Carashast, an Oeridian warrior of such evil nature that his tomb (somewhere in the Abbor-Alz) is suffused with negative energy to this day, is mentioned in From the Ashes. I cited his villainy in the cultural inspirations thread as perhaps the reason the demihumans of Urnst decided not to ally with the Nerondi against the Maure, though their counterparts in other lands had almost always allied with the Oeridians against the Suel.
Do we know anything else about him - when he lived, what his crimes were, anything?
I had seen that article before, but I had forgotten about it. Thanks for the link; it answers some questions. I had assumed Carashast lived, as Creighton's article says, during the Great Migrations (because he's identified as Oeridian rather than, say, Nyrondel). FtA didn't associate him with Bad Deep, but the connection makes a lot of sense.
Because he fought a battle in the Gnarley and was buried in the Abbor-Alz, it makes sense to assume that Carashast's "fledgeling kingdom" took up approximately the same region as what is now called the Domain of Greyhawk. It wouldn't be at all strange for him to have clashed with the early Maure at some point, then, and have poisoned the local dwarves' opinion of Oeridians. I have to stop blaming the Nerondi, though. These would have been minor Oeridian tribes, as the vast majority of Oeridians migrated north of the Nyr Dyv.
FtA spoke of "microgates" to the Negative Energy Plane, while Creighton alludes to the Plane of Shadow instead. The two planes often get confused, especially where undead shadows are concerned. Although undead shadows are well adapted to the Plane of Shadow, their power comes from the Negative Plane.
My guess is that Carashast is trying to become some extremely powerful undead creature, so the associated energies are gathering to help him accomplish this. Carashast's sons, however, added spells to prevent this from happening, and the energies continue to gather, incidently creating shadows and slow shadows from the souls of adventurers who die in the tomb, without being able to accomplish their main purpose: Carashast continues to sleep. That explains the need for the tomb; even had they burnt his body to ash and scattered it to the four winds, he could have become some incorporeal terror. Only by holding his mortal coil hostage with magic could his soul be forced to rest.
Maybe Carashast's heirs divided into two branches, fighting one against the other for different purposes...
A group makes efforts to seal Carashast's soul, the other is trying to bring him back to "life" as a new kind of Undead, Shadowy creature... gathering together dark powers from of the Plane of Shadow and from the Negative Energy Plane...
and the tomb of Carashast is now the main field for this epic battle...
_________________ <div align="left"><em>Once upon a time...</em></div>
Considering the malignant, still-growing cancer that is Bad Deep, I think Carashast's evil will is strong enough to transform himself into an undead horror all on his own, without any of his sons needing to help him in any way. The idea that some of his sons still remained loyal to their father is possible, but not necessary. The undead remnants of the loyal sons might exist in the tomb as leaders of the shadows, however - that would be interesting.
Actually, that might be true whether they were loyal or not - the necromantic energy might have trapped them as shadows in the afterlife even if they opposed it when they were alive.
Considering the malignant, still-growing cancer that is Bad Deep, I think Carashast's evil will is strong enough to transform himself into an undead horror all on his own, without any of his sons needing to help him in any way
But maybe someone put a seal on C's tomb, and his loyal sons are tring to put it off... the gathered energy should be enough yet, but the seal is intact still...
Quote:
Actually, that might be true whether they were loyal or not - the necromantic energy might have trapped them as shadows in the afterlife even if they opposed it when they were alive.
Perhaps these trapped souls want to be saved, but do fear to free their father's soul... maybe someone will find a way to open the seal for the trapped and unwilly souls only... maybe the seal is on the Plane of Shadow... _________________ <div align="left"><em>Once upon a time...</em></div>
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