Character Concept - Malhotraptor - Dragonofelder
- Location
- A Pit Of My Own Making
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Prior to the Great Catastrophe, the temple-city of Kan'mari was a distant outpost of the Lizardmen's great empire, upon a great island south of what would become known as The Dark Lands. Overseen by a wise Slann Lord, Ima'Gun'Di, the city was primarily a breeding ground for the myriad beasts of burden and warfare used by the children of The Old Ones.
Such times did not last, of course. As the tides of demons flowed across the world, Kan'mari became cut off from the other temple-cites, even those closest in the Southlands. Assaulted by the legions of the Plague Father, the Lizardmen fought a brave but ultimately doomed defense. Struck by the poisoned blade of an Great Unclean One, Ima'Gun'Di was infected with a warp-born fever that caused immense pain and clouded his mind. Seeing death and defeat rapidly approaching, the addled mind of the Slann saw only one option; denying Kan'mari and its knowledge to the Great Enemy. Unleashing his full might without restraint, Ima'Gun'Di detonated, destroying the Nurglite horde, but also Kan'mari, breaking the island it rested upon into three. So too were the majority of the Lizardmen's forces killed, including all of the younger Slann present.
It would be many years before the Great Vortex was created. In that time, the survivors of Kan'mari fought a guerilla war against their enemies, for although most of the Dark Gods' forces had been directed to greater battlefields, some lesser demons still stalked the ravaged jungles. Their Slann and Oldbloods had died, either in the destruction of the temple-city or in the conflict after. Instead, they rallied around a Scar-Veteran; Malhotraptor.
Young, especially by the standards of the Lizardmen, Malhotraptor had climbed out of the spawning pools mere months before the Polar Gates collapsed. His spawning had been blessed by Tepok, the Feathered Serpent, and so their purple scales resisted magic to a greater degree than others. Malhotraptor was seen as particularly blessed; a pattern of scales upon his arm was similar to Topek's symbol.
Malhotraptor had proved his worth many times over during the daemon's invasion, holding against tides of Nurlge's children for days on end. Tepok's blessing allowed Malhotraptor to see the Winds of Magic as they twisted, allowing him to track down users of foul sorceries. In one noted battle, his club was dissolved by the vile acicid blood of a Rot Fly. Malhotraptor chose to attack his foe bare-handed, tearing the wings from the demon beast before throwing it from the walls of Kan'mari.
Ima'Gun'Di chose the Scar-Veteran to lead an assault upon the Nurglite's back lines, and thus he was far from Kan'mari when it was destroyed. A dutiful warrior, Malhotraptor attempted to fulfill his final orders, destroying the daemonic presence with what forces he could gather. This task filled his and the lizardmen's time until the creation of the Vortex, but even beyond it Malhotraptor did not, could not rest. His life had been one of ceaseless conflict, and without a foe to fight, Malhotraptor did not know how to live.
Without the guidance of the Slann or other elders, the lizardmen of fallen Kan'mari began to devolve into barbarity. Weapons, armor and other relics were abandoned, outposts left to be reclaimed by the jungle, knowledge of creation's workings forgotten in the daily rush of survival. The many beasts, once kept tame by skilled handlers and magic, became wild and roamed freely. The isles became a place of savagery.
But Malhotraptor remained. Although his dedication to duty had prevented him from moving on, it also meant he did not fall into madness as his kindred did. Instead, he became the guardian of the Dragon Isles, hunting down those that land upon their shores. He tracked his foes by scent, fluctuations of the winds of magic, and the disruptions to nature their presence caused. When presented with foes he could not best alone - like marauding orcs, or Dawi Zharr seeking slaves and resources - he would go to the tribes of wild Lizardmen and command them to fight. Although they did not remember him, the feral creatures had loyalty ingrained in their very souls, and thus rallied behind him. When the threat was repulsed however, they would scatter once more, and Malhotraptor resumed his lonely vigil.
When the End Times began, Malhotraptor saw their coming in the Winds of Magic. Knowing that his land would once more be attacked by demons, Malhotraptor strove to unite the entity of the Dragon Isle's lizardmen, but had not succeeded by the time the great conflict began. Bands of roving greenskins, castoffs from the greater horde in the Dark Lands, assaulted from the North. Foul things crawled out of the seas, polluting the beaches and raising monuments to forgotten deities. And daemons took advantage of the weakened walls of reality to invade, filling the jungles with blood and rot. It seemed the legacy of Kan'mari would finally be extinguished.
Aid came from an unexpected, yet greatly welcomed quarter; for the first time since they split, a Slann came to the Dragon Isles. Lord Ulha'up, Voyager In The Rain Drops of Eternity, and undeniably mad by any measure, had spent many ages traveling the world to spread word of the Old Ones. His silver ship had been downed by giants in the Mountains of Mourn, and his attendant forces had carried him many miles, just for a chance of safety from the raging conflicts. Ulha'up knew Kan'mari of old, and also knew some remnant of it's children yet remained; for although they had never reached out to their degraded brethren, the Sublime Communion had never forgotten them.
As Ulha'up arrived upon the isle, his presence spread across them. The feral lizardmen straightened, as if hearing soundless drums. They discarded their primitive weapons, abandoned what meager dwellings they had constructed, and marched as one to meet their master. At their head was Malhotraptor, riding upon an ancient carnosaur he had raised from birth. With nary a word exchanged between them, the venerable Saurus took his place beside Ulha'up, an Oldblood in name and nature. Ulha'up's forces had suffered many losses, yet he had instructed them to take with them the fallen's weapons and armor. These were now distributed, lizardmen taking up tools of war they had last held millennia ago.
Still, even with such reinforcements and reaffirmation of purpose, the Dragon Isles could never be held. Instead, while his mortal body was defended by Malhotraptor and his warriors, Ulha'up's spirit traveled to Itza with the entirety of the Sublime Communion, to enact the Deliverance. Despite being many thousand of miles from the nearest standing temple-city, as the light faded from the Ritual of Evacuation, Malhotraptor and his surviving troops found themselves within the walls of the First City.
In this new age, Malhotraptor fights as expected for a venerable Oldblood, leading forces against both the Ayacmanik and orcs with great skill. Tepok's blessing still lies upon him, and he has taken to wearing Coatl feathers to show he carries the Old One's favor. Those lizardmen that dwelled on the Dragon Isles have folded back into society with only… minor issues. They prefer to dwell outside the cities, being uncomfortable if not allowed to see the sky regularly, and have taken to divesting themselves of clothes whenever possible.
And what of Ulha'up? The "Mad" Slann is perhaps less demented than he once was, reunited with his brothers and with the Mind Fog banished. He is still, however, quite odd; he wholly supported the creation of Ayotzl, unlike some Slann. He enjoys traversing the jungle, instead of teleporting where he must go. And he still refuses to descend from his palanquin.
Malhotraptor's Character Sheet
Saurus Scar-Veteran: Has waged war and lead forces longer than most civilistions have existed
Blessing of Tepok: Although the Feathered Serpent God more commonly blesses Skink spawnings, particularly Skink Priests, Malhotraptor was part of a rare Saurus spawning to receive the honour. Malhotraptor's purple scales grant him heightened defence to hostile magic, as well as the ability to see the Winds of Magic, although it is lesser than a true magic user's.
Tribal Leader: For many centuries the only forces Malhotraptor could call upon were devolved lizardmen, welding makeshift weapons and fighting with little cohesion. Although such times have thankfully passed, Malhotraptor has the skills learned, and may find use for them again
This was meant to be a brief story about a Saurus being taken prisoner by the Dawi Zhar, leading a slave revolt, then coming home with some steel chains as weapons or something.
It turned into a tale about a veteran of the Great Catastrophe, the weirdest Slann in Lore (Kremlo dosn't count), and a sub-cultre of nudist lizardmen. Fun.
Such times did not last, of course. As the tides of demons flowed across the world, Kan'mari became cut off from the other temple-cites, even those closest in the Southlands. Assaulted by the legions of the Plague Father, the Lizardmen fought a brave but ultimately doomed defense. Struck by the poisoned blade of an Great Unclean One, Ima'Gun'Di was infected with a warp-born fever that caused immense pain and clouded his mind. Seeing death and defeat rapidly approaching, the addled mind of the Slann saw only one option; denying Kan'mari and its knowledge to the Great Enemy. Unleashing his full might without restraint, Ima'Gun'Di detonated, destroying the Nurglite horde, but also Kan'mari, breaking the island it rested upon into three. So too were the majority of the Lizardmen's forces killed, including all of the younger Slann present.
It would be many years before the Great Vortex was created. In that time, the survivors of Kan'mari fought a guerilla war against their enemies, for although most of the Dark Gods' forces had been directed to greater battlefields, some lesser demons still stalked the ravaged jungles. Their Slann and Oldbloods had died, either in the destruction of the temple-city or in the conflict after. Instead, they rallied around a Scar-Veteran; Malhotraptor.
Young, especially by the standards of the Lizardmen, Malhotraptor had climbed out of the spawning pools mere months before the Polar Gates collapsed. His spawning had been blessed by Tepok, the Feathered Serpent, and so their purple scales resisted magic to a greater degree than others. Malhotraptor was seen as particularly blessed; a pattern of scales upon his arm was similar to Topek's symbol.
Malhotraptor had proved his worth many times over during the daemon's invasion, holding against tides of Nurlge's children for days on end. Tepok's blessing allowed Malhotraptor to see the Winds of Magic as they twisted, allowing him to track down users of foul sorceries. In one noted battle, his club was dissolved by the vile acicid blood of a Rot Fly. Malhotraptor chose to attack his foe bare-handed, tearing the wings from the demon beast before throwing it from the walls of Kan'mari.
Ima'Gun'Di chose the Scar-Veteran to lead an assault upon the Nurglite's back lines, and thus he was far from Kan'mari when it was destroyed. A dutiful warrior, Malhotraptor attempted to fulfill his final orders, destroying the daemonic presence with what forces he could gather. This task filled his and the lizardmen's time until the creation of the Vortex, but even beyond it Malhotraptor did not, could not rest. His life had been one of ceaseless conflict, and without a foe to fight, Malhotraptor did not know how to live.
Without the guidance of the Slann or other elders, the lizardmen of fallen Kan'mari began to devolve into barbarity. Weapons, armor and other relics were abandoned, outposts left to be reclaimed by the jungle, knowledge of creation's workings forgotten in the daily rush of survival. The many beasts, once kept tame by skilled handlers and magic, became wild and roamed freely. The isles became a place of savagery.
But Malhotraptor remained. Although his dedication to duty had prevented him from moving on, it also meant he did not fall into madness as his kindred did. Instead, he became the guardian of the Dragon Isles, hunting down those that land upon their shores. He tracked his foes by scent, fluctuations of the winds of magic, and the disruptions to nature their presence caused. When presented with foes he could not best alone - like marauding orcs, or Dawi Zharr seeking slaves and resources - he would go to the tribes of wild Lizardmen and command them to fight. Although they did not remember him, the feral creatures had loyalty ingrained in their very souls, and thus rallied behind him. When the threat was repulsed however, they would scatter once more, and Malhotraptor resumed his lonely vigil.
When the End Times began, Malhotraptor saw their coming in the Winds of Magic. Knowing that his land would once more be attacked by demons, Malhotraptor strove to unite the entity of the Dragon Isle's lizardmen, but had not succeeded by the time the great conflict began. Bands of roving greenskins, castoffs from the greater horde in the Dark Lands, assaulted from the North. Foul things crawled out of the seas, polluting the beaches and raising monuments to forgotten deities. And daemons took advantage of the weakened walls of reality to invade, filling the jungles with blood and rot. It seemed the legacy of Kan'mari would finally be extinguished.
Aid came from an unexpected, yet greatly welcomed quarter; for the first time since they split, a Slann came to the Dragon Isles. Lord Ulha'up, Voyager In The Rain Drops of Eternity, and undeniably mad by any measure, had spent many ages traveling the world to spread word of the Old Ones. His silver ship had been downed by giants in the Mountains of Mourn, and his attendant forces had carried him many miles, just for a chance of safety from the raging conflicts. Ulha'up knew Kan'mari of old, and also knew some remnant of it's children yet remained; for although they had never reached out to their degraded brethren, the Sublime Communion had never forgotten them.
As Ulha'up arrived upon the isle, his presence spread across them. The feral lizardmen straightened, as if hearing soundless drums. They discarded their primitive weapons, abandoned what meager dwellings they had constructed, and marched as one to meet their master. At their head was Malhotraptor, riding upon an ancient carnosaur he had raised from birth. With nary a word exchanged between them, the venerable Saurus took his place beside Ulha'up, an Oldblood in name and nature. Ulha'up's forces had suffered many losses, yet he had instructed them to take with them the fallen's weapons and armor. These were now distributed, lizardmen taking up tools of war they had last held millennia ago.
Still, even with such reinforcements and reaffirmation of purpose, the Dragon Isles could never be held. Instead, while his mortal body was defended by Malhotraptor and his warriors, Ulha'up's spirit traveled to Itza with the entirety of the Sublime Communion, to enact the Deliverance. Despite being many thousand of miles from the nearest standing temple-city, as the light faded from the Ritual of Evacuation, Malhotraptor and his surviving troops found themselves within the walls of the First City.
In this new age, Malhotraptor fights as expected for a venerable Oldblood, leading forces against both the Ayacmanik and orcs with great skill. Tepok's blessing still lies upon him, and he has taken to wearing Coatl feathers to show he carries the Old One's favor. Those lizardmen that dwelled on the Dragon Isles have folded back into society with only… minor issues. They prefer to dwell outside the cities, being uncomfortable if not allowed to see the sky regularly, and have taken to divesting themselves of clothes whenever possible.
And what of Ulha'up? The "Mad" Slann is perhaps less demented than he once was, reunited with his brothers and with the Mind Fog banished. He is still, however, quite odd; he wholly supported the creation of Ayotzl, unlike some Slann. He enjoys traversing the jungle, instead of teleporting where he must go. And he still refuses to descend from his palanquin.
Malhotraptor's Character Sheet
Saurus Scar-Veteran: Has waged war and lead forces longer than most civilistions have existed
Blessing of Tepok: Although the Feathered Serpent God more commonly blesses Skink spawnings, particularly Skink Priests, Malhotraptor was part of a rare Saurus spawning to receive the honour. Malhotraptor's purple scales grant him heightened defence to hostile magic, as well as the ability to see the Winds of Magic, although it is lesser than a true magic user's.
Tribal Leader: For many centuries the only forces Malhotraptor could call upon were devolved lizardmen, welding makeshift weapons and fighting with little cohesion. Although such times have thankfully passed, Malhotraptor has the skills learned, and may find use for them again
This was meant to be a brief story about a Saurus being taken prisoner by the Dawi Zhar, leading a slave revolt, then coming home with some steel chains as weapons or something.
It turned into a tale about a veteran of the Great Catastrophe, the weirdest Slann in Lore (Kremlo dosn't count), and a sub-cultre of nudist lizardmen. Fun.
