business or trips.

As an entrepreneur, Dhansis meets many people and controls a few. Most of these people collect for him as a business as others owe him their life. He often disguises himself and wears gear for the purpose of smooth talking. His past makes him both illusive but very cautious. His avoidance of battle seems cowardly. The only people that know his true affiliations are the cults of fiends and devils.

As a collector of all things, Dhansis is not beyond slavery. He often finds and collects people or rare creatures. He enjoys the chance to save rare intelligent creatures or important people to have a life long slave. This was what he did to control Karma and Miercogg. His business is mostly made up loosely connect cells made of slaves from around the world that have a debt that they can never repay. Dhansis knows the limitations of the people that serve him and makes sure that he can get the most from them. With the contact of Hell, he is now capable of writing off people's souls to Hell and increasing the size of Hell's legions. His work as the False Prophet has given him a far more negative connotation to the forces of good than before. Before the Spellplague, he would trade with anyone, but now he exercises more caution when betraying his clients, and never acts against his church. His most prized slave is still his old master, Mellatusigg Pelgratarim. The ancient monstrous Linnorm once help a corrupt business with ancient dracoliches in the west for over a one thousand years. Dhansis's first decline into Hell would be his method to take control of Pelgratarim. Now Pelgratarim is bound by Hell's Contract to Dhansis's word.

Dhansis now has a sizable connection with cults to other Arch Devils in Baator. He is most closely tied to the Cult of Mephistopheles, run by its patron leader Tillenbirg Keilrecht. Keilrecht and Dhansis are at closest rivals, and are often at odds. Despite clever plans to kill each other, they are capable of working together given proper orders from above.

His business life leads him into having many clients, and few rivals. He does his best not to reveal his real name, but his business itself is usually honest. He is widely believed to have his own territory where he is most likely to act in the north. Dhansis has few formal rivals and acts where ever he can.

Character History
Not much is known about his history. What is known is that Khaldun sold his soul to Asmodeus to help take over his old master, Mellatusigg Pelgratarim. As a result of his help, he sold his soul to Asmodeus and serves him to this day.

Khaldun is also believed to be an ex member of an interplanetary group called the Gleaners. What is known is that he once conspired with third regent Gomand Pusk to help steal a great number of artifacts from the vault of the Gleaners. As a result, Dhansis is under investigation from the Gleaners and soon to be under investigation from the Regulators. Since the involvement of third regent Gomand Pusk, Dhansis was given time to gain protection from his lord, Asmodeus. Now he associates himself with mainly of the greater devils and dukes of Baator, primarily the Nessus and Cania.

Eltab's Decline from Power
Asmodeus planned on helping his relations with the Abyss by planning a truce with the Prince of Demons. Asmodeus had ordered Khaldun to attack the Abyss n his past and actually worked with the Prince of Darkness to steal a layer from another Arch Fiend working with Demogorgon. This plan involved having Khaldun to any job for Demogorgon. Demogorgon smiled at the opportunity and forced Khaldun to do a job that was nearly if not completely impossible. Khaldun's mission was to tell Eltab that his layer had been conquered and to report to his new master Demogorgon in submission.

Khaldun's approach was to assume a lasting trust between himself and the Arch Fiend. He had learned of his escape quickly. It was difficult, but Khaldun learned of the spell on Eltab and was able to break it in time with items in his collections. Once Khaldun freed Eltab's mind, he sought nothing more than revenge on Thay. Eltab had a long list of people to kill, but the lich Szass Tam was on the top of that list. Khaldun managed to slow the fiend down with an indirect route for revenge. Eltab needed to find a place where the Red Wizards were prominent.

Karma Lectcitus, Khaldun's errand boy, lived in Sembia and Khaldun believed it may be a good place. While looking into Sembia, Khladun begna to shy away from the option, but Karma agreed that it would be mutually beneficial if he could let them into Ordulin and plan on the Cult of Eltab legally going into Sembia. Khaldun preferred that an enemy of the Red Wizards should not openly invite themselves into Sembia, but Karma explained the situation. Khaldun reluctantly agreed when Eltab himself seemed excited to continue onward. This started a very unhealthy dependence on Karma's actions.

Actions that took place in Vindication of the Merchant Nation are proof of his failure and the true nature of Asmodeus's plan. Khaldun, like everyone besides Asmodeus, was clueless of his real plan and was shocked to know that everything happened as planned. Even Dhansis proved to be a pawn in Asmodeus's plan. This was an unfavorable outcome for Dhansis that would repeat itself in future jobs. It was the ability to act accordingly, even while ignorant that made Dhansis a favorite. The truth is that Dhansis despises this, but also realizes it is his road to true power.

Shakandul's Talisman
While talking with the party, mainly Eustace, Khaldun kept tabs on Karma. Illera Martiory as the Blue Orchid stole Dhansis's artifact that he lent to Karma so that he could be act stealthily easier. Getting this artifact back was Khaldun's first formal meeting with the party and his primary relationship with the party for most of campaign.

Actions in Vindication of the Merchant Nation show that Eustace alone was there for the resolution of his lost artifact.

This was one of the first signs of his evil revealed in the campaign. His order to have his most revered servant Pelgratarim kill most of the Martiory family was a sign to the testament to his greed. It was when Illera broke down to his threat to kill her son that revealed his nature to Eustace. Part of him being rich is that he can pay off people for support. Eustace has hardly a man of light himself, and saw means to an end. Dhansis was an ally, and slaughtering an entire family could be overlooked for the safety of the country. This experience with Eustace would soon cement itself as Dhansis's connection to the Califomme legacy. Eustace would later hire Dhansis to search for and give a report on Athanas.

The Spell Plague and his Greed
Dhansis had amassed many powerful items over the years. Dhansis knew that Asmodeus's plan was based on several chain reactions, but still did not know exactly what to expect when the Spellplaue happened. Though Asmodeus did not plan the Spellplague, he was depending on it to get what he wanted. Unaware of the consequences, Dhansis left all of his magical equipment and artifacts on during the Spellplague.

When he was aware of what was going to happen, he attempted to discard it as quickly as he could, but he attained a single debilitating effect from his items. The one item that extended his life had exploded and caused a reverse effect quickly aging him towards his death. He felt a year for every fifteenth seconds that passed, and he could not do anything to dispel the effects on him.

He became ill quick and lost track of his magic. Dhansis had only one option and started to pray to his master. He hoped that Asmodeus could save him. Dhansis was a useful servant and he knew that his service would be everlasting. Asmodeus heard the prayer in his advent into godhood and saved his life. Dhansis's youth was restored, but not without a cost.

Asmodeus explained the situation to Dhansis. He had become a servant without a choice. Before, he had the option of to betray Asmodeus. Now, his life can be severed with so much as a thought. Dhansis was aware now that he had no choice but to completely submit his life to Asmodeus. Since then, he has done his best to continue business as usual, but he knows that he is always being watched. The truth is that Dhansis has lost much of ambitious will over impossible odds against his lord.

The Immortal Army of the Damned
Under the orders of Lord Asmodeus, Dhansis is supposed to retrieve the product of Eustace Califomme's favor to Asmodeus. Dhansis is supposed to recover Brutus and take him to understand the nature of his creation. Eustace has gone against the will of the Asmodeus, but he realized that Eustace had in fact outsmarted the devil. His favor was to create Brutus, not to deliver Brutus to Asmodeus. Dhansis's next job is to retrieve him, but he knows there are major obstacles that are seen and unseen preventing him for just taking Brutus.

He knows that Athanas is waiting for his strike, and the that Prince Rivalen of the Shade Enclave is also interested in the Caifomme legacy. With that legacy remains one of the last ties to Ancient Magics developed in Halruahh. Athanas is bound to the same rules as the gods. Dhansis cannot be careless. As a Duke of Baator, he is also seen as an immortal. As a result, he must be creative in seeking methods to succeed in his mission to obtain Brutus for his lord.

Current Whereabouts / Activities
In a post Spellplague world, he moves around more actively. His sadistic ways are far less taboo in a world filled with darkness. He spends most of his time working for Asmodeus on his many jobs and plans. Despite Dhansis's constant urge to wish to overthrow his master, Asmodeus still actually sees him as more honest than most of his company. Dhansis has many jobs and actually finds problem getting his time to wet his own beak with his personal profits lately.