Ignatius Boomstride

Robust and imposing; heavily built with minor alchemical exposure.

Massive build, thick-skinned, and scarred.

Prominent, expressive face with a bold mustache.

Waxed mustache, burn scars, deep voice.

Slight limp from an early explosion incident.

Expert in explosive and firearm engineering; keen tactical mind.

 Military jacket adorned with medals, heavily pocketed apron.

Custom multi-barrel firearm, alchemical tools.

Early Life (1450–1470 AF)

Ignatius Boomstride was born in 1450 AF aboard a stranded Giff mercenary ship, marooned in Terravorn after a planar mishap severed their connection to the Astral Sea. His upbringing within the disciplined but resourceful Boomstride enclave instilled a sense of duty and innovation. Unlike his peers, who gravitated toward physical combat, Ignatius showed an early aptitude for engineering and alchemy. Fascinated by the explosive potential of black powder, he began experimenting with volatile substances, blending Giff martial traditions with Terravorn’s unique resources.

By his early twenties, Ignatius had already earned a reputation among his clan as an eccentric genius. While his early experiments were fraught with mishaps—scorch marks and explosions were a common sight near his workshop—he quickly gained the respect of his peers for his perseverance and brilliance.

Discovery of Boomstride Black Powder (1470–1476 AF)

In 1472 AF, Ignatius perfected the formula for Boomstride Black Powder, a stable and powerful explosive substance. Initially designed for mining and fortifications, the powder’s military applications quickly became apparent. Recognizing the need for a delivery mechanism, Ignatius spent the next few years designing the first primitive firearms, including hand cannons and single-shot rifles.

His breakthrough drew the attention of local lords and industrialists, eager to capitalize on this new technology. Ignatius, however, was wary of handing over his creations indiscriminately. He believed firearms should be tools of precision and discipline, not instruments of chaos, and began crafting a framework for their responsible use.

Founding the Boomstride Armory (1477 AF)

By 1477 AF, Ignatius had established the Boomstride Armory, a workshop dedicated to refining firearms and training artificers in their creation and maintenance. Located in a burgeoning industrial hub, the Armory quickly became a center of innovation. Its motto, “Order Through Precision,” reflected Ignatius’s philosophy that technology should be a force for stability.

The Armory’s early days were marked by tension. Traditionalist factions decried firearms as disruptive and unnatural, while unscrupulous opportunists sought to replicate Ignatius’s designs without his oversight. To counter these challenges, Ignatius formed the Order of the Brass Barrel in 1480 AF, a guild of artificers and engineers tasked with regulating the production and use of firearms.

Rise to Prominence (1480–1500 AF)

During the late 15th century, Ignatius and his inventions became instrumental in reshaping Terravorn’s military and industrial landscape. Firearms, though expensive and rare, began to replace traditional weapons in elite units and adventuring parties. The Thunderlance Rifle, one of Ignatius’s signature designs, became a symbol of technological supremacy.

Ignatius also became a key figure in Terravorn’s cultural shift toward industrialism. He collaborated with miners, builders, and even scholars, creating tools and machines that went beyond warfare. However, this period also saw growing divisions within the Order of the Brass Barrel, as some members sought to mass-produce firearms for profit, clashing with Ignatius’s vision.

Later Years and Death (1501–1515 AF)

By 1501 AF, Ignatius had shifted his focus from innovation to mentorship, training a new generation of artificers and engineers. The Armory thrived, but tensions within the Order of the Brass Barrel began to escalate. Splinter factions, frustrated by Ignatius’s strict ethical guidelines, started producing inferior firearms without his approval, leading to accidents and misuse.

In 1515 AF, Ignatius was found dead in his private workshop. Officially, his death was attributed to an accidental explosion during an experiment involving a prototype siege weapon. However, rumors of foul play quickly spread. Some believe he was assassinated by rivals seeking to monopolize firearm production, while others suggest internal dissent within the Order of the Brass Barrel played a role.

Legacy

Ignatius’s death marked the end of an era, but his influence endures. The Boomstride Armory continues to produce high-quality firearms, and the principles he championed remain a cornerstone of artificer ethics. While his innovations brought progress and power to Terravorn, they also ignited debates about the morality of technological advancement—a debate that persists to this day.

Ignatius is remembered as a visionary whose genius reshaped the world, but also as a cautionary tale of how ambition and innovation can sow both order and chaos.

Male

Private, focused on innovation over personal relationships.

Self-taught through experimentation; drew from Giff militaristic traditions.

 Founder of the Boomstride Armory, innovator, and weaponsmith

• Invented Boomstride Black Powder, firearms, and the Ironfang Cannon; founded firearm regulations through the Order of the Brass Barrel.

• Tensions with rival factions over firearm ethics; blamed for sparking an arms race.

 Guilt over the misuse of his creations.

Brilliant, methodical, inventive.

Believed in disciplined innovation and responsible progress.

Hated the reckless misuse of firearms.

To push Terravorn into a new age of technological mastery, guided by discipline and ethics.

• Savvy in engineering, weak in diplomacy.

Loves innovation and order; dislikes reckless behavior.

Disciplined, methodical, and honorable.

Stubborn, prideful, resistant to compromise.

Frequently adjusts his mustache and polishes tools.

Immaculate, with an emphasis on cleanliness in his workshop.

Celebrated as a technological pioneer, though controversial among traditionalists.

Connected with early industrialists, engineers, and military leaders.

 Devout Thyrosan, seeing fire as both creation and destruction.

Commanding and persuasive when discussing his work.

Direct and efficient, with a booming voice.

Deep, deliberate tone with military precision; peppered with technical jargon.

Moderate; reinvested earnings into research and teaching.