Merxo The Destroyer

"*Work will end when work is done."*

DM: Ethan

First appearance: Merxo's Revenge

Last Appearance: The Lich Dane Quests

Also known as: Unknown

Height: 6'0

weight: 210lbs

Race: High Elf

Age: Unknown

Merxo The Destroyer was one of the primary antagonists of The Dane Chronicles, along with Dane Shawson and Eli Elsewyr. He was initially intended to be the focus of the campaign, but after Dane's popularity grew, Merxo was slowly relegated to a sidelined role. He was most notable for his rapier that he carried, which was stolen by Ashira Alderlead.

Merxo's earliest appearances demonstrated his efforts in the extraction of a Dragon Soul in an attempt to prolong his life and boost his magic power. This initial attempt was thwarted by Ashira Alderlead, Adran Amastacir, Valkyor and Ramsey Salazar, with Valkyor absorbing the Dragon Soul before Merxo could.

He attempted this plan once more on Dread Island, but the soul was instead absorbed by Dane, who double crossed him.

Merxo was not seen again until the finale of the campaign in which the party had to duel him on a rolling tree that sat upon a chasm.

Merxo was also seen briefly in The Lich Dane Quests, working in disguise as a figure called "Myre", and attempting to convince the party to double cross Dane. This attempt failed, and he was not seen again for the duration of the campaign.

**HISTORY**

**CANON V1**

Not much was established about Merxo in the early canon, though it is known that he was somehow involved in The Warlord Wars, and that he met Dane when Dane was very young, grooming him to be a proficient bandit leader. As such, it can be derived that Merxo did lead some sort of bandit company at some point, though they never appeared in any of the quests Merxo was featured in. It was implied that he was impossibly old, even for an elf. It is also known that he at one point was imprisoned on Dread Island.

**CANON V2**

In the new canon, Merxo casts a somewhat mysterious figure. Little has been done with the Dane era canon in terms of being adapted into the new canon, though there is more to go off of.

Merxo's date and origin of birth is unknown, though the first recorded sighting of the elven spellsword was during The Desecration Wars of Illuminia, in 361 BWT, making his age by his appearance in The Dane Chronicles (3615ADE) at least 3,976 years old, and likely much older. There are several allusions to Merxo throughout history in nearly every corner of the world, though many have been refuted, debunked, or are just simply inconclusive. One thing known for certain, however, is that in 27 BWT, Merxo was at The Battle Of Coalfringe Keep when one particular incarnation of Dane Shawson tore open The Multivoid. He was originally assumed dead after The Almighty Dawn managed to break through and kill Dane, though he was sighted several years later during a riotous uprising in The City Of Ruby Run on Gem island of Draetoss.

Merxo made several similar appearances for thousands of years, always inciting rebellion, and it is difficult to distinguish which stories are rooted in fact as he grew somewhat of a mythos around himself.

**THE WARLORD WARS**

The next definitive sighting was not until 419 8E, when he, as a member of The Five Warlords Of The Vengalis Strait, claimed responsibility for the sinking of *The Ekdissia* off the coast of The Isle Of Saulmondello. This event led to The Warlord Wars two years later, in which The Five Warlords occupied and held key port cities along The Strait Of Vengalis for 21 years.

Merxo's fleet, led by *The Sovereign Smite ,* took part in several key battles from Ramhorn Harbor to The Iliotis Islands. Merxo's efficiency in naval battles massively crippled Kolaria in the early years of the war, prolonging the fight much longer than expected, and pushing The Almighty Dawn to step in during the later years of the war.

Merxo was solely responsible for The Razing Of Ramhorn after he massacred 37 anchored ships in the port of Thistlebrook by launching Gelfire Cannons after his fleet entered the harbor in the middle of the knight. 547 Telemortan Marines were killed in the attack, alongside 94 civilians who were nearby in the town. This dealt a massive strategic blow to Telemorta, and within 6 months, they had lost control of all power within Ramhorn Harbor.

Of all of the 5 Warlords, Merxo proved to be the most elusive, and arguably the most deadly, next to Dane Shawson himself. Merxo went without a single definitive naval loss in the war for nearly 20 years, until he was blindsided by a fleet led by *The Broken Star,* and his fleet was dealt massive damage before he could escape. With only half power, the quality of Merxo's campaigns began to decline until he was a shadow of the terrible warlord who dominated the first decade and a half of the war.

His fleet finally met it's end at The Battle Of Crossbones Bay, when 5 Almighty Dawn battleships, including their flagship, followed by a fleet of 13 frigates, intercepted *The Sovjund* and 3 other battleships along with 5 frigates as they attempted to leave the bay.

*The Sovereign Smite* was among the warlord forces that day, and got caught in a bad situation, and after 4 hours of naval combat, *The Sovereign Smite* was rammed by a friendly ship, *The Talon,* after it's captain, Brutus The Bright revealed he was a traitor in the employ of The Almighty Dawn. *The Sovereign Smite* was sunk that day, and the next day, The 5 Warlords (Without Dane Shawson who escaped after The Sovjund was sunk), announced their unconditional surrender, formally putting an end to the Warlord Wars.

Merxo wasn't seen again until his appearances in The Dane Chronicles, and was eventually slain by Ashira Alderlead in 1003 9E.