NAME: Kadrik VI, son of Eirik III
ALIASES: Kadrik Fireheart
TITLES & RECOGNITION: Nâr-Khelab, Captain of the Kingsguard (formerly), Foehammer, Dragonslayer, the Golden, Kinslayer, Would-be Usurper, Deserter of Kin, Mercenary, Outlaw, Hafarâl.
CLASS: Noble, non-royal
REPUTATION: Challenger of Rov VI Dragonbreaker the Treacherous; formerly Captain of Rov's Kingsguard (both are relatively unknown outside dwarven communities). Exiled as hafarâl. Notorious mercenary and general troublemaker.
RACE: Dwarf
ALIGNMENT: Neutral good
AGE: 130

MARITAL STATUS: Decidedly uninterested.
SEXUALITY: Heterosexual
FAMILY: Rona (mother), Oprik (older brother), niece.

OCCUPATION: "Solver of problems." Mercenary - if the pay is good, why not? Occasionally a legitimate blacksmith.
HOMETOWN: Mudmul-charâf, Keldvar Mountains
CURRENT RESIDENCE: n/a

ABILITIES: Exceptionally strong and sturdy, quick both in thinking and on his feet, limber, resilient to physical hurts, a tongue as hurtful as any weapon could prove.
TRAINING: Formal training in a vast array of combat and weaponry, hunting & tracking, horseback riding (self-taught), blacksmithing and, most importantly, the many intricacies of dwarven braiding.
LANGUAGES: New and Old Dwarvish, the common tongue, various essential phrases (read: business-related and insults) in most languages.

CLOTHING/ARMOR: 01, 02; armor.
WEAPONS: A veritable walking arsenal, there is no definite number to the amount of hidden weapons Kadrik keeps on his person at any given time, so focus will be on those visible. He shuns the use of a shield in favor of dual-wielding twin swords that, at first glance, seem oddly shaped but befit his brutal fighting style. Resembling hatchet blades or hunting cleavers, his heavy blades are single-edged and concentrate on thrusts and chops, working largely like axes. The blades also widen considerably near the point, ending with a parrying hook that is useful for capturing enemy blades or snagging clothing or armor. Another distinct feature are the doubled grooves running along the length of the sword blades. They greatly enhance the strength of the blade, making them suitable for the powerful blows he has the strength to strike. Both blades are carried on his back in a leather double scabbard, from which he draws one from over his shoulder and the other from underneath. He also carries twin daggers with his emblem carved into the pommel tucked away in his vambraces, and a few throwing axes on his boots at any given time. Of special note is his greataxe of the Keldvar Kingsguard, left behind at the Dirty Bird tavern with its innkeeper, Alina, while Kadrik travels due to its cumbersome nature.
CARRYING: If there may be need of it, he has it. He's a bit of a travel hoarder.
COMPANIONS: A shaggy grey and white pony named Lilly, Gerda, frequently Nicolai.

personality TRAITS: Avenger, cold hardiness, courageous, fearless heart, hardy, introversion, logical, magically uninclined, outlaw reputation, quiet anger, reckless, zealous. IDEALS: Those who have wronged me shall know my wrath. Though I may not show it, there are a select few I care deeply for, and I would give my life to protect them. The world is full of exciting new experiences, and one should try everything at least once. Evil breeds in the guts of the lazy. BONDS: Each of his blades he has forged himself, and they are to him as children; the exception to this is his greataxe, issued by the royal house of Keldvar when he was inducted into the Kingsguard. He was once very close to his mother, and though the majority of his hope to one day return home rests on regaining his honor, a good part is simply so he can return to her. FLAWS: Bestial instinct, can't resist a wager, detached, fearless, impatient, magic vulnerability, prideful, racist (no elves, ever), seasickness, short-tempered, tactless. For those who have knowledge of Kadrik's reputation as a mutineer and a traitor prior to meeting him, his introverted, stoic persona often comes as a bit of a surprise. Instead of finding the bold persona of one who has openly betrayed his king, he instead possesses the guarded behavior of one who has himself been betrayed - and considering his childhood best friend murdered Kadrik's father in cold blood, it's understandable. Because of his experiences, the nature of his banishment, and how it was twistedly portrayed by Rov, he does not trust easily, especially those outside his own race, and often prefers to be alone rather than in the company of others. When he does speak, it's typically sparked by his short temper, and though he is well-spoken, his words are often laced with insult (especially when speaking to elves), and he never offers any of himself, guarding his secrets and his past carefully. His insistence on solitude and harsh behavior may or may not all be a ruse to cover up the fact that he longs for home and is desperately lonely, but it's wisest not to voice this possibility no matter how likely it is. Of course, he is capable of opening up and having a good time, which all directly correlates to the amount of ale available and the company he finds himself in. As with anyone, there are a select few who have managed to wiggle their way under his skin even if he will not admit it, and he doesn't mind their companionship quite as much. In combat, Kadrik's quiet, reserved nature vanishes entirely. He is very much adventurous and fearless and is nearly always up for a good fight, for he is never happier or more carefree than he is with blades in hand. A reckless berserker style fighter, he prefers close combat over the range afforded by bows and the additional damage of dual-wielding in exchange for the protection of a shield. Dwarven stubbornness drives him to victory and not accepting anything less, and he will fight through any injury until his foe is either slain or wounded so gravely that they will soon be dead. Out of pride, he tends to make light of injuries he receives, and he wears his scars proudly, though the fact that a healer, Gerda, trails along behind him doesn't hurt - even if she has to force her remedies on him.

appearance HEIGHT: 4'8" BUILD: Stocky, athletic HAIR: Golden blond, long, held away from his face with various beaded braids. EYES: Blue DISTINGUISHING MARKS: Keeps his beard cut short, an anomaly for male dwarves, but wears his mustache in beaded braids. Scarring comes with the job description, and his body is a map of triumph and defeat. His most interesting marks include a small H rune branded on the inside of his right wrist and three parallel scars that start on his left shoulderblade and wrap over his shoulder past his heart - scarring from the claws of a dragon in the encounter that earned him his surname. Upon first glance, the most noticeable thing about Kadrik is likely the fact that he keeps his beard cut very close to his face - this is extremely uncharacteristic for male dwarves, as beards are considered symbols of both strength and status amongst dwarven populations (and thus why, when he was initially banished, his hair was cut and beard shaved). He evades questions when asked about this, but the reality is quite simple: in his line of work, a beard is more a hazard than it is worth, and seeing as he's rarely around other male dwarves, why take the risk? He is also a bit taller than average for his race, though still of the typically stocky-yet-muscular build. He wears his blond hair long, fashioned into multiple braids that keep it away from his face. The most telling of his distinguishing marks are hidden away by his clothing: an H rune branded into his right wrist when he was cast from home and the scars of dragon claws wrapping over his left shoulder.

Born the second son of Eirik III Bloodhammer and Rona Gemcarver, Kadrik was groomed from an early age for the role he was destined to play. Born of the line of Marrik, he was in lessons for both history and swordplay nearly as soon as he could walk, learning to read and write both Old and New Dwarvish and the common tongue, and becoming well-versed in the etiquette expected to him as a member of the second most important family in the Keldvar Mountains. Since the founding of the Keldvar kingdom in the First Age, the line of Marrik had been closely tied with that of the royal family - born and bred warriors, it was from this stock that the elite Kingsguard was chosen, the shield and greataxe of the Captain of the Guard passed down from father to son in a ceremony held alongside the coronation of new kings. Engrained in the sons of the line of Marrik was the preservation of the royal family at all costs, a worthy, noble cause that most of the first born dedicated their lives to fully. Kadrik, then, should not have been in the position that he was in, but after 30 years of training and coincidentally the same year Kadrik was born, his older brother, Oprik, elected not to follow in this tradition, choosing instead to follow what he believed to be his true calling as a miner. Still a worthy profession, their parents accepted this - and their newborn son immediately had the weight of his future position placed upon his shoulders.

It was for this reason that he was not only groomed for the public but raised alongside the prince, Rov, himself, often taking their lessons together and practicing their swordplay throughout the halls of the cities of Keldvar. Typical rambunctious, overenergetic boys, they often got into mischief and mayhem together, and over time their friendship grew, solidified by the knowledge that they would forever be side by side as king and captain - that is, once Rov became king. Eager for the sapphire crown and not at all reluctant to share said eagerness, he often spoke at length of how things would change when he came to power and how wonderful it would be to finally get what was meant to be his, and Kadrik encouraged his friend, also eager for his own title and position. But these were the dreams of young dwarves, never spoken with malice or ill intent. They would get what was meant to be theirs; all they had to do was be patient and wait.

As Rov and Kadrik grew older, they began to take part in more and more "adventures" - soldier's assignments, advanced weaponry and combat training, and their personal favorite: dragon hunting. Valuable above nearly anything else, dragon scales are highly sought after by dwarves and other races alike, often used to reinforce armor or shields, and it is not unheard of for dwarves to form hunting parties and head either north or south in search of the massive beasts in hopes of slaying one (or more) to gather scales and, possibly, eggs. Formally banned from doing this both by the king, Rov's grandfather, and Kadrik's own parents after a nearly disastrous end for Kadrik on their previous trip (the surname and the scar of which he still wears as a reminder of the rash decisions made in his youth), the two could not resist the offer of "just one more trip" - a trip that would, indirectly, prove to be the event that would both bind them together forever and tear them apart. Faced with a much bigger, much more fearsome adult dragon than their small party had envisioned, it took all the two young dwarves had to drive the beast back after she had slain nearly half the dwarves they had accompanied. As was typical for the two, Rov managed to get lucky and smash the bones of one wing with a well-placed hammer strike; Kadrik was the brave one that slid beneath the belly of the dragon and split her open. Upon their return home they were both scolded for their reckless behavior and celebrated as heroes, and though Kadrik already had his surname, he earned a second title of Dragonslayer to go along with Rov's new name of Dragonbreaker.

In the few short years that followed this event, Kadrik became more reserved, shying away from prying eyes that still revered his position and the recognition he had received for both his most noteable dragon encounters. While the Dragonslayer was perfectly content with his father holding his position as Captain of the Guard for some time yet, the Dragonbreaker became restless, plotting and planning without ever outright admitting to Kadrik that he had plans for committing the worst of treasons against both his ailing grandfather as well as his father. The day it happened, Kadrik was in a training exercise in the Silvertine City; Rov was notably absent, and though none of the other dwarves in the training hall learned about the events until later on in the day, Kadrik was pulled aside early.

"The king is dead," he was told, "and the prince as well, slain. But more than that..."

In his heart, Kadrik knew what had happened and who was responsible, but disbelief and betrayal clouded his vision as he ran the great distance home to Mudmul-charâf. Rov was power-hungry, yes, and perhaps it was true that he had slain his own grandfather and father - but surely not Kadrik's, not his. Rov knew well how Kadrik revered his father; surely something had happened, something had gone wrong. There had been someone else. And when Kadrik was finally allowed in to see Rov, his friend did insist that Eirik's death had been at another's hands and that even though yes, he had planned to murder his own and succeeded in it, he had not been the one to touch Eirik. Blinded by his overwhelming grief, Kadrik chose to trust Rov's words rather than listen to the ration and reason his mother tried desperately to convey to him in the coming weeks, and at 77 years old, Kadrik became the youngest Captain of the Guard the Keldvar Mountains had ever seen, sworn to their new king, Rov Dragonbreaker the Treacherous.

The chaos that followed the deaths of the king and the prince was nearly frenzied. Seen as a betrayer and even by extension a kinslayer by some for remaining loyal to the one that had, they were sure, murdered Eirik in cold blood, Kadrik himself was briefly ostracized by his people, but that would not last. His time as Captain of the Guard came to a fast close when Rov very suddenly rejected the notion of Eirik being interred alongside his own grandfather and father - a custom going back to the founding of the Keldvar nation. Threatened not only with his father's dishonor but his entire family's, the veil of grief finally lifted from Kadrik's eyes and was quickly replaced by rage, demanding that Rov show his father the respect he deserved if he was truly not the one responsible. Unpeturbed, Rov refused once again, and Kadrik did what he felt was his only choice: he challenged Rov in what should have been a single combat fight to the death (the thought that he would have been made king if successful did not cross his mind until later, when his rage subsided). Foolishly, Rov accepted the challenge despite Kadrik being both braver and more skilled in combat, and it did not take long for Kadrik to overpower the newly crowned king. Pinned to the ground with a blade pressed to his neck, Rov broke the rule of no interference and demanded the rest of his Kingsguard sieze their Captain, who struggled vehemently with disgust at his own dwarves turning against him.

Immediately, Kadrik was banished from the Keldvar Mountains, exiled as hafarâl, a betrayer. More than once Kadrik had seen this happen, but never had he thought to be on the opposite side of the punishment, receiving his H rune brand and allowing his hair and beard to be cut with stoic silence, rage seething just beneath the surface. Allowed to gather the bare essentials and only under guard of dwarves he had once commanded, he bid farewell to his mother and brother before being escorted to the doors - and to his surprise, there were many, many dwarves gathered there to see him off, wishing him well as well as wishing that Rov had not cheated him out of his win, telling him that they hoped he would one day return and that they worried for the future. Above all this, they cheered him; this is something that has stuck with him for the 50 long years since his exile and what has kept him going day and night, working wherever and however he may. Always does he long for the home he was forced from, and deep in his heart it is his hope to one day return - not necessarily for glory or even to dethrone Rov, but to regain the honor he lost and be reunited with his family.