# #### **Basic Information** - **Name:** Baldric Emberborn - **Race/Species:** Dwarf - **Class/Profession:** Master Smith/Instructor - **Alignment/Morality:** Lawful Good - **Age:** 215 - **Gender & Pronouns:** Male (He/Him) - **Appearance:** A broad-shouldered dwarf of impressive stature, standing nearly four and a half feet tall with a powerful build maintained despite his advancing years. His once-black beard has turned mostly iron-gray, worn in a traditional style with three thick braids adorned with simple bronze clasps marking his teaching achievements. Unlike many Deepforged Syndicate members, he bears no technological enhancements, though his right arm is covered in an intricate network of old burn scars that form patterns almost like tattoos—the result of a forge accident in his youth that he transformed into a teaching tool. His deep-set eyes are a warm brown that crinkle at the corners when he smiles, which is often, despite the stereotype of dwarven gruffness. He dresses in practical, well-worn forge clothes, the leather apron he wears while teaching bearing countless small burns and stains from generations of students' mistakes. Around his neck hangs a simple pendant—a perfectly formed gear cast in bronze, the first successful project of his apprenticeship, now serving as a reminder of his own humble beginnings. #### **Personality & Traits** - **Personality Summary:** Baldric embodies the ideal of knowledge as a sacred trust—a master craftsman who finds his greatest fulfillment in passing skills to the next generation. While many in the Deepforged Syndicate focus on pushing the boundaries of metallurgical innovation, he dedicates himself to ensuring that fundamental techniques are preserved and properly taught. To his students, he is a demanding but infinitely patient mentor who understands that true mastery comes through mistakes as much as successes. To his colleagues, he serves as the conscience of the Syndicate, gently but firmly insisting that innovation must be built on solid foundations of traditional craft. His dwarven heritage manifests in his reverence for proper technique, his appreciation for work well-done regardless of how humble, and his belief that character is forged alongside metal in the heat of the forge. Though he embraces the Syndicate's technological advancements, he maintains that the hand and heart of the smith remain irreplaceable, a philosophy that sometimes puts him at odds with more radical innovators. - **Strengths & Skills:** - **Master Educator** – Exceptional ability to identify and nurture talent in students of all backgrounds - **Fundamentals Expert** – Unparalleled mastery of basic smithing techniques that form the foundation of all advanced work - **Patience Incarnate** – Remarkable capacity to guide students through repeated failures without frustration - **Practical Problem-Solver** – Talent for finding simple, effective solutions to complex challenges - **Community Builder** – Natural ability to foster cooperation and mutual support among diverse individuals - **Weaknesses & Flaws:** - **Technological Hesitance** – Sometimes overly cautious about incorporating new techniques into the curriculum - **Overprotective** – Can be reluctant to allow promising students to take necessary risks - **Stubborn Traditionalist** – Occasionally resists innovations that challenge fundamental methods - **Self-Sacrificing** – Often neglects his own projects to assist struggling students - **Conflict Avoidant** – Sometimes fails to address interpersonal problems directly, hoping they will resolve naturally - **Mannerisms & Speech Patterns:** - Speaks in a measured, rhythmic cadence that mirrors the steady beat of hammer on anvil - Uses his hands constantly while explaining concepts, shaping invisible metal in the air - Strokes his beard thoughtfully when observing students' work, considering how best to guide them - Begins important lessons with traditional dwarven teaching phrases passed down through generations - Laughs heartily at mistakes, including his own, to demonstrate that errors are part of learning #### **Background & Story Role** - **Backstory Summary:** Born to a respected family of traditional smiths in a dwarven settlement far from Numeria, Baldric showed more aptitude for teaching than innovation from an early age. While still an apprentice, he would help struggling peers understand concepts their master had explained, displaying a natural talent for breaking complex techniques into manageable steps. His life changed dramatically when a catastrophic forge accident left his right arm severely burned. During his recovery, he developed new methods to compensate for his temporarily limited mobility, discovering alternative approaches that he later incorporated into his teaching. This experience gave him unique insight into adapting techniques for different abilities and learning styles. When he completed his mastery, he chose to travel rather than establish his own forge, studying diverse smithing traditions across many cultures. During these travels, he encountered Magrum Ironveil, who was then establishing the community that would become Karrag-Dûm. Though initially skeptical of Ironveil's technological innovations, Baldric was impressed by the potential to preserve and enhance traditional crafting through new methods. He joined the fledgling Deepforged Syndicate not as a researcher but as its first dedicated instructor, establishing a formal apprenticeship program that balanced innovation with solid traditional foundations. Over the decades, he has trained generations of smiths, including many current Syndicate leaders, earning the affectionate title "Father of the Forge" among his former students. Though he has had opportunities to join the Forge Council, he has always declined, preferring to focus on education rather than governance. His workshop and classroom, known as "The First Forge," serves as both training facility and informal gathering place where Syndicate members of all ranks come to seek advice, settle disputes, or simply enjoy the comforting atmosphere of traditional craft. - **Current Motivations:** - Preserving fundamental smithing techniques while integrating appropriate technological advances - Identifying and nurturing the next generation of instructors to eventually succeed him - Documenting traditional methods that might otherwise be lost in the rush toward innovation - Mediating between traditionalist and progressive factions within the Syndicate - Completing his life's work: a comprehensive teaching manual integrating diverse smithing traditions - **Connections & Relationships:** - **[[Magrum Ironveil]]** – Oldest friend and occasional philosophical sparring partner - **[[Helga Firebeard]]** – Fellow instructor with whom he shares a friendly rivalry over teaching methods - **[[The Deepforged Syndicate]]** – The community he has helped shape through generations of students - **[[Hrogar Stonefist]]** – Former student who still seeks his counsel despite his elevated position - **Current Apprentices** – Diverse group of students he considers his extended family - **Factions or Allegiances:** - **The Instructors' Circle** – Group of teachers he founded within the Syndicate - **Traditional Dwarven Smithing Guilds** – Maintains connections as a cultural ambassador - **The Forge Council** – Serves as informal advisor though not a formal member - **Durgrun Community** – Regularly visits to teach basic smithing to interested residents - **Notable Items or Equipment:** - **The Master's Hammer** – Simple but perfectly balanced tool he has used for over a century - **The First Anvil** – Original anvil from Karrag-Dûm's founding, now used only for ceremonial first lessons - **Teaching Collection** – Extensive array of material samples and example pieces for instruction - **The Emberborn Compendium** – Ongoing manuscript documenting smithing techniques from diverse traditions - **Apprentice Tokens** – Collection of small metal pieces crafted by every student he has trained #### **Additional Notes** - **Recurring Themes:** - The balance between innovation and tradition - The importance of fundamentals in any advanced pursuit - Teaching as both transmission of knowledge and transformation of character - Community as the true product of the forge - **Player/GM Notes:** - Can serve as a mentor for crafting-focused characters - Might provide quests related to recovering lost smithing techniques or materials - Could become a mediator in conflicts between traditional and technological factions - His workshop is a neutral ground where diverse characters might meet - Despite his focus on basics, has deep knowledge of rare and specialized techniques when needed