"A figure, wearing ornate armour of glinting dark green, straddled the back of the blue-green dragon. The armour was shaped to mimic the dragon he rode upon, dark green wings extending from his artfully crafted helmet. In one hand he held a long lance that glowed with golden light and in the other he bore a shield that was unscathed by any mark or dent."
“It's an elf,” breathed Stefan."
"The dragon roared overhead, throwing dust and debris up in its wake. The men of the Empire turned, as one, to watch the massive creature hurtle past. Great gouts of flame suddenly roared from the creature's mouth, roasting alive dozens of Norsemen, their weapons and armour melting instantly under the heat. The dragon disappeared from sight for a moment, before soaring high into the sky once again, already hundreds of yards away. A pair of Norse warriors was clutched in the claws of the dragon, and as the stunned men of Ostermark watched, they were crushed in the powerful grip and dropped lifeless to the ground. Another figure hung, impaled halfway down the shaft of the dragon rider's glowing lance. With a dismissive movement, the Norscan chieftain was thrown to the ground. A great cheer went up as the dragon wreaked havoc upon the remaining Norse, burning and rending. The battle was won…"
- —Khalanos arrives to save Captain Stefan von Kessel and his men.[3]
Prince Khalanos.[2]
Prince Khalanos was a fearsome Dragon Prince of Caledor who fought during the immediate aftermath of the Great War Against Chaos.
History[]
Khalanos was a proud and noble Dragon Prince of Ulthuan. He was as haughty, arrogant and confident as only a High Elf could be. Even most elves, including his cousin Aurelion, considered Humans inferior to themselves, and the inhabitants of the Empire were little different to him from the hordes of barbarians they fought. Though always of perfect manners, there was a hint of mockery in his voice, as if he was reluctant to speak in primitive human language. He decided in advance that his every order would be carried out and did not tolerate anyone having a different opinion.[1]
Battling Chaos[]
"Prince Khalanos swept into the fray. His massive green-blue dragon smashed down into the Norscans, ripping and rending, and sending a great wave of water into the air. Lathyerin saw a man bitten in two, and another's arms sheared off with a flash of the dragon's claws. Khalanos himself spitted a pair of Norscans on his lance. The dragon rose into the air once again, and breathed fiery death upon a dozen other enemy. The seawater churned and boiled under the intense heat, rising in scalding steam. Those Norscans who had ducked under the water to escape the flames rolling towards them emerged screaming, the flesh scalded from their bones."
- —Khalanos in battle.[3]
The Dragon Prince had seen the passing of over eight hundred years, and yet he still helped those he saw as "barbarians" fight their wars. He had argued against aiding the humans and leaving them to their own fate instead. However, his cousin, Aurelion had convinced him otherwise. Indeed, never would it be said that one of the noble-born princes of Caledor would shirk his duty. The Phoenix King himself had declared that the elves would aid the humans, and Khalanos would fight with all the strength and power he possessed to do so.[3]
Death[]
"A Daemon Prince! With me, Draugnurar, your fangs and my blade will banish this beast back to the Realm of Chaos!"
- —Prince Khalanos prepares to face Thorgar the Blooded One.[2]
Alas, Khalanos and his Dragon would later be slain in a fierce battle by the Daemon Prince, Thorgar the Blooded One. Having failed in his mission to prevent Thorgar from communing with the spirit of Asavar Kul, claiming the Slayer of Kings and achieving Daemonhood, Khalanos attempted to personally end the Daemon's new life before it had truly begun…[3]
Flames washed over Thorgar, and a long shining lance pierced his shoulder, throwing him to the ground, crushing those he slammed into. He came up quickly, snarling his hatred, as the dragon roared overhead. Blood spat from the wound on his shoulder, and with a roar he leapt into the air in pursuit.[3]
Khalanos soared high into the air, wheeling around, hundreds of feet above the battle. Coiling itself around, the dragon pulled its wings back and descended towards Thorgar, who was screaming up to meet it. Fire roared from the maw of the dragon, washing over the Daemon Prince, scorching its face and chest, but it paid no heed. Prince Khalanos angled his gleaming lance at the heart of the daemon flying straight up towards him. Thorgar smashed the lance aside with a sweep of his axe, and cleaved the Slayer of Kings straight through the chest of the elf warrior. It tore through armour, flesh and bone, and the upper torso of the prince was cut from the lower body with a spray of blood, falling down into the press of battle far below. The lower part of the elf sat in the saddle for a moment, before toppling out, also falling far to the ground below. The dragon scored a series of deep wounds down Thorgar's body with its powerful claws as the two creatures swept past each other.[3]
His daemonic blood dripping a hundred feet into the press of battle below, burning all whom it touched, Thorgar turned in the air, far quicker than the dragon could, and descended towards the serpentine creature, fury driving him onwards. He smashed into the dragon as it was sweeping over the battlefield. Dropping his weapons, Thorgar grappled the dragon around its long neck. His daemon sword fell, blade first, into the head of an elf, driving through his body and embedding itself in the sand. Gripping the dragon tightly, Thorgar drove it down into the ground.[3]
With titanic force, the two massive creatures smashed into the sand, crushing dozens of elves and Norscans beneath their bulks. Thorgar shifted his grip as the creature thrashed around blindly, engulfing scores of men and elves indiscriminately in flame. Thorgar's massive muscles bulged, veins almost bursting with the exertion, but he refused to release the maddened creature, and the two of them rolled over and over. The dragon coiled itself around the Daemon Prince, and Thorgar, releasing one hand from its grip around the throat, smashed his fist into the head of the dragon, feeling the skull crack beneath the force of the blow. The dragon tightened its coils, and Thorgar's bones strained under the immense pressure. Still he held on, and smashed his fist into the dragon's skull once again. It thrashed around powerfully, ripping itself free of the Daemon Prince's grip, and uncoiled itself.[3]
Rearing up, the dragon roared in anger, and lashed out with its snapping jaws, intending to bite the daemon in half. Thorgar caught the jaws of the dragon as they descended around him, holding them at bay. His muscles strained as the jaws slowly began to close, and he roared his fury. With a burst of power, he thrust upwards, extending his arms, and ripped the jaws of the dragon open further than they were meant to go. A horrible tearing sound accompanied this violent motion, as the tendons and jawbone of the dragon were ripped apart. It thrashed around on the blood-soaked sand, its jaw hanging open loosely, emitting piteous growls and whimpers of agony and fear. It looked up at the Daemon Prince looming over it with hatred. Thorgar held out his hand, and the daemon sword pulled itself free from the sand, flying through the air into the palm of his hand. With a single stroke, he cut the head from the long sinuous neck. The body of the dragon convulsed on the ground before lying still.[3]
Thorgar rose to his feet, hefting the dragon's head in one hand, and roared in triumph. He turned around, revelling in the victory. Dropping the dragon's head, he picked up his axe from where it lay on the sand beside him. Swinging his two weapons around him, he grinned, the flames in his eyes and engulfing his horns flaring brightly.[3]
With a roar, he threw himself back into the fray. Within the hour, every elf on the beach was slain…[3]
Wargear and Abilities[]
As a Dragon Prince of Caledor, Khalanos represented the pinnacle of Elven martial might. When mounted atop his dragon, he was capable of laying waste to entire warbands.
- Draugnurar - The massive, green-blue dragon that Khalanos rode into battle.