Shade of Trelhaem
This NPC was useful just once. He provided the party with important information and set the stage for a follow-on adventure. That “prophesy” thing was FAR too much fun! I may revive this NPC for the current campaign.
Yes, I borrowed the idea from one of the Shannara books.
Shade of Trelhaem
| Frequency: | unique |
| No. App.: | 1 |
| AC: | n/a |
| Move: | n/a |
| Hit Dice: | n/a |
| % in Lair: | 100% |
| Treasure Type: | nil |
| No. of Attacks: | 0 |
| Damage/Attack: | nil |
| Special Attacks: | nil |
| Special Defenses: | nil |
| Magic Resistance: | nil |
| Intelligence: | genius |
| Alignment: | Neutral |
| Size: | M (6′) |
The last Grand Druid alive when the Wars of Rendelshod came to a close Trelhaem and his followers waged war to prevent the forest known as the Druid’s Keep from being ravished. In the twenty years that the wars lasted he led his people in the wood’s defense, surviving all his peers.
As the Wars came to an end a great mass of White Elves and other foul creatures marched toward the Druid’s Keep intending to destroy it and the many creatures who found refuge there. This terrible army included many creatures of the Lower Planes that none had ever seen, before or since. Leading this foul army was the White Elf Witch Queen Oclavwa, who was legendary for both her powers of magic and the depth of her depravity.
A ragtag army marched north from the Druid’s Keep to do battle, willing to give their lives to protect the great wood and it’s defenseless inhabitants. The two forces met 10 miles north of the wood; the savage battle raged for 5 days.
Badly stricken, the druid led army fell back in a fighting retreat, making their final stand at the City of Marquelom, where the unequal battle raged again.
At the height of the battle Trelhaem met Oclavwa in personal combat. Trelhaem was as outmatched in this fight as his army was in the overall battle, so defeat appeared certain. Moments from defeat Trelhaem called upon a dark and arcane magic to turn the tide.
Oclavwa was consumed in a pillar to brilliant white light, and all of her followers were blinded by the light and stricken to the ground. What remained was a slaughter, not a fight, but the small fraction that remained of the defending force used the opportunity to ensure their complete victory. Not one member of that foul army escaped from the Druid’s Keep.
In the aftermath no trace of Trelhaem was found. He was assumed destroyed by the magic he used to defeat Oclavwa. Five days later, next to the fountain at which he defeated the black witch a shadowy form came to be. The magic Trelhaem used was indeed a very dark one, and it consumed his material body and cursed his spirit to remain at the site for eternity.
What remained of the city was abandoned, and few visit it to this day. The Shade of Trelhaem converses with visitors and offers much information, but the price of such information is high, and never in terms of worldly goods.
Anyone who comes before Trelhaem with a question will have a prophesy made. These prophesies always come true, tend to be rather cryptic, and rarely bode good.