Azrak had once been a member of a clan of Dwarves who inhabited the Storval Plateau. The Earthforge clan excelled in a style of combat using a weapon in one hand and an extremely large shield in the other. While the Earthforge clan was small, there stronghold was said to be impregnable. The smiths of the Earthforge clan were well know as exceptional craftsman and there warriors were often called on to help fend off nearby giant attacks.
As a boy Azrak took the traditions of his forefathers to heart and became quite skilled at both smithing and combat specialized against there ancient foe, the giants. When he became old enough to wield his first full sized tower shield it was like trying to defend yourself with a bolder. Over the years however the shield became an extension of his body, so much so that when looking at him unarmed an observer might notice a slight tilt to the right.
One winter a group of the Earthforge clans best 20 warriors were dispatched to aid a fellow clan after receiving word that an attack by a large group of Ogres was underway, Azrak being on of them. After nearly two days hard march the group came upon a grizzly site. Dwarf and Ogre corpses littered the snow covered ground outside the entrance to the keep. There was feint sounds of combat echoing from inside and the group hoped that some of there fellow dwarves were still alive. After the last of them had rushed in to the stronghold the sounds of combat stopped followed by the unmistakable sound of heavy doors closing, it was a trap! Within seconds a dozen Ogres were on top of them and a few unfortunate dwarves were dragged in to the darkness, but these Ogres underestimated the defenses of the Earthforge clan. After a bloody battle only a wounded Azrak and two of his brethren survived. A brief search revealed there worst nightmare, every last dwarf had been massacred and worst of all they had been dead for days before the messenger was allegedly sent. After resting briefly and dressing there wounds the three made haste for there home, hoping it had not met the same fate. On the return trip one of the wounded dwarves collapsed and died leaving only Azrak and his brother Yaron. Smoke billowed in the distance as they approached there home and when they arrived there fears had become reality. The devastation was all to familiar and there was no doubt in Azraks mind that this must have been some kind of calculated attack that was far beyond the normal tactics of Ogres and Giants. After finding no survivors and gathering what few things they could find in the rubble Azrak and Yaron set out toward Magnimar to find answers and perhapse one day return with others to rebuild there home….
A few years later after finding no real insight in to what happened to his home, Azrak was without purpose. His brother Yaron had been killed after he was found laying with the wife of a prominent Magnamarian noble and despite repeated inquiry Azrak was never able to retrieve Yarons remains. One day while stumbling through the streets after a few to many Ales he encountered a member of the Black Arrows who was combing the Magnamar jails for those willing to join the Order in exchange for there freedom. Arzak had realized that city life was not for him and had longed for the landscape of his homeland for some time. Azrak was eager to join and bring some kind of purpose back to his life and so when the caravan for Fort Rannick left Azrak made sure he was with it.
The life of the Order suited Azrak well, the Black Arrows were always in need of a good smith, not to mention Azrak was more than handy to have around in a fight. Azrak spends most of his time alongside Max Galembar, the other Armoror in the ranks of the Black Arrows. They were quick friends and have been so since Azrak arrived at Fort Rannick. Another Black Arrow by the name of Tem Dranden holds a special place with Azrak though it is not well known. Dranden, like Yaron had a run in with a noble that ended badly. Though unlike Yaron who was killed by a noble, Dranden killed one who had wronged him greatly but instead of calling it justice it was declared a crime. That crime eventually led him to Fort Rannick. When Azrak heard Drandens story he decided that in order to spite the noble who killed his brother he would not let harm come to Dranden.
When Fort Rannick was attacked and the Order of the Black Arrows was nearly destroyed Azrak was getting supplies and crafting materials from the port. Azrak was infuriated when he returned to Fort Rannick in ruins. It is all to similar to the destruction of the Earthforge clans home, Azrak will not allow his friends to be forgotten and swore to hunt down every man and creature responsible for this atrocity. Not having much equipment upon his return however Azrak was attacked and overwhelmed only to find himself waking up bound in a buiding somewhere….
