Barn

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Barn Steel Beard 21
Alias(es)	“Rock Hammer” 193
Species/Race	Dwarf; associated with the Steel Beard clan 193 325
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Rock Hammer Blacksmith, River Valley Town 21
Occupation/Role	Blacksmith and owner of Rock Hammer Blacksmith 21 148
Status	Active
First Appearance	Chapter 21: Weapons

Background / History

Barn owns Rock Hammer, one of River Valley Town’s best-known blacksmith shops. Its weapons and armor are valued by lower-ranking Adventurers for their toughness and durability, while Professional Adventurers are also rumored to commission work there. The shop’s reputation is strong enough to be noted in the Adventurer’s Manual. 21 148

He first meets Xia Nan when the novice Adventurer visits Rock Hammer for gear. Barn helps him compare armor and weapons, guarantees the condition of his maintained secondhand stock, and tempers Xia Nan’s expectations about wealthy Professionals being uniformly equipped with Magic Items. 21 22

Over time, Barn becomes Xia Nan’s primary blacksmith. He repairs, appraises, reforges, and creates custom equipment from rare materials Xia Nan brings back from missions. Barn witnesses Xia Nan’s transition from a poorly equipped rookie to a fully armed Veteran Professional, while repeatedly contending with the unusually severe damage Xia Nan inflicts on his equipment. 226 323 346

Appearance

Barn is a towering, heavily muscled dwarf with reddish-brown braided hair and a soot-stained smith’s wardrobe. His size and physique are repeatedly compared to, or described as exceeding, those of a Bear Goblin. 21 226 285

• Massive, knotted muscles hardened through years of hammering at the forge. 21 192
• Reddish-brown braided hair that reaches near his chest. 21
• Broad, burly build likened to a “small mountain of flesh.” 193
• Rough fingertips tempered by constant work with molten metal. 325

Personality

Barn is a straightforward and warm shopkeeper despite his intimidating build. He takes evident pride in gear that performs well, laughing heartily when Xia Nan credits Rock Hammer’s leather armor with helping him survive a dangerous mission. 48

As a craftsman, Barn is meticulous and uncompromising. He will discard or reforge equipment over even a minor suspected flaw rather than risk selling substandard work, protecting Rock Hammer’s reputation over immediate profit. 148

He is also professionally discreet. From the damage patterns on Xia Nan’s equipment and the condition of spoils, Barn can infer much about a mission, but he avoids prying into matters Xia Nan does not volunteer. 227 325

Abilities & Skills

Blacksmithing

Barn is an experienced professional smith capable of producing durable standard equipment, custom armor, and high-quality magical equipment.

• Uses rare monster materials, metals, bone, scales, and infernal weapons in his work. 149 286 325
• Reinforces and tests equipment beyond the level expected from its base materials. 323 430
• Produced the [Dark Scale Bulwark] from Giant Snake scale material, giving it strong defense and corrosion resistance. 286
• Forged [Purgatory Pulse] from Purgatory steel, including 50% Fire Resistance. 346

Appraisal and Material Knowledge

Years of buying spoils and working with Adventurers have given Barn broad practical knowledge of weapons, armor, woods, metals, and monster materials.

• Identifies yew wood through its grain, color, knots, and texture. 227
• Recognizes the properties and handling methods of infernal equipment. 325
• Conducts detailed testing on unusual materials, including the Molten Ash Silver Ingot. 288
• Assesses armor damage honestly, recommending scrapping equipment when repairs would not be worthwhile. 105

Equipment Consultation

Barn advises Xia Nan on purchases, repairs, and selling valuable items rather than simply pushing sales.

• Explains the tradeoffs between armor weight, protection, and mobility for inexperienced Adventurers. 21
• Offers options for selling the [Tidal Surge Lure Rod], including the Adventurers Association, auction houses, and blacksmith-shop consignment. 226
• Suggests practical uses for devil weapons, from direct sale and melting them down to forging armor from suitable components. 325

Notable Craftsmanship

Item	Barn’s contribution	Notes
Leather Armor	Sold to Xia Nan	Survived a dangerous mission and earned Xia Nan’s praise for its protective quality. 21 48
[Bone Binding Iron Greaves]	Forged custom leg armor	Offers durability, a possible stun effect on low-level beasts, and improved balance against knockdowns. 192
Plate Chain Composite Armor	Forged from Malan Pattern Steel	Possesses slight resistance to slashing, piercing, and fire. 226
[Dark Scale Bulwark]	Forged from Giant Snake scale	Has exceptional physical defense and corrosion resistance. 286
[Emberfall] Straight Sword	Participated in the reforging process	Xia Nan considers the finished blade exceptionally well balanced and suited to him. 323 346
[Purgatory Pulse]	Forged armor from Purgatory steel	Provides excellent defense and 50% Fire Resistance. 346
[Green Pine] scabbard	Crafted the scabbard	Made for Xia Nan’s Wooden Sword. 346

Relationships

• Xia Nan — Long-term customer and trusted Adventurer acquaintance. Barn provides repairs, appraisals, custom commissions, and candid advice; he has watched Xia Nan develop from a novice into a Veteran Professional. 21 226 286 346
• Little Hugh — Barn’s son and heir to Rock Hammer. Hugh studies in Newm and occasionally returns to help at the shop; he knows Xia Nan through Barn’s stories. 346
• Jeff — An acquaintance saved by Xia Nan. Barn offers to repair Xia Nan’s damaged chainmail for free in gratitude. 83

Trivia

• Rock Hammer’s common criticism is its price rather than its quality. 148
• Barn’s careful standards once placed a Gray Steel Beheading Longsword in the scrap pile over a minute suspected oversight, allowing Xia Nan to purchase it cheaply. 148
• Barn’s concern over Xia Nan’s unusually high equipment scrap rate becomes a recurring source of professional frustration, but also motivates him to test and reinforce his work further. 226 323