Veritaph (aka Great Bull of the Sky) - Adult Gold Dragon
by John CalvinCovered in shimmering gold scales tinged with a touch of ochre, Veritaph’s horns curl outward slightly more than normal for his species. He often uses illusions to disguise himself as a giant bull when flying through the sky, snorting and covered in fire, but assumes other personas when the mood takes him. To the priests of the Cult of the Bull, he is the titan Wideshiros, Herald of the Great Bull in the Earth, and in merchant circles of Tamoraz and Soleclea he is known as Yidaros the Golden, a purveyor of elven goods from beyond the Sea of Dread. Whatever form he takes, Veritaph enjoys covering it with the richest trappings, from brightly dyed silks to gem encrusted jewelry.
Veritaph’s expanse covers much of the eastern Taymoran basin ranging from Soleclea to Tycur and encompassing portions of the Noctis Labyrinthus in the north all the way to the XXX Bay in the south. His layer is secreted away deep in the heart of Mount Taur, the birthplace of the Cult of the Bull, from which he emerges either as a great flying bull to roam across the lands, or as a titan from the earth to give out the proclamations of his “god”.
Many lizardman tribes in the swamps north of Pseiros swear fealty to Veritaph, who often directs them in raids against their Taymoran neighbors. He also has great influence among the maritime merchants in the area, and those that oppose him often find their ships attacked by small flights of young green or black dragons. Veritaph’s crowning achievement however, has been his infiltration into and manipulation of the Cult of the Bull. Not only does he use the priesthood to impose his will upon local Taymoran settlements, but the Temple of Mount Taur is a pilgrimage destination for Taymorans from across the nation, giving Veritaph an opportunity to expand his influence across most of southern Brun.
The vampire queens of Taymora, especially those ruling over the southern city states, and the Adhuzan priesthood, both find Veritaph to be an extremely dangerous nuisance. On several occasions both groups have hired adventurers to find the dragon’s lair and deal with him, but so far none have had much success. Veritaph also clashes with the black dragon Hierophonem who dwells in the swamps below the Curicanti Mountains to the north. The two both vie for the worship of the scattered lizardmen tribes in the area. His greatest and most ancient adversary however, is the red dragon Alfiernia, who lives on the isles in the Boiling Sea. Veritaph suspects that she has recently struck a deal with the Adhuzans to help them hunt him down.
Modern descendants: Hytiliaph