Perhaps a few dragons recall Haze-of-Death’s true name, but he himself forgot it on the Day of Mourning.
Once a Chamber agent, Haze-of-Death left the organization to throw his lot in with the lesser races of Khorvaire. The great white dragon saw potential in humanity and admired Vvaraak’s example. He wanted to teach the lesser races and help them achieve greatness, seeing them as worthy individuals in their own right, not merely pawns in the Prophecy. The Chamber tried to discourage him, but Haze-of-Death ignored their entreaties.
During his work for the Chamber, Haze-of-Death had forged a friendship with a Cyran professor. He traveled to Cyre to offer his services as a negotiator and a teacher, hoping to help end the war and usher in a new era of enlightenment.
Perhaps Haze-of-Death’s age and power saved him from the cataclysm on the Day of Mourning. Perhaps it was random chance, or a cruel twist of fate. In any event, the dragon who clawed his way out of the Glowing Chasm after the devastation was very different from the one who’d come to Cyre. The rampant arcane energies crippled Haze-of-Death, then mutated him, and either the severity of his injuries or his terrible change drove him hopelessly mad. He is convinced that enemies lurk on all sides, waiting for a moment of weakness to steal his possessions.
Now Haze-of-Death lurks deep within the Mournland, scouting far and wide for treasures to add to his “hoard” and devouring anyone unlucky enough to cross his path.
Description
Haze-of-Death’s body, once snow-white, now reflects the dismal gray that permeates the Mournland. Many of his scales have broken off to leave jagged, raw patches on his hide. Bony growths jut from his joints and his brow, weighing down his already massive head. Rents in his wings have healed unevenly, leaving a patchwork of scar tissue across their span and giving Haze-of-Death a drunken tilt when he flies.
Worse still, the dead-gray mist that encloses the Mournland also surrounds Haze-of-Death. The horrid vapor seeps from bloodless wounds on his flanks and hisses from his nostrils when he breathes.
Minions
Haze-of-Death prefers solitude, and he lacks the sanity to command minions with any coherence. However, several months ago, the dragon stumbled on a band of salvagers led by Ikar the Black. Haze-of-Death pounced on the closest target, a human named Drugor, who bore a passing resemblance to Haze-of-Death’s Cyran friend. To Drugor’s cautious relief, the monstrous dragon didn’t eat him outright but instead carried Drugor back to his lair.
Over the ensuing months, Drugor figured out that Haze-of-Death had mistaken him for someone else. The crafty rogue used his gift of guile to keep the dragon believing they were old friends until he could find a chance to escape. In the meantime, his proximity to the Glowing Chasm began to warp Drugor: After a few weeks, his mind began to fragment, and his body mutated not much later.
Haze-of-Death uses Drugor to investigate areas too small for the mighty dragon to enter, and to “spy” on the enemies that he imagines surround him. Drugor usually obeys the dragon out of fear, addled thoughts of escape and his old life drifting through his mind. Sometimes, though, he is convinced that he actually is a Cyran noble who somehow escaped death and has since partnered up with his old dragon friend.
Allies and Enemies
In Haze-of-Death’s mind, enemies abound. He sees ghosts everywhere, and sometimes hears the voices of his Chamber associates who tried to convince him not to leave them. When the hallucinations grow too strong to bear, Haze-of-Death takes wing and flies as far and fast as he can, destroying any living thing he encounters.
Organizations that frequently enter the Mournland, such as Ikar’s Salvage and the Khraal Lords (ECS 189), don’t always come into conflict with Haze-of-Death. The dragon sometimes sleeps for weeks, but even when he is active, the sheer size of the Mournland makes encountering him unlikely. The more often such salvagers and pirates cross the dead-gray mist, though, the greater their chance of running into Haze-of-Death. If the dragon causes enough destruction, the survivors might hire brave adventurers to hunt down and slay the ravager.
Haze-of-Death has no true allies, but he is aware of the Lord of Blades and his minions. The warforged don’t smell like prey to Haze-of-Death, and the Lord of Blades sees no reason to venture into the dragon’s territory yet. For now, the two maintain an unofficial truce.
Hooks
Simply entering the Mournland could result in direct conflict with Haze-of-Death. Other possible hooks include the following.
Drugor’s Rescue: One of Ikar the Black’s band spots the lost Drugor, alive, but the man disappears before the team can approach him. Ikar hires the PCs to track down and return his lost salvager.
Research Material: A wizard in Sharn thinks he can unravel the mystery of the Glowing Chasm and possibly reverse its effect. To complete his research he needs three discarded scales from Haze-of-Death; only they contain the right properties to manufacture the cure.