- Pronouns
- He/Him
Slimy_Froggy
Patron
Khorug Stenahurr, The Dwarf of a bygone age.
"Unco neir wakur, unco neir Dwargar."
"A new day, a new Dwarf."
Name: Khorug Stenahurr
Nickname/Titles:
Khorug in short: Conservative Traditionalist. He's a very short and broad Dwarf. He is a very spiritual Dwarf. His whole conscious bend on Dwarven values and Korog's will. He's got tattoos of words from the holy scriptures tattooed all over his body including his face. He is a very grumpy Dwarf, with a relative short fuse when dealing with strangers. He's now putting all his efforts into finding and establishing a Dwarven town.
Appearance: Khorug looks scary. He has four scars on his bald head that he sliced himself at young age, in order to show the division of the scriptures that are tattooed into his skin. He is very short, even for a dwarf, and has a broad build. His body is a bit muscular. He neutral expression is that of a sad grumpiness. He comes off as hostile, but his behavior is merely a consequence of his Traditional Dwarven attitude and values. Values that no longer fit within this new world.
Age: 206
Date of Birth: 2100, 14th of Ghostmoon.
Date of Death: 2305? Year of the Pinnacle (2017), by the hand of an angry mob invading Hurr Nor.
Date of Rebirth: 2306, by the efforts of Archon
Homeland: Kharuk-Tol
Current Home:
Race: Dwarf
Height: 0,9 m - quite short, shrunken by old age and walks a bit bent, making him even shorter
Weight: 50 Kg
Hair: None on his head, his beard is a bright white, the color of snow. He wears his beard in braids, from his sideburns to the tip of his chin his hair increases in length. He takes great pride in beard-hygiene.
Eyes: Faded Grey, he chose during his rebirth to lose the magic of Tzemik and become once again very short-sighted.
Skin: wrinkled and pale, with a lot of marks of old age. It is of a stone-grey tone after the spell 'Strange' cast on him. Tattoos cover most of his head, they are runic scriptures of holy texts of Korog.
[Khorug's Character]
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral.
Political Alignment: x
Voice: Speaks similar to Yoda, having trouble making sentences from Horgaahn to Common, his grammar is the same too.
Strengths:
- Khorug is a clever Dwarf.
- He's got a taste for power.
- Khorug used to be blind and was a priest of Korog, which results in very little combat experience. He can hardly dodge anything coming towards him.
- Dwarven traditionalism:
- racist
- expects to be treated with respect
- enjoys valuables a lot
- prejudiced
- short fused
- stubborn
- Khorug has denounced the ways of Korog and thus became a Heretic.
- After being Godless for short time, he turned to Silas, for Khorug documents all Dwarven events as Dwarven Scribe.
- Jishrim has entered his thoughts as well, as he barely sees the sun and stays mostly in the horrifying screams of Da Dárud Thrial. Jishrim also seems to play into his doubts and insecurities about leaving Korog.
- Was a pawn of Jishrim during the last months of his life, and again during the first of his Revenant state.
- Denounced Jishrim after being rebirthed by the efforts of Archon and Shalheranna
Languages: Common and Horgaahn.
Profession: x
Hygiene: Typical to bad for a Dwarf. His beard is probably the most hygienic of all things.
possessions of special value:
His golden arm-bands
Current Goals: These sometimes change faster than I can update em!
To find his purpose in Altera again, but stick to his tradition.
[Relations]
Trusted:
Respected:
Erik Stenashieldur, BoredBrit the Dwarf that brought him to a Dwarven home when he got kicked out of his own.
"His leadership is taking shape now. If he'd ever try for the crown, I'd be by his side, recording his every step."
Tzemik the Healer, Michcat the Nakat that has given back eyesight to Khorug.
"Although I have never seen her, I respect her deeply. I hope one day I can return the favor, for nine-thousand radiants is not enough for what she gave me in return: my sight."
Befriended:
Kris Linkoln, SirLuamTehDoge , One of the Dwarves of Aeroch Rimtar which he meets with often.
"Kris knows how to maintain relationships. He's more social than you're average Dwarf, The way he estimates people's character is incredible."
Liked:
Dwarves, Halflings
Neutral:
Humans
Unsure of:
Nakam, Caparii.
"Crazy creatures, too much like animals. Animals are unpredictable. So are they..."
Wary of:
Greyling, Earthspawn, Elf.
"I've learnt from the past not to deal with evil beasts like Greylings and Earthspawn, other than deal with them with an axe and a splitting skull. Elves? Don't start! They've cheated us out of many a deal before, and their affection for nature is ridiculous. I won't slay an Elf on sight, of course not, but I'm wary when in their presence."
Afraid of:
Korog, The Dwarven God he denounced when seeking refuge to heal his eyesight somewhere else.
"I know he knows... He took my power of geomancing, he'll smite me one day. I wonder whether he'd ever forgive me, I'm sure he knows I can do so much more for him now that I can see. Yet, why didn't he bless me with eyesight, if he knew? So much DOUBT!"
Thôrdil Bárámur, Jasper151627237 , The Dwarven Steelsmith that agreed to make the crown for King Erik.
"Thôrdil was the smithing mentor of Erik's mentor. There's no better Dwarf than him to create Erik's crown. Yet, he's become very Undwarvish; the only thing he's true to now is his forge."
Disliked:
Hated:
Forgotten:
Respected:
Erik Stenashieldur, BoredBrit the Dwarf that brought him to a Dwarven home when he got kicked out of his own.
"His leadership is taking shape now. If he'd ever try for the crown, I'd be by his side, recording his every step."
Tzemik the Healer, Michcat the Nakat that has given back eyesight to Khorug.
"Although I have never seen her, I respect her deeply. I hope one day I can return the favor, for nine-thousand radiants is not enough for what she gave me in return: my sight."
Befriended:
Kris Linkoln, SirLuamTehDoge , One of the Dwarves of Aeroch Rimtar which he meets with often.
"Kris knows how to maintain relationships. He's more social than you're average Dwarf, The way he estimates people's character is incredible."
Liked:
Dwarves, Halflings
Neutral:
Humans
Unsure of:
Nakam, Caparii.
"Crazy creatures, too much like animals. Animals are unpredictable. So are they..."
Wary of:
Greyling, Earthspawn, Elf.
"I've learnt from the past not to deal with evil beasts like Greylings and Earthspawn, other than deal with them with an axe and a splitting skull. Elves? Don't start! They've cheated us out of many a deal before, and their affection for nature is ridiculous. I won't slay an Elf on sight, of course not, but I'm wary when in their presence."
Afraid of:
Korog, The Dwarven God he denounced when seeking refuge to heal his eyesight somewhere else.
"I know he knows... He took my power of geomancing, he'll smite me one day. I wonder whether he'd ever forgive me, I'm sure he knows I can do so much more for him now that I can see. Yet, why didn't he bless me with eyesight, if he knew? So much DOUBT!"
Thôrdil Bárámur, Jasper151627237 , The Dwarven Steelsmith that agreed to make the crown for King Erik.
"Thôrdil was the smithing mentor of Erik's mentor. There's no better Dwarf than him to create Erik's crown. Yet, he's become very Undwarvish; the only thing he's true to now is his forge."
Disliked:
Hated:
Forgotten:
Kristoff Stenashieldur BoredBrit , A Dwarf who was introduced to Khorug by Kris, a bastard son of the former king Erik.
"He's an amazing warrior and has been of great help with claiming a new home. I'm just not sure what happens after we've established this new home and if he holds true to his word of not wanting a king..."
James McGuffin The Tottot , a human who maintains a good relationship with Erik Stoneshield. Yet, Khorug doesn't trust him being so close to his king.
"I don't know James, he's just always around. Whenever I see the king, it does not take long for James to pop around. He's supposedly a powerful ally, but he won't catch me off guard!"
Roy Beledrent, CyberChaosV2 , A human smith with quite a reputation. He declined forging the crown for the Dwarven King.
"I went to see him in Zima Maloj with much hope. But he declined my honorable offer and turned his back on me. Something must be wrong with him, for such behavior is in such a contrast with his reputation."
Meradoth Wallins , mokwar , an Elf that was rude during the New Years festival, and since has been coming back to Khorug.
"I swear to Korog, that she-Elf can't see the trouble she is stirring. She's pushing me off the edge here. She keeps returning with silly requests. I've got better things to do than give my attention to an Elf!"
Victor Roichstread, The Tottot , He only met him in the bar, but Khorug was drunk and Victor made a joke at the cost of him after Khorug asked for him to make a joke.
"I can't stand this man. He talks about himself as if he talks about another and his jokes are horrible!"
Urist Stonefist Arken , A Dwarf that was Forge-Master (Hurrlar) under Krummi, Khorugs brother.
"Urist is loyal, perhaps the most loyal dwarf I've ever met. It radiates around him. He's a fine asset to King Erik's Kingdom."
Kvistor Stenahurr, Tea his cousin that brought him to Grafjell in his time of need
"Kvistor is a good lad. I hope to stand side by side with him in many more adventures to come."
Kharn Sicarus, Warwolf , Someone who's always been friends with the Dwarves.
"I've known him ever since I came to see my brother. He was a good friend of my brother and he's helped me out a big few times as well. I'm sure he'll always advice me with good intentions."
Milah Sicarus, Jazzper , The daughter of Kharn. She has given him good advice too.
"The daughter of a good friend, and she takes to her father! She's helped me along quite a bit already and I feel she's an honorable woman."
"He's an amazing warrior and has been of great help with claiming a new home. I'm just not sure what happens after we've established this new home and if he holds true to his word of not wanting a king..."
James McGuffin The Tottot , a human who maintains a good relationship with Erik Stoneshield. Yet, Khorug doesn't trust him being so close to his king.
"I don't know James, he's just always around. Whenever I see the king, it does not take long for James to pop around. He's supposedly a powerful ally, but he won't catch me off guard!"
Roy Beledrent, CyberChaosV2 , A human smith with quite a reputation. He declined forging the crown for the Dwarven King.
"I went to see him in Zima Maloj with much hope. But he declined my honorable offer and turned his back on me. Something must be wrong with him, for such behavior is in such a contrast with his reputation."
Meradoth Wallins , mokwar , an Elf that was rude during the New Years festival, and since has been coming back to Khorug.
"I swear to Korog, that she-Elf can't see the trouble she is stirring. She's pushing me off the edge here. She keeps returning with silly requests. I've got better things to do than give my attention to an Elf!"
Victor Roichstread, The Tottot , He only met him in the bar, but Khorug was drunk and Victor made a joke at the cost of him after Khorug asked for him to make a joke.
"I can't stand this man. He talks about himself as if he talks about another and his jokes are horrible!"
Urist Stonefist Arken , A Dwarf that was Forge-Master (Hurrlar) under Krummi, Khorugs brother.
"Urist is loyal, perhaps the most loyal dwarf I've ever met. It radiates around him. He's a fine asset to King Erik's Kingdom."
Kvistor Stenahurr, Tea his cousin that brought him to Grafjell in his time of need
"Kvistor is a good lad. I hope to stand side by side with him in many more adventures to come."
Kharn Sicarus, Warwolf , Someone who's always been friends with the Dwarves.
"I've known him ever since I came to see my brother. He was a good friend of my brother and he's helped me out a big few times as well. I'm sure he'll always advice me with good intentions."
Milah Sicarus, Jazzper , The daughter of Kharn. She has given him good advice too.
"The daughter of a good friend, and she takes to her father! She's helped me along quite a bit already and I feel she's an honorable woman."
[Backstory]
Khorug was born in a miner-village, just like his brother Krummi. Though Khorug was born 5 years before his brother. He witnessed the collapse of one of the mines, burying a significant amount of miners, when he was 20 years old. Their screams for help were very faint in the distance behind the thick layer of rock. But the collapse had caused another part of the mine to open to the air, which the miners used to get out again. Amazed by this wonder, Khorug turned to a priest for explanation. This is where his fascination for Korog started, and it never seized.
Khorug left his job as a miner and went to the monks of the chapel of the village to be educated in philosophy, poetry, theology, gardening and preaching. His devotion was unheard of, as he read through books faster than the monks could supply him. He had multiple discussions and arguments about the ways of the world with the monks and once his wisdom had grown to a satisfying level, the monks proposed for him to go to the church of Korog in a larger Dwarven City. He left the mining village with a profound knowledge of theology and philosophy. Originating in such an idyllic and picturesque village, his philosophy was that of a romanticus. He extracted pleasure from the beauty of rays of a setting sun piercing through the pine-canopy and softly stroking a small cottage.
At his arrival in the Dwarven City, he was 30 years old. Enthusiastic about his life and the things to ponder on or learn from, he was educated by the monks of the Korog church. The ways of these priests were very conservative and Khorug had no trouble adhering to their life-style. Being influenced by their conservative ways of living, he developed a traditional, conservative mindset, profoundly on the level of Dwarven History, myths and legends. His knowledge of history and myths grew rapidly and he found it easy to remember the words from the books by heart. These conservationists were very keen on symbolism and it is here that he grew a beard that would last his life, filled with braids and ornamented with hammers and war-axes, as the symbol of Korog. He left the Church of the city at an age of 65, being fully aware of the history and myths of Korog, he found himself having an intellectual background to fall back on when pondering the ways of the world. It was his time with this Conservative church that shaped his opinions on other races, beauty and other-worldly things.
He left the church to go on a pilgrimage of five years, taking only the bare essentials he needed. On this pilgrimage, he passed by sixty-eight sanctuaries of Korog, ranging from small sacrificial altars to huge temples. In this pilgrimage he developed his taste for 'The Sublime'. The overwhelming experience of terrifying grace or magnificent fear, while gazing up to the mountain tops or looking down from them into ravines below. The beauty he found in these places, he related to the strength of Korog. If anyone was to design a fortress or garden, it should, in his opinion, adhere to the nature found in his pilgrimage, that of the sublime environment, worthy of a god. It was during this walk of five years that he developed his taste for poetry. He saw the power of the words could be as depicting as the sublime experiences of the mountains and oceans. Poetry, the strength in words, was for him a spiritual way to get closer to Korog in describing Khorug's zeal for the god in inspiring rhymes and rhythms.
His pilgrimage ended at an age of 70 in the Grand Cathedral of the Dwarven Capital. This is where he joined the traditional Priests of Korog. They preached nothing but the holy scriptures that Khorug knew by heart. In his time in the Cathedral, he preached to many dwarves about the might and glory that Korog projected upon them. The cathedral was a dark place, heavily loaded with spiritual meaning. It was here that he got his true profession as priest, when the traditional Priests of Korog made a ritual of scribbling texts from the holy scriptures with inked-needles on the skin of Khorug. Boasting his ornaments, spiritual scars, and holy tattoo's, he was a favorite preacher and Priest to the people of the Dwarven Capital. It was in this time, at an age of 98, that his skill was noticed by the King of Dwarves and he was asked to come to the court.
He came to the court and was there asked to give a lecture on the ways of Korog from his perspective. His conservative, sensitive and romantic thoughts adhered to the proud, traditional and stubborn nature of the King. The king wanted a garden to be build in the new estate that he bought at the side of a mountain. He wanted the garden to express the solemn life of royalty and the presence of Korog as a divine token of his rule. Khorug went with him and it is here that his talent as Geomancer came to light. In his design-drawings he had drawn subtle flowing lines as paths, contrasted by the geometrical shape of the icy ponds that were to be dug out. He oversaw the project of the king for 10 years as many Dwarven worker was assigned to the spacious estate. The soil and rocks that were dug out from the geometrical pools were thrown on a heap at the foot of the mountain, thus creating a plateau with a very steep, vertical drop at the edge. This experience was sublime, looking over the valley below the mountain at the ridge of a plateau, while on the plateau Khorug designed a small romantic village of four cottages. These cottages stood on the edge of a pine forest that stretched through-out the entire mountain, thus Khorug made it look like the entire mountain side was part of the garden as well. The villa that the King had was on the highest part of the estate. Khorug got rid of the pines in front of it so the King could look out over the canopies into the valley, where it looked as if the estate stretched on and on, towards the river and as far as the forest spread. Along with all this grandeur of totalitarian power of the monarch, the cottages and pools provided an intimate place to ponder about the matters that the scenery made spring to your mind. For instance the change in the pools, in warm calm days the water mirrored the tall pines, while in the winter one could walk over it and in the autumn the storm would make it a dynamic whole of waves.
At an age of 110 he was dismissed by the King as his eyesight started to fail him worse and worse, to the point he could not read his own designs from the maps in broad daylight. Before his birthday of his 112th year, he was completely blind with old age. He then returned to the cathedral of the capital of dwarves, where he continued to preach. His senses slowly grew stronger as his sight was lost for a longer period of time. He knew the cathedral well and he could suddenly feel the spiritual presence of each statue depicting a divine. He felt, while walking through the garden, that a piece of earth had to be elevated, for to keep out the dark spirits that he had noticed as shivers went down his spine, every time he walked there. It was during his first years of blindness that he developed this strong spiritual awareness and got more skillful in his trade of Geomancer.
At the age of 115 he left the cathedral and went all the way back to his mining village, where he joined the chapel of the monks. His spiritual physics got him much attention and people clung onto his lips when he preached from the books and holy scriptures that he knew by heart. Still, he longed for to read and write again, praying every day to Korog to give him sight to read, yet never abandoning his faith in his holy god.
At the age of 120 he was awakened by a dream, a vision of his brother looking pale as snow. He traveled to Tahkul-Rimtar to visit his brother there and found his brother was no longer a scholar, but a king. And in his reign he was killed in a duel! Though sad about this misfortune, he stayed in Tahkul-Rimtar. He knows his brother's ways were unholy and bows like a true traditional Dwarf to his King Thrain. He traveled Altera from Temple to Temple to feel the presence of Korog. He hoped to spread Korog's word and uses his innate feeling for spiritual presence to guide his path and use his profession as geomancer to help the royalty design in a profound and sacred way.
At the age of 125, almost all the Dwarves had left Tahkul-Rimtar. King Thrain took all the Frostpeaks with him to the north, not long after Krummi's death. King Jaret never visited anymore after Thrain left. Once the world heard about the state Tahkul-Rimtar was in, the remaining Dwarves were pushed from their homes and a new town was build atop of the halls: Reignfall. This forced Khorug to leave Tahkul-Rimtar. He was old and had become incredibly sad about being blind, he desperately longed for to see again. Yet all his prayers to Korog remained unanswered.
At the age of 128, he heard his kinsmen talk in Horgaahn at the harbor of Aeroch Nor. For five years, he had blindly traveled and questioned people in taverns about the location of any remaining Dwarves. This had led him to Aeroch Nor, the Dwarven town that had long been in human hands. He addressed the Dwarf, his name was Erik. Erik took Khorug in, to a relatively new Dwarven Settlement called Aeroch Rimtar. There, Khorug was told his brother's legacy still stoodstrong: Aeroch Rimtar was full of statues and paintings depicting King Krummi, as well as other kings. Again, Khorug longed for eyesight. Again, Korog did not answer his prayers.
At the age of 130, Khorug could no longer stand the silence. In great fear, he rejected Korog as his god. He unbraided the end of his beard and took out the crossed hammer and axe ornaments. He took off his ornamented robe in the colors of Korog and burnt in on a fire. No longer did he trust in a silent God, yet he still feared what consequences his actions could have. He now wanders Altera, looking for Doctors, Wizards, Witches... Anyone or Anything that could possibly help him see again. Through asking around, he found a sorceress named Tzemik, a nakat that could help him see again. He paid almost his entire life-savings, but it was worth it. She healed his eyesight! Khorug understood Korog did not agree with this, for the moment he regained his sight, he lost his ability of geomancing. Khorug set off to read and write again! And what a joy he received from that!
But knowledge is not as harmless as it may look. While smoking his thick pipe-tobacco, Khorug read through many books in the Library of Aeroch Rimtar. Within the dark confounds of The Hollow, a thought festered in Khorug's mind. It was a mere passage from an innocent book combined with an experience Khorug had had, that sparked a dark scheme in his imagination. "Dáruk byr Dwargar Kourt." It was a gap in the history of Altera, that Khorug started to imagine to fill. "Nae Jáluk a Hidéòn a Altera..." He pondered in his dark, poorly lit room. The Dwarves have had many enemies in the past, which they've killed or exiled before. But never in the history of Altera has there been a full-out fortress jail. One to keep people from breaking out, as well as breaking in. To torment them in compensation for the suffering they so foolishly had bestowed upon the Dwarves. Exile and death, those were things Altera was already far too used to. But after death, mostly comes life and freedom again. Khorug would summon forth a horror that equaled the pits of Jishrim and Skraag combined. A prison that'd make the strongest man and beast alike shiver in sweat of fear. "Da Dárud Thrial!" His eyes shot fire as the idea finally took the shape of something he could build. The Dark Triangle, Prison of the Dwarves, atop the cliff of Aeroch Rimtar, Nightmare of the enemies of Dunasten!
Lately... Khorug has become more closed up and grim. He walks around with a frown on his face, his eyes fixed, and the corners of his mouth pointing downwards. He speaks more often in Horgaahn than in common. He's becoming bitter, as he learns more of his elder brother's fate... He accompanied his king on a mission in which the company had to face the perils of a jungle. He saw king Erik risking his life to safe that of a befriended Elf who was to marry soon. Khorug could not understand this move, for in his eyes, the death of the king would mean another dark age for the Dwarves.
A list of things together have thus led him to grab the bottle and find solace in alcoholic drinks.
Khorug left his job as a miner and went to the monks of the chapel of the village to be educated in philosophy, poetry, theology, gardening and preaching. His devotion was unheard of, as he read through books faster than the monks could supply him. He had multiple discussions and arguments about the ways of the world with the monks and once his wisdom had grown to a satisfying level, the monks proposed for him to go to the church of Korog in a larger Dwarven City. He left the mining village with a profound knowledge of theology and philosophy. Originating in such an idyllic and picturesque village, his philosophy was that of a romanticus. He extracted pleasure from the beauty of rays of a setting sun piercing through the pine-canopy and softly stroking a small cottage.
At his arrival in the Dwarven City, he was 30 years old. Enthusiastic about his life and the things to ponder on or learn from, he was educated by the monks of the Korog church. The ways of these priests were very conservative and Khorug had no trouble adhering to their life-style. Being influenced by their conservative ways of living, he developed a traditional, conservative mindset, profoundly on the level of Dwarven History, myths and legends. His knowledge of history and myths grew rapidly and he found it easy to remember the words from the books by heart. These conservationists were very keen on symbolism and it is here that he grew a beard that would last his life, filled with braids and ornamented with hammers and war-axes, as the symbol of Korog. He left the Church of the city at an age of 65, being fully aware of the history and myths of Korog, he found himself having an intellectual background to fall back on when pondering the ways of the world. It was his time with this Conservative church that shaped his opinions on other races, beauty and other-worldly things.
He left the church to go on a pilgrimage of five years, taking only the bare essentials he needed. On this pilgrimage, he passed by sixty-eight sanctuaries of Korog, ranging from small sacrificial altars to huge temples. In this pilgrimage he developed his taste for 'The Sublime'. The overwhelming experience of terrifying grace or magnificent fear, while gazing up to the mountain tops or looking down from them into ravines below. The beauty he found in these places, he related to the strength of Korog. If anyone was to design a fortress or garden, it should, in his opinion, adhere to the nature found in his pilgrimage, that of the sublime environment, worthy of a god. It was during this walk of five years that he developed his taste for poetry. He saw the power of the words could be as depicting as the sublime experiences of the mountains and oceans. Poetry, the strength in words, was for him a spiritual way to get closer to Korog in describing Khorug's zeal for the god in inspiring rhymes and rhythms.
His pilgrimage ended at an age of 70 in the Grand Cathedral of the Dwarven Capital. This is where he joined the traditional Priests of Korog. They preached nothing but the holy scriptures that Khorug knew by heart. In his time in the Cathedral, he preached to many dwarves about the might and glory that Korog projected upon them. The cathedral was a dark place, heavily loaded with spiritual meaning. It was here that he got his true profession as priest, when the traditional Priests of Korog made a ritual of scribbling texts from the holy scriptures with inked-needles on the skin of Khorug. Boasting his ornaments, spiritual scars, and holy tattoo's, he was a favorite preacher and Priest to the people of the Dwarven Capital. It was in this time, at an age of 98, that his skill was noticed by the King of Dwarves and he was asked to come to the court.
He came to the court and was there asked to give a lecture on the ways of Korog from his perspective. His conservative, sensitive and romantic thoughts adhered to the proud, traditional and stubborn nature of the King. The king wanted a garden to be build in the new estate that he bought at the side of a mountain. He wanted the garden to express the solemn life of royalty and the presence of Korog as a divine token of his rule. Khorug went with him and it is here that his talent as Geomancer came to light. In his design-drawings he had drawn subtle flowing lines as paths, contrasted by the geometrical shape of the icy ponds that were to be dug out. He oversaw the project of the king for 10 years as many Dwarven worker was assigned to the spacious estate. The soil and rocks that were dug out from the geometrical pools were thrown on a heap at the foot of the mountain, thus creating a plateau with a very steep, vertical drop at the edge. This experience was sublime, looking over the valley below the mountain at the ridge of a plateau, while on the plateau Khorug designed a small romantic village of four cottages. These cottages stood on the edge of a pine forest that stretched through-out the entire mountain, thus Khorug made it look like the entire mountain side was part of the garden as well. The villa that the King had was on the highest part of the estate. Khorug got rid of the pines in front of it so the King could look out over the canopies into the valley, where it looked as if the estate stretched on and on, towards the river and as far as the forest spread. Along with all this grandeur of totalitarian power of the monarch, the cottages and pools provided an intimate place to ponder about the matters that the scenery made spring to your mind. For instance the change in the pools, in warm calm days the water mirrored the tall pines, while in the winter one could walk over it and in the autumn the storm would make it a dynamic whole of waves.
At an age of 110 he was dismissed by the King as his eyesight started to fail him worse and worse, to the point he could not read his own designs from the maps in broad daylight. Before his birthday of his 112th year, he was completely blind with old age. He then returned to the cathedral of the capital of dwarves, where he continued to preach. His senses slowly grew stronger as his sight was lost for a longer period of time. He knew the cathedral well and he could suddenly feel the spiritual presence of each statue depicting a divine. He felt, while walking through the garden, that a piece of earth had to be elevated, for to keep out the dark spirits that he had noticed as shivers went down his spine, every time he walked there. It was during his first years of blindness that he developed this strong spiritual awareness and got more skillful in his trade of Geomancer.
At the age of 115 he left the cathedral and went all the way back to his mining village, where he joined the chapel of the monks. His spiritual physics got him much attention and people clung onto his lips when he preached from the books and holy scriptures that he knew by heart. Still, he longed for to read and write again, praying every day to Korog to give him sight to read, yet never abandoning his faith in his holy god.
At the age of 120 he was awakened by a dream, a vision of his brother looking pale as snow. He traveled to Tahkul-Rimtar to visit his brother there and found his brother was no longer a scholar, but a king. And in his reign he was killed in a duel! Though sad about this misfortune, he stayed in Tahkul-Rimtar. He knows his brother's ways were unholy and bows like a true traditional Dwarf to his King Thrain. He traveled Altera from Temple to Temple to feel the presence of Korog. He hoped to spread Korog's word and uses his innate feeling for spiritual presence to guide his path and use his profession as geomancer to help the royalty design in a profound and sacred way.
At the age of 125, almost all the Dwarves had left Tahkul-Rimtar. King Thrain took all the Frostpeaks with him to the north, not long after Krummi's death. King Jaret never visited anymore after Thrain left. Once the world heard about the state Tahkul-Rimtar was in, the remaining Dwarves were pushed from their homes and a new town was build atop of the halls: Reignfall. This forced Khorug to leave Tahkul-Rimtar. He was old and had become incredibly sad about being blind, he desperately longed for to see again. Yet all his prayers to Korog remained unanswered.
At the age of 128, he heard his kinsmen talk in Horgaahn at the harbor of Aeroch Nor. For five years, he had blindly traveled and questioned people in taverns about the location of any remaining Dwarves. This had led him to Aeroch Nor, the Dwarven town that had long been in human hands. He addressed the Dwarf, his name was Erik. Erik took Khorug in, to a relatively new Dwarven Settlement called Aeroch Rimtar. There, Khorug was told his brother's legacy still stoodstrong: Aeroch Rimtar was full of statues and paintings depicting King Krummi, as well as other kings. Again, Khorug longed for eyesight. Again, Korog did not answer his prayers.
At the age of 130, Khorug could no longer stand the silence. In great fear, he rejected Korog as his god. He unbraided the end of his beard and took out the crossed hammer and axe ornaments. He took off his ornamented robe in the colors of Korog and burnt in on a fire. No longer did he trust in a silent God, yet he still feared what consequences his actions could have. He now wanders Altera, looking for Doctors, Wizards, Witches... Anyone or Anything that could possibly help him see again. Through asking around, he found a sorceress named Tzemik, a nakat that could help him see again. He paid almost his entire life-savings, but it was worth it. She healed his eyesight! Khorug understood Korog did not agree with this, for the moment he regained his sight, he lost his ability of geomancing. Khorug set off to read and write again! And what a joy he received from that!
But knowledge is not as harmless as it may look. While smoking his thick pipe-tobacco, Khorug read through many books in the Library of Aeroch Rimtar. Within the dark confounds of The Hollow, a thought festered in Khorug's mind. It was a mere passage from an innocent book combined with an experience Khorug had had, that sparked a dark scheme in his imagination. "Dáruk byr Dwargar Kourt." It was a gap in the history of Altera, that Khorug started to imagine to fill. "Nae Jáluk a Hidéòn a Altera..." He pondered in his dark, poorly lit room. The Dwarves have had many enemies in the past, which they've killed or exiled before. But never in the history of Altera has there been a full-out fortress jail. One to keep people from breaking out, as well as breaking in. To torment them in compensation for the suffering they so foolishly had bestowed upon the Dwarves. Exile and death, those were things Altera was already far too used to. But after death, mostly comes life and freedom again. Khorug would summon forth a horror that equaled the pits of Jishrim and Skraag combined. A prison that'd make the strongest man and beast alike shiver in sweat of fear. "Da Dárud Thrial!" His eyes shot fire as the idea finally took the shape of something he could build. The Dark Triangle, Prison of the Dwarves, atop the cliff of Aeroch Rimtar, Nightmare of the enemies of Dunasten!
Lately... Khorug has become more closed up and grim. He walks around with a frown on his face, his eyes fixed, and the corners of his mouth pointing downwards. He speaks more often in Horgaahn than in common. He's becoming bitter, as he learns more of his elder brother's fate... He accompanied his king on a mission in which the company had to face the perils of a jungle. He saw king Erik risking his life to safe that of a befriended Elf who was to marry soon. Khorug could not understand this move, for in his eyes, the death of the king would mean another dark age for the Dwarves.
A list of things together have thus led him to grab the bottle and find solace in alcoholic drinks.
- The still unfamiliar death of his brother, Krummi Stenahurr. Each different Dwarf knows a different tale. Some say Krummi attacked king Jaret first, others say Jaret came to Krummi with ill will, while some claim Krummi only attacked, once Jaret grabbed his weapon. The truth means a lot to Khorug here, for the one who took up arms against the other first, will be the one guilty of kinslaying.
- Accompanying his new king, Erik Stoneshield. Khorug was raised to treat his king with all the respect in the world. The king's word is law in his eyes and the king will always act right. Khorug is having trouble agreeing with some of the things his king does, yet in his mind he is only a good Dwarf if he never disagrees with his king. He hasn't shown his disagreement before, but now he adressed Erik on the fact he risked his life, and thus all the lives of the Dwarves. It's a big dilemma for Khorug.
- Leaving Korog. Even though he has got his eyesight back, and he left Korog a long while ago, he still fears the decision he's made. Considering all that has happened since he regained his eye-sight, he cannot judge whether his move was just. In desperation of being Godless, he turned with haste to Silas. In his haste and chaos, he has unintentionally turned to Jishrim as well...
He has found his way back to Korog and away from Jishrim, by joining House Hawklight. He now has a way of putting his thoughts to one goal, so they don't become blurry anymore. With Jishrim's hold on his mind growing weaker and weaker, it feels to him as if Korog's presence becomes greater. He feels as if anything he does for the cause of Hawklight is a good thing. Being under the impression that Korog is closer to him than before, Khorug has returned to his path of priesthood and gave it an almost shamanic twist. He now calls upon the power of Korog to heal people from diseases, to guide people on their path of life and to give people purpose. Having always been an intelligent and educated Dwarf, he seeks to prove the myths that exist in Altera. He uses his shamanic approach and knowledge to track mystical beings, hopefully to display parts of them in a public display.
At the age of 150, arriving in the new world, seeing his old Dwarven house gone and no Dwarvish Dwarves around, he's started an attempt to establish the Dwarves as an important faction. He set up house Dwargar, in which some of his old friends joined him. Together, they destroyed the savages on Horror Island and took their caves for themselves. Here, they established a town called Hurr Nor. In this time, it turned out not all savages were slain. While walking alone in one of the caves, several savages jumped from the walls and dragged him to a fire. They clawed at him and pushed his face in the coals. Khorug managed to escape, after he stabbed the savages with a dagger he kept under his belt.
And then... His demise...
Khorug assembled Dwarves and other races alike to drive the savages off the island and claim it for the Dwarves as a new home. This much is known. But what most people do not know, is that they had committed a genocide. The savages weren't as savage as Khorug had made the crowd believe. And they had never harmed anyone except those who came to invade their island. Khorug had made them do terrible things without the them kn0wing.
It turned out, that Khorug had designed for the Dwarven home to be on the island, because he had felt an evil presence there. The island wasn't just a place for Dwarves, but was in fact first and foremost: the headquarters of the Dark Order. Khorug was at the head of the Dark Order, an organisation that killed, maimed and scared many a people for seemingly no reason at all, but just to commit violence. Once people found out Khorug was at the head of the Dark Order and the Order was situated in Hurr Nor, they came with pitchforks and torches.
They broke through the heavy iron doors that closed the Dark Order's headquarters from the Dwarven settlement Hurr Nor. They stormed the headquarters, burning everything that could be burned until they arrived at the bone throne of Khorug. They stood in the doorway. A pool of blood at their feet. Bodies hanging from their ankles from the ceiling and the throne high atop a slippery staircase in the far back of this hall. They looked up in anguish at the blood and gore slowly dripping and forming a stream all the way down to the pool at their feet. Reluctant, they crossed a narrow bridge over the pool. They looked up again, there sat Khorug, high atop on his throne made from the bones of the many savages that used to live on the island.
His face dark and evil in the light of the few candles that burned from skulls embedded in the throne. A few brave ones charged forward from the angry mob, making their way up the slippery stairs. Soon the rest of the civilians followed with their pitchforks and torches. Khorug stood up to make himself look big and scare them off, but he was surrounded. Just as he stood as tall as he could, just as he was about to address the mob, twist their minds through his serpent tongue, the first man ran his pitchfork through the Dwarf's body. And another pierced his ribs, and another, and another! Until there was little more left of the Dwarf than a beard floating in a pile of gore atop an awful throne.
So ends the rule of the evil Khorug...
Until Archon returned him to this world as a Revenant. Immediately he continued down the path he knew and joined a cult of Jishrimites on their evil path to destruction and chaos. He helped to set fire to Storm's Landing and attended a meeting with Strange, who cursed him to turn to stone momentarily.
At the age of 205, the reapers came to collect his soul once again and he went with them willingly. The promise of a new life changed something within Khorug. He realized how lost he had been and has since denounced Jishrim altogether, in favor of following the life set out by tradition, for a Dwarf of his age has much to learn within this world...
Khorug's True Nature before his rebirth:
Do not open the following spoiler if you want to find out about the plot around this character through RP. I'm only putting this here to show that what I do with this character does not come out of the blue.
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Strengths:
- Khorug is manipulative.
- He's able to put up appearances of being good.
- He's not afraid to kill or maim
- To be exposed before his final goal is reached.
- Admires Skraag, Jishrim and Visage.
- He came to join the Dwarves right after "his brother" died. He said it was coincidence, but his intention was to gain some form of power in the noble ranks of Dwarves. He convinced everyone Krummi was his brother, which he actually was not.
- Pretending to be a priest of Korog did not always work out. Many times, random average Dwarves around him lectured him in the ways of Korog.
- Being a librarian in Dwarven Archives, he had access to many dark scriptures and foul writings, that are hidden to the normal populace.
- Korog cursed him with blindness when he turned to Jishrim. Khorug turned this around by saying Korog did not answer his prayers to become healed, laying the fault at Korog's side and not at Khorug's.
- Khorug's very appearance is evil. He's covered in tattoos and scars.
- While in Aeroch Rimtar, he managed to force himself into the role of Political Advisor to the King. The advises he gave turned Dwarves against the king and caused a clanwar between the Dwarves Thordil and Grimmier on one side, and Kris and Erik on the other. It was his intention to get rid of Thordil and Grimmier, who were very liberal thinkers.
- During his time as advisor, he managed to make a division between the poor and the rich within Aeroch Rimtar, by the means of levels. This way, he had a certainty he would not lose his power due to democracy.
- It was not coincidence that it was Khorug, and not someone else, that persuaded king Erik Stoneshield to let him build a prison, in which the most horrible things took place.
- Khorug has spearheaded a genocide of an entire people, under the presumption it was for the betterment of the Dwarves, the surrounding cities, and in the name of Korog.
- In the drawing I made of Khorug when he got his eyesight back, you can see in the background a typical portrayal of witch-associated things: A cauldron, people flying into the chimney, A rat and a frog in clothing, a bat, a hand-shaped candle... Evil stuff.
- Khorug was never good with weapons, because he had been blind most of his life. The story about the savages burning his face and clawing his skin was made up. What actually happened was that Khorug considered researching a kind of weapon that would give him an edge in battle. While experimenting on making an exploding device that'd detonate on impact, he made a mistake and burnt part of his skin, leaving him with an even scarier appearance. Blaming the savages for this was convenient to try and persuade people that the genocide they committed was necessary and unavoidable.
In-Game name: Bartooliinii
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