Khalitharius

Khalitharius was an efreet Pasha who terrorized the Raurin desert about a millenium before the mid-14th century DR. The wizard Martek bound him under the Star of Aga-Pelar in Pazar, but prophesized the genie's release a thousand years from then.

Personality
Even after a thousand years of imprisonment, the efreet was of a snobbish royalty and was not predisposed to treat anyone, even his liberators, kindly. He wanted to see the world above as of, and freely talked about his plans to destroy all civilization.

Abilities
The pasha could call endlessly on his own magical power, and thus it was no challenge for him to constantly cast fireball, flame strike, wall of fire, invisible, detect magic, enlarge, polymorph self, and assume gaseous form. He could also create illusions with both visible and aural effects, and even fulfill another's wish, though he was loath to do so. He was also immune to all fire attacks, and could travel the planes known to the efreet.

History
Before coming to Faerûn, the efreet was one of the six efreet Pashas and Viziers of the Fire Sultan. Khalitharius arrived at Raurin about fifty years after the last inhabitant of Medinat Muskawoon walked its streets. He turned the cursed city of stone into his base of operations, terrorizing the desert all across with an army of undead, the Malatath.

At some point, Martek challenged Khalitharius. The efreet toyed with the caravan bringing the mage, having one of its guards slain every night, then their camels and their water supply, as the wizard prepared a ritual to destroy him. The magic-user managed to complete his ritual successfully and bound Khalitharius inside a lead box. He set the Star of Aga-Pelar as a stopper for the lead box, and then gave the jewel as a gift to the Lord of Pazar, in exchange for keeping the Pasha imprisoned. The lead box was then lined with marble and used as an altar to display the jewel.

A thousand years later in, Khalitharius was accidentally released by adventurers, as Martek foresaw; he may have turned their mounts into a camel-fry if they dawdled after releasing him. He moved to the Crypt of Badr Al-Mosak, where he would gather the Malatath anew to begin a new campaign of death and destruction across the sands. As some of his first actions, he contacted the dervish Corga Kazan of the Oasis of the White Palm, to have him kidnap Princess Shadalah. Khalitharius personally took the princess a week later, suspecting she was tied to Martek; perhaps sensing his magic on her palm. He suspected killing her would not work, and so he kept her prisoner instead.

Adventurers confronted the Pasha not long after in the Crypt of Badr Al-Mosak, perhaps using the power of the Amulet from the Oasis of the White Palm to strike him down; the efreet retreated from the confrontation and left behind Princess Shadalah. With the mark from the Princess' Palm, the adventurers learned to go to the ruined city of Phoenix, where a djinn lay bound. Khalitarius had also sent a beholder to the city, to find possible lackeys. Once they released this djinn, the Vizier Aeraldoth, he was challenged by the genie immediately. The Pasha was forced to delay his vengeance to deal with Aeraldoth; the beholder may have informed his master of the release if alive, making the first battle between the two genies one on top of the city of Phoenix.

Shortly after, these adventurers succeeded at resurrecting Vizier Martek, who quickly confronted the Pasha, spent from his attempt at conquering the desert and from the constant fighting with Aeraldoth. At the end of this confrontation, the efreet appeared to be slain, but might have been instead banished forever.

Rumors & Legends
Khalitharius was rumored to be actually a demon imprisoned by the old gods, who they would release to punish those who turned from their cruel ways.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Desert of Desolation