Thaos d’Galter

Character Concept

Thaos is a warlock in the Orn D&D campaign setting born into a family who, 13 generations prior, had forged a blood pact with a pit fiend named Azgamesh. He is destined to either be killed by others like him or be chosen as Azgamesh’s avatar in the mortal realm. Wanting nothing of this destiny, he has renounced his family and sworn to kill any of Azgamesh’s descendents who cross his path.

Backstory: Testimony of Thaos d’Galter

Be it known by these accounts the legend of Azgamesh and the prophesy of his ascendance into the world of men. I, Thaos d’Galter, have long been the slave of my bloodline, bearing a terrible secret that has haunted my soul and the souls of my forebears. And while they have borne it out of fear or dark desire, I refuse to be silent. The world must know of the danger that awaits, even unto my demise at the hands of my kind.

The legend of my family states that the devil Azgamesh, longing for power amongst the infernal, forged a dark pact with thirteen mortal women. Each of the foul harlots would bear him children, and those children would henceforth be cursed with his unclean essence. The devil’s blood would pass down through the generations, until the 13th removed from Azgamesh himself were born. Among them, one would be chosen as the vessel of his power, to become an immortal scourge of the living realm.

I have borne witness to this prophesy, and feel the truth of it in the depths of my soul. For I am 13th born of my family line, and the blood of the devil Azgamesh courses through my veins. How many others there are, I cannot be certain, for the identity of Azgamesh’s whores is unknown. It seems likely that each harbored a deep loathing of the others, covetting the promise of dark godhood for their own progeny. They surely secretted themselves and their families away, lest the whole of their line be slain.

I know that, in writing these words, I am likely sentencing my family to death at the hands of Azgamesh’s descendants. As 13th born, my peers and their families will surely seek me and slay me as well to improve their chances at godhood. I care nothing for my accursed family or Azgamesh’s prize. The better that I and all of my line should meet death than remain pawns of the pit. I, for one, will kill every last one who dares cross my path, even unto Azgamesh himself, or else die trying. I will be a slave to my blood no longer.

I urge those who read this to heed my warning. The temptation of godhood has festered in the souls of my kind for centuries now. If you meet them, do not expect them to share my inclinations. Most are inherently evil and should be killed on sight before their dark ambitions can be realized. Above all else, beware the mark of the black flame, for it is written on the flesh of all Azgamesh’s children, and it spells the doom of us all.

Appearance

Thaos appears, at first glance, to be an ordinary if slightly off-putting individual. He has a medium build with long, black hair and a pale complexion. He wears nondescript clothes of dark tones, favoring a heavy black cloak and hood. When equipped for combat, he sports a chain shirt and a morningstar.

The only distinctive aspect to Thaos’ appearance is his left hand, which bears the mark of the black flame. This cursed tattoo dances whenever Thaos casts an eldritch blast or uses an invocation. Much to his terror, the flames also appear to be spreading slowly up his arm. He usually covers the mark with a band of black cloth embellished with silver runes, although only time can tell whether he can continue to conceal it.

Personality

Perhaps the most defining element of Thaos’ personality, and certainly the aspect that sets him apart from the rest of his bloodline, is his stark independence. He loaths the idea of being used by others, his family and Azgamesh most of all. The most reviled form of existence to him is a life of servitude. Even death would be preferable.

On the axis of good and evil, Thaos is neither, favoring a pragmatic approach. He will do what is necessary to accomplish his goals, disregarding questions of morality as the shortcomings of the weak-minded. If it is to his advantage to be benevolent, then he will offer his aid. Likewise, if he stands to gain more from malice, he will act accordingly.

Thaos is primarily concerned with his own fate to that of others. He knows that other descendants of Azgamesh will eventually hunt him down, or else the fiend himself will claim him. Thus, he prefers to stay close to trusted company for the sake of protection. His goal is to amass enough power to stand a fighting chance when the destiny of his blood catches up with him.

To this end, Thaos plans to equip himself with the most powerful magic items possible. As a warlock, he knows the power of spells but has very little access to them. He views artifice as a means to make up for this weakness and to prepare for the coming conflict.