Adventurers tend to conflate “blacksmiths” with bladesmiths and armorers. They find someone proficient at metalworking and just assume that their specialty is creating swords, mail, and the like. In practice, most blacksmiths predominately make grills, gates, nails, and most importantly: farming equipment.
Irmhilde (she/they) has spent the better part of her blacksmithing career crafting scythes, yokes, spurs, spades, and other practical agricultural tools. She was a valued member of the outer Wenjansków community, outfitting lowlander and uplander farmers alike. They had a bit of trouble acclimating to life in the majority human farmlands, but gradually Irmhilde learned the quirks of lowlanders customs: the Wenjansk vassals expected her to stick to deadlines and avoid breaking out in song and dance until after a transaction was completed.
After the exodus from Wenjansków, Irmhilde figured she’d have to make a few alterations to her work schedules, namely expediting the creation of shovels to dig through the thick and tainted soil. What she did not expect was a writ from the High Kestrel himself demanding that they assist Lord Ratchet Zarek.
Other folks can make tools for the farmers on the slopes. Exuberant Irmhilde has been tasked with outfitting the trippers. After all, she was already an expert at making billhooks for farming. How hard would it be to tweak her creations for use in warfare?
Many of their kin expected Irmhilde to bristle at this new demand. The halflings figured that they would not want to craft implements for killing after so many years working in agriculture. Irmhilde sees it differently. This writ means they never have to woo picky buyers, and that they can work behind the protective castle walls. They can collaborate with Lord Ratchet Zarek to ensure that the people of Falthringor are properly protected. Every giant felled is another hamlet safe from random acts of violence. Though the specifics have changed, Irmhilde’s craftsmanship still means that farmers can go about their days without worry.
Every once in a while, Irmhilde gets to flex their creativity, creating unusual polearms for the spikers or for specially outfitted spearmen platoons.
d6 | Irmhilde's Unique Polearms | Description |
1 | Lizard Cracker | The malachite lizards of the Duscarn Range have exceedingly dense gemstone scales. This weapon has a weighty hammer at one end and a blade at the other, perfect for cracking malachite scales and then disemboweling the aggressive lizards. |
2 | Gold Fork | Certain bizarre alchemical entities in the tunnels beneath Falthringor abhor gold. This gold-tipped war fork keeps them at bay. |
3 | Giant-Slaying Scythe | Some exceptional spearmen are capable of felling a giant without the assistance of a team of trippers. It is an awkward maneuver, but it is possible to decapitate a giant with a strong swing from this reinforced scythe. |
4 | Upland Halberd | Silliar goblins riding bizarre beasts occasionally make their way to the Duscarn Range, where they tend to ravage halfling farms. This small-scale halberd was designed to yank goblins off their mounts and then slice their necks. |
5 | Sling Slicer | Duscarn Giants are at their most dangerous when they are slinging ammunition at great range. This extended sickle is perfect for tearing apart a sling in a giant’s hands. |
6 | Glaive of the Falcon | The High Kestrel wields this mostly ceremonial glaive when commanding troops from the ramparts. Irmhilde considers it a liability. Adorned with feathers and crimson ribbons, it makes Mariusz an obvious target for Duscarn slingers. Nevertheless, the High Kestrel claims that the High Priests have blessed this weapon, and that he will be protected so long as it's in his hands. |
