The Road to Edain 4.3: The Steward of Carn Dûm news

Greetings, Companions of Edain!

As the Witch-king began to spread his power across the North and establish the kingdom of Angmar, not all Dunedain rose to oppose him. The kingdom of Arnor had long been in decline and fractured into the three successor kingdoms of Arthedain, Cardolan and Rhudaur centuries before Angmar was founded. Rhudaur especially, the smallest and weakest of these realms, had long been an enemy to Cardolan and even went to war against them to claim the Palantir of Amon Sûl. So when the Witch-king rose to dominance, some of the Dunedain of Rhudaur saw in him an opportunity: a strong leader to reclaim their greatness of old, one to establish their dominance over Arthedain and Cardolan at last. The Witch-king in turn was eager to sway them to his side, for they were much greater in strength of arms and mind than the Orcs and Hillmen.

Over the centuries, these fallen Dunedain rose to become the elite of Angmar, forming the peak of its society and armies and raising mighty castles in the frozen tundra while the lesser races toiled in their huts and camps. Elsewhere, this might have lead to strife and unrest, but the iron fist of the Witch-king holds these disparate peoples together, always vying for his favor and eager to share in his power. One such is Mornamarth, the current steward of Carn Dûm.

He has gained this position through ruthless ambition, eliminating all who stood in his way and proving his cunning and strength to the Witch-king. In return, he has received great authority among the Men of Carn Dûm and has even been tutored in dark sorcery - though not nearly to the same extent as the High Sorcerer Gulzar and the fanatically loyal Zaphragor. The Witch-king knows well that while Mornamarth is a great asset, he is not truly loyal to anyone and is best kept on a short leash. For his part, Mornamarth burns to rule Angmar himself one day, but for now he bides his time and builds his power by destroying Angmar's enemies.

He brings the following abilities to the field:

- Level 1: Lust for Power (passive) - Mornamarth draws strength from his soldiers, gaining increased damage the more Men of Carn Dûm are nearby.

- Level 2: Blood and Iron - For a short time, Mornamarth's attacks unleash a torrent of blood, damaging all enemies in the vicinity. This damage is increased by Lust for Power, but every strike also harms all Men of Carn Dûm giving strength to Mornamarth.

- Level 4: Dark Brand - Mornamarth brands a bataillon of Men of Carn Dûm, draining their strength to empower others. The afflicted bataillon loses 40% armor, but all Men of Carn Dûm in their vicinity deal 40% more damage. The branded bataillon can be sacrificed at any time to restore Mormanarth to full health.

- Level 7: Edict of Carn Dûm - A chosen Hall of the King's Men can now recruit Men of Carn Dûm at half the regular cost.

- Level 10: Reckless Onslaught - Men of Carn Dûm in a small area temporarily become invulnerable and gain +100% damage. However, they automatically die after the ability ends.

As you can see, most of Mornamarth's abilities are a double-edged sword, granting great power, but always at a cost to your own army. He is not a hero who fights well on his own, but uses his Men as a resource to fuel his personal strength. This makes him a powerful, but challenging hero who has to be used wisely - much like the ambitious, but treacherous servant he is meant to represent. We hope you'll enjoy using him to bring low your enemies!

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