Rulgak
Rulgak has been a Knight of Anathaeum for the past decade, following the destruction of her band at the hands of a foul corruption brought on by a curse. She has been sworn as a Knight of Dusk, and has since dedicated herself as a blacksmith to the Order, having recently become the head of the workshop at The Wyvern's Nest.
Appearance
Rulgak has dark brown eyes that sit beneath thin and scar-broken eyebrows. Her black hair is kept to a medium length, almost always braided and tied back tidily behind her head. Two small tusks protrude upward and over her lip, and her pointed ears sit flat and close to the sides of her head. It’s immediately apparent that she is an orc at even a glance, which can make dealing with those outside the order difficult.
Skills and Abilities
Hurting stuff
Rulgak is strong, and can hit things hard. Raiding was the way of life for most of hers, and she’s a skilled fighter for it. Hammers, axes and spears are the weapons she is most proficient with. She is capable at swordplay, although far less adept at it.
Breaking stuff
Skill and experience in crafting armour has gifted her with the ability to quickly spot weak points within it. At a glance, she can accurately estimate the quality of work, and determine the most vulnerable aspects of most any armour. These include gaps where it might be pierced outright, joints that might compromise the range of motion when struck, and places that offer the least protection against blunt impact.
Making stuff
She has dedicated her life to the craft of blacksmithing, and is capable of creating a variety of weapons, armour or other needed items. Skilled in forging steel, Rulgak further knows how to work with and smelt more exotic metals and alloys, given the right materials to work from. What little she is unfamiliar with, she tends to pick up quickly through practice.
Bespoke weapons forged by her are well-balanced to the user, weighted and designed with particular care to their strengths and build. Bespoke armour is always extremely well balanced, fitting naturally with little encumbrance to the wearer, if any.
Rulgak can personally oversee the forging of such a weapon in one to two weeks, and armour will take two to eight weeks, depending on complexity and urgency of need. Simpler items, such as spearheads and basic armour can be forged faster.
Combined with her specialty in the Pursuit of the Flame, Rulgak has also learned to enchant the products of her trade. This arcane art can aid her in further specializing armour, either by reducing its weight or by providing protection against vulnerabilities its wearer would otherwise have. Enchanting is far more arduous and costly than smithing, and as such is not commonly done.
Rulgak is strong, and can hit things hard. Raiding was the way of life for most of hers, and she’s a skilled fighter for it. Hammers, axes and spears are the weapons she is most proficient with. She is capable at swordplay, although far less adept at it.
Breaking stuff
Skill and experience in crafting armour has gifted her with the ability to quickly spot weak points within it. At a glance, she can accurately estimate the quality of work, and determine the most vulnerable aspects of most any armour. These include gaps where it might be pierced outright, joints that might compromise the range of motion when struck, and places that offer the least protection against blunt impact.
Making stuff
She has dedicated her life to the craft of blacksmithing, and is capable of creating a variety of weapons, armour or other needed items. Skilled in forging steel, Rulgak further knows how to work with and smelt more exotic metals and alloys, given the right materials to work from. What little she is unfamiliar with, she tends to pick up quickly through practice.
Bespoke weapons forged by her are well-balanced to the user, weighted and designed with particular care to their strengths and build. Bespoke armour is always extremely well balanced, fitting naturally with little encumbrance to the wearer, if any.
Rulgak can personally oversee the forging of such a weapon in one to two weeks, and armour will take two to eight weeks, depending on complexity and urgency of need. Simpler items, such as spearheads and basic armour can be forged faster.
Combined with her specialty in the Pursuit of the Flame, Rulgak has also learned to enchant the products of her trade. This arcane art can aid her in further specializing armour, either by reducing its weight or by providing protection against vulnerabilities its wearer would otherwise have. Enchanting is far more arduous and costly than smithing, and as such is not commonly done.
Personality
Strong and stoic, Rulgak tends to speak little. Partly to better conceal what subtle accent remains to her speech, but more so from a lack of desire to speak words needlessly. To strangers and newer apprentices, she can often come across as cold because of this. Which is the case, to a degree – she simply wants what’s best for her brethren, and isn’t one to mince words. Those who know her well would be aware of the passion she puts into her work and her utter dedication to those she works and lives with, even if Rulgak herself would seldom mention it.
She tends to be at her most content when she is busy crafting, whether smithing or any other sort of handwork. Her quarters are filled with furniture she has crafted herself, despite being far less talented at woodworking. Carpentry is a hobby to her, and though it leaves her room looking dim and dismal to many, the handcrafted orcish design does bring her comfort, and has made The Wyvern’s Nest feel a bit more like home.
Once illiterate, the Order soon taught her how to read. Good for their texts, but she knew history as an oral tradition and initially preferred it that way. Few blacksmiths are literate, and written plans are figures, not words. She valued the skill little until she discovered wartime history and tales of battle and cunning. Soon she became lost in reading, an activity that appealed to her introverted nature.
She tends to be at her most content when she is busy crafting, whether smithing or any other sort of handwork. Her quarters are filled with furniture she has crafted herself, despite being far less talented at woodworking. Carpentry is a hobby to her, and though it leaves her room looking dim and dismal to many, the handcrafted orcish design does bring her comfort, and has made The Wyvern’s Nest feel a bit more like home.
Once illiterate, the Order soon taught her how to read. Good for their texts, but she knew history as an oral tradition and initially preferred it that way. Few blacksmiths are literate, and written plans are figures, not words. She valued the skill little until she discovered wartime history and tales of battle and cunning. Soon she became lost in reading, an activity that appealed to her introverted nature.
Biography & Lore
Born into and raised by maraudering orcs, Rulgak was the daughter of the clan’s blacksmith. A stern but attentive man, he taught her the craft of blacksmithing from an early age. She found herself moving from apprentice to vetted blacksmith at the early age of sixteen. Despite her youth, her raw talent and her father’s guidance made her a more fitting candidate than older, more experienced apprentices. The quality of her work could not be denied.
Soon she began to accompany her clan on raids, pillaging and terrorizing what suitable small and indefensible settlements surrounded them. The last raid the band made was on a village that happened to be cursed with foul corruption, unknown to any. The battle itself went well and plundering the town turned out to be an easy task, but the relics they brought back with them carried the curse as well.
Rulgak never touched any, trusting no steel but her own. Those of her kin who did became wild and aggressive, even for violent warmongering orcs. Soon, matters turned to violence, and the cursed weapon wielders struck down others with no regard for family or friend. Worse still, those slain soon rose again as hideous, unrecognizable abominations.
Her sister, Agatha, and those who were unaffected joined her in her workshop, barricading the doors to allow them some refuge and plan measures to counter the threat that had consumed the majority of the band. Little time would be had for preparation, when one of the undead broke through the barricades.
Combat ensued immediately. The battle was tense and two more of her kin were slain, but it was soon discovered that the thing had an aversion to a particular spot. Seizing advantage of this, the orcs utilized this discovered zone of safety to strike at the beast. Nothing seemed to strike it down, nor inflict any substantial harm to it. In sheer frustration, Rulgak hurled a sack of coins at the beast that burst open on impact – and to her disbelief it finally showed signs of pain.
The coins within were silver, and they adhered to the smoking burns on the undead monster’s misshapen body. Renewed with vigour at the answer that would destroy this thing Rulgak quickly and crudely sharpened the larger coins and attached them to shafts. With the makeshift weapons, the orcs managed to finally ell the beast.
These weapons worked, but were too flimsy to hold. Neither was there enough silver for more. Worse, those slain would soon turn, and the group’s ensuing battle against two such beasts claimed the lives of all but her sister and one other. Hope for victory had long departed those who remained free from the curse. With the clan clearly corrupted, she and the others opted to escape and make their way out. The plan was to return with more material for weapons and take vengeance upon whatever force was responsible for this atrocity.
They needed silver, and were inclined to resort to the tried and true method of acquiring it by force. The first chosen targets just happened to be a pair of Knights of Anathaeum. After a bit of a scuffle, the Knights sorted out why they wanted the silver, and soon dedicated themselves to the cause.
Wary of the alliance, the orcs could hardly turn down the opportunity to avenge their kin and correct this curse. With the aid of the three plus the Knights, the task was done and the curse within the relics dispelled.
Having suffered the loss of their band, the other survivor sifted into another warlike clans. Rulgak instead opted to bring their skills to the Order. From that point on, she has dedicated herself to forging weapons, armour, and tools that might combat any further dark threats, such as that which claimed her clan.
Soon she began to accompany her clan on raids, pillaging and terrorizing what suitable small and indefensible settlements surrounded them. The last raid the band made was on a village that happened to be cursed with foul corruption, unknown to any. The battle itself went well and plundering the town turned out to be an easy task, but the relics they brought back with them carried the curse as well.
Rulgak never touched any, trusting no steel but her own. Those of her kin who did became wild and aggressive, even for violent warmongering orcs. Soon, matters turned to violence, and the cursed weapon wielders struck down others with no regard for family or friend. Worse still, those slain soon rose again as hideous, unrecognizable abominations.
Her sister, Agatha, and those who were unaffected joined her in her workshop, barricading the doors to allow them some refuge and plan measures to counter the threat that had consumed the majority of the band. Little time would be had for preparation, when one of the undead broke through the barricades.
Combat ensued immediately. The battle was tense and two more of her kin were slain, but it was soon discovered that the thing had an aversion to a particular spot. Seizing advantage of this, the orcs utilized this discovered zone of safety to strike at the beast. Nothing seemed to strike it down, nor inflict any substantial harm to it. In sheer frustration, Rulgak hurled a sack of coins at the beast that burst open on impact – and to her disbelief it finally showed signs of pain.
The coins within were silver, and they adhered to the smoking burns on the undead monster’s misshapen body. Renewed with vigour at the answer that would destroy this thing Rulgak quickly and crudely sharpened the larger coins and attached them to shafts. With the makeshift weapons, the orcs managed to finally ell the beast.
These weapons worked, but were too flimsy to hold. Neither was there enough silver for more. Worse, those slain would soon turn, and the group’s ensuing battle against two such beasts claimed the lives of all but her sister and one other. Hope for victory had long departed those who remained free from the curse. With the clan clearly corrupted, she and the others opted to escape and make their way out. The plan was to return with more material for weapons and take vengeance upon whatever force was responsible for this atrocity.
They needed silver, and were inclined to resort to the tried and true method of acquiring it by force. The first chosen targets just happened to be a pair of Knights of Anathaeum. After a bit of a scuffle, the Knights sorted out why they wanted the silver, and soon dedicated themselves to the cause.
Wary of the alliance, the orcs could hardly turn down the opportunity to avenge their kin and correct this curse. With the aid of the three plus the Knights, the task was done and the curse within the relics dispelled.
Having suffered the loss of their band, the other survivor sifted into another warlike clans. Rulgak instead opted to bring their skills to the Order. From that point on, she has dedicated herself to forging weapons, armour, and tools that might combat any further dark threats, such as that which claimed her clan.
References
The Wyvern's Nest (lore)The Wyvern's Nest (thread)
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