Vecna: Eve of Ruin

History

Hundreds of years ago, Acererak was a mortal mage from Oerth devoted to the pursuit of power and immortality. Some say that Acererak was a pupil of Vecna, from whom he learned undeath's secrets.

Acererak travels the planes in search of powerful artifacts. When the archlich finds a particularly intriguing one, he seals it in one of his infamous tombs to tempt treasure hunters into the dungeon's depths. Acererak has filled these tombs with deadly traps, fearsome monsters, and twisted puzzles meant to torment and eventually slay would-be thieves, whose souls he then consumes.

The most famous of Acererak's tombs is the Tomb of Horrors, which has claimed many adventurers throughout its history. Another infamous tomb is the Tomb of the Nine Gods, in which Acererak sealed nine false gods he had slain there. He has additional tombs on Oerth, in Faerûn, and beyond.

Unlike many archliches, Acererak doesn't desire godhood. Nevertheless, his nefarious deeds have garnered him a substantial following. One such group of these followers founded the Bleak Academy, an institution of arcane and religious learning that extols Acererak's power.

Personality

Acererak delights in watching others perish. He regards himself as superior in all aspects, treating others as one would annoying insects. He views even the creatures he creates as mere tools to serve his whims. This hubris has often led him to disaster, but as a lich, Acererak continually returns to unlife.

Personality

Alustriel's primary concerns are to spread kindness, reward virtue, and promote a culture of compassion throughout the multiverse. She is good at building alliances and quick to intervene when she senses a threat to the forces of good. She has traveled far and established safe houses across the planes—such as her sanctum in the city of Sigil. Alustriel doesn't seek personal glory or wealth; her style of influencing the cosmos is quiet yet steady.

History

Like other Chosen of Mystra, Alustriel is concerned with preserving the Weave, the primary incarnation of magic that permeates Toril. She believes that the Weave favors those who act with mercy and compassion, seeks to deliver lives of security for all, and bolsters people's efforts when they seek to right wrongs and combat evil.

Nowhere are Alustriel and her deeds better known than in the Silver Marches and its capital, Silverymoon. Alustriel ruled Silverymoon for centuries, once disguised as a wizard named Elué Dualen and then later in her true form. She helped create Silverymoon's famous Moonbridge and co-founded the Lady's College, the first school in Faerûn for mages as students rather than as apprentices in service.

Alustriel stepped down as Silverymoon's high mage more than a century ago. Her son, Methrammar Aerasumé, now leads the city and works to uphold his mother's legacy.

Alustriel has partaken in countless adventures before and after her tenure as Silverymoon's high mage. She has befriended famous adventurers such as Drizzt Do'Urden, worked with prominent organizations like the Harpers, and helped prevent or undo many kinds of evil.

Personality

Kas is cruel, spiteful, and unrelenting in his pursuit of vengeance against Vecna. He readily lies, breaks promises, betrays allies, and taunts those who fall for his ruses. Kas has little use for those who won't validate his superiority or help advance his goals.

In this adventure, Kas fools Tasha and Alustriel, two incredibly powerful wizards. In addition to defeating Vecna, Kas desperately wants the wizards to witness and acknowledge his strength.

History

In eons past, Lolth regularly plotted against her family of elven gods, seeking to kill those deities and subjugate their followers. Though her attempts mostly failed, she learned from them and grew mightier.

Her failed attempt on the life of the powerful elven god Corellon Larethian resulted in Lolth's banishment to the Abyss. There she conquered a layer known as the Demonweb, where she now makes her home. Lolth embraces her surroundings and takes the form of a demon, regularly appearing as a beautiful elven woman with the lower body of an enormous, monstrous spider. Lolth relishes her title of the Spider Queen and attempts to annihilate any who doubt her power.

Lolth became the patron god of evil monsters that dwell in Faerûn's Underdark. Some Humanoids also choose to worship her. Lolth conveys her favor in monstrous ways. One of the most accursed of the Spider Queen's gifts is transformation into a drider.

Followers of Lolth seek to foment chaos everywhere in the Spider Queen's name. The more ruthless and fanatically devoted to Lolth a worshiper is, the higher that worshiper ranks in Lolth's favor.

Personality

Lolth is a cruel god. She loves chaos and hurting the innocent, especially those who oppose her power-hungry ideals. The suffering of others delights her, and if that pain benefits her plans, all the better.

The Spider Queen employs duplicity and sadism against her enemies, but she also enjoys bedeviling those who claim to love her. She promises great rewards to those who follow her without question; whether she delivers on her vows depends on her whims.

The Spider Queen often allies with other gods or powerful demon lords, though she does so only for personal gain. At the first sign of any inconvenience, Lolth abandons her allies. Despite that fact, some believe her patronage is valuable.

Most recently, Lolth allied with Vecna. The archlich promised Lolth a place at his side as the second-most powerful being in existence if she aids his efforts to use the Ritual of Remaking to re-form the multiverse. Lolth has deployed armies to protect Vecna on Pandemonium, though if the tide turns against the archlich, Lolth plans to strand her forces.

History

Ages ago, Miska led the hordes of Chaos against the forces of Law at the behest of his patron, the enigmatic Queen of Chaos. It seemed Miska's domination couldn't be stopped.

In desperation, Miska's opponents crafted an artifact to bind him in an extraplanar prison. This rod broke apart after sealing him in Pandemonium, scattering across the planes and becoming known as the Rod of Seven Parts. The rod is the key to releasing Miska from his long imprisonment.

History

Mordenkainen has told conflicting tales about his origins, but most scholars believe he accumulated impressive magical power at a young age. Known for his ingenuity, the wizard is responsible for writing several planar tomes and creating many spells that bear his name, including Mordenkainen's Faithful Hound and Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion.

As his fame on Oerth grew, Mordenkainen became the leader of a powerful group of spellcasters called the Circle of Eight. The group included several wizards who similarly pioneered new spells, including Tenser and Bigby. Eventually, the circle disbanded after it stopped an uprising organized by Vecna. That development fueled Mordenkainen's lifelong hatred of the lich.

Mordenkainen travels the multiverse while following his academic whims. The wizard owns a home called the Tower of Urm, which pops into existence in Avernus when Mordenkainen visits to study how the Nine Hells affect various schools of magic.

Personality

Mordenkainen is stubborn and egotistical to the point of driving even his friends to annoyance. He has few close relationships, although nearly all wizards recognize his accomplishments. He is lonely and dreams of building a community of spellcasters who support each other. Unfortunately, his ego makes that dream all but impossible.

Although Mordenkainen can be brash and off-putting, he eschews cruelty and sees no reason to cause pointless suffering. The wizard doesn't like to admit it, but he would put his own safety at risk to quell the pain of innocents.

History

In life, Strahd von Zarovich was a prince, a soldier, and a conqueror. His thirst for power never sated, Strahd made a pact with the Dark Powers to become immortal. Meanwhile, Strahd's evil deepened, until in a jealous rage he murdered his brother, Sergei. Sergei's betrothed, Tatyana, leapt from a tower to escape Strahd and vanished into the Mists rising around Barovia as Strahd slew everyone else in the castle. He had become a vampire, and Barovia became a Domain of Dread.

Now the Dark Powers keep Strahd trapped in his realm, tormenting him with his inability to escape for all eternity. He spends his days amusing himself as best he can, terrorizing Barovia's people and savoring the fear and worship he commands.

Answering the Summons

When Zybilna received Alustriel Silverhand's summons to combat Vecna, the archfey was sorely needed in Prismeer. As a compromise, and to honor Tasha's friendship with Alustriel, Zybilna sent a version of herself from the past to Alustriel's side. The Tasha who appears in the adventure is a powerful wizard, though she is not yet a witch queen or an archfey.

History

Tiamat is one of two primordial dragons, the other being Bahamut, the progenitor of metallic dragons. Together Tiamat and Bahamut created what became known as the First World: the first iteration of physical reality, which was subsequently sundered into the innumerable realities that now make up the Material Plane. The first inhabitant of this First World was Sardior, a ruby-red dragon with jeweled scales they made in their likeness, who worked with Bahamut and Tiamat to create metallic and chromatic dragons. The Draconic poem "Elegy for the First World" describes how hordes of creatures overran this fledgling world, waging war on the dragons and colonizing the realm in the names of their gods. Bahamut and Tiamat were defeated, and Sardior disappeared.

Sometime after the destruction of the First World, Tiamat carved out a lair in Avernus, the first layer of the Nine Hells, where she commands a fearsome legion of followers. She maintains a courteous relationship with Asmodeus, the ruler of the Nine Hells, and commands draconic devils called abishais as her agents. Each type of abishai bears the coloring of one of Tiamat's five heads.

Across many worlds, Tiamat is worshiped as a god, with clerics at her disposal. Mortals who covet wealth and power pledge their lives to the dragon queen. Tiamat can send a fragment of her power to the Material Plane, which manifests as a titanic, five-headed dragon driven by rampaging greed.

Personality

Tiamat embodies the vices of evil dragons. She is vengeful and covets power and wealth above all else. However, Tiamat isn't reckless in her quests to expand her hoard. The dragon queen exhibits shrewd battle tactics and beguiling charm, easily swaying mortals. Each of Tiamat's five heads has its own voice and mannerisms, but they all share the same consciousness.

The relationship between Tiamat and Bahamut is complicated. Many texts portray the two as mortal enemies, but other histories of the First World depict the two as partners; some even speculate that she still feels great love for her creations on the Material Plane and grief over the loss of Sardior.