And also meanwhile, Viktor Sovin, fourth-circle necromancer, had been minding his own business aside from the occasional human sacrifice when some insane ninth-circle wizard who apparently thinks he's a god conquered his country and then invited in fucking paladins to fix Ustalav's necromancy 'problem'. He was, predictably, arrested by said fucking paladins, and given a choice to Atone, die and take his chances at trial, be made a statue until they fix the Evil afterlives, or be given to Razmir, who could 'make use of' him. (Unfortunately they can't tell him what this process entails, because Razmir won't tell them, but they do advise against it, it's just that Razmir insisted they make the offer as part of their being allowed to operate here.)
What he'd like is to be left alone so he can get more powerful and become a lich in peace. But of the choices offered, he doesn't actually regret any of his choices, he doesn't want to go to the Abyss, and he thinks being made a statue 'until they fix the Evil afterlives' probably rounds to 'forever' and if it doesn't means waking up in a world run by fucking paladins. So he'll go to Razmir, he guesses.
He's also possessed. He doesn't think the fucking paladins know this. It's...annoying, at times, but the ghost who shares his head is cooperative and a more powerful wizard than he is, so it does have its upsides. His ghost also keeps insisting that his boss, who's apparently the legitimate Emperor of Taldor, will save them, but Viktor is skeptical. It seems to him that someone who was good at accomplishing things wouldn't have to clarify that he was the 'legitimate' Emperor of Taldor.