Alhazred

Alhazred (アズラッド, Azuraddo) is a supporting character in Suikoden V. Alhazred is a highly dedicated collector of rare and wonderful books.

History
"(The gorgeous calligraphy is illegible.)"

- A letter from Alhazred

Alhazred is a man in search of rare and interesting books who has traveled the world, collecting tomes from the countries he passes through. He was apparently wealthy enough to spend extraordinary amounts of potch on books he desired and could be sometimes found clutching them as if he were in love. He dismisses any claims that he is a "paddler" as he does not actually sell any works.

During the Sun Rune War, he became interested in the Book of Condemnation, which was said to pass from owner to owner with every unnatural death. He would travel to the Queendom of Falena, seeking clues about this book when he met the Prince of Falena. After recovering this legendary book with the help of the Prince, he would then join the Imperial City Recapture Army out of gratitude, establishing a library within their headquarters at Ceras Lake.

Following the war, Alhazred would head towards Nagarea in his pursuit of rare books but was refused entry. That said, this seems unlikely to dissuade him from his path.

Name and Weapon
Alhazred is a direct reference to one of the figures in the works of the horror author H. P. Lovecraft: Abdul Alhazred. He was an unhinged Arabian poet who is supposed to be the author of the fictional book Kitab al-Azif (better known as the Necronomicon) which contains many curses and background on the Cthluhu lore.

His weapons are also references to the works of Lovecraft: Nameless Cults (or Unaussprechlichen Kulten) was a fictional work of arcane literature and the Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan were a fictional piece of astrological writing. It is unknown if his final weapon upgrade, Howls of Demons, is also based on the writings of Lovecraft.