Elder Torvald Ironwright

“The Manufacturer”

“I make things. Tools, goods, products that people need. And I need iron, materials, markets. The Sky-Guild provides all three. Simple economics.”

Quick Reference

Elder Torvald Ironwright - The Manufacturer

Overview

Elder Torvald Ironwright is the manufacturer’s voice on Skyport Eos’s Elder Council and a practical member of Elder Joram Steele’s pro-Guild faction. Unlike Joram’s economic theory or Elder Senna Brightcoin’s diplomatic finesse, Torvald’s support for Guild integration comes from simple, direct experience: the Guild buys his goods, supplies his materials, and provides access to markets. Without Guild trade, his workshops close. With it, they thrive.

Torvald runs Eos’s largest manufacturing operation—workshops producing tools, textiles, processed goods, and equipment. He employs 200+ workers and supplies much of Eos’s domestic market. But his real profits come from Guild contracts: bulk orders for standardized goods shipped to Guild settlements across the Aetherium. These contracts represent 60% of his revenue. Guild integration isn’t ideology for Torvald—it’s survival.

He’s not a sophisticated politician. He doesn’t make elegant speeches or craft nuanced arguments. When Council debates refugee policy, Torvald calculates labor costs. When they discuss Guild integration, he shows his order books. When Elder Lysara Kind argues morality, Torvald argues margins. His critics call him mercenary. His supporters call him honest. Torvald calls himself a businessman and considers that sufficient.

His value to Joram’s faction is his directness. Where others dance around self-interest, Torvald states it plainly: “Guild trade makes me money. It also employs 200 people. Both matter.” That honesty, paradoxically, makes him credible.

Appearance

Height: Tall, broad
Build: Strong, muscular from workshop work
Hair: Graying brown, practical cut
Eyes: Brown, direct gaze
Hands: Calloused, scarred from tools
Face: Weathered, practical expression

Clothing: - Modified Elder’s robes (reinforced, practical) - Tool belt visible underneath - Sleeves often rolled up - Elder’s medallion + manufacturing symbols - Work-worn, functional

Presence: - Solid - Grounded - Impatient with theory - Results-oriented

Biography

Early Life (231-249 S.)

Origin: Born in Skyport Eos to craftsman family

Family: Multi-generational toolmakers (working class)

Education: Apprenticed in family workshop, learned by doing

Character: Natural maker, practical problem-solver

Manufacturing Career (249-280 S.)

Start: Took over family workshop at age 18 (249 S.)

Expansion: - Hired additional workers (250s) - Expanded to multiple workshops (260s) - Secured Guild contracts (270s) - Became largest manufacturer in Eos (275 S.)

Products: - Tools (hammers, saws, chisels) - Textiles (cloth, rope, canvas) - Equipment (airship parts, hardware) - Processed goods (preserved food, packaged materials)

Business Model: - Domestic sales (40% revenue) - Guild contracts (60% revenue) - Bulk orders, standardized goods - Reliable delivery, consistent quality

Reputation: Fair employer, reliable supplier, shrewd negotiator

Wealth: Substantial (top 5% in Eos)

Political Rise (280-287 S.)

Entry: Elected Elder at age 49 (280 S.)

Platform: Economic growth and manufacturing expansion

Support Base: Workers, manufacturers, Guild traders, pragmatists

Opposition: Those who distrust Guild, anti-business idealists

Alliance: Joined Joram’s pro-Guild faction (business interests align)

Current Position (280-287 S.)

Role: Elder, manufacturing representative, practical voice

Faction: Pro-Guild bloc (4 of 12 Elders)

Contribution: Real-world business perspective, worker support

Strategy: Show economic benefits of Guild trade through his own success

Political Philosophy

Core Beliefs

Trade Creates Prosperity: Open markets and reliable partners build wealth

Guild Reliability: Guild contracts are consistent, fair, profitable

Employment Matters: His workshops employ 200+ people (Guild trade sustains them)

Practical Over Ideological: Results matter more than principles

On Refugees

Position: Moderate limits based on labor market

Argument: - Can employ some refugees (skilled workers valuable) - But labor market can’t absorb unlimited numbers - Unemployment creates social problems - Better to accept refugees who can work

Proposal: Accept refugees with manufacturing skills, train others

Calculation: “I can hire 20 refugees. That’s my contribution. Others should do the same.”

On Guild Integration

Position: Full Guild membership for market access

Benefits: - Guaranteed Guild contracts (stable revenue) - Access to Guild supply chains (reliable materials) - Guild market access (sell across Aetherium) - Guild quality standards (improve products)

Personal Interest: Openly admits Guild integration benefits his business

Worker Benefit: Also benefits his 200+ employees (job security)

Honesty: “Yes, I profit. So do my workers. So does Eos. Everyone wins.”

Political Alliances

Pro-Guild Bloc (4 Elders)

Elder Joram Steele: Leader, economic theory

Elder Harven Coldwater: Logistics expert

Elder Senna Brightcoin: Guild liaison

Elder Torvald Ironwright: Manufacturer, practical voice

Torvald’s Role

Business Perspective: Provides real-world examples of Guild benefits

Worker Support: Represents employed class (not just elite)

Practical Voice: Cuts through theoretical debates with direct experience

Credibility: His honesty about self-interest paradoxically builds trust

Relationships

Elder Joram Steele

Political: Allies (shared goals)

Personal: Mutual respect (different styles)

Dynamic: Joram provides theory, Torvald provides examples

Coordination: Regular meetings (Torvald prefers brief, practical discussions)

Elder Mira Thornwell

Political: Opposition (respectful)

Personal: Cordial (he respects her leadership)

View: Admires her dedication, disagrees on economics

Approach: Presents business case, not personal attacks

Elder Lysara Kind

Political: Frequent opponents

Debates: She argues morality, he argues economics

Frustration: Her proposals ignore business reality

Mutual: Both represent their constituencies honestly

Respect: Acknowledges her sincerity (even when disagreeing)

His Workers

Relationship: Fair employer (demanding but pays well)

Loyalty: Workers support him politically (he provides jobs)

Representation: Genuinely represents their interests (Guild trade = employment)

Reputation: Tough but fair, keeps promises

Secrets and Complications

The Guild Dependency

Reality: 60% of revenue from Guild contracts

Vulnerability: If Guild cuts contracts, workshops close

Disclosure: Publicly known but downplayed

Justification: “Everyone depends on someone. I depend on Guild. Guild depends on me.”

Fear: What if Guild integration fails? (Business collapses)

The Conflict of Interest

Profit: Stands to make substantial money from Guild integration

Calculation: 100,000+ Coins in increased contracts

Disclosure: Openly admits financial interest

Defense: “Yes, I profit. But 200 workers keep jobs. That’s not greed—that’s responsibility.”

Question: Would he support Guild if it didn’t benefit him? (Probably not)

The Worker Welfare

Genuine Care: Actually cares about his workers (not just profit)

Paternalism: But sees himself as knowing what’s best for them

Dilemma: Guild integration good for workers or just for him?

Belief: Genuinely thinks Guild trade benefits everyone (convenient belief)

The Alternative

Fear: No backup plan if Guild integration fails

Dependency: Has built entire business model around Guild contracts

Risk: Diversification would reduce profits (won’t do it)

Vulnerability: All eggs in Guild basket

Quest Hooks

1. The Guild Contract: Torvald negotiating major Guild deal (affects Eos economy)
2. The Worker Strike: His employees demand better conditions (test his fairness)
3. The Competition: Non-Guild manufacturer threatens his dominance (how does he respond?)
4. The Expansion: Wants to build new workshop (needs Council approval)
5. The Conflict: Guild cuts his contracts (tests his Guild loyalty)
6. The Alternative: Players find non-Guild markets for his goods
7. The Workers: His employees ask party to investigate working conditions

GM Notes

Using Torvald

Not a Villain: He’s not evil, just business-focused

Honest About Interest: Admits self-interest (refreshingly direct)

Worker Representative: Genuinely represents employed class

Practical Voice: Cuts through ideological debates with real-world examples

Potential Arcs

The Vindication: Guild integration succeeds, proves him right

The Betrayal: Guild cuts contracts, reveals dependency danger

The Strike: Workers rebel, tests his fairness claims

The Alternative: Non-Guild markets found, reduces Guild dependency

Related Topics

• Elder Joram Steele
• Elder Harven Coldwater
• Elder Senna Brightcoin
• Sky-Guild
• Skyport Eos

“I make tools. Good tools. The Sky-Guild buys them. My workers get paid. Eos gets tax revenue. Everyone benefits. That’s not politics—that’s business.”

“Elder Kind wants to help everyone. Noble. But I employ 200 people. If Guild contracts stop, they’re unemployed. Which is more compassionate: helping strangers or protecting workers?”

“People say I’m too focused on profit. Maybe. But profit means employment. Employment means families fed. Families fed means stable community. Profit isn’t greed—it’s foundation.”