The Underking

The Moon Lord (Brother)

Xul'Ratha (host)

> "Come, little ones... Savor your fear, as we feast upon it!"
>
>

The Underking is an ancient and vengeful dark god, and ruled over the Andassyan continent during the height of his power.

## Biography

As the infant races of The Planescape gained sentience, so too did the darkness The Blue Colossus cast off. To prepare for its coming onslaught, it created two generals, The Underking, and the Demon king Baalthimos. The Underking was given domain over the undead legions, raised from the bodies of dead mortals. However, The Underking was eventually defeated, and driven back to The Darkness of Lost Souls.

Little is known about The Underking to modern scholars, as many have chosen to strike his name from history, but surviving sources during his reign of Andassya say he ordered thousands of slaves to build a temple in the middle of Lake Dominus, now known as Lake Garamut. Eventually, he was overthrown, and Estros seperated from Plegia. However, he did not die, and merely lay dormant for thousands of years, occasionally reaching out with his ghost to possess citizens around the world, and cause them to sacrifice their loved ones to him.

At some point, his tower appeared in the Garamut woods, and lured the citizens of Alexandria in, causing their deaths and for Alexandria to become abandoned.

One of these agents was Nightingale's father, Oramus, who killed his wife, Verrona, and almost killed his son, but managed to break free long enough to end his own life and save his son.

Eventually, Xul'Rathma was taken as a sacrifice to be imbued with his power, and become one of his knights, but The Underking had other plans for him, and began to try and take over his soul, over the next sixteen years. As Xul was breaking under possession, The Underking began to enact the next stage of his plan, to send his cultists, known as the Dark Royalty Cult into Estros, and to begin raising the dead.

### Song of the Nightingale

#### Palaven Timeline

News of the undead rising reached other countries, including Phandelver. Sildar Hallwinter suggested the paladin Johnny and the druid Eldin investigate.

The party, along with Nightingale and Granzeid first met The Underking at the Estrosian lighthouse, where he was draining the souls of the lighthouse workers. Not wanting to waste his time on the heroes, he left, leaving behind a large flesh golem for them to fight.

He was next seen in the depths of the Tower of Reflection, in his throne room. There, he decided to swat the pests that had hounded him for so long, and engaged them in a fight. However, before he could finish them off, they escaped with the help of Verrona's ghost.

Next, the heroes encounted him on the shores of Lake Garamut, after Nightingale learned of the truth behind his parent's death. He once again engaged them, but this time it was more of a challenge, and he departed after a brief fight. When the heroes returned to Estrosia, they found the castle in an uproar, as Xul'Rathma had fled, leaving behind his journal, revealing he was the unwilling host of The Underking

Finally, the heroes encountered him in the depths of the Darkness of Lost Souls, the seat of his power in The Planescape, where he revealed his true form. After a long duel with the heroes, and eventually shedding Xul's image, he revealed his true power, and killed the heroes. However, Nightingale, using his connection to the souls The Underking had absorbed, sacrificed himself and overloaded him, causing Johnny, Eldin, and Granzeid's souls to return to him, at the cost of his own life. Taking on a new form, The Underking tried one more time to kill the heroes, but was ultimately defeated, and driven back into his realm.

#### Akrenar Timeline

Many of the same events happened in this timeline.

During the fight in the Tower of Reflection, The Underking nearly slew the heroes himself, but was stopped by Verrona.

## Personality

The Underking was a truly evil soul, who enjoyed conquering, in order to amass more servants. He was vain, and boastful of his power, both in battle, and in creating more monuments to his power. He could be subtle when he needed to be, however. When confronted throughout Estros, he did not speak a word, and was in disguise. He also seemed to possess some honor, as he did not just outright kill the groups of heroes dogging him at first, though this may have just been bravado.

## Abilities and Equipment

The Underking loved to get up close and personal with enemies, opting for a large mace to kill his enemies. However, being an Old God, and the king of the Darkness of Lost Souls, he had a plethora of offensive spells. When he was in disguise, or using Xul'Rathma's visage, he opted for two spectral daggers..

## Appearance

At the height of his power, and when he revealed his true form, The Underking was a massive skeleton, easily towering over even bigger heroes like Drew. He wore dark armor, accented with gold lining and a red cloak. On his head sat a large crown of blades, and a head of long white hair.

While he was gathering his strength in The Planescape, he wore Xul'Rathma's silver armor, and had skeletal elf ears.

In his disguise, he hid his features under a large, tattered cloak.