Fighters

Ardrus, the Skeletal Warrior Ardrus Chapter In his former life, the skeletal warrior known as Ardrus once served as the trusted captain of the guard to King Goodwyn of Aragon. Ardrus held his post gallantly for many years, and was instrumental in saving the good king’s life on several occasions. Jealousy set in, however, when the king’s son was allowed to promote his own champion, a blowhard named Rolph, to the position of Protectorate of the King’s Armies -- a position Ardrus coveted. Rolph and Ardrus were constantly at odds, and it became obvious to the captain of the guard that he would soon be relieved of his duties. At this time, Duke Alec, a distant cousin of Goodwyn’s, approached Ardrus with an offer: In exchange for Ardrus’ help in overthrowing the king, Alec would promote the captain to the rank he coveted. With little hesitation, Ardrus acted, slaying the rightful king and his son. At that time, the schemer’s full plan was revealed. Alec showed mock outrage at the traitorous Ardrus even as he claimed the throne as his own. His first order was to set Rolph and his troops after Ardrus. Ardrus killed many of his attackers, but he was hopelessly outnumbered. Cut down by Rolph’s soldiers and discredited by his people as a traitor to the throne, Ardrus’ final living act was to vow vengeance against those who had wronged him. Within a fortnight he was reborn as a skeletal warrior. Given new life, the undead captain of the guard exacted his vengeance, first severing Rolph’s head with one swift stroke, and then crushing the very life out of Alec. To this day, the skeletal warrior despises mortalkind and seeks to send as many men as possible to their deaths.

Balok, the Death Knight Balok Chapter Balok was once a great champion for good. The lord of a mountain keep, Balok was renowned as a just, fair leader of men. The good knight was born under a dark star, however. His downfall came upon a doomed expedition to the ruins of Blackspire Tower. There, it was rumored that many men had been sacrificed in a black magic ritual before an order of knights razed the tower. Hidden deep within the catacombs of the tower was an unholy sword of great power. The sword was both sentient and evil, and sensing Balok’s presence, it called out to the great champion. Balok heard the sword’s siren call and, seduced by the glory it promised him, quickly claimed it as his own and carried it back to his home. That very night, Balok was beset with nightmares of blood. Later that week, Balok struck savagely at one of his men in a sparring session. The unholy blade tasted blood for the first time. In a moment, its thirst overwhelmed Balok, and he slew his sparring partner. One victim was all the vampire sword needed before it was able to exert its complete will over Balok. The knight’s mind became warped, and soon the admired lord of the keep became a feared and hated man. Adorning black armor and a massive helm, Balok’s outward appearance became as twisted and dark as his mind. His lust for evil grew until, in a fit of madness, he slaughtered every living being in his keep. He now travels the world, guided by his vampire blade, seeking more blood for the blade’s unquenchable thirst.

Balthazaar, the Headsman Balthazaar Chapter Out of all the warriors of chaos, none is more infamous for his cruelty than Balthazaar the Headsman. While still a youth, he was apprenticed to the Headsman’s Guild. There he showed terrific strength and technique, but his teachers grew worried about his uncommon zeal for his tasks. Despite their concerns, Balthazaar was allowed to take oath as a member of the guild. The young headsman quickly displayed his trademark cruelty when he severed all of the limbs of a condemned man before finally putting the poor man out of his misery. Balthazaar was soon cast out of the guild for breaking their code of honor, whose tenets called for a swift, clean, merciful death. Balthazaar was infuriated by his dismissal, and soon he had the heads of the guild for his very own. Balthazaar now roams the world, plying his trade where possible, inflicting punishment on both the just and the wicked with equal pleasure.

Darius, the Gladiator Darius Chapter Born a slave in the city-state of Atticus, Darius was sold as an infant to one of the gladiator schools that flourished in the region. From the time he could walk his masters trained him in the fighting arts. There was no weapon or tactic that Darius did not quickly master. As the young boy’s skills grew, the challenges his masters threw his way became ever greater. While still a youth he was battling full grown hill giants and battle-hardened combat veterans hoping to make their riches in the arena. Darius conquered them all, and by the time he reached adulthood he was the reigning gladiator champion of Atticus. If all of Atticus had had his strength of spirit and iron will, the city-state would never have fallen, but the free people of the land had grown soft and corrupt. When barbarian hordes poured forth out of the wastelands, they found only token resistance, and the city-state was soon overrun. With Atticus thrown into chaos and his masters dead or dying, Darius fought his way through the barbarian hordes and won his freedom. Ever since he’s sought to uphold his reputation and honor as a gladiator by seeking the toughest challenges he can find. An adherent of the gladiator’s strict code of honor, Darius has fulfilled his masters’ teachings by becoming the consummate warrior.

Erland, the Elven Archer Erland Chapter Erland spent his youth in the wilds of the Silverwood Forest. A loner by nature, Erland shunned even his fellow elves and instead devoted himself to learning the ways of nature and mastering the art of archery. In this latter respect, he has succeeded, for no man is his superior with a bow. Erland would have been content to live out his life roaming the forests that he called home, but a blight fell upon the land. Kharon, a dark sorcerer of great evil, bespoiled the sacred oak grove that was the forest’s heart. In a short time, he managed to pervert the mighty oaks and bend the forest to his twisted will, draining the vital life essences from nature herself and feeding his own growing power. Erland joined a select band of druids and rangers who sought to end the blight on the land. Many perished as the woods themselves animated and turned on the band of adventurers, but Erland managed to fight his way through to the now dead heart of the sacred grove. He was caught by the warped oak terrors, but even as their limbs sought to crush the life out of him, he managed to unleash one of his arrows. The arrow found its mark and pierced Kharon’s heart. Although the wizard died, the druids could do little to restore the damage he had already wrought to the lands. With his beloved Silverwood Forest dying, Erland took to the road, where his mastery of the bow has brought him fame and fortune.

Ignatius Max, the Halfling Thief Ignatius Max Chapter Ignatius Max is a thief with few peers. The halfling has learned to compensate for his lack of stature and strength with unnerving speed and mischievous cunning. As a young halfling, Ignatius Max quickly grew bored with the staid country life of his village and ran away to the city of Waterdeep. There, he was forced to survive by his wits. He not only survived, but thrived as well, quickly mastering such thieving arts as pickpocketing and lockpicking. What started out as acts born out of necessity grew into more and more brazen acts of highly skilled thievery. Ignatius Max gained notoriety for his theft of the crown of Montavia, which he stole directly from the head of the sleeping monarch even as a phalanx of guards stood watch over his chambers. He’s gained the enmity of the priests of the Black Hand for his heist of the Tome of Ulroth during the middle of their black ritual. The hill giant Angor has pledged a king’s ransom for the head of Ignatius Max, who robbed the hill giant blind and sliced off Angor’s pony tail for a trophy before escaping his chambers completely unscathed. Ignatius Max now steals only when a challenge to his great skills is presented to him. Cocky, stealthy, and lightning fast, Ignatius Max is a deceptively dangerous foe.

Kaurik, the Warlord Kaurik Chapter Kaurik the warlord was the youngest child of the house of Ush, a small duchy outside the Blood Swamps. For many years, Kaurik’s ancestors ruled the duchy justly. Kaurik’s great-grandfather, however, angered the gods when he supplanted their idols with his own graven image and brought down a curse upon the family. The other nobles shunned Kaurik’s family, and each succeeding generation became more inbred and rife with disease and madness. A teenage Kaurik, his mind already betraying signs of his family’s degenerate ways, fell in love with his sister Agath. The young woman, however, became obsessed with a knight of the castle guard, and drowned herself in the swamp when the soldier rejected her. Grief-stricken, young Kaurik retrieved her body and preserved her remains. Kaurik’s older brother, Magnor, claimed vengeance by slaying every fifth man in the duchy. Weary of Kaurik’s family’s tyranny, the people of the land and the few remaining soldiers of the garrison rose up in anger and burned the castle down. Every family member died in the fire except for young Kaurik, who escaped into the swamps. Surviving in the wilds of the swamp, Kaurik quickly grew more and more feral. His fetish for the dead grew stronger and stronger, and soon he began to claim his first victims and fashion their skin into masks for him to wear. In a matter of months the villagers spoke in whispers of the Curse of the Swamp. As he matured, he grew into a tough, cunning fighter even as his mind became more and more warped. A true madman, Kaurik attacks with a berserk and manic rage unseen in most warriors.

Luthor, the Paladin Luthor Chapter His birth has been called by some a sign of the gods’ pleasure with mankind. At the tender age of four, priests chose Luthor for the Order of the Golden Cross. By the age of thirteen he was already the finest warrior the Order had ever produced. At nineteen, Luthor set out on the road to adventure determined to convert as many heathens as he could to the Order’s cause. His daring deeds have swayed many. He healed the bleeding prince of Ruetra, rid the world of the ancient wyrm Red Fang, and recovered the Order’s most sacred relic, the cross of St. Kristoff, from the lich king Wodron’s legions. Many wonder what he has yet to accomplish. Blessed by the gods and devoted to their righteous cause, Luthor is the Order’s greatest champion. He fights vigilantly in his eternal mission to bring order and good to the world, and to smite down evil wherever it may be found.

Nym Pimplee, the Goblin Nym Pymplee Chapter Nym Pymplee is a rare and exceptional goblin feared throughout the lands. Known as the Mad Goblin, Nym attacks with his two wicked cutlasses, which he keeps jagged to inflict more pain on his enemies. Although Nym Pymplee quickly demonstrated that he was the finest warrior of a race of war-like people, he had no desire to be a war chieftain. His exceptional talents caused great jealousy amongst the other clansmen, particularly his rival Mor Og. As he returned from a hunt one evening, a squad of goblins sent by Mor Og ambushed him in a narrow pass. Nym Pymplee returned to the goblin caves with a sack of heads, which he rolled at Mor Og’s feet. The goblin quivered in fear. Then, making sport of his terrified rival, Nym Pymplee uttered for the first time his infamous, guttural war cry, which caused the cowardly goblin to wet himself. A moment later, Nym Pymplee added Mor Og’s head to the pile, and turned his back on his village forever. Now he roams the wilds terrorizing those unfortunate enough to encounter him. Even the bravest warrior can be forgiven for losing his nerve at the sight of Nym Pymplee.

Red Cloud, the Shaman Red Cloud Chapter Red Cloud was the respected tribal shaman of the Grey Wolf Clan. Red Cloud spent most of his adult life living off the plains and providing healing and counsel to his people. He was a respected friend and advisor to the chief, Great Elk. One spring day, Great Elk led a hunting party out into the plains. Only Howling Wolf, the chief’s son, returned, claiming that the neighboring Bear Claw Clan had ambushed them. The tribe sought to avenge their loss, and slaughtered many members of the Bear Claw Clan. Howling Wolf claimed the mantle of leadership, and Red Cloud took on his role of shaman with a heavy heart. That summer, a great drought struck the plains, and the tribe found food and water scarce. Red Cloud sought divine aid, but the gods no longer heeded his prayers. He suspected that his people were being punished, and went on a vision quest to try to regain the gods’ favor. After many days, he saw a vision of a grey wolf dying and vultures picking at its bones. When he returned to his tribe, Red Cloud proclaimed that the son had killed the father in order to become chief. Howling Wolf angrily denied the charges, and ordered that Red Cloud be punished for his blasphemy. For seven days Red Cloud was tied to a stake and left out in the hot sun with only a cup of water to last him through the day. Not one tribe member came to his defense, and so it came to pass that the gods decided to punish the Grey Wolf Clan. A swarm of insects rose from out of the plains, devouring everything in its path. When they had passed, only Red Cloud remained alive amongst them, his ropes worn away. Red Cloud has been a shaman without a tribe ever since. He remains devoted to his gods, however, and carries out their will wherever he travels.

Sasha, the Werewolf Sasha Chapter Sasha served as a handmaiden to Gwyneth, the daughter of a rich nobleman in the province of Heathsland. Sasha coveted the life led by her noble companion. When a knight of some prestige passed through the town, Sasha saw an opportunity to attain a position above her station. The knight promised her the world, and soon she was with child. When the child’s birth was imminent, however, the knight foreswore Sasha and became betrothed to Gwyneth. Mad with jealousy and grief, Sasha gave birth to her child and then drowned the infant boy in a nearby lake. The people of Heathsland were outraged by her heinous acts and sought to stone her. Sasha escaped into the forests, where she scrounged for survival like an animal. One evening, she stumbled upon a druidess praying in the middle of a sacred grove in the middle of the forest. Tortured by her guilty soul, Sasha approached the druidess and sought her guidance. The druidess told her that if she confessed to her crimes and sought redress from the gods, her suffering would be alleviated. As she sat down to prayer, however, her jealousy and rage took hold of her, and she lied to the gods in their grove. The druidess shook her head in sorrow, and cursed Sasha for her crimes. For the rest of her life, she was doomed to spend her nights wandering the earth in the guise of a beast. Sasha’s jealousy and rage still burn deeply within her, and while in werewolf form, she is a ferociously savage fighter.

Shinesta, the Elven Princess Shinesta Chapter As a young maiden, Shinesta shunned her clan’s heritage, and has spent her days wandering the world ever since. Shinesta’s people disavowed all magic after the catastrophic spells unleashed during the War of the Seven Clans nearly led to the destruction of the entire elven race. They relegated themselves to the roles of guardians of the ancient lore, but refused to partake of this knowledge themselves. To Shinesta’s adventurous young mind, this seemed like the height of folly. Even as a young girl she knew she was different from her clanspeople. She took to sneaking into the vast elven libraries at night and studying the arcane arts. Eventually she was caught by her father, the king. Confronted with the choice of her clanspeople’s vows or her own love for magic, Shinesta chose to defy her people’s taboos. Her father had no other choice, and so Shinesta, his only child, was cast out into the wilderness. Shinesta might have died alone in the wilds if she hadn’t been taken in by a band of travelers. At last she was able to see a world full of wonders beyond her clan’s own dim view of life. A quick study, she learned everything she could about magic. Now, she wanders the world in pursuit of knowledge. Haughty and independent, lethal with both her spells and her staff, Shinesta has never looked back.

Stellerex, the Wizard Stellerex Chapter Stellerex’s dark genius guides him through his life. With an intellect far superior to that of most men, he was able to master the complexity of the black arts with surprising ease. As an apprentice to a greedy magician of moderate skill, Stellerex absorbed all the man could teach before turning on his master and burning him alive with a spell of his own making. This has been Stellerex’s pattern ever since -- training with magicians and then destroying them whenever they’ve taught him all they could. Now, he is hard pressed to find any human master left who has anything new to teach him, and so he travels through the planes searching out avatars and demons who can add to his dark knowledge. His brilliance and discipline have saved him many times from beings far more powerful than he. Cold, calculating, and ruthless, Stellerex is a very dangerous foe.

Torgo, the Dwarven Fighter Torgo Chapter Torgo is a veteran of the infamous Ironspur Wars that wrought havoc on the realms that called the Ironspur mountains their home. Torgo was the central figure in the legendary battle for Skull Rock Pass. Surrounded and hopelessly outnumbered by a battalion of 1000 orcs, the 100 warriors of the dwarven Spike Helm clan would surely have perished to their foes’ superior numbers if Torgo had not rallied his men with his mad rush on the ogre chieftain Grok. Smashing through Grok’s surprised guard of orcish warriors with hammer blow after hammer blow, Torgo engaged in a ferocious struggle with the ogre leader. An axe blow from the chieftain cost Torgo his arm, but the dwarf merely gritted his teeth and charged into the ogre with his spiked helm lowered. Before the dust had settled Grok lay underneath the far shorter Torgo, his skull crushed from a mighty hammer strike. The blood-crazed dwarf emitted the dwarven clan’s war cry before bloodloss finally caused him to lose consciousness. Seized by a berserk rage, the contingent of Spike Helm dwarves soon routed the stunned orc battalion. Never one to rest easy, Torgo has not let his injury slow him one bit. He has learned to compensate for the loss of his limb by developing a series of deadly strikes and counterstrikes with his one good arm. Torgo remains a fierce, proud opponent.

Urgo, the Margoyle Urgo Chapter In the kingdom of Avent, the young prince Medwyn began dabbling in magic. The prince was spoiled and cruel, and despite the warnings of the court magician, he began to experiment with dark magics. His strange experiments resulted in many hideous, if harmless, beasts: a sparrow with the eyes of a cat; a duck with the legs of a spider; and a fountain that bled. As he grew older, however, he grew more bold. When a thief sold him an ancient tome, he began to work with spells of even greater power. One ritual in particular caught Medwyn’s eye -- a spell that would bind a demon into servitude. Medwyn followed the book’s instructions, and managed to trap the soul of a minor demon named Urgo in a protective circle. Medwyn’s talent for dark magics betrayed him, however. He sought to use the demon’s soul to animate a stone gargoyle who would do his bidding. Medwyn fumbled with the intricacies of the spell, and while he managed to animate the gargoyle with the demon’s soul, he failed to bind it into his servitude. Urgo quickly turned on Medwyn and crushed the life out of the spoiled prince, bone by bone. Urgo’s rage grew, however, when he realized that he was trapped in the gargoyle’s body. This rage fuels Urgo’s actions, and now he seeks to destroy all things made of flesh and bone.

Xenobia, the Warrior Xenobia Chapter Xenobia the warrior was raised in the snow-covered hills of the Ardenides by a proud and hardy band of hillsmen. A woman in a man’s world, Xenobia has had to prove herself many times over. As a teenage girl, she became the first woman to carry out the tribe’s ritual of passage when she slew the White Bear that served as her clan’s totem. The nomad people’s respect for her grew, however, when she single-handedly killed a white dragon that had terrorized the hill tribes. At last, Xenobia found acceptance amongst her people as a woman warrior. Her skill as a swordswoman has grown throughout the years. Known for her raw strength and courage, Xenobia is a battle-hardened warrior who will fight until she draws her last breath.

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