Koth Darkclaw

Blacklisted Guild Member.

Shapechanger (Sabretooth Tiger), and Black Mage. Joined Guild 762 WK, Blacklisted 767 WK, after the deaths on adventure of two fellow Guild members following a confrontation with his demon master Belial.

Met by Guild party on adventure "the Progress of Disease II in Winter of 788, where he kidnapped Amelia and threatened her by summoning first Belial and then Asmoday, both of whom he appeared to be working for -- each believing that he was a double agent in the other's camp. After Amelia escaped he ambused the party in the wilderness and forced them to hand over a magical book, one of the Books of Carroc.

Met again in Winter 798 by the party on adventure "Overdue Library Books" after the other three volumes of the Books of Carroc went missing following Rashak's attack on the Guild.

Koth apparently ended up with all four books and is presumably learning their dark magics.

Physical Description

When not in animal form Koth appears to be a fairly unremarkable human. Average height and build, saturnine appearance, dark hair, goatee beard.

In 788 when he gained the first of Carroc's books he appeared to be in his mid-40's, but ten years later he appeared to be in his mid-30's. It is likely that this unusual aging was a result of his possession and use of the first book.

Known Associates

Klaude Darkclaw

Koth's son. Also a Shapechager (Sabretooth Tiger). Known to be a mage but College unknown.

Familiars

Koth has been seen with two familiars at the same time (in 798). One may have Illusion magics, the other Mind. Some suggestion that they are more powerful than standard imps.

Game Background

-- being an extract from Rogues Gallery -- An Examination of the Guild's Blacklisted Members, an unpublished work by Guild Historian, Hieronomous Haynes the Elder. (After his death in 787 WK the council decided not to proceed with publication, fearing damage to the Guild's good reputation).

Koth Darkclaw -- Servant of Darkness.

Koth Darkclaw spoke little of his childhood to anyone in the Guild, an we are unable to say much for certain about him. He is believed to have been born sometime around 1940 AP in the north eastern part of the Sea of Grass. We know that he grew up largely alone and as an outcast from his tribe once his unusual nature was discovered. Koth was a shapechanger, never greatly loved by the Plains barbarians, and he was rather special even for that uncommon breed, being able to change to the form of a giant, sabre-tooth tiger.

By the time that Koth came north in the summer of '62 he was already and accomplished spy, assassin and black magician, and is said to have done considerable work for the then Khan of Knega and several of the noble families of the Five Sisters. He joined the Guild in the autumn of 62. There was significant debate at the time as to the wisdom of accepting for membership someone with such a background and reputation, and one who was known to have a pact with the Dark Powers. However, with the exercise of his not inconsiderable charm, and with the patronage of the legendary Aloysius Took, Koth was granted probationary membership.

Throughout his rather undistinguished Guild career Koth specialised in the darkest, seediest and most unpleasant missions, often involving undead or the minions of darkness, and it is perhaps in this that we can see the seeds of his eventual downfall planted. He is described by those who knew him as surly and uncommunicative, and possessed of dark secrets.

The exact events of that terrible summer in '67 may never be known. Of the five persons involved, other than Koth himself, Don Coroleone and Silk Shadowdancer died on the mission, and Faedrin the Ranger was murdered shortly thereafter attempting to bring the renegade Koth to justice. The information of the survivors was sketchy and somewhat conflicting. The bare facts that can be deduced from the stories of Aloysius Took and Faedrin are that the party, making investigation into some dark dealings, ran afoul of Belial, the "King of Fire". It was with this foul demon that Koth had his pact, and Koth betrayed his companions to side with his "master". Elmer Green, the other survivor, was dead during much of what transpired and was unable to add further comment. He reappeared later, revived by persons unknown -- another of the mysteries surrounding these events. Both Aloysius and Faedrin were reluctant to speak of what happened, understandable perhaps in the wake of the deaths of two of their trusted companions and friends.

It adds to the tragedy and speaks further condemnation of the man that the upstanding Guild members that Koth abandoned to die on that last, fateful mission, were all well known to him, having quested with each of them on several previous occasions.

Koth did not return to Seagate with the party but rather chose to flee into the badlands around "Sith's Revenge" and was tried and blacklisted in absentia.