Khauren is an ancient god of Malverand, formerly wielded by Eremion. He encouraged Eremion's claim to the imperial throne and later made a pact with Zain, who presented him to Ulzathir as a new Ozaith.
Magic
Khauren speaks through a shard that burns with an unending flame. His pact gives Zain fire magic alongside Zain's existing cosmic and aether magic. He seeks followers whose belief can strengthen him.
Khauren proposed withdrawing into the God Realm whenever Helena used her unusual magic, hoping to retain knowledge of the fighting when Eremion could not.
History
Eremion's ambitions
Khauren urged Eremion to become emperor and made a deal with an unfamiliar being on his behalf. He said that it would deal with Barachiel during his passage through the Vireen gate. Khauren could not follow Eremion through the gate into Vireen. When Barachiel entered, the gate collapsed and expelled the spiral shard in two pieces.
Khauren offered to release Eremion from their pact so he could try wielding a spiral shard. Eremion refused to give him up. Khauren instead asked him to find followers in Morindel.
During the war against the Order, Khauren urged Eremion to kill Helena, whose abyss magic disturbed him. The fighting at Jazarel left gaps in both their memories. Khauren suggested that her abilities might be origin magic, a term the unfamiliar being had told him about.
Blackcrag and Ulzathir
After Eremion returned in Blackcrag, Khauren retained more of their memories than Eremion, though his recollections were incomplete. He hid his identity from other gods by posing as a new god from a distant land. He gathered information for Eremion and their spies while Eremion consolidated his rule.
When Thalena defeated and questioned Eremion, red lines erupted from the shard in his palm and destroyed his body, leaving his Malverand heart. Thalena suspected Khauren's involvement.
Zain reached out for a god in an Ozaith temple after conquering Solvarria. Khauren offered power in exchange for followers. Zain accepted, acquired the fire shard and announced that Ozaith had evolved. After the ceremony, Khauren introduced himself by his own name, which Zain kept from the public.
Relationships
Khauren is an ancient god created in Malverand, formerly wielded by Eremion. After Eremion's death, he made a pact with Zain, who presented him to Ulzathir as a new Ozaith. Khauren sought followers and a body strong enough to let him leave the God Realm. Cassian destroyed Zain's body while Khauren controlled it.
Personality
Khauren encourages his wielders' ambitions while pursuing his own power and freedom. He urged Eremion to become emperor and later offered Zain the same prospect. He withheld the circumstances of Eremion's death when approaching Zain, admitting that Zain would have refused the pact if he had known.
Magic
Khauren spoke through a shard that burned with an unending flame. His pact gave Zain fire magic alongside Zain's existing cosmic and aether magic.
He also learned origin magic. Its attacks produce red lines, black rays and fractures in space, reacting destructively with essence. Zain sensed cracks in the world when Khauren used it, while Khauren described uncrossable gaps forming in the God Realm.
Khauren took control of Zain's body when his wielder's essence was exhausted.
History
Eremion and Malverand
Khauren supported Eremion's claim to the imperial throne and made a bargain with Oktlix, promising the entity freedom through Barachiel. He told Eremion that Barachiel would be dealt with during his passage through the Vireen gate. Khauren could not follow Eremion through the gate into Vireen. When Barachiel entered, the gate collapsed and expelled the spiral shard in two pieces.
Khauren offered to end their pact so Eremion could try wielding a spiral shard. Eremion refused to give him up. Khauren instead asked him to gather followers in Morindel, but Eremion's pursuit of efficiency did little to encourage belief in him.
During the war against the Order, Khauren urged Eremion to kill Helena, whose abyss magic disturbed him. The fighting at Jazarel left gaps in both their memories. He later proposed withdrawing into the God Realm when she used her unusual magic, so that he could retain knowledge of what happened.
Blackcrag and Zain
After Eremion returned in Blackcrag, Khauren retained more of their memories than Eremion, though his recollections were incomplete. He concealed his identity from other gods, posing as a new god from a distant land. He gathered information for Eremion and their spies. When Thalena defeated and questioned Eremion, red lines erupted from his shard and destroyed his body, leaving his Malverand heart. Khauren later told Zain that he might have killed Eremion, without claiming to understand what had happened.
Zain reached out for a god in an Ozaith temple after conquering Solvarria. Khauren offered power in exchange for followers. Zain accepted, acquired the fire shard and announced that Ozaith had evolved. Khauren disclosed his own name to him after the public ceremony.
Raphael recruited Ulzathir for an attack on Rimvold, using Khauren to communicate through the God Realm. Khauren agreed to cooperate but demanded answers about Eremion's death. He remained wary of Raphael and Gabriel, warning Zain away from Gabriel's unstable crystals.
Zain's battles
At Rimvold, Zayren, Lythariel and Remus overwhelmed Zain. When Zain collapsed, Khauren took control. He pierced Zayren and Remus with black rays and forced the three mages to retreat. Zain survived and later regained control of his body.
Khauren urged another takeover during Ulzathir's attack on Thalassai, but Zain refused to exhaust his essence. He told Zain that a stronger body would let him survive outside the God Realm and offered to rule the world alongside him.
During the assault on Ishtanûr, Zain fled the city and was pursued by Cassian's group. Khauren took control again as Zain weakened. Alistair, disguised as Aldar, attacked him while Cassian severed connections to the God Realm. Cassian impaled the possessed body with the golden sword and dismantled the essence around the shard, destroying Zain's body and fiery palm.
Later, Severin rejected an offer from a weakened god who claimed to have been betrayed by his wielder. Severin suspected it was Khauren.
Relationships
- Eremion: His former wielder. Khauren encouraged his imperial ambitions but wanted to leave their pact and gain more followers.
- Zain: His later wielder and source of access to Ulzathir's belief. Khauren sought control of his body when Zain's essence ran out.
- Oktlix: The entity he promised freedom through Barachiel. Oktlix considered him a betrayer after the bargain left it defeated and confined to the void.
- Raphael and Gabriel: Allies in the campaign against the Order whom Khauren distrusted. He warned Zain that Gabriel's crystals would interfere with him.