Alternate Dimensions Presents: Vaasa - Zhengyi the Witch King

Zhengyi the Witch King seemingly appeared from nowhere in the Year of the Bright Blade (1347 DR) in the frontier land of Vaasa.
Rumours abound that Zhengyi was a Red Wizard fleeing from the lands of Thay, perhaps a peer of Ythazz Buvaar himself and there at the founding of Thay.
What Zhengyi’s past was until 1347 DR remains shrouded in mystery and rumour, but it is clear that Zhengyi was a devoted follower of Orcus and some whisper he held a direct line of descent to the Demon Lord who aided his bid for lichdom.
Is it coincidence then that Zhengyi arrived in Vaasa, a land of demons and monsters just at a point in history when humans had begun to tame its dangers? Perhaps Zhengyi had a hand in the land of Vaasa from the beginning and has been steering it towards its present course for centuries.
If so his motivations for doing so are unclear. As a worshipper of Orcus his goals are surely those of Orcus himself, who like most demons desires nothing more than the destruction of everything. Orcus may well have been aware of the ancient primordial slumbering beneath the Great Glacier in the lands that would become Vaasa. As the glacier retreated and these lands opened up Orcus may have directed his servants to the area for the purpose of stealing the power of such an ancient and powerful being.
Unfortunately such a land was quickly claimed by the orcs that plague the east, and demons that have slumbered beneath the earth since the fall of ancient Narfell. Once the land was clear of these threats a man of power such as Zhengyi could easily have dominated Vaasa and forged a kingdom of evil.
Zhengyi was also perfectly poised with the knowledge to “tap” power from items or beings of power. As one of the original wizards of Thay it is likely he had some experience of the Black Star artefact of Escalant which was used by all Red Wizards of Thay for many centuries to boost their magical abilities. Furthermore, the nearby ruins of Narathmault; an ancient Narfelli ruin, may contain clues to binding powerful individuals such as the Demon Lord Eltab and other unknown horrors.
What we know for certain is that Zhengyi’s rise to power was swift and absolute. From 1347 DR he forged Vaasa and then conquered Damara ten years later. If not for the actions of a few stubborn adventurers he could have become a threat to Impiltur and the lands beyond.
Zhengyi’s power and phylactery were tied to a powerful artefact that he had constructed to draw power from Telos and had fashioned to resemble the wand of Orcus. It could only be destroyed by plunging it into blood from the heart of Tiamat, and once Gareth Dragonsbane did so, Zhengyi should have been destroyed.
Fortunately for Zhengyi, or perhaps unfortunately, Telos had awoken and become aware of someone stealing his powers and so when Zhengyi was killed and his wand destroyed Telos took his revenge and absorbed Zhengyi’s soul.
Now Zhengyi persists as Telos’ slave, inhabiting the body of a Red Wizard of Thay that Telos cleaned out for his new pet. Zhengyi the Witch King is now Zhengyi the Voice of Telos.
As the Voice of Telos, Zhengyi wanders the lands of Vaasa converting those he meets to the worship of Telos with displays of miraculous powers and feigned benevolence. The converts are brought to the Clefts of Razack and inducted into the worship of Telos using strange rituals and then branded with arcane tattoos.
From these converts he has forged the Warlock Knights, which at first seemed a force for law and order in Vaasa, but the organisation has a dark and secret agenda to conquer the Bloodstone Lands and sacrifice everyone to the glory of Telos.
Zhengyi’s Lair: Between 1347 DR and 1358 DR, Zhengyi lived in Castle Perilous, a black stone fortress in the north of Vaasa filled with all manner of traps and fiendish servants.
For reasons unknown, Zhengyi created the fortress atop a site that was previously sacred to Tiamat; the Chromatic Dragon. Long ago in ancient times, Tiamat created a gate to her home on Avernus and from it unleashed hordes of devils against her foe Bahamut (whose palace, The North Wind, frequented this area). Bahamut destroyed her fortress at the expense of much of his power, but he could not destroy the gate and so he buried it deep in the earth.
Zhengyi may have found a pact with the Dragon Queen was also to his liking and it helped bolster his forces with devils and dragons. However this choice of location would ultimately prove his undoing for his wand and phylactery could only be destroyed in blood from the heart of Tiamat, to which the gate provided easy access.
Since Zhengyi’s “destruction”, Castle Perilous was ruined and became home to a flight of dragons that protected the latest avatar of Tiamat; the Undying Queen. Beneath Castle Perilous is the constantly expanding cavernous cathedral known as the Wings of the Queen Reborn where the Undying Queen made her home on several occasions. This lair is now filled with cultists and dragon spawn of all kinds making ready for Tiamat’s conquest of Vaasa.
Following Zhengyi’s return in 1365 DR, the Voice of Telos makes his home wandering the lands of Vaasa preaching the Will of Telos to all who will listen. Once the Cathedral of Shattered Souls is built in the city of Telos, Zhengyi resides there as High Priest of this new cult.
This new Cathedral is constructed entirely of shadesteel and is impervious to all forms of scrying and most magic (whether that is due to the large concentrations of metal or Telos’ magic is unknown). Within his new base of operations Zhengyi has access to large numbers of Warlock Knights, and rumour has it shadesteel golems of colossal size. These fanatically loyal followers do his every bidding and protect the Voice of Telos from external (and internal) threats.
There are also tales of a passage in the Cathedral that lead into the depths of the Clefts of Razack and to Telos himself.
Zhengyi’s Magic
Zhengyi has acquired many powerful magics in his lifetime. The creation of Castle Perilous in a single day was no small feat of magic and it is likely he drew on the vast reserves of power available to him from Telos. As such Zhengyi is likely to have access to many dark and ancient magics that few others in Faerûn possess.
Zhengyi’s most famous magic is his wand, known as “The Wand of Orcus” because of its resemblance to its namesake.
The Wand of Orcus: This wand consisted of a skull mounted upon a thick obsidian hilt decorated with rubies. Rumour has it that the skull atop the wand was that of one of the kings of Damara, although the source of this rumour is unknown.
Zhengyi enspelled the wand with many powers and crafted it into a potent artefact able to draw power from the slumbering primordial Telos. Zhengyi also made this item his phylactery, since such an artefact was nigh impossible to destroy. However thanks to the efforts of Gareth Dragonsbane it was destroyed and Zhengyi should have been destroyed along with it.
The wand was rumoured to grant the wielder the ability to slay upon command and raise creatures from the dead to serve the wielder. Such raised servants could vastly exceed the number of undead creatures the wielder would normally be able to command. Furthermore it was incredibly difficult for undead creatures to bring themselves to strike the bearer of the wand, only those intelligent undead of exceptional mental strength could do so.
The choice of the skull used to decorate the wand may have indeed helped save Damara from the hoards of demons unleashed by Zhengyi. The Boon of Bahamut bestowed upon the Bloodfeathers line was said, by the dragon that bestowed it, “to ward off evil and purify the blood”. If so could it be that the skull of the king atop the wand purified the artefact upon its destruction and led to the creation of the Tree Gem of Damara.
Zhengyi’s Allies
As Zhengyi the Witch King, Zhengyi had many “allies” whom he viewed as pawns to be used for his personal gain. His armies of orcs and demons were one set of pawns, as were the Citadel of Assassins and the Cults of Orcus that he had helped create throughout the lands of Vaasa, Damara and beyond.
However Zhengyi’s only real ally was Orcus himself. Zhengyi was a true and loyal servant of the Demon Lord of the undead and was richly rewarded by his patron and possible sire.
As the Voice of Telos, Zhengyi’s allies are the Warlock Knights who perform his every bidding. Telos might also be considered Zhengyi’s ally, although the primordial is only using Zhengyi and the Warlock Knights so that he can consume more souls and escape his prison.
Zhengyi is fully aware of Telos’ intended betrayal but is so completely under Telos’ control that he cannot do anything about it.
Zhengyi’s Enemies
As both Zhengyi the Witch King and Zhengyi the Voice of Telos, Zhengyi’s enemies could be considered anyone that is not an ally or under his direct control.
Zhengyi the Witch King had a particularly strong enmity for the lands and the Bloodfeather dynasty of Damara, although the reasons for this hatred are as unclear as Zhengyi’s origins.
Zhengyi’s past as a Red Wizard of Thay means that the organisation to which he once belonged; and may indeed have had a hand in creating, will always seek to bring about his downfall in punishment for his betrayal.
Zhengyi’s Fate
Zhengyi’s fate might seem hopeless to some. His phylactery is destroyed and he is now completely under the control of Telos; a being of unspeakable power, who intends to sacrifice Zhengyi and everyone else in his service when the time is right.
However, all is not lost for Zhengyi. As Telos acquires more worshippers and his reach grows, his Warlock Knights will inevitably come into conflict with other organisations and nations from across Faerûn. When this happens Telos will be forced to donate considerable mental and magical resource to the conflict.
During such an event it is possible that his control over Zhengyi will lapse and at that point Zhengyi will be free to act. His first action will be to create another phylactery, his second may well be to commit suicide.
If Zhengyi the Voice of Telos is ever killed then his soul will be free once more. Without a phylactery, Zhengyi will undoubtedly pass on to whatever awaits him in the afterlife. With a phylactery, Zhengyi the Witch King will be reborn.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:55, Wed 11 May 2016.

Alternate Dimensions Presents: Damara – Higenzi the Witch

Higenzi was a withered old crone of apparent Nar descent that wandered the land of Narfell before arriving in the land that would be Damara.
Up to that point in time nothing is known for certain about Higenzi the Witch. The lack of reliable written history (or any written history) among the Nar tribes makes it difficult to track down who Higenzi might have been.
Given the superstitious nature of the Nar it is unlikely they would have welcomed her within their society, and that may have contributed to her arrival in Damara.
Higenzi’s Lair
Between the years of 1075 DR and 1319 DR, Higenzi lived in the royal palace in Helgabal (with a brief period of absence). Her official quarters were spartan and situated in the far western wing in an isolated tower that soared high above the rest of the palace.
Higenzi was busy during the several hundred years she lived in Damara. Present at the design and construction of Bloodfeather Palace, she ensured innumerable secret passageways and hidey-holes were built into the structure (for the king’s protections supposedly), a few of which are only now being discovered.
Higenzi even managed to implement the construction of an entire sub level of the castle hidden between the ground floor and the first floor (where the king and his family lived). From here, if hunched over, one could be privy to the entire goings on in the palace by using Higenzi’s spy holes.
This sub level of the castle was Higenzi’s primary residence and was home to many secret chambers (not all of which have been discovered). Here Higenzi tortured her victims, practised her witchcraft and kept the Bloodfeathers dynasty under her control. The only means of access to this sub-level ever located was a secret shaft hidden in her private quarters that descended all the way down to the sub level. This shaft has since been discovered and filled in by the royal family, but there may be other unknown entrances.
Deeds of Higenzi
As far as history is concerned, Higenzi the Witch’s life began late in 1074 DR when she wandered out of Narfell and into the settlement of Ravensburg. There she demonstrated her power at the gates of the Bloodfeather estate and earned herself an audience with Feldrin Bloodfeathers.
Shortly after that meeting, Feldrin began using all his financial resources (acquired from what he spirited away from his Sembian holdings during his exile, and the ill-gotten gains of a pirate career on the Sea of Fallen Stars) to hire mercenaries and gain the support of nearby land holders to build an army necessary to forge himself a kingdom.
In the summer of 1075 DR, Feldrin Bloodfeathers and his army, supported by the magics of Higenzi the Witch, marched on the Nar occupied lands in the north and western areas of what would become Damara. In a two day long rout, in which the Nar tribes speak of hosts of demons and skeletal warriors marching the land, Feldrin Bloodfeathers seized the land of Damara and created a kingdom for himself and his dynasty.
His first act was to reward those that had supported him, by ennobling them and giving them lands in the new kingdom of Damara (it also ensured a steady stream of taxes and the loyalty of his new nobility). King Feldrin I then needed to secure his newly won kingdom.
Under the advice of Higenzi, Feldrin ordered the creation of a set of regalia to symbolise this new land. Also under the witch’s advice he sent forth a large military expedition into the mountain pass in the Galena Mountains to secure it from the monsters. There miners discovered valuable gemstones in abundance that were named Bloodstones in honour of the king.
With the birth of Feldrin’s sons and the land grants to these royal sires, the kingdom of Damara and the Bloodfeathers dynasty looked safe for the future.
Higenzi despite her already withered form and apparently advanced age managed to survive throughout the years of all the Damaran kings all the way to King Virdin I of Damara.
Ever she remained in the shadows, advising the kings and steering the destiny of Damara towards her own, unknown purposes.
Her most noted act was the rescue of King Veldrin I of Damara and its armies in the year 1171 DR when the forces of Impiltur and Damara marched upon the demon hordes of the marilith queen Vaas in the land of Vaasa. Despite the united forces of Impiltur and Damara, they could not stop the savagery and destruction of the demons. Slowly the forces of good began to succumb to pain and fear as the demons kept on coming.
It was in this hour of darkness that thousands of orcish slaves (predominantly half orcs) appeared behind the demon hordes and tore into the generals leading the horde. This act allowed the allied forces time to rally and the counter attack broke the demon horde lines and slew the generals (although Vaas was not seen at the end). For this aid Higenzi was allowed (reluctantly by the king) to return to court in Damara.
Higenzi’s popularity among the kings waxed and waned as time passed. The early kings of Damara relied heavily on her advice, but the goodly king Veldrin I of Damara grew suspicious of her motives and exiled her from court. His death ushered in a new era of dominance for Higenzi who effectively ruled Damara through her puppet and mind-slave king Veldrin III of Damara, also known as Veldrin the Immortal who died at the impossibly ancient age of 124 years old.
After Veldrin III’s death in 1319 DR, Higenzi’s duplicitous nature was exposed and she fled Damara never to be heard from again.
Higenzi’s Magic
Higenzi was an accomplished witch, and had many powers at her disposal. Her spellcraft was integral to the formation of the kingdom of Damara as it was her magic that played on the superstitions of the Nar and forced their retreat so easily. She also contributed directly to the creation of the royal regalia of Damara.
Higenzi’s preferred means of operation appeared to be in misdirection and distraction. She was excellent at creating disguises which allowed her to walk unseen among the courtiers at Bloodfeather Palace. Her knowledge of poisons was unrivalled and may have contributed directly to the death of several kings of Damara. Her design of Bloodfeather Palace also allowed her to monitor goings on inside the castle without ever casting a spell.
Higenzi’s Staff: This obsidian staff never left Higenzi’s side. Often used as a walking stick it was also the focus of Higenzi’s power, and through it she worked powerful magics capable of disguising thousands of people in one go.
It was whispered that anyone touching the staff other than Higenzi would be instantly slain, or worse become enslaved to her will. However since no one other than Higenzi has ever been witnessed touching the staff there are no accounts to corroborate this.
The Kings Cap: This elaborate helmet resembles an ornate helm with pointed face plate lifted straight from a suit of plate armour. It was created along with the other items of Damara’s regalia at the request of Feldrin Bloodfeathers by craftsmen from Impiltur and enchanted by a mage resident in Impiltur at the time.
Unbeknownst to Feldrin, the mage that enchanted the items was slain shortly after being contracted by Feldrin for the work. Higenzi then set about enchanting the items to Feldrins requirements as well as adding a few of her own touches to the magic.
The Bloodfeather Helm grants the wearer the ability to lead and inspire his troops with much greater fervour than his personality would otherwise allow. As a special gift from Higenzi it also weakens the wearer’s will and makes them more susceptible to charm spells as well as allowing Higenzi to know where the helm (and therefore the wearer) is at all times. Higenzi can even see through the visor of the helm if she should so wish.
Bloodfeather Cup: This gold chalice is ringed around the base and the lip with precious bloodstones. Like the other items of Damara’s regalia it was enchanted and cursed by Higenzi.
In accordance with Feldrin’s instructions, any liquid poured into the cup is purified of all diseases, poisons, and impurities. It also banishes all such substances and effects from the body of the imbiber should they already be suffering.
Higenzi added to the cup the ability to generate any liquid substance in the cup on command (that includes poisons). The cup instantly fills with whatever substance the speaker had in mind at the time; since this liquid is not poured into the cup it is not purified.
Princering: This ring is actually an earring with the first bloodstone mined in Damara mounted in it. This simple ring was enchanted to grant the recipient luck in whatever task he performed. It was typically given to the male heir of the Bloodfeathers line at an early age.
Higenzi added to this ring the ability to communicate telepathically with the wearer. Using this ring she drove at least one king of Damara insane with paranoia, and made another king completely incapable of independent thought.
Higenzi’s Allies
At one time Higenzi counted the entirety of Damara as her allies. Through the king of Damara she had access to, and often times controlled the entire nation.
Higenzi also had a good relationship with the half orcs of Vaasa. It was her actions that united the slaves of Vaas and allowed the armies of Impiltur and Damara to drive the demon hordes from Vaasa.
For that she was welcomed back to the court of Damara, and she earned a special place among the orc and half orc tribes of Vaasa, becoming an almost legendary figure in their oral histories.
Higenzi’s Enemies
Higenzi’s origins and any enemies she had from that time are unknown. Her machinations in the kingdom of Damara earned her the enmity of the Bloodfeathers dynasty, and she in return likely seeks revenge on those who wronged her.
Higenzi’s Fate
After her evil was discovered in 1319 DR, Higenzi fled Damara and disappeared from history altogether. What happened to her is unknown; perhaps she met an ignoble and thoroughly deserved end at the hands of monsters or bandits while she made her escape. It is possible, given her unnaturally long life that Higenzi yet lives and plots her revenge upon Damara and the Bloodfeathers line.