Darklord Who Won’t Be Caged “It is customary to kneel before your dread lord.” —Azalin Rex In Darkon, Azalin was a tyrannical wizard-king obeyed by the living and the dead. When he first appeared before his people, he adopted an illusion of the form he possessed in life: that of a middle-aged human man with dark hair and a superior demeanor. However, his true form was that of a moldering lich,…

During the Hour of Ascension, Castle Avernus—Azalin’s seat of rule and magical laboratory—erupted in a magical conflagration. Now, Castle Avernus stands frozen in time at the instant of its destruction, blasted to magically floating chunks of rubble. Its towers pitch wildly and crumble to pieces amid arcane flames, yet they don’t fall. Although time has halted in the ruins, Azalin’s servants who…

In Faerûn’s early ages, the Weave hadn’t yet stabilized. Elf mages at that time developed a spellcasting system called high magic. This system required many—sometimes hundreds—of spellcasters working in concert, and a single magical effect could take days or weeks to complete. But high magic was capable of incredible feats beyond the reach of ordinary spellcasters today. Elf high mages could heal…

On the Elemental Plane of Earth, galaxies of gemstones twinkle over vaults of treasure. If dao are there, so is wealth worth hunting. —Gundren Rockseeker, Dwarf Treasure Hunter Genies of minerals and gemstones, dao embody the resolve of rock. Using innate magic, they move through the earth unimpeded, exploring depths inaccessible to most. Dao delight in the treasures of the earth, whether raw…

Some nefarious magic-users carry out forbidden necromantic rituals that sever their souls from their bodies to turn themselves into liches, masters of magic and undeath. With their souls preserved in hidden relics, liches puppet their own corpses as they pursue ambitions free from mortal bonds. Liches possess exceptional cunning and magical prowess, and they use their unnatural immortality to…

Driders combine the features of drow and giant spiders. The wicked god Lolth is fond of transforming her drow worshipers into driders, as either a blessing or a curse. These driders often become fanatical servants of their god, or they are overwhelmed by their transformation and live only to indulge their predatory arachnid instincts. Driders also appear when whole communities are transformed by…

Darkon is altered by Azalin’s presence, creating the following effects: Closing the Borders. While in his domain, Azalin can close or open the borders to Darkon at will. While the borders are closed, undead terrors fill the Mists surrounding Darkon. Whenever a creature enters the Mists, one Hostile Zombie Clot (see chapter 5) appears in a random unoccupied space within 30 feet of that creature.…

Guardians of the woodlands, dryads magically flit from tree to tree and from root to bough, harrying trespassers with tangling vines and thorns. Most of these elusive beings have a special connection with one plant or a natural sanctuary that they protect. Some also share physical similarities with the plants they’re most connected to. Dryads might sicken or die if their plant or sanctuary is…

Magic Items for Starting Characters If you’re starting a campaign for characters above level 1, “ Creating a Character ” offers suggestions for how many magic items such characters should start with and the rarity of those items. Consider these approaches to determining the items each character receives: DM Choice: Choose items for each character using your own judgment. Player Choice: Let the…