Blacksmith Garrick Stonehand

“The Mastersmith of Ironhold”

“Metal doesn’t lie. Heat it right, shape it true, and it becomes what it should be. Unlike people.”

Quick Reference

Attribute	Details
Age	56
Role	Master blacksmith, Ironhold’s primary metalworker
Reputation	Best smith in the Aetherium (weapons, tools, components)
Personality	Gruff, perfectionistic, secretly kind, distrustful of politics

Blacksmith Garrick Stonehand - The Mastersmith of Ironhold

Overview

Blacksmith Garrick Stonehand creates the finest metalwork in the Aetherium—weapons for Ironhold’s military, tools for craftsmen, ship components for pilots, and custom commissions for those who can afford him. Every piece is masterwork: perfectly balanced, precisely tempered, built to last generations.

Garrick views politics with disdain (too many words, not enough work), treats most people gruffly (testing their seriousness), and works obsessively (18-hour days normal). But beneath his harsh exterior is surprising kindness: he trains apprentices patiently, repairs poor people’s tools for free (don’t mention it), and once saved a child from a forge fire at considerable personal cost (scars on his arms, refuses to discuss).

He’s apolitical by nature but valuable strategically: whoever controls Ironhold’s forges controls significant military-industrial capacity. Neither Vask nor Song fully controls Garrick—he works for Ironhold, not its leaders, and this independence makes him both respected and slightly dangerous to both rulers.

Appearance

Height: Muscular, powerful
Build: Blacksmith’s physique (strong shoulders, arms)
Hair: Gray, short, practical
Beard: Full, singed at edges
Face: Weathered, burn-scarred
Arms: Heavily scarred (forge work, rescue)
Hands: Massive, calloused, surprisingly gentle

Clothing: Leather apron, practical work clothes, always smells of coal smoke

Background

Origin: Ironhold (born there)

Family: Blacksmith dynasty (generations)

Training: Father (strict master)

Mastery: Achieved age 25 (young)

Career: 30+ years establishing reputation

The Fire (270 S.): - Forge fire spread to residential area - Child trapped - Garrick pulled them out (burned badly) - Recovered but scarred - Refuses acknowledgment (“did what anyone would”)

Craft

Specialties: - Weapons (swords, axes, military equipment) - Tools (precision instruments) - Ship components (fittings, reinforcements) - Custom work (whatever is needed)

Quality: Uncompromising - Perfect balance - Precise tempering - Durability tested - Aesthetically functional

Method: - Traditional techniques - Some innovation (pragmatic) - Personal attention to every piece - No mass production (quality over quantity)

Pricing: - Fair (by his assessment) - Expensive (by others’) - Worth it (universally acknowledged)

The Forge

Location: Ironhold, industrial district

Size: Large (multiple hearths)

Staff: - Garrick (master) - 4 journeymen - 6 apprentices (selected carefully)

Operation: - Military contracts (Vask’s orders) - Commercial work (Guild contracts) - Custom commissions (anyone who pays) - Secret charity (free repairs for poor)

Control: Garrick maintains independence - Works for Ironhold, not rulers - Refuses exclusive contracts - Will work for anyone (with standards) - This independence strategic asset

Politics

View: Disdain - “Politicians talk. I build. Building matters.” - Distrusts words (too flexible) - Trusts metal (consistent)

Vask: - Respects militarily discipline - Disapproves of harshness - Fulfills contracts (professional obligation)

Song: - Appreciates economic acumen - Distrusts pure profit motive - Works with Guild (pragmatic)

Independence: Most important - Won’t take sides - Serves Ironhold itself - Both leaders respect this (uneasily)

Apprentices

Teaching: - Strict but fair - Demands perfection - Patient with genuine effort - Harsh with laziness

Selection: - Skill matters (talent) - Character matters more (integrity) - Background irrelevant (merit-based)

Success Rate: High - Former apprentices successful across Aetherium - Garrick’s training = guarantee of quality

Relationships

Vask: - Primary client (military orders) - Professional respect - Political distance

Song: - Secondary client (commercial) - Business relationship - Mutual acknowledgment

Apprentices: - Caring (won’t admit) - Proud of successes - Protective (fatherly)

Poor Community: - Secret benefactor - Free/cheap repairs - Anonymous charity (mostly)

Secrets

The Charity: - Repairs tools free (poor can’t afford) - Provides equipment to struggling craftsmen - Anonymous (reputation as grump maintained)

The Child: - Saved from fire (now adult, successful) - Doesn’t know Garrick saved them (he won’t say) - Watches their progress (proud quietly)

The Doubt: - Worries Ironhold becoming too militarized - Concerned his weapons enabling tyranny - Continues working (what else can he do?) - Wrestling with responsibility

Quest Hooks

The Commission: Need masterwork weapon/tool (expensive, worth it)
The Favor: Garrick needs rare material (help acquire)
The Apprentice: Recommend someone for training (or seek it yourself)
The Secret: Discover his charity work
The Conscience: Help him wrestle with weapons ethics
The Sabotage: Someone targeting his forge (protect it)
The Choice: Force him to take political side (how respond?)
The Fire: Another emergency requiring his bravery

“Metal is honest. Heat it, hammer it, and it becomes what it should be. Politicians could learn from that. But they won’t.”

“Everyone talks about my weapons. No one talks about the tools I fix for free. That’s fine. The tools matter more anyway.”