Username: ReedeThe23rd

Character Name: Dathac Metalcrest

Clan and Hold (if any): Clan Metalcrest, Karaz-A-Karak, though he has not been home in over 50 years.

Gender: Male

Age: 100 years

Career/Profession (if any) and Skills: Dathac is a tried and true Dwarf Ranger, skilled in forestry and wilderness exploration and survival, usage of both the crossbow and axes of all kinds, and holder of an extensive knowledge of the wilderness of the Borderlands with many contacts throughout the lands of the Border Princes.

Equipment (Includes weapons, armour and so on) Dathac wears a mix of fitted plates and shaped leather over a chain shirt, all of it darkened and stained for camouflage purposes. Under his armor he wears dyed and colored cloth for blending in to the foliage of the Borderlands. Over all that he wears a cloak given to him years back by a merchant he protected on his way to Barak Varr. The cloak is enchanted, and aides his ability to hide in dense woods or brush.

For weapons, Dathac is armed to the teeth, carrying a quarreler and roughly 40 quarrels, three throwing axes, and a pair of hefty Dwarfish war axes, designed for usage in each hand. He also keeps a small pouch of gunpowder on hand for an improvised explosive, as well as tools for quickly starting a fire, and small doses of poison for usage on either his quarrels or the enemy's food and water supplies.

Dathac also carries a pack of light survival gear, such as a hook and line for fishing, a light bedroll, a grapnel and rope for climbing, and a hooded lantern that can shift from a broad beam to a focused one. Alongside that, he carries a small supply of rations, as well as a map of the Borderlands detailing Ranger caches and potential safe zones, as well as common supply routes between the Border Princes, Barak Varr, and even the rare ones that go to and from Karaz-a-Karak.

Physical Description : Dathac is a sturdy specimen, even for a dwarf. Boasting a large 4 foot 4 inch height, his body is stocky at all angles, well-built from years of rugged travel and fighting. His hair and beard are both thick and tough, a graying black mane that encircles his eyes and nose, with his hair almost reaching to the center of his back, and his beard beginning to near the ground as he closes in on his fated 120th birthday. His nose itself is short and thick, forming a center on which to focus in his face. His eyes are a peering stone gray, constantly darting from spot to spot, identifying potential threats, assets and liabilities.

Background/History: Dathac was originally born and raised in Karaz-a-Karak, and from early on he showed prowess for the skills of a Ranger. Constant questions about the outside world, getting caught slinking about in places he shouldn't, Dathac embodied much of the newfangled beardling personality traits the long beards would spend hours grumbling about. When he came of age to be apprenticed to someone, his clan wasted no time in hoisting him upon the shoulders of the first ranger they could get to take him. Dathac took to it like a beardling to their first ale.

Excelling as a ranger's apprentice, Dathac quickly earned the right to call himself a ranger in his own regard. After years of crawling about in the ruins of the underground roadways that formerly connected Karaz-a-Karak, Dathac requested permission to take leave to the surface, eager to explore the outside world. After much deliberation, and more years spent waiting, Dathac was permitted to explore the service, given a bare map of the area to make way, instructed to watch and guide caravans to Barak Varr. As Dathac performed this task over the years, his duties evolved, fighting raiders and enemies across the Borderlands, and working alongside the dwarf-friendly Border Princes to help them out as well, preserving the careful network of alliances and friendships.

Now Dathac is a seasoned Dawi Ranger, and after hearing rumors of a great gathering in Barak Varr, he makes his way back to the port city he'd visited so many times before, to take part it what might become his greatest adventure.

Username: @Gunther

Character Name: Darin Torblad

Clan and Hold (if any): Clan Holzheim is an old mining clan at the World’s Edge Mountains at Peak Pass or Karak Kadrin. As a member of Clan Holzheim, Darin “Barbossa” Torblad is also a member of the mining guild having joined at his home in Karak Kadrin.

Gender: Male

Age: 96

Career/Profession (if any) and Skills: Clan Holzheim worships Grungni, God of Mining and Stoneworks, mining the World’s Edge Mountains at Karak Kadrin. Many members of Clan Holzheim, including the Torblads have crossed the line from Grungni to Grimnir, God of War, making the Slayers’ Pilgrimage. Like his ancesters, Darin is a Miner. He knows pounding rocks with pick and shoveling dirt and stones into a cart. His sinews are hardened from years of working in the mines. Darin has also participated in battles and skirmishes with Goblins, Orcs, Elves and Trolls gaining experience in battle.

Equipment (Includes weapons, armor and so on) Darin carries a two and a half foot battle axe as his primary weapon, but is also proficient in the use of a pick axe as a weapon. He has some training in the use of bow and arrow but does not carry one. He also carries a hand axe and dagger on his belt. Darin carries a leather back pack, three weeks rations, candles, flint and tinder, 3 flasks of oil, small leather pouch containing coins, 100' of rope and religious symbols for both Grungni and Grimnir. Inside the small leather pouch are five gold, thirteen silver and eight copper coins.

Physical Description: Darin is 96 years old, standing 4' 2" tall and weighing 210 Lbs. He has red hair and beard with black eyes. His red beard (Barbarossa) is often decorated with braids. "Barbarosa" as he is known by those in the Mining Guild of Karak Kadrin wears banded, (leather/iron) armor: chest, grieves, shin guards, boots, mantle, forearm guards, gauntlets, and battle helm with horns. When not wearing his armor, Darin also has a cloak, under tunic, wool trousers, low leather boots, Leather belt, and over tunic

Background/History: Darin was born and raised in Karak Kadrin, also known as the Slayer’s Keep. This Dwarven stronghold guards a region of mountainous passes known simply as Peak Pass. It is an important trading route running through the World’s Edge Mountains from the distant east to the Old world. It is in close proximity to the Human world and thereby contains a Human Quarter with larger architecture than the rest of the city.

Due to its location, Karak Kadrin is both a waypoint along a wealthy trading route and a popular spot for invasions passing in either direction. Because of this fact, it has attracted the attention of a group of warriors known as the Dwarven Slayers. Karak Kadrin has been the Slayers’ home for centuries and their influence is present throughout the city, which is often known as “Slayer Keep.” A large temple has been erected at the Peak Pass strong hold to worship Grimnir, the Dwarf Ancester God of fearlessness and fighting spirit or simply, God of War. Everyone hailing from the city is imbued with similar quantities of fearlessness and a fighting spirit.

The Fighting spirit was not lost on Darin Torblad. His family lived in the mining district and worked the mines for centuries. His great great grandfather, Thurrik Torblad was elevated to the position of Mining Elder and sits on the council of elders in Karak Kadrin. Darin’s line of ancestors from Thurrik to himself are still alive, all of whom reside at Karak Kadrin. His great grandfather, Fodrunn repairs mining tools and weapons at the primary mining forge. His grandfather, Londrec mines along with his father, Doldrun. Darin has four brothers; Yorrick, Garber, Thamarack and Bjordrin. Darin has fifteen first cousins, thirty-five second cousins and fifty-eight third cousins who all work the mines at Karak Kadrin. The Slayer Keep is home to Darin’s family. Not all use the surname Torblad. Some go by their clan name Holzheim and a several offshoots of the clan go by Bissingen, Türsheim and Torwirth.

Darin Torblad acquired the nickname Barbarossa later in his youth as he grew his flaming red beard. The humans of a nearby community had given him the moniker and it stuck. In one of the human tongues, the name means, "Red Beard". Darin is usually even tempered but tends to get the dander up when someone other than a dwarf makes derogatory comments about the Dwarves of Peak Pass. He is quick to ire and ready to fight if the wrong person says the wrong thing. If the comments continue, Barbarossa's face turns red. He will make every effort to contain his anger. If it continues, he will as politely as he can tell the offending person, to kindly shut the hell up. If the person does not heed his warning, he will jump into a fight and expect any dwarf within earshot to join him.

Throughout Darin’s life as a Dwarf of the Peak Pass, he has found himself in hostile struggles alongside a few Slayers as well as simple miners like himself. Most of these struggles he was armed with either his battle axe, which he has taken to calling, Aderlatning an old Dwarven word for “Bloodletting”. He has fought against Goblins, Orcs, Elves and Trolls during these random encounters in the hinterlands.

When Darin was 65 years old, he and twenty-four other dwarves encountered a group of three Mountain Trolls. The young Dwarf was terrified of the Trolls primarily because of their size but was able to get in a few hits before the beasts fell. Seventeen of his brothers survived the encounter, losing eight to the Trolls. Three of his cousins died and one lost his left arm in the fight.

Darin has come to a point in his life, where he has considered making the pilgrimage for the Slayer’s of Karak Kadrin. He does not know if he truly wants to commit himself completely to Grimnir. This question he must resolve in his mind. He has left the stronghold to join a party of adventurers in order to determine if this is the path he wishes to follow. He will fight for a group of friends in search of finding the answer to his dilemma. This is his personal quest.

Username: Lady Selune

Character Name: Sadwe Braybreaker

Clan and Hold (if any): Karak Norn

Gender: Female

Age: 145

Career/Profession (if any) and Skills: A thunderer is, relatively speaking, a new role within the dwarvish community. This does not mean, however, that it is any less effective at slaying the foes of the various holds. As a thunderer, Sadwe is well trained in the usage of most firearms, with a particular proclivity for the grudgeraker. Besides her skill with firearms, she's also a dab hand with a needle- be it stitching clothes or people back together, and, although no engineer, can maintain enough equipment to not be a burden when something breaks.

Equipment:

• Grudgeraker: A rather expensive and well-detailed gruderaker to boot. With gold inlay, runic carvings of grudges yet to be fufilled and an eye for detail that could only be gotten from a dawi, it's truly a well-made piece of equipment. Beyond its beauty, the love and attention that it has received are clear- the weapon never complains when its used, and is always well maintained, all working parts greased and oiled, and bullets ever-ready to thrum out Sadwe's hatred.
• Hammer and shield: Fairly standard fare that any dwarf should be familiar with. A heavy single-handed warhammer for smashing skulls in, without much pomp and circumstance surrounding it, and a thick, sturdy shields to ensure that her own skull isn't bashed in. The shield looks a little nicer than the hammer- with a polished rim and the dual-headed axe of Karak Norn laid over the front of it, but neither item looks quite like Sadwe's grudgeraker.
• Thunderer armour: Not the most resilient of equipment ever used by a Dawi, the armour that thunderers wear is at least sturdy enough to deflect a bolt or catch an axeblow without leaving the wearer bleeding out. Consisting of a full-length chainmail garment, under which padded cloth has been layered carefully, all painted with a hefty splash of red and white- the colours of her native hold.
• Gromril ring: Shining bright on her ring finger of her left hand, any attempts to discern quite how she got a ring of such a precious material are quickly and sternly shut down by Sadwe.
• Travelling supplies: Sadwe's more weighed down than a ranger with her rucksack. Everything that she could possibly need has been neatly organised and packed down tightly, including plenty of food, ammunition, spare changes of clothing, tools to tinker with her grudgeraker and much more besides.

Physical Description: A stocky and somewhat portly lass, Sadwe used to very much be the ideal figure of a dawi female. Now though, years of fighting and training have left her significantly more slim, not that any dwarf with a lick of sense would try to offer their hand to her any more. She has a stern but kindly expression almost permanently etched on her face- any hints of other emotions deeply buried inside of her.

Although not young by any means, Sadwe is not a long-haired lass yet. Her hair, a deep rich brown colour that has only recently begun to have the tinge of silver come into it is clearly well-cared for as is traditional, with the braids done with painstaking detail and held together with fine golden rings.

Background/History: Growing up in Karak Norn, Sadwe learned two things. One, the world was dangerous and unfair, and two, that she was destined to be married off to some long-bearded lad and pump out stunties, a future which she was remarkably ambivalent towards. Even throughout her childhood she showed relative contentment with her life.

The short amount of time she was married was not an unhappy time in her life, but it ended far too fast. A Gor raid ended the life of her husband and her father in one fell swoop, and the previously mild Sadwe revealed a hardened side to her that might have otherwise never come out. There were few objections when she took up the mantle of thunderer- and even fewer once she left them in order to fulfil her oath of killing the same Gor that butchered her family.

Although Barak Varr might be out of her way, the gathering there cannot be ignored. Shouldering her pack once more, she has prepared to voyage out- a great quest to participate in, and maybe, just maybe a chance to strike a few lines off the Dammaz Kron.

Username: Jbcool

Character Name: Aina Jyrisdóttir

Clan and Hold (if any): Formerly Karak Azul, nowhere now.

Gender: Female

Age: Unknown, and it's rude to ask.

Career/Profession (if any) and Skills: It is uncertain what Aina may once have been – a housewife, a mother or daughter or sister, perhaps a priestess – but what is clear without a shadow of a doubt is that that was a long time ago, and that she is none of those things any more.

At a point in her life, a time that has even receded into the back of her mind, she made the trek from Karak Azul to Karaz-a-Karak and from there to Karak Kadrin along the ancient trading routes of her people; it was there that she swore the sacred oath to Grimnir (not without some opposition to her doing so it must be said) and shaved off the finely plaited tails that dangled on either side of her head, stiffened the remainder into the iconic orange mohawk, and marked herself with ink.

As a slayer she has been unsuccessful in finding her doom, though much more prosperous in gaining the skills that had (unfortunately) kept her alive since she took the oath!

Like all slayers she has developed a particular skill and fondness for close-quarter weapons, disdaining anything that might kill ones enemies from a distance, as well as training and developing the almost psychopathic mindset needed to either face-down or die to the worst that the world can throw at you. Minor skills in outdoor survival have also become hers – for tis a shameful thing for a slayer to die of starvation! - while, outside of combat prowess, a seemingly encyclopedic knowledge of foes both great and small would be her most valuable skill.

Equipment (Includes weapons, armour and so on) Slayers, by their very nature, have never had much need for much in the way of anything; Aina follows this tradition, cladding her body in a simple pair of sturdy boots, that then lead up to a pair of loose woollen trousers belted at the waist, and a simple wrap-about thong/strap to keep her considerable womanly assets in check during combat.

Outside of this – and perhaps a cloak during the colder seasons (no slayer wishes to die from hyperthermia or a cold) – she carries a small clay pipe, and her favoured weapon which, oddly for a cult that favours the raw striking power of a good axe, is actually a well-forged poleaxe. As a backup she has a hand-axe tucked into her belt, and a dagger in the top of one boot.

Physical Description : Aina is more-or-less the essence of what a woman may be if she were to shed all femininity and instead dedicate herself to the 'wrath' that is apparently the core of a woman scorned.

All-in-all she carries the physique of her masculine kin, though shorter in height perhaps and with a more angular face, her muscular figure earned through hardship and the killing of others while inked markings and scars mingle over her body from her head to her legs. Some stand out more than others, such as the puckered scar tissue running down her back or the runic markings on the shaven parts of her skull, but throughout her 'career' she has attained pretty balanced mass of both.

Her full lips may once have smiled, her shimmering blue eyes may once have kept joy within them, neither now show a sign of either.

Background/History:

There are many theories as to who Aina was – she isn't big on revealing her past, and most that she may have told are now dead one way or another – and these range from the exiled daughter of a Dwarfen king all the way to a simple wife who's entire family was massacred by Greenskins.

It is genuine that she may once have been a 'normal' Dwarf, and a woman at that, who may have married and had a family and never set foot outside her hold - something or someone took that away from her, something so bad that it caused her to snap, caused her to make her way north to the Slayer Hold and abandon any hope she may have had of rejoining civilised society.

Username: @Andreyich

Character Name: Karlig Azmarand

Clan and Hold (if any): Karak Hirn Engineer's Guild

Gender: Male

Age: 192

Career/Profession and Skills:
Karlig Az is an Engineer of quite considerable skill. He has learned much from both men and Dwarfs in tinkery, alchemy, and sciences as a whole. He is a decent shot, though outside of firepower he relies largely on his steam-axe simply breaking his foe's weapon

Equipment:
He has a rifle that possesses elements of both Dwarven Rifles and the Imperial Hochland Long-rifle. It has a scope and long (for a Dwarf) barrel, rifled grooves, a reinforced but flared muzzle to allow it's use as a blunderbuss, an intricate firing mechanism, and many other important intricacies. In addition, he has a pistol also very similar to Imperial repeater pistols with six rifled barrels loaded from the back. He is protected with rather thick scale-mail, each scale shaped like a cog for both aesthetics and to help them interlock for more protection, his head covered by a thick leather coif and horned helmet. For close combat he has an axe sized somewhere between a one and two handed variant, but perhaps most noted is the steam-powered nature of it. The weapon is a passion project in which eccentric Runesmiths assisted him. The rapidly moving axe-head allows him to quickly get through armour and barriers he faces alike, not to mention gorily splitting what flesh it touches.

Physical Description: He is rather normal in height for a Dwarf at 3'11, possessing a fiery red but finely trimmed beard and whiskers, bark brown eyes and shortly cropped hair to make his leather coif with helmet fit tighter. Even for a Dwarf his nose is quite round and red giving the impression of a strawberry, along with a thick ginger unibrow.

Background/History:
Karlig was born to a family of Dwarfs in a Tilean Dwarfen quarter. As for many city Dwarfs, their life was far more liberalized with but a small fraction of the regimented traditional nature that Mountain Dwarfs had. He was relatively free to explore the city, visiting the Engineers, Alchemists, and Architects guilds of the humans to try and find his vocation. In truth, he found much interest in all of these fields, but he suffered for he was not able to go forth with his true calling, Dwarfen Engineering, the work that combined all of these into one glorious art.

Just before coming of age, he informed his family that he would head to the nearest Dwarven Hold - Karak Hirn - to find where he truly belongs. Leaving them little time to interject he swiftly packed his things, and joined the caravan going towards his ancestral home.

Once he finally reached it, he knew the choice was right. The amount of like-minded people around him, the great designs, the wondrous sense of Hearth and Home. The first thing he did was promptly go forth to the Engineer's Guild, and ask to be taken in. He was met with much skepticism and even some laughter. However, once asked for a demonstration of his knowledge their doubts were somewhat mollified as the umgi appeared to not be as daft in their teaching as they had heard. If they took him on and he was a flop, little effort was wasted, but if he was a success then much good would come to Karak Hirn from this.

Thus Karlig became an apprentice Engineer, but not without difficulty. So far from his place of birth his studies were slowed down for he had to spend much of each day in the mines working for sustenance. But though this meant he started behind, he eventually was able to synthesize earning of his keep and his studies as he began fixing dysfunctional mechanisms around the hold.

Many decades passed and Karlig barely noticed as he passed his first century of life and began to approach his second. Though not a Master in his own rite, it was deemed that Karlig had learned as much from these Engineers as he could, and it was recommended he see other lands. It was suggested to him by another Engineer that he could lift him to Barak-Varr on his Gyrocopter for he had business to attend to, and Karlig agreed. So, not knowing quite where fate will lead him he goes to a new Hold!