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Mahrkagir
The Mahrkagir
- "Ill thoughts, ill words, ill deeds."
The ruler of Drujan, the Mahrkagir is extremely sadistic and completely evil. Imriel is sold to him, and he subjects the boy to horrific abuse. Phèdre comes to save him, and the Mahrkagir ends up falling in love with her. She kills him with a hairpin.
Tropes applying to the Mahrkagir
- Alas, Poor Villain: Despite the horrific things he does, Phèdre still feels pity for him when she kills him.
- Ax-Crazy: It's plain to everyone that he is completely insane, and has been since his 'rebirth'.
- Bad Is Good and Good Is Bad: The religion of Angra Mainyu is based on this, as illustrated by the quote above.
- Big Bad: Of Kushiel's Avatar, and possibly the Phedre trilogy as a whole.
- Black Eyes of Evil: A blow to his head while his family was murdered fully dilated his pupils, so much their original colour isn't visible anymore. It also means he's hypersensitive to light.
- Blood-Splattered Innocents: His backstory reveals that he was the only member of his family to survive a particularly brutal massacre.
- Buried in a Pile of Corpses: He survived this during his family's massacre.
- Character Death: He is killed by Phedre, who stabs a hairpin into his heart.
- Create Your Own Villain: As Phedre notes, the Akkadians are largely to blame for the rise of the Mahrkagir, as it was their bloody massacre of his family which made him what he is today.
- Dark and Troubled Past: His entire family was slaughtered by the Akkadians when Drujan rebelled against their rule. He was the only survivor.
- Dark Messiah: The followers of Angra Mainyu believe he is this.
- The Dreaded: The Akkadians will not speak of Drujan and prohibit anyone from traveling there after the Mahrkagir's bone priests wiped out two of their armies.
- Enemy to All Living Things: As the avatar of Angra Mainyu the Mahrkagir is hostile to all life. He turns Drujan into a Mordor and uses the iron rod to rape the women of his zenana because he won't commit any act that could result in the creation of life.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: He dubs Phedre his favorite for her ability to feel pleasure when he torments her. However, she becomes more than his toy when he realizes he grew reluctant to inflict heavy harm upon her.
- Kill the Ones You Love: The last step to fully become Angra Mainyu's avatar. He fully believes he's honouring Phedre by choosing her as his sacrifice.
- Torture Technician: He is very adept at torturing the women of his zenana until they cross the Despair Event Horizon.
- Used to Be a Sweet Kid: He started as a normal little boy raised in his father's zenana, with a dog and a loving mother. Then his entire family was slaughtered, he was Buried in a Pile of Corpses and said goodbye to his sanity.
- What Is This Thing You Call "Love"?: He definitely felt something more than lust towards Phedre, but it was so foreign to his thought process he needed to be told his newfound reluctance to hurt her was affection.
- Would Hurt a Child: He abuses Imriel in some very horrific ways.
Daeva Gashtaham
Daeva Gashtaham
The head Aka-Magus of the religion of Angra Mainyu.
Tropes applying to Gashtaham:
- Batman Gambit: He suggests that the Mahrkagir have his men gang rape Phedre, knowing he won't allow it. This provides the proof he needs that the Mahrkagir has fallen in love with her.
- De-power: His power flows through the Mahrkagir, who is the avatar of Angra Mainyu. When Phedre kills the Mahrkagir, he and the rest of the bone priests lose their power.
- High Priest: He is the head priest (Aka-Magus) of Angra Mainyu's religion.
- Patricide: He murdered his own father and ate his heart in order to become an Aka-Magus and receive power over death.
- A Pupil of Mine Until He Turned to Evil: He was once an acolyte of the Magus Arshaka until he turned away from Ahura Mazda & embraced Angra Mainyu.
- Villainous Breakdown: He suffers this after Phedre kills the Mahrkagir and he loses his powers.
Tahmuras
Tahmuras
The Mahrkagir's personal bodyguard, who has been with him since his "rebirth." He is completely loyal to his master and very skilled with a morningstar.
Tropes applying to Tahmuras:
- Avenging the Villain: He wants vengeance for the Mahrkagir's death. Fortunately, Joscelin is able to defeat him before he can kill Phedre or any of the women of the zenana.
- The Dragon: To the Mahrkagir.
- Dragon Their Feet: He isn't defeated until after the Mahrkagir is killed, and his death signifies the end of the battle for Darsanga.
- Epic Flail: He wields a morningstar very skillfully. He uses it to break Joscelin's arm and comes very close to killing him.
