Ssraeshza Temple

Overview

Ssraeshza Temple is a pyramid built by the race of snake people called Shissar. Long ago, the Shissar ruthlessly ruled the entire continent of Kunark. Their capital city of Chelsith was located in what is now known as The Overthere. It is there that they enslaved the Iksar and explored forgotten evils and dark arts in servitude of Cazic-Thule, the god of fear. The Shissar rose to power quickly, and drew the attention of the dragons. They learned much from the dragons and used it to their advantage immediately. The Shissar combined the dragons' knowledge with their own love of necromancy to create the world's first liches and blood golems through brutal experiments on the Iksar. They also found ways to extend their own lives through the dark arts.

The Shissar advanced so quickly that their might pushed back even the dragons until there was nothing left of Kunark to conquer. They made their way north to the continents of Faydwer, Tunaria (now Antonica), and Odus. It is here where they met resistance in the form of the Rallosian Empire led by the mighty ogre, Murdunk. Murdunk met with Emperor Ssraeshza to form a truce. Murdunk convinced the emperor that war amongst each other was not the answer. The Rallosian army had conquered all of the northern continents and the Shissar the southern continent, so the next step was the astral planes of the gods themselves. Ssraeshza agreed. But rather than work together, they attacked on different fronts. The Rallosian Army immediately attacked the elemental Plane of Earth, which ended unsuccessfully and led to the curse of Zek's children leaving them primitive and unintelligent.

The Shissar attacked lesser planes, those of now unknown demigods. Emperor Ssraeshza was successful in his escapades, earning the title of godslayer. This angered Cazic-Thule, for the Shissar were his creation, and they had turned their backs on him and assaulted the gods. The Faceless granted the Iksar, whom he had created as well, with an ultimate weapon that would become known as Greenmist, which they unleashed on the Shissar upon their return to Chelsith. The mist disintegrate all the Shissar who breathed it, tearing their souls into the Plane of Fear to be tortured for eternity. The Iksar were unaffected. As the mist approached the heart of the city, the great pyramid of Emperor Ssraeshza rose out of the ground and floated away either to safety or doom depending on who tells the story.

Now, upon Norrathians' arrival on the moon of Luclin, that it was the Maiden of Shadows, Luclin, that saved the Shissar from certain doom. For now the pyramid rests in safety in The Grey, a region of Luclin void of air at all, therefore immune to the mist should it find them here. An uprising soon presented itself, led by Vzyh'dra, a powerful wizard who spearheaded the assault on the planes. She and her followers blamed Ssraeshza for their current situation. Ssraeshza, who had been meditating in silence since their arrival on Luclin, put an end to this uprising before it had a chance to get serious. He slaughtered her followers, then raised them in undeath to patrol The Grey for intruders. As for Vzyh'dra, he sealed her with a plane of existence not known to any mortal and built a temple in the basement of the pyramid to seal her there forever. Ssraeshza took credit for the great escape, and his people believed him. He continues to rule the Shissar even to this day, still stronger than even some gods.

Neighboring Zones

• The Deep
• The Grey

Factions

• Brood of Ssraeshza
• Disciples of Rhag`Zadune
• Emperor Ssraeshza

Creatures

• Iksar
• Shissar
• Skeletons
• Thought Horrors
• Undead

Notable NPCs

• Arch Lich Rhag`Zadune
• Blood of Ssraeshza
• Commander Zazuzh
• Commander Zherozsh
• Defiler Juzlix
• Disciple Yelwinz
• Disciple Zhorluhx
• Emperor Ssraeshza
• High Priest of Ssraeshza
• Rhag`Mozdezh
• Rhag`Zhezum
• Shissar Assassin
• The Shissar Magister
• Vyzh`dra the Cursed
• Vyzh`dra the Exiled
• Warden Mekuzh
• Xerkizh the Creator