Capnolithyl

Capnolithyl, also known as Brimstone, was a vampiric smoke drake and a hero of the last Rage of Dragons.

Description
Capnolithyl appeared to be a normal, adult smoke drake with reddish black scales. However that was an illusion used to disguise its undead, vampiric nature. He was also able to change into a cloud of embers and smoke at will.

Possessions
Unlike other vampire dragons, that cannot leave their hoards for large periods of time, Capnolithyl was able to remain apart from his hoard due to a magical collar he had prepared for such purpose.

During the final battle against Sammaster, the lich managed to destroy the collar. A tiny portion of the collar remained, however, and Capnolithyl placed it within his body to keep it safe.

History
Capnolithyl was one of the drakes Sammaster reached out when he was researching a way to create the first dracoliches. He allowed Sammaster to turn him into a vampire, thinking this would win him favor and a position of power in the new world Sammaster prophesied. However, Sammaster realized the disadvantages of vampires far outweighed their usefulness, and he discarded Capnolithyl. Since that day, Capnolithyl's only desire was to see Sammaster destroyed.

For that reason, Capnolithyl remained in his lair near Lyrabar waiting and gathering power. In 1373 DR, Capnolithyl learned about Karasendrieth's quest to cure the Rage of Dragons, and contacted her to offer his aid. He later journeyed with Kara, Dorn Graybrook and their companions to help them in their quest to learn about Sammaster's secrets, but also did work on his own. Little is known of the time he spent apart from Graybrook. The entire time he traveled with Graybrook, he did not get along with their traveling cleric, Pavel Shemov, a priest of Lathander, who found it hard to tolerate Capnolithyl's undead condition.

Notable accomplishments by Capnolithyl were reversing the Vaasan Horde that was stirred up by Sammaster to cause confusion, and the saving of Gareth Dragonsbane, King of Damara; and its help in the final battle against Sammaster and the destruction of the mythal that caused the Rage of Dragons. For this reason, dragons across Faerûn hailed him as a hero, although some believed he died in that final battle.

After the destruction of Sammaster, Capnolithyl began to feel a sense of emptiness. He remained in Sammaster's fortress, the citadel where the final battle against the lich took place, searching for something to give purpose again to his life, and he found it when he came across information about an old draconic custom, the xorvintaal. He then traveled across the Outer Planes in order to fully investigate his discovery.

He returned to Toril in 1479 DR, and went to Dracowyr to contact the Princes of Murghôm in order to start his own xorvintaal. The princes allowed him to contact many other chromatic dragons, as well as a few gem and metallic dragons to start the game. To ensure the dragons would play, Capnolithyl bound them with a powerful spell, although the participants were unaware of this. After Tchazzar was freed from Sseelrigoth's prison, Capnolithyl sought the red dragon to invite him to play the xorvintaal as well.

When Alasklerbanbastos warned Capnolithyl about Aoth Fezim's meddling and the Brotherhood of the Griffon attempts to foil the xorvintaal, the vampire allowed the dracolich to reach other dragon allies, including Tchazzar and a few dragon princes of Murghôm, to attack the Brotherhood.

After the Battle of Luthcheq, the leaders of the Brotherhood of the Griffon, as well as several dragons and dragonborn knights from Tymanther, traveled to Dracowyr to confront Capnolithyl and forced him to cancel the magic that bound wyrms to the game. Before he disappeared to whereabouts unknown, Capnolithyl claimed that the game was just a ruse to allow him to eliminate the most powerful dragons around the Sea of Fallen Stars.

Appearances

 * Novels
 * The Year of Rogue Dragons
 * The Rage
 * The Rite
 * The Ruin
 * Brotherhood of the Griffon (series)
 * The Captive Flame
 * Whisper of Venom
 * The Spectral Blaze