C'Zanil
C'Zanil the Soulcrusher was a Tlaxan Shaman during the Blackroot War.
Lore
Pregame
C'Zanil lived in Ta'Ferna, the main Tlaxan city at the time. He was given the White Wool to bear and used its magic to strengthen the souls of the Tlaxan army. He had three generals; the warrior Arviya, the archer Cyrar, and the mage Siershen.
After Kaul cursed Ta'Ferna during Blackroot War, C'Shura was told by the elders to enter it and attempt to find him. Before entering, she met with C'Zanil and entrusted the safety of the people as well as the Orange Wool to him. Before leaving, the Orange Wool whispered to him, confusing him. C'Shura bids him farewell, cryptically warning not to let the whispers get too loud. Left as the only Shaman in a losing war, C'Zanil eventually succumbed to the whispers of the Orange Wool, and began using them to sacrifice the souls and warp the bodies of Tlaxans in an ironic attempt to save his people. Despite his best efforts, the Narsen army prevailed, and the Tlaxans had no choice but to surrender.
After the war, Zanil was imprisoned and brought before the elders, who revoked his title of Shaman, his wools, and proceeded to sentence him to death by his replacement C'Tnet. Refusing such punishment, Zanil murdered C'Tnet and escaped into exile with his generals. They locked themselves in a sealed off area of his tomb, where the generals died one by one. When it was Zanil's turn to die, the Crimson King appeared before him, having sensed him deep in the mountains. Zanil offered him his memories under the condition that he leave his people be, in which the Crimson King accepted. Zanil was then sent to the Hall of Memory where, despite the Crimson King keeping his end of the deal, he never let him into his memories.
A Study in Crimson Part 1
In an attempt to get a glimpse at Zanil's memories, the Crimson King sends the player to his memory room. Zanil says he knows the location of the Slumbering Knight, but refuses to tell the player due to his distrust in not just the Crimson King, but wool spirits as a whole. He shares with the player his final conversation with C'Shura and sends them on their way, saying to find another way if they insist on helping the Crimson King.
A Study in Crimson Part 2
The player enters Zanil's memory room with C'Shura, much to Zanil's surprise since he thought she was dead in Ta'Ferna. C'Shura expresses her anger at Zanil for listening to the wools' whispers and using them in a twisted way against the people he was meant to protect. Zanil defends himself, saying he was left responsible for the war C'Shura began while she disappeared and that he did what he had to in order to protect his people. He then reveals to both of them the truth about his exile, and how he was originally meant to die that day. With some prodding by C'Shura, Zanil finally reveals what Kaul told him as well as the location of the Slumbering Knight and how to access it. He warns the player to not ruin this and bids them both farewell.