A while ago, I shared my headcanons of Naadir in this post. Since he shares his limited screen time with Kudur, I might as well talk about him too. There isn’t much canon content of him, so some of my ideas may be a bit more ‘out there’ considering there isn’t much to base them on. Feel free to point out any inconsistencies between them and canon lore, or simply consider my version of him as an AU.
Spoilers ahead for The Refugee, a standalone scenario in Heroes V (HV) Tribes of the East.
But First, Liches:
Since the sprite of an Archlich is used to depict Kudur, we can safely assume that’s what he is. As this is a pretty big part of his character, I first needed to figure out what it means to be a Lich, at least in general.
In a nutshell, Liches in HV are “powerful undead mages, seething with hatred for all forms of life. They bring plague to the lands they tread upon, creating dreadful death clouds to strike their enemies from afar.”
In Heroes VI and VII, a high-ranking necromancer can become one by consuming “a life-prolonging elixir that is milked from the venom of the Namtarus, Asha’s sacred spider spirits, that they must mix with their food. This ‘treatment’ turns them into Asakkus, or ‘Liches’, their bodies desiccated but now freed from the passions of the flesh. They keep aging however, until they resemble little more than walking mummies. The venom mixture also colors their entire eyes bright green.”
As for Archliches, the main upgrade, they’re practically the same thing, expect they can also “cast curses and weakening spells upon entire enemy armies” in HV.
In HVI and HVII, they “are given this title when they have continued ‘living’ beyond what their physical shell would have normally permitted. Though this passage might seem arbitrary, it is not, for a Lich feels the moment pass when death should have come. As they journey beyond the sacred cycle of life and death, they gain comprehension of greater powers, some which can be used to sap the lifeforce of living creatures.”
As for Lich Masters (who only appear in HV as an alt upgrade): “On their death, the most experienced necromancers have the honour of becoming Lich Masters, elite troops of the armies of Heresh.” I can only imagine them to be somewhat similar to Archliches, except way more powerful (and way fewer in number).
Maybe they could act as some kind of leader figure for other Liches—or perhaps they’re the ones who oversee the process of creating more of them, deciding on any adjustments to make to the venom in order to improve the transformation process...? I’m not entirely set on any particular idea for them.
Ever since I first read all that, I asked myself: why specify that they hate all forms of life?
What if it’s a side effect of the venom? What if they aren’t just aging and decomposing on the outside (physically), but are also rotting on the inside (in a psychological way)? Not only are their bodies unable to function the way those of mortals are, the way they feel and process emotions will inevitably differ as well—which gets translated to a lingering hatred, resentment, or something else.
What if this extends to every other facet of unlife, as well? Perhaps they become remarkably prickly people, more irritable or prone to certain negative emotions in general. And they’re not afraid to retaliate against those they deem deserving of their ire.
But to control this aspect of oneself, to be patient and kind and understanding, takes strength and dedication—it’s a fight that doesn’t get easier with the passage of time.
It could also simply depend on the individual’s pre-established personality. Perhaps people who (aspire to) become Liches are more likely to have had a hatred of the living before going through with the transformation. Something that was already in them is just getting worse, as opposed to appearing out of seemingly nowhere.
Personally, I believe it can be a mix of both. Maybe becoming a Lich doesn’t simply change who someone is, but moreso reinforces beliefs and perceptions they’ve already had—or provides a change of perspective as they learn a completely new way of (un)life. Maybe some do, in fact, hate the living, while others don’t. Maybe it’s just… complicated. It’s different for every Lich.
Also, why take up four tiles on the battlefield (in HV) if they’re also formerly humans (or any other kind of creature they could’ve been)?
In my opinion, it is (or can be) because many Liches are indeed taller and bigger than most other types of necromancers. As time goes on, what remains of their mortal shell becomes more and more “distorted” by the very thing that made them this way.
It’s essentially another side effect of the poison: the more they unlive, the more powerful they get, the less human they look.
Kudur, As A Lich:
With that said, Kudur is a bit different from the other (Arch)Liches. I like to think of him as much taller and much less human-looking as a result of unliving a lot longer than most other necromancers.
How long? According to his wiki page, he was Belketh’s apprentice, and Belketh unlived for centuries until his final death in 822 YSD—and since there is literally no information about Kudur beyond his appearance in The Refugee scenario, he could technically have unlived for any amount of time.
I believe it would be interesting if he, and perhaps Naadir as well, had been around from the beginning, ever since their Master first rediscovered necromancy. This means they would’ve both present when HVI took place—but weren’t important, powerful, or otherwise notable enough to appear in the list of featured/playable characters.
Perhaps at the time, they would’ve moreso been at the beginning of their respective journeys as necromancers—too early to start making a name for themselves.
There’s also a second reason for me to say this: what if Kudur became a Lich way back when, before the Namtarus came into the picture—before there was any venom to consume?
Instead, Belketh used a spell to convert him, a complex one he reworked/modified (or even designed) based on his findings in the Revelations of the Seventh Dragon, an ancient manuscript containing the teachings of Sar-Elam.
Taking it a step further; what if Kudur was one of the first Liches to have ever made? Meaning he was one of the first people on whom Belketh used that spell—so it came with more side effects than the current method.
Although Belketh did continue to rework and improve it based on what he learned from using it, he can’t change what had become of Kudur (and of Naadir, by extension).
However, once the Namtaru venom was discovered, the spider cult prioritized it because it was an “easier” (less risky and overall more convenient) alternative to the spell, which required much more power and mana than most necromancers could manage—making Belketh one of the only people who could perform it well, or at all.
In essence, not only does Kudur look much less human than his fellow Liches, he’s also unliving with the side-effects of the spell—basically a more severe set of downsides than if he had waited for the venom method to be developed. For example; he can’t eat food even if he wants to, since his body wouldn’t be able to process it the way even most others of his kind can.
Personality:
Kudur is a rather sardonic and sarcastic guy in general, who enjoys poking fun at others—in Refugee, he is seen making jabs and quips at NPCs nearly the entire time.
However, he knows to be serious when the situation calls for it— and to keep any negative comments private, to himself or between him and Naadir.
Surprisingly, it takes a lot to seriously irritate him—but once he reaches his limit, he’s Mad. Even then, he’s not impulsive to the point of hurting others without permission—though he threatened to kill and enslave the first oracle in Refugee, he never actually acted on his frustration because Naadir told him not to.
So he’s either impatient, or super patient. I’m inclined to believe the latter, since he only reached this almost-breaking point after many cutscenes, a point that took me months in-game to reach.
He’s rather distrusting of others by default; he’ll be cordial to most, but it takes time and effort to gain his trust and genuine respect—which only Belketh and Naadir have managed to do.
He doesn’t think much of the rest, even of those he mocks. As for those who deserve his ire, he enjoys retaliating against them, making the most out of any opportunity to do so.
Beneath his cold exterior lays a heart of gold; he tends to express kindness in small, subtle ways towards his allies, or at least to those he doesn’t totally disdain... but when asked about it, he’ll deny, deny, deny, and actively restrain himself from lashing out just to prove that he isn’t. He’s not a good person, he claims. Far from it.
(Okay, that last one isn’t based on anything at all, but it’s a fun what-if to think about. Plus, I already headcanon Naadir as being kind, so by that logic, it would make sense for him to spend time with someone who shares the trait, even if neither of them would put it in those words.)
Possible Backstory:
Kudur was a mage from the Seven Cities, before becoming a disciple of Belketh and a necromancer. He was already quite a tall man at the time, but the spell that helped him cross to the other side of life left him even taller, unnaturally so. Perhaps it also made him more prone to bitterness and disdain than before taking the plunge.
Despite this, he doesn’t regret the decision (which he fully agreed to), since it gave him his power, his high rank, and most importantly: a change of perspective that left him a more mature and sensible person.
I’m not sure what he would’ve been working on at the time, but maybe on something unrelated enough to not have had to talk to Naadir very often, but connected enough to give them a reason to collaborate after Belketh’s defeat.
Relationship With Naadir:
After the War of the Broken Staff, all Kudur could think about was rebuilding what was destroyed and recovering the knowledge that had been lost… and so was Naadir, supposedly, though he focused a little too much on the Revelations of the Seventh Dragon, in his humble opinion—he doubted whether such a thing still existed. He didn’t have much of a choice, seeing as there weren’t many other people left to work with, after so many final deaths among their highest ranks.
Whatever. They were going to part ways after giving up finding it anyway, which shouldn’t take too long…
However, the more they unlived together, the more they warmed up to each other—slowly and rather indirectly, learning about one another through tackling challenges together rather than purposeful interaction.
And then, it happened: they found the book. They should have parted ways, like they both swore to do, but they kept finding excuses to stay by one another’s side. There was always something to do, and they worked so well together—so they continued as they were, not daring to say anything out of fear of ruining things between them.
During the 150 years since, their budding friendship only grew stronger as they settled into a new normal, as Heresh started to stabilize and become a kingdom in its own right. Now, the thought of leaving one another seems more ridiculous than anything.
These days, they’re super close. Kudur keeps Naadir sane with his humor, and Naadir keeps Kudur in check.
Current Role:
As Naadir’s right hand, Kudur assists him with his research of the spiritual realm. He mainly works behind the scenes, ensuring their department stays up and running while the other often has to travel to recruit more ghosts and do field research.
His tasks range anywhere from organizing findings in readable documents, to managing and taking care of the spirits currently in their custody, to answering inquiries pertaining to the spiritual realm when Naadir is unavailable (otherwise, people would go to him instead), etc.
He also accompanies Naadir in his travels, sometimes, mainly to help with any task he struggles to complete on his own. It happens less often after the end of Refugee.
Despite him technically being an underling, there’s not really a solid hierarchy between the two, nor a strict expectation of servitude like most other relationships of that nature. They’re closer to equals with different roles, even though Naadir has a little more authority as the “face” everyone associates with all the advancements in that domain.
Though he is rarely seen without Naadir, Kudur is well-respected within the spider cult, and just as feared, in his own right.
Should anything happen to Naadir, it would be relatively simple for him to take over his unlife’s work, seeing as he practically already does when the other is away from home.
Last, but not Least:
He (canonically) has a deep voice that really appeals to me.
Due to it also being somewhat monotone, he tends to come across as sarcastic and demeaning even in the very few instances he doesn’t necessarily intend to.
He sometimes swears in private, around people he’s comfortable with (only with Naadir, who does the same around him).
What if he used to be conventionally attractive as a human, but didn’t hate himself for it like Naadir did? His nonchalance about it could be part of the reason why the other initially disliked him.
The little blood that still courses through his veins is overwhelmingly bitter—only a laser-focused (and very powerful) vampire could power through long enough to catch a subtle aftertaste akin to chocolatey honey.
Isabel: You’re not what I thought you’d be like…
Raelag: Mean and scary?
Raelag: Yes, well… I actually thought you were mean and scary, too.
Isabel: Me?
Raelag: Terrifying!
They both laugh.
Sareth: I’m sick and tired of being called mortal, like, you don’t know that. Neither do I. I only died ONCE, and CAME BACK. Nothing proves I'll stay dead next time, yet. Stop making assumptions. It’s rude.
Arantir: “I’m really excited to fulfill my duty as Asha’s chosen one!” I exclaimed with excitement.
Arantir: Little did I know, it would be a feature. A creature feature.
Arantir: Featuring... The Creature (Ornella)
I just realized something dyring my nostalfia deep dive and I am LOSING MY GOD DAMN MIND.
So Naadir appears in both V and VII right? And he looks UNRECOGNIZABLE between the games.
But here's the thing. On the right, him all rotted and stuff? That's what he looked like 100 YEARS BEFORE HE BECAME THE PRETTY BOY WITH SKIN ON THE LEFT. So naturally, I blame bad writing UNTIL I REMEMBER: HIS BIOGRAPHY ALSO CHANGES IN THAT 100 YEARS.
And NGL his VII bio gives serious "Heresh has shit mental health care so he's not dealing with his body dysmorphia the best" vibes, so I begin to think, "Holy fuck he did it. He finally got ghost HRT." But just to be sure I check the ghost- HEY WAIT A MINUTE.
THAT LOOKS SUSPICIOUSLY SIMILAR TO HIM IN V (WHISPY WIND BLOWN HAIR PRETTY MUCH THE SAME COLOR AS THEIR SKIN, PURE GREEN EYES, BULKY METAL JEWELRY/CHAINS), AND WHAT ELSE? KASPAR'S CONFIMATION ON HOW GHOSTS ARE MADE IN THAT GAME:
AND NAADIR'S TRAIT IN V IS LITERALLY SOUL HUNTER, HE'D HAVE THE NECESSARY EQUIPMENT TO KEEP HIMSELF CHAINED TO THE PHYSICAL PLANE. AND IN VII HE WAS A GHOST CONJURER MEANING HE'D PROBABLY KNOW HOW TO TURN HIMSELF INTO A GHOST.
AT SOME POINT IN THE 100 YEARS BETWEEN VII AND V, NAADIR BECAME A SOUL HUNTER JUST FOR THE EQUIPMENT NEEDED TO MAKE SURE HIS TRANSITION ACTUALLY WORKED AND DIDN'T LEAVE HIM STRANDED AND FOREVER WANDERING TO BE ENSLAVED BY SOMEONE ELSE. WHY DID WE NOT GET A STORYLINE ABOUT THAT?
I have been inspired to share my headcanons of Naadir (ft. Kudur). Reblogging this post not only because I agree with OP’s conclusions, but I might also reference it here.
(For reference: I have played HV and the necromancer campaign of HVI, but not HVII yet, so my very limited knowledge of the latter comes mainly from reading parts of the wiki. I try to match my headcanons with the games to the best of my ability, but there may be incongruences between them and the liberties I take. In that case, feel free to point them out, or simply consider my version of the characters I bring up as an AU.)
First Things First:
When I first began thinking more deeply about this character, I started wondering: why hate the world of flesh more than anyone else, and why harm himself for it? While I respect the transgender headcanon (and am not at all closed off to considering him as trans, myself), my mind went in a different direction:
He was an extremely conventionally attractive individual while he was alive, and Absolutely Hated It. Nothing annoyed him more than being reminded of it, as though beauty was all that mattered. (He had always been so much more than just a pretty face—and yet for some, that was all he ever was.)
Perhaps he was particularly well-endowed too, especially if that was seen as desirable in the culture he came from (as a human, or maybe an elf, I haven’t decided yet)... though he never saw it that way, as it came with its own challenges.
While I can’t imagine it being the whole reason, I believe it could certainly play a part in his own hatred of it (and make it personal).
Ever since he first noticed the difference in the way people treated him compared to others, he hated the importance society places on conventional attractiveness (and on appearance in general).
After practically being forced to focus on it himself all his life, he vowed to purify himself and atone for all the things his beauty may have lead people to forgive him for.
This mindset leads him to bring that hatred inward, to erase his attractiveness so it would no longer overshadow the rest of him.
As a result, his body is covered in severe scars and/or burns, all (or most) of which are self-inflicted.
While punishment isn’t ever (meant to be) pleasant, he is ultimately glad to have reached that goal—to the point of relishing in the disgust and fear of the rare few who have seen his body after the fact.
Despite no longer caring about what others think of him as much (or at all), he never takes his mask off, as he doesn’t want to deal with the things people could possibly have to say about his face. Not that he ever needs to, anymore.
(Maybe he actually finds a purer form of beauty in what most people overlook, put to the side, consider “ugly” in some way.)
That one quote from Warhammer 40,000 encapsulates his philosophy beautifully, in my opinion. (I replaced certain terms with better fitting ones, because why not)
“From the moment I understood the weakness of my flesh, it disgusted me. I craved the strength and certainty of [the spiritual realm]. I aspired to the purity of the [naked soul]. Your kind cling to your flesh, as though it will not decay and fail you. One day, the crude biomass you call a temple will wither, and you will beg my kind to save you. But I am already saved, for the [spirit] is immortal… Even in death, I serve the [Spider Goddess].”
Personality and Role:
He can be quite critical of himself, especially in pursuit of upholding his own ideals, as he’s painfully aware of the ways in which the flaws of the flesh manifest in his own.
He’s a pretty cold and logical person in general—and though he tends to come across as abrasive, he’s actually rather kind-hearted as well. Very understanding towards others, especially to pained creatures like spirits and banshees.
As a Soul Hunter, recruiting ghosts is not as simple as chaining them, you can’t just do that to someone out of nowhere—not if you want them to stay for any substantial amount of time, at least.
I imagine he’d have to be good at tending to the wellbeing of the spirits in his care, perhaps even comforting them, or healing their emotional wounds just enough to convince them to join his cause.
As a result, he’s beloved by these sorts of creature, who are more than happy to serve him once they get to know him (or once he gets to know them).
As the expert on all things “ghost”, he’s well-regarded by his fellow Necromancers too. He’s made significant contributions to the knowledge Heresh now holds of the spiritual realm over the years.
He’s not the most open person, so it would take quite the perceptive individual to notice that side of him.
His Relationship With Kudur:
In the Refugee scenario, he can be seen reproaching Kudur for his quips, or simply telling him to stop—but not with the frustration of someone who’s reached an actual limit (or who’s “had enough”).
During a cutscene, Naadir implies having (un)lived through poverty together, before: scrounging up 50,000 gold for some oracle “would mean a few months of modest living, but it won’t be the first time.”
This means that they had already been working (or at least unliving) together for some time before the start of Refugee.
Their relationship isn’t explicitly defined as far as I can tell, but I surmise that: while Naadir may get (mildly) annoyed by Kudur’s antics at times, he at the very least tolerates his quirks, and he does seem to get along with him overall.
I personally like to think of them as very good (if not best) friends, rather than simply servant and master (or coworkers). While Kudur is technically his underling (as his right hand), Naadir views him as moreso of an equal (or something close to it).
(Unfortunately, we never see Kudur again after this scenario ends—there’s no mention of what he is doing in any other game, or even whether he’s still around to witness the events of HV—so what I say next about him is pure speculation on my part... or simply made up without any basis in canon at all.)
Possible Backstory:
Naadir and Kudur served/learned under Belketh way back when, but never had to interact with each other much.
It was only after the angel’s passing, that they began joining forces. At first, they butted heads all the time, but gave one another a chance because “that’s what Master would’ve wanted.”
At least until they “find an unsullied copy of the original teachings of the Seventh Dragon” (Refugee scenario description), after which they agree to finally part ways.
Unexpectedly (for them), the two slowly resolve their differences, and even become friends over time. They’re now super close, despite no longer feeling obligated to stand by each other’s side anymore. (Belketh had guessed that they would get along... and he was right)
Last, but not Least:
Currently (in HV), Naadir is a spirit, and he prefers it that way.
Or he’s not a fully-fledged ghost yet, but he’s getting there. He tries to unlive separately from his body for as long as possible, storing it in a safe place until he has no choice but to use it again.
(That was what I first thought of him, but I started second-guessing myself when I saw the way he used to look in HVII. Now thanks to OP’s post, I’m sure of it more than ever.)
His voice is rough (canonically), almost like sandpaper to the ear.
(It caught me slightly off-guard at first, but now I think it suits this old man.)
His blood is overwhelmingly sour—only a laser-focused (and very powerful) vampire could power through long enough to catch a subtle aftertaste: something sweet, maybe fruity... like certain varieties of apple, or lemon, or sour cherry?
(This has no basis in canon whatsoever, moreso in my other headcanons and overall vibes.)
Ovidio: Is it gay to kiss other men?
Giovanni: Oh, don't worry about it
Lucretia: Yes, it is. What are you talking about?
Giovanni: Shut the fuck up
Giovanni: Do not ruin this for me, sister, please
We’ve all seen necromancers with spiders on their faces… but what if they had more tattoos than that? Like arms/sleeves, backs and torsos, legs…?
Oh wait, what if each necromancer contributed a tattoo to a person? What if everyone has their own symbol, a kind of ‘signature’, that they give as a sign of respect? Like as a silent “I know you, and I want people to recognize that I do”?
It’s a rather permanent decision, so they’re rarely given — usually to remarkable people, like those deserving of the spider on their forehead. Or to people who share a particular bond with the tattooer.
Maybe Arantir could have the most tattoos, despite only emerging recently (as of the beginning of Heroes 5), only because he’d ask for them — when most would wait to be offered tattoos? Perhaps he never had anyone to give them to, yet — but if he did, I imagine they would be red, like the one on his own head (as opposed to a more typical color, such as black)
Because of his hatred for the realm of the flesh, Naadir might not care for tattoos on skin — but perhaps he could research a way to carve them on someone’s soul, instead (if he hadn’t already found a way, by now)?
(I would love tattoo ideas, particularly for Arantir — maybe all the symbols could be layered over a spider web? But feel free to talk about other necromancers, as well)
yousharknotpass
titsay
kaledo-art
areudirty
andulkaphoto
ellievsbear