Malystryx (? - 421 AC) was not born on the world of Krynn, but rather on the alien dragon world, from which all the alien dragons came. On her own world, she was a small and relatively insignificant red dragon, who had to constantly fight for survival in the numerous clan wars that were waged daily. When Takhisis shifted the world of Krynn to it's new location in the universe near the dragon world, Malystryx was one of the first dragons to find her way through the ether on her own. Whilst a small dragon on her home world, she soon found that she dwarfed all other Krynnish dragons and coming across the ocean to the east of Ansalon, she made herself known in 384 AC.
Arrival on Krynn[]
Whilst Khellendros arrived in Krynn much earlier with the aid of Takhisis, Malystryx's crossing engineered a path that allowed the other alien dragons to follow her. A monstrously large dragon, Malystryx was over four hundred feet in length, and had a gargantuan wingspan that measured over five hundred feet. Blood-red scales covered her completely, and she bore large imposing horns on her head. In 384 AC, she first appeared on Krynn to the distant east of Ansalon. Flying for a week at a time, she took the course of a couple of months to reach Ansalon from across the ocean. When she did finally reach the shores of Ansalon, she appeared over Misty Isle, and shortly after she ravaged the Dairly Plains, claiming the area as part of her growing domain.
In 385 AC, Malystryx created a lair and took the red dragon Hekhorath as her mate. The pair mated together and once she had used him for what she required, Malystryx killed Hekhorath. Malystryx then set about devastating the Goodlund region, at which point most of the inhabitants in other regions of Ansalon learned of her existence and terrible power. In 386 AC, a small party, led by the hero Riverwind, journeyed to Malystryx's lair at Bloodwatch, and breaks her egg, killing the dragon's unborn child. Gathering a small army of ogres and human barbarians under her, Malystryx completely destroys Kendermore in her rage, killing over a thousand kender and the legendary hero Riverwind.
Shortly thereafter, Malystryx looks eastward to the Elian Wilds, learning of the fearsome Ran-Eli. Sending her emissary to the island, Malystryx gains the unswerving allegiance of the Ran-Eli, who become her assassins and trusted warriors.
The Dragon Purge[]
Growing ever stronger, in 387 AC, Malystryx continued to kill any dragons she encountered in eastern Ansalon. Learning how to create a dragon totem and harness arcane energies from it, Malystryx begins the transformation of the land in the Goodlund region into a series of fiery mountains and volcanic craters. The shores of the Bay of Balifor are changed into boiling waters, and in the center of this new realm rises a gigantic mountain, becoming Malys' permanent lair. Self-styling her as a Dragon Overlord, Malystryx claims the new land as her domain, referring to it as the Desolation.
She continues to plague the smaller Krynnish dragons, killing them and adding their skulls to her totem, and thereby increasing her power. In an act of self-preservation, the Knights of Takhisis offer their allegiance to Malystryx in 387 AC, who accepts. By 413 AC, after a long series of bloody fighting amongst the dragons during the Dragon Purge, Malystryx calls together a meeting of the mightiest five dragons. She declares an end to the Purge, and divides Ansalon between the five of them, stating that a large portion of eastern Ansalon is her domain, under the now-expanded Desolation. Malystryx also makes each of the other dragons swear to aid one another from assault against the lesser dragons, and sets about increasing her forces once more.
The Ascendance of Malystryx[]
In 414 AC, after adding more barbarian tribes, hobgoblins and goblin tribes to her armies, Malystryx learns how to create dragonspawn from her fellow Dragon Overlord Khellendros. The red dragon sets about creating Red Dragonspawn, and at the same time uses arcane magic and one of her scales to make the dark knight, Subcommander Rurak Gistere, into her first dragon vassal (a servant who she can bend to her will and control when necessary). After some fighting in which Subcommander Gistere is killed, the scale is transferred to the warrior Dhamon Grimwulf, who in turns become the unwilling puppet of Malystryx.
Over the course of 414 - 415 AC, the red dragon works to undermine the Heroes of the Heart, secretly working on a ritual by which she can grow her powers even further and ascend in power to equal the gods. Malystryx advises Khellendros that it is her wish to rule over all of Ansalon with him as the king and her as queen, and that she plans on making her red dragon lieutenant Ferno, into the new Dragon Overlord, who can rule over her domain. However her lieutenant is killed shortly thereafter by a mysterious shadow dragon. With her replacement lieutenant, the red dragon Hollintress, Malystryx meets with the other four overlords at the Window to the Stars, where she plans to ascend to godhood. The intervention of the Heroes of the Heart distracts the red dragon, allowing Khellendros to step into her place and receive the power of the magical artifacts. Khellendros then throws Malystryx into the sea, before creating an arcane portal and fleeing into another realm. Temporarily thwarted, Malystryx returns to the Desolation to continue building her armies.
At some point the fire dragon Blazewight began to kill lesser dragons and began building his own skull totem. Malystryx did not want him as a rival. She cursed him and his already hot body burned even hotter. Blazewight had to dive into the ocean to keep his body cool enough so it would not consume him.
The War of Souls[]
Learning of the fall of her fellow overlord Beryllinthranox, and the near-defeat of Khellendros at the hands of the One God's servant Mina, Malystryx flew to the blue overlord's lair to finish him off. Killing her former ally, Malystryx learned that in her absence the One God had stolen her totem. In a rage, she flew to Sanction to defeat Mina and her upstart god. In 421 AC, in the skies over the city of Sanction, Mina atop her summoned death dragon, slew the mighty dragon overlord.
Titles and Nicknames[]
From her first arrival in 384 AC, Malystryx developed something of a name for herself. She became known by a series of names & titles such as Malys, the Red Overlord, the Red Marauder, Red Queen, and the Purifier.
References[]
- The Dawning of a New Age
- The Day of the Tempest
- The Eve of the Maelstrom
- Dragons of a Vanished Moon
- The Alien Sea, p. 262
- The Odyssey of Gilthanas (Novel)
- Spirit of the Wind
- Age of Mortals (Sourcebook), p.217-218 (D&D 3.5 stats)
- Dragons of Krynn (Sourcebook), p. 31
- Dragonlance: Fifth Age, Book 1, p. 39-41
- More Leaves from the Inn of the Last Home (Sourcebook), p.27-28