Druuk Stonebridge

Born of Zeldur Fistscribe, a battle-hardened human, and warrior orc Dura Stonebridge, Druuk was bound for battle from birth. The Warriors of Stonecliff have been loyal soldiers to the Undying Pact-Land since they settled Stonecliff in the northern mountains several generations ago. The tribal village follows a very communal lifestyle, every leader having to pull as much weight as the farmer or fighter next to them.
Druuk's orcish uncle, Master Druid Grogmar Stonespear, currently leads the clan. In his 7th year, there was a proper Eregothian invasion of the Undying Lands. After a particularly harrowing battle, the Stonespear Sword was lost to the enemy, as well as Grogmar's pregnant mate, Dresvia. Druuk began training under Grogmar as the Penultimate -- the next bloodrite successor to lead Stonecliff.
He was trained until he turned 8, then brought out into the forests. Every week, Grogmar would Transport via Plants him to a random place and expect him to return before the following week, Druuk started at barely getting back in the six days before having to leave again. Then, five. Then, three. By his 10th year, there was nowhere in the forests around the Stonecliff Mountains that he could not traverse in less than two days, well-fed from proper foraging.
He learned to commune with animals from Grogmar, using it to call on bears to aid him. In his 13th year, Druuk began to exhibit bear-like ferocity in battle training, the young warrior sprouting fur and growing in size when his rage would take hold.
In celebration of his 16th birthday, Druuk pledged to the service of the Undying Pact-Land. The army took him in, helping discipline the boy, though he was already bigger than most fully grown fighters. They put a greatsword in his hand, then gave him rigorous training to use it more effectively than just swinging it about in a raging fury. The combination of rage and precision has remained a trademark of his fighting style.
In his tours of duty, he began building a group of trusted soldiers they called the Undying Hit Squad. The young Elven tactician, Erwol Jusican, found Druuk first. Then, they found their cleric, a Goliath student of the Forge known as Ferris Nels. They picked up a Tabaxi druid-ranger -- Lilies on the Water -- in a forest, defending her home from a larger invasion than she could handle alone. They discovered Changeling Jubilation Halifax one day as they were all looking for information on the comings-and-goings of Eregothian spies. She was made as an informant, being held by the spies she was supposed to rat on. The UHS found her after she set off a fireball while still tied to a chair.
Their squad made it through several campaigns, landing incursions into Eregoth as far north as Hawk Island, though that was to save captives that were slated to be subjugated in the Eregothian Slave Machine. They never landed on mainland Eregoth. As they rose in rank, Erwol and Lilies got married and filtered out of the service, and Ferris got recruited to become a divine enchanter.
Only Druuk and Jubilation made it to Druuk's last day as a soldier. They got called home to the Undying to protect the Dragon Gate. In the ensuing brawl, many of the Eregothians seemed Smuggler's Rooted out, fighting with unnatural ferocity and recklessness. The battle raged for days, both sides suffering heavy losses. Druuk lost track of Hal in the midst of the third day. On day five, Druuk awoke to two enemies coming into his shelter. He immediately shattered the shield of the first attacker, breaking his arm. The second jammed two daggers into Druuk before he disarmed him -- literally. He tried to give them the opportunity to surrender, but they refused to yield. Having to kill them in -- essentially -- cold blood, he began thinking hard about his position. Looking over the battlefield afterwards, hundreds of people had been slain, no gain being had. His taste for other's war was sullied. He and Hal reunited with four other soldiers and returned to the army to resign their ranks.
Having no family to return to, Halifax followed Druuk home, morphing herself into a half-orc to try to blend in better. She took to the mountain life well, bringing her magics to a less explosive use in Stonecliff. Druuk, on the other hand, felt his old wanderlust itching. Grogmar noticed, giving him the sheath of the Stonespear and the assignment to find its blade.
And, so Druuk began his walkabout, empty sheath and a heavy axe on his sides. The village, and Halifax, pitched in to sponsor his travel. He's bounced around, hiring himself out to traveling merchants or just wandering alone, looking for some sign of the Stonespear.
In the meantime, he's found demons, friends, and liches to keep himself entertained...

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

Big Half-Orc soldier. Young and virile.

Body Features

Gray-olive skin, thick musculature, Elk-like legs.

Facial Features

Small undertusks.
Pointed orc ears, left is missing a chunk in the middle from a near fatal arrow.
Flatter, broken-and-rebroken nose.
Veiny neck, square jaw, sloped forehead.
Bushy black sideburns, no chin or neck beard.

Identifying Characteristics

Scar from above left eye to bottom of right cheek.
Torso and arms have all manner of scars and old burns.
No body hair besides sideburns (until rage).

Physical quirks

Right handed, walks with soldier’s purpose; walks with axe on right shoulder; usually sits cross-legged on the ground; while huge, moves fluidly through battle (elk-bear dance).

Special abilities

Druid uncle sent him into wilderness to learn survival. Fought a bear, then learned to commune with it. Grows fur and 6 inches taller when enraged.

Apparel & Accessories

Denim tunic and short pants when dressing up, traveling leathers when on the road.
Won’t wear armor. Armor is for the weak.

Specialized Equipment

Shoulder’s Blade (currently presenting as Frost Tongue Greataxe made from a splinter of world dragon shoulder bone).
War Relic: split Eregothian shield.
Scabbard of Stonespear: Sword of the Leader of the Stonespear clan of Stonecliff. Rubies and Emeralds on the top of the scabbard, inlaid in gold, scabbard shaped to look like a spearhead tipped with gold. Stonespear Sword is missing.

Mental characteristics

Gender Identity

Cisgender

Sexuality

Straight

Education

Sparring with mom and dad, learning survival skills and leadership from uncle and Keldani Army.

Employment

Sergeant in Undying Pact-Lands. Left to go home, then set off on quest to find the Stonespear Sword to eventually take over for Uncle Grogmar.

Accomplishments & Achievements

Survived Battle of the Undying Dragon Gate.
Helped take down a Nightwalker and a Lich.
Defended Doraniir (eastern Great Old One Pact-Lands) from Knowing Hand invasion on the Night of No Moon.
Defended Harbinger Deriat from an assassination attempt.

Failures & Embarrassments

Doesn’t brag about Dragon’s Gate. Lost all of his men there.
Been wandering for 4 years without finding the Stonespear Sword.
No offspring to shepherd into strength as his father did.

Morality & Philosophy

Little respect for unproven warriors.
Values strength, but not cruelty.
Honorable battle is virtuous, but engaging in cruelty to prisoners is a coward’s act.
Anyone who fights with me is worth dying for.
Head-on, fast, decisive solutions are -- of course -- the best solutions.

Taboos

Armor is for cowards.
Would not cast arcane or divine spells, anything unnatural.
The best stealth is a dead enemy.

Personality Characteristics

Motivation

Defending those that are weaker, bringing strength back to the tribe, finding those that took Stonespear.

Savvies & Ineptitudes

Surprisingly compassionate, and is accruing many pets (a sparrow and a black bear).
Travels fast, and helps those he travels with to keep his pace.
Not good with deception, sneaking, or stealing.

Likes & Dislikes

Always has time for a drink, to commune with nature, or both.
People disrespecting him can kill his whole day.

Virtues & Personality perks

Always good for a drink.
Strength in battle (even magical strength) is respectable.
Good for doing the heavy lifting.
Money doesn’t mean as much, so buying a drink, a room, or a meal for someone isn’t out of the ordinary.

Vices & Personality flaws

Always good for a drink.
Will watch people in the party bicker and fight, but won’t step in unless it affects him directly.
In battle, will not stop when others stop or insist on stopping. If something needs to die, most of the time, either it dies or he does.

Personality Quirks

Willing to self harm to initiate rage if not already in the heat of battle.
Not super interested in chitchat, unless it’s “popcorn” worthy.

Hygiene

Mends his clothes after battle.
Keeps head and neck shaved, only keeping the sideburns long.
Doesn’t shower often, but doesn’t let nastiness linger either.

Social

Contacts & Relations

Stonecliff: Jubilation Halifax (Changeling Shadow Sorcerer).
Elsewhere: Erwol Jusican (High Elf Mastermind Rogue) former Captain, Ferris Nels (Goliath Forge Cleric) Major, Divine Enchanter, and Lilies on the Water Jusican (Tabaxi Grassland-Hunter) former Lieutenant.

Family Ties

Living family members: Dura Stonebridge (mother), Zeldur Fistscribe (father), and Grogmar Stonespear (uncle).

Religious Views

Knows clerics and good & evil exist but communes with nature. Doesn’t give fealty to divinity or the profane, but to nature itself. (Agnostic)

Hobbies & Pets

A Sparrow and a Brown Bear. Learning to brew, stonecraft, and smithing.

Speech

Deep, slow, deliberate speech. Neutral accent, from army service.

Wealth & Financial state

Family is Clan leadership. While he had/has full access to Stonespear Clan resources, he was taught temperance. Doesn’t take more than he needs, and shares his extra. All accumulated wealth will go to the clan.

Alignment

Neutral Good

Honorary & Occupational Titles

Sergeant, Undying Pact-Lands Ordained Penultimate of the Stonespear Clan

Year of Birth

1919 26 Years old

Circumstances of Birth

Parents met in Keldan Army

Birthplace

Stonecliff, Northern Mountains, Undying Pact-Lands

Current Residence

"Around"

Gender

Male

Eyes

Black on black

Hair

Bald, Black sideburns (black fur when enraged)

Height

6’4 (increases to 7’0” when enraged)

Weight

232 lbs (375 lbs when enraged)

Quotes & Catchphrases

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Known Languages

Common and Orcish

Character Prototype

Lou Ferrigno's Hulk