Darkus

### First Introduced

Episode 1/Podcast 0: Welcome to Alivast!~ (Mentioned), Episode 11 : ...and the prom is tomorrow! (Named), Episode 118 (seen)

Darkus is a powerful black dragonborn who leads the Dragon Cult in Alivast. In the past, using his eloquence and charisma, Darkus approached the Iron-Oath Kobold clutch and offered to grant them the protection of a blue dragon named Krieghgaram. However, after convincing the elders and while the clutches forces were away from the nest, Krieghgaram, rather than offering protection, attacked and destroyed the Iron-Oath Kobolds, including the soldiers when they returned, save for one.

Darkus' goals were considered vague and previously unknowable, but it was discovered by Task and Tranquilisaint that Darkus seemingly plans to bring Innsdroc back from it's shattering and return chromatic dragon supremacy to the land.

Recently however, he has been seen dealing with a group of Green-Scale kobolds and another dragon. It was the red dragon Brimfang who revealed to Task his true position in Alivast once the Unexpectables apprehended him.

When Task finally slew him, Darkus' body was torn apart from within by a myriad of tiny claws, eventually dissolving into a puddle of ichor before disappearing completely. Task, having severed his enemy's head, did manage to scavenge Darkus' skull before it melted away. The party was able to intuit that because Darkus was a devotee of a dead god, his soul and essence had no hell to go to, and whatever remains of Darkus is trapped formless, shapeless, and alone in limbo for eternity.

## Relationships

### Task

The sole survivor of the blue dragon massacre, Task has sworn to find and kill Darkus for the death of his clutch. When Darkus detected the bounty hunters Wolfgang and Liliya following him, he slew them, removing their eyes. He used their hawk companion to send the eyes and a letter intended for Task to The Sweet Dragon. The letter was taunting and reductive in tone, with implications he intends to launch an attack against Alivast, which he made good on by sending wyvern-mounted troops and a White Dragon to invade the city. However, this advancement was deflected by the Silver King, who was in Alivast on diplomatic business.

Later, however, Darkus launched an even greater attack on Alivast and in the process kidnapped several hundred citizens. He then made his intentions clear to the city that he wanted Task and Winter delivered to him alive. It was later revealed that Task was vital to Darkus' plans to revive the fallen god of chromatic dragons, Insdroc.

Task however would prove to be Darkus' undoing. Task, along with the rest of the Unexpectables and a cleric of Oreyara, would do battle with Darkus at the heart of his operations and slay the dark dragon-born and bring an end to his reign of terror once and for all.

### Winter

It is unknown how he knew, but in addition to Task, Darkus also sought to sacrifice Winter because her soul also carries a component necessary to resurrect Insdroc. When he issued his demands to Alivast he did not call her Winter, but used the name Venavel.

### Dragon Cult

According to the young Red Dragon Brimfang, Darkus is the leader of the Dragon Cult. How he operates this organization and his involvement in events such as their occupation of Dragon's Take, their destruction of Lebreaus, and their trade deal with the United Clergy of Orun is currently unknown.

## Trivia

* Task is unconvinced that Darkus is the dragonborn's true name, due to knowing that he is a deceiver. However, this appears to be the name he goes by when operating with his subordinates within the Dragon Cult.
* While he was once a ordinary dragonborn, Darkus at some point became an abishai, or a "dragon devil." Darkus says that this was a gift for his service to Insdroc. It was also implied that his transformation was not yet complete and that he was expecting to change even further.