Bruenor Battlehammer
Encyclopedia
Bruenor Battlehammer is a fictional character
in the Forgotten Realms
campaign setting
for the Dungeons & Dragons
fantasy
role-playing game
. The character first appears in the Icewind Dale
trilogy by author R. A. Salvatore. He has also appeared in subsequent books as the trusted dwarven
companion to popular drow hero Drizzt Do'Urden
. In the 4th edition version of Forgotten Realms, he is said to have died.
Bruenor is the adoptive father of a human female named Catti-brie and of the Barbarian Wulfgar. He is the King of Mithril Hall, and lifelong friend to drow ranger Drizzt Do'Urden
and Regis, a halfling
thief. He crafted Aegis-fang and presented the gift to Wulfgar. It was said to be the best weapon Bruenor had ever made. As a youngster he was forced to flee his ancestral home at Mithril Hall when the kingdom was attacked by a great shadow dragon named Shimmergloom and an army of duergar
, or gray dwarves. His exiled family and kin then took up residence in Icewind Dale close to Ten Towns living by selling weapons and armour to the local merchants.
, as well as his daughter's honesty and courage to get the stubborn Bruenor to think twice about him. After chasing away the grudge holding bounty hunter Roddy McGristle, Bruenor accepted Drizzt and has been a close friend to him ever since.
After the battle with Akar Kessel and the Crystal Shard
, Bruenor tricked Drizzt by pretending to be dying to get his help in finding Mithril Hall.
The Companions of the Hall thought Bruenor was dead when they saw him ride the shadow dragon Shimmergloom into Garumns Gorge, both covered in flaming oil and Bruenor hacking wildly into the dragon's spine. The only thing that kept him alive was possession of Icingdeath, a magical scimitar with cryogenic properties, that Drizzt had lost in a battle with Artemis Entreri
, and that Bruenor had later found and kept with him.
Over the next few weeks, Bruenor worked his way up from the lowest points of Mithril Hall, covering his beard and hair in ash to disguise its color from the duergar
that now resided there. The old warrior killed any gray dwarf who found him out, and any he caught alone in the tunnels and chambers of The Hall. Eventually, he escaped by climbing up a chimney shaft—during the process of which he was attacked by a giant spider. Though he was bitten, Bruenor managed to kill the spider and find his way up to a vent to the outside. Finally overcome by the poison, Bruenor lost consciousness.
He awoke to discover himself in the care of Lady Alustriel, ruler of Silverymoon
. The lady had divined Bruenor's predicament and moved in to help. With her aid—and that of the Harpells of Longsaddle—Bruenor was able to give chase to Drizzt and Wulfgar, who were, in turn, pursuing Entreri. Covering the hundreds of miles in a flaming chariot provided by Alustriel, Bruenor and Catti-brie arrived in time to aid Drizzt and Wulfgar's ship in a battle with pirates.
Afterward, the reunited Companions went to Calimport, where they tangled with Artemis Entreri, rescued Regis, and caused the downfall of the dominant thieves' guild in the city.
They went back to their home in the North, and spent the winter gathering up forces to take back Mithril Hall—Bruenor's long-held dream. During their efforts to regain this lost dwarven stronghold, Bruenor slays the shadow dragon Shimmergloom.
Bruenor and his armies drove out the duergar, and Bruenor was set up as King of Mithril Hall, with a couple of thousand settlers from another dwarven kingdom swearing their allegiances to him.
The peace was short-lived, though, as a small party of drow led by Drizzt's sister, Vierna, seeking him, caused the apparent death of Wulfgar. In the skirmishes during this exchange, Bruenor lost an eye.
The death of his adoptive son Wulfgar sent Bruenor into a profound depression. When Drizzt left to go to Menzoberranzan
to settle accounts with his people, Catti-brie saw Bruenor as being too engrossed in his own grief to be a useful companion when she chased Drizzt. When she and Drizzt came back, months later, their news of a planned drow war on Mithril Hall forced Bruenor out of his depression.
With aid from neighboring kingdoms and people, Bruenor and his kingdom survived the assault upon Mithril Hall. Bruenor and his friends even set themselves to seeking out the leaders of the drow army—the Matron Mothers of the most powerful houses. In the battle upon their meeting, Bruenor—with much difficulty—killed Matron Baenre
, ending her centuries-long rule of the drow city. After the battle, they found Gandalug—the founder of Mithril Hall and Bruenor's ancestor—who had been Matron Baenre's magically-held prisoner for almost two millennia.
The discovery of another legitimate king allowed Bruenor to abdicate to his ancestor and pursue his own ambitions in Icewind Dale and the mines his clan had made there.
During Drizzt's and Catti-brie's six-year absence from his side, Bruenor became closer friends with Regis. He also had a cleric attempt to restore his lost eye—which succeeded, albeit gradually.
When the balor
Errtu
gained the Crystal Shard, Bruenor joined his friends to defeating the tanar'ri. At first, Drizzt and Bruenor were overmatched owing to Errtu's magical abilities, until Wulfgar regained Aegis-fang and joined the battle, allowing them to win. As it turned out, Wulfgar had not been killed six years before—rather, he had been taken to the court of the drow goddess Lolth
, who traded him to Errtu in exchange for Errtu's services to her. Errtu then spent years torturing Wulfgar and seeking a chance to cause Drizzt to release Errtu's banishment. After Drizzt accidentally released the banishment, Errtu brought Wulfgar back to the Prime Material Plane to witness his friends' destruction. The arrival of Aegis-fang, however, allowed the friends to destroy the demon, again banishing it for a hundred years.
Bruenor is also one of the main characters in the Drizzt-centric "Paths of Darkness" novels where he is often the supporting father figure to a struggling Wulfgar after his torment in the Abyss.
In "The Hunter's Blades" trilogy, Bruenor returns to reclaim the throne of Mithril Hall after the death of Gandalaug Battlehammer. In The Thousand Orcs Bruenor suffers a near-fatal blow and his life stands on the edge of a knife for most of The Lone Drow, being kept alive only by a constantly labouring team of Dwarven priests. However Bruenor is brought out of his near-comatose state by the halfling Regis who uses his magical gem to persuade Bruenor to aid his fighting kin. In The Two Swords Bruenor finally reclaims his rightful throne and leads the dwarfs in the defense against King Obould and his army of orcs and frost giants.
In The Orc King, Bruenor sets out with several companions, including Drizzt and Regis, to find the ancient Dwarven homeland of Gauntylgrym, believing it will contain the secret to defeating Obould's horde. During this time the Orcs, led by the half-ogre/orc Grguch and his clan of similarly bred orcs, assault the Dwarves defensive positions and the Moonwood elves. Meanwhile Bruenor's group uncovers what is initially believed to be Gauntlgrym, but is later revealed to a city founded by Dwarves on the surface, and later co-inhabited by Orcs. Bruenor refuses to believe this, believing the Orcs only did it to double cross his ancestors and decades later destroy the town. He instead opts for killing/assassinating Obould, taking his best warriors with him, believing Obould is responsible for the latest attacks. Drizzt eventually convinces Bruenor to do otherwise, telling him that the only peaceful solution is to slay Grguch, and make peace with Obould. Bruenor then saves Obould's life and assists him in killing the vicious half-ogre. A treaty is then created between Mithril Hall and the Kingdom of Many Arrows.
Bruenor travelled to Spirit Soaring in The Ghost King and helped Drizzt, Jarlaxle, Danica Maupoissant and Athrogate kill the Dracolich, Haephestus. After this Bruenor and Drizzt lived in Mithral Hall awhile, until Bruenor faked his own death in order to leave the Hall. He then journeyed with Drizzt and Thibbldorf Pwent and later Jarlaxle and Athrogate to find Gauntlgrym, legendary homeland of the Delzoun dwarves. Bruenor fell after a battle with a pit fiend in Gauntlgyrm. He died from wounds too great for an ordinary dwarf, but managed with his last breaths to seal in the Great Primordial, the powersource of the Great Forges of Gauntlgrym from wreaking catastrophe over the Sword Coast.
In the 4th edition version of the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, Bruenor Battlehammer is said to have died
sometime before 1479 DR.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the Forgotten Realms
Forgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
campaign setting
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
for the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
. The character first appears in the Icewind Dale
Icewind Dale
Icewind Dale is a computer role-playing game developed for Windows by Black Isle Studios and published by Interplay Entertainment. Released on June 30, 2000, it takes place in the Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms campaign setting, and is based on the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition...
trilogy by author R. A. Salvatore. He has also appeared in subsequent books as the trusted dwarven
Dwarf (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, dwarves are a humanoid race, one of the primary races available for play as player characters...
companion to popular drow hero Drizzt Do'Urden
Drizzt Do'Urden
Drizzt Do'Urden is a fictional character in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Drizzt was created by author R. A. Salvatore as a supporting character in the Icewind Dale Trilogy. Salvatore created him on a whim when his publisher needed to...
. In the 4th edition version of Forgotten Realms, he is said to have died.
Bruenor is the adoptive father of a human female named Catti-brie and of the Barbarian Wulfgar. He is the King of Mithril Hall, and lifelong friend to drow ranger Drizzt Do'Urden
Drizzt Do'Urden
Drizzt Do'Urden is a fictional character in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Drizzt was created by author R. A. Salvatore as a supporting character in the Icewind Dale Trilogy. Salvatore created him on a whim when his publisher needed to...
and Regis, a halfling
Halfling
Halfling is another name for J. R. R. Tolkien's Hobbit which can be a fictional race sometimes found in fantasy novels and games. In many settings, they are similar to humans except about half the size. Dungeons & Dragons began using the name halfling as an alternative to hobbit for legal reasons...
thief. He crafted Aegis-fang and presented the gift to Wulfgar. It was said to be the best weapon Bruenor had ever made. As a youngster he was forced to flee his ancestral home at Mithril Hall when the kingdom was attacked by a great shadow dragon named Shimmergloom and an army of duergar
Duergar (Dungeons & Dragons)
In Dungeons & Dragons fantasy, the duergar, or gray dwarves are a cruel and evil subrace of dwarves.-Publication history:The duergar are named after the dvergar of Norse mythology, who were the builders of Gleipnir...
, or gray dwarves. His exiled family and kin then took up residence in Icewind Dale close to Ten Towns living by selling weapons and armour to the local merchants.
Fictional character history
A blustery and fiery dwarf who is "Gruff even for a dwarf." He first met Drizzt in the novel Sojourn. Despite his daughter taking a shining to him, he still distrusted Drizzt. It took Drizzt saving him from a remorhazRemorhaz
The remorhaz is an iconic magical beast in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It is vaguely similar to the frost worm.-Publication history:The remorhaz first appeared in Dragon #2 ....
, as well as his daughter's honesty and courage to get the stubborn Bruenor to think twice about him. After chasing away the grudge holding bounty hunter Roddy McGristle, Bruenor accepted Drizzt and has been a close friend to him ever since.
After the battle with Akar Kessel and the Crystal Shard
Crenshinibon
Crenshinibon is an evil, sentient artifact in the Forgotten Realms setting based on the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. The item was featured primarily in the novels The Crystal Shard, Passage to Dawn, The Silent Blade, and Servant of the Shard by R.A...
, Bruenor tricked Drizzt by pretending to be dying to get his help in finding Mithril Hall.
The Companions of the Hall thought Bruenor was dead when they saw him ride the shadow dragon Shimmergloom into Garumns Gorge, both covered in flaming oil and Bruenor hacking wildly into the dragon's spine. The only thing that kept him alive was possession of Icingdeath, a magical scimitar with cryogenic properties, that Drizzt had lost in a battle with Artemis Entreri
Artemis Entreri
Artemis Entreri is a fictional character in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Entreri is depicted as a ruthless assassin and the arch-enemy of Drizzt Do'Urden, the protagonistic dark elf. He is the creation of author R. A...
, and that Bruenor had later found and kept with him.
Over the next few weeks, Bruenor worked his way up from the lowest points of Mithril Hall, covering his beard and hair in ash to disguise its color from the duergar
Duergar (Dungeons & Dragons)
In Dungeons & Dragons fantasy, the duergar, or gray dwarves are a cruel and evil subrace of dwarves.-Publication history:The duergar are named after the dvergar of Norse mythology, who were the builders of Gleipnir...
that now resided there. The old warrior killed any gray dwarf who found him out, and any he caught alone in the tunnels and chambers of The Hall. Eventually, he escaped by climbing up a chimney shaft—during the process of which he was attacked by a giant spider. Though he was bitten, Bruenor managed to kill the spider and find his way up to a vent to the outside. Finally overcome by the poison, Bruenor lost consciousness.
He awoke to discover himself in the care of Lady Alustriel, ruler of Silverymoon
Silverymoon
In the fictional world of the Forgotten Realms, Silverymoon is the prime signatory state of the Confederation of the Silver Marches...
. The lady had divined Bruenor's predicament and moved in to help. With her aid—and that of the Harpells of Longsaddle—Bruenor was able to give chase to Drizzt and Wulfgar, who were, in turn, pursuing Entreri. Covering the hundreds of miles in a flaming chariot provided by Alustriel, Bruenor and Catti-brie arrived in time to aid Drizzt and Wulfgar's ship in a battle with pirates.
Afterward, the reunited Companions went to Calimport, where they tangled with Artemis Entreri, rescued Regis, and caused the downfall of the dominant thieves' guild in the city.
They went back to their home in the North, and spent the winter gathering up forces to take back Mithril Hall—Bruenor's long-held dream. During their efforts to regain this lost dwarven stronghold, Bruenor slays the shadow dragon Shimmergloom.
Bruenor and his armies drove out the duergar, and Bruenor was set up as King of Mithril Hall, with a couple of thousand settlers from another dwarven kingdom swearing their allegiances to him.
The peace was short-lived, though, as a small party of drow led by Drizzt's sister, Vierna, seeking him, caused the apparent death of Wulfgar. In the skirmishes during this exchange, Bruenor lost an eye.
The death of his adoptive son Wulfgar sent Bruenor into a profound depression. When Drizzt left to go to Menzoberranzan
Menzoberranzan
Menzoberranzan, the City of Spiders, is a fictional city-state in the world of the Forgotten Realms, a Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting. It is located in the Upper Northdark, about two miles below the Surbrin Vale, between the Moonwood and the Frost Hills...
to settle accounts with his people, Catti-brie saw Bruenor as being too engrossed in his own grief to be a useful companion when she chased Drizzt. When she and Drizzt came back, months later, their news of a planned drow war on Mithril Hall forced Bruenor out of his depression.
With aid from neighboring kingdoms and people, Bruenor and his kingdom survived the assault upon Mithril Hall. Bruenor and his friends even set themselves to seeking out the leaders of the drow army—the Matron Mothers of the most powerful houses. In the battle upon their meeting, Bruenor—with much difficulty—killed Matron Baenre
House Baenre
House Baenre is a fictional clan of drow in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, created by R. A. Salvatore.A family born to the drow race the Baenre family is the family which has reigned in the fictional Underdark city of Menzoberranzan for over 2000 years...
, ending her centuries-long rule of the drow city. After the battle, they found Gandalug—the founder of Mithril Hall and Bruenor's ancestor—who had been Matron Baenre's magically-held prisoner for almost two millennia.
The discovery of another legitimate king allowed Bruenor to abdicate to his ancestor and pursue his own ambitions in Icewind Dale and the mines his clan had made there.
During Drizzt's and Catti-brie's six-year absence from his side, Bruenor became closer friends with Regis. He also had a cleric attempt to restore his lost eye—which succeeded, albeit gradually.
When the balor
Balor (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, a balor is one of the most powerful types of tanar'ri demons. Of all the inhabitants of the Abyss, balors are second in power only to the demon lords, klurichirs, and myrmyxicus...
Errtu
Errtu
Errtu is a balor, a true tanar'ri in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, chiefly in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting. Errtu was featured as a villain of the first book in the Icewind Dale trilogy, The Crystal Shard by R. A...
gained the Crystal Shard, Bruenor joined his friends to defeating the tanar'ri. At first, Drizzt and Bruenor were overmatched owing to Errtu's magical abilities, until Wulfgar regained Aegis-fang and joined the battle, allowing them to win. As it turned out, Wulfgar had not been killed six years before—rather, he had been taken to the court of the drow goddess Lolth
Lolth
Lolth is a fictional goddess in the Dungeons and Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Lolth , the Demon Queen of Spiders, is the chief goddess of drow elves...
, who traded him to Errtu in exchange for Errtu's services to her. Errtu then spent years torturing Wulfgar and seeking a chance to cause Drizzt to release Errtu's banishment. After Drizzt accidentally released the banishment, Errtu brought Wulfgar back to the Prime Material Plane to witness his friends' destruction. The arrival of Aegis-fang, however, allowed the friends to destroy the demon, again banishing it for a hundred years.
Bruenor is also one of the main characters in the Drizzt-centric "Paths of Darkness" novels where he is often the supporting father figure to a struggling Wulfgar after his torment in the Abyss.
In "The Hunter's Blades" trilogy, Bruenor returns to reclaim the throne of Mithril Hall after the death of Gandalaug Battlehammer. In The Thousand Orcs Bruenor suffers a near-fatal blow and his life stands on the edge of a knife for most of The Lone Drow, being kept alive only by a constantly labouring team of Dwarven priests. However Bruenor is brought out of his near-comatose state by the halfling Regis who uses his magical gem to persuade Bruenor to aid his fighting kin. In The Two Swords Bruenor finally reclaims his rightful throne and leads the dwarfs in the defense against King Obould and his army of orcs and frost giants.
In The Orc King, Bruenor sets out with several companions, including Drizzt and Regis, to find the ancient Dwarven homeland of Gauntylgrym, believing it will contain the secret to defeating Obould's horde. During this time the Orcs, led by the half-ogre/orc Grguch and his clan of similarly bred orcs, assault the Dwarves defensive positions and the Moonwood elves. Meanwhile Bruenor's group uncovers what is initially believed to be Gauntlgrym, but is later revealed to a city founded by Dwarves on the surface, and later co-inhabited by Orcs. Bruenor refuses to believe this, believing the Orcs only did it to double cross his ancestors and decades later destroy the town. He instead opts for killing/assassinating Obould, taking his best warriors with him, believing Obould is responsible for the latest attacks. Drizzt eventually convinces Bruenor to do otherwise, telling him that the only peaceful solution is to slay Grguch, and make peace with Obould. Bruenor then saves Obould's life and assists him in killing the vicious half-ogre. A treaty is then created between Mithril Hall and the Kingdom of Many Arrows.
Bruenor travelled to Spirit Soaring in The Ghost King and helped Drizzt, Jarlaxle, Danica Maupoissant and Athrogate kill the Dracolich, Haephestus. After this Bruenor and Drizzt lived in Mithral Hall awhile, until Bruenor faked his own death in order to leave the Hall. He then journeyed with Drizzt and Thibbldorf Pwent and later Jarlaxle and Athrogate to find Gauntlgrym, legendary homeland of the Delzoun dwarves. Bruenor fell after a battle with a pit fiend in Gauntlgyrm. He died from wounds too great for an ordinary dwarf, but managed with his last breaths to seal in the Great Primordial, the powersource of the Great Forges of Gauntlgrym from wreaking catastrophe over the Sword Coast.
In the 4th edition version of the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, Bruenor Battlehammer is said to have died
sometime before 1479 DR.
Other media
Bruenor also appears to the protagonist in "Baldur's Gate II" along with Catti-Brie and Drizzt. He later helps the character with a very difficult fight against vampires in the crypts in Athkatla.Appearance
Bruenor's hair and beard are red, which later have been turning a light gray. His eyes are gray.Further reading
- Donovan, Dale and Paul Culotta. Heroes' Lorebook. (TSRTSR, Inc.Blume and Gygax, the remaining owners, incorporated a new company called TSR Hobbies, Inc., with Blume and his father, Melvin Blume, owning the larger share. The former assets of the partnership were transferred to TSR Hobbies, Inc....
, 1996). - Grubb, JeffJeff GrubbJeff Grubb is an author and game designer. He has worked on a number of computer and role-playing games and has written a number of successful novels, short stories and comics...
, Kate NovakKate NovakKate Novak grew up in Pittsburgh, where she graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a BS in Chemistry. She is a fantasy author primarily published in the Forgotten Realms and Ravenloft shared worlds....
, David E. Martin, Jim LowderJames LowderJames Daniel Lowder is an American author and editor, working most often within the fantasy, dark fantasy, and horror genres.-Early life and education:...
, Bruce Nesmith, Steve PerrinSteve PerrinStephen Herbert Perrin, born January 22 1946 and simply known as Steve Perrin, is a game designer and technical writer/editor.Perrin is probably best known for creating the role-playing game RuneQuest for Chaosium...
, Mike PondsmithMike PondsmithMichael Alyn Pondsmith is a roleplaying game and video game designer.He is best known for his work with R. Talsorian Games, where he developed most role-playing game lines from the company's beginning to the present: Mekton , Cyberpunk , Cybergeneration, Teenagers from Outer Space, Castle...
, and R. A. Salvatore. Hall of HeroesHall of Heroes (Forgotten Realms)Hall of Heroes is an accessory for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the second edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game...
(TSRTSR, Inc.Blume and Gygax, the remaining owners, incorporated a new company called TSR Hobbies, Inc., with Blume and his father, Melvin Blume, owning the larger share. The former assets of the partnership were transferred to TSR Hobbies, Inc....
, 1989). - Salvatore, R. A. The Crystal Shard (TSR, 1988).
- Salvatore, R. A. Streams of Silver (TSR, 1989).
- Salvatore, R. A. The Halfling's Gem (TSR, 1990).
- Salvatore, R. A. The Legacy (TSR, 1992).
- Salvatore, R. A. Starless Night (TSR, 1993).
- Salvatore, R. A. Siege of Darkness (TSR, 1994).