Elder Skarg

Skarg was born in the bitterness of the Winterlands during the Age of Hellfire, where he learned quickly that the deeds of a man defined him, not the environment he faced. Like all Old Norr, he loved his people dearly, and learned to fight at an early age. He was a young man of courage, intelligence, wisdom, and was a born leader. Skarg was forced to use his skills sooner than he wished. After the Battle of the Waters of Life, Sorath the Frost Spider and a horde of Demonspawn descended upon his domain. Though most of the Old Norr were driven from the Winterlands after the battle, Skarg nonetheless won praise for his courage, cool head, and clever organization, which enabled thousands to flee to safety. Witnesses spoke of how he took to battle against the Demonic scourge single—handedly. Many of the surviving Old Norr fled to the Redspike Mountains, and dozens of kingdoms were established, collectively known as Frostheim. Six – of which Skarg ruled one — rapidly became more dominant than the others. To the ambitious, this time of upheaval was an opportunity to seize power, and though Skarg was highly respected, he knew that in turbulent times that could make him a target. In the end, the threat came from his own family. Skarg was ambushed by his half-brother, Rakran, who desired to become king of all the Redspikes. After a bitter fight, Skarg was left for dead. terribly wounded, he later crawled and hobbled to the valley of Queen Larah, ruler of another of the largest kingdoms, and sought refuge. Under her protection, Skarg recuperated and planned his revenge. He was determined to rid the world of his brother — but Queen Larah refused to aid him, not wishing for war. And so he traversed the Redspikes, seeking allies to fight Rakran, but during that time his half-brother invaded the queen’s territory. Skarg raced to the valley, and waged a guerrilla campaign against Rakran, drawing warriors to him over many months. Despite Queen Larah’s pleas, the remaining four principal monarchs of the Redspikes refused to aid her, for all awaited the outcome of the war to see what opportunities it presented. Forced to fight alone, Larah and Skarg joined their strength. Weeks passed before they successfully drew Rakran’s army into an ambush. During the horrific bloodshed, Skarg cleaved his way to his half-brother, and in the bitter duel that followed, beheaded Rakran with his broadsword. The battle was won shortly thereafter, and Skarg reclaimed his old kingdom. Though one war had ended, peace was not brought to Frostheim. There was much jostling for land and power, and the minor kingdoms greatly resented the might of the six strongest. Skarg feared that division would leave each kingdom vulnerable to outsiders, so he gathered the Old Norr monarchs together. Rulers and their entourages nearly came to blows before Skarg rose to speak, his reputation the only thing preventing the spilling of blood. He spoke passionately about betrayal and the dangers the Norr had overcome to achieve what they had in the Redspikes, convincing them that unity and peace were greater than greed and conflict. He proposed a union of all Old Norr in the Redspikes. Disputes would be resolved peacefully and no single kingdom would ever face an attack alone. Few could deny his wisdom. Thanks to Skarg, the Confederation of Frostheim was born. And yet, not all were happy. Dozens of monarchs and warlords felt strong-armed into accepting a life of relative poverty in comparison to their stronger neighbors, and so invaded Kaerok to gain the wealth and status they could not find in Frostheim. This war-migration lasted for decades, with the Frostheimers defeated. Many kings and queens were killed, and in their absence, those monarchs who remained widened and consolidated their holdings so that all Frostheim was controlled by the six most powerful kingdoms. There were pitifully few returning nobles and warlords to challenge the state of affairs, and Skarg confirmed that the Confederation would have six rulers forever more. Impressed by Skarg’s vision, the Arbiter came to the monarchs and gifted them a Shard. She recognized Skarg’s influence and proposed that he exchange his freedom for the immortality a Shard could offer. While he knew this meant his influence could extend beyond the length of his mortal life, Skarg knew that to acquiesce meant that he would never taste life unless called to aid his people. His agreement came with one condition – that only a ruler of Frostheim would be able to summon him. Though the Confederation has long since been replaced with the Kingdom of Frostheim, and the Winter Hall is now the haunt of the Ice Golem, Skarg’s legacy remains. His place in history is enshrined in songs that celebrate this proud warrior whose noble words and daring deeds forged a brighter future for the Redspikes. And like a sleeping giant, his power remains ready, waiting to be roused for battle again.