Valdis
Valdis was a prince of the Northern Reaches, who brought death and destruction to eastern Aranna during the Second Age.
Following powerful visions, Valdis became convinced that he was Zaramoth Reborn. He made his way to the mountain-fortress of Zaramoth's Horns, where the Dark Wizards granted him control of the lost Sword of Zaramoth. Using the blade's ancient power, the young prince built himself an army, and stretched his shadow across the continent.
He is the main antagonist of Dungeon Siege II.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Valdis was born sometime in the late 1100s, to a line of the royal family of the Northern Reaches, who's eldest son has traditionally been named the kingdom's 'Minister of Arms and Armaments'. He was groomed from birth to assume this position after his father, Utor, and became quite adept in the ways of war as a result.
As a young man, Valdis suffered from a debilitating fever that left him bed-ridden for many long months. This was no common illness however, as the prince's dreams were haunted by powerful visions of the enigmatic Dark Wizards and their long-dead master, Zaramoth the Unmaker. When he finally awoke, Valdis set out on an expedition south, across the Plain of Tears, where his visions at last guided him to the mountain-fortress of Zaramoth's Horns.
Valdis, about to claim the Sword of Zaramoth
Within the depths of the ancient fortress, the Dark Wizards granted Valdis access to the lost Sword of Zaramoth, the very instrument that had brought about the great Cataclysm, and ended the First Age of Man. The Overmage, most powerful amongst the Wizards, became Valdis' chief advisor, and whispered dark and terrible secrets into the prince's ear.
Eventually, Valdis became convinced that he truly was 'Zaramoth Reborn'.
Rise to Power[]
The first step of Valdis' plans for conquest was to create an army that was unswervingly loyal to him. To do this, he channeled the magic of the ley lines through Sword of Zaramoth, creating the Morden race, just as Zaramoth had created the Seck centuries before using the River of Souls. With the aid of the Dark Wizards, this army was even further supplemented by all manner of terrible beasts, including klasks, harpies, brall, and even a number of fully-grown dragons.
Valdis overlooking his army
In the early 1200s, the Morden spread west, onto the Plain of Tears, where they founded the city of Darthrul. The fear inspired by Morden raiders brought many towns and villages, including Kalrathia, to heel, as did rumors that the Dark Wizards of legend had reopened the ancient Dwarven Mines of Kaderak. Soon enough, a resistance movement had begun to form. Led by Princess Evangeline, Valdis' niece and heir to the throne of the Northern Reaches, this resistance tried everything it could to stop the tyrant's advance across eastern Aranna.
Many who did not have to live under the shadow were seduced by Valdis' natural charisma however. He often sought advise from the elders of Aman'lu, who welcomed him with open arms. Many of the secluded town's youths even joined his army as mercenaries, including Drevin and his best friend, the future Hero of the Second Age.
Dungeon Siege II[]
Valdis did not seek to simply conquest Aranna though, he sought to remake it by bringing about a second Endtime. He already had one tool to do so in the form of Zaramoth's sword, but to see this plan through, he also needed the Shield of Azunai. To do this, he set his eyes on Greilyn Isle, where a fragment of the Shield, the Aegis of Life, lay in wait.
Using information gathered by his spies, Valdis launched an invasion of Greilyn Isle, which was precipitated by the release of the Shard Souls upon the island's unsuspecting natives. Bypassing whatever defenses he could in order to quickly take the Temple of the Coast and claim the Aegis. He personally appeared at the climax of the battle, single-handedly defeating four Rustguards. What he did next would ultimately lead to his undoing however, for Valdis then betrayed the mercenary forces that had helped him besiege the island, personally slaying the young Drevin, and setting his friend on the path to revenge.
With the Aegis of Life in hand, Valdis next turned his sights upon the Aegis of Death, which he had learned was kept in a vault below Aman'lu by the town's guard captain, Wethril. He and his Archmage traveled to Windstone Fortress, in order to use the portal at the fortress's heart, and devastated the garrison of resistance fighters stationed there.
Valdis interrogates Celeb'hel
When he arrived in Aman'lu however, Valdis learned that he had arrived too late. Celeb'hel the Elder informed him that his niece, Evangeline, had come only a few days beforehand, and taken the Aegis with her to Snowbrook Haven. Enraged, Valdis was deaf to Celeb'hel's pleas for mercy, and ordered his Archmage to destroy Aman'lu; the Dark Wizard called a meteor down from the heavens and leveled half the town, killing hundreds in an instant.
Valdis quickly moved his armies against Snowbrook Haven. As his forces approached the citadel, he learned that his Dark Wizards had also captured Princess Evangeline, and imprisoned her deep within the ancient Azunite Burial Grounds. Unfortunately for Valdis, the Hero of the Second Age was close behind, and freed Eva, before making their way to the besieged fortress. While he ultimately won the day, the Hero and their party robbed Valdis of not only the Aegis of Death, but the Aegis of Blindness as well; they slipped through his fingers with the help of an Azunite Scholar.
With the resistance crushed, Valdis' Morden armies tightened their hold over many parts of Aranna, including the town of Kalrathia, where Valdis believed the Aegis of Sight lay hidden. Unfortunately for him, the Hero and their companions surfaced in Kalrathia soon after, killing the Morden Chief and destroying the remaining Soul Shards within the Mines of Kaderak. With all four Aegis artifacts in hand, the Hero ventured to the Agallan Peaks to reforge the Shield of Azunai.
The Sword of Zaramoth shatters
But Valdis and his advisor, the Overmage, had planned for all of this, and waited for the Hero to play into their hands, bringing with them the very artifact that the tyrant required to spark the second Cataclysm, and create his new Age. When they at last met within the Temple of Valdis, atop Zaramoth's Horns, Valdis claimed the Shield from the Hero, but instead of shattering it as he had hoped, the Sword of Zaramoth broke instead.
Valdis was enraged. The Overmage revealed that he had not only duped the Hero of the Second Age, but Valdis as well, using them both as pawns in his grand scheme to bring about another Endtime.
As the Second Cataclysm began to rock all of Aranna, Valdis and the Hero of the Second Age clashed. Activating the Eyes of Zaramoth around the Temple, the Hero slowly wore down their foe, and finally slew Valdis, ending his reign of terror once and for all. As his enormous body fell to the ground, it turned to not but ashes.
Personality[]
Valdis was sadistic, cruel and extremely arrogant to the point he underestimated an adventurer who came across his path searching for the Shield of Azunai, at the cost of his life. He was less interested in manipulating his enemies and more interested in destroying them instead of using them to his advantage. He never treated his troops with respect except for the Morden, creatures he brought with him from over the sea, possibly from his old kingdom.