Zelzrys

**Zelzrys** is an adult amethyst dragon and adoptive father of Zee Marigold Silvermoss. He once lived as a reclusive sage within his lair, researching the secrets of the cosmos and locating the lost Shards of Sardior, but became trapped in the Shadowfell during one of his investigations. He was drained of his magic and wandered aimlessly for several years, only to stumble upon a decrepit circus run by Mr. Witch and Mr. Light. It was there he met Zee and protected her from the carnival's new owner — Isolde — but lost his life in the process. His soul, however, found its way back to the Material Plane and now inhabits an amethyst gemstone that Zee carries with her.

## Biography

Zelzrys spent most of his life as a recluse, preferring the company of books and scrolls to humanoids and other dragons. He became known as the Cosmic Sage and worked distantly with several other gem dragons — such as Eridani the White Star and Decay the Reaper's Servant — to locate the lost Shards of Sardior, relics of the gem dragons' deity from her battle with the titan Levitheus.

Zelzrys' pursuit of the shards eventually led him to the Shadowfell, an alternate dimension known for its bleak atmosphere and dangerous inhabitants. He traveled there to investigate, only to discover that the dimension drained him of his magic and trapped him within the realm. With no way to return home, Zelzrys wandered the bleak landscape for many lonely years, slowly loosing his mind as the dark forces of the realm corrupted him.

He would have gone insane had it not been for Mr. Witch and Mr. Light, two shadar-kai elves attempting to run a circus within the Shadowfell. The circus was warded against many of the harmful effects of the Shadowfell, shielding Zelzrys and offering his mind a chance to rest. In exchange for his safety, Zelzrys agreed to act as an "attraction" in the hopes that his presence might increase some much-needed business.

This agreement persisted for several years, during which time Zelzrys kept to himself and spoke little. He was both exhausted from his ordeal and ashamed of his condition, knowing that he lacked the power and strength to get himself home even with the help of the shadar-kai.

Then, one day, a traveling carnival — full of color and noise and laughter — traveled across the planes and settled next to the Shadowfell circus. Isolde, its ringleader, offered Mr. Witch and Mr. Light a deal: to trade places and temporarily assume ownership of each others' businesses. This would allow the two shadar-kai to escape the Shadowfell, something they had both desired desperately, and so they readily agreed.

Zelzrys, however, was left behind with Isolde. As the years passed and Isolde's cruel disposition affected the nature of the circus, Zelzrys found himself growing restless. He began wandering more and more, eventually stumbling upon a small cage with a young fairy inside. This fairy had no knowledge of the other dimensions and had spent her entire life within the circus. Zelzrys found himself pitying her and stood up to Isolde in her defense.

Zelzrys taught the fairy to fly and shared stories about the Material Plane, opening her eyes to the world beyond her cage for the first time. Isolde soon caught wind of their growing friendship and attempted to use it against them, but Zelzrys refused to let Isolde manipulate either of them. Instead, he protected the fairy from Isolde's powerful magic and summoned enough energy to send her to the Material Plane. This was his last act, as Isolde struck him down soon after.

For some years, Zelzrys' soul wandered aimlessly across the planes. It was only by chance and fate that he found the fairy again — now living at the Witchlight Carnival and going by the name "Zee" — and bound himself to an amethyst necklace she carried as a way to protect her. It was difficult to maintain this connection and Zee was almost entirely unaware of Zelzrys' presence, but nonetheless he persisted and empowered her with draconic abilities and features as the years passed. He eventually claimed her as his daughter and protected her during a battle with Bavlorna Blightstraw, a hag from the Feywild.

But Zelzrys' condition continued to deteriorate. The necklace — Zelzrys' phylactery — was impure and fragile. It was only after Zee found and rescued the crystal dragon Eridani that Zelzrys' soul was successfully transferred to a pure amethyst, strengthening his connection and allowing his soul to persist indefinitely.

His soul now travels with Zee at all times, embedded in a pair of gauntlets she wears on her arms. The state of his body and Isolde's sinister intentions are a mystery, but he and Zee are determined to stop Isolde's reign of terror and exact revenge for his crimes against them.

## Description

### Appearance

As a dragon, Zelzrys stands taller and broader than many others of his kind. Gem-like amethyst scales cover his body, wings, and tail, with sharp stones that hover like spines across his back. His presence is intimidating and fearsome, but unlike the terrifying chromatic dragons or the mighty metallic dragons, Zelzrys is not nearly as concerned with the opinions of those he reveals himself to. As a result, he is surprisingly gentle in his draconic form and appears less imposing than his size would otherwise suggest.

As a humanoid, Zelzrys prefers the form of an elvish man with white hair and purple eyes. He often wears robes and ornate clothing, as most of his leisure time is spent reading, writing, and studying.

### Personality

Zelzrys is a true sage at heart, with an insatiable desire to learn and understand the secrets of the cosmos. He has spent centuries hoarding knowledge and deciphering the mysteries of the world, but neglected his companions and social obligations in the process. As a result, he was lonely and misguided before he traveled to the Shadowfell. It was only because of his friendship with Zee that he could acknowledge his faults and start working towards building relationships with others.