Rurik is a massive half-orc with slate-gray skin and prominent tusks. Unlike most bards, he wears battered but highly polished scale mail and carries a shield decorated with an arena emblem. He wears bright, flamboyant silks over his armor and dyes his hair a shocking crimson. A large war horn hangs from his hip next to a heavy longsword.

Rurik is loud, gregarious, and deeply theatrical. He treats every combat encounter like a choreographed performance and speaks in a booming, dramatic baritone. He loves the spotlight and believes that a good story is worth more than all the gold in the world.

Rurik was born in the fighting pits of the borderlands. He learned early that the only thing louder than the clash of steel was the roar of the mob. He didn't just want to survive. He wanted to be remembered. During his time as a pit fighter, he discovered that he could hum a low, resonant tone that seemed to steady his pulse and harden his skin. This discovery led him away from mindless butchery and toward the art of the skald. Eventually he earned his freedom through a series of spectacular victories where he spent as much time reciting epic poetry as he did swinging his axe. Now he travels the world looking for the ultimate story. He views every dungeon as a theater and every monster as a costar. He still carries his heavy armor and shield from his gladiator days, though they are now polished to a mirror finish.