Copyright 2001 by Brandon Cope
 

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Eremon, Fomorian blacksmith

ST: 15 [30*] Swing 2d+1, Thrust 1d+1
DX: 13 [10*] Basic Speed 5 (6.5), Move 5
IQ: 12 [*]
HT: 13 [10*]

Point Total: 505

Advantages: Racial: Charisma +1 [*]; Feth Fiada [*]; Fomorian Blood (5 levels) [*]; Magical Aptitude +2 [*]; Monstrosity (base level) [*]; Unaging [*]; Wild Mana Generator [*]; Personal: Bellows Breath [25]; Dark Vision [25]; Extra Hit Points +6 [30]; Gills [10]; Literacy (Ogham) [5]; Recovery [10]; Speak with Fish [10]

Disadvantages: Racial: Capricious [*]; Personal: Appearance (Ugly) [-15]; Bad Luck [-15]; Intolerance (Racial) [-10]; Jealousy [-15]

* These are partly or wholly part of the Fomorian racial package (275 points)

Quirks: Grunts songs, rather than singing them, while at work at his forge; Hates to eat fish

Skills: Area Knowledge (Northwestern Eriu)-13 [2]; Armoury-25 [28]; Blacksmith-25 [28]; Broadsword-15 [8]; Climbing-15 [1]; Consonant Tree Lore-12 [4]; Cooking-12 [1]; First Aid-13 [2]; Hiking-13 [2]; Knife-15 [4]; Running-12 [2]; Survival (Island/Coastal)-12 [2]; Swimming-14 [2]; Teaching-12 [2]; Vowel Tree Lore-12 [4]

(all skills are TL 2 where appropriate)

Grimoire: (all level 12 with 1 point invested except as noted)

Accuracy; Apportation; Beast Soother; Beast Summoning; Celtic Shapeshifting; Earth to Stone; Enchant; Fortify; Great Shapeshifting; Heat; Ignite Fire; Illusion Disguise; Illusion Shell; Iron Arm; Levitation; Odor; Phantom Flame; Puissance; Rejoin; Repair; Restore; Seek Earth; Shape Earth; Shape Fire; Shape Stone; Shape Water; Shield; Simple Illusion; Slow Fall; Sound; Stone to Earth; Voices

Appearance

When not disguised by magic, Eremon is 6'7" tall and weighs 240 lbs. His hair is dark and stringy, hanging down to his shoulders, and he wears a thick beard. His eyes are a cloudy blue color, and his eyes are uneven (the left is a half inch too high and the right is a half inch too low); neither affects his vision. His hands are also noticably large, thickly covered with callouses.

Equipmemt

Aside from his trade goods, Eremon carries little with him. He wears his blacksmith's work clothes almost continuously and keeps his broadsword handy (base 2d+3 cut, 1d+3 imp, treat as a willful weapon [see p.CM70 or Pyramid #14] with powers appropriate to the GMs campaign).

Biography

The third son of one of Balor's harpers, with both of his brothers as noted warriors, Eremon realized early on that he would have to do something different to distinguish himself, so chose to become a blacksmith. Like most Fomorians, he had an innate ability to perform magic, but chose to put more effort in learning the art of crafting weapons, rather than enchanting them. He soon gained a small reputation as a fine swordsmith and took great pride in providing weapons to his brothers.

He took little notice of the coming of the Children of Danu to Eriu (after all, the Children of Domnu had seen several races come and go), but he lated wished he had. Instead, he spent his time fashioning weapons in his undersea forge a few miles off the eastern coast of Uliad. As a result, Eremon was taken by surprise when the Tuatha de Daanan revolted against the Fomor. He quickly packed up the weaponry he had spent years forging, but it was not nearly enough.

At the second battle of Moytura, both his brothers were slain (one dying when Balor's venemous eye was disloged). Eremon got separated form the other Fomors and fled to the northwest, losing most of the weapons he had created. Fortunately, his pursuers gave up after several days and went after other Fomor who were counterattacking. When Eremon reached the northern coast of Connachta, he learned that he father was one of those killed when when Lugh, the Dagda and Omga invaded Bress' underwater palace to retrieve the Dagda's harp.

Eremon headed west, along the cost, until he ran into a pitiful band of Fir Bolgs in hiding. Rather than kill them (as he easily could have done), he built a forge in a cave overlooking the sea and began making weapon. They weren't as good as what he had crafted for his Fomorian bretheren, but they were superior to anything these Fir Bolg possessed. After several weeks, he had equipped all their warriors and trained them in the proper use of a sword. He used them to raid the Children of Danu for many years, without much success. Then came the Milesians, and most of the Tuathans were driven out of Eriu. But that was not enough.

By then, nearly two millenia had passed since his people had been forced out. He hated everything that was not Fomorian and began to trade with both the Fir Bolgs (what few were left) and the Milesians (obviously, he could not trade with the Sidhe …), equipping them both to fight each other as well as the Sidhe. Which is just the way he wants it.

Encountered

Eremon will usually be found trading in a dun (or the road) with in a day or two of his cave on the northern coast of Connachta, which he dislikes leaving for extended periods. He carries a finely crafted blunt broadsword of his own creation.

Canonically

Eremon is designed using the standard rules in the Basic Set and Celtic Myth. GMs who would like to use him in a normal fantasy setting should note that spell prerequisites are often different in Celtic Myth and that the Wild Mana Generator advantage can be very unbalancing outside of a high-mana setting with powerful heroes and druids to counter it.

Also, note that his racial package is the same as that for the Sidhe (p.CM70), exchanging Handsome Appearance for Monstrosity (p.CM65).

What if?

Although designed for mythic Ireland, Eremon can, with some tweaking, be changed to other settings. He would be much the same during the time of the Tain Bo Cuailgne, though getting rather old (the Fomor, like the Sidhe, are not truly immortal). Unless suspended in time somehow, he would be unlikely to appear in the latter adventures (such as those Finn Mac Cool or even King Arthur), though powerful giants are known of in those settings. Another option is that he could be the decendant of such a survivor of the Battle of Moytura -- however, he would likely no longer be a pure-blooded Fomor.

However, if the GM choses to go with some form of suspended animation, there is no reason Eremon could not appear today, in a modern Horror or Supers campaign. Perhaps he works as a gunsmith for the IRA, transforming their mundane guns into enchanted weapons (or even willful weapons!). He would not be supporting the Catholics over the Protestants … if he can make both equal in power, it is more likely they will both weaken themsleves to the point where any other Fomor that are left (which may be a very small number) can retake Ireland. This could prove interesting if any of the PCs (secretely) have at least some Sidhe blood …

In the Campaign

Aside from the ideas above, for adventures set shortly after the Milesian invasion, the PCs may learn of many weapons of an unusual design being found in the hands of primitives in northern Connachta. If they investigate further (perhaps questioning some prisoners) they will hear talk of 'an ancient giant in a cave who breathes our weapons to life.' Unless the party is especially powerful, it is unlikely that Eremon will be defeated in their first encounter; the PCs have just gained a 500 point, 2000 year-old Fomor as an Enemy …