The Embermaw Legacy
The Embermaw Clan traced their lineage back to the Age of Dragons, claiming descent from a mighty red dragon who fought against the devils during the early incursions from Avernus. This ancestry granted them not only their fiery breath and crimson scales but also a deep connection to draconic magic that made them formidable warriors and guardians.
For generations, the clan protected the remote mountain passes of the Spine of the World, keeping watch for any signs of diabolic influence while serving as guides and protectors to those traveling the treacherous routes. Their stronghold, Karrach-Tyr (Dragon's Justice in Draconic), became known as a place of refuge and fair judgment.
Unlike many dragonborn clans who struggle with their draconic heritage, the Embermaw embraced theirs fully, believing that understanding one's nature was the first step to mastering it. They developed techniques to channel their inner fire into constructive purposes—forging legendary weapons, creating magical wards, and even healing grievous wounds.
The Fall of Karrach-Tyr
"I still hear them in my dreams. The cracking of stone, the desperate prayers, and then... nothing but ash and silence. Not even screams at the end. Just... silence."
— Tharion's journal, entry from 1487 DR
Tharion was only seventeen when disaster struck. During what should have been a celebration of the clan's founding, a strange red mist descended upon Karrach-Tyr. At first, it seemed like nothing more than an unseasonable fog, but within hours, the effects became clear—the mist crystallized on contact with dragonborn scales, hardening them into stone and slowly suffocating the victims.
Elders recognized the magic as some form of ancient curse, possibly tied to their draconic ancestry. They enacted emergency rites, sacrificing their own life forces to create a protective circle around Tharion and a handful of other younglings. By morning, Tharion alone remained, the others having succumbed to the curse despite the elders' efforts.
Though he survived, Tharion did not escape unscathed. The curse left patches of his scales permanently hardened like stone, and more devastatingly, created a psychic link to his clan's final moments. For years afterward, he would hear their whispers, feel their pain, and occasionally even see through their eyes in visions of a fiery realm that scholars later suggested might be some layer of the Nine Hells.
The Path to Vengeance
For nearly a decade after the tragedy, Tharion wandered the Sword Coast as a hollow shell of himself, taking dangerous mercenary work in the vain hope that death might reunite him with his clan. It was during this dark period that he encountered a blind human cleric of Tyr who, despite his physical blindness, saw straight to the heart of Tharion's suffering.
The cleric, Brother Morath, taught Tharion that his survival was not a curse but a responsibility—he was not just the last Embermaw but the living vessel of their memory and heritage. More importantly, he helped Tharion understand that vengeance, properly channeled, could become justice.
Under Brother Morath's guidance, Tharion studied the ways of the paladin and took the Oath of Vengeance, swearing to find those responsible for his clan's destruction and prevent similar tragedies. The discipline required to maintain his oath also helped him manage the psychic torment that had plagued him since the curse.
Though his search for answers about the curse continues, Tharion has found purpose in his oath. He now travels the realms, seeking out injustice to right and evil to vanquish, all while following any lead that might connect to the mysterious red mist and the entities behind it.
