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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
 Posted - 10 May 2012 : 22:02:25
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A long time ago, I plotted as a wizard might; and planned to make things the way I wanted in the world of the Forgotten Realms. I was the DM, but I had to engage a process of thinking for the Villain in the game...one Dalor Darden...that would make me genuinely interested in the success of the plan.
Dalor, you see, wanted to both free himself from the grip of Shar; and at the same time restore magic to a "balance" within the Forgotten Realms. He desired a God of Magic that was neither evil nor good...and so he plotted.
It is funny that the story I started to "Weave" for my players is very similar to what is happening at WotC right now. I wrote this little "Dream" for one of the characters...a vision sent to a Cleric by their God.
I should note, that Dalor Darden actually HATES Drow Elves...always has since he first met them in the Underdark. His actual long term goal was to either completely destroy the race, or at the least pervert it or weaken it to the point that they were no longer a threat.
And so:
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Cynosure, there is no word to describe the place; all beings see it differently. While Talos the Destroyer would perceive it as a whirling maelstrom of chaos and destruction, the goddess of love Sune would see it as a romantic paradise. Cynosure is the neutral domain of the gods of Faerun, where none dare break the peace upon the ruling of Ao; god of the gods.
As Dalor stood alone in the vastness of the infinite plane, he could see only swirling shadows of darkness stretching beyond comprehension into an abyss of eternity. At times he could make out the flitting shadows from the corner of his eyes; the things he knew were not truly there, but hinted at the dread knowledge he kept secret in the darkest places of hiding within his own mind. How many years had passed since he was simply a mortal with no true knowledge of the horrors of infinity? Was it a hundred, perhaps more? He yearned for the warmth of a mortal fire such as the one he had enjoyed only a few short years ago in his mortal guise within the village of Shadowdale. How long would it be before the numbing ache in his soul would be quenched?
“Why do you stare so; into nothing that can be perceived man-child?” The seductive whisper of his Mistress and Goddess nearly forced Dalor to his knees; instead he smoothly turned and kneeled before the dark majesty of Shar, the only being which kept at bay the loss he felt with her powers of forgetfulness. “I only meditate M’lady; many things are there to ponder in the safety of Cynosure.”
“Why do you need safety from any other when you know my embrace Dalor? Such words are unfitting the servant of the most ancient and powerful of gods.” Dalor could feel the power exuding from his goddess; knew first hand the consequences of any displeasure he may cause her.
“I mean no physical harm Great Darkness; only what harm could come should one such as Mask or some other spy deign to attempt intrusion into my thoughts.” Dalor knew no such intrusion could ever take place; his greatest, and indeed only true divine, gift was the ability to hide in his mind any thought from even the most powerful force. Indeed, even Shar, the very deity of unrevealed secrets could not intrude upon his mind; such was the power of Ao when he bestowed the power of a god upon an individual. Dalor was the Lord of Alien Things, Fiendish Dealings, and Power; his mind was foreign to all but the great Ao, who spared no thought to the matter after making the godling what he was in Faerun.
“Your words speak volumes of your dealings with infernal creatures my servant; just because you can thwart the machinations of even Asmodeus does not mean you can do the same with me. Be mindful of that fact and I shall allow you to live.” Dalor only bowed deeper before the Goddess he served. “What news do you have concerning your dealings with the petty godling Lolth?”
“I have only just returned from our meeting place here within Cynosure M’lady. She has at last relented and agreed to take upon herself the power and majesty of Shadow Magic. I was forced to submit to her will only on the matter that she now holds part of my essence hostage within the cocoon of rebirth she must spin about herself to reshape her god-essence. She could not perceive the true nature of the thing she took from me as your power over the Shadow Weave outmatches any attempt by a Weave user to discern the nature of your magic.”
“Then she is foolish. I’m sure she sees my offered power as a much more powerful alternative for her race of elven thralls; but her entire people will be greatly weakened while she endeavors to remake herself. Have you concluded your business with the half-wit Vhaeraun as well?” Dalor stood slowly and without any sign of aggression.
“I have M’lady. He thinks the entire ordeal of his own making. While he is indeed extremely crafty, it was rather simple to convince him I had learned of Lolth’s plans to remake her essence from my fiendish drow descended grandson Zaelnan, the so called King of Driders. Vhaeraun will move against Lolth’s soon to be weakened clergy as quickly as his worshipers are certain of the female priestesses losing the power of their goddess.” Dalor could barely see the rare smile creep across Shar’s beautiful face while looking only at her feet.
“Then it shall only be a short while before I am the only true power of the Underdark.” Shar reached out and lifted Dalor’s red eyes to meet her ebony gaze. “You have done well my love. Soon we shall rule the drow race together. I am ever so grateful of the day you convinced your son to take as his bed-thrall the drow woman and then revealed to me the years of planning that would make us all the more powerful.” Shar’s grip steadily increased on Dalor’s chin.
“Do not attempt to fool me Dalor Darden. I know why you choose the form of a human looking Drow; even if I can’t pierce the barriers placed by Ao. I will rule the Drow do you understand? You have done well in your plotting, but you will only serve me as regent regarding the Drow race understood?” Shar relaxed her grip upon her servant’s chin and began to fade away.
Bowing low, Dalor’s only response was a simple “As you wish my Queen.” Long after the departure of his Goddess, Dalor remained with one knee upon the ground and his head bent low; the darkness of infinite turmoil boiling all about him and the shadows of threats only hinting of things to come.
In time, how long could not be measured in such a place; the light step of another god came to the keen senses of the Black Arch-Mage. The being perceived his dark form kneeling in great reverence in neatly growing fields.
“Welcome M’lady…I have been awaiting your presence.” Dalor’s words rang somewhat hollow to the power standing before him. “The plan proceeds well…”
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The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Darsson Spellmaker
Seeker
56 Posts |
Posted - 11 May 2012 : 06:45:31
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| This was really interesting! I'd love to see more, but I think some background info on Dalor Darden would be very much appreciated. I've seen you on the boards before, but I've never heard anything about your character. Tell me about him? Please? :-) |
"Know, O mages, that there is learning, and there is wisdom, and they are very far from being the same thing."--Azuth the High One, Utterances from the Altar: Collected Verbal Manifestations of the Divine and Most Holy Lord of Spells (holy chapbook, assembled by anonymous priests of Azuth circa 1358 DR)
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 11 May 2012 : 13:56:45
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quote:
Originally posted by Darsson Spellmaker
This was really interesting! I'd love to see more, but I think some background info on Dalor Darden would be very much appreciated. I've seen you on the boards before, but I've never heard anything about your character. Tell me about him? Please? :-)
You can find a bit more here:
http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10124&whichpage=1&SearchTerms=Dalor
I'm currently working on a project for The Ride north of the Moonsea; but I'll get back to things related to Dalor again most likely. |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Once Long Ago...but now Again it Seems.
