Zillah is the Chaotic Evil Lizardman God of Fire, and War. For most lizardmen he is a
subordinate god to the Great Mother who may be an aspect of
Gaia herself.
In recent times a cult of Zillah has grown up in certain lizardmen communities making them
more aggressive towards neighbouring races. The cult promises that Zillah, who is said to
have been sleeping beneath the earth, will arise and the lizardmen will restore their ancient
primeval empire.
The true secret history of Zillah has only just come to light. In the deeps of time the
lizardmen, under pressure from the warring snake-people, called on Zillah to save their
empire and in response he incarnated himself on Oerth. Although he temporarily turned the
tide of war in favour of the lizardmen as he was unstoppable on the battlefield in the
end he proved a poor general and he was tricked, isolated and slain. The lizardmen who
survived
the collapse of their empire recovered the body of their god and dragged him underground,
ascertaining that he was alive but in a coma.
The lizardmen adjusted to life in the Underdark but longed to return to the surface. Their
leaders, however, appreciated that if they did they would be enslaved by the yuan-ti. Equally
they foresaw that in the Underdark their god would never revive. Their clerics therefore began
an age-long ritual which would create a homeland for the lizardmen away from the dangers
of the surface world. It was completed by the hero-cleric Klax who gave his own life in the
process. The result was an enormous cave deep in the earth filled with primeval jungle and
lit by its own sun.
The lizardmen built a huge temple in the centre of the cave for Zillah to dwell in should he
ever wake up but for thousands of years he slept and the lizardmen where content in their
paradise. When he awoke about a hundred years ago, however, there was discord as he was as
aggressive as ever and
demanded that the lizardmen start a war against the surface races.
The lizardmen began building armies and the larger breeds were given positions of authority
but thirty years ago a lizardmen revolt erupted which was brutally put down.
Zillah has taken the form of a colossal fire-breathing Tyrannosaurus Rex, who is mightier
than the greatest of dragons. He has given priority to the breeding of aggressive dinosaurs
which he sees as the key to the success of his armies on the surface.