Harsk Ironback's page

Appearance
Were it not for his dark obsidian skin Harsk would appear almost unremarkable human. Of a thinner build Harsk is tall and would almost seem to most as a more delicate and finesse oriented sort. Harsk often changes his style but always features metallic coloring or some other nuance as a call to his earthly heritage.

For those few who have cause to see it, Hark's body is coverd in a myriad of tattoos and symbols, the remnants of a former life as a supplicant of Torag. An Oread raised among dwarves, Harsk felt great commitment to his adopted parents and societies until it becmae clear to all that the he was meant to walk a different path.

Personality
Harsk is fierce and loyal in action but can be loud and forceful in speech. While suffering from many of the traditional dwarven social tendencies of frank commentary and enjoyment of drink Harsk is still not dwarven, though he has often lived with them. This can just as often make Harsk come across as strange but the advantage for Harsk is he tends not care.

Harsk takes little umbrage with those who think him an odd sort and see his personal history and achievements as a point of pride. Harsk's training is much of his life and why he functions as a being but he understands that sometimes one must accept traditions and beliefs that are not wholly in line with his notions of faith and pursuit of accomplishments, his ability to stay polite about this fact is, however, sometimes questionable.

Having traveled some distances Harsk enjoys his time reading about geography and trying to continue to craft items of metal from his part. As such he has invested some time to the pursuit of metalworking both in traditional balcksmithing as well as finer metals. Harsk sees these as mind sharpening and emotionally balancing acts that supplement the use of his abilities.

In the end, Harsk is steadfast, loyal, and empathetic. His training is as much about keeping others from harm and a commitment to imapre others ability to do harm more than it is about doing harm. His residual faith he sees as a testament to his ability to be steadfast in commitment and as a part of home.

Harsk is piercing, committed and opinionated.

Background
Clang, Clang

As the fire heats the metal

Clang, Clang

As the hammer works the steel

Clang, Clang

As the anvil shapes the weapon

Clang, Clang

Torag shapes us all

Clang

Clang

The Father of Creation does bless
The Father of Creation does forge
We are his hammers
We are his anvil
His world will we protect

Karsk let the last of the invocations words pass his lips, sweat rolling from his brow, his chest and arms slick from the work at the anvil. Around him the High Cleric and Grand Master each stood viewing his work.

"It is a fine hammer Karsk, worthy of Our Father's praise," the cleric said in his deep baritone. "Are you ready to seal your pact with Torag?"

Karsk stepped from the anvil and answered only with a nod. Stripped down to nothing but leather pants, Karsk's skin felt hot from the coals of the pit and charcoal in the braziers surrounding the ritual site. The tattoos of rings, chains and Torag's holy words played about Karsk's chest and arms seeming to dance with the shadow's cast by the various lights. The room glowed orange from the fires. On each arm, amongst the various runes and symbols, were identical blank circles the same width of a heavy coin.

The Grand Master pulled a rod that had been set in the pit to warm; a brand that detailed the hammer of Torag glowing with furious heat. The priest moved to place the brands upon the empty circles and paused.

"Praise Torag and His Creation!" cried the Grand Master.
"By his blows are we made hard!" cried the High Cleric.

Hoarse from effort and tired from the exertion, Harsk found his voice, "In his name shall we protect!"

The two other dwarves nodded in quiet agreement and the brand was pulled away. Without warning the Grand Master doused the heated metal and hot steam filled the room.

"It is not to be" intoned the Grand Master.
"His heat cannot forge you" murmered the High Cleric.

Fighting against the swimming sensation and the weakness from the fasting and hammering of forging his own hammer, Harsk felt fury and rage; he clambered from the coming darkness to find his voice, "But why? My heart is true. My faith complete! I wish to serve..."

The darkness took Harsk and he fell to the floor.

Light. Sound. Harks awoke to find himself clad in his armor, his hammer polished and wrapped at his side. His bags set beside the chair he had been placed in. His body ached and the room was smoke filled from coal and incense but after a moment Hark's eyes found the Grand Cleric and as their eyes met the elder dwarf smiled only slightly and nodded.

"The ritual complete," the dwarf almost growled, "You are ready to go. You meant to leave a servant but the embers told us what we long suspected. You are a child of Highhelm but it not where you are meant to be."

Rising from his own chair the Grand Cleric approached Harsk and aided the young oread to his feet. "We have word from far off Jalmeray. A secret bidden by air and breath brought low to stone to our home. There is a place there for one like you. One whose heart is metal and flesh is stone. Torag has great affection for you but it is in this 'House of Five Elements in which you are meant to be forged."

Guiding Harsk to his gear the cleric clapped his hand on Hark's back, the blow a jarring one. The cleric presented a small runebound book and note. "Nothing is left for you here, though perhaps one day you will return and tell me of your efforts. This book will serve to introduce you as we have been instructed. You will be tested and, if worthy, will find your right path. Good Journey Harsk."

Without another word the cleric stalked off, leaving Harsk alone in the dim coal firelight. He was headed to Jalmeray it would seem, hopefully Torag would give him purpose there...

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The oread Harsk was found by the caravan moving about the Five Kings Mountains years ago. An apparent orphan the lifes and times of oreads was known to many dwarves and so the obsidian skinned baby was brought to Highhelm and taken in by the clans.

As tough as the dwarven children, though much lankier than them, Harsk was raised as dwarf. Haughty. Boastful. Dedicated. Harsk was tough in spirit and found something of a family in the clergy of Torag whom oversaw the group home in which he was raised.

After a failed attempt at joining the clergy Harsk was sent Jalmeray to present his skills and abilities to the House of Five Secrets. Older than many applicants there was much doubt that one who had matured outside of hte monastery might have a worthy connection to the elements.

It was neither great skill or power that saw Harsk accepted but resolve and immovability. It was clear to those present that Harsk embodied his birthright and was meant to -know- the earth the way the earth knew him.

Under the tutelage of Arak Kal'sem, another "human" who could trace his ancestry to Shaitans of ages past Harsk began the slow road to mastering his kinesis.

In becoming a kineticist Harsk found the commitment of self and principle that he had connected as a faithful of Torag but a much more intimate and complete experience compared to his attempts as an acolyte. This was a connection of matter and mind, history and present, being and element; a reconciliation of self.

Arak emphasized the connection to earth as a philosophical basis for power. To the master and the student the connection to earth was one that was best felt first and applied second. Where others in the school ranged in spirituality versus pragmatism Arak offered instead an emotional appeal. Feel the nature of earth, practice to shift as it does and the rest will flow as a matter of natural connection.

In this way the somewhat dour Harsk can now often seem almost ephemerally connected when speaking OF his power though its application is far more tangible. Unlike others who sometimes gained some skill with other elements, Harsk has found that his skills lie in connecting to earth in its purest forms.

Now a practitioner of greater skill and ability, the oread is summoned for a new task meant to expand and test him in all new ways...