Kildrak was born to a family of miners. A fairly common trade among Mountain Dwraves to be sure, but the Shaken clan was more than just a family or a trade guild. They had structured themselves as a society not unlike a kingdom. The heads of the clan lived like kings, working trade negotiations and planning the course of the mine. Rarely did any member of a Headman's family get their bands dirty working the tunnels. It was a banner day when one would even come to inspect the work. It usually meant there was a problem or an accident. The For men families were nearly as bad. They of course had to be on site daily to assign work and give instructions, but they had personal offices that ran on the tracks and could be moved around. They only worked when demand was high or labor was very short handed. The rest of society was composed of all the workers. Your family trade generally dictated the work you would do for the rest of your days. These jobs became individual family names. There were the Pickmen, who did the digging, they were the largest group. The Rockbreakers, who sifted out the valuable ore from the rubble. The Wheelturners, who moved the carts. The Wheemrights, who made sure the carts were in good repair. The Blacksmiths, who made the tools. It went on like this until every jib had a family dedicated to performing the task. Most people took pride in being of use to their clan. Occasionally, there would be members who switched jobs and families because their traditional job didn't suit them for some reason. This was usually facilitated by marriage into a family of the desired profession. Rarely was anyone elevated from the menials to Foreman or Headman status though.
Kildrak was born a Pikman. He grew up knowing it was his destiny to go down into the earth and make others rich. He hated that. He dreamed of forging his own path and becoming the most powerful Headman ever known. However his low status made that improbable, his lack of intelligence and cunning proved an equal burden. Until one fateful day...
While working an in an abandoned shaft, testing again for missed potential, Kildrak's team uncovered a lava tube. It had missed being discovered by mere inches. When word got to the foreman if the shaft Kildrak and two others, Benfold and Ternnip, were ordered to scout the shaft and see how far it went. This was not anything strange and some time away from swinging a pick or shovel was always a good time for Kildrak. They set off after securing their climbing gear. It took hours to reach the bottom. The tunnel snaked back and forth several times making it slow going. They also lodlst their ability to communicate back to the Foreman because of the convoluted path of the tube. Eventually they found the bottom. The tube entered into a vast chamber. Miles wide the only remarkable feature was the floor. It was curved. Based on Terrnip's estimations it appeared to be a perfect sphere. The lava had passed around the chunk of rock, which then fell back into the whole sealing the lava beneath it. The floor was covered in lava rock but it was nearly perfectly smooth. The only blemish was a deep crack at the apex of the sphere. Be fold and Terrnip both leaned over it to inspect it. As they neared the crack they said they thought they heard a voice. When they stood up, the color was drained from both of their faces. Be fold turned and walked always of and sat down muttering to him self. Terrnip just stood and after a few moments began to laugh. The giggle grew into a maddening cackle. Kiodrak was confused and bent down to listen.
The voice that came through the crack was at first impossible to hear. It was to faint and at then same time to booming inside Kildrak's skull. But it subsided and became a sweet and melodious voice of a woman, albeit it had an echo like the speaker was trapped far from the crack. The voice promised power and riches if only Kildrak, her champion, would serve her. Kildrak was amazed the speaker knew his name and looked up at his companions to ask if they had heard what she said. To his horror he found his two companions had gone mad. Benfold was lying on the ground frothing at the mouth and convulsing. Ternnip was maddly laughing as he tore his stomach to ribbons with a knife. His guts were spilling out with his blood. Kildrak begged the voice for help. She told him this was the fate of those unfit to serve her, a fate Kildrak could avoid only through obedience.
The offer sounded to good to be true. Kildrak initially refused. Then Ternnip attacked. Kildrak was forced to defend himself and kill the other man. Now afraid that his people would accuse him of murder, Kildrak was at a loss. When the voice, who now introduced itself as Paz'azast spoke again, it was with an offer of assistance. The voice offered to create a rockfall under which Terrnip's body could be "lost" and all the problems it caused Kildrak could be hidden. Kildrak was at his wits end and agreed. Afterward he tied Benfold into a harness and made the climb back, towing the madman behind him. When he got to the top again he was questioned about everything that happened and Kildrak told the story the Paz'azast whispered into his mind. His people took him at his word, but then Kildrak realized Benfold might one day come out of his stuppor and remember the truth. Paz'azast advised killing the man with a certain herb, the effect made it look like an unnoticed infection had suddenly taken him in the night. The poisoning went undetected. Then Paz'azast began to feed Kildrak information about new mineral finds. He became known for good luck and a sense for fortune. Then she fed him a few choice secrets of the Foremen that Kildrak could expose to gain influence and some wealth. He quickly climbed out of the ranks of the Pickmen and became a Foreman.
Then the pair went to work on the Headmen families. Again thanks to Paz'azast Kildrak was able to curry favor and avoid attacks against himself with ease. Everything was going seemingly when a particularly juicy bit of gossip was unearthed by Paz'azast. The daughter of the Starken Clan Mining consortium, a veritable princess of the mountain dwarves was having an affair with a Pickman, one of Kildrak's own cousins. The girl was yet to marry, so the first was more of a social faux-pa than a true crime, but the fallout from the scandal was enough go bring scrutiny on some of the Headman's behavior. It also brought the Headman's ire onto Kildrak. Paz'azast suggested letting the political temperature under the mountain cool down for a while and Kildrak agreed. He managed to talk his way into a caravan delivering goods to Algatha (I'll check the spelling on that) and while in route, the merchants caught the tale of the hibgoblin and his theft. Paz'azast seized at this opportunity and convinced Kildrak to leave his people and pursue the job offer of the Oroboros guild.
Trait: I sleep with my back to the wall, and sometimes whisper to myself (Paz'azast actually).
Ideal: I deserve everything I have.
Bond: I have many political allies back home... and enemies.
Flaw: The lives I've taken weigh me down.
Last edited June 17, 2015 2:53 am