Gimak Rockcrusher (NPC)

[Daos]

PLAYER: NPC
NAME: Gimak Rockcrusher
AGE: 169
RACE: Dwarf (Neidar)
CLASS: Fighter (Clansdwarf)
ALIGNMENT: Lawful Good
HT/WT: 4'7"/150 lbs
HAIR/EYES: Gray (Brown)/Brown
RELIGION: Reorx
BIRTHDATE: Gildember 18, 181

LEVEL: 4
STR: 14
DEX: 8
CON: 12
INT: 10
WIS: 16
CHA: 14
HP: 27
XP: 8,000
THAC0: 17
AC: 4
WP: (5) Great Axe, Great Axe Specialization, Maul, Light Crossbow, Two-Handed Weapon Style
NWP: (6) Weaponsmithing (free), Religion (2), Reading/Writing (2), Armorer (free), Appraising (1), Blacksmithing (1)
LANGS: (2) Neidar, Common

PPDM: 13 (+3 poison)
RSW: 15
PP: 14
BW: 16
S: 16 (+3)

ABILITIES:
Stubborn Will - Gimak receives a +2 bonus to any saving throw vs. magic that attacks the mind.
Customer Service - Gimak is very good at making a sale. He gains a +2 bonus to reaction to other NPCs. He can have up to six henchmen and they all receive a +1 loyalty bonus.
Great Axe Specialization - When using a Great Axe, Gimak gets a +1 to hit and +2 to damage. He also gets more attacks per round.
Smithing Talent - Gimak gets Weaponsmithing and Armorer for free.
Business Savvy - Gimak gets a +3 bonus reaction toward others of his clan and a +2 bonus toward other dwarves who are metalsmiths. However, if he ever tries to sell shoddy workmanship, he becomes an Outcast and suffers -3 penalty to reations against all other dwarves.
Infravision - Gimak can see 60 feet in the dark.
Racial Enmity - Ogres, trolls, and giants all suffer a -4 to hit against Gimak. He also has a +1 to hit against all goblinoids.
Dwarven Sturdiness - Gimak receives an extra +3 to saving throws against poison and magic.
Magical Malfunction - There's a 20% chance that any magical item (save weapons or armor) will malfunction if used by Gimak.
Underground Detection - Gimak can detect grade or slope in passage on 1-5 on a 1d6, new tunnel or passage construction on 1-5, sliding and shifting walls or rooms on 1-4, stonework traps, pits, and deadfalls on 1-3, and determine the approximate depth underground on 1-3.

INVENTORY:
Splint Mail - Dwarven armor made of narrow vertical strips riveted to a backing of leather and cloth padding. (AC 4)
Great Axe +1 - Gimak's favored weapon, which he claims was blessed by Reorx before the Cataclysm. It does 1d10+1/2d8+1 damage.
Light Crossbow - A light crossbow of dwarven construction.
Light Bolts (x35) - These small bolts deal 1d4/1d4 damage.
Backpack
Bedroll
Small Belt Pouch
Dry Rations (1 week)
Waterskin
Skin of Ale
Smith's Tools
Flint and Steel
Torches (x3)

SPELLS:
None

[Daos]

Appearance: Gimak is an old, greying dwarf with long hair that flows over his shoulders and deep brown eyes. He has a bulbous, round nose and a thick, well-groomed beard. He is stout and muscular with a healthy tan. Wrinkles crease his forehead and around the eyes, especially when he smiles.

Gimak often wears earth tones like brown, beige, and maybe a dark green if he's feeling particularly festive. He has a suit of splint mail he forged himself. He also has a helmet with horns on the sides and a mane of horse hair.

Gimak carries a crossbow that he purchased in Hillhome, but his favored weapon is his great axe. He claims it was blessed by Reorx in the days before the Cataclysm. It takes two hands to wield it, but nobody can deny its power or sharpness. Dwarven runes are carved on the blade.

Personality: Unlike most dwarves, Gimak isn't normally grumpy or sour. Generally, he's honest, outgoing, and fairly friendly. He has no racial prejudices against elves, humans, half-elves, or gnomes. However, he has little patience for 'thieving' kender and he outright hates goblins and their ilk.

Gimak was an excellent warrior in his youth. Although old age is catching up with him, he can still crack a few heads with the best of them. However, his true passion is his craft. Gimak can work anything metal on his forge, and he is an excellent businessman, as well.

Gimak takes a fatherly role for most of the Companions (or grandfatherly for some of the younger ones). He feels quite loyal and responsible toward the 'youngin's' he watches over.

He is passionately religious, having grown up on tales about the old gods from his father. Because of the Seeker presence in Solace, he generally keeps his opinions to himself (bad for business otherwise). To those who are genuinely interested in hearing what he has to say, though, he can go on for hours. He is devote toward Reorx, Kijo, Thak, and the Silver Master.

Combat: Gimak is an offensive warrior, believing the best defense is to take out your opponents as quickly as possible. He prefers melee, but will use his crossbow if an opponent is out of reach.

Gimak always mutters a prayer to Kijo the Blade, God of Battle, before going into combat. He will not stand for the desecration of corpses and insists the enemy are given proper burials or burned. He will even insist on this for goblins, although he claims it's only because their corpses will 'stink up the place.'

History: Gimak Rockcrusher was born in Hillhome. When he was 10, he began his formal education (reading, writing, etc.). During that time, his father, still a believer in the old gods, instilled in the young dwarf a deep religious conviction.

At the age of 25, he began his apprenticeship as a smith. Twenty five years later, at the age of 50, he completed his apprenticeship and began working with his father at his forge. To celebrate this, his father gave him his old axe. He claimed it was blessed by Reorx before the Cataclysm. Gimak has cherished that axe since then.

In early spring of 288 AC, Gimak was relaxing in his new hometown of Solace, when he was approached by an elf from Qualinesti. The Speaker of the Sun Solostaran Kanan had purchased one of Gimak's metal works and wanted the dwarf to come to Qualinost to do some work for him. Gimak saw his mark on the item, a stamp of "Solace" and the year it was made, and agreed to come to the elven nation.

When he arrived in Qualinost, Gimak took almost an instant liking to a young elf he met named Arvin. Over the years that Gimak traveled back and forth to the elven city, they became close friends, and he also created a close friendship with Solostaran.

Gimak took the summer trip to Qualinost over the next twenty years. He got himself a mule who he named Fleetfoot. During this trip in 308 AC, Gimak was attacked by a tylor, and as he and his mule were running from it they stumbled upon a Sla Mori and were transported straight into the Tower of the Sun. He reported to the Speaker and the assembled people that he was chased by a tylor, which set up a huge hunt.

Gimak and Arvin both volunteered to go on the hunt and encountered the tylor, which killed Xenoth but was killed by Miral. Following the battle they found one of Arvin's arrows in Xenoth's chest. Arvin was taken into custody, but freed when they get back from the city.

When Eld Ailea was murdered, again blame was put onto Arvin. Solostaran charged Gimak with finding the real killer since the dwarf didn't think Arvin did it. Gimak searched for a few days before finding that Miral was really Arelas Kanan who wanted to rule all of Qualinesti. Gimak and Arvin were able to foil this plot and clear Arvin's name. Gimak returned to Solace and Arvin decided to leave Qualinost to live in Solace with the dwarf.

While living in Solace, Gimak temporarily took Tika Waylan into his home. Tika was a young girl whose parents were no longer a part of her life. He made toys for her and eventually Otik Sandeth adopted her.

Gimak wound up adopting another human girl, Amala Greenblade, after her family was killed and she was found wandering the wilderness by Daos, a young half-elven boy that Gimak had befriended.

Years later, he adopted another orphan named Marik Gemseeker. In time, because began to jokingly refer to Gimak's Forge as 'Gimak's Orphanage.' The old dwarf had a tendency to attract strays, orphans, and black sheep.

Over time, Gimak attracted a group of young adventurers who often accompanied him on his trips from town to town. The people of Solace called them "Gimak's Companions" although some of the ruder folk would refer to them as "Gimak's Freaks."

With rumors of war on the horizon and dark armies gathering, Gimak decided that now more than other, the peoples of Ansalon needed the gods to return. He charged his companions with searching the continent for clues to the gods' return. They all agreed to return five years later and report.