Gorin Thunderfist

Gorin (PRONOUNCED: /'gɔːrn̩/*GORE-in*) Thunderfist was the chief of Bear Clan and King of the Dhirnsgaard Tribes during and after the Second War of the Gods. He rebuilt the Thorn Guard in order to defend the most prominent mountain pass of the Borderlands, known as Athîn's Gate.

### Relatives

Sons: Skyrr Gorinsson, Thorald Gorinsson, Vigot Gorinsson, Bjalfi Gorinsson, Var Gorinsson, Sven Gorinsson, Hrok Gorinsson; Daughters: Ljufa Sivsdottir, Ingun Sivsdottir, Frida Sivsdottir, Sigrid Sivsdottir, Runa Sivsdottir

## Description

Gorin stood a respectable seven feet tall, taller than many of his brethren. In his youth, his hair was often compared to raven feathers, but it greyed more and more as he got older. His steel blue eye showed an iciness reminiscent of the mountains he grew up in. His left eye was milky white with a massive scar running through it, given to him by the chief of Wolf Clan when Gorin sought the throne of the Dhirnsgaard tribes. By the end of the Second War of the Gods, his torso was completely covered with tattoos, chronicling his history as well as storing magic. When he would go into battle, the ink on his forearms would coalesce into a shadowy greataxe that only he could wield. While in combat, lightning would often crackle around him, sometimes in the shape of a bear.

## Personality

Gorin was a valiant but grim warrior. He was known for his determination when he had a goal and his ever-present serious attitude. Only his wife and closest companions ever saw his more tender side. He was a devout believer in the omens and prophecies granted by the gods.

## Relationships

### Siv

Gorin relied heavily on his wife, Siv, for counsel as king. They were incredibly close, and she often stood by his side, even in battle.

### Skyrr

Gorin's eldest son, Skyrr, was one of his father's closest circle of friends and companions. Skyrr delayed building the gate at Duringorin in order to make sure his father's land was protected first.

## History

### Early Life

When he was a child, Gorin was prophesied to be the next king of the Dhirnsgaard tribes by a Druid of Morra. He took this to heart and trained in earnest so that he would be ready when the time came. By the time he was a teenager, he had slain his first bear, earning his place as a warrior in his tribe. When he was in his early twenties, he became the chief of Bear Clan.

### Rise to the Throne

When he was thirty-eight, Gorin received a vision from the goddess Reshira that her strength was waning, and the world would soon be plunged into a godswar once more. He begin seeking the throne of the tribes in earnest and marched to war.

He first approached Wolf Clan and stated his intentions to the chief. When the chief refused to acknowledge him as king, Gorin challenged the chief to single combat for the chiefdom of their tribes. After a long and bloody battle, Gorin had slain his foe and lost his eye. With blood still gushing from the wound, he ordered the former chief's wife and children to be executed in front of the Wolf Clan warriors. He then offered the chiefdom of Wolf Clan to the dead chief's brother, Toric the Vicious, on the terms that he acknowledge Gorin as his king. Toric accepted and joined Gorin's warband.

Next were Elk Clan and Goat Clan, which made an alliance after Wolf Clan submitted. Their combined forces ambushed Gorin's army, but the aspiring king blinded his foes with a snowstorm and turned the fight around, shattering Goat Clan's vanguard. Their chief, Bjodhin Hraalsson, was dragged before Gorin, and Gorin explained he sought only to unite the tribes before another godswar. When the chief refused to yield, his shaman spoke up. He had seen omens of a dark time approaching and the stars were heralding a new king. Reluctantly, Bjodhin agreed to acknowledge Gorin as king. He was able to reach Elk Clan and convince their chief to join Gorin's warband as well.

When Gorin arrived at Eagle Clan's territory, he was met by the new chief, Ignar the Younger. Ignar's father had given up the chiefdom to confront a threat he sensed in the mountains and had not returned. He had said that if the threat was as great as he feared, the tribes would have to stand together once more. Ignar gladly accepted Gorin as his king, confirming Gorin as the new king of the Dhirnsgaard tribes.

### Second War of the Gods

When word of the godswar reached Gorin, he immediately sent word to Cwddnyr Ó Ferrix that the Dhirnsgaard would stand with Ferdia against their foes. Dhirnsgaard warriors were sent to protect Ferdia's shores, and King Cwddnyr responded by sending Ferdian knights to help Gorin when the forests came under attack.

After Cwddnyr's death at the hands of Dheron, Gorin met with Athîn. The king agreed to lead his warriors as the vanguard of Athîn's army. This led to serious casualties among the Dhirnsgaard. However, they were able to recover from blows that would have killed other men, leading to a much lower death rate than Athîn had expected for his vanguard. When the survivors of Irul had been united, Gorin led them through the treacherous mountain passes into Mythanor.

### Rebuilding the Thorn Guard

After the survivors were assaulted by monsters that had come through the passes, Gorin swore to Athîn that he and his people would defend the mountain passes and prevent their new home from being overrun by the corruption that had spread through their old one. This caused much discontent among the tribes, and so Gorin was forced to re-establish the Thorn Guard, the ancient protectors of his people. He took charge of the largest pass, which he named Athîn's Gate, and used the Thorn Guard to man the defenses.