Null

The unholy symbol of Faluzure, an aspect of Null.

Basic information

Title(s)

Deathwyrm^[1]
Guardian of the Lost^[1]
Night Dragon^[1]
Reaver^[1]

Aspects/Aliases

Faluzure, Chronepsis^[1]

Pantheon

Draconic pantheon

3rd Edition Statistics^[3]

Power Level

Greater deity

Alignment

Lawful evil
Lawful neutral

Symbol

A circle divided diagonally into white and black semicircles

Home Plane

Dragon Eyrie

Portfolio

Death, Fate, Judgment

Domains

Death, Fate, Knowledge, Law, Scalykind

Worshipers

Dragons

Worshiper
alignments

LG	NG	CG
LN	N	CN
LE	NE	CE

Favored weapon

Bite^{[note 3]}

2nd Edition Statistics^[1]^[2]

Power Level

Intermediate deity
Lesser deity^{[note 1]}

Alignment

Lawful evil
Lawful neutral^{[note 2]}

Symbol

A circle divided diagonally into white and black semicircles (as the Guardian of the Lost)
A draconic skull (as the Reaver).

Home Plane

Carceri/Minethys (as Faluzure)
Outlands (as Chronepsis)

Realm

Mausoleum of Pain (as Faluzure)
Mausoleum of Chronepsis (as Chronepsis)

Serves

Asgorath

Portfolio

Death and the dead
The taking of life, decay, the undead, energy draining, and necromancy (as the Reaver)
Dead, exhaustion, final judgment, and

fatalism (as the Guardian of the Lost)

Worshipers

Dragons of all alignments

Avatar

Necromancer	30
Shadow mage	30
Cleric	28

Null (pronounced: /ˈn ʊl/ NUL^[4]) was the dragon god of death and undeath with two aspects, The Reaver and the Guardian of the Lost. As the Reaver, he was worshiped by evil dragons and took lives, blessing those who served him in this capacity. As the Guardian, he ferried the souls of dead dragons to Dragon Eyrie and ensured they were no longer troubled by the enemies they may have had in life.^[2]^[5] The Guardian of the Lost was known as Chronepsis^[6] on other worlds and planes, while the Reaver was known as Faluzure.^[1]

Description[edit | edit source]

Whichever role he was in at the time, he appeared as an impenetrable region of blackness in the shape of a dragon. Legend also had it that to touch him was to instantly die.^[2] His voice was said to be the dusty croak of the undead.^[4]

Realm[edit | edit source]

As a greater deity whose portfolio included the death of dragons, Null's realm in Dragon Eyrie was on the peak of the plane and no other draconic god contested that territory.^[5] In the Great Wheel cosmology, he had mausoleums in Carceri, and in the Outlands, which also existed in the Plane of Shadow and Negative Energy plane at the same time.^[1]

Personality[edit | edit source]

Null was prideful and arrogant, fatalistic and utterly humorless. Although he wasn't easily angered, he held grudges over offenses and attacks, whether real or imagined, and these developed into undying hatred.^[4]

History[edit | edit source]

It was widely believed among his followers that Null was the son of Asgorath and brother of Bahamut and Tiamat.^[7]

During the Time of Troubles, Null approached the Cult of the Dragon, in an attempt to counter Tiamat's efforts to incorporate the cultists into her own faith. Ill-regarded members of the Sembian cult cells whispered that Null was destined to rule the world with the Cult of the Dragon as his worldly vassals, but it was unknown if Null made such claims himself.^[7]

Recent History[edit | edit source]

Around 1480 DR,^{[note 4]} the black dragon Gryznath, a Chosen of Faluzure, was sent by his god to topple the theocracy of Elturgard. Gryznath took the chance to try to convert an orc horde to the worship of Faluzure.^[8] While his plans were thwarted when a band of adventurers killed the dragon, some paladins of Torm believe Gryznath was later revived by Faluzure as an undead, as his remains were never found.^[9]

Worshipers[edit | edit source]

Null was worshiped by dragons of all alignments, living and undead, because of his dual role. Whether a goodly dragon wished to speed a lost loved one to the afterlife or an evil one wanted to attack a city with an army of undead, a prayer was said to Null.^[2]^[4]

Clergy[edit | edit source]

Dragons and dracoliches who venerated Null and were capable of casting priest spells were considered Null's clerics, and were known as annihilists.^[4]

Temples[edit | edit source]

Temples to Null took the form of underground caverns that were cloaked in shadows and only dimly lit. Dragons of all breeds and alignments made their way to these places before they died, and their remains lay strewn across the floor, including whatever treasure the dragons had worn. The spirits of these dragons, as well as other spectral guardians, stayed to guard the temple from any who sought to steal from the burial pit.^[4]

Two Nullist centers of worship were of major significance to his followers. The Well of Dragons was a huge natural cauldron located due east of the Skull Gorge, and countless dragons visited the ancient temple to die there. It was believed the Dire Dragon had his lair in that temple. The Crypt of Dragons was an underground cavern-tomb somewhere near the town of Hilp in Cormyr. The shrine was dedicated to the Guardian of the Lost and was thought to be the biggest remaining temple dedicated exclusively to Null's non-evil aspect.^[10]

Dogma[edit | edit source]

The Guardian of the Lost taught that all life eventually led into death, which was simply a starting point to another kind existence. True death, on the other hand, was final and absolute.^[4]

The Reaver taught that death and decay were inevitable and omnipresent and that dragons should incorporate aspects of death into their lives in order to truly be strong. Embracing death in life heralded that one day the afterlife would be part of the living world as well.^[4]

Rites[edit | edit source]

Null followers were preoccupied with necromantic investigations and the philosophical contemplation of death.^[10]

The Drawing Down ceremony was held no more than once every lunar month, commencing on the night of the waning half-moon and lasting for a fortnight, culminating at the new moon. In this time, dragons of every breed performed elaborate ceremonies of corporeal internment as they sent the spirits of the recently deceased to the Guardian of the Lost.^[10]

During total solar eclipses, followers of the Reaver celebrated the Nullification. At this time, followers of Reaver went on a rampaged throughout Faerûn, causing devastation and death. The one who scored the greatest number of mammalian casualties was said to be transformed into a Wyrm of Death and become high priest of Null until the next eclipse.^[10]

Relationships[edit | edit source]

Null, as the Guardian of the Lost, was dispassionate and held no allegiances nor enemies, though Labelas Enoreth had an understanding with him.^[6]

Null, as the Reaver, really hated his siblings, Bahamut and Tiamat. Although he was once an ally of Tiamat, some rift in prehistory drove them into everlasting enmity.^[4] He also hunted Hlal, who, according to myths, once played a particularly elaborate practical joke on him that enraged him so much so that he did not give up the chase, also targeting Hlal's worshipers.^[2]^[4] Null resented Tamara's interference with the inevitability of death as well, and hated her with a special passion.^[4]

His only known ally was Kalzareinad, and the death of the demigod led scholars to speculate he sought others to replace him.^[4] Null may have been gifted with the secrets of creating dracoliches after Kalzareinad's passing.^[10]

Appendix[edit | edit source]

Notes[edit | edit source]

↑ Cult of the Dragon (1998) states that Null is both a lesser deity and an intermediate deity; Draconomicon (1990) states that he is a greater deity.
↑ Cult of the Dragon (1998) states that Null is both Lawful evil and Lawful neutral.
↑ Faiths and Pantheons' page 221 gives Unarmed Strike as Null's favored weapon. This is a mistake made by Sean K. Reynolds as he explains and corrects here: www.seankreynolds.com/rpgfiles/we/ZZZcorrectedmonsterdeitytable.html
↑ Although there is not an exact date given, this adventure takes place six months after the start of a 4th edition campaign (Shieldmeet of 1479 DR).

External Links[edit | edit source]

Chronepsis and Falazure articles at the Eberron Wiki, a wiki for the Eberron campaign setting.

References[edit | edit source]

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 ^1.4 ^1.5 ^1.6 ^1.7 Dale Donovan (January 1998). Cult of the Dragon. (TSR, Inc), pp. 120–121. ISBN 0-7869-0709-6.
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 ^2.4 Nigel Findley, et al. (October 1990). Draconomicon. (TSR, Inc), p. 27. ISBN 0-8803-8876-5.
↑ Eric L. Boyd, Erik Mona (May 2002). Faiths and Pantheons. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 221. ISBN 0-7869-2759-3.
↑ ^4.00 ^4.01 ^4.02 ^4.03 ^4.04 ^4.05 ^4.06 ^4.07 ^4.08 ^4.09 ^4.10 ^4.11 Dale Donovan (January 1998). Cult of the Dragon. (TSR, Inc), p. 121. ISBN 0-7869-0709-6.
↑ ^5.0 ^5.1 Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 150. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
↑ ^6.0 ^6.1 Eric L. Boyd (1998). Demihuman Deities. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 143. ISBN 0-7869-1239-1.
↑ ^7.0 ^7.1 Dale Donovan (January 1998). Cult of the Dragon. (TSR, Inc), p. 120. ISBN 0-7869-0709-6.
↑ Daniel Helmick (December 2013). “Vainglorious”. In Miranda Horner ed. Dungeon #221 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 29.
↑ Daniel Helmick (December 2013). “Vainglorious”. In Miranda Horner ed. Dungeon #221 (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 32, 39.
↑ ^10.0 ^10.1 ^10.2 ^10.3 ^10.4 Dale Donovan (January 1998). Cult of the Dragon. (TSR, Inc), p. 122. ISBN 0-7869-0709-6.

Connections[edit | edit source]

The Draconic Pantheon

Greater Deities
Asgorath • Null • Task
Intermediate Deities
Kereska • Nathair Sgiathach • Zorquan
Lesser Deities
Astilabor • Bahamut • Garyx • Hlal • Lendys • Sardior • Tamara • Tiamat
Demigods
Kuyutha
Dead powers
Azharul • Kalzareinad
Unknown
Zotha

Deities

Deities of the Post–Second Sundering Era

Deities of the Post-Spellplague Era

Deities of the Era of Upheaval

Deities of the Age of Humanity

[2] Cult of the Dragon (1998) states that Null is both a lesser deity and an intermediate deity; Draconomicon (1990) states that he is a greater deity.

[3] Cult of the Dragon (1998) states that Null is both Lawful evil and Lawful neutral.

[note1-5] Faiths and Pantheons' page 221 gives Unarmed Strike as Null's favored weapon. This is a mistake made by Sean K. Reynolds as he explains and corrects here: www.seankreynolds.com/rpgfiles/we/ZZZcorrectedmonsterdeitytable.html

[11] Although there is not an exact date given, this adventure takes place six months after the start of a 4th edition campaign (Shieldmeet of 1479 DR).

[CotDp120-121-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 ^1.4 ^1.5 ^1.6 ^1.7 Dale Donovan (January 1998). Cult of the Dragon. (TSR, Inc), pp. 120–121. ISBN 0-7869-0709-6.

[Draco2e-4] 2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 ^2.4 Nigel Findley, et al. (October 1990). Draconomicon. (TSR, Inc), p. 27. ISBN 0-8803-8876-5.

[F.26P-6] Eric L. Boyd, Erik Mona (May 2002). Faiths and Pantheons. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 221. ISBN 0-7869-2759-3.

[CotD-p121-7] 4.00 ^4.01 ^4.02 ^4.03 ^4.04 ^4.05 ^4.06 ^4.07 ^4.08 ^4.09 ^4.10 ^4.11 Dale Donovan (January 1998). Cult of the Dragon. (TSR, Inc), p. 121. ISBN 0-7869-0709-6.

[PGtF-p150-8] 5.0 ^5.1 Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 150. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.

[DD-p143-9] 6.0 ^6.1 Eric L. Boyd (1998). Demihuman Deities. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 143. ISBN 0-7869-1239-1.

[CotDp120-10] 7.0 ^7.1 Dale Donovan (January 1998). Cult of the Dragon. (TSR, Inc), p. 120. ISBN 0-7869-0709-6.

[Dun221-p29-12] Daniel Helmick (December 2013). “Vainglorious”. In Miranda Horner ed. Dungeon #221 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 29.

[Dun221-p32.2C_39-13] Daniel Helmick (December 2013). “Vainglorious”. In Miranda Horner ed. Dungeon #221 (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 32, 39.

[CotDp122-14] 10.0 ^10.1 ^10.2 ^10.3 ^10.4 Dale Donovan (January 1998). Cult of the Dragon. (TSR, Inc), p. 122. ISBN 0-7869-0709-6.

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