Bertram Hoogna

Dwarf poet of the Starlit Door, who was purported to record his ravings in his own blood.

“Greetings. Bertram Hoogna’s my name.“ - Backstory Codex - Apprentice (RPA-BC) 

Bertram is surprisingly happy to help given the opportunity, but does not care for distractions or interruptions;

Mr. Hoogna looks to the side and nods, clearly not to you. “Yes, I’m explaining it now, please stop interrupting,” he chides, then he looks back at you. “Sorry, they’re very excited to finally contact you. It seems they’ve been petitioning Ulrir to let them return for quite some time. Some of them want you to rebuild the Order, while others want you to avenge their deaths. You can study either subject here in my library.” - Backstory Codex - Apprentice (RPA-BC)

The legacy of Bertram Hoogna is not particularly tasteful;

“As I understand it, the poet Bertram Hoogna kept a library in Undercity and wrote terrible poems in his own blood.” - Zalic, Outbreak in Undercity (RPA-ADV3)

“Get that hack out of my face.” - Orc Thieves Guild guard, Outbreak in Undercity (RPA-ADV3)

You show the Dwarf woman the statue head. She takes it from you and holds it aloft in one hand, then recites a bit of Dwarven verse. When she’s done, she spits in its face and gives a bawdy laugh. “What a hack,” she says, handing the head back to you. - Dwarf Pit attendant, Outbreak in Undercity (RPA-ADV3)

As a ghost, Bertram Hoogna has the power to project illusions;

He traces a pattern in the air with his hands, reciting one of his poems. A phantom image of the observatory in pristine shape appears around you. - Backstory Codex - Apprentice (RPA-BC)

The sound Bertram's ghost makes when taking his leave is a fluttering of pages;

With that, Mr. Hoogna’s ghost fades away to the sound of ruffling papers. - Backstory Codex - Apprentice (RPA-BC)

The old inkwell found at Bertram's desk in the Library appears to possess a kind of blood magic;

Now that it is full of blood, the inkwell emanates a strange power. Holding it, you feel a sudden desire to express yourself. Bertram Hoogna must have cast a spell over his inkwell to help him feel inspired. - Outbreak in Undercity (RPA-ADV3)

It is revealed to be of Kobold make upon closer inspection at the Undercity Pit;

You shine your lantern on the empty inkwell and turn it around in the light. On the bottom of the inkwell, you notice some letters impressed into the glass. They read: Made by Hosenfass & Sons Co., a Kobold family glassworks. - Outbreak in Undercity (RPA-ADV3)

by Bertram Hoogna, Esq.

Circle a lake of blood and ash
Find a girl where two are one
Purge a fever, be not rash
Enter the palace all undone

Seek your freedom from a tomb
Rid a tree of vile ghost
Make a path where spirits bloom
His ring to whom you love the most

Ride a giant through the veil
And find our Knight Immortal
With blazing helm and sword step forth
To draw Azema from her portal

At the Undercity Pit, you find a marble head that belongs to a statue of Bertram;

One item stands out: a carved head of white marble. - Outbreak in Undercity (RPA-ADV3)

In the library, you find a durgolium desk that appears to have been Bertram's;

At the back of the library, you discover a small durgolium writing desk that looks surprisingly clean and well kept. Atop the desk is a fresh quill, an empty inkwell, and what looks like a broken statue. It’s a white marble neck mounted to a wooden base that is engraved with the name Bertram Hoogna.

Replacing the statue head in the library and filling his old inkwell with blood will reveal a poem and another interplanar object;

Thank thee kindly for the blood
I shall not ask about its source
As my gratitude does bud
I hereby yield a wondrous force
This cube is ancient as can be
Keep it safely in thy care
It levitates most marvelously
And opens doors that lead elsewhere - Outbreak in Undercity (RPA-ADV3)

You find a copy of Symbols, Poems by Bertram Hoogna propped against the tombstone of Gulpax's mother, Glormax.

Bertram acts as an intermediary between you and your classmates, guiding you to books on how best to rebuild or avenge your fallen order in the Undercity library.

You will then have your choice to release your friends from their pain or bring them back to Ulos to exact their revenge on the Dragul that pillaged your monastery at the Ancient Observatory in Bogroot Swamp.