Dartak

Shadow Dragonborn

Dartak, a secretive Paladin who worships the elusive clan of draconic deities known as The Star Lords. He was sworn to serve Selena for a year in return for her help returning him to a mortal body, but his contract was cut short upon Selena's death some time in May of 198. He disappeared two days after her death, taking the mysterious Godkiller Greatsword with him. He is a solitary type, a quick thinker and a patient strategist.

## Background:

### First Body

Dartak was born a green dragonborn in Pipe'ternez, the city of pipes, on the edge of the Virax territory. Growing up in a city of mostly Kobolds Dartak didn't socialize with other dragonborn his age and learned to function well on his own. He spent much of his childhood learning by watching others. He watched the green dragonborn traders with their silver tongues. He watched the white and red dragonborn soldiers who pushed the kobolds around with their arrogance and brutish strength.

Cities are dangerous places to live, especially in the Arkshehad Empire. Those who can't fight, can't survive. Rather than taking a liking to dragonborn fighting tactics that relied on strength and technique, Dartak learned from the Kobolds who had spent centuries learning how to topple much larger and stronger opponents through trickery and cunning.

### His First death

In the year 183, Dartak and his fellow cultists were tracked down by the Pyro legion while making their way through the reblliong province of Rivultha. Dartak tried to flee the battle but he was hit with a paralyzing arrow and captured. Rather than killing him on the spot, the pyro legion soldiers took him to Gelioth's hill to be executed in the tradition of the territory of being slowly bled to death. Dartak and two other prisoners were taken to the top of the hill and had their arms pulled through the execution stones, then had stakes driven down into their firearms to pin them in place. The process of execution was possible to survive. All one needed to do was pull their arm back through the stone and thereby rip the stake all the way through their arm. But doing so would require an immense constitution and Dartak knew his wounded body would not survive.

Between the two of his fellow prisoners, a whimpering blue dragonborn and a stoic and large black dragonborn, Dartak decided which enemy he would posses. Dartak insulted the black dragonborn and was able to goad him into pulling his arm through to kill Dartak in a fit of rage.

Using Tarthurac's rage as a conduit, Dartak latched his soul onto Tarthurac's. He intended to get the black dragonborn killed and take control of the body. If that failed Dartak would wait for the Dragon plague his soul was carrying to overtake Tarthurac's body and allow him to take control. This did not happen however, as Tarthurac almost immediately left Thal'Thaxia and became a paladin of Kord, making him immune to the spread of the plague.

With no way of overtaking Tarthurac's body, Dartak waited patiently, trying now and then to kill the rival paladin with no success, until one of Tarthurac's enemies, a Warlock named Selena, showed significant magical prowess and a disdain for Tarthurac. Dartak contacted her and asked her to acquire him a new body in exchange for one year of servitude.

### Shadows Over Flouna

Dartak played the role of tank and fallback strategist for Selena's Faerbaron Crew. He played a major role in Majessia's retaking of the castle from the orange dragon Ak'Halash by defeating her army of Sahuagin and pacifying the angry dragon on several occasions to buy his crew time.

He also took part in planning the counterattack of Faerbaron's first crew against the Githyanki fleet in the second battle of Alfenheim, though his plan did not succeed and he was not able to defend Faerbaron as it was was defeated.

   Dartak became lost in the Fey Valley for a considerable amount of time where he found and rescued Ikki as he fell from Avalon. Dartak took the Sunburst crystal from Ikki and gave it to Cassandra as she said she could use to to ensure their victory in the upcoming battle with the githyanki.

Dartak returned to the fighting when the Flouna colonies and their allies invaded the underground city of Astazia. He stayed in the background as much as possible and assumed the false identity of a fox worshiping tiefling named Brock to avoid Tarthurac's eye. Ironically the two enemy paladins fought side by side against the zombie dragon, Gunacrin during the first phase of the fight. During the second phase Dartak ensured Cassandra was able to sneak aboard the enemy ship unnoticed to destroy the githyanki throne.

During the final battle of the Atropal offensive, Dartak hid inside the Atropal's chamber and retrieved the Godkiller Greatsword when the Atropal fell.

### Phoenix Rebirth

After the Atropal Offensive Dartak stayed off the radar and kept his activities mostly to himself. With Faerbaron in the ocean and Selena ordering him to keep a low profile, Dartak decided to get Ikki back in healthy condition. But he decided Ikki needed to learn a few things first and to be reconditioned. To aid in this, Dartak never told Ikki that he was the one responsible for saving Ikki's life. Dartak kept Ikki alive while they attempted to repair Faerbaron, and helped recruit the Chateneau Wardens to the cause.

### A Storm of Stars

Just before the battle to banish Majessia, Dartak assisted her in reuniting her powers outside of NewTown, but he was unable to fight alongside her in her major confrontation against the Wahda Guild. Later he learned of Selena's death which released him from his contract. He said goodbye to only Sabah and visited Ephraim's grave, out of a curiosity to see where his once comrade had finally come to rest.

He left Flouna and returned to Thal'Thaxia, taking the Godkiller Greatsword with him.

## Relationships:

### Tarthurac:

The details of Dartak's relationship to Tarthurac have never been brought to light, officially. Dartak does not show any outward signs that he hates Tarthurac, but he has specified that he fears Tarthurac's wrath and refuses to go anywhere near him if possible.

### Majessia:

He followed her orders without question out of loyalty to his promise to server her for a year. There was a time when Dartak had more admiration for Selena as she was the only one Dartak had ever seen able to make Tarthurac sweat in fear. But after her defeat he has no regret about his actions towards her or sadness at her demise.

### Cassandra:

Dartak is wary of Cassandra. She has only ever been helpful to him and has shown she is by far the most competent thinker of the original Faerbaron crew. Cassandra was the only Farbaron crew member to question Dartak's origin and motives, and she does not cower to or take orders from Selena. Dartak doubts Cassandra will pose a threat to him in the future simply for lack of motivation, but Dartak is always wary of competence he can't control.

### Ephraim:

Dartak liked Ephraim while he was alive. Ephraim was the only other fighter on Faerbaron capable of holding their own, but Dartak was sure he could easily defeat him if he needed to. Dartak liked that Ephraim was quick to adapt to new situations on his feet. He was willing to take one for the team, and most of all Dartak liked that Ephraim trusted him. Dartak did not see Ephraim as his equal, but he saw a little of himself in the human ranger. He saw Ephraim as someone who did well with the little he had to work with, something Dartak has a lot of experience with. Dartak is a little disappointed he's gone.

### Ikki:

Dartak is nothing if not a dragonborn of his word. He swore to serve Selena to the best of his abilities and having Ikki around makes that much easier. Ikki is gullible, Ikki is naive, Ikki is educated, and Ikki is most of all, useful at a rare trade. All of these are traits which Dartak can exploit to get Ikki to help keep Selena and himself as far away from Tarthurac's sword as possible.

## Abilities:

* Holy/Unholy smite
* Dominate Person
* Mirror Image
* Command
* Invisibility

### Magical Items:

* +1 Dendritic Crystal Shield (Cursed), *Looted from Faerbaron.*
* Godkiller Greatsword, *Looted from Shkiga*

## Trivia:

* If Tarthurac had died before reaching level 5, Dartak would have risen in his body.
* If Tarthurac would have died while he was level 5, there was a 50% chance Dartak would overtake his body and rise again.