Hogar's Companions

Hogar

Hogar is the illegitimate grandson of Toth Bloodspear who led the Bloodspear Orcs into the Nentir Vale 90 years ago. Hogar's human grandmother was, as a child, taken into slavery during this war, along with many other humans.

A lifelong slave she eventually had a daughter with one of the male human slaves kept by the tribe. Toth's son and successor Rendar took a liking to the girl and eventually fathered Hogar.

Despite him being illegitimate and half Human Rendar took an interest in Hogar's upbringing, teaching him to hunt (which the Orcs do alongside semi-domesticated wolves) and fight. This angered Rendar's legitimate full-Orc sons who soon developed an antipathy towards Hogar and a dislike of Orc-Human interrelationships.

Upon Rendar's death his son Grumbar became the tribe's leader and immediately set about a purge of the few half-Orcs in the tribe and their human-slave parents. Hogar's mother was killed in this purge along with the majority of the other half-Orcs and humans involved. Hogar managed to escape with the help of Diefenbaker one of the tribes hunting wolf companions.

Having fled the recriminations of his half-brother Hogar travelled south into the former lands of the Nerath Imperium and eventually to the Imperial city of Nerath itself. Here the last vestiges of empire remain and Hogar joined the imperial mercenary army where he served with distinction.

Hogar's military prowess soon earned him a fearsome reputation and he was recruited into an order of demon hunters by the name of the Praetorium Corvax.  A religious order, the Praetorium is dedicated to the Raven Queen and maintaining the balance of life and death.  Having existed for hundreds of years their main order of business is to seek out those raising the dead from their graves and destroy them.

After serving for a numbers of years in and around Nerath word has reached the order that Orcus may be active in the Nentir Vale. As someone familiar with the area Hogar is one of those dispatched to investigate.



Vicrael

Vicrael is a Half-Elf who, during the course of his long life has mastered the Bardic arts.  His quick mind and articulate nature coupled with his military prowess have made him an almost indispensable part of the Praetorium Corvax.  He has risen through the ranks into the upper echelons of the command structure and is a trusted advisor to Grand Master Thelemir.

Vicrael has over the years turned his attention to the rehabilitation of some of the more monstrous creatures that roam the world.  He was responsible for recruiting both Hogar and Minron into the Praetorium and maintains a close relationship with both.

In recent years Vicrael has begun to dabble in dark magics.  Having observed the power available to several warlocks whom the Praetorium have defeated in battle over the years Vic has resolved to turn this power to the benefit of the empire.

Since entering Nentir Vale Vicrael’s behaviour has become somewhat erratic.  At times he has shown himself as a bold noble leader full of ideas and without fear, in short legendary Bard upon which he built a reputation.  At other times he shown himself to be incoherent, possibly cowardly and intend only on seeking out foes to dispatch. 

Though he doesn’t appear old Vicrael has lived an extraordinary long time for a Half-Elf, approaching 150 years.  Hogar has put these extremes of behaviour down to Vicrael’s age finally catching up with him, re-naming him “Old Vic” as a result but perhaps something more sinister is afoot.


Minron

Minron is a Minotaur originally from a feral tribe of cabalists in the mountains north-east of Nerath.  During a raid on the outskirts of the Imperial City he was captured by the Imperial Army.

The presence of a feral Minotaur in Nerath soon became the major topic of gossip in the city and came to the attention of Lord Vicrael a senior figure in the Praetorium Corvax.  Vicrael too Minron under his wing and set about taming the feral beast.  Over many months and years Minron has learned to contain the rage, so typical of his race, that boils within his bones.  But the rage is not gone, merely contained and ready to rise to the surface whenever Minron loses control.

Once Vicrael considered him ready Minron served in the ranks of the Praetorium hunting demons and undead in and around Nerath.  The other soldiers initially christened the towering Minotaur “Big Ron” but upon learning that Minron was named after his father, who is even bigger than he, and having amongst their number a Halfling by the name of “Little Ron” Minron was soon re-named “Medium Ron.

Minron and Hogar were contemporaries and great friends in the Praetoruim.  The served on many missions together with distinction and when Vicrael was asked to investigate rumours of Orcus sightings in the north he hand picked them as his companions.


Glen of Zaram

Glen is a Dwarven fighter of some repute.  Glen’s roots lie to the South West of the Dwarvern town of Hammerfast on the shores of Lake Dunmere.  Here lie the ruins of Zaram Manor, the ancestral seat of Glen’s family.  The manor was destroyed by the Bloodspear Orcs during the invasion and many treasures were lost to Zaram. 

Glen’s search for his lost inheritance has taken him all over the northern lands.  He has mentioned in passing a wife and son but shown no interest in returning to them, suggesting a falling out or perhaps something more tragic in his past.  He has, as is common amongst the Dwarves an unhealthy admiration for all kinds of precious stone.  Often he refuses to sell them to generate money to be spent on more practical things.  This has on occasion caused some tension with his companions.

His magpie-like tendencies aside Glen is well respected amongst the group for his level head and peerless skill in close combat.  He often acts as the de-facto leader of the group, seeing to the heart of a problem quickly and often coming up with a practical solution.

Glen eschews the use of a shield, instead specialising in the use of an Ugrosh.  The Ugrosh is a long handled heavy axe which, instead of a pommel has a spear head attached to the butt of the shaft which Glen is able to make effective use of when in a confined space where it becomes difficult to swing an axe.

Glen was part of the famous band of heroes who banished Orcus from the Keep on the Shadowfell immediately before the events at Silverkin Manor.


Rodney

Rodney is a human mage of the desert dwelling tribes far to the south of Nerath.  Heavily muscled with a shaved head which is adorned with tribal tattoos.  Quite what journey brought him from such a remote part of the world to become an adventurer in the Nentir Vale is not something that he has shared with others.

As is common amongst wizards, Rodney often holds himself aloof from the rest of the group.  He pays little attention to what others have to say unless they address him directly and usually abstains from any decision making process seeming to almost consider such conversation unimportant.  As a result his companions know relatively little about Rodney in terms of his past, his thoughts and his intentions.

What has become apparent is that he is no stranger to physical work despite being able to wield the arcane power that shapes our world.  He is skilled in the working of metal and the manufacture of weapons and armour.  During the course of their travels he has modified Glen’s ugrosh and Minron’s armour.  This combined with his ability to control a battlefield serve to make him an invaluable member of the group, despite his lack of engagement.

Rodney was part of the famous band of heroes who banished Orcus from the Keep on the Shadowfell immediately before the events at Silverkin Manor.


Eligos.

Eligos is a Tiefling Warden.  Half demon half human she is an imposing figure at the best of times.  The ability to transform herself into a Demonic Brute (massively muscled creature with a blood frenzy) or Humaniod Ram only adds to this fearsome appearance.  For those unfortunate enough to invoke her wrath their last moments must be a truly terrifying experience.

  A resolute warrior who is almost impossible to bring down, like Rodney she often does not have much to say but is a vital part of the group nonetheless.  Never afraid to charge into dangerous situations Eligos, more than any other member of the group, draws the attention of adversaries upon herself.  This allows the others to flank enemies and dispatch them all the more effectively, Eligos has earned herself a beating that would have finished those with a lesser constitution on more thatn one occasion.

Eligos was part of the famous band of heroes who banished Orcus from the Keep on the Shadowfell immediately before the events at Silverkin Manor.