Vaartox the Red

Vaartox the Red

"Ash falls where he walked, but the truth he died with may still burn brighter."

—Unknown archivist, Candlekeep

Vaartox the Red was an adult red dragon and founding member of the Ashen Covenant, a group of five chromatic dragons allied with the Cult of the Dragon.

Origins

Vaartox hatched from the bloodline of Tazrith the Ember-Wyrm, an ancient red dragon who once served as Tiamat's personal flame-bearer. Eager to carve his place in the hierarchy of the Cult of the Dragon, Vaartox joined the Ashen Covenant as a young dragon, representing one of Tiamat's five heads.

His most infamous act was his role in the Destruction of Narthalas, a Glimmerwood village tied to a fey prophecy. During the assault, Vaartox personally burned the forest home of Keyleth, a future member of the Emerald Enclave, mistakenly believing her slain.

Background

Vaartox the Red was one of the most powerful red dragons in the Sword Coast region. He allied with four other chromatic dragons to form the Ashen Covenant, pledging their service to the Cult of the Dragon and Tiamat. The five dragons coordinated their efforts to support the cult's plan to summon Tiamat back to the Material Plane.

The Ashen Covenant was tasked with eliminating individuals, bloodlines, and sacred sites prophesied to one day oppose the rise of Tiamat.

Final Encounter and Death

In Session 38 - Now We Have a Hoard, Vaartox was encountered in the Tomb of Veylan Duskbane, where he had made his lair. Veylan's spirit had trapped the dragon within using the tomb's residual magic.

Following Keyleth's pixie swarm, the party engaged in a fierce battle with the adult red dragon in the tomb of the legendary dragon hunter. The combat was intense, with Vaartox demonstrating the terrifying power of an adult red dragon's breath weapon and physical prowess.

Among those who fought him were:

• Keyleth – Orphaned ranger of Narthalas, whose family Vaartox had killed
• Xanphina – Descendant of the Skarhald Clan

Weakened and outnumbered, Vaartox attempted to bargain for his life by offering information on the Ashen Covenant. In his final moments, Vaartox revealed critical intelligence about the Ashen Covenant, including the identity of one of the other members: Tharzyzzul the Black. His confession reshaped the hunt for cult-aligned dragons and exposed buried histories long thought lost.

Through superior tactics and coordination, Deez Nuts successfully slew Vaartox the Red, dealing a significant blow to the Ashen Covenant and the Cult of the Dragon.

Relationships

• Ashen Covenant – Founding member (one of five chromatic dragons)
• Cult of the Dragon – Allied with the cult's goals
• Tiamat – Devoted servant, descended from her flame-bearer
• Tharzyzzul the Black, Xhaerenth, Sevaltharix, Vyndraethis – Fellow Ashen Covenant members
• Keyleth – Destroyed her village of Narthalas and killed her family
• Veylan Duskbane – Trapped by his spirit in the tomb

Current Status

Deceased – Slain by Deez Nuts in Session 38 - Now We Have a Hoard.

Appearances

• Session 37 - The Swarm is Summoned – Mentioned as occupant of Veylan's tomb
• Session 38 - Now We Have a Hoard – Slain by the party

• Session 47 - The Sea of Moving Ice - Verithrax recognized Gooch's armor as being made from Vaartox's scales