## The Storm King, Warden of the Tempest Throne **Name:** King Vaelthor **Title(s):** The Storm King, Warden of the Tempest Throne **Classification:** Elder Giant (Storm Giant Paragon) **Alignment:** Lawful Neutral **Realm:** [[Vael’Koraal]], Fortress of Windstone and Tempest Crystal --- ### Overview King Vaelthor of [[Vael’Koraal]] is not merely a ruler—he is a remnant of an age when giants communed with the divine winds and upheld the balance between storm and silence. He is the last of the true Skyward Kings, the titanic wardens chosen to steward the storm itself and keep celestial order. Vaelthor once stood shoulder-to-shoulder with gods and titans, not in worship but in solemn pact. His dominion was the upper world—the ancient skies where thunder was law and lightning, judgment. Though those days have faded into myth, Vaelthor remains. His home, [[Vael’Koraal]], is a vast fortress of windstone and tempest crystal, hidden high above the storm clouds. Mortals who encounter him find a towering figure of both awe and sorrow. For while Vaelthor protects Solare, he mourns it too—the betrayal of the Cloud Giants, the loss of unity among his kind, and the rise of chaotic forces like [[Anam]]. Still, the Storm King endures, testing the hearts of mortals who seek his aid. Only those who prove themselves before the winds may stand with him. He is thunder given form. Judgment carved in sky. And his voice shakes mountains. --- ### Personality & Traits - **Ancient Gravitas:** Vaelthor speaks like scripture carved into stone. Every word is deliberate, every sentence a verdict. - **Protective but Testing:** Mortals are precious, but flawed. He grants no loyalty without trial. - **Storm-Forged Honor:** Lies are loathsome to him. He prizes truth, loyalty, and courage—nothing less. - **Wrathful When Provoked:** Rarely shows rage, but when unleashed, his fury is cataclysmic. --- ### Vaelthor’s Presence & Appearance - **Size of Judgment:** Towering over most giants, his skin crackles with barely restrained electricity. - **Crown of Stormlight:** His helm glows with eternal lightning, a relic of the Pact of the Winds. - **Stormforged Plate:** Armor sculpted from sky-forged steel and runes that dance with thunder. - **Eyes Like Storm Centers:** Rolling with clouds, glowing azure and white—seeing not just into people, but through them. **Notable Quote:** _“The storm does not ask. It warns. Then it acts.”_ —King Vaelthor, speaking to a mortal envoy who questioned his silence. --- ### Role in the World - **Warden of Balance:** Vaelthor believes the world must be protected from chaos, not controlled. He intervenes only when the scales are broken. - **Test of Worth:** Mortals who seek him must endure the Trial of Winds—a test of truth, endurance, and self-control. - **Enemy of [[Anam]]:** He views the lich as an abomination who would turn the storm into silence. He has vowed to see [[Anam]] unmade. - **Estranged from the Cloud Giants:** Their lust for conquest shattered their covenant. Vaelthor now sees them as fallen kin. --- ### How to Roleplay Him - Speak slowly and formally. Use metaphors of wind, thunder, judgment, and weight. - Show emotion rarely—but when you do, it should shake the scene. - Offer trials, not gifts. Make others earn his aid. - Treat words like actions: when he speaks, things happen. --- ### Combat Style - **Mythic Juggernaut:** Vaelthor is built for legendary endurance. His paragon actions, storm auras, and mythic phase make him a multi-phase boss. - **Thunderous Field Control:** He commands space with auras, shockwaves, and forced movement. - **Retributive Defender:** With reactions like Storm Parry and Storm Step, he punishes attackers. - **Ultimate Phase – Wrath of the Tempest King:** When he falls, he rises empowered with divine storms. In this form, few can survive. --- ### Final Thoughts: The Thunder-Forged King Vaelthor is the perfect paragon to challenge players on honor, endurance, and self-mastery. He is not evil, nor is he easily swayed. He serves the balance of Solare by ensuring mortals are not led astray by chaos or pride. If he chooses to fight alongside the party, his oath is eternal. If they fail his test, his wrath will be equally so. He is the storm that waits. And the storm never forgets.