Darani

Darani
Culture Level
Ecology
Climate & Terrain
Year Formed
Population
Races (%)	Undead
Languages
Religions
Government
Ruler(s)	Magroth the Mad
Darklord(s)	Magroth the Mad
Nationality
Analog
Related Categories
Locations in Darani
Transportation in Darani
Inhabitants of Darani
Former Inhabitants of Darani
Flora of Darani
Fauna of Darani
Native Monsters of Darani

Darani is a Shadowfell domain from the 4th Edition era novel the Mark of Nerath. As such it is a part of the Shadowfell and has no direct connection to the Demiplane of Dread Ravenloft setting of 2nd Edition and 3rd Edition canon. Once the capital of the Empire of Nerath, Daranai is now the domain of Magroth the Mad.

Description

Having been taken from the Material Plane five centuries ago before the events of the Mark of Nerath, Darani is a shadow of its former self. Much like Necropolis or Marbh-Cathair, the entire population is undead. Most of the city's denizens "live" as pale reflections of their former selves.

Darani is but a single city, albeit one that was the capital of a cosmopolitan empire. Although Nerath was dominated by human, several different races lived in it. As such, the city's architecture features designs inspired by and taken from styles favored by dwarves, dragonborn, tieflings, and elves, all blending together in such a fashion that reflects human oversight. The atmosphere reflects the era gone by, and for some of the denizens, they might not even realize it.

Darani is a domain of stagnation, because its eternally closed borders means nobody gets in or out, save for perhaps the intervention of Orcus. Unlike Shadowfell domains shown in game sources, other circumstances for entering or exiting Darani were never given.

History

During the time of Emperor Magroth, Darani was a thriving city in a seeming utopia. Yet there was a dark underside to this, for Magroth ensured Nerath's prosperity and his power through regular pacts with and sacrifices to the demon lord Orcus.

Magroth's depravities did not go uncontested, for there were political dissidents working against him in the capital. Magroth the Mad decided to punish all for the actions of a tiny handful. Magroth called for no less than the killing of the first born child of every family in Darani. Yet on the day of the proclamation, he was assassinated by one of his Imperial Guard, a man named Krondor. Kalaban, Krondor's brother and the knight-commander of the Guard, killed his brother, but not in enough time to save Magroth. However, Magroth rose again as one of the undead. Indeed, the entire population of Darani was killed and reanimated as the city slipped in the Shadowfell.

Five centuries later, the undead Magroth struck a deal with Orcus in order for his freedom. However, Magroth's plan failed, he was struck down once again, and the Mists enveloped him, presumably dragging him back to Darani.