Aldrhunrik

Race: Dwarf

Domains: Time, Fate, Merchants, Dwarves

Ethos

Learn from the past, plan for the future; strike while the iron is hot or risk losing the opportunity to shape your fate. Aldrhunrik, the Fate Forger, appears as a dwarf with skin and robes made of grey stone; their exposed skin is covered in glowing runes. Often attended to by several floating, glowing letters and runes, Aldrhunrik is almost always accompanied by at least one floating grimoire.

History/Relationships

Esgir Anvilsmiter was born in one of the Dwarven settlements in the mountains of Varalon. His upbringing was fairly common for a dwarf, and both he and his brother, Druskeden, eventually settled in Forgehome. Several years later, a party of Uordeq were successful in infiltrating the Dwarven capital and kidnapping King Guldar. Employed as a scout at the time, Esgir set off and tracked the kidnappers for three days… Stumbling out of the forest and into unfamiliar territory, Esgir found himself in Jastrey; not only was he displaced from his home in Varalon, but also displaced in time- somehow ending up two years before the kidnapping. While Esgir remained in Jastrey for the most part, unsure what would occur if he were to return to Forgehome and encounter himself, he did contact his brother; using his knowledge of what were now future events, Druskeden and Esgir were successful in preventing the kidnapping this time. Shortly after, Stein the Betrayer counterattacked Forgehome at the head of an Uordeq army, killing King Guldar and destroying the city.

Esgir’s failure plunged him into depression and anger, having saved the king only to then have him and his own brother killed and the city destroyed. While Esgir pledged himself to the newly ascendant Kragg, he couldn’t help but wonder if his actions had led to the Uordeq escalation, so he strove to find any way to ‘correct’ things. It wasn’t until several years later, when the Graefward Liem came to him, that Esgir discovered that the continued actions of himself in other timelines was posing an increasing threat to Orn. Retrieving three grimoires: Rubrum, which recorded everything someone had ever done, Noir, who recorded every anomaly in time, and Azure, who recorded the ‘true’ future.

Before facing what was to come, Esgir confided everything in his close friend, clansman, and First of Kragg, FuChu Anvilsmiter, expressing that he would not put Orn in further jeopardy by continuing to try and alter the events. Esgir confronted his iterations as they still attempted to alter the events of the fall of Forgehome and refused to attempt to alter the events to save King Guldar. Eventually overpowering the corrupted iterations attempts to alter time, Esgir set about restoring Azure to its true form; destroying the corrupted iterations and his mortal self in the process, becoming the immortal Aldrhunrik.

Aldrhunrik, much like Esgir in life, judges people based on their actions which is uncommon for a dwarf. Able to see the ‘true’ fate of mortals, they attempt to guide those of particularly strong fate. While Aldrhunrik is somewhat neutral in matters of fate, they do lean to the side of good, putting them most at odds with the immortals of the pit: Hexadus, Hursisa, and Syflare. Perhaps odd to outsiders, Aldrhunrik and Xavix are not opposed; in mortal life Varian aided the smallfolk of Stoutnail, and, while they were never exactly close, Esgir and Varian were known to work together for the good of Jastrey. Xavros on the other hand is too much a chaotic, corrupting influence. Having recovered the Dragon Compact shortly before ascending and being familiar with elemental rune magic, Aldrhunrik has a working relationship with the immortal dragons at least. Being a friend of Kegger Ironspur and follower of Kragg in life, Aldrhunrik and Kragg are allied. Having largely assumed the domains previously associated with the absent Banekeril, Aldrhunrik has also taken to reforming the Forsyntheril and is allied with both Thareon and the Treys, whom he knew in life. The Forsyntheril is currently opposed to their fourth member, Secronus, for the immortal’s hand in the Shattering, among other things.

Dogma

Learn from the past, plan for the future; strike while the iron is hot or risk losing the opportunity to shape your fate. Whatever fate may come your way always give it meaning and transform it into something of value, for it either rewards, disciplines, amends, or punishes, and so is either useful or just.

Followers and Temples

Seen by some as the new form of Banekeril, Aldrhunrik has welcomed both the Hands of Fate as their followers as well as the Banesages, renowned the world over as great historians and prophets. Many of Aldrhunrik's followers take to scholarly pursuits, studying, chronicling, and preserving lost histories in vast libraries. Others wander the world, seeking out the auguries of fate and guiding those who have been touched by extraordinary destinies.

New followers of Aldrhunrik have taken to calling themselves Fatesmiths. While formal temples to Aldrhunrik are few in number, many merchants and Fatesmiths set up small shrines of Aldrhunrik, aspiring to use the teachings on preparedness and opportunity to enrich themselves and their communities. Those who feel that Aldrhunrik guided their hand in particularly profitable ventures traditionally give part of the profits to the Fatesmiths, who continue to use it to invest in their communities and plan ahead to provide for them in times of hardship.

Noteworthy Followers

In his role as Fate Forger, Aldrhunrik has a number of followers, some inherited from Banekeril.

• Runesmiths – Traditionally a Dwarven craft, other races have begun to pick up this unique form of magick. Dwarven runes are carved, etched, engraved, or otherwise marked and draw upon the magick of whatever they are scribed upon to fuel their spells.

• Fatesmiths – While Runesmiths tend to focus specifically on elemental magick, as is traditional for Dwarves, Fatesmiths have begun to incorporate more advanced runes that allow them to tap into Esprice as well. Typically they utilize a specially prepared set of runestones as an augury for future events or opportunities.

• The Hands of Fate – Since the Dawning, a secret brotherhood of seers has maintained a vigil. These seers keep watch over individuals touched by a strong destiny, feeling out their futures, protecting them from harm, and guiding them toward their fate. Whether that fate is for good or ill makes no difference; the Hands of Fate work in secret to ensure that every destiny maintains its course, trusting in the grand design that only Aldrhunrik themself can see.

• Nous - The nous are spirits of intellect that appear as floating, glowing letters or runes. They are known to be utterly ambivalent but faultlessly honest, interacting with mortals only to sate their curiosity. Mages often summon them to answer important questions. Because the nous feed upon knowledge, however, mages are often required to offer up equally significant truths to the nous as payment.