Legends of Caen -- Zzen, God of Unspeakable Death

Zzen Elmatraq was a pious human paladin whose deeds for the Great City of the North was surpassed by few.

He led the Sccor's Elite XX Overt Regiment (SeXXoR) to great effect, during the trying times when the city itself was expanding and had to deal with the surrounding pockets of hostile resistance. Many Lizardmen, Kuo-toas, Salamanders and their respective encampments were all destroyed in the name of unity, peace, and long-term harmony.

King Pinn Nafors the Second, ruler of Sccor, admired him so much that he sanctioned the erection of a battle-keep for Zzen's overt operations in the desert, where fierce barbaric tribes threatened the safety of the walled city. Castle Greyskill was to be a bastion of defense, and news of any invading tribes could be quickly passed on to Sccor itself, where ample preparations could be made.

Coupled with the imposing keep and the quiet influence of the Raven Queen, Zzen and his SeXXoR fought numerous battles in the desert, winning all of them. He often disregarded the relaying of tactical information about the barbaric tribes and their movements, and just dispatching them solely with his elite regiment. The old-fashioned paladin had always believed in practical training, and sending troops-in-training to hostile environments for hands-on assignments is a norm in his regimented army.

In addition to his obvious prowess with his sword hand, Zzen was a born leader by example. He had many loyal followers and supporters in Sccor, who admired his drive and will to succeed even in the harshest of conditions.

The sight of the blonde mustachioed paladin, wearing the fabled Greyskilled - a whole suit of matching dark-grey magical plate armor emblazoned with a multitude of fierce Raven Queen insignias, was enough to send lesser enemies scurrying for cover.

Sadly, as time went by, Sccor became rich and complacent along with its inhabitants. Zzen's regiment was obsolete; as years went by without battle. He indulged in the finery of life, including booze and drugs from Sccor's famous spice farms. Zzen was often seen at parties and gala events, dancing and drinking the night away, while reminiscing about his glory days past.

One night during a high society gathering, he drunkenly poured wine onto, and insulted then-mayor Reeche Sliever, a master politician whose wit and viciousness was known throughout the land. In the weeks after, Zzen was embroiled in a smear campaign, vicious lies weaving him into places he had never even step foot into. He was eventually charged with malicious intent to usurp Sccor's royal throne, and found guilty by the tribunal.

King Nafors personally delivered the verdict and sentenced Zzen to die by Unspeakable Death. The condemned paladin was to drink from a poisoned chalice, which will corrode his throat, and then his entire body. He would perish slowly and painfully, without uttering a single sound.

It was carried out a few days later, in front of the Sccorian masses.

A few years passed and nothing much was heard of Zzen. Sccor continued to prosper and the Queen finally bore a heir to the throne- Prince Blor Nafor the Third.

On Prince Blor Nafors's fifth birthday , Sccor was suddenly hit by a freak slimepour from the mountains near it. Hundreds of citizens perished and the Royal Grounds decimated to the ground; as huge waves of green gooey slime flowed down the streets and consumed all. King Pinn and Reeche reportedly drowned, and the young prince was killed too. The entire Nafors family line was wiped out in a single night.

From that night onwards, the sky betrayed to the naked eye a new star- a greenish-black one, small but bright enough for all to see.

The Elder Druids from the Grove of Western Sccor Forest were intrigued by the events before them, and performed age-old rituals to find out the root of it all. They discovered that Zzen had somehow ascended to deitydom, an act never before accomplished by a mortal being in Caen, and once deemed impossible.

Startled by these revelations, they called upon the Five Great Gods of Caen- Pelor, The Raven Queen, Tempus, Mystara and Corellon Stonehands. Pelor reckoned if nothing was done, the delicate balance of the Arial would be disrupted by this new upstart, and total chaos could ensue.

The Five grudgingly decided to bind Zzen into the fabric of Caen itself, The Raven Queen wanted no part in it but lent her power anyway. As told in tales passed down the generations, months of epic storm raged through the skies, and the seas frothed with anger.

This period was to be known as the Years of Storm. Finally, after seven years, there was an eerie calm. Slowly, adventurers who returned by ship from the Far South spoke of something incredulous.

It was about Southern Caen- the huge virgin landmass, separated from Sccor by the Luna Sea.
Once, it was beautiful, luscious and untouched by mankind, but had now become desolate wasteland, no life in sight. The air was hot and stuffy, with greenish mist rising slowly from vents in the ground. Legend has it that the Five Gods binded Zzen's essence there, thinly spread over the endless acres.

The new star disappeared from the skies after that, and balance was restored to Caen. Ever since then, no one but the brave and foolish would travel to the Far South. A few makeshift settlements are rumored to mine and trade in the rich volcanic ash farmed from the dangerous land.