Khalthoth

Khalthoth, also known as Brightember, was an adult red dragon residing in the Ironfangs.

## Description

When encountered chained in place within the depths of Ulding's Keep, Brightember was described as such:

*"Slender, and yet of imposing bulk nonetheless, the tattered and wounded red dragon rests awkwardly, head weighed heavy by bindings and muzzle in place, as well as the pair of large curved horns stretching forwards. Segmented scales of brilliant white cover its belly, though have long since grown streaked with grime, filth and dried blood."*

## History

While sleuthing around the Cloud Giant Bastion of Ulding's Keep, a party from Amber Run found themselves suddenly interrupted by a pained roar echoing through the marble, brick and varnished wood, a noise that Faustus Howell immediately identified to have come from an adult red dragon. After a climatic battle with the keep's seemed ruler, Histrove, the party discovered the chained red dragon, grievously wounded by Histrove's experimentations into utilising the latent magic found within the blood, scale and bone of dragons in an attempt to repair the Buoyancy Forge, the device necessary to allow the Keep to remain aloft and move freely through the skies.

The matter of what to do with Brightember quickly split the party, with Faustus and Ashewan becoming the biggest advocates for slaying the creature while it remained bound in place, while Rover and Arnica instead served as their immediate counter, the remaining members of the party offering up support to both sides intermittently. When sternly questioned, the dragon proved evasive, refusing to submit to a *Zone of Truth* - remarking instead that the word of a being as awe-inspiring, majestic and bold as they should be value enough. When asked about their origins, Brightember remarked that they were simply residing alongside their kin when they had been captured by the giants, and it would to them that they sought to return when freed, though deigned not to give further details, lest the adventuring party follow. Ultimately, Brightember seemed accepting of their demise, lamenting but acknowledging the inevitability of death for all things, going as far to goad Faustus by remarking that they had never knowingly hurt a child, which is more than can be said for his father, seemingly recognising Faustus as the blood of Fonteyne Howell.

Brightember, by means of a *Knock* spell from Rover to free their wings, and a *Vortex Warp* by Arnica was freed from their bindings, launching themselves into a steep dive through the cloud cover below Ulding's Keep and henceforth vanishing from sight before further crossbow bolts and *Eldritch Blasts* could be loosed. Uncertain of their decision, Rover subsequently asked around the population of Khonoldhur looking for further information about the dragon and then spent further time visiting villages in the Ironfangs in the surrounding area doing the same.

A few months later, following further investigations into Mount Durnach, an adventuring party led by Faustus, Odovir and Ashewan travelled to the volcano, hoping to hunt down Brightember. After traversing a number of hazards innate to the volcano, and others still seemingly infused with a number of infernal enchantments, they located Khalthoth within the volcano itself. Having learned from a freed Fire Giant, Trikton, that Brightember was being goaded by another draconic voice into embracing their anger and rage - something that resulted in the repeated torture of Trikton themselves. Trained by the Paladin Draelfus Dreadwyrm, Khalthoth was raised on the teachings of the Queen Beyond The Veil. Following finding the nest somewhere in the Ironfangs ransacked in their absence as a result of their capture of Histrove they descended into a deep state of malice in response to numerous slain wyrmlings, and others scattered without a trace. Drawn to Mount Durnach, they were then coaxed by Pyrkvohon, known as the Blisterer, attempting to bring them back in line with the typical behaviour of a red dragon. As the party moved to give battle to with Khalthoth, Pyrkvohon continued to goad them from afar, proclaiming them weak and feeble, unworthy of their attention and guidance - and eventually, after a close fought battle for many of the party members, expressing delight in Khalthoth's death, for the weakness had been quelled, lest it not taint dragonkind any further.

## Death

After singling down Ódóvir Jotunsson with a Vow of Enmity, the pair exchanged in a back and forth duel of radiant-energy infused strikes, the wyrmbane Faustus Howell repositioning and laying down steady damage from range by means of his *Buccaneer's Bulwark*. After being slammed against a rock pillar by the fire giant Trikton utilising his melted dreadnought shield, the briefly dazed dragon was pierced through the eye by Faustus using the rapier gifted to him by Rover Custard Augustine. Odovir promptly grabbed the end of the blade from the other side, the pair of them then levering to slice the top of the dragon's head cleanly off.

In death, Brightember's body slumped into the molten rock of the volcano, disappearing into the flaming depths.