Khereon Ul, the Alchemist of Souls
Demon of the Third Circle
Fourth Soul of the Quicksilver Forest
Sometimes thunder without lightning strikes the Demon City, blowing vast chasms into the landscape. Malfeas bleeds many strange and peculiar substances and Kimbery lurks below the surface, and so they well up and flood the pits, boiling and fuming and effervescing and forming vast whirlpools. From such thunder-born craters emerges Khereon Ul, standing upon a cast-iron pot and clad in patchwork robes made from demonskin. Such caldron-chasms are their flesh just as much as their human form and they devote much of their time to seeking out reagents to devour. Their weapon of choice is a great broad-headed starmetal daiklaive constructed to a scale no man could use, caked in the residue of their caldron.
It is said that before time began, the Alchemist of Souls was two separate souls of the Quicksilver Forest. Through forbidden sorcery and dark experimentation, however, they transcended their separate nature and flowed together like molten wax. Kereon Ul merely smiles when such a tale is told, but such a feat is almost certainly within their capacities. Neither male nor female but partaking of the nature of both, the demon prince is a chimeric creature. One eye is filled with silver flame while the other is the colour of cherry blossoms. When they speak, thunder is heard and water boils. Where they walk the lines between substances become blurred, and a tree beside a river may start to flow even as the water sprouts leaves. Mules breed true while their parents become sterile.
Khereon Ul is perhaps the foremost master of vitriolic alchemy within the Demon City, with only two or three other Unquestionable who might rival them. The Alchemist of Souls renders lesser demons down into hellish brews and elixirs. These they consume themselves or give to others.and so the drinker partakes of the nature of the dissolved. Unlike most alchemists, however, they work on a titanic scale. Within their caldron body they might dissolve a hundred blood apes to produce a brew that might be consumed by a thousand.
Since the earliest days, Khereon Ul has obsessed over the nature of the soul. Their relentless drive for self-modification has led them to dissolve and consume countless of their own second circles demons, and such incestous consumption has only contributed to their twisted nature. Other demon lords have not been spared their depredations, and quick-footed Mara still flees from the sound of thunder for Khereon Ul has nearly caught her thrice. In their cauldron the Alchemist of Souls spawns countless new breeds of serf-demons, slaying all that do not meet their satisfaction - which are most that they spawn. But their hubris does not stop there, for they have plotted murder against other souls of Szoreny and in the Incarnate Rebellion they betrayed three of their siblings to the Exalted host. Khereon Ul felt that their greater self would be improved if such aspects were removed from their nature.
Such treachery won them no favours from the Exalted, but Khereon Ul cared little for that. Their obsessions merely shifted to the question of Exaltation itself. In five thousand years some of its mysteries have surrendered themselves to this demon prince, though they know very well that there is so much that they have not grasped yet. The Alchemist of Souls is generous to any Exalt who seeks their aid and will offer generous terms if their services are bartered for, for time spent near Autochthon's masterpieces is time that they can use to study them.
Alas, the cabal of demon princes who stole the Solar Exaltations and forged the green sun princes did not invite Khereon Ul to join them, for the alchemist is little trusted among their fellows. Their rage at the discovery that such a chance passed them by was cataclysmic, and only passed when they slew one of their souls to remove their capacity for anger. Instead, cold reptillian resentment took its place - and then utmost fascination, as they observe the Infernal Exalted. The demon princess Lilunu who - impossibly - exists within the hierarchies of many Yozis also captivates the alchemist, and with all their heart they wish to possess her. Let all other consequences be damned! Khereon Ul would betray Hell to Heaven in a heartbeat if they thought that this would win them Lilunu.
Alchemists within Creation should take care, for there are certain ancient brews that are said to bind the power of a demon prince within the drinker at the cost of damnation. That is true, and they gain the prowess of Khereon Ul for a day. The price of such power is that at the end of the day the Alchemist of Souls claims them for an hour and then drags them off to Hell. Lead, alas, pains Khereon Ul greatly for their nature rejects its degenerate density. They gain limit for each action they spend in contact with items made of that metal.
Notes and Abilities: Sorcerers call upon the Alchemist of Souls for three reasons; firstly, for tuition in alchemy and education on the nature of the soul, secondly, for the creation of lesser demons, and thirdly to change things about their nature that they dislike. The first seek wisdom, the second are unwise and the third are fools beyond belief. As a tutor, Khereon Ul is greatly knowledgeable on many esoteric subjects, though they will seek to further their own knowledge of the secrets of Exaltation even as they teach a sorcerer.
When creating demons, the Alchemist of Souls must manifest a crater-body, and fill it with many strange and exotic reagents. Once this is done, however, unbound demon-serfs will spawn from it in large amounts. Many of these serfs will be malformed and Khereon Ul would normally throw them back into the caldron, but a sorcerer may order the demon prince to permit them to live and quickly build a sizable army of twisted demons. The most foolish are those who dislike some aspect of themselves and submit to the alchemist's ministrations and imbibe their formulae. If bound Khereon Ul will not be actively malevolent, but there is a certain imprecision in their art and many men would not like how the drugs of a demon prince would change them.
Khereon Ul and the All-Thing: Should Szoreny join the Reclamation, then Khereon Ul will attempt with all speed to find a Green Sun Prince who will accept them as a patron. Such generosity however will last only as long as the Infernal continues to interest them. Should they bore the Alchemist of Souls - or even worse, fail to display interesting developments that other Infernals are showing, such as the development of Heretical Charms - then they will find such largesse swiftly reduced. Infernals with them as a patron may also find themselves used as a go-between between Khereon Ul and Lilunu - and the Alchemist of Souls will quickly run up against jealous Ligier and watchful Orabilis in their actions and desire for her.
However, should the souls of the Quicksilver Forest be denied entrance to the conspiracy, Khereon Ul will prove a most spiteful foe of the Reclamation. Their amoral nature and willingness to betray Hell may well be a path for Yu Shan to discover much about the Reclamation - and Sidereal Exalted may find themselves having to negotiate with the alchemist who knows well the value of what they hold. They will also prove entirely willing to hire deniable assets - demonic and otherwise - to try to capture or kill Infernal Exalts, demanding that their target be brought to them dead or alive. Either way, Khereon Ul will have use for them.
