Varkar Barduric

The Dark Beast, first dragon in 5,000 years, invaded northern Alair, slain after a 1000 year rule


Originating from some unknown place north of known Alair, Varkar was without doubt the mightiest dragon ever to have walked the earth. None of the few surviving accounts from the wars between the elves and the monsters of prehistoric Alair mention anything anywhere like him. Coal-black and with piercing red eyes without iris or pupil, he was well over four hundred feet long with a two-hundred-foot wingspan. His hide was like armour plate, his claws like swords and his breath was flaming death. Even the mighty Galoriand, greatest hero of the elven race, could not even wound Varkar in combat.

Since invading the Northkingdoms and destroying Sildor, Varkar ruled his empire with an iron claw. He took the unexeptional race of lizard men and moulded them into a fell and fierce people, powerful warriors, skilled magicians and strong leaders, to form the nobility and officer corps of his lands and armies. Humans he kept as thralls, only allowed weapons or armour when used as troops by the dragonarmy; orcs he disdained, judging them too weak and undisciplined for his purposes; and elves and dwarves he despised, giving orders for their instant death anywhere in his lands.

He made his home in the mountain city of Vorsand, in the Versate Pass, and only rarely emerged. When he did, it usually meant big trouble for somebody. He gathered the best of the treasures of the kingdoms he had conquered there to him, presumably to gloat over; no clear account of the state of things in Vorsand ever came to the Free Kingdoms while he lived.

Varkar was slain in 1600 by a group of adventurers accompanied by the Elvenking Doronond. After his death it became known the the Dark Beast was planning to make the leap to Godhead by the structured release of the power bound into as many magical weapons as he could collect. Fortunately, this never happened.


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