Homeland Unknown Age Unknown Alignment Chaotic Evil Fictional universe Greyhawk | Gender Male Class Fighter Race Human | |
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Setting Mystara (D&D Basic)/The Realm (Dungeons & Dragons cartoon)/Greyhawk (post-2000) Similar Melf, Obould Many‑Arrows, Tiamat, Dungeon Master, Iuz | ||
Warduke is a fictional character in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game. He is a powerful human fighter, who sometimes works as a bounty hunter and assassin, and is heartless, cruel and short-tempered. He has made appearances set in multiple campaign settings as well as in merchandise.
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Description
Warduke is a muscular human, equipped with a skull-motif shield, a longsword with a gold hilt, a half-suit of blue chainmail with a red and black studded shoulderpad, and most notably, a helmet complete with "bat wing"-like ridges. His face is completely unseen aside from two glowing red eyes.
Mystara
Warduke's first appearance is as a premade character in the Dungeons & Dragons module Quest for the Heartstone. The Dungeons & Dragons accessory, The Shady Dragon Inn, provides a number of details on Warduke and other characters in the AD&D toy line. Originally a close friend of Strongheart the paladin, the two became mortal enemies when exposed to a magical item called the Heartstone, which brought Warduke's cruel nature to the fore. He is a close ally of a woman named Skylla, an evil wizard. Warduke is loved by one woman, a formerly good cleric named Raven, and hated by another, a good cleric named Mercion. He works under the evil Sorcerer Kelek, but he and Skylla plan to overthrow him once all the good fighters are defeated.
Dungeons & Dragons cartoon
Warduke makes an appearance in the Dungeons & Dragons animated series episode "In Search of Dungeon Master". In it, he succeeds in capturing Dungeon Master and plans on ransoming him to Venger. In addition, he and his band of Orcs operate a mine using dwarves as slaves. The heroes eventually manage to free Dungeon Master and the slaves, and Warduke's pursuit is foiled by a volcanic eruption.
Greyhawk
Warduke came to prominence after the Greyhawk Wars, spreading terror among the soldiers, fighting societies, and mercenaries of the Flanaess, from the Solnor Ocean to the Barrier Peaks. Warduke was quickly recruited by the Unnameable Hierarch to aid in rebuilding the Horned Society, and was eventually made a Hierarch himself. Thanks to striking many deals with otherwordly fiends, Warduke has amassed a formidable assortment of magical weapons and armors.
Creative origins
Warduke originated as a character for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons toy line in the 1980s. Warduke originally appeared as an AD&D action figure along with such other characters as Strongheart the paladin, Elkhorn the dwarf fighter, and Zarak the half-orc assassin.
It is worth noting, however, that a (unnamed) figure with Warduke's distinctive headgear appears on the cover of Dragon Magazine #17, published by TSR in 1978.
Apocrypha
There is some apocryphal evidence that Warduke and Melf may know each other. In 1983's The Shady Dragon Inn, Warduke is mentioned as being a member of the same adventuring party as an elf named "Peralay," both of whom had action figures for TSR's 1983 toy line. The fact that the Peralay figure was originally released under the name "Melf" and Warduke's recent presence Greyhawk continuity provide a topic of apocryphal interest.
Collectibles
Warduke collectibles include: