Darkon

Darkon was one of the largest abyssal domains, enslaved by the deep dragon Urik von Kharkov between 7222 and 7822, when the Darkonian Knights defeated him. Since then, whatever was left of the domain of Darkon has failed. Across the land, ageless monuments and magical wonders crumble before the Shroud—the Mists turned hungry.

Dread Reformation

Darkon was ground zero for a plan concocted by a group of gods known as the Skorva to try and create a unique realm of peace and harmony.

Hour of Ascension

The Hour of Ascension, a legend well-known all throughout Darkon, spoke of a future day in which the deceased would rise from their graves and claim the domain for themselves. Almost everyone who lived in this domain was raised to believe in and fear this legend. The Hour of Ascension came, and Urik von Kharkov was commanded by the Dark Powers to Plane Shift from the Underdark and used the army of undead to conquer the realm. Darkonian legends claim that on their annual "Darkest Night" the realm of the dead is closely linked to the domain and legions of undead can crossover to walk across their land.

Azalin Rex

Once the prison of the lich Azalin Rex, Darkon stretched between two oceans, its lands filled with gothic cities and the monuments of forgotten wizard-tyrants. Largely ignoring his role as ruler, Azalin dwelled in seclusion while manufacturing magical atrocities and manipulating prophecies to free himself from the Dark Powers' grip. He finally succeeded, orchestrating a magical event that shook the entire domain: the Second Hour of Ascension. The Darklord vanished—and Darkon changed. Since Azalin's disappearance, a strange golden star called the King's Tear hangs in the heavens, and each night the Mists surrounding the domain roil with hidden activity and creep inward. These Mists, now known throughout the domain as the Shroud, erode Darkon's borders. Those fleeing the Shroud report strange shapes and figures within. What happens to the lands claimed by the Shroud is a mystery, and none who enter it return. Despite facing gradual annihilation, Darkon's living population largely ignores the threat, dismissing reports of vanished regions as rumors and fearmongering. As the domain splits into crumbling islands, ambitious beings vie for Azalin's power, each claiming to be the lost king's obvious successor. These would-be tyrants blame one another for the domain's dissolution, and each believes they alone can save Darkon by becoming its sole ruler. Essentially, since the heroic deeds of the Darkonian Knights, the rise and fall of Azalin Rex left the Mists to consume Darkon. The Mists have divided the land into four regions: the Jagged Coast, Lychgate, the Mistlands, and Rexcrown. Azalin Rex, King of Darkon, vanished during the Second Hour of Ascension. Since then, an unmoving golden star called the King's Tear hangs in the sky. The sun and moon pass behind this star daily. The Kargat, the nation's secret police, is particularly active in Darkon's largest cities: Martira Bay and Il Aluk. The night after any Humanoid dies, its corpse rises as a mindless Undead that shambles into the night. Locals swiftly burn bodies to prevent this.

Castle Avernus

In the minds of Darkon's people, Castle Avernus was the sanctuary of their aloof king and the citadel from which he watched over his people. In truth, Avernus was a perilously haunted fortress, home to Azalin's deadliest servants and magical depravities. During the Hour of Ascension, that changed. Castle Avernus was destroyed in a torrent of otherworldly flame, an explosion that froze partway through its blast. The castle now hangs in midair, its chambers, laboratories, and crypts suspended in disjointed sections. Magic woven into the fortress's stones attempts to heal the shattered castle, causing new halls and rambling stairs to form between fractured floors. These surreal ruins can't conceal the magical radiance hanging at the castle's core—a vestige of the magical force that destroyed the castle and precipitated the Hour of Ascension. This mysterious force now calls to spirits across Darkon, drawing them in to feed an ongoing magical reaction. Despite the devastation, Castle Avernus isn't empty. Azalin's treasures and former servants survived, including Ebbasheyth, the Darklord's black shadow dragon advisor; a vast library that records the memories of all who die in Darkon; and the tomb haunted by Irik Zal'honen, Azalin's son.

The Shroud

During the day, the Mists surrounding Darkon can be traversed as normal, allowing creatures to travel between domains or regions of Darkon itself. At night, though, the Mists surrounding the domain turn deadly and encroach on the land—sometimes by infinitesimal degrees, other times in unstoppable floods. The fates of those claimed by these surges is a mystery. If a character experiments with the Shroud, a taste of this threat can take the form of damage, stress, or a glimpse of the deadly forces lurking beyond. Don't outright slay characters who encounter the Shroud, but make sure the experience reinforces the threat to all of Darkon.