Athrogate

Athrogate was a dwarven warrior of some reputation in the Bloodstone Lands and later in the North. He later became a companion of Jarlaxle and an agent of Bregan D'aerthe.

Description
Athrogate had the stout and powerful build of a typical dwarf. He wore his black beard parted in the middle, with two long braids of straight hair running down to midchest, each tied off at the end with a band set with three sparkling blue gemstones, or occasionally tipped with dung. His bushy eyebrows nearly covered his brown, almost black eyes. He had large ears.

He wore a suit of armor, part leather, part plated, and covered with a myriad of buckles and straps. His twin morningstars were tied in an X at his back, their handles reaching up and well beyond the back of his bushy hair.

Athrogate (perhaps jokingly) explained to Jarlaxle that he was cursed by a wizard to live a long life and never to forget the hardship he went through. Thus, although few dwarves reached 300 years of age, Athrogate was about 370 years old.

Personality
"I walk aside Jarlaxle. Athrogate follows Athrogate, and none else. Except this time, just this time, when Athrogate follows King Bruenor."

- Athrogate to Bruenor Battlehammer when returning to Gauntlgrym.

Athrogate liked to speak in rhyming couplets, through he displayed this behavior less frequently as time went on, perhaps in consideration for his companions.

Background
Athrogate's home was Citadel Felbarr, a dwarven stronghold east of Mithral Hall and south of Citadel Adbar. An orc clan raided Felbarr and Athrogate's children and wife, Gerthalie, were slain. When the call went out to reclaim Felbarr, Athrogate didn't answer and thus did not return when his fellow dwarves reclaimed Felbarr some 300 years later.

Bloodstone Lands
Athrogate was a supreme killer, an agent of the Tightpurse thieves guild of Heliogabalus and associated with the Citadel of Assassins. Thus, during his time in Damara, he was often accompanied by Canthan Doolittle, a wizard of the Citadel of Assassins.

In 1368 DR, Athrogate became a member of a group of warriors chosen by commander Ellery Dragonsbane to fight the legacy of Zhengyi, the Witch-King. This group included Artemis Entreri and Jarlaxle. Athrogate was subsequently arrested by the Grandmaster Monk Kane and held in prison for a long time. He was freed when King Artemis the First (Entreri) was captured by the Paladin King Gareth Dragonsbane and Jarlaxle saved them.

The Pirate King
After many adventures, Artemis parted ways with Jarlaxle, and Jarlaxle returned to Bregan D'aerthe with Athrogate. In 1376-1377 DR, Athrogate proved instrumental in their plans for Luskan, delaying the rogue drow Drizzt Do'Urden (and also proving quite a match for the skilled dark elf) from saving Captain Deudermont of Sea Sprite, thus helping Luskan descend into chaos and opposing Deudermont's attempts to save Luskan.

The Ghost King
In 1385 DR, Athrogate journeyed with Jarlaxle to a meeting with Mirabar's marchion to broker a trade agreement. When Jarlaxle was contacted by the Ghost King via telepathy and decided he needed to return to Spirit Soaring, Athrogate was sent into Mithral Hall under the guise of a dwarf with a cure for Catti-brie, who was suffering from a madness brought on by the Spellplague. Bruenor Battlehammer, Drizzt, and Thibbledorf Pwent all set out to Spirit Soaring. Before long, Jarlaxle and Athrogate revealed themselves to the travelers, who reluctantly agree to allow the pair to tag along.

At Spirit Soaring, the group met with the priest Cadderly Bonaduce. Soon after, they were beset by a minion of the Ghost King, who was a dracolich combined with the crystal shard Crenshinibon. The first time they battled the dracolich he was nearly defeated but took refuge on the Plane of Shadows to recuperate. Upon returning to the Material Plane, the heroes battled the Ghost King once again, only for him to return to the Plane of Shadows. This time, Cadderly Bonaduce followed and finishes off the dracolich, only to take the title Ghost King and seal the breach for all eternity.

Neverwinter Saga
More than half a century later, Athrogate could be found still traveling with Jarlaxle and working for Bregan D'aerthe. Around 1452 DR, he and Jarlaxle journeyed to Gauntlgrym with Dahlia Sin'felle and Athrogate was coerced (by the vampire Korvin Dor'crae) into pulling a lever that released the trapped primordial, which subsequently destroyed all of Neverwinter. Athrogate regretted that mistake and was driven to fix it for fear of the wrath of Moradin after his death. He and Jarlaxle returned to Gauntlgrym with Drizzt Do'Urden and Bruenor Battlehammer and were able to re-imprison the primordial. In the process, Athrogate and Jarlaxle were believed dead, consumed by the primordial.

However, Jarlaxle had in fact used his magic to save Athrogate and soon the two were back working for Bregan D'aerthe.

In 1484 DR, Jarlaxle, upon hearing news of the return of the Companions of the Hall, sent Athrogate to Nesme to investigate "problems with the marketplace." Athrogate did so, spending his free time hunting trolls in the Evermoors. However, Jarlaxle's real intent was for Athrogate to meet up with the Companions, which he did, defending Nesme against the orc hordes and joining them on their journey to Mithral Hall.

Habitation
In 1463 DR, Jarlaxle and Athrogate had a home in Luskan on the second floor of an unremarkable two-story building.

Skills
Athrogate was able to speak the Goblin language fluently, albeit with a heavy accent.

Possessions
Athrogate wore a broad belt depicted with metal lightning bolts, which was in fact a girdle of giant strength.

He fought with twin gray glassteel morning stars, with spiked metal heads attached to the ends of adamantine chains. He called them Cracker and Whacker or Rotter and Slaughter, whichever suited him best. On command, the left-hand morning star, Cracker, emitted from the small nubs on the striking ball a dark reddish and chalky fluid, the ichor of a rust monster, which corroded other metals on contact. The right-hand morning star, Whacker, coated itself with a clear, blue-gray and oily liquid known as oil of impact. Using thus enhanced weapons with first left then right strikes, Athrogate could smash anything from a portcullis to an iron golem into rust flakes.

Athrogate was also given a figurine of wondrous power by Jarlaxle, in the form of a red hell boar named Snort. The figurine looked like a small red boar without skin covering its body. The summoned beast, a large red-skinned boar, was a creature from the Lower Planes, the fiery pits of the Nine Hells. Steam rose from its back and bursts of red flames erupted from its nostrils. The boar appeared with full saddle, was fierce and rode tirelessly into battle. Snort was able to keep pace with any conventional beast of burden such as a nightmare and covered tremendous ground. By stomping a hoof and snorting, the boar created a defensive ring of fire from its snout and body, which didn't really harm but rather distracted enemies enough for a charge of its rider.

Jarlaxle
Athrograte considered Jarlaxle his close friend. The pair were practically inseparable, with Jarlaxle going through great efforts to save Athrogate a number of times.

Thibbledorf Pwent
During the journey from Mithral Hall to Spirit soaring, Athrogate and Thibbledorf Pwent forged a friendship, with the pair always proving to the other his battle prowess.

Bruenor Battlehammer
Athrogate had a great respect for Bruenor Battlehammer, whom he adventured with several times. He said once, "I walk aside Jarlaxle. Athrogate follows Athrogate, and none else. Except this time, just this time, when Athrogate follows King Bruenor."

Novels

 * Promise of the Witch-King
 * Road of the Patriarch
 * The Pirate King
 * The Ghost King
 * Gauntlgrym
 * Neverwinter (mentioned)
 * The Last Threshold
 * Rise of the King
 * Vengeance of the Iron Dwarf