Raszagal

**Raszagal** was one of the most powerful psionic entities in the Milky Way during her life --much of which she spent reigning as Matriarch of the Dark Templar.

## History

### Rogue Tribes

Raszagal was born in 2055 CE on the planet Aiur, a member of the Rogue Tribes that did not follow the Khala. In her youth, she and several others were captured by agents of the Conclave. As their prisoner she was treated very badly -- given only enough light to stay alive. The Conclave, determined to keep the Rogue Tribes a secret, order Adun -- the new Templar executor -- to go to the prisoners at Khor-shakal and kill them.

Before the execution, Adun spoke to Raszagal and learned of her views. He felt that their ideas were reasonable -- so he faked the executions and taught the Rogue Tribes to hide themselves. Raszagal and those of her tribes learned this technique quickly -- too quickly -- unleashing catastrophic psionic storms across Aiur.

The Conclave decided, instead, to banish the Rogue Tribes from Aiur. The leader of the Conclave, Kortanul, oversaw this -- as the exiles were boarded onto an ancient xel'naga spaceship. However, Kortanul's anger at Adun overwhelmed him and he attacked -- first Adun, and then the exiles. Fearing that the stress of the attack would unleash more psionic storms, Adun intervened -- sacrificing his life to protect the Rogue Tribes and Aiur itself.

### Matriarch of the Dark Templar

These Rogue Tribes became the Nerazim or Dark Templar, establishing a home for themselves on Shakuras. In 2600 CE, Raszagal became their leader. Over the next 500 cycles, she became one of the oldest living Protoss and one of the only Nerazim who could still clearly remember Aiur. During her career as Matriarch, she bore a daughter named Vorazun. She instructed her close friend Mohandr with teaching Vorazun of her vision -- a future where the Protoss would stand united, Nerazim and Khalai.

In her old age, Raszagal's psionic control began to weaken. It was because of this that Raszagal became overpowered and enslaved by the Queen of Blades, Sarah Kerrigan. Nevertheless, she retained enough of her own free will to forgive the Khalai Protoss who fled the zerg invasion of Aiur and arrived on Shakuras. She enlisted the aid of these new allies in destroying the Cerebrates that had infested the area around a xel'naga temple.

It was then that Kerrigan made her appearance on Shakuras -- claiming to have freed herself from the influence of the swarm and wanting help in preventing the birth of a new Overmind. Kerrigan offered to help claim the Uraj and Khalis crystals that would be needed to defeat the zerg.

While these allied forces left Shakuras in search of the crystals, Aldaris discovered that Raszagal had fallen under dark influences and led his forces against her. When Zeratul and the allied protoss forces returned, they found Raszagal under siege by Aldaris and the Aiur refugees who had remained on the planet. She ordered them to kill Aldaris -- and although Zeratul suspected something was wrong, he followed orders and fought against his protoss brethren. Facing defeat, Aldaris began to reveal what he had learned -- only to be interrupted by the arrival of Kerrigan, who slew him.

She gloated about manipulating the protoss into destroying her enemies, the Cerebrates, and departed. Undeterred, Raszagal and the other protoss activated the xel'naga temple with the Uraj and Khalis crystals, purging the zerg from Shakuras.

### Kidnapped

With the United Earth forces in control of the Second Overmind, Kerrigan kidnapped Raszagal from Shakuras and brought her to Char in order to lure the Nerazim there to slay the fledgling creature. Zeratul, predictably, pursued. When he arrived, Raszagal encouraged him to help Kerrigan to slay the Overmind, as it posed a threat to protoss too. Once Zeratul had successfully killed the creature, however, Raszagal told him she did not wish to leave Char.

Realizing that she was still under Kerrigan's control, Zeratul took Raszagal by force and placed her in cryostasis while he secured the means to escape Char. Unfortunately, Kerrigan's zerg overwhelmed his forces. With no options left, Zeratul killed Raszagal -- rather than allowing her to live the rest of her life as a slave. As she died, she thanked him for the act of mercy.

Raszagal remained a revered figure amongst the older generation of Nerazim, however many in the younger generation would criticize her philosophies -- including Vorazun as she ascended to become Matriarch of the Dark Templar herself.

## Appearances

* Starcraft: Brood War

For canon information, please visit the Starcraft Wiki.