High King Thorik Oathenhammer
Dwarf Monarch
High King Thorik Oathenhammer is a dwarf monarch of the Kingdom of Endor who appeared in Azimuth Campaign One. He is an NPC played by M.B.
High King Thorik Oathenhammer is the monarch of Endor, the First Mountain and High King of all Endor. This is a title he has held since before the time of the Zenethian Heroes, and during their journey he was their ally.
His armies were levied in the nations that banded together to fight the forces of Parthenia during the Manslayer War. He particpated in the Battle of the Bay of Shipwrecks and the Battle of the Iron Marshes.
High King Thorik Oathenhammer has continued leading his people into the Fifth Age. His reign has been long and successful. He is an elderly and battle-hardened leader who is revered among dwarves.
Description
Appearance
In his youth in the late Fourth Age, High King Thorik was a young dwarf with a strong physique. He had blonde hair and a beard that was kept in three braided plaits held with stone bands. He wore shining dwarvish plate armour with the runes of his clan decorating it, and on his head he wore a crown of bright mithril and white gems. He wore a blue furred cloak with gray furred trim, which was long enough to drag on the ground behind him. He was equipped with a tall magical axe, the Truthseeker Axe. In present day in the Fifth Age, High King Thorik is an eldery dwarf. He has sunken somewhat and his hair and beard have gone gray. The beard is longer and is still kept in three plaits. He wears the same cloak and crown, but instead of his plate armour he instead wears mithril chainmail under fine, royal robes. His eyes are faintly clouded and slightly obscurred by his heavy brow. He still wields the Truthseeker Axe.Personality
High King Thorik is revered as a level-headed leader that stands for fairness and truth. His word is his bond, sometimes to a stubborn degree. His rule over Endor has been regaled as one of the greatest in the history of Endor, the First Mountain. High King Thorik valued truth and honesty. He seemed to become angered by deception and had little patience for those who wronged him or threatened his people. This was shown by his repeated use of the Truthseeker Axe. It did allow him to be deceived by Psaro the Manslayer, as High King Thorik was readying his armies to attack Branca. Once this deception was revealed, High King Thorik immediately promised revenge and declared war on Psaro. High King Thorik was very welcoming to the Zenethian Heroes and to the orc refugees from Santeem. He also showed no hesitation about welcoming Fort Johanna into the Endor military after her victory in the Endor Tournaments.Biography
Background
In the late Fourth Age, Thorik Oathenhammer was crowned as King of Endor, the First Mountain, and as High King of the Kingdom of Endor.Campaign One: The Zenethian Heroes
After Psaro the Manslayer's attack on Branca, the Kingdom of the South in 4A 995, a doppelganger disguised as a defector from Branca entered Endor, the First Mountain. Through the doppelganger, Psaro spoke with High King Thorik Oathenhammer and convinced him that King Alphonse Brancana was raising an army to attack Endor. This caused High King Thorik to begin gathering his armies and prepare to defend the supposed upcoming attack. In 4A 996, High King Thorik ordered an additional prize by offered during the Endor Tournaments. In addition to the monetary winnings, he decreed that the winners of each category would have the option to to join the Endor military as special officers, as a "show of Endor's great military strength and resolve". High King Thorik attended the finals of each category. During the 4A 996 Tournament of Swords, Johanna was the victor and High King Thorik appointed her as Shieldmaiden of Endor. During the week of tournaments (between Adroth 11 and Adroth 19), the Zenethian Heroes arrived in Endor and met with High King Thorik in the Hall of Dwarf Kings to seek refuge for the rescued orcs from Santeem. High King Thorik used the Truthseeker Axe to learn the party's intentions. After he determined they were being truthful, he welcomed the Heroes to the city and allowed the orc refugees into Endor. To aid the Heroes during their stay, High King Thorik appointed Johanna to escort them. During the Tournament of Bows, Aoth Stormwind battled to the finals and was appointed as the Champion of Arrows. The doppelganger disguised as Psaro used a Meteor Swarm spell to attack the Arena, killing the doppelganger. In the aftermath, High King Thorik realized he was deceived and declared war on Psaro and Parthenia, vowing his armies to aid the alliance in the Manslayer War. High King Thorik ordered his two champions, Johanna and Aoth, to the Endor Tunnel to clear the way for his armies to reach Branca. During the fighting, Rath's corruption caused him to fatally strike Trip, killing her. They returned her body to the city of Endor. High King Thorik volunteered his clerics to watch over Trip’s body, so that should her soul be saved, she could be returned to life. They left her body in the care of them at Endor's Temple to Zenethia. In late 4A 996, a war council was convened at the Brancan capital. King Alphonse Brancana led this council and discussed the strategy for defeating Psaro with representatives and leaders of the gathered nations, including High King Thorik. Afterwards, the allied armies marched eastward to the coast of the Wild Lands. On the coast, High King Thorik and the dwarven army boarded vessels. In the Parthenian Bay, the High King participated in the Battle of the Bay of Shipwrecks. With the battle won, the fleet landed on Parthenia, where the Battle of the Iron Marshes occured and the minotaur forces of Parthenia were largely destroyed.The Fifth Age: The Age of Beginnings
After the end of the Manslayer War and the start of the Fifth Age, Johanna returned to Endor in the service of High King Thorik for many years. In 5A 029, a group of warriors from the far Medal Island arrived in Endor, led by a man named Reinhart. During the course of their stay, and at the urging of the High King, Reinhart and Johanna battled in the Endor Tournaments, with the match coming to a draw. This encounter is detailed in stories in Endor, primarily in The Fate of Johanna story. In early 5A 030, Johanna died shortly after giving birth to her daughter Eramine, and High King Thorik would create a great burial vault in the Mausoleum of Dwarf Lords in her honor. The Zenethian Greatsword was to be buried with her, and the High King took possession of Chedae's Tear. By 5A 057, Chedae's Tear was placed on display within the Hall of Dwarf Kings. As a result of increased conflicts in the north of the kingdom, High King Thorik ordered the creation of Fort Johanna. This was officially completed by 5A 100. At some point in the early Fifth Age, a settlement was formed in the Queendom of Keeleon that was named Thoriktown in honor of High King Thorik.Relationships
Clan Oathenhammer
Clan Oathenhammer has held the title High King for generations of dwarves. High King Thorik Oathenhammer is the current head of this clan, however he does not have a descendant to function as heir and is too old to sire a new one. The longstanding Oathenhammer dynasty is coming to an end, and the dwarf clans are in a succession crisis. The High King has yet to name any heir apparent. Should he pass before doing so, it will fall to the Gathering of Lords to decide the next ruler of Endor.Zenethian Heroes
High King Thorik welcomed the Zenethian Heroes personally to Endor, the First Mountain, and was said to be one of their most ardent allies. High King Thorik fought in battle with the Heroes during the Manslayer War. He also had direct connections with his two Champions of the Endor Tournaments, Johanna and Aoth Stormwind. During the early years of the Fifth Age, several of the Heroes spent much time in Endor, continuing their connection with the High King.Johanna, Shieldmaiden of Endor
Johanna was appointed a Champion of the Endor Tournaments and given the title Shieldmaiden under High King Thorik. She was a trusted advisor and trainer of warriors in the Kingdom of Endor for many years, and it was said that Endor was the only place Johanna felt truly at home. High King Thorik's trust in her was enough that when Johanna asked a special construction be made to safeguard the Zenethian Greatsword after her death, the High King swore it would be done.Character Information
Quests
In 4A 996, after Psaro the Manslayer attacked The Arena in Endor, the First Mountain, High King Thorik promised his armies to aid in the Manslayer War. The High King had sent several scouting parties to the Endor Tunnel, however they had not returned. To facilitate his army's movement, he ordered his two Champions of the Endor Tournaments, Johanna and Aoth Stormwind, to clear the Endor Tunnel.Legacy
- Because of High King Thorik's decision to accept the orcish refugees from Santeem at the request of the Zenethian Heroes, a subset of orcish culture was founded in Endor, the First Mountain.
- After the death of Johanna, Shieldmaiden of Endor, High King Thorik took ownership of Chedae's Tear and it is on display in the Hall of Dwarf Kings.
- High King Thorik ordered the construction of Johanna's Tomb in the Mausoleum of Dwarf Lords, which serves as the current resting place of the Zenethian Greatsword.
- Thoriktown in the Queendom of Keeleon is named in honor of High King Thorik.
Notable Items
- Truthseeker Axe: An enchanted axe that reveals any spoken lies of those nearby when activated.
- Chedae's Tear: After the death of Johanna, the High King took possession of this item of her creation. Eventually, it would be placed on display in the Hall of Dwarf Kings.
Character Type
Non-Player Character Actor
M.B.
Non-Player Character Actor
M.B.
Current Status
Alive
Current Location
Species
Family
Children
Current Residence
Hall of Dwarf Kings
Gender
Male
Aligned Organization
Ruled Locations