Hertlam Earthshake

Hertlam Earthshake was a Dwarven wizard. He was a founding member of the Old Council.

History
Hertlam Earthshake was a trusted advisor of King Norrath, an old monarch from the Old World, far to the south. There, he learned both smithing in the heat of a forge and enchanting in the finest of workshops, all the while learning about the kingdom’s politics and sharpening his mind in the royal library. He was appointed by the king to help in the construction of a fort that would protect the settlers far to the north. Given his expertise on enchantment and matters of building, a man of his knowledge would be pivotal in executing the will of the king in such a faraway place and erecting a castle sturdy enough to withstand the most savage and brutal of attacks.

However, some say that Hertlam was not liked by many of the king’s councilors: it is speculated that there was an arrangement in order to have him leave the court in pretext of some scandal, which would finally result in his excommunication and exile. One thing is certain, though: no matter what his motivations were, Hertlam Earthshake has done more good for the land of the River Cities than perhaps any monarch or settler ever would.

So, be it per command of the king or exile, the dwarf known in these lands as Hertlam Earthshake came, and did good on his promise to erect the fort that would later be known as Darkmoss. He also constructed a fast, yet sturdy friendship with the Wandering “Shortscale” Erlac Lacquar and took the young Daniel Dan’tarun as an apprentice.

In his later days, and after the disbanding of the Council and the dying of his pupil, he would retire to the library with Erlac Lacquar to pen more of his works, most of them on the forging and enchanting of weapons, armor and tools, so that one day the settlers would be better equipped to foray into the vast unknown. Erlac also pressed him to forge a new order: one dedicated to the gathering of knowledge and magical instruments that would improve the lives of their people. They would call this order “The Blessed Scholars”.

Little is known of Hertlam after his departure from the library. He traveled to the east and helped on the construction of Gromia, where he would spend the rest of his days. No more books or any publications have shown up under his name since, and he is supposed to have died of old age. Gromia features a statue of Hertlam Earthshaker, where the following can be read:

“I never asked for the tasks that were put before me; nor could I ever ask for a better reward than to see their completion bring some measure of good into this land.”