• Faction: Loyalist

• Race: Dwarf

• Gender: Female

• Alignment: Lawful Neutral

• Profession: Mining

• Age: 120s

• NPC Type (5e): Veteran

Before you stands a stocky dwarven woman with an air of authority that could command a battlefield or a mining operation with equal ease. Her fiery red hair, streaked with silver, is pulled into a tight braid, and a few strands frame a face marked with old battle scars. Her piercing eyes, sharp as a pickaxe, study everything with a calculating gaze. She wears rugged miner’s leathers reinforced with chainmail, her sturdy gloves resting on a wooden table scattered with maps and ore samples. A heavy hammer hangs at her belt, a clear reminder of both her past as a warrior and her no-nonsense approach to leadership. There's no warmth in her expression, only the keen focus of a woman who gets things done—quickly and without patience for fools.

Manistrad Copperlocks is a no-nonsense, iron-willed leader who values efficiency over diplomacy. She is direct, pragmatic, and unshaken by obstacles, preferring action over endless debate. A veteran warrior turned mining boss, she expects results and isn’t above using force—verbal or physical—to ensure her orders are followed. Though curt and impatient, she is fiercely loyal to her kin and the success of her mining operation, seeing any threat to it as a personal affront. Beneath her hardened exterior lies a relentless curiosity, driving her to uncover Saltmarsh’s hidden riches, regardless of the risks.

• Personality Traits. Manistrad is a woman of few words. She is curt and quick, yet she gives every person who comes before the council a fair accounting. She’s nobody’s fool.

• Ideal. Curiosity and hard work mark everything Manistrad does. Once she is interested in a topic, she is relentless in learning about it. Obstacles don’t slow her down.

• Bond. Manistrad is intensely loyal to her kinfolk and the mining operation her clan seeks to establish here. Threats to the livelihood of the dwarves earn her wrath.

• Flaw. Manistrad has little patience; she tends to push for quick results over a more measured approach.

• Eliander Fireborn

• Kraddok Stonehorn

• Mira Kurrid

Born into a proud clan of miners in the Tors, a rugged spur of mountains in the south of the Yeomanry, Manistrad Copperlocks was raised with a pick in her hands and stone dust in her lungs. Her family had worked the mountains for generations, unearthing riches from deep within the earth. But Manistrad was never content with following in the footsteps of her ancestors—she sought greater challenges. A skilled warrior as well as a miner, she fought to protect her kin from raiders and rival claims, earning a reputation for her sharp mind and sharper axe.

When silver veins were discovered near Saltmarsh, the Kingdom of Keoland struck a deal with the dwarves of the Tors, offering them the rights to develop the mines in exchange for a share of the wealth. Manistrad, known for her tenacity and leadership, was chosen to oversee the operation. She arrived in Saltmarsh by royal decree, tasked with turning the fledgling mine into a profitable enterprise. But politics were never her strong suit—she has little patience for the town’s bickering council and sees most of them as obstacles rather than allies. With her sights set on digging deeper into the cliffs, Manistrad is determined to prove that Saltmarsh holds more than just silver—and she won’t let anyone, or anything, stand in her way.

Manistrad Copperlocks serves as both the head of Saltmarsh’s mining operation and a member of the town council. A staunch Loyalist, she understands the strategic importance of the mines to the Kingdom of Keoland and has forged a strong working relationship with Eliander Fireborn, who shares her pragmatic view. Though she respects the Traditionalists and their way of life, she refuses to let their concerns hinder the progress of the mines. She works to maintain peace between the dwarves and humans, though the two groups rarely mix—her kin prefer the stone to the sea, and they hold little regard for the town’s fishermen and fishmongers. Despite these divides, Manistrad remains focused on her mission: expanding the mines, securing Saltmarsh’s future, and ensuring her people thrive.

Manistrad Copperlocks was appointed to her position by royal decree, granting her full authority over the mining operation near Saltmarsh. As a council member, she represents the interests of the Kingdom of Keoland and the dwarves of the Tors, ensuring the mine remains profitable and protected. However, her position is not without friction—her direct approach and lack of patience often put her at odds with the more cautious Traditionalists on the council, who view the mining expansion with suspicion. While she respects their concerns, she refuses to let nostalgia for the town’s fishing heritage stand in the way of progress.

Though she has earned the trust of Eliander Fireborn and the Loyalists, her political presence in Saltmarsh remains an uneasy one. Many townsfolk see her as an outsider enforcing the will of the crown, while her fellow dwarves remain insular, keeping to themselves and openly scorning the town’s reliance on the sea. This division fuels tensions, especially when disputes arise between miners and local laborers or when the mine’s expansion encroaches on land the Traditionalists hold dear. Manistrad does her best to keep the peace, but when pushed, she is not above using force—whether with words or fists—to ensure her authority is respected and the mine’s future is secured.