Warlock/Lore

A measured rhythm of thudding sounds and the clinking of a chained lantern heralds the presence of Demnok Lannik, the Warlock of Ultimyr Academy. The obsessiveness of this strange bookman has turned him into a vessel of forbidden knowledge, and from that knowledge springs forth the dark mysteries of the arcane world that shall aid his grateful allies or dispose his unlearned enemies.

Biography
Demnok Lannik is the Chief Curator and Head of Acquisitions of the Ultimyr Academy's vast arcane archives. His job is to acquire new texts to expand the archives' body of knowledge and oversee the archives' contents for safekeeping. Unlike most people, Demnok has an unhealthy passion for his profession. Most unenthusiastic people would be content to not throw their lives away for their work, some may dedicate their being to their profession to an extent that doesn't kill them, but Demnok's stubbornness has risked his life over and over again in the pursuit of lost knowledge in the depths of danger, fueled by even the slightest rumor of its existence.

Eventually, his investigations for lost texts have often triggered the wrath of protector entities, compelling him to master sorcery in order to counter any attempts on his life while he continues his research. With the same passion for his work, he enrolled in the same academy that he was in and completed a course of undergraduate work in less time than most practitioners could hope to complete, becoming the academy's most powerful Warlock ever known. To equip himself as a Warlock, he carved a staff out of Dreadwood, summoned into a demon spirit from the Outer Hells, and bound it to his staff—all of that done as an afterthought. Now that he is well equipped for his endeavors, Demnok has commenced writing his Black Grimoire: the ultimate and composite body of all arcane knowledge that this world has managed to comprehend and record.

Career at Ultimyr
When he isn't searching for lost tomes, the Archivist Demnok serves as the archives' watchful warden. Demnok's slogan, "All Who Borrow Must Return", encourages borrowers to return their books lest they be visited by a dark presence sealed within his evil purse.

His dedication to the pursuit of knowledge has greatly expanded the Academy's archives of arcane information, earning him the tentative respect of the Academy's faculty.

Personality and Mannerisms

 * Demnok is a very inquisitive person. Very little effort is required to spark his curiosity and much is needed to satiate his thirst for knowledge, as not even the threats of potential danger can stop him. Although he initially learned demonology as a mere afterthought, his curiosity has eventually made it into one of his main sciences and led him deeper into learning and consorting with the dangerous world of demons.
 * As an academic professional, the wise Demnok values knowledge and is instructive of it. He alone willingly shoulders the burden of caring for the largest mortal-owned repository of arcane knowledge and he boasts the largest contribution to the arcane archives. He wrote the Black Grimoire for the sole purpose of making an instructive book on all arcane knowledge. Outside of his job, he is willing to teach others even simple skills like reading.
 * Demnok's pursuit of knowledge has led him to evil, as stated by . Besides his fellow faculty's concern for his peculiar studies, perhaps this evil is also reflected in his voice responses where he frequently speaks of burning, chaos, darkness, demons, etc.

Ultimyr Academy
Demnok is well respected among the faculty of Ultimyr Academy for his efforts, despite their concerns for his strange interest in demonology and dark magic.

Family
According to the 's younger self, he claims to know Demnok's great, great...great ancestor who was also employed in Ultimyr Academy, hinting that Demnok belongs to a long lasting lineage of academic professionals who are all dedicated to Ultimyr.

Allies
Although has long distanced himself from the Oglodi, he approves fighting alongside some of them, including Demnok. He also regrets killing them for as long as they're not from the Red Mist. On the other hand, Demnok dislikes Axe's illiteracy which he seeks to resolve if Axe does well.

respects Demnok as a wise Oglodi, but he believes that he is misguided.

generalizes and respects the Oglodi for their toughness, not exempting the bookish Demnok.

Enemies
Demnok has been mocked by true demons, who are implied to be greater than the inferior demons that he controls. For their mockery, he wishes to bring their comeuppance with a greater item of power that may teach even devils how to beg.

As revealed in Underlords, is Demnok's rival, although the former may not be aware of it. Demnok asserts that he should be the true heir of Aghanim and not Rubick.

Apparatus
His signature appurtenance is a tall staff that makes up his recognizable silhouette. He himself carved this staff out of Dreadwood and engraved it with hellish runes to conduct his dark magics. The top of the staff is alight with fire that he can shoot at his opponents, but its true power lies within the staff itself: a captured soul of a demon that lies in wait until it's finally summoned to wreak havoc. This staff may be replaced with a gemstone staff that can hold demon spirits in each of the gem's facets.

Demnok owns a pair of bracers that are imbued with persuasive powers that can turn unwilling pages, likely referring to sentient books or a metaphor for stubborn people that he might investigate for information. He also owns a scary looking purse that is said to contain something ominous (likely a demon that he usually plucks from the depths), but this may just be a false warning to scare negligent borrowers.

Besides his default Dreadwood staff, Demnok owns a staff fitted and coiled with the dismembered hand of an otherworldly being, acquired as a result of an unsuccessful ritual. This ritual required weeks of incantations to open a rift beyond the mortal realm and consort with the beings outside. A burning tear in the material plane appeared and released an awful roar before a giant hand reached out from the flame. Whatever being that owned the hand could not see beyond the rift and accidentally disrupted the ritual that provided it access in the first place, causing the gateway to close in on the hand and sever it from its owner forever.

He is also skilled in constructing golems. One in particular is a headless golem made of obsidian with lava pouring out of the hole where the head is supposed to be.

Demonology
Over the many years of his career, Demnok has summoned and enslaved the many evil spirits that dwell in the Outer Hells. He keeps these demons in a Dreadwood staff inscribed with hellish runes. Only a few of his demons are known by name, and even then their true names in Ozkavosh are unknown to him up till this day. So far, he can only control lesser demons, but the Umbral Glyph might allow him to control the greater demons beyond them.

Demnok has a rudimentary understanding of Ozkavosh due to a lack of native speakers who could help him learn it. He currently speaks broken Ozkavosh, causing others who are familiar with the language to mock him.

One notable demon in his repertoire is Ishul-Shog the Watcher, named after the massive eye that makes up most of its head. He has studied for many years to construct the true name of this demon, hoping to invoke its name and bind a demon powerful enough to know and speak Ozkavosh. Unfortunately, the Watcher has no tongue.

Powers
Fitting for his role as an Intelligence hero, Demnok's power came naturally to him thanks to his thorough and obsessive study of the arcane arts. His brand of sorcery is the Warlock's arcane arts, learned from his studies in Ultimyr Academy. Those who underestimate him for his bookish ways will soon feel the final chapter of their lives closed upon them.

is an ancient incantation that links the vital energies of multiple lifeforms into one collective body. The victim that was first inflicted with this spell will act as a catalyst that will spread the damage it takes to other people who were caught in its vicinity when it was cast. It is said that this spell must be feared by the demons that he cannot enslave.

Learned from his studies in becoming a Warlock, is a versatile incantation that is said to have a myriad of uses, from healing and enchanting his allies to inflicting a damaging curse on his opponents. However, its description implies that Shadow Word is not a singular spell due to it being referred to with a plural pronoun, sc. "them", but rather a set of incantations with various uses. If this is the case, then Demnok may be casting separate spells of the Warlock arcane arts to heal and enchant or to curse, rather than using an all-in-one spell.

Channelling his power, Demnok manipulates space-time over a large area to cause an that can mire entire armies at once. It's possible that this spell's effect is caused by time dilation, hence the slowing debuff from affecting space-time, but the visual effects of this spell and some of his voice lines for this spell suggest otherwise. Rather than causing a time dilation, it appears that he is warping space-time to create a vortex of ghostly arms from another realm that scrapes and claws at those in its area of effect to slow them.

allows Demnok to call upon a captive demon spirit in his staff to ruin enemy formations with its burning aura. Although he has gathered a menagerie of demonic familiars over the years, he can only summon one demon at a time. allows him to summon two demons at once. Because of their status as lesser demons, they have a temporary presence on the material plane and they will expire before returning to the staff that keeps their soul to be summoned again.
 * An interesting detail to notice is that when Demnok summons two demons, they will refer to themselves as a group or with plural pronouns.

Friendships and rivalries
Allies meeting Warlock
 * vo_axe_axe_ally_05.mp3  Side by side, the Oglodi fight.
 * vo_axe_axe_ally_06.mp3  The Oglodi shall take this fight.
 * vo_axe_axe_ally_07.mp3  Warlock brings a book. Axe brings an axe.
 * vo_bristleback_bristle_ally_16.mp3  Between you and me, we got this lane, Oglodi.
 * vo_dark_willow_sylph_ally_215.mp3  Jex is my friend. You're just a two-bit slaver.
 * vo_dark_willow_sylph_ally_216.mp3  I'm nothing like you, Warlock.
 * vo_dawnbreaker_valora_ally_231.mp3  When do you plan to move onto the real magic, Warlock? You've probably studied the practice spells enough.
 * vo_grimstroke_grimstroke_ally_96.mp3  Fatal Bonds, Warlock? Hmm, I like that.
 * vo_grimstroke_grimstroke_ally_97.mp3  Your penmanship is surprisingly bad, Warlock.
 * vo_hoodwink_hoodwink_ally_225.mp3  There's heaps of musty old spellbooks scattered around the Tomo'kan. Most of 'em are half rotten. But you might find something stupid enough to catch your eye.
 * vo_mars_mars_ally_121.mp3  Burn your scrolls, wizard! This is war, not some damned symposium!
 * vo_mars_mars_ally_122.mp3  How do you even lift that tome, wizard?
 * vo_monkey_king_monkey_ally_207.mp3 vo_monkey_king_monkey_crown_ally_207.mp3   Can I borrow that book when you're done with it, Warlock?
 * vo_monkey_king_monkey_ally_208.mp3 vo_monkey_king_monkey_crown_ally_208.mp3   I always did enjoy a good demon story.
 * vo_pangolin_pangolin_ally_213.mp3  Life's secrets are not found in books, Monsieur Lannik. We write this adventures ourselves!
 * vo_pangolin_pangolin_ally_214.mp3  But what if someone were to cut out your tongue, Warlock? What then?
 * vo_skywrath_mage_drag_ally_08.mp3  Your grimoire, does it say how this will end?
 * vo_skywrath_mage_drag_ally_09.mp3  Warlock, I hope you don't fight like a librarian.
 * vo_snapfire_snapfire_ally_230.mp3  Got any pulps in there, Warlock? Good way to pass the time.
 * vo_snapfire_snapfire_ally_231.mp3  Can I see that book? Mortimer's driving. I can read on the way!
 * vo_templar_assassin_temp_ally_04.mp3  Warlock, I trust none of my secrets will end up in your grimoire?
 * vo_terrorblade_terr_ally_16.mp3 vo_terrorblade_terr_shards_ally_16.mp3   Warlock, I know your demon well.
 * vo_terrorblade_terr_morph_ally_16.mp3  Warlock, I know your demon well.

Enemies killing Warlock
 * vo_antimage_anti_magicuser_02.mp3 Magic fails thee.
 * vo_axe_axe_rival_01.mp3 Axe has no time for all this jibber jabber.
 * vo_axe_axe_rival_02.mp3 Blade versus book. Blade wins.
 * vo_axe_axe_rival_03.mp3 Warlock, you should have picked a sharper weapon.
 * vo_axe_axe_rival_04.mp3 Warlock, who is the smart one now?
 * vo_axe_axe_rival_05.mp3 Axe hates to kill Oglodi, but it must be done.
 * vo_axe_axe_rival_06.mp3 Even kin must die.
 * vo_dark_willow_sylph_rival_215.mp3  Your magic isn't strong enough Warlock!
 * vo_dark_willow_sylph_rival_216.mp3  You thought that golem would protect you?
 * vo_death_prophet_dpro_rival_14.mp3 Warlock, I hope I've satisfied your morbid curiosity.
 * vo_disruptor_dis_rival_08.mp3 Warlock, the Oglodi will sign your name in the book of ancestors.
 * vo_disruptor_dis_rival_09.mp3 Warlock, of all the Oglodi, you were the most learned, and the most misguided.
 * vo_disruptor_dis_rival_10.mp3 Warlock, what is in that book of yours?
 * vo_disruptor_dis_rival_11.mp3 Warlock, I'll add your book to my collection.
 * vo_grimstroke_grimstroke_rival_131.mp3  You practice at the dark arts, Lannik. I perform them.
 * vo_hoodwink_hoodwink_rival_225.mp3  So you cut down trees to turn 'em into books about demons? Yeah, you had this coming.
 * vo_legion_commander_legcom_rival_25.mp3 vo_legion_commander_legcom_dem_rival_25.mp3  Never trust a wizard.
 * vo_lina_lina_rival_11.mp3 Sorry, I burned your book.
 * vo_lina_lina_rival_12.mp3 Was that a cookbook? Cause I cooked it.
 * vo_mars_mars_rival_145.mp3  Your Ozkavosh isn't even passable!
 * vo_mars_mars_rival_146.mp3  What did you think was going to happen, bookworm?
 * vo_monkey_king_monkey_rival_207.mp3 vo_monkey_king_monkey_crown_rival_207.mp3   Men, demons, men with demons. Huh, makes no difference to me.
 * vo_monkey_king_monkey_rival_208.mp3 vo_monkey_king_monkey_crown_rival_208.mp3   I've killed a thousand men like you, Warlock. I'll happily kill a thousand more.
 * vo_nyx_assassin_nyx_rival_14.mp3 Your books couldn't save you, Warlock.
 * vo_nyx_assassin_nyx_rival_21.mp3 Hahahaha! Your books couldn't save you.
 * vo_nyx_assassin_nyx_rival_22.mp3 May the silverfish devour your books.
 * vo_ogre_magi_ogmag_rival_14.mp3 Sorry 'bout your grim…grim… Your book!
 * vo_omniknight_omni_rival_12.mp3 Such power, Warlock, is kept secret for a reason.
 * vo_pangolin_pangolin_rival_215.mp3  What good is a book against a fine blade?
 * vo_pangolin_pangolin_rival_216.mp3  Life on the battlefield offers no tenure, Warlock.
 * vo_puck_puck_rival_10.mp3 I sense this book of yours may be full of erroneous information.
 * vo_rubick_rubick_rival_08.mp3 Your grimoire is mine now.
 * vo_rubick_rubick_rival_09.mp3 So you keep a book for your spells? Good idea.
 * vo_shadow_demon_shadow_demon_rival_11.mp3 Warlock, you should have written your memoir, not your grimoire.
 * vo_skywrath_mage_drag_rival_07.mp3 Your bookish ways have made you myopic.
 * vo_skywrath_mage_drag_rival_08.mp3 I put you down unfinished, like a terrible book, heh heh.
 * vo_snapfire_snapfire_rival_231.mp3  Stick to your funny papers and leave the fighting to those with the taste for it.
 * vo_snapfire_snapfire_rival_232.mp3  Wizards and wiseacres, the lot of ya.
 * vo_stormspirit_stormspirit_rival_18.mp3 That grimoire of his got terrible reviews.
 * vo_templar_assassin_temp_rival_04.mp3 Warlock, your soul is an open book with moldy pages.
 * vo_templar_assassin_temp_rival_05.mp3 Warlock, you were so easy to read.
 * vo_terrorblade_terr_rival_38.mp3 vo_terrorblade_terr_morph_rival_38.mp3  vo_terrorblade_terr_shards_rival_38.mp3  Warlock, now the mages can summon you from hell.
 * vo_terrorblade_terr_rival_39.mp3 vo_terrorblade_terr_morph_rival_39.mp3  vo_terrorblade_terr_shards_rival_39.mp3  Warlock, you've summoned your last demon.
 * vo_terrorblade_terr_rival_42.mp3 vo_terrorblade_terr_morph_rival_42.mp3  vo_terrorblade_terr_shards_rival_42.mp3  Warlock, you've enslaved your last demon.
 * vo_tinker_tink_rival_09.mp3 Warlock, you should put down your spell book and pick up a textbook!
 * vo_void_spirit_voidspir_rival_123.mp3  Such ingenuity from such an insignificant brain.
 * vo_skeleton_king_wraith_rival_06.mp3 You'll make a better subject than anything in your book.

Enemies dying to Warlock
 * vo_nyx_assassin_nyx_death_16.mp3 Write my name in the book of the dead.

Others
 * vo_oracle_orac_prophecies_106.mp3  Why, I dreamt I read your obituary in a popular grimoire.
 * vo_legion_commander_legcom_duelhero_25.mp3 vo_legion_commander_legcom_dem_duelhero_25.mp3  Swords and sorcery!
 * vo_legion_commander_legcom_duelhero_22.mp3 vo_legion_commander_legcom_dem_duelhero_22.mp3  Defend your beard!

Trivia

 * According to, Demnok has surprisingly bad handwriting.
 * Demnok likes es.