Styrke
Human Cleric, War Domain, Hermit
Styrke was a human cleric who appeared in Azimuth Anthology: Tournament of Champions. He was played by J.P.
Styrke was among the first humans to migrate from Lake Gimor to the northeast early in the Third Age. Styrke fought many battles in these wild lands, carving a path for these burmen to settle here. His goal for finding stronger and fiercer opponents led him to enter the myths of these regions.
Description
Appearance
Styrke was a well-built man who stood over six feet tall. His hair was pulled back into a bun ponytail, and many scars all over his body. He wore broken chainmail that was damaged and degraded over time. Several sections were missing, which gave the armor a tattered impression. In addition to his large warhammer, Styrke wore large stone-like cuffs on each wrist. These cuffs had steel balls embedded in them, which makes the cuffs incredibly heavy. Styrke's magic mostly involves his warhammer. This was seen used touching himself when applying protective enchantments and striking the ground or enemies when casting offensive spells.Personality
In life, Styrke sought out battle freely and often. He pursued a goal of achieving strength by taking every challenge he could head-on no matter the odds. He also seemed to desire stacking the odds against his favor. This was seen by the choice to wear the large weighted shakles to hamper his movements. Styrke seemed to genuinely enjoy battle, and he was devoted to Barduumus, The Battlelord, as the god of strength. In battle, Styrke was seen laughing and smiling even as he was hit.Biography
Background
During the human expansion from the regions closest to Lake Gimor in the early Third Age, Stryke and his fellows were involved with human migration towards the northeast. At this time, these were wild and untamed lands. Styrke fought many battles in his journey to gain strength and face strong enemies. Styrke devoted his life to pushing his people forward and making them strong and leading by example. He earned renown for his deeds and his help to carve a path for these burmen to move and settle here. Stories of Styrke started to enter into the myths of these regions. Some claimed he was a blessing given to them by Barduumus, The Battlelord. Eventually, Styrke's goal to continue finding stronger and fiercer enemies would cause his to range farther and farther into the wild and untamed lands. His wanderings in the far reaches to the frozen northern coasts would pit him against a truly dangeroues creature. Styrke faced the Great Tempest, a demigod of storm and lightning, and in this creature he met his fate. Styrke was killed in the frigid north.Azimuth Anthology: Tournament of Champions
After Styrke's death, he reached Dynamia, the Plane of Strength. On the Infinite Battlefield, his soul spent many years fighting among the denizens of the plane. In the fighting, Styrke laughed and smiled, even as he took hits from the melee. As the battles raged, a great, rhythmic thumping of steel echoed across Dynamia. A beam of bright light descended on Styrke, transporting him to the Hall of Champions. As he gained his bearings, he saw he was joined by Daedra Sen, Karda Skullripper, Galaduath Valaran, and Edern Hamme. In the hall were grand statues. Styrke had heard stories of some of the warriors: Warlord Keel, the First Orc King; Monbaraba, the First Grand Khan; and Black Phillip, General of the Manslayer. As they walked, they reached the end of the hall, where on a grand plinth stood Barduumus, The Battlelord. Upon seeing him, Styrke kneeled. Barduumus wanted new champions to fill his hall. The group was charged to fight in the Steel Soul Arena, and Barduumus transported them again.Round One
After he told the group of the fight that awaited them, beams of light brought forth wyvern riders and war drakes, and Styrke rushed into battle. Styrke cast a protective armor on himself and summoned a large spiritual statue head to attack the riders. With Karda, he battled a pair of the riders. After the enemies on his side of the arena were slain, Styrke slammed his hammer to the ground and cast a Flame Strike, burning the remaining riders, along with Galaduath. The spell slew a rider, and the bloodlust of Dynamia restored Styrke’s vitality. Styrke rushed with the others to meet the remaining riders, and with the group, the rest of them were cut down. With their victory, Barduumus congratulated them all and asked if they were ready for the next round. As the din of battle faded, they heard the approach of creaking wheels and the gnashing of metal scraping metal.Round Two
Digging up from the steel bottom of the arena, four dracotaurs armed with bows emerged. At the same time, moving through an opening of the outer walls, two steaming metal war machines piloted by kobolds chugged into the arena. Styrke blessed his weapon and summoned his spiritual bust again as a dracotaur and war machine rushed to him. Edern joined him, and they attacked the enemies, even as a lightning arrow and blast of flame erupted around them. Styrke broke concentration on his spell, which blinded the kobolds and Edern. Styrke and Edern destroyed the last war machine, and the second round was won.Round Three
Barduumus looked down upon them, saying, “Perhaps I have gone too easy on you.” He slammed his tail and the ground began to rumble and shift, erupting in a field of weapon spikes. Styrke jumped to the central glyph; then, flying celestial creatures descended from the sky in beams of bluish light. Styrke struck a deva as Karda pinned it. After the devas were slain, Styrke helped focus down the planatar in the center with his hammer and his spells, and the last celestial was slain. As the enemies dissolved into blue sparks, the solid steel ground returned. The group healed and recovered, but all were starting to run out of resources.Round Four
Barduumus called for the next round, and a mithril wyvern crashed like a meteor into the arena. As the dust settled, they heard the movement of the arena’s statues as they animated and also stepped into the field. Styrke quickly tried to assist with powerful magic, but the wyvern was too powerful to be affected. The wyvern roared and cast it’s own spells, and Styrke cast an Antimagic Field to nullify the effects. Though the wyvern’s magic stopped, the glyph was created by Barduumus, and its effects could not be contained. Styrke took fire damage from an explosion. With attacks from the group cutting into the creature, the wyvern dissolved in blue sparks. The group charged at the statues that remained. They crumbled all four statues to ruin, and the fourth round was won.Round Five
From the sky, a massive archangel entered the arena. A single, massive eye suspended in the rings regarded the group. Silently, it expanded its many wings and began to attack. As Karda held it firmly in place, the angel summoned haladron obelisks. Styrke tried to fight them, but his attacks were ineffective. Styrke removed Galaduath’s enchantment on Daedra, and the angel quickly killed her. The angel was invigorated with vitality, and Styrke realized they could not defeat the celestial. Turning on the rest of them, Galaduath drew his bow and shot Karda dead. Galaduath moved away from the fighting and cast a Tiny Hut spell, but Styrke turned and dispelled the barrier, yelling to him, “Get back in the fight!” Galaduath then cast an invisibility spell on himself. In response, Styrke called forth a massive flaming spell to break it. Styrke tried to rush the elf, but the archangel struck him down as he moved away. He dissolved into sparks as the angel hovered ominously.Character Information
Legacy
As the culture of the Wild Lands developed, stories of a great hero entered the myths and legends of the region. Though many do not believe these stories to be real, they are important to the culture of the humans in the Wild Lands and the Lordship of Gardenbur. The holiday, the Rime Rite, might be inspired by the storied deeds of this figure who faced the wrath of winter alone. Though it's unknown if the figure in these tales was real, the described behavior of the character in the stories was similar to the way Styrke was in life.Quotations
- "Hey, Barduumus, did you see that? He’s running like a bitch!" - AA 04.1, said about Galaduath Valaran.
- "You boys look pretty tough, so I hope you can take this!" - AA 04.1
- "Get back in the fight!" - AA 04.2, said as he dispelled Galduath's magic.
Character Type
Player Character Actor
J.P.
Player Character Actor
J.P.
Current Status
Deceased
Current Location
Species
Date of Death
Early Third Age
Circumstances of Death
Killed by the Great Tempest
Place of Death
North of the Wild Lands
Children
Gender
Male
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