Laquatus
- For other ambassadors, see Ambassador.
| Laquatus | |
|---|---|
| Ambassador Laquatus | |
 | |
| Details | |
| Colors |
 |
| Race | Mutant Merfolk Zombie, formerly Merfolk |
| Birthplace | Mer Empire, Otaria, Dominaria |
| Lifetime | Rift Era |
| Born | Unknown |
| Died | 4305 AR |
| Sources | |
| Odyssey, Chainer's Torment, Judgment, Scourge, The Secrets of Magic | |
Ambassador Laquatus represented the cephalid's Empire on Dominaria's continent of Otaria, though he was a merfolk.[1]
Description
The ambassador had two forms - an aquatic one and a land-walking one. In the latter, he looked remarkably human: six feet tall and handsome, betrayed only by his blue coloration and his two small silver-capped horns, half hidden by his hair. He also wore clothes not commonly worn by land-dwellers - wraps of cloth lying plastered against his azure flesh. While out of water, he needed to be routinely hydrated by servants pouring liquid over his limbs.[2][3]
In contrast, his ancestry was much more obvious in his sea form. At a mental command, his legs could transmute into a great fish's tail. In this form, he was more than nine feet long, and his skin was covered in shimmering scales. The long couches he favored recalled the decadence of lost civilizations but also allowed him to recline when transformed. Long gilded nail extensions flashed as he gestured.[2][3]
Whilst he appeared to be a loyal subject, Laquatus played dangerous political games above the waves and below, ultimately looking to seize power for himself.[4] Laquatus was a talented blue mage, possessing the ability to hypnotize people and implant false memories. He also employed the amphibian Turg, and later the dementia beast Burke to provide physical force.
History
Rise to power
The chief reason for this stems from his part in overthrowing the Berbous Merfolk empire during what was meant to be their rebirthing ceremony. During the ceremony, which took place every 30 years, every member of the Berbous nation would give their lives as energy to hatch the stockpiled eggs collected over thirty years. Laquatus distracted the Emperor, who was in charge of this event and would not sacrifice himself, from noticing that the Cephalids had replaced the merfolk eggs with their own. When the ceremony was complete, the Cephalid nation was hugely strengthened, and the Merfolk nation was decimated, leaving the Cephalids as the dominant race in Otaria's oceans. He was made Ambassador for his ability to change freely between his natural and his two-legged forms faster than other members of his race. He hated the assignment and loathed having to deal with surface-dwellers, longing to get back into the Cephalid imperial court and scheme to gain more influence.
The Battle for the Mirari
Laquatus hypnotized Kirtar and numerous members of the Cabal, implanting false memories to convince them to trust him. During the Battle for the Mirari, he was one of the many individuals obsessed with obtaining the Mirari, hoping to use its power to overthrow the surface dwellers and, most especially, the Cabal. This quest failed horrendously, and Laquatus ended up imprisoned in the Otaria Chasm by Llawan. While Laquatus trailed Kamahl and his secret passageways into the interior of the continent, Llawan launched an attack from the Aboshan Trench and eliminated Laquatus's army. With his plans in shambles, he decided to confront Kamahl. Ultimately, he failed in his task and was killed by Kamahl twice, first after a battle in Krosa, where the Mirari sword was plunged into his breast, and then as a massive, Mirari-mutated zombie when Kamahl came to retrieve the sword.
Trivia
- Laquatus's name is a fusion of aqua, meaning "water," and loquacious, meaning "talkative."[5]
Story appearances
In-game references
- Represented in:
- Associated cards:
- Quoted or referred to:
References
- ↑ Will McDermott (June 03, 2002). "Caught in the Mirari's Wake, Part 3". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2021-04-29.
- ↑ a b Vance Moore. (2001) Odyssey, Wizards of the Coast. ISBN-13 0-7869-1900-0.
- ↑ a b Scott McGough (2002) - Chainer's Torment, Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Will McDermott (May 13, 2002). "Snap (Shots of) Judgment". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2021-04-29.
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (January 15, 2002). "The Lexicon Archive". Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on April 19, 2017.