Maedrethnir
Maedrethnir was a male red[1a] dragon who served Phoenix King Caledor I the Conqueror as mount. He was the son of Indraugnir.[1b]
Appearance
He had deep red scales on most of his body whilst those on his belly were orange. [1a]
History
When newly hatched, he and other dragons had played - hopping from volcano to volcano when Ulthuan had been little more than these burning peaks jutting from the ocean. [1b] He had fought against other Dragons for territory or for a mate. [1c]
In his early years, he recalled that the air had been lighter and the world itself colder but this all changed when the Old Ones first came to the Warhammer world. Like the rest of his race, he had been terrified by their arrival as rifts appeared in the sky and silver starboats emerged from them. The very sun grew larger and the skies warmed and grew heavier and although some had called for resistance against the invaders but others such as his father urged caution and took his kin and friends into the deep caves. [1b]
Ally of the Elves
In the last years of the reign of Bel-Shanaar, Maedrethnir was the oldest dragon to remain awake.[1] Some of the Dragon Princes of Caledor feared that he was also the last.[1]
In the years before the Sundering, he traveled with Imrik to help protect and expand the colonies of Caledor in the new lands across the Great Ocean. After their victory at the Battle of the Laithenn River, they returned to their base at Tor Arlieth where Imrik received word that his brother wanted him to return home and attend the court of the Phoenix King to address the problem of the Cults of Pleasure - Maedrethnir returned home with him. [1a]
Sundering
Fighting against the Druchii with Caledor I, he had his first encounter with a Black Dragon that had been tortured and enslaved by the Dark Elves and corrupted by the powers of Chaos. He killed the tainted creature and then plunged his fangs into the exposed innards, crunching through bone and tearing at gizards before cracking open the bones to lap at its marrow and it was with great difficulty and through the use words of power that his rider could force him from the carcass. The existence of these twisted dragons horrified Maedrethnir and after the enemy rider had been killed, he discarded his rider and with all haste he returned home to the dragon caves of Caledor to rouse his brethren from slumber.[1c]
Several other dragons answered his call and joined the war. In total, twelve dragons fought against the Dark Elves, among them Nemaerinir[1], Anaegnir (slain by Morathi at Battle of the Gaen Vale ca. IC -2739)[1][*] and Kardraghnir (slain in Chrace ca. IC -2739).[1]
At the Battle of Maledor in IC -2724[2], Maedrethnir and Caledor fought Malekith and his dragon Sulekh. Maedrethnir was wounded by Sulekh and forced to flee, but survived.[1]
Nature
Maedrethnir occasionally engaged in cannibalism, during a battle against the Dark Elves in the early days of Caledor I's reign, Maedrethnir slew a black dragon and ate its flesh, briefly reminiscing about having eaten dragon flesh thousands of years before.[1c]
Notes
* There is mention of "ten years of bitter war", suggesting that this takes place in the 10th year of Caledor's reign.[1]
Sources
- 1: The Sundering (anthology) (Time of Legends edition): Caledor (Novel) by Gav Thorpe
- 2: Warhammer Armies: High Elves (7th Edition), pg. 38