Kyall hails from Hammerfell, one of the Free Cantons of the Iron Crags renowned for its magical weapons and armor. Kyall's family, of oread stock heavily influenced by dwarven blood, is related to smiths of several of the great forges. Among the Free Cantons, nepotism isn't so much a problem as it is a general hiring principle, and thus Kyall, in her early adolescence, gained an apprenticeship to Mindun Scavdringer, her third cousin twice removed.
Mindun, an elderly weapon specialist, is a skilled craftsdwarf and was recognized as a Mastersmith in his time. Unfortunately, that time was well over a decade ago, as Mindun, in his later career, developed not only strong opinions on craftsmanship, as was to be expected, but opinions that differed significantly from accepted wisdom, which led to increasingly vociferous arguments with his fellows. This came to a head two years ago when a falcata of a novel tip-weighted design ended up lodged guard-deep in the wall next to the head of Bizka Mormutter, the venerable Low Master of the Southdraw Forge, resulting in a braid amputation, a feud with the Mormutter clan branch, and Mindun's unrepentant departure to the Free City of Salzbach.
Kyall, loyal to her crusty and eccentric but brilliant master, accompanied Mindun to Salzbach. This has proven an excellent move. The Metal Arts guild of Salzbach was quietly ecstatic to induct an actual Mastersmith of Hammerfell, and Kyall herself, who had taken the role of field-tester for Mindun's designs, has relished the chance to test weapons in places with ceilings higher than 6 feet. Though implicated in the Mormutter feud by association, she does not expect any reprisals to come her way, but she is concerned for her master. She has maintained a correspondence with family in Hammerfell asking to be kept apprised of news on that front, and hopes that this will be sufficient to provide forewarning. However, such concerns seem distant in the novelty and bustle of her new surface life.
Salzbach, whose citizens would view the public announcement of a feud to be charmingly naive, is proving to be quite an education for Kyall on several fronts. She is well insulated from the more dangerous brand of politics by the reputable (by the standards of Salzbach) Metal Arts guild, along with the status and untouchability of her master. Nevertheless, she has already learned to question the motives of her fellow guildmembers who invite her to suspiciously sumptuous dinners, ply her with strong wine, and ask leading questions about Mindun’s habits. Fortunately, she combines dwarf-like alcohol tolerance with the ability to seem on the verge of drunken confession, which has kept her wined and dined for the last four months running.
Kyall has cultivated some contacts among the Red Tower Protectorate and the League of Adventurers, open-minded sorts at whose side she has tried out the latest prototype aspergillum or urgrosh upon the skulls of various unfortunate creatures. The recent troubles, however, have forced her out of her staid mindset. On patrols, she has seen hollow-eyed refugees and held off increasingly dangerous attacks of abominations, and has become worried for the sake of her new home.
Kyall's appreciation for weapon design has blossomed into an affinity for the structure of combat itself. Perhaps surprisingly, she works well with groups, as one doesn't spend one's youth working with white-hot fires and razor-sharp metal without learning to get along with others who are also doing so. She does have a tendency to discourse on balance, grip designs, and the subtle cantilevering of finger-guards to any audience (or lack thereof), but balances this with a willingness to make field repairs on nearly anything made out of metal.
Her petite stature indicates a good deal of dwarven heritage, though her grayish skin tone, white-streaked black hair, and the onyx nodes that grow at her joints show her oread nature.
