Garik Soulforge
From Toosigma
Contents |
Background
- member of a highly respected line of dwarven priests of Moradin for a small dwarven clan (probably somewhere in Breland, the Black Caps, Greywalls, or Howling Peaks, though possibly as far away as the Mror Holds if you think it would work better)
- grandfather was the High Priest, father expected to replace him
- father does something heinous (crime against clan, religion, or something - perhaps stealing an artifact, killing one of the clan elders/leaders?) - killing mother (a Shieldmaiden - defensive warrioress) during his escape
- Grandfather resigns in shame, chooses to face the "Long Dark" (a pilgrimage into the depths, usually never to return) as a means of saving some face
- Garik is exiled (about 10 years before campaign start), but receives granddad's warhammer as a keepsake (will probably start play wielding a mace, since he still hasn't mastered the warhammer, but he'll pick up proficiency either via the feat or a level of Fighter somewhere before Character level 5)
- He travels for a while, eventually visiting Sharn - while there, he helps defend a group of warforged from an angry mob (maybe criminal elements e.g Boromar/Daask; maybe just angry commoners) - earns a few more enemies, forcing him to relocate
- He moves to Diamond Lake about a year ago, where he joins the local smithy - (as an apprentice, journeyman, or perhaps the new master?) - probably makes a few close friends, and is known at least in passing by most
- After the troubles start, he volunteers his services to bolster the local clergy in their efforts to stem the undead tide - will also be eager to join any group from the city that is hunting down the source of the infestation
Personality
- Jovial, friendly, but has a tendency to insult people with offhand remarks without realizing it
- Doesn't like to talk about his past, makes him moody and withdrawn when pressed
- Reliable and totally true to his word - may be reluctant to give his word if he's not certain he can keep it
- Bit of a slow thinker - would rather take too long to come to the right conclusion than rush to the wrong one
- I see him as more of a defensive warrior type - he doesn't go looking for a fight, and will do his best to avoid it, but isn't afraid to back down when he knows he's in the right.
- Reluctant to be the "leader" of the group - he'll be far more comfortable being the strong right hand, the reliable companion who can always be counted on to follow orders (though he might have to grow into more of a leader, should circumstances demand it)
- He respects honesty and decisiveness in others
- He's been around a while, and seen some scary stuff, so he's more inured to the psychological effects of adventuring/violence than most: the crusty old hand, despite the fact that he's not that old -
- He's definitely a newbie when it comes to romance, figure he left a "girlfriend" (i.e. a friend who happens to be female) back home, still carries a picture of her buried in his pack, but wouldn't even consider going home until his family honor is restored.
- Believes that everyone has a right to a work at a living - those who seek to steal or use force against others are to be stopped - while he's definitely lawful, he believes in justice more than the law, i.e. he'll fight to end an oppressive regime as quickly as he would a lawless anarchy
Motivation
- He's primarily motivated by a need to see justice done - he doesn't like seeing evil or chaos flourish, and he's unwilling to stand by while it does
- His immediate motivation is to protect the community that has accepted him more-or-less openly
- Even if he finds his father, brings him to justice, and is accepted openly into his clan again - he's unlikely to be willing to settle down, since he'll have seen (by that point) that his efforts are needed elsewhere.
Goals
- Saving his adopted community of Diamond Lake from undead (small scope, short term)
- Tracking down his father and bringing him to justice (small scope, long term)
- Regaining his honor and returning to the clan (small scope, very long term)
- Recovering lost artifacts sacred to the priesthood (medium scope, medium term)
- Becoming High Priest of Moradin (probably to be changed over time) (medium scope, long term)
Appearance
- Tall (for a dwarf) and stocky - ruddy complexion, with dark black hair, though his beard is speckled with gray
- Typically wears utilitarian and simple clothes, either his blacksmith's apron or his armor - his helmet is adorned with the horns of a minotaur, a creature slain by his father - serves as a constant reminder of his quest
- His left hand is branded with a black mark (pattern?) - a signifier of his dishonor among his people - can be recognised by virtually any dwarf who sees it
Game Stats/Requests
- Stats: Str 10, Dex 10, Con 16 (+2), Int 12, Wis 15, Cha 11 (-2)
- I'd like to have him good at smithing in general, but he doesn't have many skill points (3 per level) - I'm hoping you'll let me just take ranks in Craft (Smithing) instead of breaking it between Blacksmithing, Armorsmithing, and Weaponsmithing. I plan to keep that skill (or weapon/armor, if you keep them separate) maxed, and I can't think of a way that it could be game breaking (even at L20, it's only possible to make about 10-15 gp per day crafting, and at L1 it's only 2-3gp/day)
- For other skills, Concentration, Heal, and Appraise are high on my list - maybe Spellcraft and some Knowledge skills if the party's weak in that area
- For Domains, I'm definitely taking Protection, and I'll probably take either Earth or Good.
- For feats, I'm definitely taking Weapon Proficiency (warhammer) and probably Weapon Focus (warhammer) - Craft Magic Arms and Armor (and/or Craft Wondrous Item) is also likely. I'm interested in Divine Vigor (from Complete Warrior), if you'd be willing to give it a second look (it's currently banned), as it would be good use for my superfluous Turn Undead attempts (which may also result in my taking Extra Turning, since his Charisma is dismally low). Skill Focus and Improved Toughness will probably make appearances if I have extra slots...
