Full body portrait of Harrek the Berserk

The White Bear is mentioned in nearly every history and tale of the Hero Wars. A savage, half-mad killing demigod, chroniclers across the world write of the misfortunes he visits upon their lands.

Harrek was born a Rathori Skin-changer in 1484. By age seven he committed his first murder. Harrek was initiated early, at age 12. During his ordeal, he lost his knife and his shoes, but survived thanks to the strength of his bear spirit.

Like all Rathori, Harrek went to sleep in 1499. He was among the First Wakeup in 1594. When he saw that the planets were wrong he began wandering. For a time he was a mercenary for the newly emerging Kingdom of Jonatela. Noted for his potential, he was taken to the Lunar Empire to participate in Dart Competitions. Harrek learned to hate them.

In Rathorela, in 1609, at High Holy Day, he interfered with the sacrifice, slew the White Bear god and bound it within its skin, and upon his return to Glorantha killed the outraged tribesmen who protested. Alone, he left Rathorela. That was his first Heroquest. As a result, he had a powerful ally in the bound god. He also discovered his first enemy, called the Shadow of the Spear.

By accident, he opposed some of the first raiding parties coming out of the Kingdom of War. Perhaps it could have been stopped then and there, but he did not kill the Lord Death on a Horse. Harrek became general of an army and led it victoriously to plunder innocent Sog City in 1615.

Harrek then went to the Ygg’s Islands. Despite all odds, the piratical god Ygg chose him as champion and awarded him gifts. Thus Harrek, in his great ship the Ice Serpent, led half the population from the barren islands. They called themselves Ygg’s People of the War Bear.

Harrek and his Wolf Pirates have plundered the coasts of Arolanit and Seshnela, found Jrusteli, murdered Vadeli, and raided Nolos and Pasos. Many other pirate ships joined them, and Harrek accepted them as long as they obeyed the rules of his Wolf Pirate fleet.