The Road to Edain patch 4.3 - Drauglin, the Beastmaster of Angmar

[Ealendril der Dunkle]

Greeting, Companions of Edain!

After having presented only few updates about Angmar in the last months, we will use the chance to give the community some inside on the ideas and backstories of our self developed Angmar heroes. This has been a great which of many fans for a long time, and we will try to present you for every hero a short creation story. As stated in the update concerning Zaphragor, Tolkien's writing offers only rare material about the Witchkingdom. Nonetheless, we have tried to base our ideas and interpretations on known elements.

Angmar is made up of many individual facets, which are dominated by the Vassal factions. There are the barrow-wights, the fallen men of Arthedain, orcs, men of Rhudaur and wolves, that were bred especially cruel beasts by slavery and the corrupt influence of the Witchkingdom.
Exactly as his Lord and Master Sauron, the Witchking tried to breed Werewolves in his realm, a mighty kind of wolves, possessed by dark spirits. At the same time, the first Sorcerer of Angmar, Gulzar, had his own plans and slaved a fallen Beorning from Wilderland. Through torture and the dark arts of Morgul magic, this poor creature was supposed to transform into a direwolf instead of a bear. After the First of the Nine had succeed in creating Werewolves, there was no need for a whole army of skinchangers. So, the successful experiment of creating a corrupted kind of Beorning will stay the only one of its kind:

Drauglin, the Beastmaster of Angmar

Drauglin was created by dark magic in the catacombs deep under the city of Carn Dûm, after Sorceress had slaved and tortured a Beorning. Created in a bloody ritual through pain and suffering, his only strive was to serve the will of his creator and masters. His heart was as black as the corrupted influence of Angmar, which soaked every being in the vicinity of the Witchking. While many servants and vassals of the Witchking follow him due to ambition, greed, revenge or similar feelings, Drauglin was a slave without an own will, who was bound by his blood and kind of existence to the First of the Nine.
Created by Gulzar's own plans, the Witchking soon recognized the advantages of the skinchanger: He was not simply a dangerous and blood thirsty beast, but also capable of controlling the wolves of Angmar. Their lower instincts led them to see in Drauglin a leading wolf, who could better coordinate their raids and attacks, by his intelligence.

The Witchking saw in Drauglin a mighty weapon, he could freely send to the borders of Angmar to spy on his enemies, besides performing targeted attacks. Drauglin is the threatening shadow of the darkness, whose instincts and ingenuity no enemy can escape. The Beastmaster of Angmar hunts and kills his enemies with dexterity, endurance and his pack of wolves. He is completely bound to his creators, lead by pain and  bloodlust. Armed with knives, claws and the agility of a wolf, Drauglin will soon be feared by the free people of Middle-Earth.  A life for the hunt, a soul for the Witchking!

Abilities

-Level 1: Skinchanger - The Beastmaster is a skinchanger, who can morph into a wolf, getting faster and more agile, but having less armor. Regenerates hitpoints by attacking enemy units. Uncovers camouflaged nearby units. Every time Drauglin transforms into a wolf he gets experience

-Level 1: Beastmaster - Drauglin tames the most ferocious beasts of Angmar with ease. He is followed by two wolves, who will attacked any nearby enemy

-Level 3: Master of the Hunt - The Beastmaster can feel the weaknesses of his enemies and can track their trail. For 30 seconds a chosen enemy unit or building gets revealed and gives the Beastmaster and his wolves +50% damage and +20% armor if they are nearby

-Level 5: Blade Step - Dragulin leaps at an enemy and stabs them with his blades. If he hits the enemy in the back, it deals an additional 100% damage. Heroes are stunned for 2 seconds. Can be also used against buildings

-Level 10: Razor Crescents - Drauglin throws some razor sharp crescent blades out in a circle surrounding him, dealing damage to surrounding units as they blades fly away from and back to Drauglin.


Drauglin is the Scout Hero of Angmar, who is good at revealing invisible enemies and slaying neutral creatures. At late game, Drauglin is also good at disturbing enemy heroes and dealing them great damage. He is agile and nimble, but has exactly as other Scout Heroes not much health points


The design of Drauglin is already known from version 3.81, there have only been some subtle changes.  We wanted to use this opportunity to present the whole Beastmaster, including his backstory and the changes at his abilities.

We hope you enjoy hunting and killing your pray with Drauglin!


Your Edain-Team