Yinark

Launsar Hendrake, also known as Yinark, was a minor apprentice wizard to Halaster Blackcloak and later a deathbringer in his service in Undermountain.

History
A minor, later apprentice of Halaster in the 13 century DR,  Hendrake served his master by running errands and transporting things in the city of Waterdeep and lands around.

During one of these missions, some time in the mid–1200s DR, Yinark, or Hendrake, met and fell in love with the elf druid Wyllow, and she became blindly enamored of him, being unaware of his true nature. Yinark married her and took his wife down to Undermountain, where they lived as happy newlyweds for several months. But it wasn't long before she missed the sun, winds, and green life of the surface world. Worse, Wyllow grew suspicious of her husband. She wished to return to the surface, but Yinark refused her. Instead, with Halaster's permission and help, and several rings of wishes, Yinark established a garden inside one of the caverns. He grew a forest and built a gate to bring in animals, weather, and genuine sunlight, and even ensured a functioning ecosystem to keep it alive. He named it Wyllowwood after his wife. Yinark also gave Wyllow a crystal throne of dwarven make. Halaster was impressed by his work, and thereafter watched his apprentice closely.

While Wyllow was happy once more, in time, she learned of her husband's evil nature after seeing him ambush and slaughter a number of adventuring parties that wandered into Wyllowwood. In the last, Yinark killed one wielding the sword Tearulai, but two escaped. He himself was left badly wounded and unable to pursue. Wyllow confronted him and could not accept his claims they were evil and would desecrate Wyllowwood. When she tried to leave, they engaged in a battle of magic, but the druid had the upper hand in the forest environment and was ultimately the victor. Yinark was killed—the first time the gentle druid had ever taken a life.

Afterward, Halaster retrieved Yinark's body, but he too had been sick of his cruelty and ill discipline. Rather than bring him back to life, he raised him as an undead creature to serve among Undermountain guardians, and set him to protect his laboratory in the ninth level of the dungeon. Halaster abandoned the traumatized Wyllow in the forest and left her to her own devices. In the century after, Wyllow searched Undermountain for Yinark in a futile effort to apologize for killing him, never realizing he would likely no longer understand.

Meanwhile, the bound and undying Hendrake remained at his post as of 1375 DR.

Activities
As a deathbringer, Hendrake led a host of undead—wights, wraiths, and skeletons with magic swords—to protect the ninth level of Undermountain, known as the Mad Wizard's Lair. Owing to certain incantations used by Halaster in his raising to undead, Hendrake would explode if he left the level, and he knew it.

Personality
In life, Hendrake was evil and enjoyed killing quickly and cruelly. He also had ambition and attention to detail, but lacked personal discipline. To Wyllow, he displayed a gentle manner and a love of animals and nature and a need to protect them—most likely all an act.

Description
He was seen as handsome by Wyllow.

Possessions
Hendrake had had small tower of dark stone deep in the forest Wyllowwood; it became so heavily overgrown it was lost to sight unless one was standing right next to it. His spells and magic items most likely remained inside as of 1375 DR.

In life, Halaster gifted Hendrake a magical marble fountain whose waters healed injuries if drunk or used for bathing. They even turned back the ageing process by four years, but only once every ten years, and could not take a being back past their infancy. This fountain also remained standing elsewhere in Wyllowwood.

Appearances

 * Modules
 * ''Expedition to Undermountain