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TymoraChosen
Seeker
67 Posts |
 Posted - 15 May 2005 : 08:50:45
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Hello! Thank you for reading this topic. I know it is a bit too early to ask about this. But I just wondering about the Witch King and his origins. It is curious how this lich got the name of Witch King and not other names, so could anyone enlighten me about his background?
Thank you for reading and replying to this topic.
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May tymora's blessings be heaped on all |
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Dargoth
Great Reader
Australia
4607 Posts |
Posted - 15 May 2005 : 08:56:06
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Check out the H series of modules or the Bloodstone lands gamine Accessory
The Witch King is a Lich who is a servant of Orcus |
“I am the King of Rome, and above grammar”
Emperor Sigismund
"Its good to be the King!"
Mel Brooks |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31772 Posts |
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DDH_101
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1272 Posts |
Posted - 15 May 2005 : 21:08:20
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The Witch King's name is Zhengyi. He had ruled Damara before Gareth Dragonsbane and his friends slayed the lich and united the country.
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"Trust in the shadows, for the bright way makes you an easy target." -Mask |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6666 Posts |
Posted - 16 May 2005 : 05:54:39
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He was said to have been a former Red Wizard of Thay.
-- George Krashos
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"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31772 Posts |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36803 Posts |
Posted - 16 May 2005 : 11:21:17
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quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
As was Myrddin Viligoth, of the Twilight Riders as I recall.
Myrddin... Isn't that word a rough equivalent of "Merlin"? |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31772 Posts |
Posted - 16 May 2005 : 14:44:06
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
As was Myrddin Viligoth, of the Twilight Riders as I recall.
Myrddin... Isn't that word a rough equivalent of "Merlin"?
Indeed it is.
Myrddin, the character of Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the Kings of Britain written in the twelth-century, when coverted into the standard Latin form, become "Merdinus". However, Geoffrey changed this in his work, and gave the character the name "Merlinus". This was because Geoffrey felt that the "Merdinus" name might actually suggest the vulgar word "merde" to the ears of his primary audience -- that of the Anglo-Normans.
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"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
Edited by - The Sage on 16 May 2005 14:44:53 |
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Thauramarth
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
729 Posts |
Posted - 16 May 2005 : 14:44:52
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Zhengyi was given 1st edition stats in the original module "H4 - Throne of Bloodstone", by Doug Niles and Michael Dobson. He was a 30th-level wizard, and his background was given as follows:
"The lich Zhengyi has been dead for nearly four centuries, and it shows. His almost entirely skeletal visage is concealed beneath a deep hood, made from the skull of a dragon. His robes were formally quite splendid, but they have rotted almost entirely away. Still, their former elegance is suggested by the remnants of gold thread that still hang about Zhengyi like a frail spiderweb.
The Witch-King has been a devotee of Orcus throughout his death, and also through much of the life that preceeded his demise. He is dedicated to the principals of chaos and evil, and he seeks to spread both through the realms.
To this end, he has gathered the army of undead that now faces the armies of Damara across the ford of Goliad. Although their might is not yet great enough to carry the invasion southward, Zhengyi knows that eventually, aided by the power of his demonlord manifested on the Prime plane, his forces will be ready to sweep the armies of law and justice from the land.
Formerly one of the wizards of Thay, Zhengyi has managed to retain his animation, at least in an undead form, by the force of his evil and powerful magic. His current state has bred within him an irrational hatred of all that is alive, such that he will seek to slay life whenever and wherever he encounters it. This is why he surrounds himself with undead, or with the denizons of the Abyss - they do not remind him of his former, and much more enjoyable, existence. (Well, yes - he was chaotic evil then, too, but that doesn’t mean that he didn’t know how to have a good time!)"
The Bloodstone modules started out as generic modules, and only the last installment "Throne of Bloodstone" bears the FR logo.
Speculations, and ways to tie him closer to the Realms: with Zhengyi's "unlifetime" as a lich at nearky four centuries at the time of the Bloodstone Module (officially set in 1359 DR, if I remember correctly), he'd have achieved lichdom around 960 DR. As the Thayan independence dates from 922 DR, he could have been one of the original Red Wizards. Since the establishment of the current political system dates back to 1030 DR only, he may have been one of the opponents of that system who left Thay when the Zulkirs eliminated all opposition to their rule (by 1074 DR).
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6666 Posts |
Posted - 17 May 2005 : 00:46:30
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quote:
Originally posted by Thauramarth
Speculations, and ways to tie him closer to the Realms: with Zhengyi's "unlifetime" as a lich at nearky four centuries at the time of the Bloodstone Module (officially set in 1359 DR, if I remember correctly), he'd have achieved lichdom around 960 DR. As the Thayan independence dates from 922 DR, he could have been one of the original Red Wizards. Since the establishment of the current political system dates back to 1030 DR only, he may have been one of the opponents of that system who left Thay when the Zulkirs eliminated all opposition to their rule (by 1074 DR).
Good call, SB. That's what I always thought re his relationship with the Red Wizards also.
-- George Krashos
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"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36803 Posts |
Posted - 17 May 2005 : 01:06:08
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quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
quote:
Originally posted by Thauramarth
Speculations, and ways to tie him closer to the Realms: with Zhengyi's "unlifetime" as a lich at nearky four centuries at the time of the Bloodstone Module (officially set in 1359 DR, if I remember correctly), he'd have achieved lichdom around 960 DR. As the Thayan independence dates from 922 DR, he could have been one of the original Red Wizards. Since the establishment of the current political system dates back to 1030 DR only, he may have been one of the opponents of that system who left Thay when the Zulkirs eliminated all opposition to their rule (by 1074 DR).
Good call, SB. That's what I always thought re his relationship with the Red Wizards also.
-- George Krashos
Friend Krash, SB has changed his avatar. You credited the wrong person. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31772 Posts |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6666 Posts |
Posted - 17 May 2005 : 01:53:31
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  Umm, my bad. Heartfelt and humble apologies to Thauramarth. Come to think of it, the post wasn't cynical enough to be one of SB's ...   And no, George's avatar change ... MY avatar change I mean ... means nothing, nothing at all. Move on, nothing to see here folks *waves people through with tentacles*.
-- George Krashos
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"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31772 Posts |
Posted - 17 May 2005 : 02:06:23
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*waves people through with tentacles*... 
Now that's even more disturbing!!!  Just what have you become George...? Are you no longer that happy blue dragon of the Morueme clan? 
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6666 Posts |
Posted - 17 May 2005 : 07:27:30
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To set everyone straight, reports of malaugrym infiltration into Candlekeep have been greatly exager ... erm ... mis-reported. Yep, no malaugrym here.*hides waving tentacles behind back*
-- George Krashos
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"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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Alaundo
Head Moderator
United Kingdom
5695 Posts |
Posted - 17 May 2005 : 08:54:36
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quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
Umm, my bad. Heartfelt and humble apologies to Thauramarth. Come to think of it, the post wasn't cynical enough to be one of SB's ... And no, George's avatar change ... MY avatar change I mean ... means nothing, nothing at all. Move on, nothing to see here folks *waves people through with tentacles*.
-- George Krashos
Well met
Indeed, it is not the first time that us scribes have glanced at an avatar and assumed it to be someone else. Mayhaps I should consider locking down Master of Realmslore avatars for exclusive use to avoid such confusion.
Now, back to the Witch King... |
Alaundo
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cpthero2
Great Reader
USA
2286 Posts |
Posted - 19 Feb 2020 : 00:27:26
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Master Rupert,
Wow: nice call! I had no idea. I just looked that up and that is apparently the Welsh version of Merlin. That is some seriously obscure knowledge there....unles....you're Welsh? ;) haha
Best regards,
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
As was Myrddin Viligoth, of the Twilight Riders as I recall.
Myrddin... Isn't that word a rough equivalent of "Merlin"?
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Higher Atlar
Spirit Soaring |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36803 Posts |
Posted - 19 Feb 2020 : 04:00:57
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quote:
Originally posted by cpthero2
Master Rupert,
Wow: nice call! I had no idea. I just looked that up and that is apparently the Welsh version of Merlin. That is some seriously obscure knowledge there....unles....you're Welsh? ;) haha
I think there's a touch of Welsh on my mother's side, but since I refuse to acknowledge kinship with her family, it's moot. My family primarily hails from Ireland.
That said, the Myrddin thing isn't terribly obscure if you've a passing familiarity with Arthurian legend. I'm nowhere near an expert, but I've read a few things. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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cpthero2
Great Reader
USA
2286 Posts |
Posted - 19 Feb 2020 : 04:14:28
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Master Rupert,
Well, that is likely why I didn't have any awareness of it. I hate to say it but... I've never been particularly into Arthurian legend. Not sure why, either. I suppose when I was a kid growing up with this material, I just didn't find Arthurian legend all that entertaining.
Best regards,
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by cpthero2
Master Rupert,
Wow: nice call! I had no idea. I just looked that up and that is apparently the Welsh version of Merlin. That is some seriously obscure knowledge there....unles....you're Welsh? ;) haha
I think there's a touch of Welsh on my mother's side, but since I refuse to acknowledge kinship with her family, it's moot. My family primarily hails from Ireland.
That said, the Myrddin thing isn't terribly obscure if you've a passing familiarity with Arthurian legend. I'm nowhere near an expert, but I've read a few things.
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Higher Atlar
Spirit Soaring |
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The Witch King background
