Lore:Mahgzoor Rockhand

Warlord Mahgzoor Rockhand
Race	Goblin	Gender	Male
Born		1st Era
Died		1st Era Ojwambu
Resided in		Dragontail Mountains

Dragontail Mountains

"For in the mountain range called Dragon's-Tail the tusk-folk still lurked, beating their breasts and rending their ragged garments in rage and grievance against the Redguards. And among them was a great Goblin Warlord who had escaped the Curse of Divad through a chicanery, and thus had not been diminished. This giant Goblin was possessed of both slyness and sinew, and long he worked among the tribes of Dragon's-Tail, until one day he awoke to find himself Warlord of all the tusk-folk therein. And his name was Mahgzoor Rockhand. So Mahgzoor raised his great blade Bone-Hewer, and roared in a mighty voice like an earthquake, and declared that the day of vengeance at last was at hand." —The True-Told Tale of Hallin

Mahgzoor Rockhand (also spelled Mahzgoor), also known as Bone-Hewer, a name shared with his blade, was a notorious giant Goblin Warlord who was responsible for leading the Endwise Army, a horde of tusk-folk into Hammerfell, wreaking havoc and destruction upon the people. His name was synonymous with terror and death, and his great blade, Bone-Hewer, struck fear into the hearts of even the bravest warriors.

History

Derik Hallin

Hallin's Stand, formerly Ojwambu

Little is known of Mahgzoor's past. He lived in the early to mid years of the First Era. According to legend, Mahgzoor Rockhand was able to avoid the Curse of Divad through a cunning trick, which allowed him to maintain his full strength and power. He spent many years working among the tribes of the Dragontail Mountains, slowly building his army until he was able to take control of all the goblins in the region. Once he established his position of power he led the goblin army which threatened the Redguard city of Ojwambu.

His army descended from the Dragontail Mountains. It was believed that the attack was a retribution for driving the goblins from their lands in Hammerfell. Mahgzoor's army marched west and conquered most of the Fallen Wastes, forcing the inhabitants to flee. Many sought refuge in the city of Ojwambu, which was ruled by Queen Ojwa. However, the citizens of the city had largely forgotten the Way of the Sword, having turned to farming and building in the time of relative peace that followed the Ra Gada's conquest of Hammerfell. Soon the army was at the city gates. The only warriors in the city were Derik Hallin and his few students. Hallin ordered his students to take the people of Ojwambu to the west, to the Alik'r Desert, and teach them the Way of the Sword, so the Redguard warriors would become numerous again. After leaving the city with her people, Queen Ojwa summoned the Father of Owls, and asked him to go to Ojwambu, so the tale of Hallin was remembered.

Meanwhile, Hallin, who was the only man left in Ojwambu, summoned spirits of all Ansei who had ever lived. Mahgzoor, seeing the army that filled the city, decided to starve the defenders. Since the spirits did not need to eat this tactic turned out to be unsuccessful. After many days of fruitless waiting the Mahgzoor began to suspect a ruse. To see if this was the case, the shamans sacrificed twin infants and sent a scout to the East Gate, and this scullion was killed by a spear from Hallin. The shamans returned to Mahgzoor and told him that they were real warriors, and in response to this, Mahgzoor was enraged and killed the shamans. This event convinced Mahgzoor that the spectral warriors were real after all. Finally, Mahgzoor lost his patience and unleashed his army upon the city. The battle lasted seventeen days. The goblins eventually won but suffered serious losses, and both Hallin and Mahgzoor died in the battle. The Father of Owls then returned to Queen Ojwa and told her all that he saw. The city, which had formerly been named Ojwambu, was renamed Hallin's Stand in honor of Hallin, and was eventually retaken.

Notes

• 1.

  According to the research of the Antiquarian Circle, the goblins' attack on Ojwambu was one of several to justify the Siege of Orsinium, a conflict that started in 1E 950 and lasted for thirty years. They also theorized that the attack on Ojwambu took place in the seventy-four-year timespan between the beastfolks' exodus from Hammerfell in 1E 874 and the start of the siege. But this contradicts Derik's status as the last Ansei because it would place his death several years before Makela Leki's fight against King Joile in 1E 973.

See Also

Books

• The True-Told Tale of Hallin — A tale about Sword-singer Hallin and his defense of Ojwambu