Dungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliance sits in a fascinating position in DnD lore. Its setting is the frozen, desolate wastes of Icewind Dale. This is both a really recent fifth edition adventure module and also hails from late 80s DnD novels. Back before Wizards of the Coast ran Dungeons and Dragons, novelist R.A. Salvatore conceived these icy peaks of northern Faerun. The Crystal Shard set to feature in Dark Alliance, has a similarly rich lore. Although appearing as an unassuming emerald splinter, the Shard is an unbelievably powerful sentient magical artifact, one that can tower above cities and break the most potent of mages over its metaphorical knee.
There is little concrete knowledge about exactly what lore will be in Dark Alliance. However, much can be inferred from the iconic characters shown in trailers. Obviously, there is a lot of hype for the classic beholders and frost giants, alongside legendary playable heroes. In fact, one of these heroes, Drizzt Do'Urden, has a particularly thorny relationship with the Crystal Shard. An artifact like the Crystal Shard, which has a lore so deep it spans back three decades, is a really interesting inclusion for a DnD videogame and shows that Dark Alliance will likely respect its franchise's history immensely.
What, or Who, Is The Crystal Shard In DnD Lore?
R.A. Salvatore started writing what would become his first DnD book, The Crystal Shard, in 1986. He chose the far-off Icewind Dale to differentiate himself from writers that came before him so his original characters could have their space to flourish. Obviously, with fan favorite creations like Drizzt debuting in this 1988 book, Salvatore succeeded. The Crystal, or Creshinibon, did one thing no other DnD monster ever managed: it ate liches. Even these most deadly wielders of the arcane arts fell to the might of the shard. For a lich, the secrets of immortality are not usually an act of vanity, but as a way of continuing a life's work of less-than-savory magic.
In The Crystal Shard, readers learn of seven liches that wanted to create a magical artifact that was more powerful than anything else imaginable. Unfortunately for the liches, they succeeded. As a result, these seven very quickly fell from their spot of "the most potent magic users in the Realms" to "eaten by their own magic crystals."
Creshinibon drew its power from the sun, like a magic solar panel. It could use that immense energy source to transform into a giant crystal tower, called Cryshal-Tirith. Ultimately, this dependence on the sun led to its downfall. At the end of Salvatore's novel, an avalanche buried the Crystal underneath a mountain of snow, and its significant power waned, thanks to the intervention of iconic Dungeons and Dragons characters.
What Is The Crystal Shard in Dark Alliance?
The Crystal Shard appears only in a brief mention from a decrepit-looking magic user (which is probably one of DnD's liches). This passing mention in the trailer may be brief, but it has huge implications for Dark Alliance's lore. The lich-like figure mentions the crystal's power calling to them. This is similar to the Crystal Shard in old DnD lore, and implies it has maintained its sentience and magical prowess.
What Does The Crystal Shard Mean For Dark Alliance?
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Throughout its long history, the demon Errutu pursued the Crystal Shard. The Crystal's incredible power allowed most of its wielders to easily banish the demon (indeed, Salvatore's The Crystal Shard begins after one such banishment), but that never stopped Errutu from trying to acquire the sliver of arcane power. While Errutu does not explicitly appear in any trailers for Dungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliance, featuring the Crystal Shard could imply a return of the scheming demon.
In the Dark Alliance preview, players saw the frosty wrath of Icewind, The Queen of Storms. This dragon is the mate of Icingdeath, a foe that appeared in Salvatore's The Crystal Shard novel. Icingdeath's demise at the hands of Drizzt carries over to this game. As such, it will not be surprising to see the fallout from other legendary adventures in DnD canon impacting the main story of Dark Alliance. As Drizzt wields a scimitar named after the slain drake, the Drow meeting the Icewind will certainly be tense.
There are several scenes throughout the Dark Alliance trailers where the iconic heroes can be seen fighting through emerald pillars. Interestingly, this could imply that Creshinibon reaches its tower form during the game, meaning it has potential to be a main antagonist. If this is true, Dark Alliance would shine a spotlight on some of the unique magic items that contribute to the popularity of Dungeons and Dragons.
