Built by a mysterious war mage, it would become famous for its destruction in the Dwarfgate Wars. Let’s learn more about Zhaman otherwise known as Skullcap. Buy Towers of High Sorcery: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/2940/Towers-of-High-Sorcery-35?affiliate_id=50797
Transcript
Cold Open
Yes, Fistandantilus may have leveled it, but he did not raise it.
Intro
Welcome to another DragonLance Saga episode. My name is Adam and today we are going to talk about Zhaman: The Forbidden Fortress. I would like to take a moment and thank the members of this channel, and invite you to consider becoming a member by visiting the link in the description below. You can even pick up Dragonlance gaming materials using my affiliate links. I am referencing the DL3 Dragons of Hope module and Towers of High Sorcery sourcebook for this information. If I leave anything out or misspeak, please leave a comment below!
Discussion
There are few locations on Krynn that are surrounded with as much magical mystery as the Towers of High Sorcery. However, there are a number of private sanctuaries constructed by the wizards of Krynn where they were able to conduct experiments in private, and operate their trade out of. Zhaman: the Forbidden Fortress is one such location. While most locations are known by the dramatic events of a given time, this does not mean that is the totality of information the location has to offer. Enter Fistandantilus and Zhaman. He may have made Zhaman famous by destroying it in his attempt to open the Portal to the Abyss during the Dwarfgate Wars, but some viewers may be surprised to learn that Fistandantilus didn’t actually build Zhaman. That particular distinction belongs to the Black Robe archmage, Malock. On or around twenty-three hundred Prae Cataclius, around three hundred years after the Towers of High sorcery were constructed in the Age of Dreams, in the Time of Light.
Malock was known to be a war mage who would sell out his services to any kingdom or city-state which required them. For the right price, he would defend their land, or assist his patron in conquering others’ lands. He was believed to have some dwarven blood running through his veins, but this may just as likely be believed simply because he lived and operated in the Plains of Dergoth, lands known to be populated by dwarven clans. The Plains of Dergoth are between Pax Tharkas and Thorbardin. The method of construction used to craft Zhaman was the same used to craft the Towers of High Sorcery. Malock raised a spire of black stone from the depths of Krynn and named it Zhaman, which means ‘forbidden’ in dwarvish.
The tower of Zhaman stood an impressive five hundred feet tall, rivaling some of the Towers of High Sorcery. The lower levels contained cavernous meeting halls which would impress even the captains and princesses who would come to hire his services. The tower contains thirty floors in total and features an extensive dungeon complex underneath. In addition to its dungeons, Malock crafted numerous laboratories for experimentation. It was believed that he could cast any spell of destruction without anyone above ground being the wiser, as the walls were hewn from the bedrock itself. The upper levels were protected with a crystal maze that would alter and shift randomly from minute to minute or hour to hour. This maze was filled with deadly traps and magical guardians which protected Zhaman’s secrets.
Malock believed himself to be more powerful and cunning than his fellow wizards, and when he was hired by an alliance of barbarian lords to assault the forest of Wayreth, he was betrayed by his apprentices, and the Wizards of High Sorcery defeated him on his very doorstep. The conclave was prepared to level the tower as a sign to all renegades, but Fistandantilus convinced them to spare it in the interest of experimentation with magic, and he became Zhaman’s new master. For thousands of years, Fistandantilus would dwell within Zhaman, but he all but abandoned it after the Third Dragon War. The orders maintained the tower for the next six hundred years with ownership changing hands often. But as the land became ordered under Solamnia and Istar in the Age of Might, a practice ground for war magic became less and less required, and eventually the White robe Highmage Vestia ordered Zhaman sealed for good.
As Istar turned against the Orders of High Sorcery, with the coming of the Lost Battles, the orders would use Zhaman as a repository for their treasured artifacts including the Great Portal of Palanthas.Therein the secrets of the Orders remained as a century passed, the Cataclysm hit and Dergoth changed from great plains to stark deserts. And then finally, Fistandantilus returned. He came searching for the Portal to the Abyss, realizing this must be its resting place as it wasn’t in the Tower of High Sorcery in Palanthas as he anticipated. He traveled from the north with the gladiator Pheragas and the cleric Denubis, followed by an army of humans, and hill dwarves all in an attempt to keep the eyes of the mountain dwarves off him and his machinations. Yea, Fistandantilus fomented the Dwarfgate War as a mere distraction, talk about overdoing it!
His army easily captured Pax Tharkas, and while his army fought their mountain cousins of Thorbardin, Fistandantilus and Denubis entered Zhaman, and performed a ritual to open the Portal to the Abyss. Unexpectedly, at the same exact moment, a gnome activated a magical device whose magic, when it met the power of the Portal spell, exploded with immeasurable force, decimating Zhaman and all of the Plains of Dergoth, which became known as the Plains of Death–a haunted and charred wasteland. Interestingly enough, the Portal had a built in protection mechanism which returned it to the Tower of High S orcery in Palanthas.
The destructive power of the spell forced the tower to fold in on itself, becoming a mound of melted stone in the shape of a skull, hence its modern colloquial name of Skullcap. Skullcap was believed to be as haunted as the plains surrounding it, and that belief may have some merit, as many believed the spirit of Fistandantilus dwelt there, searching for a host until it met a young mage named Raistlin Majere. Raistlin would seek to destroy Fistandantilus which was attached to him like a spiritual leech, and as he traveled back in time he repeated many of the mistakes Fistandantilus made, save for the outcome. Raistlin was strong enough of will to maintain the portal throughout the magical blast, and entered the Abyss. We all know the outcome of that tale, so we will move forward to the Fifth Age from here.
The residual power of the Plains of Death was so great as to resist the terraforming attempts of Berylinthranox, the Green Dragon Overlord. Indeed when the Orders of High Sorcery reformed with the return of the gods after the War of Souls, they made plans to investigate the ruins of Zhaman, as rumors persist of aspects of Fistandantilus still remaining therein. Entering Skullcap is not the simplest of tasks. The one hundred foot mound of fused rock and glass can be entered through a gaping hole lined with jagged stalactites and stalagmites which form the skull’s mouth. Emanating from within, is an eerie green mist, warning potential travelers of the doom that inevitably awaits them within. While the ruins contain untold treasures, they also contain trapped spirits of Zhaman’s destruction, and it s guardians, still active in protecting their ancient home.
Outro
But that is all I have to say about Zhaman: The Forbidden Fortress. What do you think of this once mighty fortress turned haunted ruins? Would you ever dare lead an expedition within to uncover its secrets? And finally, do you believe Fistandanitilus’ spirit remains within? Leave a comment below.
I would like to take a moment and remind you to subscribe to this YouTube channel, ring the bell to get notified about upcoming videos and click the like button. This all goes to help other Dragonlance fans learn about this channel and its content. Thank you for watching, this has been Adam with DragonLance Saga and until next time, remember:
When one eye is fixed upon thy destination, there is only one eye left with which to see the way there.
Subscribe to the podcast today! Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Pandora | Youtube Music | RSS | More
