Veleno

Awakened Familiar: Graveyard Guardian

Veleno is an older dragon who has been through many adventures, as well as many hardships. He started his life as a Ridgeback and quickly gained an immense physical power that gave him the upper edge in any battle he fought. Arrogant in his might, Veleno set out on a journey with no particular destination that took him across Sornieth. He roved far and wide and performed many deeds (not all of them noble), and in that time contracted the Gembond disease.

When in the peak of his strength, Veleno wandered into Plague and met the founding members of what would eventually become Clan Wyrm. Hearing him speak of his many battles and exploits, the dragons were immediately interested in hiring him to aid them in setting up and protecting their new lair, and particularly in having him train a young Pearlcatcher, Excalibur, to fight. Asking for room and board in return, Veleno agreed, and so joined the burgeoning clan.

Veleno found in Excalibur an eager pupil and dear friend. Excalibur, naturally a quick learner and adept fighter, soon matched Veleno's prowess in battle, and the two shared many adventures defending the clan and training recruits for Plaguebringer's army. Veleno attempted to start a family, but his mate and most of their children were lost in the Abiding Boneyard, a crushing blow for the aging Ridgeback. His one surviving child grew to display disturbingly violent tendencies, further distressing his father. To make matters worse, Veleno's gembond was progressing, hobbling him.

Eventually, Veleno and Excalibur taught Gigabyte, an Arcane Guardian, to train exalts to Plaguebringer, and Veleno entered semi-retirement. His gembond had worsened so much that at times he could barely walk. One day the pain grew so great that Veleno, frustrated with his misfortune, took a pilgrimage to the center of the Scarred Wasteland and, renouncing his fate to the Plaguemother, threw himself into the Wyrmwound. Though he expected death, the great cauldron churned and bore him to its surface. Emerging from the toxic lake, Veleno was amazed to discovered a new strength in his limbs that defied his disease. He had been reborn as a Snapper, a gift from Plaguebringer herself.

Veleno enjoyed the mobility brought on by his transformation, but one thing about his new body saddened him: his small Snapper wings did not allow him to fly. While he loved being able to walk again, and indeed could walk farther than ever before, he wished he could still take to the sky. Thus it was that when Sangreve, a young Snapper, arrived on Clan Wyrm's territory claiming to be on a journey to obtain a substance allowing Snappers to fly, Veleno readily volunteered to join her. He departed Clan Wyrm's caves with Sangreve and Gigabyte, who asked to follow her mentor and share her knowledge of the Mire. Veleno now dwells in the Mire, helping the group of dragons there set up their clan and enjoying the benefits of the Unicorn Dust they harvest.