When Kobold Press launched the Tales of the Valiant RPG, we also launched six pre-generated characters for people to be able to start playing right away.
But who are these characters? We know their heritage and background, but how did they get from there to the character you can play?
Today, we find out, starting with “Zal” Andrialix, kobold warlock.
Zalbikar “Zal” Andrialix (Kobold Warlock)
Class: Warlock (Fiend)
Lineage: Kobold
Heritage: Supplicant
Background: Courtier
For generations, the kobold clan Andrialix thrived as scribes and stewards within the great temple of the gold dragon Shizukanamaki (known as Bahan in the Common tongue). The North Prefecture was the bright light of the Flowering Empire, serene and ordered. The dragon’s domain earned the admiration of surrounding nations and the jealousy of surrounding dragons.
Zalbikar served at a low, but honorable station in the Imperial Court. He learned music, art, and many languages, though these were all an expression of his hunger for more, beyond his station.
The Crimson Scourge, Ritrax, was among the jealous host of dragons watching from outside the Prefecture. The ancient red dragon had long coveted Bahan’s wealth, and after decades of scheming, he launched a surprise attack on his rival’s lair. The resulting fire crisped scores of ancient texts lovingly collected and cataloged within the golden walls of the scriptorium.
As his home burned and his clutch mates suffocated from the black smoke filling the lair’s claustrophobic halls, Zalbikar went down to the deepest stacks, where fire had no yet consumed. There, he sought both shelter and aid from the forbidden texts in the dark reaches of the ancient vaults. In a desperate act, the young kobold awakened a devil sealed within his master’s scrolls. He made a hasty, but sincere, pact in exchange for the power to save his people.
Fiendish might surged into Zalbikar. With the wave of a claw, he drove the hellish black smoke back out of the tunnel and turned the raging flames upon the attackers pouring through the temple gates.
As a red sun rose to banish the night, Ritrax’s forces were scattered and broken. But so was the Andrialix clan. Zalbikar’s act saved the lives of many of his brethren, but their beloved master Bahan lay slain. Ritrax had destroyed the work of the golden dragon’s lifetime.
The survivors collected the remains of their lives, trickling out into the other Prefectures and even beyond the Flowering Empire. Zalbikar, however, had already replaced his master with another, thanks to his desperate deal. Fearful of the otherworldly magic burning inside him, yet drawn by the promise of power, the young kobold bid farewell to his kin, promising to return when he had learned to control his new powers.
The conflict within Zalbikar churns as the warlock seeks balance between the virtuous ideals of the noble dragon he loved and the hellish drives of his diabolical patron. Recently, the kobold joined a heroic organization called the Valiant Six, affirming his commitment to use his dark powers for good ends. With the help of his brave companions, Zal has begun learning more about the world outside the Empire and foiling Ritrax’s continuing schemes. He is determined to end the red dragon’s terror in time.
For now, the kobold seeks to deepen his knowledge and understanding of magic in hopes of mastering himself.
I’ve been wondering… I’ve noticed a lot more recurring characters in the Player’s Guide than just the 6. Are any of these other iconic characters going to be more fully revealed in time?
Good eye! Yes! Look for them coming up this year.
Nice to see a group of kobolds not described as uniformly cowardly and only serving chromatic dragons. Can you imagine if someone wrote that somewhere in 2025. ;)