Hypothesis about Firan and Darcalus

[tomokaicho]

It is said that the Dark Powers split Azalin in twain, the living Firan and the undead lich Darcalus.

I think what is more likely is that the split occurred during Strahd and Azalin's foray into Mordent. There, Strahd was split between good and evil. Azalin, being somewhat more savvy split himself along the lines of life and death. Strahd and Azalin are then returned to Barovia with memory loss. Strahd had already been rejoined. Azalin was still split in two, with the lich Azalin in Barovia, and Firan wandering the mists in a time distorted state. When Darkon forms around the lich Azalin, his memory is somewhat rewritten and becomes Darcalus, and he soon comes into conflict with Firan.

This was a test. Firan could have walked away scot free and did not. After Firan defeated Darcalus, the two sides were reunited by the Dark Powers. What say you about this hypothesis?

[The Lesser Evil]

That's so insightful it should've been obvious in retrospect. Certainly the test is in line with ordeals darklords have gone through (Soth, Von Kharkov, etc.)

[onmyoji]

It is said that the Dark Powers split Azalin in twain, the living Firan and the undead lich Darcalus.

I think what is more likely is that the split occurred during Strahd and Azalin's foray into Mordent. There, Strahd was split between good and evil. Azalin, being somewhat more savvy split himself along the lines of life and death. Strahd and Azalin are then returned to Barovia with memory loss. Strahd had already been rejoined. Azalin was still split in two, with the lich Azalin in Barovia, and Firan wandering the mists in a time distorted state. When Darkon forms around the lich Azalin, his memory is somewhat rewritten and becomes Darcalus, and he soon comes into conflict with Firan.

This was a test. Firan could have walked away scot free and did not. After Firan defeated Darcalus, the two sides were reunited by the Dark Powers. What say you about this hypothesis?

That's very close to what I've been planning to do in my Gryphon Hill rewrite. When Azalin and Strahd make it to Mordent, they're actually split into their normal selves and their "dark sides." (For Strahd, it's the vampire side, for Azalin, it's the lich side, e.g. Darcalus.) Whereas Strahd's dark side sticks around in Mordent, Azalin's leaves and is granted the domain of Darkon almost instantaneously. Then Darkon's "false history" fills in due to the way memories work there, and a young Firan finds his way there on his own...... putting King of the Dead right back into canon again.

For me, neither are returned to Barovia with memory loss. Firan plays out like in KotD, but has no memory of splitting himself in the Barovia-Mordent transition. Strahd's situation turns out a little bit differently, but upon finding his way back to Barovia, he also loses the memory of the Mordent adventure.

— onmyoji

[Mistmaster]

Well, I did not use a Darcalus at all ub ny version of Darkon, but that could easily have been Vecna XVI birth name. It was costumary for the Lich-Kings of Darkon to take the name Vecna when they gained their thrones.

[onmyoji]

Well, I did not use a Darcalus at all ub ny version of Darkon, but that could easily have been Vecna XVI birth name. It was costumary for the Lich-Kings of Darkon to take the name Vecna when they gained their thrones.

Interesting. Did you have the Darkon domain originally being lifted from Prime Material Oerth? Would be an interesting connection since both Azalin and Vecna are both technically from Oerth/Greyhawk. I did have plans for Vecna-ish elements in my Ravenloft campaign, but I didn't put any of them in Darkon really.

— onmyoji

[Mistmaster]

Well, I did not use a Darcalus at all ub ny version of Darkon, but that could easily have been Vecna XVI birth name. It was costumary for the Lich-Kings of Darkon to take the name Vecna when they gained their thrones.

Interesting. Did you have the Darkon domain originally being lifted from Prime Material Oerth? Would be an interesting connection since both Azalin and Vecna are both technically from Oerth/Greyhawk. I did have plans for Vecna-ish elements in my Ravenloft campaign, but I didn't put any of them in Darkon really.

— onmyoji

No, they were both native of the Mistworld, which is not a patchwork demiplane but a full fledged material plane.