Tar-Baphon

Tar-Baphon was a powerful wizard-king who ruled central Avistan at the end of the 9th century. Killed by the god Aroden himself in 896 AR, he rose as the lich known as the Whispering Tyrant and ruled the country of Ustalav for centuries

Rise of Tar-Baphon
Much of the early life of the infamous Tar-Baphon is shrouded in myth and mystery, for he must have been born nearly four millennia ago. What is known for certain is that the wizard-king Tar-Baphon lived in the 9th century and was widely known as a powerful necromancer. He eventually attracted the attention of the god Aroden himself. Tar-Baphon sought immortality and possibly looked down upon the Last Azlanti for not having ascended to godhood on his own, but for having had to rely on the power of the Starstone. Whatever the true cause of their disagreement was, the two came into conflict, which ended when Aroden killed the wizard-king on the Isle of Terror (at the centre of Lake Encarthan) in a mighty battle

Return of the Whispering Tyrant
He was somehow able to use the power of the Whispering Way to return as a lich. An ancient tome, the Whispers of the Immortal, purportedly written by a disciple of Tar-Baphon, documents his transition into undeath. However, there are significant doubts about its authenticity. He sought to attract the attention of Aroden, and to gain his revenge, but Aroden did not take up his challenge. Styling himself the Whispering Tyrant, Tar-Baphon united the orcs of Belkzen under his rule and conquered Ustalav, taking the city of Adorak as his capital. When his troops fell in battle, he simply brought them back to unlife, greatly bolstering the strength of his armies. He continued this for over five centuries, holding much of central Avistan in his skeletal grasp, and tolerating no threat to his rule.