Xotin, the Firestarter

Ashen One. Scar of Flame. Firestarter. Xotin is all these, and more. Greatest of the Scarred Dragons. Foe of Aitreas.

Credits to Stéphane HEUVELINE from Artstation for the amazing cover art and Marcin Jakubowski for the burning village art!

I've seen Xotin once, and barely lived to tell the tale. She's the most terrifying beast I've ever had the misfortune of encountering."

"What was happening when you saw her?"

"I saw her at the Fall of Vicus Leodicos. One of the worst disasters to befall the Order in our history. She killed six hundred people that day. Twenty-seven Knights of Iron. Templar Valea Irellia. All of the libraries and supplies we had there. All of it was turned to lava and ash."

"Why? How did you survive?"

"Why? She knows we're hunting her kind. She knows the Iron Order is the only group with the care or the capabilities to stop the Scarred. She wants us gone as bad as we want her dead. And as far as my survival... She had two other Scarred with her. I killed one, big green fellow, belching noxious gas. He's how I got this burn. But... By the time I ran my sword through his head and made my way back to town, there was only smoke. Smoke and dead people. I don't know if the other Scarred was killed, but I know Xotin made it out. I know she's still out there."

-- A conversation between a surviving Knight of Iron and the Council of Steel. --

Of all the Scarred, Xotin reigns supreme. Though she may not be the biggest dragon on record -- far from it, despite her impressive size -- she is by far the most dangerous one encountered by the Iron Order. In the two months since her sighting, she has laid waste to a dozen towns and claimed well over three thousand lives, including some three dozen Knights of Iron. She has rapidly climbed to the Order's most wanted list, and earned her monikers with a murderous zeal unrivaled among her kin.
Reports say that she even has a modicum of cunning remaining in the broiling madness of her mind. If this is true, Xotin could prove to be the most dangerous entity facing Aitreas in a long, long time. Or at least the most well-known one.

Iron Order Records: Xotin

• Monstrous Category: Dragon, Scarred.
• Appearance: Black scales, akin to obsidian or volcanic slate. Cracked and glowing with inner flame. Between 25' and 30' from tail to head, 30' wingspan. Horned head, "like a terrible crown."
• Might have once been a red or bronze dragon, has extreme control over flame and ash. Flame breath burns at temperatures hot enough to melt stone and vaporize bone. Fires caused by her breath burn for upwards of five days.
• Radiates heat of such an intensity to cause intense burns and even death.

Transcript of the Council of Iron's Decision on Xotin

Names have been kept redacted for the purposes of Iron Order security. The goings-on of this Council of Iron are on a need-to-know basis.
"So, the rumors are true."
A silence hangs over the meeting room.
"The Iron Temple at Vicus Leodicos has fallen. And the entire town burned with it... This is going to hurt our chances opening new Temples. People are going to worry that we will bring the problems we're supposed to stop right to their front doors. Especially the Scarred."
"Indeed. People are easily spooked, to be sure. Centuries of good deeds will be forgotten with one disaster. Just look at the Imperium itself."
Grumbles of agreement echo in the quiet room.
"Three Scarred killed over two dozen Knights? And the Templar? And we're to believe that this nobody managed to not only survive, but killed one of those three Scarred?"
"What are you implying? I could count on my own two hands the amount of betrayals we've had in the entire history of our Order, and even then, those only took place during desperate times, during slow times! We've had the most activity since that damnable Imperium was founded, you honestly think a Knight would betray us now? You're a gods-damned fool, ."
Several moments of uncomfortable silence dominate the room.
"Well, what are we going to do? We're Templars because of our experience, not because of our grumblings in our old age."
A few chuckles lighten the mood.
"We're going to hunt down this Xotin, and cut her fucking head off. Mobilize a Crusade. Whatever it takes."