Node-Based Megadungeon: Shalthazard the Pale

Shalthazard the Pale

Campaign Role

Broad-reaching mastermind with claws in many schemes.

Theme

Spectral wyrm so consumed by lust for knowledge and manipulation he did not notice his own death.

Threat

A powerful ghostly dragon with influence over political, financial, and military power over most of the land.

Reward

A powerful ghostly dragon with influence over political, financial, and military power over most of the land.

Relationships

• Provides advice and information to the Planning Lieutenant of the Aboleth Conclave Outpost.
• Seeks knowledge from Baalshamoth, Sharer of Knowledge, primarily by picking the minds of the dreamers of the Oneiromancium.  Not so much a tool of Baalshamoth as a willing and eager ally.
• Massively connected outside the megadungeon.

Description and Identification

Description

A huge ghostly dragon, lean build, almost snakelike with arms and legs but no wings.  Opalescent scales and pearly eyes.

Signature

Those he has touched and influenced have a crystal embedded in their body somewhere.  In many places it will be inconspicuous, in some the touch of the Pale is a mark of pride and the crystals worn more openly.  His influence is otherwise noticeable only by its subtlety, rarely do his actions cause suspicion of his involvement.

Location

Typically in his lair at the bottom of the megadungeon, but may travel (often via his Mirrors) to other places.

Mechanics

No actual mechanics yet, but I’ll include notes for later.

• Pool of Reflection: A dark pool of water that taps into the waters of the Aboleth Conclave Outpost via The Cunning Way.  The Planning Lieutenant uses this route to confer with his erstwhile ally Shalthazard.
• Shimmering Fog: A tunnel filled with thickening, gleaming fog that leads eventually to the Misty Reaches of the Fane of Baalshamoth.
• Crystalline Array: Where many dragons might have their hoards, Shalthazard stores here something as precious, if not as obviously monetarily valuable.  This cavern is largely filled with crystals floating in groups, very nearly in a pattern discernible to the eye but that only Shalthazard can readily decipher.  The crystals, all of various types, colors, and sizes, cycle about and rearrange themselves according to the movements of the people associated with them, but what these movements tell can only be read by one who knows them all.
• Hall of Mirrors: A large cave filled with crystalline mirrors that Shalthazard uses to scry on creatures attuned to the crystals from the Crystalline Array.  When he wishes, the Pale may use such mirrors to travel to the presence of the creature being scryed on.
• Hoard Chamber: The cave Shalthazard might sleep in, should he feel the need.  Not much treasure remains here; being dead he has little use and gains little comfort from it.  Much of it has gone to his manipulative games, and should he want more it would not be difficult to gain.  He has learned that having a fortune is not as useful as controlling many.
• Darkness Gap: A narrow crack that leads, eventually, into the Underdark.  It is passable by Shalthazard and a useful escape route, but mortal creatures may have difficulty.