Durak Doomson

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A character in the The Sorrow of Bolrech Bog PBP WHFRP game.

Stats

Name: Durak Doomson

Race: Dwarf

Age: 50

Height: 4'10"

Weight: 165

Eyes: Brown

Hair: Brown

Distinguishing Mark: Large Nose

Siblings: 2

Homeland: Karak Kadrin (Slayer Keep)

Star Sign: Drasomos the Drake (sign of courage)

Background: Military

Career: Mercenary


Weapon Skill: 53 (200 xp spent)

Ballistic Skill: 31 (SM)

Strength: 31

Toughness: 41

Agility: 22

Intelligence: 33

Will Power: 32 (27+5 from Coolheaded)

Fellowship: 23

Attacks: 2 (Increased with Mercenary Advance)

Wounds: 12

Strength Bonus: 3

Toughness Bonus: 4

Movement: 3

Magic: 0

Insanity Point: 0

Fate Points: 1


Basic Skills

Animal Care x2 (from Military BG and Mercenary)

Drive (from Mercenary)

Haggle (from Mercenary)

Perception (from Mercenary)

Swim (from Mercenary)


Advanced Skills

Dodge Blow x2 (from Military BG and Mercenary)

Common Knowledge (dwarfs) (from dwarf)

Common Knowledge (Kislev) (from Mercenary)

Speak Language (Khazalid) (from dwarf)

Speak Language (Reikspiel) (from dwarf)

Secret Language (Battle Tongue) (from Mercenary)

Trade (Smith) (from dwarf) (+10% from Dwarfcraft)


Talents

Coolheaded: +5% bonus to starting Willpower (from Military BG)

Dwarfcraft: +10% bonus on trade skills (from dwarf)

Grudge born fury: +5% to WS with Goblinoids (from dwarf)

Night Vision: 30yards with starlight (from dwarf)

Quick Draw: 1/round can use the ready action as a free action (from Mercenary)

Resistance to Magic: +10% on WP Tests to resist magic (from dwarf)

Sixth Sense: Strange feeling when in danger.

Stout-Hearted: +10% on Fear, Terror, WP to resist Intimidation (from dwarf)

Strike Mighty Blow: +1 to Damage Rolls in Melee (Mercenary)

Strike to Stun: May attempt to stun instead of inflicting damage (from Mercenary)

Sturdy: No penalities for wearing heavy/plate armor (from dwarf)


Mercenary Advances

WS +10 (200 xp spent) BS +10 S +5 T +5 Ag +5 WP +5 A +1 (First Advance Used) W +2


Equipment

Bedroll

Water Flask

Mug & Cutlery

Healing Draught

Slingbag

Hand Axe

Crossbow & 10 bolts

Mail Shirt

Pot Helm

Leather Jack

Shield

4 Gold Crowns


Background

Durak Doomson was born in the grim citadel of Karak Kadrin, the Slayer Keep. His father Rodin Bortokson was a famed dwarven warrior who had shamed himself and had come to Karak Kadrin to take the slayer oath. His mother Kadlina Baralisdotr lived and worked as a smith in the Slayer Keep, fashioning weapons and armor in the twisted style preferred by those seeking a glorious death. She had known of Rodin before his shame and fashioned the grim axe, Grislev, to accompany him and keep him safe on his doomed journey. Even as a slayer, Rodin was popular, and between exploits he would return to Karak Kadrin to report on his increasingly impressive attempts to restore his honor in battle. Over the course of his many visits, Kadlina and Rodin fell in love. Although it was a doomed relationship, Kadlina took comfort in it. She could not marry Rodin and bring shame to herself and her family, but she could help ease the pain in his soul and give him incentive to keep fighting to survive.

Durak's birth followed one of Rodin's visits to the Slayer Keep -- under the fortunate sign of Drasomos the Drake. Referred to as the Children of Doom (and given the Surname of Doomson and Doomsdottr), Slayer bastards were far from uncommon at the Keep and were granted a special status all their own. It was considered lucky at Slayer Keep to be slayer-born, and while most dwarven children would take on the status and honor of their fathers, the Children of Doom were raised to uphold the honor of the Slayer traditions. All Slayers treat the Children of Doom as if they were family.

Rodin only visited Karak Kadrin once after Durak was born. He gave the child his blessing and one of his Slayer earrings as those were all he had left to offer. Shortly thereafter word reached the Slayer Keep that Rodin was slain fighting a Chaos Warrior on a Manticore mount that was terrorizing Western Kislev. Rodin managed to kill the warrior and the manticore, but he succumbed to the deadly poison of the fearsome beast after the battle had ended. Rodin's body was returned to the Keep for burial but his dark axe, Grislev, was never recovered.

Durak grew up in and around Slayer Keep, working in its smithies and fighting in its militia. Like all of the Children of Doom, he exhibited an uncanny Sixth Sense for danger that helped keep him and his fellow warriors alive in the dangerous environs of Kadrin valley. As his skills improved, he was assigned to more and more dangerous missions, usually escorting trade wagons in and out of the World's Edge Mountains through greenskin territory and beyond.

Recently Durak sought out a trade expedition travelling to Western Kislev. Although nearly fifty years had passed, he wanted to see for himself the place of his father's Doom. Durak found Kislev to be a cold and unfriendly place, but was excited to learn that tales were still told of the dwarven slayer Rodin. Apparently Durak's father had based himself out of Erengrad for most of his days as a slayer, defending the people against the frequent incursions of chaos as he quested for a foe worthy of pitting himself up against. Rodin's deeds had made a small region of the country safer by eliminating the warlord of Chaos that had been plaguing it for years. Durak travelled to this region and was greeted warmly by the local Boyar once his identity became known.

Durak stayed with the Boyar and his men for a while, fighting with them against errant mutants and beastmen. He spoke to the elders and listened to accounts of his slayer father's great deeds. Durak found himself astounded to learn that his father's axe, Grislev, had been recovered thirty years previous by the Boyar himself. In a time of great need, the Boyar discovered the axe and used it to slay a Centigor that was leading a band of beastmen down south into Kislev from the chaos wastes. Since then he had kept the axe safe, using it to deadly effect against the minions of the Dark Powers as they would invade the northern lands of the Empire. The Boyar told Durak that he had gifted the axe to his adopted daughter Hanna, when it had become clear to him that her skills as a warrior had far surpassed his own. The Boyar told Durak that the gods themselves had called to Hanna and the axe, pulling her towards a greater fate in the war against Chaos than merely defending the border. He bade Durak to seek her out and protect her so that their destiny could be realized. Moved by the man's devotion to a daughter that wasn't even of his own blood, and recognizing his fate when it was revealed to him, Durak pledged an oath to seek out Hanna and safeguard her in her battles against chaos throughout the Empire.

Ten Questions

1. Where are you from? Durak is from Karak Kadrin, the Slayer Keep, and he is very much colored by the attitudes and outlook of the Cult of the Slayers. Although his dress is sedate in comparison to the slayers, he wears his father's large gold earring and wields a short, grim axe forged by his mother, Kadlina. His shield bears the sigil of Grimnir the Fearless, the patron of the Slayers.

2. What is your family like? Durak's mother is a reknowned smith and his father a famous slayer. As one of the Children of Doom, he is as close to a slayer as one can get, short of shaming himself and shaving his head. He is drawn towards trouble, seeking it out when others would turn the other way.

3. What is your social class? Durak's social class is a difficult thing to measure. On one hand, he is a bastard without a true surname. On the other hand, he is a member of a class that is particularly honored amongst the dwarves of Karak Kadrin. Dwarves outside of Slayer Keep regard the Children of Doom as a necessary evil. While slayers are all but dead to dwarven society, they still breathe and occasionally procreate -- their children symbolize the honor of the oath they have taken and serve as a reminder that great deeds and a mighty death can absolve even the worst of sins. Children of Doom are often found in the company of slayers, whether related by blood or not.

4. What did you do before you became an adventurer? Durak was a smith in the forges of Karak Kadrin as well as a caravan guard. He has also served as a soldier in Karak Kadrin's militia. Lately he has worked as a mercenary, although its rare that he sells his axe for gold -- rather he finds things that need killing in exchange for the hospitality of those he is protecting. Durok has become accustomed to trading his skills as a warrior to get what he needs to survive.

5. Why did you become an adventurer? The call to great deeds is as much a part of Durak's blood as his short stature and long brown beard. The slayer blood that runs in his veins causes him to seek out situations that most would happily avoid.

6. How religious are you? Durak is a follower of Grimnir the Fearless. He rarely performs open rites to the god, but he has been known to scream oaths to his deity in the heat of battle. As one of the Children of Doom, it is his responsibility to see that the deeds of slayers abroad are witnessed and whenever possible, their bodies consecrated in death to their god.

7. Who are your best friends and worst enemies? Durak has no real friends outside of the Cult of the Slayers and the other Children of Doom. Most "civilized" dwarfs avoid him and his kin. He will drop anything (with the exception of violating a sworn oath) to come to the aid of a slayer seeking his doom. All Children of Doom are family to him....he can refuse them nothing. Durak has made many enemies over the years. All of them are dead.

8. What are your prized possessions? Durak isn't too attached to material things, although his father's earring and his mother's axe have sentimental value to him. His father's axe, Grislev, has deep value to him and he will do anything in his power to keep it from falling into the wrong hands.

9. Who are you loyal to? Durak is loyal to all dwarves, particular to Slayers and their kin. He has sworn an oath to protect Hanna Ice-Hound and will do so with his life. Of course, this is complicated by the fact that he has never met her....

10. Who do you love/hate? Durak loves his mother and will return to visit her in Karak Kadrin as often as possible. He hates all servants of Chaos and will stop at nothing to see them destroyed.

Motivations

Honour Oaths are the lifeblood of dwarven culture. You are only as good as your word. Durak believes that his word and his deeds are how he will be judged by Grimnir. He measures both carefully.

Devotion The Children of Doom are considered to be blessed by Grimnir who has rewarded them with the Sixth Sense so that they will always be ready to face their challenges with Courage and Honour. Demonstrating courage in the face of doom is Durak's way of honoring the god -- well that and destroying the agents of Chaos wherever they might appear.

Bloodline Although his true bloodline is tainted by the shame of his father's misdeed, he represents the return to Honour the Slayer Oath offers to those that have embraced their doom.