Voaraghamanthar
Voaraghamanthar
Voaraghamanthar was an ancient adult black dragon who laired in the depths of Garmok's Mine in the Mere of Dead Men. He was slain by Deez Nuts and the Bronze Blades in an epic battle through the mine's tunnels.
Background
Voaraghamanthar made his lair in the abandoned dwarven mine beneath the Mere of Dead Men, claiming the treasure-filled depths as his domain. The dragon was known to the local lizardfolk as a "giant black lizard of death" that moved with outrageous speed across the Mere. The lizardfolk reported seeing the dragon in one area, then on the opposite side of the Mere just a day later—leading Keyleth to speculate there might be two dragons (though this was never confirmed).
The dragon's presence in the mine coincided with an infernal rift sealed by Garmok the Chainbearer centuries ago, though whether Voaraghamanthar was connected to the devils or simply claimed the mine afterward is unclear.
Role in Campaign
In Session 43, the Bronze Blades used magic to confirm a dragon was within a few miles of their location in the mine but couldn't find it initially. The party learned about the "giant black lizard of death" from the lizardfolk at Castle Naerytar.
In Session 44, Voaraghamanthar attacked the combined parties of Deez Nuts and the Bronze Blades just after they defeated the infernal devils. The dragon's initial breath weapon—a line of acid—caught the parties by surprise. Gootcha barely dodged, Cedric, Thistle, and Alexios were downed immediately, and most of the group was burned by acid.
Karma used the power of Eldath to pacify the dragon temporarily while Sister Alira's Mass Heal Wounds brought the fallen back into the fight. Xanphina picked up Garmok's flail and attacked the dragon, driving it back.
Voaraghamanthar's preservation instincts kicked in—he cast Darkness to cover his retreat and began moving away from the parties. The group healed and planned carefully. Alexios summoned dire rats to test for traps (they got stuck in roots), then used Burning Hands to clear the path. Karma sent a bat familiar to scout, revealing the dragon in a treasure room.
Keyleth used Pass Without a Trace for stealth, and Alexios dimension doored into the room, opening with a Fireball that caught both the dragon and his kobold servants. The battle raged through the tunnels as Voaraghamanthar tried to escape.
The dragon knocked Xanphina prone with his attacks, then cast Invisibility on himself and continued fleeing toward an underground pool. Boomer cast See Invisibility on Xanphina, allowing her to track the dragon. Gootcha used her Gem of Seeing to spot the invisible dragon.
As Voaraghamanthar prepared to dive into the water, Alexios cast Guiding Bolt. The radiant energy flew true, hitting the dragon "squarely in the b-hole" as he fled. The massive bolt melted Voaraghamanthar's insides, and his body floated back to the surface as the life left him.
The parties successfully salvaged scales from Voaraghamanthar's remains to fashion into armor.
Combat Abilities
- Acid Breath Weapon (line)
- Darkness spell (to cover retreat)
- Invisibility spell
- Swarms of Insects (to slow pursuers)
- Fear gaze (caused Keyleth to flee)
- Ability to consume kobold life energy to deflect damage
Relationships
- Kobolds – Servants in his lair
- Garmok's Mine – Claimed as his territory
- Cult of the Dragon – Possibly allied (cultists were in the mine)
Current Status
Deceased - Slain by Alexios's Guiding Bolt in Session 44. Body remains salvaged for dragon scale armor.
Appearances
- Session 43 - Detected by Bronze Blades' magic
- Session 44 - Epic battle and death