Description
This dwarf stands grim and resolute, a few inches over four feet tall. His
shoulders span an impressive width, broad with the musculature that comes
with many hard battles, and the weight of dedication to his craft. His
burly form is adorned with a meticulously maintained beard, the pride of any
dwarf, that interweaves white and brown hair, a single fine mesh in the
middle framed by two thicker braids bound by two plain, wide bands, hangs
nearly to his belt. Not a single hair is out of place, and speaks to
agonizing maintenance.
A pair of bright, light blue eyes peer out from above a straight and sharp
nose, and the fine-line eyebrows contrast starkly with the luxurious hair of
his beard. Poking through the beard is the firm line of his lips, though a
tearing scar runs through them, having ripped through the upper lip and
leaving much of it uneven. His limbs, short and stout as the rest of him,
flex and twitch even at rest, always eager to be put to use. Dark tattoos,
weaving intricate patterns of traditional dwarven style, peek through gaps
in his armor.
Role
Coming of Age
Added Fri Jan 12 23:30:50 2024 at level 51:
Horfik pulled the blade from the quenching oil, excitement and anxiety clear
on his bearded face.
The smithing masters were gathered around, ostensibly there to render
judgement, but they all knew it was just a formality.
They had seen his body of work during his apprenticeship, and it was already
sufficient to make him a proper blacksmith.
Horfik hails from the Smokebeard clan, so named for an ancestor who, so
focused was he on his forging, had allowed his entire beard to be singed off
by a stray ember before he took notice of it.
Forging was in his blood, and he took to it with an intensity few others could
claim to match.
The product was as the masters expected. Balanced, strong but pliable, and
without flaw. Functional.
The masters passed it amongst themselves for close inspection, each giving
their blessing and praise for the craftsmanship.
But Horfik was disappointed. He longed for more than just a proper edge and
weight. He wanted to forge metal into greatness, like the masterworks of old.
The masters saw the expression written on the younger dwarf's face. They
looked at each other before nodding at once, as if sharing a single mind.
The one currently holding the blade took it in his calloused hands and
shattered it upon the anvil.
Words of the Masters
Added Fri Jan 12 23:32:49 2024 at level 51:
"Git this rubbish gone from me forge, boy."
"Aye, if ye refusin te be proper learnin from us, ye can be gone. Else ye can
be makin nails till yer beard be grey."
The eyes of one narrowed. "Git yerself some real experience. Ye cannah be
makin a sharp blade if yer own sense be dull."
"Aye, maybe knock her hard head on some duergar skulls and ye might be figurin
what a hammer be fer!"
They all laughed, and Horfik smiled.
He had enough sense to know what they were doing.
Seeing Horfik's expression, they dropped the charade.
"I promised yer father down in them tunnels that I'd be makin sure ye were
raised right and learned all we could be teachin."
"So if ye be wantin more, and I be seen it in yer eye, then ye be needin to
learn not just how to make em, but how te wield em. And once ye doin that,
then becomin a weapon yerself."
"Aye, so go be killin some mages!"
"Feh, you and them mages ye old fart, he could be makin a better name for
hisself in tha Brigade!"
"Aye, and a right brave one at that. Ye remember he were a wee sprat and got
inter his thick head he were gonna be tha bait fer tha orc traps, an since 'e
wouldn' hear elsewise, we worked em till 'is legs were mush and he couln' git
outta bed!"
They all laughed uproariously at the retelling, and Horfik's ears grew a shade
redder.
"Ye'll make a fine leader..."
"Commander!" one interrupted.
"Shove it! Anyway, ye'll make a fine leader one day Horfik. And when ye fin'
yerself covered in duergar n' dark mage bits, the fire still burnin in yer
belly, the forge'll be callin. Tha's when ye be makin tha real work yer
lookin fer."
The masters stood together, and each took it in turn to slap Horfik on the
shoulder. He was quite sore there by the end, but he did not show it.
"So be leavin, and it aint no choice. We bein fine from tha orcs and duergar
wi' out yer scrawny arse. Ye can be comin back wit yer masterwork."
They all nodded, and it was time to go.
Leaving Home and Finding Home
Added Sat Jan 13 17:39:09 2024 at level 51:
So he made his way from the mountains of his home.
Already he missed the warmth of the forge fires.
Despite the wishes of some, he had no disdain for magic. Indeed, he felt
magic was like any tool to be used to forge something great.
His mind pictured the object he wished to forge. He first pictured a forge
hammer. But that was too simple, and too much for himself. It should be
pure, meant to be held in the hands of the righteous as they cut a swath of
destruction through hordes of duergar and orcs.
But nothing further would come to him. Just vague images. He would need to
temper his mind through battle to really come up with a concrete plan in his
mind.
But what he did think of lead him to his next path - to join the Holy Brigade
of the Phoenix as a squire.
And so he did.
Next Steps and Future Goals
Added Sat Jan 13 17:39:54 2024 at level 51:
It took him time to prove himself, but before long, he stood triumphant over
his first minion of darkness.
And then more fell before his hammers.
The fire burned hot in his belly, and he drew the image of the weapon he would
one day forge in his mind, and knew it would require the blessing of an
Immortal to be as great as it could be.
So he would have to prove himself to one of them that matched himself and his
goals.
Only one stood out strongly in his mind - Baerinika of the Misty Ruins,
Goddess of the Fortress.
He would ask for Her blessing on his path, and strive to have the strength and
courage enough to shape himself into a warrior worthy of Her blessing.
His path continues.
PK Wins
Dec 28, 2023|Lv 35|Thar-Acacia|Helnavra vs 1: [35] Horfik (100%, divine power)
Dec 28, 2023|Lv 35|Galadon|Shayor vs 1: [35] Horfik (100%, divine power)
Jan 1, 2024 |Lv 37|Keep of Ceawlin|Rheagys vs 1: [37] Horfik (100%, crushing force)
Jan 1, 2024 |Lv 38|Thar-Acacia|Rheagys vs 1: [38] Horfik (100%, divine power)
Jan 2, 2024 |Lv 38|The Eastern Road|Vahkun vs 1: [38] Horfik (100%, cranial hit)
Jan 3, 2024 |Lv 39|The Eastern Road|Malezathran vs 1: [39] Horfik (100%, crushing force)
Jan 3, 2024 |Lv 39|Galadon|Llortos vs 1: [39] Horfik (100%, cranial hit)
Jan 12, 2024|Lv 51|The Coastal Plains|Darbod vs 1: [51] Horfik (100%, frigid smash)
Jan 13, 2024|Lv 51|The Ruins of Ostalagiah|Irgech vs 1: [51] Horfik (100%, divine power)
Jan 13, 2024|Lv 51|Hamsah Mu'tazz|Irgech vs 2: [51] Kelkalan (25%), [51] Horfik (74%, frigid smash)
Jan 13, 2024|Lv 51|The Redhorn Mountains|Irgech vs 4: [42] Usanaar (18%), [51] Kelkalan (19%, bleeding artery), [51] Zekeilial (32%), [51] Horfik (29%)
Jan 14, 2024|Lv 51|The Galadon Sewers|Irgech vs 1: [51] Horfik (100%, divine power)
Jan 15, 2024|Lv 51|The Imperial Palace|Zwelgham vs 1: [51] Horfik (100%, divine power)
Jan 15, 2024|Lv 51|The Eastern Road|Darbod vs 1: [51] Horfik (100%, frigid smash)
Jan 15, 2024|Lv 51|Outside Hamsah Mu'tazz|Darbod vs 1: [51] Horfik (100%, drumming maces)
Jan 18, 2024|Lv 51|The Imperial Lands|Ansudae vs 2: [51] Bazz (68%, punch), [51] Horfik (31%)
Jan 18, 2024|Lv 51|The Imperial Palace|Jezzrima vs 2: [51] Bazz (38%), [51] Horfik (61%, cranial hit)
Jan 20, 2024|Lv 51|The Ruins of Ostalagiah|Ogahn vs 3: [51] Coqui (9%), [51] Horfik (59%, crushing force), [51] Ryfin (30%)
Jan 23, 2024|Lv 51|The Eastern Road|Watclawsh vs 2: [51] Horfik (86%, cranial hit), [51] Flaccua (13%)
Jan 26, 2024|Lv 51|Akan|Ogahn vs 3: [51] Ryfin (85%), [45] Ivyln (0%), [51] Horfik (14%, smash)
Jan 27, 2024|Lv 51|Grinning Skull Village|Zurga vs 1: [51] Horfik (100%, parting blow)
Feb 2, 2024 |Lv 51|Domain of Eternal Night|Iskrith vs 3: [51] Coqui (5%), [51] Phavoen (37%), [51] Horfik (57%, crushing force)
Feb 3, 2024 |Lv 51|The Eastern Road|Ogahn vs 2: [51] Horfik (24%), [51] Atrael (75%, hit)
Feb 3, 2024 |Lv 51|The Eastern Road|Ogahn vs 3: [51] Dhuuston (8%), [51] Horfik (85%, drumming maces), [51] Flaccua (5%)
Feb 14, 2024|Lv 51|The Tahril Mountains|Idrepi vs 1: [51] Horfik (100%, crushing force)
PK Deaths
Jan 10, 2024|Lv 51|Underdark|vs 1: [51] Iskrith (100%, KB)
Jan 12, 2024|Lv 51|Fortress of Light|vs 2: [51] Iskrith (18%), [51] Watclawsh (81%, savage feeding)
Jan 16, 2024|Lv 51|The Ruins of Ostalagiah|vs 3: [51] Slihnx (26%), [51] Celatrix (2%), [51] Betrah (70%, chop)
Jan 19, 2024|Lv 51|The Ruins of Ostalagiah|vs 1: [51] Ogahn (100%, brutal attack)
Jan 28, 2024|Lv 51|The Eastern Road|vs 2: [51] Aesrii (3%), [51] Ogahn (96%, chop)
Jan 29, 2024|Lv 51|Galadon|vs 1: [51] Iskrith (100%, defilement)
Feb 5, 2024 |Lv 51|Eil Shaeria|vs 2: [51] Iskrith (69%, claw), [51] Skaya (30%)
Feb 16, 2024|Lv 51|Fortress of Light|vs 1: [51] Wumrg (100%, defilement)