Rotgrim Murderbeard XV
Age: 53
Race: Duergar
Sex: Male
Date of birth: Eleasis 27th 1309
Place of birth: Dunspeirrin
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Patron deity: Deep Duerra
Profession: Mercenary
Classes: Fighter, Divine Champion, Whirling Dervish, Dwarven Defender
Primary language: Dwarven & Undercommon
Secondary languages: Elf, Orc, Gnome
Physical description
This figure stands shorter and more wiry than most dwarves. Weathered and rough ashen skin was stretched tightly over a muscular frame giving the male an appearance like that of a statue carved from cold and unforgiving rock. Creases and faint scars mar his skin giving the impression of a life spent in toil and hardship.
The male was mostly bald but with a small amount of hair on the top of his head as part of a receding hairline with some hair on the sides and back that began just above the ears and flowed down to a surprising length for a Duergar. The remaining hair had grown thick and held a stone gray color much like that of his flesh. Coarse gray hair travelled down and merged with a large beard that continued downward from his jaw. Adorned ontop of his great beard was a heavy mustache that curled at the ends.
The brow of the gray dwarf was pronounced and heavy. The eyes resting below the brow were recessed and shadowed appearing sunken. The orbs themselves were pure white and held a cold and unfriendly demeanor. The dwarf's other features were blunt and severe: a broad nose, pronounced cheek bones that seem almost chiseled on, and thick round ears.
When he spoke his voice was guttural, blunt, and practical and in his speech his R's were rolled, his accent antiquated and his tone prideful.
Psychological description
Blunt, stubborn, and absolutely no filter to his language. Rotgrim XV is an utterly unpleasant individual that speaks his mind, and mulish in his approach. The Duergar as a people are a bitter and spiteful lot and Rotgrim is no different in that regard. As a people they feel cheated out of their birth right and glory and by extension so too does Rotgrim XV. Considering that the Murderbeard family started with greatness and was destined for greatness it is utterly disappointing to the aspiring patriarch of the family to see just how far it has all fallen from it's great and golden beginnings. Rotgrim Murderbeard X was the beginning of a downward spiral for the family and it was bad enough that he had to carry the name of a foul traitor but also that no true growth has emerged since the family was save from the throes of destruction. Rotgrim XV feels his grandfather and father have been nothing but useless. Giving him the tools he needs to be stagnant but not for growth. Rotgrim XV though he is a hard worker is no fool either. Instead the Duergar differs from others of his ilk because he is a visionary. A true believer in Deep Duerra's message of conquest and destined dominion over the Underdark and Surface. Rotgrim XV speaks highly of a 'manifest destiny' for the Duergar people and wants such a movement to be led proudly by Murderbeard and who better to do so than him? The Cardinal sins, and foul deeds of his predecessors cannot be done by stagnant and lazy maintenance. Instead, Rotgrim XV wishes to take matters into his own hands; working harder and more goal oriented than his kin. It is this hunger and avarice for greater and better that Rotgrim chose to leave his home despite the ire and anger caused by the rest of his family. Due to this Rotgrim has a lot to prove to his family, and seeks to bring pride to his ancestors and Goddess. Making Rotgrim an unafraid and bold individual with gain and dominion ever present upon his mind.
Religious views
Rotgrim can be defined so simply as a religious zealot. In Rotgrim's mind Deep Duerra is the one true way for all the Duergar people, and those who do not worship Deep Deurra best at least call their patron Ladueguer. Rotgrim always ends his days with prayer, and if he can help it these prayers are accompanied with the mangled brains of illithid or other psionic creatures as a show of sacrifice and tribute. Rotgrim would also make these prayers at the end of successful combat or successful campaign. Giving thanks to the Axe Princess for guiding his weapons and hatred towards violent purpose. From a young age Rotgrim was taught that the Duergar were destined to rule the Underdark. Rotgrim as a result of his deep devotion to Duerra is always eager to be at the front of the battlefield against his peoples most hated enemies. Though he been educated on Laduguer as well; he finds the faithful of his church not pro-active enough to accomplish the Duergar's destined goal of dominion. Rotgrim favors an aggressive approach which carries over even into his favored weaponry of a spiked warmace. Martial prowess had also become a central focus for Rotgrim. Church leaders have taught him so frequently the weakness of arcane magic and those who rely on it. The tales he had heard of his traitorous ancestor Rotgrim the 10th have only reinforced his belief in the weakness of the arcane as it was Rotgrim X who feebly succumbed to and eventually wielded arcane magic. There is pride in knowing that Rotgrim XI slew the arcanist witch that was his father in Deep Duerra's name. The satisfaction that a proper warrior can overcome feeble nose in book chicanery is something that amuses Rotgrim greatly and something he has taken pride in himself by training his body to be resilient to spells. In lieu of magic however, Rotgrim is supportive of Deep Duerra's other domain 'the Invisible Art'. While he is only truly proficient in his inherient racial psionics, the gray dwarf has trained himself as well to be able to operate psionic devices and believes they are a path forward for his great people.
With his love for Deep Duerra and her mission so too comes a great hatred for her enemies who have by extension become his enemies and the enemies of his people. The dwarves of the surface world have betrayed them, and denied the Duergar what is truly theirs. In his mind the dwarves of the surface deserve nothing but back breaking labor until the last breath escapes their foul and traitorous bodies. Death on its own would be too good for his dwarven kin, and instead he is of the mind that they must be made to experience the toil and enslavement the Duergar themselves endured under the illithid. For 'the squids' as he refers to the illithid nothing short of death is necessary for dealing with their kind. It is by the hand of Deep Duerra that the Duergar were allowed to triumph over their mind bending masters. Though perhaps their people began as slaves for the tentacled abominations, Rotgrim only sees the liberation as his peoples strength. They endured and became stronger rather than falling and becoming weak. In his mind the Illithid are ultimately an advanced form of pest. As far as he is concerned neither him nor the Duergar have anything to prove to them nor illustrate a greater point to. Instead Rotgrim will kill them if they're lucky and torture them and then kill them if he is bored.
Duergar conquest is the dogma that has resonated the most with Rotgrim and has driven him towards the militant path. All enemies must be destroyed, dominion will be achieved, and those that stand in his or his peoples way will be enslaved or executed with extreme prejudice. The duergar's love for Deep Duerra and hatred for the enemies of the Duergar has seeped into at the very least an aspect of everything that he does. It is his intention that the Murder Kiln Mercenary Company while it is willing to take money from nearly any source will be used to the benefit of Deep Duerra's destined conquest with the deep. Money, resources, devotion, and blood all in Deep Duerra's most holy name.
Immediate Family (NPC)
Name: Rotgrim 'The Traditionalist' Murderbeard XIV (NPC - Father)
Status: Alive
Description: The Fourteenth was an old Duergar unpleasant, strict, and untrusting. The Traditionalist has dedicated his life stubbornly to the future of Clan Murderbeard. Unfortunately, The Traditionalist is trapped in stubborn and unmoving ways. Opting to keep the gears moving rather than encouraging ambition and growth. The Traditionalist is not fond that his son is off adventuring for opportunity rather than learning to oversee the family's slaves and mercenaries. Deep down however, he is interested in seeing the family return to the golden age it once had according to the records.
Name: Branahilda Murderbeard (NPC - Mother)
Status: Alive
Description: Wife of The Traditionalist and mother to Rotgrim Murderbeard XV. Branahilda was a materialistic duergar female that holds her faith above all else. Deep Duerra is her patron like most of the rest of the family and in her devotion to Deep Duerra she truly believes in the supreme dominance of the Duergar. Though her greatest vice is greed. Branahilda is easily enamored with gold coins, trinkets, and baubles. This infatuation of gems and gold has put pressure on her husband to always find new and interesting treasures so much so that it has only contributed to his very unpleasant nature. Branahilda displays a shocking level of hospitality for a Duergar as she believes how she presents herself is very important. The Duergar mother holds her and her family name in high regard, and has no trouble at all mustering her wrath on those that would seek to tarnish it.
Name: Rotgrim 'The Adamant' Murderbeard XIII (NPC - Grandfather)
Status: Alive
Description: The thirteenth was an old and mostly unresponsive Duergar. Having endured, and issued back breaking labor his whole life even his Duergar body designed for labor could not bear much more. Blind in one eye and requiring some assistance to move. The Adamant is the true current patriarch of Clan Murderbeard though he is ill fit in his current state to rule and has since delegated the actual management and operations to his son The Traditionalist. The elder Duergar still instructs his son and his son's children from the shadows concerned he has not done enough to set an empire into motion.
Family History + Character History + The Future
~ The Mythological Age (Generations 1 - 6) ~
The Murderbeard family's beginnings are one shrouded in legend and history. Little is known concretely about the family's beginnings before Illithid influence warped the descendants of Clan Duergar. What is known now is a mix of known general Duergar history and legend passed down orally and through memory which leaves much of the reality to the imagination. It is said universally among family historians that their ancestors prior to enslavement were of a strong Shield Dwarven heritage. This heritage attributed to the Murderbeards being particularly hairy amongst a few other minor features that subtly betrayed who their ancient ancestors were. The unusual extra amount of hair as an example were but only visible echoes of the past. The more specific aspects of the pre-enslavement age however would be for the most part lost to time. Not even the original family name is remembered by the Murderbeards; nor did they particularly care of what their old family name once was. Enslavement under the illithid made the kind of record keeping that dwarves were typically accustomed to impossible. It would not be until much later that the family would keep true chronicles to document the history of Clan Murderbeard. This 'Mythological Age' held only one Murderbeard of great significance and that was Rotgrim Murderbeard I. The clan name as it is known today was earned through the deeds and actions of Rotgrim I. During the Revolution of -3717 against the Illithid slavers it is said that Rotgrim I made his mark during the revolution by strangling an Illithid overseer with his own beard. An brutal act of violence that garnered the respect of his many kin and even attracted a bride for him. From this deed alone he earned his clan name and the nickname 'The Murder Beard'. It was an act of great delight for not just the family but for the rest of Duergar kind as it was revenge for an injustice inflicted upon them. It was said that the Murder Beard had many children including his first born son: Rotgrim II who would come to be known as: "The Silent Son".
Above; an sculpted depiction of The Murder Beard's legendary actions. Commissioned by Rotgrim VII (The Chronicler); it is worth noting that the image itself may not be accurate as no one truly knows what The Murderbeard looked like and while Rotgrim I is typically depicted as bald, some older accounts from family past attest to Murderbeard I having some hair atop his head.
The Silent Son would be an unimpressive inheritor of the Murder Beard's name. Though that does not mean his place in the family history was insignificant. The Silent Son would set the tone for all future generations of Murderbeards. It is said that the Silent Son felt cheated out of his own personal glory by his fathers presence and ultimately lived in his shadow a grumbling and angry duergar. After all, it would take a great feat to stand out from the status of a Revolutionary Hero as his father before him was. The Silent Son would instead cultivate a warrior culture within the family. It was easy for him to continue the family as he was able to ride the glory of his father's deeds though he would never admit that was the case. Rotgrim III who would become known as 'The Hammer' would become a fairly known mercenary in the Underdark. Preferring to work for Duergar of much higher station he made a living on and gained a reputation with his trusty war hammer. An honest and respectable living would make a simple yet effective life for the Hammer and soon he and his wife would bring their own son into the world: Rotgrim IV 'The Stonehand'. The Stonehand served as an architect, mason, and engineer that specialized in militaristic constructions. The Stonehand's brothers and sisters honored their grand-father's name by following combat pursuits and would become guards and enforcers to the very institutions the Stonehand built. The Stonehand would be succeeded by his son whom would like The Silent Son had before him, lurked in the shadow of his father. Continuing his work and preparing for the new generation. With the strongholds built, and the fighting men stationed the arrival of Rotgrim VI was perfectly timed. Known as the Black Ledger, he would serve as the first to take a more mercantile stance as patriarch of the Murderbeard family. A ruthless and very cut-throat business man, it is said the Black Ledger was a duergar wise beyond his many years, and more cunning than the smartest of the Illithid. The Black Ledger only handed over the patriarchal throne once his body could work no more. The next son would become the clan's second founder.
~ The Age of Conquest (Generations 7 - 9) ~
Rotgrim VII known as the "Chronicler" was a duergar that was born into what was nearly the height of the Murderbeard Clan's rise to power. Inheriting his father's intelligence and possessing an unusual amount of charm for a Duergar; the Chronicler was the Clan's greatest businessman. Pulling all of the right strings and expanding all avenues for business. In addition to The Chronicler's impressive business prowess, the Chronicler was also a visionary that saw great things for the Clan and wanted to see it rise above that of a simple warrior clan. Presently, The Chronicler served as the architect for the Murderbeard family including the expansion of their mercantile empire, the development of the clan's heraldry, and perhaps most important of all he ensured the history of his clan was engraved in stone. The Chronicler was an eccentric enjoyer of the arts and was known for commissioning sculptors to make grand engravings of his family's history. The Chronicler's brothers and sisters would learn such arts and pass that down to their own children making the stone engravings an valuable part of their record keeping. Though in the shadows of the Underdark success can never simply be left alone. Clan Ironmark a rival duergar clan of merchant slavers that were much better connected. Constant failures, businesses stolen, and trade deals out maneuvered saw the Ironmark clan suffering greatly from The Chronicler's constant motions. It was the last straw when a supply cart for Ironmark's operations was picked clean of it's mining tools. One night the Chronicler had held a great feast to celebrate the anniversary of Clan Murderbeard inviting cousins and other family. The feast however would be cut short and the anniversary spoiled by a hired drow assailant who slew the Chronicler with a well aimed hand crossbow's bolt.
Above; an sculpted depiction of Rotgrim 'The Chronicler' VII's assassination. Commissioned by Rotgrim VIII (The Auditor).
The assailant however did not escape and was questioned viciously by The Chronicler's Son: Rotgrim Murderbeard VIIII. Sixteen hours of torture revealed that he was hired by the Ironmark Clan to deal with Clan Murderbeard's beloved patriarch. It was at this moment Rotgrim VIIII would earn his name the 'Auditor'. Hellbent on correcting the slight against his family name; the Auditor marched onto Clan Ironmark's home in a brutal frontal assault using slaves as shock troopers and canon fodder. It was a brutal assault that left many of Murderbeard's own retinue of slaves, servants, and family deceased. It is said none of Clan Ironmark survived the relentless assault and their home and holdings were utterly absorbed by clan Murderbeard. From this acquisition the Clan saw the height of it's golden age fondly labeled the 'Age of Conquest'. The Clan would change hands to Rotgrim IX who would be given the title 'The Overseer'. The Overseer expanded all of Clan Murderbeard's holdings but particularly focused on slavery. The efforts of the Overseer allowed the Murderbeard family to enjoy a generation of great wealth and abundance. It seemed like there was nothing more the Murderbeard's could ever want or need. Of course there isn't ever truly such a thing as 'enough'.
~ The Fall (Generations 10 - 14) ~
It can be said that decadence and indulgence are the greatest forces of ones self destruction. Rotgrim Murderbeard X or as he would come to be known "The Falsebeard" was the next heir to the patriarchal throne. The Falsebeard grew up a tyrannical and spoiled child that enjoyed delegating, commanding, and taking shortcuts. The Falsebeard enjoyed the privileges of being part of a wealthy family but never truly understood nor cared for the kind of labor that builds empires like these in the first place. Demanding, insufferable, and lazy; the Falsebeard had little true interest in the family heritage and was more than happy to bite the very hand that fed. The Falsebeard would be quick to scorn the origins of his heritage if it meant his own personal gain. The Falsebeard would manage slaves with a cruel impracticality and kept the money coming in order to enjoy a rather lavish lifestyle for a Duergar. Despite all of this he was still unhappy and he had wanted more. The spoiled Duergar went behind his own family and made deals with Tanar'ri demons. The Falsebeard would sacrifice slaves and even some of his own family's souls in exchange for great power and wealth. The depraved craving for power would be the Falsebeard's undoing as demonic influence slowly overtook his mind. Others began to notice and take note of his behavior becoming stranger and more absurd with each passing day. Finally his own brother Vorgrim I had motioned to do something about it but at that point it was too late. The Falsebeard grew to the height of his power and had Vorgrim I captured and his soul offered to his demonic masters. This deed would not go unnoticed though as the ritual and offering were observed by Vorgrim I's wife Nismora. Nismora enraged and sickened by the actions of the Falsebeard called mercenaries and her personal retinue of soldiers to confront the Falsebeard. The mask had fallen off and The Falsebeard would engage Nismora and her men in combat only for Nismora to see defeat. A narrow retreat from the family stronghold would spare many but not all members of the family. It was at this moment The Falsebeard fully chose to renounce his heritage. Driven mad by power to the point where he believed himself to be an immortal demi-god; The Falsebeard shaved his beard believing it to be a sign of 'filth' and 'mortality', and instead took the name: Ozgunnoth. Nismora saved many of the family but not all of the family from the clutches of Ozgunnoth. Among them were: Rotgrim Murderbeard XI & Vorgrim II her own son. The remainder of the family had lived far away from their home and they could only watch as it fell into demonic influence. During this time away from the stronghold Rotgrim and Vorgrim would train themselves in combat and a means to combat magic. Hope lay with Rotgrim and Vorgrim. They were mentored by crusaders and champions of Deep Duerra who instilled feelings of conquest and superiority of Duergar kind. Rotgrim XI in particular would become known for his violent zeal and he would be through his religious trials given the title: 'The Zealot'. The Zealot and Vorgrim I hated traitors, and were even more angered by Ozgunnoth and his treachery. When the two completed their training they would march upon their twisted and destroyed family home, now the grounds for an abyssal cult. Without mercy they would cut down slave, servant, and cultist until they came upon the ruined remains of the family throne room. The mad Ozgunnoth seated in the very chair where the Chronicler had been assassinated greeted them with a band of lesser demons at his command. The Zealot and Vorgrim engaged with their party; though they suffered many losses. Many died both mercenary and loyal family alike. Ozgunnoth the treacherous warlock would be felled by The Zealot and his blade. Vorgrim II would also survive the assault and ordered the remains of Ozgunnoth be dismembered, desecrated, and then subsequently fed to large lizards. Despite this the damage has been done and while the family stronghold had been reclaimed it was in disrepair and would require great work to rebuild it to its former glory. Even with Ozgunnoth's treasures seized it would be not enough to cover the resources and labor required. The family Stronghold could not even reach a shadow of its former glory.
Above; an sculpted depiction of The Zealot and two Duergar allies confronting Ozgunnoth in the family throne room. Commissioned by Rotgrim XIII (The Adamant).
The actions of Ozgunnoth were harsh on the entirety of the clan, and their neighbors saw them as little more than trouble. While The Zealot was a great warrior and a hero of Clan Murderbeard he was unfortunately no builder. Enter The Zealot's son: Rotgrim XII who would come to be known as The Redeemer. The Redeemer dedicated the entirety of his life erasing the corruption of his grandfather before him. The Stronghold was rebuilt but smaller, family art was rescued and restored, and the family was brought back together under his careful guidance. Though his efforts were great it was ultimately a small victory as the damage Ozgunnoth inflicted upon Clan Murderbeard were so great it truly would take generations to even begin rebuilding. Following in his father's footsteps was Rotgrim XIII or as he would come to be known as: The Adamant. The Adamant continued his father's work and focus almost primarily upon preserving family history to ensure the same mistakes were not made ever again. In addition to these efforts the Adamant would restore the Clan's cultural traditions of being a warrior clan while still upholding the religious zeal of his grandfather The Zealot. The Adamant lives still but has stepped down as the patriarch of the family and instead has delegated his powers to his son: Rotgrim Murderbeard XIV or as the family archivists have called him 'The Traditionalist'. The bleak current state of the family still rests heavy on the shoulders of the Murderbeards and The Traditionalist earned his name by dictating the family back into an old and stagnant direction. Now that the history is secured, and relations were restored it was time to rebuild. The Traditionalist however could not be so bold and believed the simple answer of 'working harder' rather than working ambitiously was the key. The Traditionalist raised them in the trade that the Murderbeard family knew best. The craft and trade that the family had dealt in ever since the day they were conceived: Murder. The children of the Traditionalist were raised with a formal education, a martial education, and a strong religious education. All children of The Traditionalist were demanded to enter martial vocations where they could bring in money and resources to the family.
~ The Living Moment (Rotgrim Murderbeard XV) ~
The Traditionalist's first born son and the inheritor of the tarnished yet great family name: Rotgrim Murderbeard XV. Rotgrim was an adventurous and wild boy who could not sit still for too long. As a young Duergar he felt the need to explore and 'conquer' the very land he marched upon. Despite this adventurous nature he was not one to turn his back on responsibilities or duties. In fact it was quite the opposite he reveled in it. All of The Traditionalist's children were provided an formal, martial, and religious education as part of new and recent tradition. The formal education taught Rotgrim basic math science and engineering; and additionally the languages of different foes his family fought over the years was also taught to them. Martial education was a must for any Murderbeard and Rotgrim would find himself quickly excelling in those studies. It was however his religious education that would strike Rotgrim perhaps most profoundly. Rotgrim pledged himself as a crusader to Deep Duerra's cause and dogma. The supremacy of the Duergar people, and their destiny to the rule the depths. While his interest in the faith was great he understood that he was by no means an educator nor suited to the path of the priest. Instead Rotgrim wanted to make a point of active participation and lending himself as a vehicle for the goals of his Goddess. As a militant member of Deep Duerra's Church Rotgrim has pledged himself to the destruction and enslavement of his enemies, nightly prayer, and at the end of combat his prayers to the Axe Princess of Conquest would sing upon his lips giving thanks for glory and his dedication to the mission of dominion over the depths. Apart from religious influence Rotgrim XV would be greatly influenced and eventually troubled by family history. From the great murder which bore the name 'Murderbeard' to the vanquishing of a rival house, and to the defeat of a mad warlock; Rotgrim was very much proud of his heritage even if aspects did indeed tarnish some of it. As a result Rotgrim wanted to live up to the family name so greatly and redeem the still very dark shadow left behind by the Ozgunnoth.
Attempting to raise his name up anyway he could he started by going right to work. Serving as a temple guard as a young duergar for temples dedicated to Deep Duerra was a simple enough and useful task. It paid well and allowed Rotgrim to have a sense of spiritual fulfillment. While this was all decent he saw that this alone was not enough to elevate his family's name. As he got older, Rotgrim would then he offer his martial services to the far wealthier Duergar families of Dunspeirrin. Rotgrim provided excellent services and truly proved himself as a man at arms with a wicked spiked warmace. Despite this he would be ridiculed for his family's past and looked down upon due to the traitorous nature of the Ozgunnoth. The stain upon his family name would hold back Rotgrim despite his great talents. Nevertheless he was offered positions with notworthy mercenary companies in the region and after weighing the options of employment Rotgrim would ultimately decline the opportunities as he had much stronger ambitions. Rotgrim was not happy with life at home and saw the stagnant approach his father had took with the family to be a non-proactive and 'limp wristed' direction. It went against much of what he was taught but he knew he had to make a break and take leave of his home in order to achieve the greatest of opportunities.
The Traditionalist of course would not agree with his son. Insisting that only working harder would have any hopes of bringing the family name anything. Father and son would argue and fight over the matter. The Father concerned his son had fallen to outside influence and that straying from the steady path would only bring further shame to the family rather than recovering it, and The Son who knew that the current path was nothing but mindless labor that would ultimately achieve nothing and that true opportunity from the outside was necessary to elevate the glory that he and his family were cheated out of by his own ancestors. The Traditionalist issued his son a clear message stating that if he left he would be banished from the house-hold and be remembered in the chronicles as 'The Banished'. While this did give the younger Duergar some pause he ultimately chose to take his leave. If there was one thing he learned about revolutions and great deeds it was that none were made without great risks. The Son laid down everything to take back what he saw was rightfully is and despite the disdain from his father and other family Rotgrim struck out on his own vowing that he would not return until he had made something of himself, and achieved great wealth.
~ The Future ~
For 'The Banished' the future is all he had to look forward to. Hard work is the one thing all Duergar know best, and it would be the decider in who he would become and if he could even be welcomed back into his family home. The future begins with his arrival to Sshamath where he began his company the 'Murder Kiln Mercenary Company'. As Captain of the Company The Banished would see successful missions and heightened interest in his capabilities. From business directly from Clan Shieldbreaker, to business from wealthy drow. It seems for the time being that the company could very well be a promising vehicle that would bring The Banished the opportunity to raise his home and his name higher. Currently the goal for The Banished is to earn a strong reputation, acquire money and resources to establish a stronghold under his command, further the cause and dominion of Deep Duerra, and one day after all the wealth and power has been attained return home to absorb his family's holdings and grant himself a new title whether his father is willing or not.
Until then though; the Murder Kiln will become the Banished's life. A means of granting himself the very things that he felt he was cheated out of. Only time will tell if his goals will truly be reached by his efforts or if he will go down in the engraved chronicles simply as 'The Banished'.
Heirloom Item
The Murderbraid
This well preserved belt appears to be made of a composite of materials: leather, brass, and most peculiar blackened hair. It is said that the hair was cut from the beard of Rotgrim 'The Murder Beard' Murderbeard I. During preparation for his funeral though no record of the artifact existed until the item's discovery by The Black Ledger. Regardless of its authenticity the belt has been well preserved and maintained and its craft was done so by none other than the hand of a true master of leather working arts.
The Auditor's Signet Ring
An authentic piece of Murderbeard family history. The Auditor's signet ring was one of the first signet rings ever forged. Originally commissioned by The Chronicler, these signet rings were designed to assert the authority of the Murderbeard family. This ring in particular however was owned by the Auditor as the sides display his numerals. This ring is worn and has seen better days with it holds the ferocity of a grudge bearing Duergar eager to settle the score.
Helm of the Zealot
A practical and unremarkable looking armet helmet from the outside. An undiscerning eye would see this item and not think much of it, but those with a more dwarven eye for craftsmanship know to look beyond exteriors. The inside of the helmet was a luxurious piece made to be a comfortable fit on the wearers head. It's overall practical engineering despite looking unremarkable was impressive. Comfortable to wear, and expertly designed. A brass tag on the inside of the helmet reads: RM-XI indicating its previous owner.
Plot Hooks
* Religious service - A devout follower of Deep Duerra, Rotgrim is personally interested in spreading her dogma and fulfilling the destiny of the Duergar people.
* Mercenary Work - Rotgrim's company 'The Murder Kiln' is always looking for work and Rotgrim is always eager to bloody his hands like his ancestors before him.
* Family Politics - As the first born with a name and destiny of becoming the family patriarch one day, familial politics are an excellent way to get hooked in with or for Rotgrim to get hooked into a plot.
