Karakush

In Hedgewitch, Karakush is a Nemovort sorcerer operating in the Westlands, serving as a major antagonist and complicating factor. He parleys with Rondal and, surprisingly, offers intelligence against the more powerful Nemovort Mycin Amana, suggesting internecine conflict among Korbal's undead lieutenants. His willingness to deal with living mages makes him a dangerous and unpredictable element in the Westlands conflict.

Minalan keeps a sympathy-stone bowl whose mate is in Karakush's possession, allowing direct communication between the two. The Nemovort's tattooed face stares up through the bowl, politely enquiring about Minalan's injuries after the Yule offensive on Castabriel.

Karakush still lurks in the Westlands with his minions. Pentandra wants to manufacture anything that can hurt his Nemovorti. Rondal is tasked with determining which Nemovorti are allied with Karakush, their locations, and their forces, and finds the Westlands filled with undead, Enshadowed sorcerers, and war-beasts rather than gurvani hordes.

Rondal asks after news of Karakush. Mycin Amana in turn explains that her resurrection was engineered at Karakush's suggestion:

I credit Karakush for suggesting it and discovering her whereabouts.

Minalan recalls that Karakush's earlier secret messenger had given him excellent intelligence on Shakathet — framing Karakush as an opportunistic rival within Korbal's court who sometimes feeds Minalan advantages against the Nemovort's nominal king.