Lim-Dûl

In the fictional multiverse of Magic: The Gathering, Lim-Dûl is an evil necromancer during the Ice Age and on Shandalar.

Ice Age

Also known as the Necromancer, Lim-Dûl was a former Kjeldoran foot soldier, under the command of General Marton Stromgald, who deserted after a failed assault on goblins in the Northern Wastes. After finding Marsil's ring among the ruins of Citadel of the Conclave of Mages in the Northern Wastes he was possessed by the spirit of Mairsil. He is guided by the demons/planeswalkers Leshrac and Tevesh Szat. Lim-Dûl attempted to wipe out the Kjeldorans and Baulduvian's during the Ice Age with years of constant attacks by undead. He tried to prolong the Ice Age and the existence of the Shard. By those means he was striving for dominion of Dominaria. Lim-Dûl's ultimate bid for power was almost successful; after using his necromantic powers to re-animate legendary Kjeldoran General Marton Stromgald, Lim-Dûl used Stromgald to convice the Knight's of Kjeldor to assassinate King Darien. The assassination was stopped by Jaya Ballard, resulting in a final battle between the newly unified Kingdoms of Balduvian and Kjeldor, and the undead forces of Lim-Dûl, and a magical battle between Jodah and Lim-Dûl. Near the end of the battle, with both wizards powers expended and both armies devastated, Leshrac appeared to summon Lim-Dûl. Furious at Lim-Dûl for wasting his army, Leshrac removed Marsil's ring(and Lim-Dûl's right hand)and took Lim-Dûl and escaped to Shandalar shortly before Freyalise cast the World Spell. After that, Lim-Dûl's castle at Tresserhorn was left in the care of the Keepers and The Lord of Tresserhorn.

Shandalar

Shortly before the war that became the focal point of Shandalar's history, the cunning Lim-Dûl came in desperation to that plane, escaping the Shard together with Tevesh Szat and Leshrac. The planeswalker Kenan Sahrmal managed to chase away the two demons, but was wounded in the battle by Lim-Dûl. The hero had been weakened, and had no defenses left. Sahrmal's body disappeared, but his followers immediately beheaded Lim-Dul. Both were presumed to be dead.

Lim-Dûl's War

Twelve years later, Lim-Dûl reappeared with an army of undead at his side and attempted to seize dominion over the entire plane. Lim-Dûl's War lasted for years and it decimated Shandalar. Sahrmal was also still alive, but too weak to contend with Lim-Dûl. Then Azar, Sahrmal's apprentice, fled his hidden sanctuary and went to the defense of Ardestan. Huddled in the questionable refuge of a circle of protection, Azar prepared his casting. Rather than mounting a futile direct attack on the young wizard, Lim-Dûl waited nearby. His plan was to use the same trick with which he had survived his beheading- a simple, last-second transfer of his spirit into Azar's body. Unfortunately for both of them, Azar's spell was targeted at the necromancer's spirit, not his body. It should have imprisoned Lim-Dûl in his body, drawing out all his power and using it to erect a great barrier around the plane of Shandalar. It worked, but Lim-Dûl was in Azar's own body at the time. Designed by Sahrmal as a temporary ward against planeswalkers, the immense energies tapped from the two imprisoned wizard's spirits made Shandalar virtually inpregnable. Ardestan lay in ruins and Azar's body lay paralyzed. Trapped in the same body, the two spirits fought for control. Convinced that it would be forever so, Sahrmal secretly buried the body. The existence of the Great Barrier depended on the continued confinement of Lim-Dûl.

The Wizard's War

In time, Lim-Dûl's powerful spirit won out over that of the fatally inexperienced Azar. Emerging from the secret graveyard, he once again attempted to bend Shandalar to his will. This time, however, the necromancer found that Shandalar had organized, powerful protectors. In the great Wizard's War he was defeated soundly, though the Lord of the Black Guild also fell. Sahrmahl's successor, the Guardian, removed Lim-Dul's spirit from Azar's former body and imprisoned it again, this time in a magical artifact, thus keeping the Great Barrier in existence. (Microprose: Magic, The Gathering)