Akar Kessell

Akar Kessel was an unskilled mage's apprentice who lived in Luskan's Host Tower of the Arcane under the personal tutelage of Morkai the Red.

Dendybar the Mottled persuaded Kessel to kill Morkai in return for a place of power in the Host Tower. Kessel, blinded by greed, killed the nearest thing he had to a father and Dendybar, in return left him to freeze in the snow of Icewind Dale.

By chance (or perhaps not) Kessel came upon Crenshinibon. The Crystal Shard dominated his weak mind easily and, using the powers of the artifact, dominated an army of orcs, goblins and trolls as well as others, allying them with the local Barbarian tribes and the Balor lord, Errtu which he would use to take over the Ten Towns before moving on to loftier goals. He didn't count on the likes of Drizzt Do'Urden or Wulfgar, son of Beornagar, or even Regis & Guenhwyvar. The four heroes together unravelled Kessel's (Crenshinibon's) plans and Drizzt himself disposed of Errtu & got Kessel in a position to accidentally kill himself.