Asgrim

Sir Asgrim is a dwarf of the Clan Farli and representative in the Council of Eight. He was unlike the formal protocols of humans and preferred plain talk and simple manners.

He warned his peers for years that they should garrison Stonekeep's border forts. When Cassius came to relate the situation in Kural, Asrim asked permission from Varden to ask him about the whole story. He was certain that he was telling the truth, a result of his adminishions being ignored.

Some days later he and Sir Melwas waited for Cassius in the Keeplord's Privy Garden. Cassius was angry and disappointed to see that Varden would charge his father for sending a token copany and let. Asgrim stopped him, offering him the Brass Axe Company of 400 crack troops for free.

He led his company following Melwas until the entrance of Kural. Melwas suggested (and Asgrim agreed) to lead his Company inside the Shadow Gorge as a bait and see if the galok's forces had an ambush. In reality they would be followed by the Company of the Black Wyvern. Cassius offered to go with Asgrim as he would lead them to safe places in case things went bad.

The company traversed the Low Valley. When they reached the Dark Step, Asgrim stopped outside the gorge studied the shadowy cliff for sme minutes, then sent a handful of scouts, so that not to show to their ambushers that they are actually a bait. The scouts returned with no word of trouble and Cassius led the company into the Gorge.

After 20 minutes of a hasty and anxious march, they reached the High Valley and Asgrim brought the column to a halt. There Cassius noticed that Pendaran was here, and made him see the ambush that was waiting for Melwas. Cassius said to warn Melwas but Asgrim didn't see anything. Pendaran reminded to Cassius that his magic is too precious to waste on "little tunnel grubs", enraging the dwarf. The quarrel was stopped by Cassius. Asgrim heard the rumbling and started toward the Dark Step, but Cassius stopped him as they are on the other side of the gorge.

Wahooka created a snowbridge which however Asgrim could not see as that magic was invisible to the dwarves. He saw Cassius instead walking over empty air. Wahooka used insults and taunts to persuade him follow Cassius, saying that he promised to follow his lead, and that Crusher is smarter to realise the obvious; that Cassius is standing on something. Wahooka led Cassius and the Brass Axe Company to the other side of the gorge to surprise the enemies from behind. Although outnumbered 3 to 4, the storm would give them advantage, and Asgrim said that they'll give the Axe Cry.

Asgrim arranged the Company in three ranks and marched with Cassius next to him. Soon they reached the groups of the rock hurlers around their piles along the rim. They charged shouting their clan name, causing most of the invaders to run away in panic along the rim of the Gorge. Asgrim raced along a sickle-shaped bend in the gorge, leading half the Company down one side of the curve. Throgs and shargas were fleeing en masse, trapping themselves in a cluster along the edge of the chasm. The slower ogare archers, barrelled into from behind and forced them over the edge.

Then the dark king appeared. He turned his gaze to Asgrim, and he with a dozen other dwarves collapsed dropping their axes. Then the dark king raised its black claw and pointed a streak of blue light from its talon into the chest of Asgrim. The dwarf, and 3 warriors beside him, vanished after a brilliant flash and a sharp crack, leaving a plume of greasy black smoke.

Cassius felt that his death was ignoble. is warriors angered, charged the rim, hewing and pushed ogares, shargas and throgs over the edge. The dark king, stretched his arm toward the place Asgrim died, and a section of the rim rumbled toward him and closed the canyon into a fissure. It continually ran its gaze along the rim of the gorge, using its chill gaze to keep the Brass Axe at bay, who continued to press on, leaping forward, hacking the enemies whenever it didn't look at their direction. Eventually the tide of refugees began to ebb, and the dwarves were content to back away.