Gronheim Fireforge

Gronheim Fireforge is a Dwarf Berserker who wields a two-handed axe.

Status: Deceased

## Journal

Chapter 1: Dearest

Chapter 2: Afterlife

## Background

Gronheim Fireforge never knew much about Thorborimm, the place he was born. While only being an infant Gronheim and his family left the mountain for unknown reasons. All he knew was that it was important that his family fled. For many months they moved from village to village. His father would leave during the day and Gronheim and his Mother waited at the Inn. Sometimes they stayed for weeks, sometimes they only stayed for a few nights before they were off again to another town that would take them.

Eventually Gronheim and his family found their way to a little town known as Pinefarrow where his parents found themselves broke and hungry. The last of the money they had saved had been spent on the bed at the Inn and the food scraps of what the other patrons left behind. It was in the morning where Gronheim had awoken to find that his parents had left. He had waited in the room until the Inn Keeper threw him out and then spend two days outside waiting for them to return until he realized that he had been left behind.

Growing up in Pinefarrow had not been easy for Gronheim. He found himself begging and stealing food from the local townsfolk, sleeping in farm houses and alleys and fighting with other kids. This was the day-to-day events for him up until he met someone that would change his life forever. Gronheim was taken in by a man who called himself Sir Bryce Greenwood. Greenwood would later teach him how to read and write. How to conduct himself as a mannered being, as far as that goes for a dwarf, and how fight. It wasn’t before long that Gron met his first unlikely friend, Vall Naïlo. It was this newfound foster parent and unlikely friendship that sparked a flame in his heart to do something better, to be someone.

## 5 Years Apart

The day had come when Gronheim and his friends had chosen to go their separate ways for five years. He pondered where he should go and ultimately decided go back to where he was born. After travelling for many days and moons, living off the land and sleeping in moss beds he came across the mountain he searched tirelessly for...Thorborimm. Approaching the thundering gates, Gron was stopped by the stout Mountain-Gate Guards who halted him about his motive to enter the mighty fortress. Brandishing his tattoo's that were embedded at birth the mighty gates cracked and rumbled as it made way for a lost, and now found, dwarven brother.

Before long, Gron joined the city guard. He wanted to try and give back to the city that welcomed him back a few years ago and he felt he should try and help defend the city. Starting out he was assigned to a small five man squads and small tasks within the city. The first few weeks consisted of patrol duty meant to keep the peace between the dwarves. There was little action there from Gron's liking. Breaking up drunken fights was not as fun as actually being apart of drunken fights and decided that there might be more action at the gates of the mountain. He had wanted to move up in the military ranks for a long time and always hoped for a promotion to the other divisions with more action. Gronheim however, never succeeded in fighting as a team. His axe swung wild and his temper made him reckless it wasn’t soon after that he was let go from the military to find a better suited job.

While sitting down in the Leaky Horn looking at the sweet, delicious golden mead that bubbled in his drinking horn he watched as the traders talked amongst themselves and swapped fat pouches of coins from one hand to another. Many of the tables had precious gems and an array of coins on them as their owners bartered and heckled trade. He thought of the trading ward and the blacksmiths that worked tirelessly throughout the day and night producing the finest of dwarven axes and battle hammers. How the armorers would place their platemail on the trading carts each morning to sell to neighboring villages and towns. He loved money and shiny things. He loved the weight of gold coins at his side and travelling.

Of course, becoming a trader wasn’t so easy. Gronhiem had to apply to the Merchant Guild and take on an apprenticeship. He put out his application with eagerness. He felt like he’d be a invaluable asset to the trading world as he was skilled in fighting and familiar with travelling. In his eyes he would be able to fight and make money.

The Merchant Guild sent word that he had been accepted as an apprentice by two different caravans. One caravan was was travelling throughout the kingdom selling armor and weapons, crafted by the finest blacksmiths of Thorborimm. The other traveled up to the coast where they set sail and sold gems and exotic goods along the shore and to other kingdoms. Gronheim had accepted the sea traders apprenticeship and it was there he met Ragnar Redbelly who took him under his wing and showed him the tricks of the traded of selling goods.

Gron has sailed with Ragnar for three years and it was a experience. He had been coast to coast. He seen towns that were built up with stone such that there wasn't a grain of dirt to find. Likewise, there was towns that were quite literally made of mud and the people were poorer than poor. He had been in deserts so hot that the village was built around an oasis and up mountains so cold you lost feeling in our limbs. Gronheim learned many things with Ragnar. He learned how to survive and trade but most of all, he learned one very special lesson. During a trade within the Dukedom of Guliad he had the honor of accompanying Ragnar into an audience with Duke Adrian. It was there that he had a revelation. As Ragnar and  Duke Adrian talked he understood very quickly that the Duke had no concept of how to handle money. Someone with so much power and so much control had no means of using his wealth for the good of his people or prosperity. It was there that he understood what it meant not only to be a merchant, but how to handle and use money.

Upon return to Thorbrimm it was there that Ragnar approached the Merchant Guild with the information on what transposed in the Dukedom of Guliad. There the Merchant Guild declared Gronheim Fireforge competent to join and awarded him, as they do all newly fledged members, with a pony and cart and 30 dwarven iron bars.

Nearing the end of the fifth year Gron had decided to make way for Pinefarrow to reunite with his old companions. He missed his old friends, especially Vall. To his surprise while on the road in his brand new Cart he saw a sleepy eyed looking elf wandering through the woods. Instantaneously he recognized him as Vall and together they set off...