MAGIC ITEMS
DARKSTAR
Born in 2362 PF to a Drow mother and a Human slave father, Haz was an outcast from birth, but not initially so committed to the ways of chaos and evil. Saved from starvation as a scavenging child in some underdark city by a Priest of Vhaeraun who perceived his natural gifts, he quickly rose in their ranks. However, his lifelong fascination with wizardly magics resulted in his fleeing to the surface for his life after he was caught trying to steal the spell books of a high-ranking female House wizard. He would never forgive the Drow for driving him away.
On the surface he initially sought out surface Elves, in an effort to rally them behind him in an effort to punish (or destroy) the Drow that had tied to kill him. For his pains he was shunned or even worse, mocked, at every turn. Eventually, he swore revenge on the surface elves too, and he fully submitted to the dark desires that broiled within him. He promised that if the Lithorindinum Elves would not aid him willingly, then they would aid him as slaves.
He returned to the warrens of Illabode and effectively disappeared for the next 20 years. There, he improved and raised his magical skills while building up his humanoid armies in the warrens. Starting around 2480 PF he began to lead raids into Elvish lands, scouting them and gathering magic and slaves. He did this on and off for the next 40 years, until in 2520 PF at the age of 158 he overthrew what powers remained against him in Illabode. At the same time he declared the Haz Imperium.
This was shortly followed by an alliance with the Ylthic Calandesians, and he encouraged, supplied and supported bloody Viking raids to the south, while using their warriors as troops in his own armies. The Dwarves and Elves had recently reopened Dwelvenhall together, and were moderately friendly, so to ensure no aid came from the Hillgarth Clans to the Elves he supported the Calandesians in their siege of Eastern Hillgarth. However, this only united the Nightwatch Peaks Dwarves against him, and they encouraged the Steel Confederation Humans to assist the Dwarvish cause.
When Haz declared war on the Nightwatch Peaks (Melopian) Dwarves and the Steel Confederation in 2565, he promised "the meddling humans will pay". His anger was kindled to even higher levels when, at the Battle of Flaming Rock in 2577, his mount Darkstar was temporarily killed. The Snow Nomad/Steel Confederation archers that killed Darkstar paid in full when he cursed the Sordal Pass in their homeland. To this day it is known as Gallow Gate, and it has utterly destroyed their old way of nomadic life.
After resurrecting Darkstar, Haz looked virtually unstoppable. Two years later he sacked Dwelvenhall. Yet that was also his undoing, for in moving south to accomplish this vengeful deed he had left his flank unprotected, just as the second Confederation Fleet arrived. His forces were crushed, and he barely escaped with his life.
As he nursed his wounds back in Illabode, a second stroke sealed his fate: the Gnomish Flying Armada flew over the Crimson Cliffs and within months had routed the Calandesians from Querinne to Bodej.
Still he mustered another humanoid army and marched towards Halfdome to create a second base from which to split the Elves and Dwarves.
In the end however it took another individual, not great armies, to defeat Haz. While his armies were indeed destroyed at the Battle of the Dome, it was Ubic the Mage who ultimately destroyed Haz. Their wizardly duel lives on in legend, and while it cost Ubic his life as well, it ended with Haz irrevocably dead and gone. His death in 2588 PF marked the end of twisted and bitter life, and one which many have wondered might not have taken a different turn under other beginnings.
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