Irik Zal'honan (Son)

Irik Zal'honan is the son of Azalin Rex, so named by Azalin in memory of his brother. He was executed by Azalin for treason and is now a ghost haunting a crypt in the upper towers of Castle Avernus.

Irik is mentioned in several Ravenloft products, though he actually makes an appearance in the 2nd Edition module From the Shadows. He also shows up in various flashbacks in the novel King of the Dead, where his relationship with his father is heavily explored.

History

Irik was born out of the need for Azal'Lan Firan Zal'honan (as Azalin was known back then on Oerth) to produce an heir to the throne of Knurl. With the help of her father, the aging wizard-king forced the younger noblewoman Olessa into an arranged marriage. She attempted to make herself barren with the surreptitious aid of some mystics, but in the end Azalin discovered the act and reversed it using his own magic. Irik was the product of a difficult birth that claimed the life of his mother. As Olessa died, she laid a curse upon her husband. Young Irik seemed to have a happy and upbeat personality that warmed Azalin's heart, though as Irik matured he became more and more unsuited to rule in Azalin's view, due to Irik's sense of forgiveness.

For a time, Irik seemed to attend to and maybe even embrace the grim nature of his father's politics. Though the departure of Irik's positive outlook saddened Azalin somewhat, he thought Irik's enlightenment was more than worth it. But then all that came apart as Irik's deception was uncovered, for he was secretly aiding the enemy. Irik's betrayal was not an act of malice against the father he loved but rather out of empathy and mercy towards political dissidents held captive by Azalin. Irik's treason was the act of enabling their escape. So as to show that nobody, not even his own flesh and blood, was above the law, Azalin called for Irik's execution the same as any other. Not only this, but Azalin delivered the killing blow himself.

Irik always had a sense of mercy and compassion like both his mother Olessa and his namesake, Azalin's brother. Azalin saw these qualities as weakness, a fatal flaw in in his eyes. Azalin has felt deep regret that he failed Irik by not raising him right. A desire for a chance to "redeem" his son haunted Azalin. It was a need which would necessitate some form of resurrection from the dead. This need lingered on for many years, decades even, after Irik's death, even after Azalin's transformation into a lich. This obsession eventually is what caused him to enter the Land of Mists, for the pursuit of a false lead caused Azalin to fall into an ambush from which he could not defeat with overwhelming power. Fleeing his attackers, Azalin ran into a bank of mists which led him to Barovia.

After Azalin had a falling out with Strahd and left Barovia in 579 BC, Irik's corpse and the sarcophagus containing it were taken by the Mists from Oerth (or perhaps simply copied) and delivered to the newly Darkon, specifically the confines of Castle Avernus. According to King of the Dead, the Dark Powers separated Azalin's being into two fragmented halves when Darkon first formed. One half, Darcalus Rex, was a cruel reflection of his immortal life as a lich. The other Firan Zal'Honan, a disgruntled and vengeful reflection of his mortal life. Both only had fragmented memories of their previous existence, with Firan believing Darcalus the murderer of Irik. Firan eventually found a scheme to get to Darcalus and destroy him, but Irik's spirit briefly possessed Oldar Wahldrun in an effort to get Firan to forgive his killer, in so much he could limited by the Dark Powers to get Azalin to forgive himself and escape his fate. Azalin could not or would not listen and went through with his plan, only to merge with the "slain" Darcalus and realize his folly once his memories were regained.

Soon after, Azalin discovered that he could one way to circumvent his cursed inability to use previously unlearned magic. He could achieve this circumvention by casting spells in the tower room holding Irik's corpse. Azalin thus used a life restoration spell from Barovia upon Irik. The boy pleaded with his father not to drag them both into more suffering, but Azalin went through with the rite anyway. Although the spell seemed to work, Azalin's horror Irik's revived body fell apart as Azalin left the room.

Despite this defeat, Azalin attempted another way of getting Irik's soul back into a living body, by transferring it into the body of Oldar, a man Azalin had sworn to protect. Thanks to Irik's will, the operation failed, and Oldar fled. Azalin, chided by his son for the breaking of his own word, felt a rare moment of shame and let Oldar go. According to KotD, the Dark Powers let Irik's soul soon thereafter, but this seem to contradict game products, such as From the Shadows, where he appears in his crypt during the events of the Grand Conjunction.

In 750 BC, Azalin unleashed the Requiem, dispersing his essence to the wind. In 755 BC, adventurers pulled Azalin back together to inhabit Irik's bones. Since then Irik has has been at his father's side fairly pervasively but most frequently when Azalin wishes isolation, much to Azalin's chagrin. As always, Irik does not act harshly to his father but instead does his best to lead Azalin away from his pursuit of darkness and folly, for what little Azalin heeds him.

Game Statistics

Ghost, Lawful Neutral; Hit Dice 10

Data from the Ravenloft Catalogue

		From the Shadows Download Now!
		From the Shadows - p38 Download Now!
		From the Shadows - p48 Download Now!
		Secrets of the Dread Realms - pp17-20 From the Shadows - p48 Download Now!