#Azal'Lan

[thyeternalhunger]

Dawn in Flaness

where Azal'Lan overlooks from his castle

[darklordazalin]

I think I read somewhere that Azalin was a misspelling of Azal'lan? Is it?

Azal'Lan was how I was known in my homeland of Knurl on Oerth. I earned this title, which translates to "Wizard King" after saving the people of Knurl from invading forces when I returned home to claim my inheritance after my elder brother passed and left the land in chaotic shambles, I might add. Much later on, when I sought cover in a morning mists and instead found myself transferred into the land of Barovia, the first people I encountered asked me my name. Not trusting anyone in this strange land, I simply gave them my title - Azal'Lan. Not sharing a common tongue, this was misspoken as "Azalin" later to Strahd by the same individual. When Strahd asked if I was "Azalin", I did not correct him. Since then I have gone by the name Azalin, which has no real meaning in these realms nor does my true title of Azal'Lan. That too was taken from me by my tormentors.

[theoscout]

Connecting the books to the games

I've noticed that the Strahd as written in PN Elrod's novels is pretty different to the Strahd written in the other novels, to the point where I feel like it would change the whole damn storyline. But I've come up with an explanation with this change in personality which only uses published events.

Strahd and Azalin end up in Mordentshire after their portal thing goes wrong, and they decide to build the apparatus in order to try and turn themselves back into humans again. Strahd ends up splitting himself in two and the events of Gryphon Hill happen. Azalin is possibly the first to use the machine, but ends up teleporting somewhere else as a side effect and Strahd fixes the thing that made him teleport without using it on himself. The events of King of The Dead happen before the events of Gryphon Hill, while Strahd is making modifications to the machine.

Alchemist is every good quality about Strahd, and also his ideal form that he created for himself.

At the end they both fall off the cliff, but since they're already separated, Creature is unaffected by Alchemist's death and survives, but barely. Alternatively he dies but since he's far more darklord than Alchemist is, the mists resurrect him back in Barovia without Alchemist.

So Alchemist represented everything good and lawful about Creature, even if it wasn't much, was all gone. That's why the Strahd which went from calling wolves his 4 legged children and adoring them, looking after small children, shapeshifting into mist to avoid hurting bats and just not being evil for the sake of evil ended up turning into the thing from curse of strahd, and the Strahd from VOTM that summoned wolves and had them cannabalise each other for no reason aside from showing off his power.

[casketsanctum]

azal'lan

[tea-with-eleni]

Meanwhile in Darkon...

So this week, PARTY AT CASTLE AVERNUS!

Dinner with Lord Darcalus!

Awkward conversations with Baron Alcio Metus! Who, this playthrough only? Is more overtly embracing the they/them. They also aren't gunning for the darklord position, because Darcalus was obviously the darklord, right?

A ghost of Irik Zal'honen appears to the rogue and Ireena! Ireena, because she's also the lynchpin of a darklord's curse, the rogue because he resonated most with Irik himself. The ghost begged them to prevent his father from seeking revenge against Lord Darcalus, his killer. They followed as Firan Zal'honen slipped away to look for Darcalus's phylactery... and were promptly followed by the cleric and artificer on a merry journey up and up and up and up and up and up and UP Castle Avernus.

(Castle Avernus is VERY tall.)

(I tried to turn the shitty scan of the poster map from the AD&D "From the Shadows" module into something usable but it's going to take a while to untangle. Whoever gave it giant round central keeps and sundry towers with no good illustration of the castle as a whole should be thrown off the topmost tower.)

The rogue tried to reason with Firan, but Firan was very determined to have his vengeance (or justice?)

But upon reaching the phylactery room, Firan realized that he was, in fact, the lich he sought all along.....

(Am I 100% ripping off King of the Dead? Yes. Yes I am. In our timeline, War Against Azalin happened. THEN Lord of the Necropolis happened. THEN King of the Dead happened. It kinda works and also lets me destroy Il Aluk which sorta works with the Ravenloft Gazetteer copy I found.........At this point I've basically thrown out most of the fifth edition stuff on Darkon. It's cool if you want to do the Neverending Story, but I want to do Darkon so...)

The artificer tried to grab Firan’s phylactery and book it. Fortunately, he failed a save against “hold person”.

Anyway, we ended the session with the party regrouping and revealing that, shit, we found another Darklord, do we have to kill this one too, while Firan enters the room and everyone recognizes the Azal'lan... Azalin Rex has arrived.

[darklordazalin]

How old was Irik when he passed?

No lead up to this, just come out and ask me it? This of all things? Excuse me, I have...something incredibly important I need to attend to that isn't this.

OOC (spoilers for King of the Dead novel):

I assume you mean Irik, Azalin's son, and not his beloved brother. His son was 19 when he was executed as a traitor to the crown by Azalin's (or The Azal'Lan as he was known as at the time) own hand.

Irik, his younger brother, was 12 when he was possessed by a demon that a 15 year old Firan Zal'honan had a part in summoning. Irik was ultimately killed by their father who thought him to be an actual demon (by then he looked very much like one) even as Firan tried to explain that it was Irik and the master wizard Firan had brought to prevent further damage could save him. Said master wizard was knocked unconscious by his father's men and his father decapitated Irik.

[darklordazalin]

It’s in the Name

Contrary to popular belief the name “Azalin” does not mean Wizard King, it's actually a reflection of the education system in Barovia.

[thyeternalhunger]

The Life and Suffering of King Firan

Happy Ace Week, fellow Darkonians!

↓The vertical version, and my pretentious explanation:

Alright, first, I drew inspiration from Danse Macabre to depict Azalin's life on Oerth. The devils represent the Dark Powers. From right to left, it depicts 15-year-old Firan leaving Knurl with confusion, uncertainty and hope for the future, “Firan Zal'Honan has come home,” Azal'Lan accepting the offer of the Dark Powers after losing Irik, and being carried away by the fog after becoming a lich. Also, that Firan is going from right to left in this art is meant to convey a nostalgic sorrow and the fading of hope. I think it is how Azalin looks back on his past life very occasionally.

I rarely explain my arts, as I prefer it remains open for interpretation, but manuscript is a symbolic art form that I like vm. Still, drawing this way limits what I may render (I cannot shade and go into details like I usually do). Anyway I am not going to explain the implications of marginalia. You should go reading King of the Dead and visit Knurl for ace week.

[darklordazalin]

Hello.

I am the Mysterious Hermit of Tumblr and I come with two questions:

First, in-character: Do you mind being called Azalin or would you prefer your subjects to use your proper title (Azal'lan)?

Second, ooc: Do you have a favorite piece of Ravenloft lore? If so, what is it?

Mysterious Hermit,

Question 1: Though I miss my true title of Azal'Lan that was bestowed upon me by the people of Knurl, it would have little meaning in these realms. It has not been used since the moment I arrived in Barovia in 542 BC and the Barovian peasanty butchered its pronunciation.

As such, I have adapted the name "Azalin" and my title is simply "Rex" or "King". Even if I declared myself the Azal'Lan of Darkon, no Darkonian could ever fathom the true meaning and prestige of gaining such a title.

So, to answer your question, I prefer being referred to as "your grace" or "king", but for a few individuals that may call me simple "Azalin". Question 2:

There are books upon books of lore in the Ravenloft setting, it's difficult to pick a favorite. So I'll go with a favorite of mine that can apply to any of the Domains. That is, the unique types of familiars that one obtains only in Ravenloft. Familiar types include pseudo familiar, undead familiars, and dread companions. Pseudo Familiars:

Pseudo-familiars appear as a normal wizard’s familiar except grander, brighter, and far more cunning. These “familiars” thrive on controlling their would-be masters and feeding off their companions. Using a vampiric-like ability, the pseudo-familiar can consume health from one being and use it to heal another. Pseudo-familiars also subtly control their masters and eventually these wizards are no longer able to determine if the goals and desires they are carrying are their own or that of their familiar. Undead Familiars:

They kept part of this lore in Curse of Strahd, but it originated in 2nd edition. In Curse of Strahd, any familiar summoned in Barovia is an undead version of its normal form. In 2nd edition, if a familiar dies and is resummoned, it comes back as an undead version of itself with its only goal being the destruction of its master.

Dread Companions

Dread Companions were introduced in 3rd edition Raveloft and also apply to any summoned companion, such as a Paladin's steed. Dread Companions share their master’s alignment, but are morally evil. They do anything to ensure their master’s secret desires and dreams manifest. We all have thoughts we would rather keep to ourselves, but these familiars do not understand that concept and are likely to steal something their master desires, attack a rival without warning, or encourage them down a path of corruption. Essentially, they're living embodiments of a person's ID.