Remorhaz

Iorthae, better known by his alias Remorhaz, was an elven mercenary and a leading member of the Menagerie. He is a player character in The Menagerie, portrayed by Hallie Clawson.

"Of course an elf would turn fighting into a frolic. Yet somewhere in all the spins and flourishes, there're five decades of practice – hard, bruising work – and that's something I can respect. The hair's green, the armor's scant and too tight and the sword's all wrong – too long in the root and too short in the tooth. Still, there's a hardness to the eyes, the lines of the face that I recognize as belonging to a true craftsman. This one won't stop until everything – and I mean everything – is perfect."
– Beholder's Log

History

Born in 718 1A in Cymbia, Iorthae lived two entire lifetimes before running away to join the war. During the Night Wars, their unit was decimated and all hope seemed lost – until Tchari Thrak adopted them into her qorhv. They fought together for the remainder of the wars. Then, when the undead stopped advancing in 30 2A, Iorthae abruptly left the qorhv under mysterious circumstances and began a new life as a sellsword.
Eighteen years later, during the Night of Twenty Moons, Iorthae – now a member of the Iron Word – rejoined Tchari Qorhv and helped throw down the vampire lord of Aos. When Tchari Thrak rebranded as Chimera and her qorhv as the Menagerie, Iorthae – now called Remorhaz – joined the company.
Over the years, Chimera kept her distance from Remorhaz, never quite promoting him to the level where he belongs. There is some bad blood between them, the nature of which none of the company quite knows for sure. Nonetheless, Remorhaz accrued a number of odd jobs around the camp, making him an invaluable member of the company.

Character

Personality

Remorhaz was an absolute perfectionist. He simply could not abide anything done improperly or inefficiently and often intervened in everyone else's business to ensure it was done to his satisfaction. To this end, he absorbed quite a few unofficial duties and responsibilities around the company, including but not limited to:

• Morale officer
• Contract drafter
• Necroglyph supervisor

Remorhaz was a devotee of the Vai Udhariad, an obscure elven swordfighting discipline. Invented by an armless swordsman, the style was particularly difficult for an ablebodied wielder and thus, Remorhaz needed to relentlessly practice and practice and practice to maintain their form. They were harsh with themselves, unforgiving of even the smallest error.

Relationships

Remorhaz's capacity as unofficial second-in-command of the Menagerie means he maintained a relationship with many in the company, the Commander's Tent most of all. He and Umber were close friends and drinking buddies, even if Remorhaz was often frustrated by his lack of discipline and tendency to create problems. Like all his companions, he took a supervisory role over Mouse's development as a mercenary. With Griffon, things were a little frostier. On their best days, the two have a healthy respect and a friendly rivalry, polar opposites when it comes to swordfighting technique but equally capable in battle.
A veteran of the Night Wars, Remorhaz shared a special bond with any soldier that served with the Commander – Beholder, Displacer, Harpy and others. Remorhaz was also especially friendly with Stirge, as they were both members of the Iron Word for a time, before her true nature as a double agent was revealed. He was also the preferred point-of-complaint for the dwarven cleric known as Gargoyle, leader of the company's nûnramali. For nearly five decades, Remorhaz harbored a secret crush on Willow and, indeed, only learned the Vai Udhariad to impress her. In this, he considers Pegasus something of a romantic rival. Yorgos of Nyre still remembered Remorhaz from the time they worked together and never stopped pestering him about enlisting. His relationship with Chimera was old and once strong but something – an event, an argument, a school of thought – separated them across possibly irreconcilable lines.

Abilities

In addition to their skills as a swordfighter, Remorhaz retained a number of minor magical abilities from their days as a scribe to a Cymbian elven noble. While relatively minor powers, they could occasionally come in useful.

Campaigns

The Menagerie

Remorhaz is one of four player characters and protagonists of the Menagerie.

• Vhakizla: In Qoza, Remorhaz commiserated with Basilisk about the company's dwindling funds and aided his allies in defeating the Son of Tharzavok's hired knives. (Chapter 1) Remorhaz failed to convince the Tazmorna to transport the company but drafted a contract for Zelene Silvers all the same. He spent the voyage to Vhakizla practicing his sword-form as best he could aboard the bustling ship. (Chapter 2) To convince the pirate captain to fight with them, Remorhaz challenged Silvers to a duel – and won. (Chapter 3) Remorhaz was among the infantry sent to Izla to quash the Sanguine and was nearly slain by a brucolac in the process (Chapter 5 – 7) The wound he sustained during that battle quickly festered and Remorhaz soon developed an addiction to slaver and, to make matters still, worse, they also contracted black bloat in the sewers below Izla, though the latter proved easier to cure than the former (Chapter 8). When they parlayed with Calras, vampire spawn of Caliphar II, it was this addiction that led Remorhaz to volunteer his wrist to the hungry vampire (Chapter 10). Following his disappearance down the bloody well, Remorhaz took Griffon's disappearance hard, refusing to accept his death (Chapter 11). Failing to find slaver on the Izlan streets, he consoled the frustrated Strige when her lead at Zarkani Hill turned up nothing (Chapter 12). Remorhaz was instrumental in exposing Strategos Kharix as a traitor and vampire spawn, earning the dracolich's favor (Chapter 13). On the march to Akiz, Remorhaz took the opportunity to chat up a Willow devoid of Pegasus – to mixed success (Chapter 14). During the battle in mist-swamped Akiz, Remorhaz saved both Mouse and Umber from wasting away with timely uses of his lesser restoration (Chapter 15.
• Khûm: En route to their next contract, Remorhaz hires a ship in Qhlomi, practiced archery with Willow and recruited a squad of dwarven mercenaries to the company (Chapter 1 – Chapter 2). In Truethrone, Remorhaz continued his archery practice with Willow but was unhappy to reunite with former Iron Word comrades (Chapter 3). His next practice didn't go as well, when Willow – distracted by Pegasus – missed the meeting (Chapter 4). On the hunt for Tyrodax, it was Remorhaz's idea to trap the dragon in a canyon and even to lead the Mystriarchy astray until the trap was ready, though he nearly cost them the maneuver, so concerned was he for perfecting their fake campsite (Chapter 5). Once captured, Remorhaz managed to lead the Mystriarchy back to the dragon and rejoin the fight, leaping onto one of many ropes that dangled from Tyrodax and dealing what proved to be a false deathblow, sending the Wyrmling falling back into his lair (Chapter 6 – Chapter 7). Captured by the Mystriarchy, Remorhaz sought relationships advice from both a kindly dwarven priest and eventually Umber (Chapter 8 – 9). Once returned to the Menagerie camp, it was Umber who pressured Remorhaz into finally confessing his feelings for Willow and the two shared their first kiss – only to have an eagle sweep him away before his next appointed date (Chapter 10). While Remorhaz did make that date, he made a critical blunder by attending his duties rather than Willow's affections and she cooled on him once again (Chapter 11). It was Remorhaz who discovered the true nature of the pine-devils and who chased down Stirge upon her desertion, demanding the truth (Chapter 12). As soon as he learned the truth, he confronted Griffon atop Snowperch and the two sparred out their differences (Chapter 13). Following the poisoning, Remorhaz saved Nolqa Axebite from petrification and held the thane at knife-point to convince him to call off his clanguard (Chapter 14). Seeking a gift for Willow, Remorhaz reconnected with Nolqa Axebite, who confided in him about her clan's hidden bunker. In the Iron Word camp, he confronted Kothia – once Stirge – about her new role among the rival company (Chapter 15). During the disaster in the Firewood, Remorhaz threw his unconscious companions into the pit trap but, before they escaped, would himself fall unconscious to a spider's arrow (Chapter 16). In the days leading up to the battle with Zhoraska the Red Matron, Remorhaz reconnected with Beholder, also a veteran of the Night Wars, about old times. (Chapter 17 – 18). Following the dragon's defeat, Remorhaz comforted the forlorn Nolqa Axebite and helped her plan the new Timberhall (Chapter 19). En route to Cloudfall, the Commander sought Remorhaz's advice about who should inherit the company when she retires. Following Griffon's lead, Remorhaz attempted to sneak into the collapsed castle and fought tooth-and-nail to capture a kobold named Shoka and convince them to defect (Chapter 19 – Chapter 21). Upon their return to Timberhall, Remorhaz convinced the company to help finance the construction of the new hall, much to Nolqa's gruff appreciation. As they took their leave of Khûm, Remorhaz grew less and less certain of the shoulderblade and eventually stored it, turning instead to the bow (Chapter 22).
• Cradle: En route to Throka's Cradle, Remorhaz recruited harpooners in Tva Harbors, consulted Beholder about Mouse's name in the archives and reconnected with, of all people, Unicorn (Chapter 1 – 3). En route to Fort Yarakir Remorhaz and Willow resumed their archery lessons. Remorhaz attempted to use the lessons she taught him during the attack but was quickly overwhelmed by the skeletal garrison (Chapter 3). When Dredgar Bracebow was murdered the following day, Remorhaz conducted the interview of Yazram and, when his guilt was eventually revealed, argued in favor of exile, to save the siege engineers (Chapter 4 – Chapter 5). En route to Sundaport, Displacer expressed concern about returning to Qondra Cross on their way to the Cradle. In Sundaport, he learned what he could from the other mercenaries in the city – about the city's strengths, resources and motivations (Cradle – Chapter 6).

Name: Iorthae
Alias: Remorhaz
Ancestry: Elf
Class: Bard (College of Swords)
Born: 718 1A (Cymbia)
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 120 lbs
Hair: Green
Eyes: Brown
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
First Appearance: Chapter 1
Most Recent Appearance: Khûm – Chapter 15

Goals:

• To challenge someone to a duel.
• To establish a relationship with Stirge
• To cure his slaver addiction
• To locate Griffon
• To learn archery from Willow
• To find a new task within the company (Abandoned)
• To seek relationship advice
• To make his date with Willow
• To involve himself in Stirge's spying plot
• To find a gift for Willow
• To sudder a crisis of confidence
• To learn a new weapon

Secret:

• Remorhaz harbored feelings for Willow.

Relationships:

• Chimera: Resentment
• Will-O'-Wisp: Crush
• Stirge: Comrade
• Pegasus: Romantic Rival
• Father Namul: Relationship Coach
• Yorgos of Nyre: Recruiter
• Nolqa Axebite: Survivors
• Beholder: Confidant
• Displacer: Liability