The Darkfyre was a magical focus used by the Ancient Ones, who were drow servants of Zaltec in Maztica, into which they fed the hearts of those who had been sacrificed on Zaltec's altars.[1]
Description[]
It was composed of a caldron filled with a black liquid that glowed with a dark light. It could also manifest as an infernal blaze that emanated a red light.[2] When the leader of the Ancient Ones, an ancient drow known as the Ancestor spoke the word 'Kizzwryll' and the Darkfyre would move in its caldron.[3] It would also move when it was being fed with victims.[4]
The Ancestor himself had a seat above the Darkfyre. The Darkfyre emanated heat.[5]
Use[]
The 'Darkfyre was supplied every night by the Harvesters, who were young drow and also servants of Zaltec. Through teleportation, they brought the hearts from victims that had been sacrificed to Zaltec from across Maztica to the Darkfyre and fed them into the focus, in order for Zaltec to consume them.[1] The Ancestor also sometimes fed the living into the Darkfyre as well. Zaltec gained power from the feeding of hearts to the Darkfyre.[6]
The Ancestor also used the Darkfyre in order to prophesy the future, and it was through the Darkfyre that he learned that Erixitl of Palul needed to be killed in order for their plans of domination over Maztica to be realized.[7]
The Viperhand cult, who were zealots of Zaltec, were also formed using the power of the Darkfyre.[8]
History[]
Rockfire[]
According to dwarven legend as told by Luskag of Sunhome, the Darkfyre was the cause of the Rockfire cataclysm that destroyed the Underdark between Faerûn and Maztica, as well as much of the Underdark beneath Maztica. Supposedly, the drow and underdark dwarves were fighting a war, and during the war, the drow maintained the Darkfyre as a magical focus into which they fed the bodies of their enemies in order to increase its power. But they lost control of the Darkfyre, and by its own will, it grew into becoming a force of massive destruction that consumed entire nations as it spread through the Underdark caverns.[9]
Recent History[]
In 1361 DR, the Ancestor summoned hell hounds from Zaltec's realm in the netherworld using the Darkfyre in order to hunt Erixitl of Palul, a chosen of Qotal, whom the Ancient Ones needed to destroy in order to accomplish their plans to achieve domination over Maztica.[10]
During the Night of Wailing, Erixitl of Palul and her companions confronted the Ancestor along with the other Ancient Ones in the Highcave near the Darkfyre. During their confrontation, Chitikas, a couatl servant of Qotal, attacked the Ancestor and plunged both of them together into the Darkfyre. Immediately following this, the Darkfyre caused Mount Zatal to explode in a massive eruption that covered the city of Nexal with ash. Lolth, whom the Ancient Ones and their ancestors had served from before the time of the Rockfire, and who had grown jealous of their betrayal of her in favor of Zaltec since their coming to Maztica, was able to use her power to corrupt the drow magic of the Darkfyre in order to cause the fire and ashes to inflict horrific transformations on the Ancient Ones, as well as on all Nexalans who had been marked with the Viperhand that were touched by the ashes. For the latter group, Zaltec actually helped along these transformations, as he found it better for his zealots to lose their humanity entirely and become murderous monsters, in order to satiate his endless hunger for bloodshed.[11]
Appendix[]
Appearances[]
Novels & Short Stories
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Douglas Niles (1990). Ironhelm. (TSR, Inc), p. 320. ISBN 0-8803-8903-6.
- ↑ Douglas Niles (1990). Viperhand. (TSR, Inc), chap. 1. ISBN 0-88038-907-9.
- ↑ Douglas Niles (1990). Ironhelm. (TSR, Inc), p. 135. ISBN 0-8803-8903-6.
- ↑ Douglas Niles (1990). Ironhelm. (TSR, Inc), p. 320. ISBN 0-8803-8903-6.
- ↑ Douglas Niles (1990). Ironhelm. (TSR, Inc), p. 322. ISBN 0-8803-8903-6.
- ↑ Douglas Niles (1990). Viperhand. (TSR, Inc), chap. 1, p. ?. ISBN 0-88038-907-9.
- ↑ Douglas Niles (1990). Viperhand. (TSR, Inc), chap. 1, p. ?. ISBN 0-88038-907-9.
- ↑ Douglas Niles (1990). Viperhand. (TSR, Inc), chap. 3, p. ?. ISBN 0-88038-907-9.
- ↑ Douglas Niles (1990). Ironhelm. (TSR, Inc), p. 349. ISBN 0-8803-8903-6.
- ↑ Douglas Niles (1990). Ironhelm. (TSR, Inc), p. 358. ISBN 0-8803-8903-6.
- ↑ Douglas Niles (1991). Feathered Dragon. (TSR, Inc), chap. 1, p. ?. ISBN 1-5607-6045-1.