Mayong Mistmoore

With the final devastating blow, Mayong Mistmoore's blood spread across the enchanted floor of Dreadspire Keep. In his last breath, the lord of the vampires issued a promise, "My age begins."

Finally shedding the remains of his mortal coil, centuries of research and experiments culminated into achieving his life's goal -- to ascend and walk among the gods. With the last act of unleashing Mistmoore's soul, Norrath's mortals released an evil demi-god among the unsuspecting planes of the pantheon.

And as Mistmoore's soul completed its metamorphosis, the Demi-Plane of Blood became fully realized as a crimson realm of death and darkness. Even Ro's shimmer, the great Norrath sun, was lessened as the vampire's plane bled through the pantheon, reeling and reforming in ethereal space.

Norrathians thirst for glory and power -- a reality the vampire relied on -- brought Mayong to godhood. For hundreds of years, Mayong laid the groundwork for his own ascension, carefully and purposefully. He enshrouded himself in mystery and myth, creating an insatiable curiosity in historians and fame hunters the world over. Few had ever seen the vampire, but everyone believed in him. That was crucial to Mayong's designs.

Most know that the gods of the pantheon are strengthened and empowered by those who revere and believe in them. So, as Norrathians accepted Mayong's invitation to Dreadspire Keep, they unwittingly acknowledged his power and became disciples who fueled the enchantments that surrounded him and his abode.

When the last drop of the great vampire's blood trickled to the floor, the enchantments took on life at his death. The awe of his power and pride in his defeat shown by those who revealed him provided the last ingredient to lift his dark soul into godhood.

Now, Mayong's cackles resonate through the immortal realm.

Mayong’s Cruelty: the Drachnids” From the diary of Tserrina Syl’Tor

It was in the beginning of the apex of my career of sorcery when I accomplished what I still believe to be my prize achievement. They were beautiful beasts with carapaces that gleamed so black they seemed to be cut of obsidian, multi-faceted eyes that could see in dimensions my Teir’Dal servants could not even begin to comprehend, and they were many hundreds, possibly thousands of times the size of their much smaller cousins: the black widow spider. They were beautiful, deadly, and my creations.

Once I had discovered the secret of raising these magnificent beasts, I sent some as gifts to those I admired. Among these individuals was Mayong Mistmoore. Seeking to curry his favour, and to let him know exactly how capable of a sorcereress I was, I sent him one as a gift. Imagine my surprise whan he sent it back, irrevocably changed. And my poor emissary, L’Dalt, butchered for his experiment.

What had left as two different beasts returned as one. He had grafted the head and torso of L’Dalt onto the body of the spider, and the two walked as one. L’Dalt’s personality and memories seemed to have been lost in the shift, but his cunning and magical powers were still there – capable of being carried to and utilized wherever the body of that spider could take him. It was a truly formidable combination.

I couldn’t help but feel a hint of amazement and respect for Mayong’s ingenuity. At the same time, however, he had stolen my design and used it to his own ends. The thank you note he sent, “Thank you for supplying Mistmoore with suitable raw ingredients for true servants”, mocked me. I vowed to learn all I could of these creatures and create something better. I studied these creatures, which came to be known as Drachnids, after Mayong began to release them into Norrath in packs.

They settled into small, neatly organised colonies. The young males spun the webs, and the young females caught food for the nests.The business of the mature males was always elusive. They seemed to be carrying out orders, possibly of Mayong’s, but to what ends? I could never tell. The mature females fought for dominance in the position of nest matriarch. These widows fiercely protected their station and killed the younger females that might challenge them. It all had a beautifully simple design to it. Mayong was truly a genius.

My studies ended when I was discovered. Trapped in their webbing for days, I nearly went mad from hunger and thirst and finally, out of a purely desperate attempt to live, I managed to use my magics to get free. I evaded all who pursued me, though I know I am truly only alive today because I never had to contend with any mature Drachnids, and hid beyond their borders.