Ysuran Auondril

Ysuran Auondril is a moon elf necromancer and one of five starting playable characters in Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II. He has access to more magical specializations than the other characters and he carries a black tome at all times during the game.

Background
When playing Ysuran, it soon becomes apparent how little he knows of his own background. On the road to Baldur's Gate at the beginning of the game he has few memories to speak of, having gleaned his name and trade from the tome that somehow came to be in his possession. He does know that he is travelling to Baldur's Gate to seek the sage Omduil, hoping he might have answers. Ysuran's optional story arc is to pursue the search for his identity, at first purchasing the help of Omduil who provides snippets of information, and experience, in exchange for increasingly large sums of gold. Over time Omduil reveals that Ysuran is in fact from Evereska but that he is no longer welcome there. He is now an outcast for unclear reasons. Omduil finally directs Ysuran to Zarad's Clock Tower, apparently where he eventually went after exile from Evereska. On arrival Ysuran must battle through Zarad's automatons before at last confronting him. Zarad Duskmarrow reveals the true horror of Ysuran's past, of how he sought to commit genocide against humanity across Faerun, and how he sought to gain further dark power under Zarad's tutelage, writing the black tome during this time. Finally he says that he is responsible for the loss of Ysuran's memory, but that he will not escape him so lightly this time, after which he attacks his old pupil. Once Ysuran has killed Zarad and returned to Baldur's Gate Omduil asks him if he found what he was searching for, to which Ysuran replies that he has but thinks perhaps he should not have. In the end he renounces his former identity and declares that he will atone for his past in his future actions.

Adventuring Career
Ysuran has more to contend with than his own dark past. Playing him in the game places him in the path of, among other things, Mordoc SeLanmere's campaign against Baldur's Gate, a battle Ysuran fights at first out of an inexplicable drive to help others, and on discovering his true past in hopes of redeeming himself. Nonetheless being a necromancer Ysuran still employs methods not traditionally associated with those who fight for good in the realms and his demeanor and personality remain shadowy and mysterious, making him a somewhat unconventional force for good.

Abilities
Ysuran has chosen evocation as his school of opposition and thus cannot use some of the traditional spells like fireball and lightning bolt. He is, however, a master of magic pertaining to the creation, dictation and destruction of life force. Some of his more potent spells focus on draining his opponents and augmenting himself, and he can also summon creatures to assist him in combat. This is particularly useful since in terms of physical combat ability Ysuran is weakest of the playable characters, and a summoned creature can take the punishment in battle while he casts spells from a safer position. That said, Ysuran can handle himself better in a melee than many a spell-caster.