Durgin
Durgin is gruff, grumpy, and fiercely loyal/dutiful; only child of 2 dwarven exile/scouts who got separated from their party long ago and eventually settled with a village of Kalroki goblins where he was raised, so Durgin has only known life outside of dwarven settlement - though his parents taught him what they could
Life was harsh and rugged but honest & simple - fighting off beasts & bandits, hunting/fishing etc. The village was small & tight-knit, loyal to each other. Learned to fight and had armor and weapons forged for him.
His mother raised him on tales of her ancestor, the great paladin hero known as the Brightblade, revered by his family for generations. According to these tales, the Brightblade was accorded godlike strength and speed, and figured in all manner of legends about the ancient world, appearing in the nick of time to save a child in danger or hold off a mountain pass from an attacking army. Some of those of his line, his mother said, were granted righteous power if they are found worthy and pure of heart - though sadly, these powers had not turned up for centuries.
One day, Durgin met a dwarven scout named Kura wandering alone in the woods. She returned to his village with him and stayed a while - somehow, when he replied in grumpiness, her answers had the curious trait of melting his dour demeanor and leaving only warmth. They quickly fell in love and were married, and Kura got with child.
On a hunting expedition not long after, a bandit raid wiped out the whole party save for Durgin. Those slain included his two parents, his wife and unborn child, as well as others. He fought to the last but couldn't quite save them from death. He watched the life slip from them before killing the leader and seeing the rest of them flee. He blames himself still for failing to save them all.
On his way back to the village he found that one of the bandits was still around, cornering a young goblin child from his village who had wandered off. The bandit cut her down in front of him and this finally broke him - Durgin smashed the bandit’s face in with his hammer in primal fury and tried to save the girl before the life flowed out of her. In that moment he found a center of peace within his mind and thought of his ancestor the Brightblade. He touched the girl's cheek and the color came back to her; she opened her eyes and rose, healed. He suddenly felt the silent presence and will of the Brightblade along with newfound power. Another bandit came round the bend and smiled wickedly. Durgin raised his hand and a beam of searing golden fire consumed the man, who withered and expired.
Upon return to the village, he couldn't face the shame of what he saw as his own fault and he bid them goodbye, vowing silently to make a new life and never again to let good folk die of villainy while he draws breath and sees it. It seemed clear that he bore the power of the Brightblade and it would be both his power and his burden - he would not squander it. How best to fulfil the code of the Brightblade? If nothing else, he knew he must travel somewhere else, somewhere new - but there he would not fail those under his charge.
