Verraketh Talembar

Before the Shadowking became the Shadowking, he was a king named Verraketh, a ruler both feared and mighty. He was skilled in the art of sorcery, and he was slowly corrupted by his dark magic that this appearance changed, he appeared as a man no more. But rather a being most hideous, his maleficent heart filled only with darkness. Thus, Verraketh came to be called the Shadowking. For a long age did the Shadowking rule over his realm, many lands fell over during his reign. So began the forging of the Nightstone, a gem made of his own essence, it was dark and cold as death.

When he took up the Nightstone, he was tricked, for the Nightstone was made by the great bard named Talek Talembar. Talembar had hidden an enchantment on the gem, the gem refused to obey its creator, but rather heed only to the magical song Talembar played upon his pipes.

The Shadowking fought with Talembar for seven days and seven night, but in the end Talembar had won. Talembar bound the Shadowking in a great crypt, and over the crypt he raised a cairn higher than a hill.