Using Zlan Zlan is an unsettling monstrosity of ice, black crystal, and alien dead. The characters should see Zlan long before they confront him, crawling across the icy wastes in pursuit of some mysterious goal. Tales of Zlan’s bizarre power and unsettling psychic influence should reach the characters, making Zlan seem like a terrible, eldritch entity. Zlan’s eerie connection to chardalyn allows…

Scheming Lich in a Monstrous, Frozen Form Zlan is a horrid, icy amalgamation of the seven liches who created the Artifact Crenshinibon, better known as the Crystal Shard. Zlan Clervish was one of those seven liches, and that lich’s will predominates in the fused entity. All seven bodies are frozen together with ice and black crystal called chardalyn, fragments of the shattered Crystal Shard.…

Scheming Lich in a Monstrous, Frozen Form Zlan is a horrid, icy amalgamation of the seven liches who created the Artifact Crenshinibon, better known as the Crystal Shard. Zlan Clervish was one of those seven liches, and that lich’s will predominates in the fused entity. All seven bodies are frozen together with ice and black crystal called chardalyn, fragments of the shattered Crystal Shard.…

Map 3.3: Zulkir Thrul's Demiplane View Player Version When the characters walk through the shadowy door, read or paraphrase the following: Sconces shed soft, yellow light over this beautifully furnished office, which boasts oak furniture upholstered in maroon velvet. A gleaming desk sits to the south, along with nearby seats and a plush armchair. A wraparound sofa and a table bearing crystal…

Zlan desires nothing less than the death of every person in Icewind Dale. To do this, Zlan has created easy access to the Underdark and awoken a trio of deep dragons. As Ten-Towners explore the Underdark, they wake frozen aberrations, spread deadly environmental dangers, and slowly seal their own doom.

The Zhentarim—also known as the Black Network—is a loose affiliation of merchants, mercenaries, and malefactors. When a caravan needs escorts, a noble needs bodyguards, or a city needs soldiers, the Zhentarim provides the best-trained fighting forces money can buy. If the cargo is shady or the cause is questionable, the Zhentarim doesn’t mind one bit—if there’s money to be made, Zhents will…

Zlan is an ancient creature left over from the creation of the Crystal Shard (see chapter 9). You can use Zlan as an overarching villain for Icewind Dale campaigns.

The conflict between the characters and Zlan might follow this broad outline. Levels 1–4. The characters might hear rumors of a bizarre creature shambling over the ice. They might touch Zlanic chardalyn and get a sense of Zlan’s power. You can use “ Retaking the Terror ” in this chapter to introduce chardalyn and Zlan. Levels 5–10. Once Zlan knows of the party, it begins watching them from afar…

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.…

When the characters are ready to receive their next mission from Zulkir Thrul, they should return to Wrynn’s Bespoke Vestments as instructed in “ How to Meet with the Zulkir ” earlier in this chapter. The details of what’s happening in the shop when the characters arrive are up to you. The zulkir soon shows up in a new disguise created using the Alter Self spell, appearing as an elderly gnome…

If Thrul survives (or if the characters raise her from the dead), read or paraphrase the following: After a moment spent breathing deeply and smoothing her robes, Zulkir Thrul turns to you. “Operatives—friends—you did it. You stopped Szass Tam. More importantly, you saved Thay.” A small smile crosses her face. “It’s time for me to return to Eltabbar. Won’t you join me, heroes? We must discuss…

A recent innovation, the Lyrandar Skyskiff is a nimble and compact airship used for short-range travel and rescue missions. When larger airships are marooned in the sky due to elemental engine failures or other malfunctions, crews often enlist a fleet of skyskiffs to tow the marooned ships to a docking tower for maintenance.

Darklord: Sodo Hallmarks: Serial murderers, urban decay Each day, the city of Paridon in Zherisia erupts in riots over food scarcity, taxation, and the disappearance of dozens of citizens every night. At least one murderer stalks Paridon: the ancient doppelganger Sodo, which has impersonated so many people that it now finds it impossible to hold a form for more than a few days at a time. As…

The Khoravar dragonmarked scions of House Lyrandar include swashbuckling sky captains, seafaring adventurers, and sinister cultists of the Hurricane Harvest. The power of their dragonmarks manifests as easy control of wind, thunder, and lightning, which they wield as readily in combat as in navigating the sea and sky. Members of the Hurricane Harvest believe that the Mark of Storm is not a gift…

“Zool” (after Zuul from Ghostbusters) As we moved over the rollin’ scrub, we came across somethin’ remarkable. A lone dinosaur feeding on scrub, entirely oblivious to us. Few times in my life had I ever come across such an unyieldin’ amount of muscle and armour. When I first saw this thing, I knew it was built for one thing and one thing only – defence. We studied it in detail. Armoured back,…

“You stand on the open deck of a skyship, taking in the majestic views of the desert below. From this height, the cracks in the dry, mineral-rich earth create a fractal pattern, like an irregular mosaic. Suddenly, the ground begins racing towards you at speed, and you realise the ship is nose-diving out of the sky. Instincts kicking in, you clutch the railings and brace yourselves for impact.”…

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…

This chapter takes place after the characters have found the tunnel from Castle Thrul to the Citadel.

Ez d’Avenir first encountered monsters among her manipulative family, the Radanaviches, who posed as Vistani to prey on travelers. Among their foul deeds, the Radanavich family kidnapped Erasmus van Richten, the son of Rudolph van Richten (detailed in Ravenloft: The Horrors Within) and sold him to his death at the hands of the vampire Baron Metus. In the brief time Ez knew Erasmus, the youth…

If the party fails to disrupt Szass Tam’s ritual, their mission fails, and Szass Tam’s army of malefites kills thousands. The other zulkirs are killed or driven into hiding. Szass Tam’s forces hunt down the Mavericks and slay them. The lich declares himself regent. He then turns his sights to conquering neighboring Aglarond and Rashemen. If they survive, the characters must flee Thay. They might…

For many years it was assumed that ankylosaurs used their clubs exclusively to fight off predators. However, recent studies of Zuul ’s holotype have revealed that several healed injuries were likely the result of tail-club attacks from other Zuul. This indicates that it engaged in intraspecific combat, although its club was undoubtedly also used as a defensive weapon. Additionally, an…

Thrul tells the characters the following about the Landlord:

• Name. The Landlord’s real name is Pryas Nym.
• Physical Description. Nym is a bald human who sports a heavy blond beard. …

Zuul is a member of the Ankylosauria. This group of armoured dinosaurs is divided into several subgroups, and included the relatively small animal Struthiosaurus (see Hațeg Island) and the larger well-known Ankylosaurus. Like Ankylosaurus, Zuul was an ankylosaurid and the two were closely related. Ankylosaurids seem to be restricted to Laurasia (North America, Europe, and Asia), but were very…

The Ruinbound are mutants that can be born to any humanoid species that has contact with the Daelkyr or their minions. A Ruinbound is born with a personal symbiont—an unnatural entity bound to the child. Unlike most symbionts, this entity cannot be separated from its host, and the two are permanently fused. Many Ruinbound have additional disturbing mutations; you can roll on the Ruinbound…

When the characters defeat Blood-Queen Lana’thel and free Infiltrator Minchar, award them each 8,700 XP. (Alternatively, advance each character to level 19.) In addition, each character’s Renown Score with the Ashen Verdict increases by 4. The characters can use the transporter at area P4 to return to Light’s Hammer and rest.

Weapon (morningstar), very rare You have a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. Proficiency with a Morningstar allows you to add your proficiency bonus to the attack roll for any attack you make with it. This weapon has the following mastery property. To use this property, you must have a feature that lets you use it. Sap. If you hit a creature with this weapon, that…