Martek

Martek was a wizard known as the Grand Vizier of Raurin. He was legendary in his power, and particularly known for his prophecy that the efreet Khalitharius would break free of his binding. In, he was resurrected by adventurers at the end of a long, convoluted quest he had designed a thousand years prior.

Rulership
Before the River Athis dried, Martek ruled over lands downstream of Medinat Muskawoon. He also had a citadel, to which people could be transported by any Pillar of Martek. Inside his citadel, Martek hosted several courses to test whether uninvited guests were at least worth his time. Three such tests had been completed successfully in his life.

Binding of Khalitharius
Martek began preparing for the end of Pasha Khalitharius' imprisonment at least 50 years before the latter even arrived in Raurin, somewhere around the year. Before the River Athis dried, Martek had gave the Star of Mo-Pelar to the pharaoh Amun-Re. The star-gem was named by the pharaoh as a key component of the curse that dried the river. He also gave the Star of Shah-Pelar to another pharaoh of the desert; it was stolen at some point afterwards by Badr Al-Mosak, who had it displayed in his crypt.

Over 1000 years before, in approximately , and 50 years after the curse of Amun-Re had destroyed Medinat Muskawoon, Khalitharius arrived at the Raurin and raised his army of undead, the Malatath, terrorizing settlements around the Raurin far and wide. In response, Martek arrived with a caravan from Zindalankh, headed for the Cursed City of Stone. After an extended battle, Martek emerged victorious, having bound the efreet into a lead box, though their battle unleashed energies that set the desert for tens of miles around on fire for a score years, creating the Skysea.

Prophecy
Martek began (or rather, resumed) preparations shortly after capturing Khalitharius, penning a prophecy that the efreet would be released a thousand years from then, and his Sphere of Power would be required in order to save Raurin from the efreet's rampage.

He gave the efreet's prison to the Lord of Pazar, along with the Star of Aga-Pelar as payment for keeping the genie imprisoned. The lead box was taken to the Temple of Eilish in the city, where it would be kept. As another measure, the wizard enchanted the temples and baths of Medinat Muskawoon to protect the Star of Melos-Pelar and the pillar at the center of the city to deliver a message about it.

He also teleported to the Citadel of Ice and Steel in the Elemental Plane of Air, where in an audience with the Caliph of all djinn he convinced his Vizier, Aeraldoth, to allow himself to be bound for a thousand years to do battle with the efreet once the latter was released. Martek bound the genie in a bottle, which he concealed in Phoenix. The wizard had created a bottle that required a magical word in order to release its captive; using his magic, he made a mark that would appear on the palm of the bride of the Sheik's son in the Oasis of the White Palm. He also created two amulets, which he gave to the Sheik and his son; those amulets, when combined with the bride's palm, would form a message on how to release the djinn. He hid the final Star-Gem, the Star of Khan-Pelar, in the Temple of Set beneath the Oasis of the White Palm, alongside a bone scroll case with a map inside it. Furthermore, he placed a message on a shrine atop the Temple of Set.

At the time of his final retreat, there were only two trials in Martek's Citadel that had yet to be completed: the Black Abyss and the Mobius' Tower. Martek added only one more trial to his Citadel, stealing away a large section of desert between Akhir and the Crypt of Al-Alisk to a subdimensional bubble and creating a portal to it inside his citadel. Considering his preparations complete, he had his remains displayed in the citadel, thereafter the Tomb of Martek.

Resurrection
In the year of, a scholar of Martek's prophecies, Aman Al-Raqib, sent some adventurers in a quest for Martek's Sphere of Power, anticipating it would be needed in order to defeat the efreet. These adventurers released the Pasha just as planned, acquiring the Star of Aga-Pelar in the process. Then they successively recovered all of the Star Gems of Martek, released the Vizier Aeraldoth, entered the Tomb of Martek and completed its trials. These adventurers restored the ancient mage to life in the Inner Sanctum of Martek, allowing him to do battle with Khalitharius and slay the Pasha, or perhaps simply banish him for good.

Trivia
Martek was the author of Martek, By Martek. He also owned two posters of note, one labeled "Martek for Shah", and one labeled "Visit Beautiful Cormyr".

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Desert of Desolation