Adrik Baldark

Adrik Baldark ‘Hero of the Realm’ is a common refrain… but who IS Adrik…

Adrik was born into one of the minor noble families in the Donsrev Hold. As the seventh son of a seventh son, it meant that he would not inherit any of the wealth of the family, nor any of the titles. He was expected to become a priest to the Dwarf god and to provide influence for the family within the church.

Adrik always felt he was made for better things however and would often turn to drink in the taverns under the Hold. It was here that he met 'Marty', and they became firm friends. Marty and Adrik would go out drinking and carousing as young dwarves are wont to do, but all was about to change when Adrik met Natasha... She was the daughter of one of the major houses in Donsrev and was everything Adrik could ever have dreamed of. Young, attractive, funny, clever, with a beard as long and as lustrous as his own. They would spend hours just combing and braiding each others chin hair... Eventually, Natasha persuaded her father that she and Adrik should be married and Adrik gave her a ring he had crafted himself from gold and topaz. This was a major achievement for the son of a minor house and Adrik became incredibly popular within his family and within the church. All was going well for him finally...

That was about to change... As Natasha and Adrik had become closer, he had spent less time with Marty, but received a message to meet him. Upon entering the dive bar, he saw Marty being set upon by a group of dwarves and he helped to fit them off. Marty appeared to be severely injured and Adrik helped heal him. they began drinking and Marty explained how he had been 'marked for death' by an organisation called 'The Society of the Deep Born' because he had been let down by his family whon had pushed him into a life of crime. this resonated with Adrik, who had always felt the same about his family and he offered to use his new found position to help. Marty explained that the only thing to get the society off his back would be to steal the 'Tiara of Tisaminar' from the vault in the Hilverdan Peak.

Adrik reluctantly agreed as Marty pointed out that Adrik had also abandoned him to be with Natasha, the guilt he felt tipped him over the edge and he accepted the task. Marty provided him with the training he needed to get into the vault and Adrik used his connection to the noble family to gain access to the peak. Stealing the Tiara was surprisingly easy and Adrik made his way out of the Peak and back to Donsrev. He met with Marty in the dive bar, and noticed that he looked surprisingly uninjured... Marty laughed at him and revealed that HE was in The Society and had tricked Adrik. Stealing the Tiara, a group of dwarves appeared and beat Adrik to within an inch of his life.

Adrik awoke to find himself in Natasha's room, surrounded by members of both families and Natasha was there also. With tears in her eyes, she told him that the Tiara was to have been used for their wedding day but had been stolen. She asked if he knew anything about it. Adrik broke down, he could not lie to the woman he loved! He cried and threw himself upon the mercy of the families, but was met with a stony silence. Natascha said nothing, and left, sobbing uncontrollably. The noble families realised that they could not reveal the theft, so they could not formally punish Adrik. He was therefore to be banished from the hold.

Ostensibly, he was charged with promoting the interests of the Dwarves outside of the holds, but in reality his father said to him:

"Adrik, you have brought incredible shame on the family and on our name, I do not think we can ever recover from this. It is likely that the shame of your actions will resonate until my grandson's grandson's have lived their lives. I therefore charge you thusly... YOU are to go into the world of orcs and men and are to find fame and fortune, OR to die trying. Only by achieving victories of such magnitude that the leading families cannot ignore your name can you ever be welcomed back to the hold. BUT, be under no illusions Adrik, you are a THIEF, a profession despised by the Dwarves, and I can NEVER forgive you. It would be best for all if you were to die achieving some noble victory. To aid you in your glorious death, I give you this armour, axe and shield. Your faithful retainers will go into exile with you, for your shame is theirs. Leave me now, and NEVER return...'

Adrik, with tears in his eyes, plodded slowly from the hold on his dwarven warpony 'Death Hooves'; as he did, looking up, he could see Natasha, her jaw set squarely. She threw something at his feet, it was the ring he had crafted, he picked it up and thrust it inside his armour. He watched as she slowly turned away, her shoulders shuddering...

So began the adventures of Adrik Baldark - Hero of the Realm... Hopefully...

1. ↑ Adrik's Faithfull Retainers