Maurko Hamalgrar is the editor-in-chief of The Kordavan Informant (K.I.), Chaldea’s newspaper. Hamalgrar is a halfling, and before moving to Augstat to work at the K.I., he was a professor of history at the University of Perrin.
Early Years. Hamalgrar was born in Year 2 to Otto and Iris Hamalgrar in the small halfling community of Bright Hills near the capital of Perrin. Otto was a cabinet maker who also enjoyed building clever handcrafted wooden toys and puzzles; Iris, whose maiden name was Hollit (now deceased), became a notable horticulturalist, and some of her books are still popular (among horticulture enthusiasts) in some regions of Chaldea. Hamalgrar has an older brother, Bado, and a younger sister, Orsa.
Scholarly Years. A natural scholar, Hamalgrar was accepted into the University of Perrin where he received his Master’s degree in history. His Master’s thesis was entitled Castles & Conquest: A survey of important fortifications and their roles in conflict. Its tentative conclusion was that such fortifications were rarely useful against armies; while they kept roving bands of criminals at bay, they did very little against an actual army beyond slowing it down and often (thanks to the people inside the fortification) even less than that.
Published Books
After graduating, Hamalgrar spent several years writing books. The following are highlights of his publication history.
The Reign of King Enhald: Scholar, Assassin, Inventor, Father—Enhald was an old king of Perrin who was largely forgotten before this book, which used exhaustive research to uncover several hitherto unknown facts about the ancient ruler. As a result, interest in Enhald has undergone some resurgence in Perrin. Its dedication: “For Mother.”
Empire and Corruption—A survey of imperial reigns, with a well-supported thesis that many historical empires fell specifically due to internal corruption, either on the part of the rulership or on those closest to him. It’s the book that pushed Maurko Hamalgrar’s work into the international scene; it has been quoted in policy legislation, used in debate, and employed as a textbook in some college-level history courses, even though it’s not widely popular reading in general. Maurko has two letters of appreciation with royal seals on them, which he is both grateful for and embarrassed by. They are stored within a wooden box kept in a travel chest.
“Treewanking Trollf---er”: A Survey of Undiplomatic Epithet in Official Correspondence—Covers many hilarious examples of government and diplomatic communications conducted when patience was strained. It outlines the circumstances surrounding the incidents, the people involved (with some interviews in the appendices), and any relevant consequences.
The History of Royal Coats of Arms: Symbols and Meaning—Draws further links between the symbology and conduct of the royal houses.
Hamalgrar’s books caught widespread attention in academic circles, and Hamalgrar was offered positions at half a dozen universities, including the University of Saratof and the Bardic College of Dorsang, none of which he accepted, preferring to concentrate on his writing. That is, until he received a letter that would send him in an entirely new direction.
Augstat Years. In Year 36, Hamalgrar received a letter from Otvard Stigvard, an Augstat businessman who published a newspaper called The Augstat Star. The Star wasn’t so much a newspaper as a gossip tabloid, and the business was struggling. In his letter, Stigvard explained that Hamalgrar’s book Treewanking had inspired Stigvard to develop a new vision for the paper, a vision of a paper that was independent of government control and, moreover, one that would serve to expose government graft and incompetence, thereby serving the greater good. Essentially, Stigvard invented our modern understanding of journalism, and he credited Hamalgrar as his inspiration.
Over the coming months, Hamalgrar and Stigvard exchanged numerous letters. Eventually, Stigvard suggested to Hamalgrar that they move on from the theoretical and put this idea into motion. Hamalgrar thought the idea was rather silly at first, but eventually Stigvard demonstrated his commitment and traveled to Perrin to meet with Hamalgrar in person.
In time, Hamalgrar agreed to relocate to Augstat and join Stigvard as the paper’s editor-in-chief. As part of their work to realign the paper, Stigvard decided the paper should be renamed, making a bold statement about the paper’s new direction. Thus, The Kordavan Informant was born.
