Artizak – The Unruly Dragon

Hailing from the sunny lands of Brol’Lokai in the far southern continent Zandoriel, Artizak is far from comfortable being in the climate of Greypeak, least of all having to bear the snows and winds of Mammoth Isle. Artizak was cast away from his home, for he was born with a curse of wild and unstable magic, and though he was considered a powerful sorcerer and sage, his magicks would often turn ill and unpredictable, responsible for many mishaps and close encounters. It was after one such mishap that caused severe injury to one of Artizak’s mentors that the Dragonkin was brought before a council of sages, and though they did not blame him personally they could not bear him as such a danger to their order or town any longer.

So he was cast out, but not without instruction. A single portal was opened for him, and it was to take him to the Land of the Wise, Tharador. There the few hidden dragons may have answers for him, for they were wiser than their southern kin and with warmer hearts. But it was said they were hunted until they all fell into hiding thousands of years prior, and only in the blackest depths of the tallest mountain peaks they now reside. It is here that Artizak was told his ancestor might still live, for few were Dragons imbued with Chaos, and none still lived in Zandoriel; all those had long perished. But by chance there was one that might live in Tharador, a great White Dragon that had been called Syphiron, with scales like diamonds and eyes of everchanging hue.

At first he simply sought to travel to the mountains and search blindly for some hidden chamber, cavern or depth that might house such creatures. But it was to no avail, and his search was in vain. Though in such a time he came to meet another from Zandoriel, a Tabaxi Snow Stalker named Curatio that had escaped bondage. Since the two could share words, they travelled together as Artizak taught Curatio what little he knew of Tharadori lore and languages, and Curatio repaid it in kind by delving through forgotten ruins and stealing scrolls and manuscripts from libraries to aid in Artizak’s search for Syphiron. The two were an unlikely pair, but worked together well. So with Curatio, through the libraries of Men, Elves, Dwarves and even forgotten Colossal ruins Artizak scoured for answers of this ancient one.

Finally answers led them north to Greypeak, and in the city of Vanlund Artizak had access to a wealth of knowledge and records of nearby Colossal ruins that held accounts of Ancient Dragons that they had hunted before their empire was reduced to dust. It was here finally that Artizak discerned the final account of a dragon that matched Syphiron’s description, seen flying northwest to a large isle off the coast. No records mention it after and in the few songs of men that involve dragons, none speak of any such creature having left the isle since. So with little else to go on, Artizak bundled up and with Curatio sailed across the strait leading to the isle, hoping that perhaps the Dragon had spent these many long years in hibernation beneath the mountains of the island.