Grovkin of Clan MacHammer, son of Tirkin, Chirugen of Berronar

Life, Light, Healing

Fit, Strong, dwarfy.

The second son of the Patriarch of the MacHammer Clan, a minor but rising house in the byzantine web of clan politics in the Dwarven world. When adulthood came, Grovkin, a pious and happy young man, entered the priesthood, joining the Order of the Mended Hammer, a religious order of healers whose patron god was Berronar Truesilver, the Dwarven Goddess of healing. He built a career as a bright young mender, eager to help and to fix the problems of mortal life and danger. But such happy times were to become a distant memory, with the coming of the Gukorg the Blood-Eye.   Grovkin was conscripted as a front line healer in the Underwars, serving from the moment his kingdom called for him until the last Orc was gutted upon a metal spike, and the wars changed him. Gone was the happy pious and naive young healer who dreamed of mending the whole world. In his place stood a dwarf who had come face to face with the worst evils that the world could produce, and no longer thought everything could be healed, but sure more than ever that Faith could move mountains.   He went back to the Order and immediately petitioned to become a wandering healer, dedicating himself to bringing the light of faith and health to a world that had been shattered by war and death. And all would have been well if his older brother had survived the Underwars.   His older brother had also answered the call of Underhall, and had defended its safety with his life. Tragically, it had cost him this bloody charge, and the clan mourned his death, but knew it had been for the noblest of causes. As the line of succession was considered, Grovkin was expected to become the next in line for the leadership of Clan MacHammer. But Grovkin had taken a vow, not only as a healer in the Order of the Mended Hammer but also as a wandering chirurgen, a holy vow that required Grovkin to roam the land, dispensing health and faith in equal measure, and that would only end when the Gods themselves discharged him from their service, normally upon the chirurg's death.   This caused a crisis in Clan MacHammer, as Grovkin's father had no other children, and his brother's had died before providing Grovkin with cousins. Theoretically the next in line was a distant uncle, who was married to the head of a different, though friendly clan. But this uncle inheriting could mean the end of Clan MacHammer as an independent house, and all of the hard work of Clan in gaining political and economic power would be wasted. For years this situation persisted, with Grovkin himself carrying out his holy mission to bring healing to as many souls as possible, knowing in the back of his mind that many of his family hated him and thought him selfish, because he would not stray from the path of the Gods without fulfilling his purpose.   He received a letter from an old friend from the Underwars, Katra, asking him to come with her on a mission of utmost importance. The night before he arrived, he had a dream, of an enormous anvil that had been shattered by a great force. As he watched, a small set of embers fell from above, gently landing upon the anvil, and in a brilliant flash of light, the ancient and decrepit forge melted and flowed together, reforming as a gleaming and brilliant hammer, shining with a bright and restorative light that seemed to fill the world. Grovkin awoke with a start, and knew that he had been spoken to. Whatever awaited him in his meeting with Katra, Grovkin knew that it was the reason he had sworn the Oath of the Chirugen, and that before him would await the culmination of his charge, if he had the courage to meet the challenges the Gods laid before him.

Grovkin was given some of the best education available to a dwarf, as he was born to a well off clan of dwarves. Because of his status as the second son, he was further educated from these lofty heights, as a cleric in the service of the dwarven gods must be knowledgeable enough to interpret their intentions for the rest of dwarfkind.

Grovkin entered the Order of the Mended Hammer, a clerical order dedicated to the goddess Berronar Truesilver, as soon as he came of age. Grovkin had always planned on joining the priesthood, as he had found solace and comfort in the temples of the dwarven pantheon. He served for many years as an acolyte before gaining full cleric status, and it was one of the happiest days of his and his clan's lives when he received his badge of office as a full Cleric of the Order of the Mended Hammer. Grovkin knew he could help heal the wounds left by a sometimes cruel world. He believed he could make lives easier than they had been, because life was already harder than it needed to be.   Two years later, this philosophy would be put to the test. The Bloodwar began, and a call went out for all true children of Moradin to rush to the defense of the mountain cities. Grovkin dutifully joined, and became a battle priest.   WHen the war was over, he rejoined the order, but it was if he was a different person. It was this new Grovkin who then took the Oath of the Chirugen, and began to wander the world.

Fought with distinction in the Bloodwars.   Received a vision from Moradin to liberate the lost dwarven hold of Something or Other. Went with a band of adventurers and liberated the hall, as well as discovering a dwarven made airship hidden in it's depths.

Belongs to Clan MacHammer, a rising clan in Underhall.