## Chief Engineer of the [[Shadowspire Dominion]] ### Overview Gristak Forgeblood is the relentless and brilliant mind behind the industrial rise of the [[Shadowspire Dominion]]. As the leader of the **Flameforged Assembly**, he is responsible for the design and production of the Dominion’s siege engines, blacksteel weaponry, and war machines. Gristak’s genius has elevated goblin warfare beyond tribal raids to a mechanized force feared across [[Karudasos]]. --- ## Appearance - **Race:** Goblin - **Gender:** Male - **Height:** 4'2" - **Build:** Compact, wiry with soot-stained skin - **Eyes:** Orange with glowing furnace-like irises - **Hair:** Singed tufts of black and copper dreadlocks, often scorched from forge work - **Typical Attire:** Blacksteel-laced overalls, soot-covered leather apron, a rotating set of brass goggles with rune lenses --- ## Personality - **Traits:** Obsessive, efficient, logical, harsh with subordinates - **Beliefs:** Technology and invention are the keys to goblin salvation; tradition is a weight - **Habits:** Talks to his machines, sketches improvements constantly, prefers work over rest Gristak has little patience for spirituality or superstition. He believes that brute intelligence and mechanical progress are the only true sources of power. --- ## Background Born deep within the undercity of the Shadowspire, Gristak was once a smelter’s apprentice. He rose to prominence after designing the first **Ironhowl Engine**, a flame-belching war walker used to break the siege of the eastern dwarf-hold of Urdrak-Khaz. Recognizing the need for a structured industrial body, Gristak founded the **Flameforged Assembly**, consolidating the Dominion’s engineering minds under one command. Through ruthless meritocracy and innovation, he claimed leadership and remains the unchallenged master of goblin industry. --- ## Role in the Dominion - **Title:** High Engineer of [[The Flameforged Assembly]] - **Domain:** All foundries, siege plants, blacksteel refineries, and innovation cells - **Political Standing:** Second only to [[King Grusdak]]; viewed with suspicion by more spiritual factions - **Military Influence:** Designs war machines, oversees deployment of siege tech, and leads production of enchanted weapons --- ## Notable Creations - **Ironhowl Engine:** Bipedal war walker armed with flame vents and saw-blades - **Blacksteel Alloy:** A goblin-forged metal resistant to magic and corrosion - **Stormmaw Ballistae:** Rotating artillery capable of launching explosive barrels - **The Emberbrain Network:** A system of semi-sentient forge-spirits used to regulate factory temperatures and process flow --- ## Allies & Rivals ### Allies - **King [[King Grusdak|Grusdak]]:** Shares Gristak’s vision for goblin dominance through innovation ### Rivals - **Warlord [[Skrag Blackfang]]:** Despises [[The Flameforged Assembly]]’s perceived softness - **[[Veskala Nighttide]]:** Veilshard leader who distrusts Gristak’s growing influence --- ## Quotes > "A god didn’t break Urdrak-Khaz. A goblin with a wrench did." > "Blood fades. Steel endures." > "Tradition doesn’t make siege engines. I do." --- ## Plot Hooks - **Machine Theft:** A prototype engine designed by Gristak has been stolen. He hires outsiders to retrieve it before rival factions or kingdoms reverse-engineer it. - **Sabotage in the Forges:** Mysterious malfunctions plague the Flameforged plants. Gristak suspects Veilshard interference. - **Forbidden Invention:** Gristak’s latest creation taps into ancient draconic fire—perhaps too dangerous even for him. --- ## Stat Block Suggestion (Optional for Campaigns) **Class:** Artificer 14 / Fighter (Gunslinger or Battle Master) 6 **Alignment:** Lawful Neutral **CR:** 18 (Boss-level NPC in siege or industrial sabotage campaigns) --- ## Final Notes Gristak Forgeblood is a symbol of goblin evolution—no longer crawling in caves but rising through industry. A dangerous mind with no love for old ways, his creations shape the battlefield, and his ambition may someday challenge even the rule of kings. > “The flame burns. The gears turn. And the world kneels.”