User:Vondal
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Vondal Bloodforge
Appearance
The towering dwarf stands at 145cm, his wild orange hair is tied back in a tight pony tail and his beard braided into thick locks. Constantly his tired old green eyes dart about anxiously, always a little paranoid. Shrouded in a tattered brown cloak beneath it his weathered chainmail jerkin testifies to his hardy lifestyle as do his worn muddy boots. Slung on his shoulder is a smooth leather backpack with many pockets for odds and ends. He also carries a wooden tower shield almost his size on his back and at his waist is a finely crafted dwarven mace named, Tal'zin, a relic from his past life. It's easy to miss but around his neck is a small silver medallion, it appears that the symbol and inscription have been scratched out.
Temperament
As passionate as his fiery red hair, as stubborn as a turtle in his shell, and as sturdy as a mountain.
Back story
The Bloodforge clans ancestral home lies overseas in a distant land, here the dwarves mined, toiled, and crafted a small but elaborate dwelling beneath the ground and for many generations prospered. As the dwarves grew wealthier and the renown of their skill in the working of metal spread through the land they began to catch the attention of more unsavory characters. A band of hill giants and their army of minions, the goblins, set up a camp around the entrance to the Bloodforge compound. The dwarves scoffed at the monsters poor efforts at a siege and simply continued their work greedily digging deeper and deeper into the earth. Eventually the monsters made it through, the dwarves fought valiantly but many were struck down, the remaining dwarves, Vondal included only a suckling at this point, holed up in the smithing room. It was revealed by an ancient counselor of the chief that the name Bloodforge has a very sinister story to it, which involves binding the blood and spirit of the crafter to a weapon or object for powerful magic effects. In sheer desperation the dwarves were able to crudely replicate this process and bound themselves entirely to statues decorating the workshop, this process destroyed their physical forms as dwarves. The dwarves were able to push back the assault of the monsters but it was a Pyrrhic victory for soon after the dwarves trapped within the statues began to fall about, their souls plunged into the abyss and the statues crumbled.
- Insert cliche rescuing, "hero picked up by amiable merchant, scavenger, wandering hermit and brought to cliche family, academy, or whatever"*
Montage
In Vondals' cliche rescue story he was brought to a temple which worshiped "a lawful good god". Superspeed montage time! Spent years studying the divine scrolls of his deity, educated in combat for when the 'good word' isn't enough, was taught the art of healing, and the fine art of apiculture. His hardy constitution, quick thinking, and skill at at-will healing placed him within the ranks of the battle clerics. From here he climbed the ranks, it was a slow painful dance but he persevered and thrived. He traveled the land praising the name of his "god" and leading the ranks of his brethren into battle against those deemed evil by his god. This continued for years and he grew from a young eager dwarfling into a grizzled veteran of countless crusades. His life as he knew it came to an end when the temple he had grown up was destroyed and all of those whom he considered family, slaughtered...
Lost, a dwarfs story
Vondal did what any dwarf would do in a time of despair or really anytime of the day, he got drunk and he stayed that way. He drifted across the land in a hazy ale filled stupor, passionless, a champion with a thirst for vengeance but not the will or desire to pursue it. From tavern to tavern he traveled performing healing on the patrons and townspeople in exchange for lodging and ale. After months of this lifestyle his healing powers began to diminish as he drifted from the favor of his god and then one day that connection between him and his "god" vanished. Forlorn, Vondal continued to wander a mere shadow of what he once was.
Hollow'd be thy name
Wandering through wild lands, braving harsh climes, and receiving no answer to his prayers Vondal found him outside Kelay Tavern on a cold rainy night. The laughter and the bright lights warmed his cold indifferent heart, he felt something stirring within him that he hadn't felt in the longest time. He was lonely in this world and needed someone, something to fight for, a purpose. Shuddering he steeled his resolve and took a deep breath as he opened the door.