Meruem

Krush Wanderer

Vagabond Half-Orc

## History

Meruem was born to Chief Gormak of Krush tribe of nomadic orcs. They wander the wildlands, savaging others and showing their brute strength. Among his life as a half-orc, he was often looked down upon as weak. More than many of his tribe, he was tested and pushed for his smaller size. His lighter musculature and size made him a target. At any hour he was pushed, insulted or challenged. He learned to be ready whenever. To fight back, to grow strong and prove himself. Yet ultimately, it was for little. Gormak hoped for a cunning leader of his son, yet Meruem showed no interest in leading. Even as a young boy, he showed interest in his study and skill moreso than applying it to the foes of the tribe and his people.

He wouldn't seek out challenges or to beat down those he could. He was reactive and defensive, preferring to be alone instead of with his people. Distancing himself from their rugged mannerisms and feral ways. Though it being all he knew, there was little else he could comprehend. A world view so enclosed by the safety of the tribe made him curious of the outside world. Of the victims of the orc attacks he found bit here and there, stories and items that had no place in the tribe.

The half-orc pushed himself, seeking to make his body the best it could be, forsaking weapons and joining the frenzied rages of his half-kin and their drives to establish the tribe as strongest, Meruem found himself resenting the lifestyle of the orcs. So when his growth slowed and without weapon or much supply, he left his tribe to wander the wider world and find a more suiting place for himself. Soon he found himself a church, guided by a hand of fate- or so he felt. A shrine to Kurgess, with his followers about. They greeted him as they would with any other- with challenge. He found himself pushing himself in areas of contest against the followers of Kurgess, and furthermore found himself enjoying it. The desire for competition and improvement shared, the friendly nature of fellows all enraptured in self improvement. It felt natural and at home, and a daze of weeks passed by with the worshippers drifting in and out, all following various paths of life. Eventually, he felt ready again. On a quest of self improvement, he set out for the Republic of Landagamma. A place without magic for him to test himself, to see what limits technology had- and how they compared to his own, or could stretch his own.

Along his journey, shortly after leaving the shrine to Kurgess, he ran into an elf on the road, named Bandel. Due to poor handling on both ends and a bit of racism from the elf, both walked away hating each other and swearing to threaten each other

## Appearance

Standing at 5'8", a gathering of scars across his burnt orange skin have darkened where his skin where it's marked him. Across the years he has become very defined and built, albeit his musculature has remained small compared to most orcs, his body has become as strong and dexterous as he can. Relying not on strength alone, but his tactics and his mind. Therefore, he keeps care of his body, typically keeping himself clean and cared for and most importantly shaving. His orange-yellow eyes come from his orcish heritage. Meruem's body has become a tapestry of both his hard work and his fighting for survival. Piercings on his body mark his victories and triumphs, few and brutal a practice Meruem may have found it he shows them prominently. He keeps his arms bare and shows their scars freely, wrapping his hands for their safety otherwise.

## Personality

### Vainglory

For all the ideals and superiority one can think they have, thinking yourself better is a slippery slope. It's one thing to take the high road, and another to take the perceived superior route for the purpose of posturing. Meruem has grown self indulgent, thinking himself superior than many others- and he wants to show it. He takes strides to display his prowess. For his reputation, for Kurgess, and for his own ego of course. Having a chip on his shoulder, seeking to display his strength due to his history.

### Bullied

When threatened, Meruem's first response is to fight back. Punch away the threat until it stops coming for you. Make yourself too threatening to keep being pursued. And to him, once you show yourself to be superior, a threat should be quelled. If he can simply intimidate a doe, so be it. If that fails, then he can show the power in the arms of the Half-Orc.

## Loves

Competition, displaying his prowess, dominating in tasks both mundane and combat, races, drinking, making alcohol, sharing in revelry, talking with a community or group, and breaking objects.

## Fears

Disgrace and loss, being insufficient to complete tasks he has trained prominently to do, and losing purpose.

## Hobbies

Brewing alcohol, learning new recipes and trying new brews. Taking up brewing as a valuable purpose to his tribe and due to his joy in drinking, he ended up being quite skilled in the profession.

## Friends

Kurgess faithful- Fellow worshippers of Kurgess, bonded through their shared worship and joy of trials and competitions of power.

## Enemies

Bandel- A racist elf that saw the wandering man after he discovered his faith and had a negative impression of him, associating him with his orcish kin and deciding to make him a foe.

## Family

### The Patriarch

Gormak Krush had many children, many with different mothers. He viewed them all in their own standing, and dispersed them among the tribe, familial kinship meaning less than that of tribal to the orc. So when a son or daughter fell from standing or the tribe, he treated them as he did any other. Keeping his people supplied and fed mattered more than hunting those who would or could not keep a position within their group. But no favor would be shown to any who came back, seeking to return- not without a cost. Not a good father-son relationship, to say the least.

### The relatives.

Bracca Krush- One of Meruem's older siblings, one of his many bullies and a full orc. In particular due to their large size and immense strength.

Hadorn Krush- Born of a similar age, but of different breed, Hadorn is a small and cunning half-breed that proved more dexterous than Meruem and shown his skill in other ways to the tribe.

Ntorn Krush- Meruem's half-orc half-ogre younger sister, who had kept relative friendliness with Meruem, but he had always suspected it was due to their relative stupidity.