Ashakarl

Ashakarl is first named through his vassals. A knight called Sire Ralun and a priest called Kagathag invoke "His Majesty, King Ashakarl, direct descendant of Shereul the Old God" when encountered in the Penumbra. Sir Cei denounces him as "a puppet king of an evil tyrant, ruling over a conquered land with slaves for subjects."

At this stage he is understood as a figurehead that the Enshadowed and the Sheruel cult use to claim gurvani legitimacy. Later in the book he appears in person at the Castali royal court, signing a treaty recognizing gurvani sovereignty as another human-style kingdom. Minalan bites his lip bloody in fury watching it happen.

The pivot book for Ashakarl. He breaks with Korbal and the Enshadowed after they enslave Sheruel. Minalan's ally Gurkarl brings news: Ashakarl has relocated his "court-in-exile" to Mekadarshku (Castle Dayne) in the flinty hill country. The court is positively irate at Korbal's enslavement of Sheruel. Among older shamans the practice of cannibalism has been condemned, and Ashakarl's urgulnosti allies have conceded the point.

He has perhaps sixty to seventy thousand tribal warriors, three legions of trained troops, and ten companies of Fell Hounds — not enough to fight Korbal without Sheruel's backing. That calculation sets up his secret alliance with Minalan.

Jannik reveals that Sire Koucey, recovered from the Poros disaster, remains loyal to Ashakarl and is likely carrying a covert message from the Goblin King. Koucey is "highly esteemed in Ashakarl's court." The framework is laid for quiet diplomatic contact between Minalan and Ashakarl through Koucey.

Ashakarl is confirmed as Minalan's covert ally: "he wasn't looking for a fight; he was pursuing survival. His realm was preserving the original tribal gurvani culture that the Enshadowed had perverted into an invading army."

A formal treaty is drafted by Brother Bryte granting Ashakarl title to the entire northwest Wilderlands below the Osbury River — the Makaman and Sarluresh hill country — and giving him free rein to expand south against Korbal while forbidding aggression against the Kasari or any movement east or north into the Magelaw.

Ashakarl is referenced by Pentandra and others as the established gurvani vassal state south of the Osbury. Relations remain cool but stable; his kingdom absorbs most of the gurvani refugees fleeing the Enshadowed's collapse.

A Nemovort envoy in Minalan's negotiations acknowledges: "It is said you have made peace with the rebel Ashakarl and his tribal bumpkins. You have kept your side of the agreement faithfully." Minalan in turn tells his allies that "our support and tacit alliance with King Ashakarl has borne fruit. Without Sheruel to keep the shamans in line, he's the only independent gurvani power that they can flee to."

Ashakarl's position becomes precarious after Minalan frees Sheruel and breaks the Enshadowed's hold on the Penumbra. In the climactic negotiation with Korbal, Minalan demands protection for Ashakarl: "He is, for these purposes, my vassal, and I always protect my vassals." Korbal dismisses him as "that arrogant, rebellious little gurvani prick."

Gurkarl later arrives at Spellgarden with a formal delegation. Ashakarl has freed his remaining human slaves, vowed to quit eating humans, and pledged peace with the Kasari. An urgulnosti emissary from the freed Sheruel has now arrived at Ashakarl's court, re-threatening the rebel king's independent kingdom.