Ulanthar

Correries' ally and one of the principal figures responsible for the creation of the orcs and drow. His experiments upon elves sought to transform beings of good into beings of evil, producing two races whose existence would shape the world long after the Fall.

Overview

Ulanthar was mostly elven by blood, with enough human ancestry to give him what History of the World: Part I describes as a "dark side" not found in elves at that time.

Before the Fall of the Age of Wonders, Ulanthar became one of Correries' closest allies. Together they conducted experiments upon captured elves in an attempt to transform them from beings of pure good into beings of pure evil.

Their failed experiments produced the first orcs. Ulanthar eventually discovered the key to a successful transformation, creating the drow — elves that outwardly retained their elven nature but were evil to the core.

History

• Was a close ally and confidant of Correries prior to the Fall.

• Worked with Correries in experiments upon captured elves, attempting to transform beings of pure good into beings of pure evil.

• The failed experiments produced the first orcs.

• Eventually discovered the key to a successful transformation, creating the drow.

• Fought alongside Correries and Milaynee, commanding elite troops when Correries moved against the Heroes of Aegea to prevent them from freeing Demmazon.

• Was raised to godhood alongside Milaynee when Correries divided the power of his second Gift during the climactic battle at Rictaria.

• Was subsequently lured, along with the other newly ascended gods, into Demmazon's home realm and imprisoned there when Demmazon separated the two realms.

The Creation of the Orcs and Drow

Ulanthar's most consequential mortal work was his experimentation upon elves.

Correries and Ulanthar sought to create beings that had been transformed from elves — creatures that had originally been embodiments of good but had been twisted into beings of pure evil.

The early experiments failed. These failures became the first orcs.

Ulanthar eventually discovered the means of producing a successful transformation. The result was the drow, who retained the outward appearance of elves while being evil at their core.

The consequences of these experiments extended far beyond the Age of Wonders, as both races continued to shape the world long after Ulanthar's ascension.

Relationship with Correries

Ulanthar was one of Correries' closest allies and confidants.

He should not be described as Correries' mentor or patron. The available canon establishes their relationship as one of alliance and collaboration, particularly in their experiments upon elves.

Related:

• Correries — close ally and collaborator

• Milaynee — fellow ally of Correries; raised to godhood alongside Ulanthar

• 06 - Artifacts/The Five Gifts

Ascension

During the climactic conflict at Rictaria, Correries divided the power of his second Gift between Ulanthar and Milaynee, raising both to godhood.

Ulanthar thereby became one of the new deities whose ascension contributed to the crisis that ultimately resulted in the separation of Demmazon's realm from the mortal world.

Prophecy

The prophecies of Pythia the Mad Prophet associate Ulanthar with the phrase:

"an end of peaceful death"

The precise meaning and fulfillment of this prophecy are not established here.

The phrase should not be treated as proof that Ulanthar personally created undeath. The established history attributes the discovery of reanimation and the creation of the first lich to Riatin, one of Correries' other allies.

Divine Portfolio

Ulanthar's established domains are:

• Death

• Destruction

• War

His favored weapon is the rapier.

His holy symbol is a skull with a distinct aura.

There is no established canon that these divine portfolios directly correspond to the magical specialization of the Gift involved in his ascension.

The Separation of the Realms

After the rise of the new gods, Demmazon lured Ulanthar and the other newly ascended deities into his home realm.

Demmazon then separated his realm from the mortal world, imprisoning the new gods within it.

Ulanthar remains imprisoned there.

Known History

The currently established material provides substantial information about Ulanthar's role in the Age of Wonders, particularly his collaboration with Correries and his experiments that produced the orcs and drow.

Established facts include:

• Ulanthar was mostly elven by blood, with some human ancestry.

• He was a close ally and confidant of Correries.

• He collaborated with Correries in experiments upon elves.

• The failed experiments produced the first orcs.

• Ulanthar discovered the means of successfully creating the drow.

• He fought alongside Correries and Milaynee against the Heroes of Aegea.

• Correries raised Ulanthar and Milaynee to godhood by dividing the power of his second Gift.

• Ulanthar became a Neutral Evil lesser deity.

• His divine portfolios are Death, Destruction, and War.

• He remains imprisoned in Demmazon's separated realm.

Unknown / Not Yet Established

The following details are not currently established in the available campaign material:

• Ulanthar's exact age

• His specific elven or human ancestry

• His family or place of origin

• His pre-Fall class or precise magical specialization

• How Ulanthar first met Correries

• The exact nature of his relationship with Correries beyond their established alliance and collaboration

• The precise Gift or Gift power used during the experiments that produced the orcs and drow

• His personal motivations for participating in the experiments

• His activities or experiences after being imprisoned in Demmazon's realm

These should remain open until supported by additional campaign sources.

Sources

• Campaign Development II (2/26/2008) — early appearance of Ulanthar; initially redacted

• Revelations and Recruitment (10/11/2008)

• Gaming Robs Campaign Under the Bus — Gaming R… (11/28/2008)

• Collected Translations of Pythia the Mad Prophet (7/10/2009)

• History of the World: Part I (5/12/2010)

• Author's alignment/domain table (2026)

Canon Notes

• Ulanthar was Correries' ally, not his mentor.

• Ulanthar was one of Correries' closest allies and confidants.

• Ulanthar participated directly in the experiments that produced the first orcs and drow.

• Riatin, not Ulanthar, discovered reanimation and became the first lich.

• Ulanthar and Milaynee were raised to godhood by Correries during the battle at Rictaria.

• Ulanthar is Neutral Evil.

• His established divine portfolios are Death, Destruction, and War.

• Ulanthar remains imprisoned in Demmazon's separated realm.