Varrak Emberbluff

Master Smith of Leilon, Diplomatic Bridge for Non-Humans

This isn’t a damn adventurer’s forge. You want fancy? Try a bard.

— Varrak

Overview

Varrak Emberbluff is Leilon’s anchor of steel and stubbornness—a red dragonborn with molten eyes, soot-stained scales, and a memory like iron for both favors and offenses.

He runs The Ember & Iron, a constantly clanging forge nestled near the commons. Known for mining tools, horseshoes, hinges, and reinforcement brackets, he’ll forge armor or blades if you pay well—but only after a solid round of complaints.

Varrak also acts as a representative voice for the town’s non-human residents, using his forge as both anvil and meeting hall. Conversations run as hot as the coals.

Personality & Presence

• Gruff, clever, and alarmingly observant
• Keeps a mental ledger of every slight, debt, and kindness
• Insults and compliments are indistinguishable—both delivered with the same smirk
• Smells of smoke and sage oil, always mid-project
• Known to mutter draconic proverbs that sound like threats

Role in the Town

• Primary smith for non-military work—focuses on practical, durable craft
• Refuses “hero work” unless it pays well and includes rare materials
• Despises requests for silvered weapons, often sending adventurers elsewhere just to avoid them
• Quietly mediates between human and non-human guilds during tense trade weeks
• Occasionally handles ritual reforging—but only in secret, and never for free

Locals Say...

• “He once reforged a cursed sword. Didn’t flinch. Just raised the price.”
• “His compliments burn worse than his furnace.”
• “Ask him for silvered anything and he’ll forge your boots to the floor.”

Titles & Affiliations

Title: Master Smith of Leilon , member of Leilon City Council
Affiliation: Informal leader of the non-human tradesfolk; respected by dwarves, elves, and tiefling artisans
Known For: Practical tools, precise metallurgy, and sarcastic diplomacy
Rumored Weakness: Secretly forging enchanted armor for his teen daughter—a half-human girl who he refuses to talk about in public

Player Hooks

• Offers discounts for rare ores or metals with mythic origins
• Might task players with retrieving special materials for his daughter’s armor project
• Could become a diplomatic go-between if tensions rise between species or guilds
• May hold a cursed blade in his private collection—useful, dangerous, or both
• If players insult his forge, expect cold steel or colder words