Hildáric

Biography: Hildáric
Birth - Death	Third Age circa 2155 - 2210 (alive in 2210, but died at 65)
Race:	Ai-thúda Northmen
Ancestor(s):	King Vidugavia ⁞ Marhári ⁞ Fram ⁞
Parent(s):	Gundahári
	Hildáric
Sibling(s):	Gundáric
Child(ren):	Hildigar
Info:	10th Chieftain of the Ai-thúda

Hildáric was the 10^th Chieftain of the Ai-thúda. He was the son of Gundahári, and was a Northman of the Ai-thúda tribe. He inherited the Chieftaincy after his elder brother Gundáric defied the warnings of his advisors, including those of Hildáric himself, and rode to the gates of Gundabad. Gundáric was never seen again. Hildáric became chieftain of the Ai-thúda after his brother's disappearance, but matters grew complicated six months later when Bryngertha, Gundáric's widow, gave birth to a son. She called the boy Gundobad, a play on the name of the hall where his father had vanished. When he was born, Hildáric promised to cede lordship to him once he came of age.

When Gundobad learned the meaning of his name, and of his father's fate, a zeal awoke within him. he would succeed where Gundáric had not, and lead a host of Ai-thúda to conquer Gundabad. His uncle Hildáric begged him to reconsider, but he refused, so when Gundobad was of age, Hildáric refused to honour his promise, and remained master of Framábarg. Songs sun among the Ai-thúda call Hildáric a usurper, false and cruel, and even imply that he himself slew his brother to become lord. More likely, Hildáric was a prudent ruler, serving his people nobly but unremarkably, rather than following any lust for glory. He is seen as a good leader in the eyes of the Dwarves, as during his reign, the Dwarves of Erebor came north to settle the kingdom of Grárik in Ered Mithrin. Rather than dwelling on the troubles between their peoples, Hildáric made people with Thorin I in T.A. 2210, and welcomed him to the north. Relations between Durin's Folk and the Ai-thúda remained cordial afterwards, though seldom warm. The bond between the Ai-thúda and the Longbeards was not properly mended until the War of the Ring.

Hildáric died soon afterwards of a sudden illness, at the age of 65, rumored to be from a poison. Gundobad appeared at his funeral to lay claim to the lordship, but he was challenged in this by Hildigar, Hildáric's son. The two fought for the right to rule the Ai-thúda, and in the end, Gundobad cut Hildigar down, taking back the rule over his people.

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