Ghisteslwchlohm

"I am Ohm of Caithnard.  I am Ghisteslwchlohm, the Founder of Lungold, and--as you have guessed--it's destroyer.  I am the High One."  

-Ghisteslwchlohm

Ghisteslwchlohm, or more simply Ohm, was born in the land of Herun.  He is a lean, quiet patient man with a face with simple, austere lines.  The early years of his life are unknown; however, we do know that Ghisteslwchlohm journeyed to Erlenstar Mt. to ask the High One about the dreams of a dead Earth-Master's child.  Upon arriving, Ghisteslwchlohm found the chambers of the High One deserted.

He stood in wonder in the vast throne room at Erlenstar Mountain, where legend so old it had no beginning placed the High One.  It was empty...He had come to ask a question about a dreamer deep in Isig Mountain.  But there was no one to ask.  He brushed cobweb from the throne and sat down to puzzle over the emptiness.  And as grey light faded between the rotting doors, he began to spin illusions....

Here in the deserted chambers of the High One, Ghisteslwchlohm assumed the mantle of the High One and began to, even now, formulate a plan to become High One in more than just name.

To this end one thousand years before the start of Riddle of Stars, Ghisteslwchlohm founded the city of Lungold and its school of wizards.  This would earn him the title the Founder of Lungold, or more simply the Founder.  Ghisteslwchlohm was the most powerful of all the wizards, which lent validity to the claim that he would be able to grant others more power.  With the promise of power, he lured twenty-nine wizards and over two hundred men and women of talent to him.  They, in exchange, agreed to place their names in the Founder's mind, greatly increasing his power.  In the great hall of the School of Wizard, he spoke the nine strictures of wizardry.  At the same time, he harvested, even from the minds of the most powerful of the wizards, all knowledge and memory of the Star-Bearer.

Three hundred years later, seven hundred years before Riddle of Stars, the wizards realize that they have been tricked by the Founder.  This will lead to a bloody and violent battle that will leave the School of Wizards in ruins and two hundred and twenty-four of the students dead.  In a battle that lasted not a single night, Ghisteslwchlohm killed most of the students and binding the remaining survivors.  Only Suth escapes with his knowledge of the Star-Bearer intact.  Ohm binds the power of Aloil, Iff, Nun, Suth, Talies.  These wizards all flee taking various shapes to hide from the Founder.

Sometime after the destruction of the School of Wizards, Ghisteslwchlohm, now calling himself by his shorter name Ohm, either founded the College of Caithnard or began to gain control of it and its knowledge.

One hundred years later, six hundred years before the Riddle of Stars, Ghisteslwchlohm murdered the Morgol Dhairrhuwyth, who was on his way to Erlenstar Mt. to ask a question about the Star-Bearer.  Ohm did this by twisting the mind of the horse Morgol Rhu was riding.  Sometime during this same general time, Deth, the High One in disguise, will come and swear service to Ghisteslwchlohm.  Ghisteslwchlohm forms a mind-link with Deth, and from this point on, Deth will act as the voice for this False High One.

Shortly before the start of Riddle of Stars, Ohm acted as one of Morgol's masters at the College of Caithnard.  He even pretended to help Morgon look for answers about his three stars during his first winter there.  Ohm encouraged Morgon to go see the High One when he stopped there on his journey to Anuin.

When Morgon arrives at Erlenstar Mountain, he finds Master Ohm on the throne of the High One.  He holds Morgan prisoner probing his mind for the image of a man, the image of the High One.  This proves to be a very painful experience for Morgon, the Star-Bearer.

"I thought nothing in the realm could break his (Ghisteslwchlohm's) power.  But I was wrong.  He broke himself against the rigid tenets of the Star-Bearer's life and fled, leaving me along, unprotected, harpless--"

 -Deth

Morgon, after a year of captivity, summons enough power to cause Ghisteslwchlohm to flee, also this causes the bindings he placed on the wizards to break. Deth, the High One's Harpist, played for Morgon during his imprisonment.  This will lead Morgon, after his escape, to pursue not Ghisteslwchlohm but Deth.

After Ghisteslwchlohm's confrontation with Morgon at Erlenstar Mountain, he will spend his time in the out-lands strengthening his power.  Afterwards, through the mind-link, he meets Deth in Hel, An.  They proceed to have an argument about a perceived, by Ghisteslwchlohm, bond with the Star-Bearer.  Ghisteslwchlohm forms a harp of black fire for Deth to play.  While Deth is still conscious,  Ghisteslwchlohm draws out of Deth's mind his memories of the confrontation at Anuin with Morgon and of there time traveling together.

Through the mind-link, Ghisteslwchlohm learns that Morgon is with Deth along the Trader's Road to Lungold.  He uses this knowledge to ambush Morgon and Raederle as they sleep.  He holds Raederle hostage and contemplates binding Raederle's mind as a way to force Morgon to journey with him to Lungold and then back to Erlenstar Mountain.  Deth objects to this, and Ghisteslwchlohm threatens to use the Morgol, whom Deth loves, as a replacement.  Instead of choosing between Raederle and the Morgol, Deth backhands Ghisteslwchlohm.  In response, Ghisteslwchlohm sends a lash of fire across Deth's eyes.  Ghisteslwchlohm now believes Deth to be dead.

Afterwards, Earth-Masters, Ohm does not know who they are, appear demanding to know where the High One is.

"I am not interested in riddle-games.  Or in a fight.  You take your shapes out of dead men and seaweed; you breathe, you harp and you die--that is all I know or care to know about you."

-Ghisteslwchlohm

Ghisteslwchlohm definitely should have been more interested in who these mysterious beings were.  The Earth-Masters and Ohm begin to fight.  He loses Morgon and Raederle in the ensuing fight.

Ghisteslwchlohm launches a surprise attack on Lungold while Morgon and the wizards are shoring up its defenses.  He easily begins to overpower the wizards before Morgon shows up.  Morgon launches an attack consisting of wraiths of dead animals, draining much of Ghisteslwchlohm's power.  In desperation, Ghisteslwchlohm attempts to convince Morgon that he wishes to protect Morgon.  In reality, he wishes for Morgon to fight for him.  A brief clash occurs, Morgon emerges the victor and binds Ghisteslwchlohm.  He takes from his mind memories of the founding of Lungold, finding the High One's chambers empty, and a dream from a dead Earth-Master's child.

The Earth-Masters again crash the party taking Ghisteslwchlohm prisoner and binding him.  Morgon flees and is pursued by the Earth-Masters who chase him to Erlenstar Mt.  Ghisteslwchlohm and Morgon are held prisoner in the hollowed out mountain.  Ghisteslwchlohm is now little more than a puppet for the Earth-Masters.  He saves Morgon from drowning in the lake in Erlenstar Mountain.   While Morgon escapes from the Earth-Masters, Ghisteslwchlohm does not.

During their attack on Wind Tower, the Earth-Master's bring Ghisteslwchlohm with them.  Ghisteslwchlohm is shocked to learn that Deth, the man who served him for six hundred years, is in reality the High One.  This shock nearly allowed Ghisteslwchlohm to break the hold over his mind.

"Even death, Master Ohm is a riddle."

-The High One

Ghisteslwchlohm then takes the starred-sword from Morgon and stabs the High One through the heart, killing him.  Upon the High One's death, Morgon gains all of his land-law.  He releases the Winds, destroying the Wind Tower.  Ghisteslwchlohm died in its collapse.

Ghisteslwchlohm was one of the most powerful men for a thousand years.  He went from being the most powerful wizard, to the False High One, to the Founder of Lungold, and a Master at Caithnard.  Upon assuming the mantle of the High One, he began to devise a plan to become High One in more than just name.  He unknowingly immersed himself into an ancient power struggle for the fate of the Realm.  A man of aspiration for power, in a game he thought he created, was never really a player.  Both the High One and the Earth Masters' outmatched him in power and knowledge.  In the end, he was little more than a puppet.  Not that he hadn't been already.