Zalos

Zalos is an archmage and member of the Circle of Eight.

Appearance
Zalos is a medium-sized man of unknown origin whose face is shrouded by an illusory yellow haze at all times. This illusion cannot be dispelled unless he retires from his position in the Circle of Eight.

Personality
Zalos is forthright and confident, to the point that it can come across as arrogance. He's also very direct.

Background
Zalos is a powerful mage who rose through the ranks of Atemcester's wizards to become a member of the Circle of Eight. Upon ascending to the Circle, Zalos consented to remain anonymous and have his face hidden with illusion magic as long as he served as an archmage. His true name is unknown. Initially, he was known by his title and favored school of magic. However, this was deemed cumbersome by many and, upon the discovery of a tablet in ruins from the late Vrinian Empire, the archmagi decided to adopt the names of ancient wizards for their seats. He selected the name Zalos for his seat. Zalos developed his own spell, similar in effect to a black hole. However, notes for this spell somehow fell into the hands of agents of the Burning Knight, allowing Slumberjack to cast a weaker version of it with the orb containing the souls of the victims of Port Valor's devastation. Before the Pog Champions arrived in Atemcester, the Circle held a vote on whether or not to entrust the Bands of the Archmagi to them, pending the results of a test of ability administered by the Crest's current guardian, Esbat. The vote was marginally in favor of allowing the adventurers to take the Abyssal Crest. It is unknown how Zalos voted on the proposal.

Atemcester Arc
Zalos was present for the party's initial meeting with the Circle of Eight. Upon their return from Esbat's temple, they requested help from the Circle in finding someone to seal the Everburning Longsword and Dunan Slagmeld's dagger in a demiplane. Zalos pointed out that the archmagi were well-equipped to destroy the weapons and demanded that the party hand the blades over to him. Kilwin expressed reservations about handing over demon-summoning objects to a stranger, but Phrodaste convinced him that it was best for Zalos to destroy them in front of everyone. Zalos asked for the blades to be placed on the audience chamber's table and warned that he would remove them from existence. He descended from his throne and cast a powerful spell that ripped the space above the table and began to annihilate it. The force of the spell also began to blow in Zalos's robes. When the tears cleared, both blades had vanished. The party informed him that his spell had been plagiarized, but Zalos said he already knew. When most of the party left the audience chamber, Zalos was absorbed in Ashara's information about the Vrinian Empire, to the exclusion of noticing his surroundings. Zalos was also present at Ashara's second meeting with the Circle, although he did not speak during the meeting.

Goals
Zalos's wider goals are unknown to the Pog Champions. However, he presumably wants the Bands of the Archmagi to be protected against agents of the Burning Knight.

Abilities
Zalos is an extremely powerful wizard, considered a master of his craft. While the Pog Champions currently do not know his favored school of magic, Phrodaste has noted that he is very skilled at "blowing things up." He can cast a powerful destructive spell modeled on the effects of a Sphere of Annihilation. This spell is of his own invention, indicating an ability to craft his own spells.

Zalos and Reides
Reides was extremely impressed by Zalos's annihilation spell and has expressed interest in it. However, when he complimented the spell, Zalos was too consumed in learning about the Vrinian Empire to respond.

Quotes

 * Name: "Quote."

Trivia

 * It seems very likely that Zalos is the Archmage of Evocation, considering that he seems to specialize in "blowing things up." However, this has not been confirmed within the campaign.