Jal-Nish

Infobox character | name = Jal-Nish Hlar


real_name =
portrayer =
creator = Ian Irvine
species = Old Humans
gender = Male
first = Geomancer "(chapter 15)"
last =
last_cause =
age =40's (Well of Echoes) and 50's (Song Of The Tears)
occupation = Perquisitor, Acting-Scrutator, Scrutator
title = Perquisitor, Acting-Scrutator, Scrutator and God-Emperor
family = Cryl-Nish Hlar (son)
spouse =
children =
relatives =
footnotes =
Jal-Nish Hlar is a main character in Ian Irvine's "The Well of Echoes" quartet and the "Song of the Tears" trilogy. He is Cryl-Nish Hlar's father and is the Perquisitor for the region of Einunar.

He was gravely wounded in battle with the lyrinx, Ryll and begged to die, but at Nish's request Irisis Stirm saved his life, Jal-Nish becomes bitter and twisted (more so) after this. Jal-Nish is an adversary of Scrutator Xervish Flydd and when the Scrutator is temporarily suspended, Jal-Nish gain's the rank of Acting-Scrutator and later of Scrutator. He is a minor-mancer who's Art is alchymical in nature. He discovers the Tears of the Node and bolsters his Art immensely during a battle with the lyrinx, to gain position to the Council of Scrutators. He fails and is believed to have been eaten by the lyrinx, but returns after the war and takes control of the world. He has mastered the tears, making him unbeatable. Jal-Nish then takes upon himself the title of God-Emperor.

Characteristics

Jal-Nish is a small, round man, with short legs like hams, though he is handsome. He has a neatly trimmed beard that is thrust proudly from his chin and a proud arching nose. His eyes have a twinkle for everyone, except those he interrogates and has an easy charm when things are going well. However all this covered an unrelenting evil and bitterness.

Once on the losing end of a battle with the lyrinx Ryll, Jal-Nish's inner evil was finally reflected by his outer form. Irisis was forced to cut off one of his arms, as the bone was shattered. His once proud nose became a huge crater in the middle of his face and his left eye, a hole with veins protruding from it. Three claw marks mar the left side of his face and pus filled blisters develop there. Jal-Nish's mouth is no-longer capable of closing and green slime constantly forms there. After his mutulation, Jal-Nish wears a platinum mask over the left side of his face to conceal the horror. There is no way with the Secret Art to restore Jal-Nish to his former glory, even with the distilled Tears of the Node.

Jal-Nish's Role

Geomancer

Jal-Nish receives an alarming report from Querist Fyn-Mah about the conduct of his son, Cryl-Nish and his role as a prober. He sends a punishment by skeet, the overseer at the manufactory is to whip Nish and his friend Irisis for their roles in a vendetta against Tiaan Liise-Mar.

Nish tries desperately to discover the whereabouts of Tiaan, who escaped from the breeding-factory she was wrongly detained in, but fails. Jal-Nish arrives, as Nish is returning from such a mission from the mine, at the manufactory. He is most displeased and together with Fyn-Mah investigates the matters at hand.

Jal-Nish is horrified when Nish is almost killed in an attack, by the lyrinx, on the manufactory and see's the usefulness of Irisis who saves him. He then introduces Irisis to Ullii, a hypersensitive woman capable of seeing the Secret Art in all its forms in a mental lattice. He instructs Irisis, who then gains the aid of Nish, to find a way to track Tiaan with Ullii.

Ullii succeeds in discovering the whereabouts of Tiaan and Jal-Nish puts together a small force to recover her. Irisis, Ullii, Nish and Fyn-Mah accompany the Perquisitor and his force on a hazardous mission that ends at a lyrinx settlement on a great ice plateau. A great battle is fought with all the soldiers of the force dying and Jal-Nish being maimed by Ryll in a battle to rescue Tiaan from him.

Ryll escapes with Tiaan, but Jal-Nish is gravely wounded. He beg's for death, but Nish can't bear to allow him to die and begs Irisis to save him. Irisis amputates Jal-Nish's arm and his grievous face-wounds are tended too. He never forgives Irisis and has a thirst for her blood ever after. Jal-Nish is sedated and sent back to his home in the capital of Einunar.