Whisperers

The Whisperers were a trinity of witches who served the Black Star in his attempt to collect the necrohedron from the Material Plane. They were imbued with chaos magic by their patron, and ultimately destroyed at the hands of the Chaos Crew.

## **Biography**

### **Origins**

The Whisperers were born a trio of Eladrin sisters in the Summer Wild, on an island off the coast of the mainland. The names of these three eladrin were Ahoalco, Leminis and Atropos, but little more is known about them in their original forms. It was their island that the Black Star arrived upon when he entered the Modern World. As the Black Star's chaos magic began to leak into this new universe, it quickly corrupted the island and its inhabitants. The eladrin attempted to stave off this evil, unaware that their power could do little against a god. The eladrin fell to the same corruption and became hags imbued with the chaos magic, and loyal servants to the Black Star.

### **In Search of the Necrohedron**

During his plot to steal away the Evening Star, the Black Star sent the Whisperers from the Feywild to the Material Plane to gather the device. When the three arrived, it was on an island with a similar geography to that of their home called Balishe.

In 1251 of the Third Age of Primordials, the Whisperers set out across the island and began to corrupt the inhabitants, making thralls to serve in their search. The group was stopped by the Grand Magi of Glass, Neia Wolfgazer and her apprentice Jolax Batu. Neia and Jolax battled the witches and managed to encase them in three stone tombs, collecting the necrohedron and returning to Glass to investigate the device.

### **Trapped in Stone**

The Whisperers remained trapped in these stone tombs for the next five centuries, until they would be freed by an adventurer named Zenda Venari. Zenda and his family were scholars who studied the effects of Chaos Magic and a number of different rumors had lead Zenda to the island of Balishe. In 1761, Zenda would arrive to the island and locate the stone statues. Dispelling their magic, Zenda would be captured by the Whisperers and turned into another of their servants. Now as Sanbalet, the wizard joined the Whisperers to resume their search for the necrohedron.

### **Terror of Calderon**

The Whisperers would abandon their tombs on Balishe and cross the sea to the northern kingdom of Glass. In search of a new residence, the witches would climb the Dragonmount (an ancient mountain once occupied by a red dragon) and claim it as their new territory. The Rouge (original denizens of the mountain) had abandoned their home on a journey to find the dragon, allowing the witches to quickly begin their work within.

Word quickly spread of the monstrous creatures pouring out of the forests surrounding the dragonmount, accompanied by green mist. As the Whisperers spread across the land of Glass, the Chaos Crew began to gather clues about the witches and sought to confront them.

Upon learning that the necrohedron had been apprehended by the Visarala Prekasa, Atropos sent Sanbalet to pose as a pirate and steal the device. He was discovered by the Visarala and left for dead in one of their hideouts. The Chaos Crew stumbled upon Sanbalet (posing as a helpess victim) and aided him in killing a Visarala agent named Keribuck. When the group was interrogated by a druid of the Sage Hegemony, Sanbalet disappeared.

Taking residence in the manor of a cleric named Diego, Ahoalco was confronted by the Chaos Crew and attempted to kill them with her animated objects. Sanbalet would continue to spy on the Chaos Crew, confronting them on multiple occasions. When the necrohedron had been secured by the Grand Magi of Glass, Atropos gathered her forces on the Dragonmount in preparation to assault the city.

### **Battle of Balishe**

With help from the dragon Impaerys (still stuck in his human form of Israel), the Chaos Crew sailed to the Island of Balishe, chasing after the Visarala Prekasa. Atropos saw this as an opportunity to kill both of her enemies, and sent Sanbalet to plunge the island into the depths. The entire isle became a warzone, as the three factions battled to reach the summit. The Visarala Prekasa arrived first, and nearly killed Sanbalet. When the Chaos Crew intervened to save him, the Whisperer's dominion was broken and Zenda was freed.

As the island began to sink, Zenda joined the Chaos Crew and they returned to the town of Varen. Sharing all he knew, Zenda informed the group of the Whisperer's plan to steal the necrohedron and create an army of undead.

### **Battle of the Dragonmount**

With help from the dragon Impaerys, his children the Rouge, the denizens of the forests of Calderon and the army of Glass, the Chaos Crew marched up the Dragonmount and confronted the Whisperers. At this time Leminis drew an army of corrupted monsters towards the city, only to be countered by Grand Magi Corran Horn and his students. The Whisperer was killed, and her soul returned to the Dragonmount.

Atropos took the souls of both of her dead sisters, transforming into the Matriarch. She was first confronted by Alkioni, leader of the Visarala Prekasa who had come to assassinate the witches. The Matriarch killed Alkioni, turning her attention towards the newly arrived Chaos Crew.

In the battle the Matriarch was momentarily able to control Sanbalet again, but Zenda fought for freedom and helped to defeat her. The matriarch was finally killed as the dragon Impaerys threw himself into the lava of the mountain, reemerging in his draconic form and killing the Matriarch with his fiery breath.

## **Powers and Abilities**

The Whisperers gained the ability to harness Chaos Magic from the Black Star. This materialized in the form of a green mist, which they used to search for the Necrohedron. Each of the Whisperers had a unique power in battle: Ahoalco could animate objects, Leminis could control animals, and Atropos could shapeshift.

After Ahoalco and Leminis fell in battle, their souls were collected by Atropos. The last Whisperer swallowed the strength of her sisters and became a naga-like monster called the Matriarch. As the Matriarch, Atropos could command each of the Whisperer's powers. In this new form she grew to nearly ten feet and shed her human form, growing massive serpentine tail. At the end of each tail was the head of Ahoalco and Leminis, which the Matriarch was able to cast magic through.

## **Trivia**

- In the original draft of *The Great Awakening*, the Whisperers were called the *Shadowgrasp*. This name would later be used for a faction from the Black Plane.

- The Whisperers were the first major antagonist of the Prophecy saga, seen all the way back in the backstory sessions for Zylla and Thorn.