Picklebeard's page

The history of the Blackhammers is a long one.They are well known for being great miners, brewers and having a curious approach to the arcane arts. They have relations and connections to the Deeptreasure Mining Company. These connections got strained after the dissappearance of Picklebeard's great-great grandfather and the increased use of Xorns to mine out gems but more on that later.

The Blackhammer clan were salt miners and damn good ones at it. His great-great-grandfather, Brannidar, was legendary with a pick-axe. One day, while mining, Brannidar went too deep and a cave-in occured. He got trapped and cut off from the tunnels out and from his comrades. For almost a year, he remained trapped in the deepest niches of earth. Alone. Or so everyone thought.

While trapped, he was visited by the earth itself which took shape and offered him these exotic, tasty purple mushrooms called Plump Helmets. This creature taught Picklebeard's great-great grandfather the secrets of these mushrooms and how to ferment them into wine. When he was finally rescued, Brannidar taught his son (Picklebeard's great-grandfather) the secrets as well. Then his great-grandfather taught Picklebeard's grandfather. All the while this earth beast remained at the side of Brannidar. When it was time for his grandfather to teach his father, the legendary Brannidar dissappeared! To this day no one knows what happened to him. Some say it had something to do with the pit he was trapped in. All that was left was a ultra-smooth rock with a strange symbols engraved in it. It remains undeciphered to this day. The creature also was gone.

These events estranged the Blackhammer clan. Their strange arcane magical abilities combined with the dissappearance of the legendary Brannidar led Clan Blackhammer to relocate to Eleder instead of staying with the Deeptreasure Mining Company. Clan Blackhammer also had a problem with the use of Xorns for mining purposes. They viewed it as slavery. Although still reknowned miners, they are primarily brewers now who sell wines made from these purple helmet mushrooms and of course regular ol' dwarven brewskis.

Like his father before him, Picklebeard, adopted a pet- a bearded dragon lizard. Like his father always said: "Us dwarves find it easier ta forma empathic bond witta creature that's bearded too!"
He named his lizard, Verithrex after an ancient dragon of dwarven tales. It was a custom to name one's bearded dragon lizard after dragons from stories. He exceled at his arcane practices and began learning the secrets to brewing thanks to his familiar and father.

When clan Blackhammer settled down in Eleder and tried to set-up shop, the city guard told them to close down because they lacked proper permits. They went to the magistrate to apply for permits but were denied again and again. They began asking questions. The magistrate, backed into a corner, said they would sign off on the proper permits and waive all fees necessary for the founding of the Blackhammer Brewing Company in Eleder if one representative would win the Trials.

Picklebeard wasn't going to stand by and his family not be able to sell their brews. No sir. He signed up for the Trials the next day.

"Its arr goshdurn livelihood and i'd bea bearded gnome if I diddunt win this for me clan!"

This didn't stop the threats though. A polite dagger stabbed through a piece of paper was found on the bedside of Picklebeard's father saying, "Watch yerselves or next time this dagger won't be lodged in yur table." Someone or something still doesn't want their Brewing Company to get going.

Male Lizard
NN Tiny Magical Beast
Init +2; Senses Low-Light Vision; Perception +5
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DEFENSE
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AC 15, touch 14, flat-footed 13. . (+2 Dex, +2 size, +1 natural)
hp 5 (1d10-1)
Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +3
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OFFENSE
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Spd 20 ft., Climbing (20 feet)
Melee Bite (Lizard) +5 (1d4-4/20/x2) and
. . Unarmed Strike +5 (1-4/20/x2)
Space 2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
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STATISTICS
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Str 2, Dex 14, Con 8, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 2
Base Atk +1; CMB +1; CMD 7 (11 vs. Trip)
Feats Weapon Finesse
Tricks Come [Trick], Fetch [Trick], Heel [Trick], Perform [Trick], Seek [Trick], Stay [Trick]
Skills Acrobatics +10, Climb +10, Fly +6, Heal +2, Perception +5, Spellcraft -1, Stealth +10, Swim +2
Languages
SQ Come [Trick], Fetch [Trick], Heel [Trick], Improved Evasion (Ex), Perform [Trick], Seek [Trick], Stay [Trick]

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SPECIAL ABILITIES
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Climbing (20 feet) You have a Climb speed.
Come [Trick] The animal will come to you on command.
Fetch [Trick] The animal will get a specific object.
Heel [Trick] The animal will follow you.
Improved Evasion (Ex) No damage on successful reflex save; half on failed save.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in low light, distinguishing color and detail.
Perform [Trick] The animal will perform tricks.
Seek [Trick] The animal moves into an area and looks around for anything that is obviously alive or animate.
Stay [Trick] The animal will stay where it is.