Balin

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Early Life and Military Service

Balin grew up in the small Rockshield Tribe of Frostforge Hold. His father’s mining wages barely supported the family, and there was no money to apprentice Balin to a craftsman. Before turning one hundred, he secretly enlisted in the Empire Legion, hoping that the payout after twenty-five years of service would let him buy land and marry 180 213.

As an auxiliary of the Tenth Legion, he fought orcs in the mountains, Northmen warbands on the ice fields, and threats emerging from the Underdark. His Century’s soldiers served together for more than a decade, becoming close comrades regardless of their auxiliary or regular status 135 180 213.

Gattholex and the Revenge Oath

While the Legion guarded the Great Cavern, Gattholex attacked its camp. Balin initially remembered the creature as a giant serpent: its breath corroded flesh and steel, its magic petrified soldiers, and ordinary weapons could not penetrate its scales. Sixty-five of Balin’s comrades died within five minutes, including at least ten close friends 180.

His Centurion, Luca, shielded Balin from the dragon’s breath and suffered devastating injuries without retreating. Balin swore to Moradin that he would kill Gattholex with his own hands, but fear kept him from immediately pursuing the monster 180 213.

After his discharge, Balin married, raised children, mastered runesmithing, and built a successful workshop. He also helped his brothers learn smithing. Despite this prosperity, he remained tormented by his comrades’ deaths and his unfulfilled oath 213.

Journey into the Underdark

More than twenty years before meeting Renato, Balin left his workshop, savings, and Legion medal to his family and entered the Underdark. His wife, children, brothers, and even Moradin’s cleric tried to dissuade him; he nevertheless chose to pursue Gattholex 179 213.

His travels exposed him to drow, enormous purple worms, demons, and other dangerous creatures. Madra Deepforge’s father eventually helped him enter Rolling Stone City. To repay that favor, Balin promised to bring Madra safely out when the city fell, a promise he fulfilled 115 138.

Appearance

Balin is a short, exceptionally broad dwarf with powerful muscles, a thick brown beard braided into heavy plaits, and a deep voice 109.

• Armor: Usually wears heavy adamantine plate armor and a nasal helm 109 111.
• Signs of age: White chest hair, silver strands in his beard, and a back less straight than during his Legion service 124 213.
• Warhammer: Carries a rune-covered hammer with a head nearly as large as Renato’s head 109.
• Divinely empowered form: Becomes giant-sized, with pale blue-white, stone-like skin and beard surrounded by golden light 214.

Personality

Balin is blunt, foul-tempered, and intensely private. He dislikes indirect conversation and initially refuses to discuss his past. His hostility toward drow and mind flayers repeatedly causes arguments, particularly with Tristana and Klauthsura 109 111 147 176.

His harsh manner conceals considerable loyalty. He saves Renato, offers practical warnings, and enchants his armor for only fifty gold coins despite consuming a valuable Runes Tablet. He also honors his obligation to Madra’s father while loudly denying affection for the family 112 125 138.

Balin takes oaths and craftsmanship seriously. He condemns careless alterations to inherited rune structures and insists that forging depends on material compatibility rather than price. Although he uses runic magic himself, he distrusts relying entirely on spells for survival and insists on climbing harnesses even when Spider Climb is available 125 127 184.

Guilt initially makes revenge the center of his life. His final resolve changes that purpose: rather than wait for another tragedy and avenge it afterward, he chooses to protect those still alive 213.

Abilities & Skills

Runesmithing and Metallurgy

Balin combines forging and rune inscription in a single process, reshaping both metal and enchantments with his hammer 124 125.

• Identifies the Silent Lady’s adamantine–mithral–steel alloy by inspection and calculates adjustments that strengthen it without sacrificing its heat resistance 124 133.
• Transfers runes from tablets into equipment through hammer blows accompanied by magical lightning and fire 125.
• Reforges Renato’s armor into Mountain’s Embrace in less than three hours, incorporating three adamantine ingots and Mountain Runes 125.
• Creates a precise, nonslip sword grip using kuo-toa leather and woven adamantine wire 133.
• Later repairs Mountain’s Embrace with divine light; its transformation is subsequently attributed to Moradin’s power infused during Balin’s reforging 215 430.

Negation Rune

Star antimony allows Balin to inscribe theoretical rune structures that ordinary materials cannot support. He uses it to transform the Nemesis rune into Negation and enchant the Silent Lady 132 133.

• The enchanted blade dispels an owlbear’s Enlarge spell 135.
• Its blade-associated force field cuts through bone with little resistance 135.
• Balin preserves the sword’s balance despite increasing its weight 133.
• He attributes the achievement to Moradin’s guidance and calls the sword a gift from the god 132 133.

Combat and Heavy-Armor Training

Balin is a Legion veteran with at least a century of combat experience, fighting primarily with his runic warhammer 183.

• Uses lightning-wreathed hammer strikes to crush goblins and kill orcs 111 183.
• Stuns an owlbear and hurls it into a cavern wall 135.
• Teaches Renato to deflect attacks with pauldrons, breastplate, and arm plates rather than habitually dodge blows his armor can withstand 125.
• Emphasizes that armor does not make every attack survivable; a falling boulder still requires evasion 125.

Underdark Survival and Navigation

Balin’s long travels make him a knowledgeable guide, though his experience does not cover every tunnel 113 139 152.

• Locates concealed passages and uses maps to navigate ruined districts and sewers 113 118 197.
• Recognizes evidence of mind flayers feeding on inhabitants’ brains 113.
• Detects airflow through a fissure using a droplet of water 155.
• Is an experienced climber and insists on safety ropes and harnesses 156 184.
• Maintains a secluded fishing spot, using lightning to check the pool for aquatic monsters 123.
• Admits when an escape route has taken the party into territory he does not recognize 152.

Artifact Handling and Divine Empowerment

Balin understands artifact dormancy and can wield the Mind Ripper, which prevents his non-dwarf companions from picking it up 139 153 195.

• The Mind Ripper severs nearby mental links connecting mind flayers and their thralls 126 152.
• Following a voice from the artifact, Balin throws it into the Brain Pool, igniting the pool, severely injuring the Elder Brain, and disrupting its control over Gattholex 211.
• Under divine empowerment, his stone-like skin radiates golden light that scorches the Elder Brain’s attacking tentacles 214.
• His enlarged form physically overpowers the Elder Brain Dragon and tears apart its tendrils 214.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Adamantine plate armor — Heavy armor bearing runes; Balin identifies Mountain Runes on his own breastplate 111 125.
• Runes Warhammer — Adamantine weapon used for combat, lightning attacks, and runesmithing; enlarges alongside him during his final battle 111 124 214.
• Detect Poison ring — Worn on his right hand; checks Renato’s offered liquor before Balin drinks it 112.
• Bag of Holding — Stores provisions, climbing equipment, weapons, and the Mind Ripper 111 159 184 188.
• Maps and climbing gear — Multiple parchment maps, a harness, and safety rope 152 184.
• Steel crossbow — Uses an enormous, near-siege-sized crossbow capable of firing a shortened steel javelin as a bolt 190.
• Black Arrow — A massive mournsteel crossbow bolt, initially mistaken for a javelin, which Balin spent decades crafting for his revenge 189.
• Mind Ripper — A torch-shaped duergar artifact carried during the campaign against the Elder Brain 152 159 211.

Relationships

• Renato de Fernando — Rescued companion, trusted friend, and recipient of Balin’s equipment and combat instruction. Renato persuades him to prioritize stopping the Elder Brain and promises to help kill Gattholex if it escapes 112 125 195.
• Luca — Former Centurion who protected Balin from Gattholex. His sacrifice drives Balin’s guilt; he later appears during Balin’s final reckoning and acknowledges his completed revenge 213.
• Madra Deepforge — Son of Balin’s former benefactor. Balin saves him from Rolling Stone City but repeatedly clashes with his arrogance and defensive strategy. Madra privately asks Renato not to let Balin die before fulfilling his oath 126 138 179.
• Tristana Nightbrize — Reluctant ally and frequent verbal antagonist. She heals his head wound despite their mutual hostility and later recognizes him as a true warrior 147 153 216.
• Klauthsura — Mind flayer ally whom Balin deeply distrusts. He eventually accepts a coordinated battle plan while retaining reservations 176 182 196.
• Gattholex — Deep Dragon responsible for the slaughter of Balin’s comrades and the target of his decades-long revenge oath 180 195 213.
• Moradin — Patron deity to whom Balin swears his oath and sings while forging. Balin ultimately leaves for the god’s divine realm 125 180 215.
• Family — Loved ones who opposed his departure into the Underdark. Balin leaves them his wealth and workshop and later speaks of reuniting with his family in Moradin’s realm 213 215.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Renato’s Underdark Guide

• Leads Renato through a cramped escape tunnel during their first meeting and becomes his earliest trusted companion underground 109 195.
• Explains how earthquakes and a fallen mind flayer lair devastated Rolling Stone City and blocked routes toward the surface 112.
• Guides him to New Rolling Stone City and continues exploring with him despite the duergar’s belief that Balin is cursed and his companions always die 114 118.

Mind Ripper Expedition

• Helps infiltrate Deepforge Fortress, directing Renato and Flori against its guards 140.
• Survives a collapse beneath District 1 and accepts temporary cooperation with Tristana to escape 147.
• Returns carrying the Mind Ripper, overcoming accusations of mind control by showing the artifact to Madra 159.

Elder Brain Campaign

• Joins the plan to destroy three psionic nodes, free the thralls, and turn them against the Elder Brain 188.
• Nearly abandons the operation to pursue Gattholex, but stays after Renato appeals to his duty toward the surface and his faith in Moradin 195.
• Uses the Mind Ripper against the Brain Pool, then receives divine empowerment after choosing protection over departure 211 213.
• Kills the Elder Brain Dragon and protects Renato 214 216.

Departure and Legacy

• Repairs Renato’s damaged armor, warns him that reaching the surface will be difficult, and vanishes into golden motes 215.
• His final reforging leaves Mountain’s Embrace infused with Moradin’s divine power, later revealed as transformed black armor bearing golden runes 430.

Notable Quotes

“Trust your armor! Just as you trust the sword in your hand!” 125

“Forging is about compatibility, not price.” 127

“This time, I don't want to wait until my comrades have died before seeking revenge.” 213

“I want to stop a tragedy before I have to swear an oath.” 213