Thurdack Horne
Thurdack Horne, human male barbarian/sorceror1; CR1; HD 1d12+8 (20 hp); Init +2; Speed 40 feet; AC 12 (+2 Dex) touch 12, flatfooted 10, ACP:0; Bab +1, Grapple +4; Atk +5 melee (2d6+3, critical 19-20/x2, greatsword) or +3 ranged (1d8, critical x3, longbow); SQ Fast movement, rage, summon familiar; AL CG; SV Fort +4, Refl +2, Will +3; Str 16, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 14.
Skills and Feats: (20sp, 4/2) Concentration +6 (4), Knowledge (arcana) +1 (1), Spellcraft +2 (2), Climb +4 (1), Intimidate +5 (1), Jump +4 (1), Survival +4 (4), Swim +4 (1), Listen +3 (1), Knowledge (local: the North) +2 (2cc); Diehard, Toughness, Bullheaded.
Fast Movement (Ex): +10 feet movement in medium armor or less.
Rage (Ex): 1/day +4 Str, Con, +2 will save, -2 AC, lasts 7 rd, after becomes fatigued for the encounter.
Familiar: Squishy the Toad, +3 hp, Alertness.
Diety: Uthgar.
Region: The Western Heartlands. (masterwork greatsword)
Possessions: masterwork greatsword(region), longbow(75gp, 100' range), 20 arrows(1gp), studded leather(25gp, 15% spell failure), backpack(2gp), bedroll(0.1gp), winter blanket(0.5gp), flint and steel(1gp), hammer(0.5gp), belt pouch(1gp), 4 pitons(0.4gp), 5 trail rations(2.5gp), 5 torches (0.05gp), waterskin(1gp), whetstone(0.02), 50' silk rope(10gp). 39gp 9sp 3cp [72.5lbs (76/153/230)]
Spells: (5/4 per day) base save DC 12+spell level.
0th - Detect Magic, Read Magic, Mage Hand, Mending.
1st - Endure Elements, Shield.
Description: Thurdack is a very large individual, not only in height but in girth as well. His wild long hair and general dishevelled look mark him as one of the northern barbarians. With his broad shoulders and barrel chest many stereotype him as un-cultured and ignorant. They would be suprised by his friendly open nature and definitely by his appreciation of music. While completely inept in that area, he loves to listen to bards sing and musicians play. At 19 he is quite young, yet he has had a knack for spell-casting since he was much younger.
Background: Thurdack was born in the Western Heartlands, having grown up on farm in one of the northern fronteir areas. Following a series of mishaps around the farm, he set out from home leaving his family behind. He fell in with some of the Uthgardt who wandered much further south than they had before. They had been tracking a number of orcs down from the mountains far to the north. They welcomed Thurdack into their tribe after a particularily harrowing encounter. Still they trudged on their quest, one of vengence, had not yet been sated.
Thurdack and his new brothers, the Uthgardt, trailed the orcs for days. It seemed odd that the orcs would travel so far from their homes far to the north. Perhaps they feared the retribution of these warriors he traveled with. One night the scout of the tribe, a warrior named Krem, saw a fire burning brightly down in the valley below. Skirting the edges of it he could see that they had finally caught up to the orcs. Why they dared open fire knowing they were being tracked was beyond Thurdack, perhaps they thought they had escaped. Regardless the brothers armed themselves for battle. This was the first time Thurdack had seen them paint their faces. Once ready the offered a prayer to the Raven, the manifestation of Uthgar that the tribe followed.
They broke into a light run as they headed down into the valley. As they neared the fire they saw that it burned much brighter than Krem had described. Breaking into a run the burst upon a scene that none had thought possible. All of the orcs lay dead many of them burning upon the fire as if it were a pyre built especially for them. Among the bodies stood a human, fresh blood flowing from his wounds as he worked methodically at stripping and burning the bodies. From the looks of it he had killed all of the orcs singlehandedly.
Murtek looked upon the strangers as they approached and knew that these were the children of Tempus that she had spoken of.
~You still think she was something other than who she said...why do you still doubt what you saw...~
As the barbarians closed in, Murtek threw the last of the bodies on the pyre and approached them, knowing that for now, his fate was tied in with their's.
Calling out to them, Murtek prayed his damaged voice would be heard over the roar of the holy fire behind him.
"She said you would arrive. She said the blood of Tempus' son flowed through all your veins. I am Murtek Greyspear, and I am to follow where you will take me."
Over the next days and weeks, Murtek and Thurdack travelled back north, returning with the Uthgardt to their ancestral home. They became fast friends learning from one another. Thurdack had apparently had quite a bit of experience fighting off goblins and vermin that plagued the frontier farmers in the Western Heartlands. He taught Murtek what he knew, and the mysterious Murtek spoke at length about the Red Knight and what had happened that night.
Once they had reached the ancestor mounds of the barbaric tribesmen, they discovered that while accepted among the hunting party, the other members of the tribe did not look favourably on the pair. Thurdack hesitated, wanting to enjoy the freedom that he had enjoyed away from the farm. But really there wasn't anywhere else for him to go back crawling back to his father. Turning to Murtek, he asked, "Where does the Red Knight move you next?"
The time spent with Thurdack and his brothers had been a blessing to Murtek, but he knew that while his body had healed, his soul was still in need of mending fully.
"I feel a calling in my soul friend, a voice that whispers secrets in my ears at night when I sleep, only to allow me to forget them when I awake. She calls for me to seek out her house and surrender my past to her."
Feeling foolish for speaking so strangely, Murtek hoped his friend would not think him daft.
"I will be leaving soon my friend, heading to the lands of the east. I would be honored if you would come with me, although I know you have your brothers here among the tribe, even if my presence has strained that relationship."