Daermus Coldpass

Name: Daermus Coldpass
Aliases: Barakor (Dwarvish title for Cleric of Gorm Gulthyn. Translated to common as "those who shield")
Race: Dwarf (Mountain)
Age: 79


Appearance and Style: Daermus has a stern resting face. Many would say his brow is constantly furrowed. He has light blue eyes and brown hair and facial hair. He dresses simply when not in his adventuring gear. His adventuring gear doubles as his clerical gear. As a Cleric of the Dwarven god Gorm Gulthyn, Daermus favours red in much of his dress. When adventuring, he wears a padded red hood overtop his chainmail armor and red gambeson beneath. His circular metal shield has what looks to be two eyeholes that have been burned right through the face. Around the eyeholes is the image of the bronze mask of Gorm Gulthyn. This mask serves as Gorm's holy symbol. Daermus wields a iron warhammer that is quite functional, but lacks any real decorative elements.


Significant Qualities: As a Cleric of Gorm Gulthyn, Daermus has been taught to be vigilant in all aspects of his life. This isn't to say he's always on edge. Rather, he just takes note of his surroundings and those people and creatures who are around him. Though at times it can be said that he'd do well to relax more and be on guard less. Daermus is rather soft-spoken, tending to not want to draw too much attention to himself. His Dwarven heritage and membership in Gorm Gulthyn's clergy has helped to hone his martial skills. He is a patient Dwarf, but he'd much rather let others do the talking and involve himself directly in a situation when any real action is required.

Living Relatives: Both Daermus' parents are alive and well. Though, they have split and are estranged. His father is an embittered soldier who agrees with most of his Dwarven brethren and the need to depend on themselves rather than looking for help outside the dwarfholds. The consequences of the War of the Silver Marches still hold too much sway in his mind. His father still resides in Citadel Felbarr. His mother was a traveling iron merchant for the longest time, plying her trade through tunnels in the Underdark and roads up on the surface. When Daermus' father retreated inwards, his mother did her best to break him out of his mindset. She has seen much of the world and still will speak to the qualities of all kin, not just Dwarvenkind. Despite her efforts, she had to leave her husband for her own well-being. It pained her to travel so far away, but she is now a sailor. This is admittedly a rare profession for a Dwarf. But she is learning quickly to adapt to the waters. Daermus has two brothers. One who is older, one who is younger. His eldest brother left with his mother, and they are both sailors together. His youngest brother is an entertainer. His youngest brother lives more on the road than he does at Citadel Felbarr, traveling throughout the Silver Marches as a percussionist in a minstrel troupe. Daermus gets along with almost all his family save his eldest brother. There still is some tension between the two of them. Daermus could not bring himself to leave his father despite his brother's wishes.



Five Things Your Character Fears (in order from least afraid to most)

1. Darkmantles
2. Heights
3. Ropers
4. Being the centre of attention
5. Failure


Four Things Your Character Loves Dearly (in order from least beloved to most)


1. Citadel Felbarr
2. History
3. Martial practice
4. His family
5. His faith


Three Things Your Character Is Embarrassed About (from least embarrassing to most)

1. Serving a bad batch of clan brew to his extended family that caused them all to be sick the following day.
2. Stammering through his initiation ceremony into Gorm Gulthyn's faith.
3. Running away in fear from a pack of darkmantles that dropped down and began attacking a small group of dwarven masons he was working alongside.


Two Things Your Character is Proud of (from least to most proud)

1. Helping a senior clergy member in Citadel Felbarr rearrange the archives at the local Gorm Gulthyn temple.
2. Being graced with Gorm Gulthyn's blessing in response to single-handedly sealing off a pass against a group of troglodytes.


One Thing They'd be Willing to Kill or Die for (state whether they'd kill or die for it)

1. His fellow Dwarves

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Birth: Citadel Felbarr. His father's name is Bunrus. His mother's name is Daerdish. He had a normal birth. He is the middle child in between two brothers.


Childhood: Darmus had a comfortable life living in a larger than average Dwarf home in Citadel Felbarr. As a member of the Coldpass clan he learned to brew from a relatively early age. Daermus has an appreciation for cultures and histories that exist outside of the Dwarven sphere. Since his mother was a traveling merchant while Daermus grew up, she helped to influence Daermus' knowledge of elements that existed outside his native culture. 



Young Adult Life: As he moved into adulthood, he showed a greater aptitude for mason work compared to his brewing skills. Those in his clan did not help Daermus' want to stay on to become a brewmaster. They liked to bring up that one Highharvestide clan-meet where Daermus was put in charge of preparing the ale for the celebration. Only for Daermus to make one crucial mistake whilst brewing to leave almost his whole clan ill for the next one or two days.

Daermus would become a full-time mason, helping to maintain and build structures and fortifications in Underdark tunnels. Then the War of the Silver Marches struck. The Dwarves of Felbarr were secluded to begin with, but the events that transpired during the war only helped to reinforce the Dwarves' mistrust of the outside world. His father Bunrus in particular became a large proponent of this viewpoint. As a soldier, he had to deal firsthand with the little support the Dwarfholds received from elsewhere in the Silver Marches. Bunrus' opposing views and unwillingness to talk with his wife about their differing perspectives only ended up spilling over into every other aspect of their life. A few years after the war, Daerdish left her husband with one of her son's in tow to find a new life out on the open seas.

Daermus could not bring himself to leave Citadel Felbarr and his father. As such a few years would pass. Daermus continued with mason work, becoming a journeyman in his own right. One fateful day, Daermus and his crew were found out in an extensive tunnel network in the Underdark. They were fortifying some bulwarks recently attacked by some troglodytes. The couple guards watching their backs were suddenly set upon by the troglodytes and killed. Daermus was able to pick up one of their circular shields as he shouted to his fellows to retreat. A former event in his life came through at this moment. The time when his junior crew was beset by some Darkmantles in a similar situation as this one. Then, he had fled without putting up any fight.

Steeling himself, in spite of the threat and the stench of the troglodytes, Daermus spoke a small prayer to Gorm Gulthyn. He held the initial attack off with nothing but his mason's hammer and recently acquired shield. A wooden door was closed in behind him but it would not last for long. Using his knowledge of the tunnels he had been working in for the last year, he was able to coordinate and seal off many tunnels to slow the troglodytes.

The Dwarves would eventually reach a defensive hold where the guard was alerted. Rather than follow into the hold with his fellow masons, Daermus felt a brimming desire to stand with the guard. Daermus would end up wounded here or there as he helped to beat back these troglodytes.

Lying at rest immediately following the battle, he threw down his shield. It became red hot in the center where two eye-shaped hot spots formed. The metal was melted in these spot. As he looked into these two holes a voice spoke in his mind with a stern tone: "Barrokar." He felt as if he could summon forth the means to heal himself. He placed his hand upon his injured thigh as the flesh turned healthy once more. He looked around him only to see those guards around him with mouths agape or smiling. The eldest of them saying, "Be proud kinsman. The Lord of the Bronze Mask has taken note of you."

There have been far greater heroes from Citadel Felbarr, but Daermus' story is still told to this day occasionally by the masons of Citadel Felbarr. It isn't often he had to pay for drink should a fellow mason be found in a local drinking hall. The next few days were a bit of a whirlwind. His father was immensely proud. He found himself brought to the local Gorm Gulthyn temple. Meeting with one of the senior clergy they assessed the account of his story and helped to bring forth the burgeoning divine powers of Daermus. It was agreed that Daermus was to leave the mason occupation behind. He had received a far greater calling.

Just like every Dwarf, Daermus had a baseline proficiency in martial techniques and proficiency. But his next couple years were devoted to honing these skills and broadening his techniques to include almost every type of weapon and armor. A senior priest and Daermus developed a rapport given their shared love of books and tomes. Together they worked to both learn, acquire and organize the various tomes that now are held within the local temple to Gorm. The senior priest taught Daermus about a variety of different faiths. Daermus in turn taught this senior priest what he knew about history.


Where you are today: Daermus would further his battle experience as he took up posts throughout Citadel Felbarr. He has fought Orcs up above. He has fought more numerous things down below. One day upon the ramparts up on the surface, Daermus realized just how alarming heights could really be when you really can take in everything around you beneath a clear sky. From then on, Daermus tried to always push for duties beneath the ground. And so, that is how things stood in Daermus' life for another few years.

Until one day, Daermus just felt uncomfortable. He realized he had learned about the wider world but he had as of yet to really go out and see any of it. He discussed these feelings with the resident senior clergy. Some felt this to be nonsensical and that Daermus needed to refocus his mind on the defense of this dwarf hold. Fortunately, with his friend among the senior clergy taking Daermus' side, Daermus was allowed a suspension of his duties at Citadel Felbarr. He would be allowed to travel the wider world for a couple years. Possibly, there was a reason Gorm Gulthyn had manifested this feeling in young Daermus. However, Daermus was to always remember the tenets and duties of his patron deity as he traveled. Thus, Daermus Coldpass has left Citadel Felbarr for the first time in his life.



Views on the world: For a Dwarf from Citadel Felbarr, he is far more open-minded about other races. Though races like Drow and Orcs definitely put him on edge given their history of strife and conflict with the Dwarves of the north. Daermus has a deep respect for the ruling class. He doesn't truly understand the politics and nobility of other races though, save what he knows from his study of history. As a cleric of Gorm Gulthyn, Daermus is deeply devout and holds a deep respect for all the Dwarven pantheon, save those who are worshiped by Duergar. Daermus knows of other deities outside of his racial pantheon, but really only has a respect for those deities that hold similar tenets to his patron deity: Helm; Arvoveen; and Gaerdal Ironhand.