## Durgath, Last Warchief of Gor'Karn **Race:** Orc **Title:** Last Warchief of Gor'Karn **Alignment:** Lawful Neutral **Era:** Age of the Betrayal (circa 9,980 A.P.) **Region:** Gor'Karn Catacombs, [[Karudasos]] --- ### Appearance Durgath was a towering orc with charcoal-gray skin, braided black hair, and battle-worn armor adorned with sacred bones and warpaint. His eyes were storm-gray, always watchful, bearing the weight of every orc lost under his command. His axe, _Tearcleaver_, was a brutal weapon once kissed by the shamans of Grushnar, marked with rites of protection and finality. --- ### Lore and Legacy Durgath was the final Warchief of Gor'Karn before its fall to civil war and betrayal. Unlike **[[Korgath]]**, who was once one of Durgath's trusted champions as part of the **Six Shields**, Durgath upheld the ancestral ways and the **Ritual of Honor**—a practice of sacrifice and memory that bound the orcish clans together. When [[Korgath]] turned from the sacred rites and embraced forbidden necromancy in a desperate bid for power, it was Durgath who defied him. He stood at the gates of Gor'Karn and refused to kneel. It is said that he held the line alone for six hours, bloodied and broken, until his warriors dragged him into the catacombs to protect his legacy. He died shortly after, refusing healing, choosing to be buried as a guardian of the truth. His name was nearly erased from the records, but murals in the **Hall of Remembrance** preserve his final defiance. --- ### Clarified Relationship with [[Korgath]] 1. **[[Korgath]]** was one of the **Six Shields of Durgath**, elite bodyguards and champions under Warchief Durgath’s rule. 2. During the darkest days of the orcish decline, **[[Korgath]] defied Durgath’s command** by turning to necromancy, believing that undeath would preserve [[Gor’Karn]]. 3. **Durgath condemned this act** as a betrayal of the ancestral orcish rites and traditions. 4. After this betrayal, [[Korgath]] performed the **forbidden ritual** that fused his soul to the [[Sacred Stone]], leading to his transformation into the **Wraith Lord**. 5. **Durgath remained Warchief** until his death, never stepping down or losing his title, and fought to preserve the old ways even as his champions fell to corruption. **Summary:** [[Korgath]] was a champion of Durgath, but became a betrayer—a fallen Shield who turned against him and cursed the city. Durgath was the last true Warchief, and his death marked the end of honorable orcish rule in [[Gor’Karn]]. --- ### Myth and Mystery - **The Silent Vigil:** It is believed Durgath’s spirit still lingers in the catacombs. Some claim he watches over the _Altar of Grushnar_, guiding the worthy and silently judging the living. - **The Cursed Mural:** In the Hall of Remembrance, his image is one of the few untouched by necrotic corruption. Some say looking into the mural’s eyes can bring visions of his final thoughts. - **The Black Echo:** When the name "Durgath" is whispered by the dead (such as a wraith in the Wailing Tunnels), it marks a soul that remembers its honor—offering clues or guidance against corruption. --- ### Adventure Hook - Placing a weapon on the _Altar of Grushnar_ while speaking Durgath’s name grants temporary necrotic resistance and advantage on saving throws against fear for 1 hour. - If a player carries a sword marked by Durgath's warband into the **final chamber**, his spirit may appear to offer a boon—or a challenge of worth. --- ### Quotes "He did not kneel. He did not weep. He simply said, 'Then I die free.'" — Orc Elder of the Broken Tusks --- ### The Orcish Decline The fall of [[Gor’Karn]] and the orcish way of life began during a time of scarcity, divine silence, and growing external threats: - **Divine Withdrawal:** The orcs believed they were once favored by Grushnar the Reclaimer, but in the years leading to the fall, his voice grew silent. Shamans could no longer call upon his power with certainty, leading to fear and doubt among the clans. - **Resource Collapse:** The sacred forges and fields that sustained [[Gor’Karn]] began to fail. Blight, famine, and disease spread in the outlying lands, and internal raids between orcish tribes became common. - **Civil Division:** Rival factions within [[Gor’Karn]] began to challenge Warchief Durgath’s authority, arguing that the old ways no longer served their survival. [[Korgath]] and others began exploring forbidden magics, believing necromancy and undeath were the only path forward. - **The Betrayal:** [[Korgath]]’s defiance marked the breaking point. His ritual, which fused his soul with the [[Sacred Stone]] and turned many into wraiths, shattered any chance of unity. The city was consumed by undead corruption, sealing its fate. **Summary:** The orcish decline was not caused by a single blow, but by the slow erosion of faith, unity, and resources. Durgath stood as the last bulwark against that decay—but even he could not stop the tide. --- ### Words of Legacy: "My blood before shame. My name before silence." **Interpretation:** This ancient orcish warrior’s creed was likely spoken by Durgath or carved in his honor, emphasizing sacrifice, identity, and the preservation of legacy. - **“My blood before shame”** — Spill blood before acting dishonorably; sacrifice is preferable to disgrace. - **“My name before silence”** — One's name and legacy must be spoken, remembered, and honored. To be forgotten is to be truly dead. **Usage in Gameplay:** - **Ritual Trigger:** Speaking the phrase aloud in sacred or cursed locations (e.g., the Hall of Remembrance) may activate lost wards, awaken visions, or draw Durgath’s favor. - **Blood Offering:** Offering a drop of blood while declaring one’s name may unlock sealed crypts, dispel necrotic illusions, or initiate trials of worth. - **Durgath’s Boon:** If spoken before battle or at a place of ancestral mourning, the phrase might grant temporary necrotic resistance or spiritual guidance.