ThunderTitan wrote:
So, is the line-up all male or do Ashanian dwarven women have beards?
See for your self.
Fortress heroes
Wulfstan is a member of the Winterwind clan of Dwarves; he is strong and inured to the extreme conditions of the Dwarven mountains (not many Dwarves venture outside their subterranean cities). His travels in the exterior have also made him friendly with other peoples, a fact that for some more conservative elements is equivalent to being tainted. Having embarrassed the king once too often with his plain language and undiplomatic opinions, he has been more or less banished to the frontier where he is the captain of an important garrison.
Svea spent her youth in the towns of the Silver League as part of the Dwarves' small embassy in the land of the Wizards. But while other Dwarves, depressed by their stay in the foreign country, were giving way to homesickness, Svea spent her time studying all the mysteries of the League’s magical art. The outcome of her studies was the mastery -- unusual for a Dwarf -- of Lightning Magic.
This child of famous stonemasons did not turn out as expected. Instead of shaping the rock, Inga claimed to be able to "hear" it. Growing up, she spent so much of her time with the Rune Priests, studying the mysterious songs she heard in the bedrock, that she left her uncomprehending family to join them. Her attunement to the hidden whisperings of Arkath has helped her develop into an outstanding leader of the Rune Priests.
Though a good man, Tolghar lives in constant fear: fear that he is not good enough for his people; fear that he is not pure enough for his god; fear that he may be taking the wrong decisions; fear that the chaos surrounding his country will eventually affect him. He is easily manipulated by counsellors and kin who have learnt to play his fears like a "bhak-zad" -- the Dwarven pipe organ that uses the hot air from lava vents to send bass notes echoing across their great caverns.
Karli spent many a year in the underworld smithies, studying ancient formulae and experimenting with various alloys and components in order to create the finest weapons possible. The warriors led by Karli have the best-balanced arms, giving them noticeable advantages in the battlefield.
Rolf is as at ease in the court as he is in the saddle. He is an accomplished courtier and certainly an adequate, if not outstanding, fighter. He is an important member of the clan, but is too politically astute to let the concerns of the outside get in the way of his political career. To be blunt: Rolf wants to be king. To do this he must prove his worth to all of the six clans who will select Tolghar's heir. As such, he is entirely content that his dangerously competent half-brother Wulfstan is not around to mess up his plans.
Helmar began his miitary career as a fighting Rune Priest and was prominent among his brother soldiers for his austerity, his asceticism and his fanatical hatred of his enemies. Helmar’s superiors soon took note and began to entrust him with the command of small units. Helmar learned how to spread his rage to his warriors, and is now famed as a Warlord whose troops are fierce and merciless in battle.
During the War Under the Mountain, it fell to Ingvar to protect Frostclef Pass. Only a handful of the three hundred Defenders survived, most of those from Ingvar’s unit. Since then, the Warlord has become known as one of the Stone Halls' greatest commanders, and simple warriors -- the Defenders -- are his steadfast supporters in all his battles.
(Dwarven King's Evil Counsellor, Deepflame clan) Hangvul views himself as the sole thing that keeps the empire on an even keel. As a result, he considers it his dragon-given duty to ensure that King Tolghar follows his recommendations. Hangvul lost an eye and an arm in wars against the Dark Elves, and he fashioned himself new ones out of magic and steel. The results of this on his personality are enormous -- from his fanatical, racist hatred of other factions to his unshakeable belief in his own convictions and talents.
The tame white owl, Trolinga, who slumbers peacefully on Erling's shoulder, was with him when Erling returned from an extended winter trapping expedition. Questions about it meet only with a secretive smile. As well as the owl, Erling returned from that journey with a profound knowledge of Dwarven Rune Magic, and many Dwarves wonder just exactly where he went that winter, and who he met.
Arkath the Dragon of Fire favours Brand, a sombre and unsociable Warlord whose face is hidden by a red cloth. It is rumoured that, in his youth, Brand made a mistake when experimenting with the Runes and suffered terrible scorches. This accident, however, did not deter him from continuing his studies. It is for his persistence and devotion that Arkath blesses him, rewarding him with supernatural ability in Rune Magic.
Among the Dwarves’ most amazing heroines stands Ebba, small and ruthless, who was brought up by a family of bears. When she first appeared among them, few recognised that this nubbin of feral frenzy was in fact a Dwarf. But Ebba soon gained prestige and even the loyalty and adoration of those stern warriors of the North, the Bear Riders.
Haven heroes
An excessively fanatical priest of Elrath with delusions of grandeur, Alaric was easily seduced by Biara-as-Isabel and her promises of power and glory. Forsaking Elrath's worship - even if not entirely realising that he did so - Alaric has been drawn further and further into Biara's web of persecution, murder and paranoia.
Biara is a loose cannon looking for a target. Having managed to sneak her way into the rule of the Griffin Empire, she oscillates between happy/gloating and insecure/fearful. Given Biara's bloodlust and rages, this creates the worst possible environment for those subject to her whims...
Though Duncan is from an ancient family whose lands (and blood) come from none other than the fabled Falcon dynasty, as a youth his heart longed not for the sumptuous halls of royal palaces but for expanses of sunlit fields, for dusty roads and for the adventures that lay in wait. Impatient with aristocracy and aristocrats, Duncan devoted his life to wandering, and there are few places left in the Kingdom which he hasn’t visited yet.
Queen of the Griffin Empire, Isabel was the unwitting victim of the centuries-old plans of the Demon Sovereign. Luckily, she was saved by troops of Rangers, Wizards, Warlocks and Knights from Sheogh itself in the final moments of the war that bears her name. Though she has literally been through hell, her faith has remained steady and her troops benefit from her holy blessings.
Once a loyal captain of the Griffin Empire, Laszlo's desire for glory was twisted by Biara over a period of a few years. Warping his love for battle into a lust for blood and his search for adulation into a need to be recognised by her and her alone, Biara now has total control over Laszlo's motivations. He is no longer a tough but respected leader of soldiers, but a cruel and demanding officer who views even his own troops as fodder.
Lady Ornella is a high ranking member of the Bull Duchy, who controls the southeastern regions of the Griffin Empire. During Queen Isabel's War her proximity to Heresh and the Silver Cities brought her into frequent contact with leaders from those factions, particularly the Vampire Lord Giovanni. Allies and friends, she maintained contact with him even after the alliance between Isabel and Markal fell apart.
Andreas
Lorenzo
Valeria
Dungeon heroes
Ylaya is a Keeper of the Law for the Shadowbrand clan of Dark Elves. As such, her life has been described as levels of religious piousness, devotion, and training in the arts of Dragon Magic. A respected matriarch in a position of responsibility, she is devoted to her dragon-goddess Malassa. Ylaya lacks experience as a military commander, however, so she relies on the unfailing support of her sisters, the matrons and matriarchs of Ygg-Chall.
Very little was left of the Soulscar clan once Raelag had finished with them. Among the few survivors was Thralsai. Keeping a low profile during Queen Isabel's war to ensure his own survival, once he returned home thoughts of family and vengeance began to gnaw at him. Slowly consolidating his power, Thralsai was waiting for a moment to break forth... and then Shadya came.
Necropolis heroes
Giovanni was once a minor count of the Bull Duchy, but too far removed from the ruling line to hope for a position of importance. He ended up seeking power in a different way, following his sister Lucretia into the arts of the Necromancers. Now a powerful Vampire Lord, Giovanni controls an important region on the border with the Griffin Empire.
