Ungrim Ironfist

Ungrim Ironfist, the Slayer King

Many years ago Ungrim's five times great grandsire, King Baragor, suffered a great and terrible loss which drove him to take the oath of the Slayers. What caused him to make such a sudden and drastic decision is not recorded in the Book of Grudges of Karak Kadrin, nor in the Records of the Kings, nor even the stronghold's Book of Days. It is commonly assumed that the cause was the death of his daughter at the claws of the great dragon Skaladrak on her way to marry the son of the High King at Karaz-a-Karak. In any case, Baragor became the first Slayer King of Karak Kadrin.

Torn between his two conflicting vows, the oath of a Slayer to seek out death and the oath of a king to watch over and protect his people, Baragor was unable to fulfil either properly. In the end, good Dwarf sense prevailed, and he found a way to honour both his vows after a fashion. He founded the shrine of Grimnir, the Shrine of Slayers in Karak Kadrin, and with generous donations to the cult he established a haven for Slayers from all over the Dwarf realms. Soon Karak Kadrin was acknowledged as the home of the Slayer Cult, hitherto a scattered group of individuals wandering amongst the mountains.

Although Baragor could not fulfil his own vows while his people needed him, he could help others to do so, and as such he upheld his honour and was considered a wise and reasonable Dwarf by all concerned. Baragor died in a tunnel cave-in deep below Karak Kadrin, his Slayer's vow still unfulfilled. His son, Dargo, inherited not only the kingdom, but his father's vow as well, and became the second of a line of Slayer Kings. His living descendant is King Ungrim Ironfist, the current Slayer King of Karak Kadrin.

Ungrim bears the burden of his forebear's vow. His very name, Ungrim, means oathbound or oath-breaker, and is a reminder of his dual responsibilities. Like Baragor before him, he is possessed of sound Dwarf sense, a strong arm, and the complete loyalty to Dwarfkind which perhaps only a Dwarf king can understand. He is a great warrior and is acknowledged by even the High King as the best living battle leader and the most accomplished of generals. It was Ungrim Ironfist and the Dwarfs of Karak Kadrin that finally defeated and captured the Orc Warlord Gnashrak at the Battle of Broken Leg Gulley. This ended Gnashrak's threat to Karaz-a-Karak and undoubtedly saved the Dwarf High King's realm and earned Ungrim the eternal gratitude of his people. The High King, Thorgrim Grudgebearer, gave Ungrim a mighty heirloom in recognition of his deeds. This was the dragon cloak made by the Runesmith Heganbor for High King Finn Sourscowl from the skin of the dragon Fyrskar. The Slayer Crown sits atop Ungrim's head. This is a sturdy horned helmet with golden crown, on top of which is a huge bright orange crest like a Slayer's hair. The king's beard is also vivid orange, dyed brightly as is the tradition of Slayers, and carefully bound with golden rings and brightly coloured ribbons. His appearance is every inch a king and a Slayer! He is armed with a mighty two-handed axe of monstrous size and enscribed with many potent runes. This is the Axe of Dargo, reforged from Baragor's own axe, and enscribed in Khazalid with the oath of a Slayer.