|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Mozenrath is a revenant sorcerer who hails from the land of the Black Sands. Known for his iconic ability to control, manipulate and harness the dark sands of his homeland, he in secret practices the arts of necromancy and alchemy,
While said to be incredibly reclusive after having been suspected in the disappearance of his mentor, the halfing Destane, it's rumored that he occasionally offers his services as a conjurer and alchemist to a select few.
In addition it's said that he's rarely seen without his iconic brown gauntlet, which he uses to hide the infection and the damage it did to his hand, wrist and arm.
Early Life[]
Born in the land of the black sands to a mortal mother and a djinn father. it was noticed from a young age that he had the strange power to bend the black sands to his will. Not sure what the extent of his powers were or what kind of dangers they could bring, it wasn't unusual for others to keep their distance and go that extra mile to avoid confrontation with the child. But watching as others would turn their head, retreat to the shadows and even clear entire pathways as he wandered, he saw early on how much power he had over them, how much they revered his incredible power and how much strength there was in magic and mystery. This inspired him to experiment with his power, to exercise it and to learn its strengths and limitations.
The Sortilege[]
Once his mother saw the strength he was capable of and believing in the wonders he could create, she sent him to the sortilege. But upon his admittance, it seemed nobody knew what to make of him, possessing the unusual power of geomancy and subject to all kinds of prejudice because of his unclean heritage, early on it was decided he work closely with the sorcerer Destane. A former resident of the black sands and one of their most valued scholars he agreed to take the boy and teach him to the best of his ability. However it seemed in this case the terms "student" and "cheap labor" were interchangeable as his interests in the boy were more self oriented. Using him to run his errands and treating him no better than a servant, his training was minimal and his education limited.
In the end it was the idea that someday his loyalty would pay off and that there would come a day when his bones would be too stiff to stir a cauldron and his eyes too lame to read his spells. Because while working for him Mozenrath was made aware of his own "private studies" into the dark arts and was made aware of his own collection of artifacts, one of which being the supposedly lost scribblings of the necromancer Khartoum. But as time went on and the work became more demanding, for Mozenrath it became clear that Destane had no intentions on teaching him his craft. Angered, humiliated and incredibly ambitious, Mozenrath decided to take his education into his own hands. Breaking into his private archives, he began experimenting with alchemy and necromancy. Using vermin and various animals he collected to test his spells and concoctions, it wasn't long after that Destane became aware of his student's treachery and threatened to end him. A struggle broke out and using his own power, Mozenrath killed his mentor in combat. Seeing opportunity in his mentor's death, he became his first human subject and eventually paved way for his work with the mamluks
Naturally when he disappeared, Mozenrath was the first to be questioned by the order of fate. But having revealed some of his dabblings and his less than legal collection of fae artifacts, Mozenrath was eventually acquitted. With no evidence to suggest his involvement, Mozenrath was let go. However while the order of fate managed to confiscate much of Destane's work and artifacts, Mozenrath didn't leave without a few choice pieces for his own collection, including the book of Khartoum one of the few remaining tomes documenting the laws and practices of necromancy.
The Infection[]
Having left the sortilege and developed a lust for power, he traveled to the ends of the Earth and beyond in search of artifacts, spells and enchanted beasts for him to collect. However it was during these travels he contracted the walking starvation, which consumed a considerable amount of his right arm, wrist and hand. Using his own power to stave off the infection and a gauntlet to hide it, he became a revenant and retreated back to Solhara where he continues to experiment with his own power, further his knowledge and secretly plots to gain power and respect.
Personality[]
Mozenrath had to be defined as an animal, it’d definitely be the parasitic lamprey he has slithering around him. Cold, cunning and blood sucking, a lifetime of hardships has formed him into a spineless survivor, who isn’t afraid to go for the jugular. And while many in his field aren’t opposed to standing upon the shoulders of giants to achieve greatness as he has, more often than not they do it with permission or natural death of the giant below them Mozenrath? He’s an opportunist and doesn’t wait for any of those conditions, if need be he’ll most likely drain them of their lifeblood while they’re still alive and kicking, taking what he needs …painfully if need be.
In terms of the spineless trait? While he shows no fear and a prideful exterior, there is one thing he fears more than anything else and that is death itself. And not only physically, but in all forms. The thing he fears most is waking up one morning to have the vultures picking at his flesh, the hyenas fighting over his bones and decaying in some unmarked grave never to be mentioned or remembered. And while he claims to be trying to master death, many say he’s simply cowering in its shadow and like the spineless lamprey who has but a stiff notochord to support it, he seems willing to do anything to survive even if it means having to suck the life of others through a gaping wound in their underbelly.
Also it’s no secret that Mozenrath is a sorcerer with an explosive temper and extremely short fuse. Quick to turn violent and very rarely listening to reason, there is no appeal to his sense of judgment and no mercy to be found past a certain point. After all with the attitude of a prideful pharaoh and an arrogance that assures him he’s above most mortal men, he has a nasty little habit of thinking he’s in the right and that others angered him at their own risk.
Skills and Abilities[]
- Geomancy: Able to read the signs of the Earth and bend the black sands to his will, his ability is a rare one and seems to come naturally for the half-fae. Said to be inherited from his father, a shaitan, a djinn of the Earth.
- Alchemy: He is well versed and experienced in the art of alchemy, able to brew potions, transmutate objects and recognize the basic magical properties of items and organisms.
- Necromancy: He is one of the few remaining necromancers and has considerable knowledge in diving and reanimating dead flesh.
- Enchantment: Being half-fae, in times of stress, anger or fear, he is capable of acts such as telekinesis and physically harming others from a distance. Also at times he's been shown to have short bursts of enhanced strength. However if used in excess, it makes him vulnerable to his infection
- Immunity: Because he is undead he no longer can be poisoned or contract illness besides the one he is currently fighting off.
- Medical Scholar: Because necromancy demands repair and knowledge of flesh, he has an extensive knowledge of anatomy, physiology and healing.
- Bone Carving: Not unlike the other residents of the land of the black sands, he has a talent for carving bone into tools, utensils, etc.
- Desires: Mozenrath can read the heart if it's open to him and read it's desires, wishes and despairs. Something inherited from his father.
Xerxes[]
Like many sorcerers, Mozenrath has bonded with a familiar, which in this case is a lamprey. Resembling a jawless eel, it's a parasite who feeds on the body fluids of larger prey.
Quotes[]
"Also words of wisdom from Khartoum himself, never become too attached to what you bring back from the grave and always know when it's time to send it back"
"Never bother anybody stranger than you are"
In Other Media[]
Television
Streetrat Meets Sorcerer
Mozenrath and Xerxes first appeared in Disney's Aladdin, the TV series as villains for 9 episodes. With the exception of the Fourth of those episodes entitled "Black Sand", in which he was played by voice actor Jeff Bennet, Mozenrath was voiced by the late Jonathon Brandis, a former child actor who later played Lucas Wolenczak in all 57 episodes of SeaQuest DSV, later SeaQuest 2032 for it's third and final season. Xerxes was voiced by Voice acting legened Frank Welker, who also voiced Abu and Hakim in Aladdin, Fred Jones in Scooby Doo and Darwin the Dolphin in SeaQuest.
Ruling the land of the black sands, Mozenrath was once a student of the sorcerer Destane, who he ultimately murdered and turned a mamluk, one of his Zombie servants. Dedicated to conquering the seven deserts, he was often met with opposition from Aladdin, Jasmine and the rest of the cast. In addition it was revealed the gauntlet he wore was a major source of power and slowly draining him of life having already reduced his right hand, wrist and part of his arm to bone.
In their 9th and final episode, entitled "Two to Tangle", Mozenrath has little time left to live. Like many other villains in this situation, he decides to transfer his soul into a young and strong body. Mozenrath disguises himself as Jasmine, who is playing polo with Aladdin and Genie. When Jasmine and Genie go to retrieve the ball, leaving Aladdin alone; Mozenrath, still in disguise appears with the ball and offers Aladdin a walk in the garden. A little bit puzzled by the quickness with which "she" caught the ball, Aladdin accepts. Then Genie and the real Jasmine arrive, much to Aladdin's astonishment. Mozenrath then sheds his disguise and teleports back to his palace, taking Aladdin with him. He plans to exchange bodies with his enemy, taking Aladdin's strong body and leaving Aladdin condemned to die inside his own. Jasmine, Genie, Abu, Iago and Carpet storm into the castle and interrupt the exchange, with Genie throwing a Pizza at Mozenrath's machine. The impact causes the machine to malfunction and turn Mozenrath into a small stone statue. Aladdin is soon freed, while Xerxes is dismayed to see Mozenrath stuck in his condition.
Back in Agrabah, Aladdin puts Mozenrath's statue and gauntlet in a chest, which he places in a cell, protected by an alarm system set up by Genie. However, Aladdin feels tired and experiences strange mood swings. The following night, the group discovers that Aladdin snuck into the cell to take Mozenrath's gauntlet. It appears that because of the failed exchange, Mozenrath's soul is now trapped inside Aladdin's body and that the two alternatively switch control of it. The only thing that could help them is the legendary Elixir of Life. The group, followed by Xerxes, is forced to let Mozenrath guide them to a temple in the desert, where the Elixir of Life is kept. Aladdin-Mozenrath quickly blasts away the huge sandworms guarding the elixir with Mozenrath's bolts of dark magic. When Aladdin is about to drink the elixir, the Mozenrath, who has changed his mind attempts to destroy Aladdin's mind from the inside. Even though the elixir could send Mozenrath's spirit back to his body, the sorcerer still wants to switch bodies, likely because of Aladdin's better physical condition. Mozenrath's soul attacks Aladdin's inside Aladdin's body and overwhelms him, but Aladdin proves to be able to use his willpower like a weapon and defeats Mozenrath. Aladdin drinks the Elixir and Mozenrath's spirit leaves his body and returns to his own dying one, which is brought back to its regular height, Minus his right arm of course. Aladdin takes Mozenrath's gauntlet away for good before Genie locks the sorcerer and Xerxes in an anti-magic cage attached to a hot air balloon; which he sends flying far, far away, defeating Mozenrath for the last time. It's unknown what happened to Mozenrath after this, but it's presumed that his life force continued to fade and he eventually died.
Movies
With Aladdin and the King of Thieves serving as a series finale, it was originally conceptualized to revolve around the relationship between Aladdin and Mozenrath, ultimately revealing that the two were brothers. However this idea was scrapped as Brandis was unavailable and ultimately the story was shifted to focus on Aladdin's father.