Zorth BelMaris

Zorth BelMaris was the 19 Baron of Polten in Damara.

Personality
Zorth was a coward but adept at politics.

Relationships
Zorth claimed to be a member of the ruling family of Polten, House BelMaris, but he was a pretender to this noble lineage. He was well-trusted by Baron Donlevy the Young of Polten.

He was a strong supporter of Baron Dimian Ree of Morov and Baroness Sylvia of Ostel, and was staunchly opposed to the rise of King Gareth Dragonsbane, which prompted Gareth's allies, the Twilight Riders, to begin spying on Zorth.

History
After Zhengyi the Witch-King slew King Virdin Bloodfeathers of Damara in the, he launched a massive spree of assassinations to eliminate all barons and dukes who might resist him. This included the venerable and well-loved Baron Donlevy the Old of Polten, along with every known member of his noble family, House BelMaris. Zorth then claimed the barony, pretending to be a cousin of the deceased baron. His rule was characterized by bickering with the other baronies and heavy taxes being levied on the people to pay tribute to Zhengyi.

During the Bloodstone Wars two years later, Zorth allied with Dimian Ree of Morov and Sylvia of Ostel to subdue the upstart new baron of Bloodstone, Gareth Dragonsbane. This gambit failed in spectacular fashion, and Polten was humiliated by Gareth's allies, the halflings of the Warren. Even worse for Zorth, when his soldiers returned to tell the tales of their experiences, they spoke highly of the courage and mercy of Gareth and his allies, greatly endearing him to the commonfolk. This was exacerbated when Zhengyi entered the war and Zorth refused to aid Bloodstone in fighting against him. Nearly one thousand soldiers defected from Polten to join the battle anyway, and subsequently they took their families and left the barony altogether.

With his popular support at an all-time minimum, this was the moment that the last true heir of House BelMaris, Donlevy the Young, came forward to claim his birthright. Knowing that his time as baron was over, Zorth stepped down, but shrewdly convinced the new baron to keep him and his court around to act as advisors. Zorth soon wielded outsized influence over Donlevy.

Rumors & Legends
It was widely understood that Zhengyi had chosen Zorth to assume control of the barony, but it remained a matter of debate whether this might have been because Zorth was his servant or just because Zorth was too incompetent to pose a threat. Furthermore, this led many to believe that the decision by Donlevy the Young to ally more closely with Dimian Ree of Morov over Gareth Dragonsbane of Bloodstone was mostly due to Zorth's influence.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * H3: The Bloodstone Wars
 * H3: The Bloodstone Wars