Duaz Arak

General

Duaz Arak is a military leader and strategist and protagonist of the Iron Gate Saga. He is instrumental in advancing the mission of the Akrehdei, thus enabling large parts of the plot to come into effect.

Appearance

Duaz Arak is a lanky Akrehdei with blue-purple scales, subtle rust-red markings, and yellow eyes.

Personality

Duaz Arak is highly intelligent on one hand, but extremely emotional on the other. He usually appears calm and focused, but experiences fits of rage when confronted with personal failure or uncontrollable situations.

Unlike many Akrehdei, Duaz Arak is not particularly religious and not a collectivist. He sees these traits more as obstacles than as something positive. He is also curious and eager for knowledge.

Duaz Arak limits the number of friends he makes to people who can match him, often preferring solitude.

Life

Duaz Arak grows up at the Citadel of the North as the son of two Markhrer, a religious minority among the Akrehdei. From an early age, he has difficulty adapting to his environment and soon distinguishes himself through his exceptional intelligence. However, his abilities are not fostered by Akrehdei society.

In his youth, he pursues a bureaucratic career and works towards establishing an expeditionary choir. Unlike most Akrehdei, he is deeply interested in humans and their ways of life, even learning the Intermediate language. However, the first expedition he plans across the strait ends in failure, with most participants losing their lives. As a result, Duaz Arak is sentenced to life imprisonment at the behest of influential bereaved families. He spends about two years in the Citadel, which takes a toll on his psyche before he is released from prison to be used as forced labor. This happens against the backdrop of a growing demand for workers, as in the meantime, the Akrehdei have declared the Great Crusade.

Duaz Arak then decides — following a Markhrer tradition — to divide his name (which was previously Duazarak) to signify his change in life. Immediately after his release, he begins scheming with the simplest means to first secure minor tasks and then a position within the military administration. Initially, he has little interest in the Crusade, as he is not particularly religious. However, the danger posed by the bereaved families of the failed expedition, who remain hostile towards him, forces him to seek secure positions.

At the same time, Duaz Arak seeks contact with the enslaved humans, learning about them and their customs. Eventually, through intrigue, he manages to gain the trust of a human woman named Palt, who introduces him more deeply to human culture. Through this, he discovers that the Humans possess highly detailed knowledge of the coast and the sea. He uses this knowledge to warn the military leadership when he learns of plans to soon transport Akrehdei civilization across the sea to the north.

This maneuver earns him the attention of Praetor Kijš, at whose side Duaz Arak eventually travels. Over time, Duaz Arak succeeds in becoming the supreme commander of the army. His strategic and innovative thinking guides the various migratory movements of the Akrehdei, allowing them to acquire new knowledge, weapons, and ideas as they push northward over the years. Under his and Kijš' leadership, the Akrehdei establish contact with the Magotho and form an alliance with them. Duaz Arak also plans and leads the campaign against Aerznia.

He succeeds in leading the Akrehdei through Aerznien and as far as Kehda. However, the campaign stalls there, as the Akrehdei are unable to cope with the unexpected desert. Ultimately, Duaz Arak is devastated when his entire life's work collapses, and he vanishes.