Athrogate

Athrogate is a dwarven warrior of some reputation in the Bloodstone Lands.

Appearance
He has the stout and powerful build of a typical dwarf. He wears his black beard parted in the middle, two long braids of straight hair running down to midchest, each tied off at the end with a band set with a trio of sparkling blue gemstones. His bushy eyebrows nearly cover his brown, almost black eyes. He has large ears. . Athrogate is well beyond 300 years old.

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

He is able to speak the goblin tongue fluently though heavily accented.

Weapons / Magical Items
Athrogate wears a broad belt depicted with metal lightning bolts which is rumored to be a Belt of Storm giant Strength.

He fights with twin gray Glassteel morningstars, their spiked metal heads whipping at the ends of adamantine chains. He calls them Cracker and Whacker or Rotter and Slaughter, which ever suits best: on command the left-hand one of them, Cracker, emits a dark reddish and chalky fluid from the small nubs on the striking ball, the ichor of a rust monster, which on contact with other metal corrodes it. The right-hand morningstar, Whacker, coats 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 smashes anything from a portcullis to iron golems into rustflakes.

Athrogate was also given a Figurine of Wondrous Power by Jarlaxle, in the form of a red boar named Snort. The figurine looks like a small red boar without skin covering its body. The summoned beast, a large red-skinned boar, is a creature from the Lower Planes, the fiery pits of the Nine Hells. Steam rises from its back and bursts of red flames erupt from its nostrils. The boar appears with full saddle and is fierce and rides tirelessly into battle. Snort is able to keep pace with any conventional beast of burden such as a Nightmare and covers tremendous ground. By stomping of a hoof and snorting the boar gives off a defensive ring of fire from it's snout and body which doesn't really harm but rather distracts enemies enough for a charge of its rider.

History
Athrogate's home was the Citadel Felbarr, a dwarven stronghold east of Mithral Hall and south of Adbar. An orc clan raided Felbarr and his 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.

In Road of the Patriach, Athrogate jokingly explained to Jarlaxle, "Ever twist the bum hairs of a wizard, elf?" 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 reach 300 yrs of age, Athrogate is about 370 years old.

Athrogate is a supreme killer, an agent of the thieves guild Tightpurse and associated with the Citadel of Assassins. Thus he was often accompanied by Canthan Doolittle, a wizard of the Citadel of Assassins. Later he became a member of a group of warriors chosen by commander Ellery Dragonsbane to fight the legacy of Zhengyi, the Witch-King. During the battles, Canthan Doolittle, Ellery Dragonsbane, Mariabronne the Rover, and the dwarf cleric Pratcus were killed, two of whom fell by the hands of Jarlaxle and Artemis Entreri, other members of the party who opposed the Citadel of Assassins, and later were conscripted into it.

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 was captured by the Paladin King Gareth Dragonsbane, and Artemis's friend Jarlaxle saved them.

After many journeys with Jarlaxle and Artemis Entreri, Artemis parted ways with them, and Jarlaxle returned to Bregan D'aerthe with Athrogate. 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, helping Luskan descend into chaos, and opposing Deudermont's attempts to save Luskan.

In The Ghost King Athrogate journeys with Jarlaxle to a meeting with Mirabar Marchion to broker a trade agreement. When Jarlaxle is contacted by the Ghost King via telepathy Athrogate is sent into Mithral Hall under the guise of a Dwarf with a cure to Catti-brie, who is suffering from a strange illness brought on by the Spellplague. Bruenor, Drizzt, Pwent all set out to Spirit Soaring. Before long Jarlaxle and Athrogate reveal themselves to the travelers, who reluctantly agree to allow the pair to tag along.

During the journey Athrogate and the Gutbuster Pwent forge a friendship. The pair always proving to the other their battle prowess.

At Spirit Soaring the Group either reconnect with the Priest Cadderly Bonaduce, while some meet him for the first time. Soon after they are beset by the minion of the Ghost King who is a Dracolich combined with the Crystal shard Crenshinibon. The first time they battle the Dracolich he is nearly defeated but takes refuge in the Plane of Shadows to recuperate. Upon returning to the Material Plane the heroes battle the Ghost king once again, only for him to return to the Plane of Shadows, but this time Cadderly Bonaduce follows, and finishes off the Dracolich; only to take the title Ghost King and seal the breach for all eternity.