• Species: ExoHuman
• Born: 2604, aboard the Last Frontier
• Affiliation (Beta Age): Proprietor, Saw’s End tavern; former foreman at Fogwood Sawmill
• Place of Residence: Morningstar

Orin Hale earned his nickname “Ironhand” after losing his left arm in a sawmill accident at Fogwood Sawmill]] in 2626. Rather than retire, he commissioned a custom tritanium prosthetic — an iron hand that granted him near-perfect grip and uncanny strength. As foreman, Orin was famed for felling record-sized hardwoods single-handedly; when the mill downsized after the Great War, he repurposed his leadership skills to found and run Saw’s End tavern in mid-2627.

His establishment became a haven for lumberjacks, workers of the Forge of Atrana, and mill hands — a place Orin protected as fiercely as he once protected his crews in the Atrana Mountains. A large tattoo covers his back: the silhouette of a towering tree encircled by the words “Roots Above All,” a personal motto reminding him of his humble beginnings among Morningstar’s forests.

• Job Title: Owner & Pit Boss, Saw’s End
• Responsibilities: Managing tavern operations, enforcing order among rough patrons, hosting frontier gatherings, accommodating traveling crews

Traits: Gruff but fair; fiercely loyal to his regulars; stoic under pressure

Behavior: Speaks little but listens closely; intervenes personally to defuse fights; offers work or shelter to those he deems worthy

Values: Community solidarity, hard work, respect for nature (symbolized by his tree tattoo)

Height: 1. ninety meters

Weight: 95 kg

Appearance: Broad-shouldered and muscular; missing left arm replaced by a polished tritanium prosthetic (“Ironhand”); weathered skin; steel-gray hair tied back; deep green eyes

Armor Class (AC): 14 (leather vest + sturdy forearm guard)

Hit Points (HP): 45

Axe Mastery: Melee Weapon Attack with Orin’s heavy timber axe or improvised club (his prosthetic)—+6 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target. Hit: 1d12 + 4 slashing damage.

Ironhand Strike: Unarmed strike using his prosthetic’s reinforced fist—+6 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target. Hit: 1d6 + 3 bludgeoning damage.

Groundbreaker: Once per short rest, Orin can smash the ground in front of him, forcing all creatures in a 5-ft cone to succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone and take 1d8 bludgeoning damage.

Lumberjack’s Endurance: Advantage on Strength checks and saving throws to resist exhaustion or environmental hazards (cold, mist, rugged terrain).

Hearth Keeper: Allies within 10 ft gain advantage on saving throws against fear or intimidation while Orin is conscious.

Orin’s primary motivation is to maintain Saw’s End as a sanctuary for Morningstar’s laborers— a place where a hard day’s work is rewarded with camaraderie and safety. He privately harbors guilt over the accident that cost him his arm and sees his tavern as penance: a community lifeline. Long-term, he dreams of establishing a durable guild for ex-mill workers to secure fair treatment and apprenticeships for the next generation.

Orin serves as both ally and gatekeeper in Morningstar:

Social Anchor: PCs may earn his respect by proving their mettle or aiding Saw’s End—securing information, rescuing patrons, or supplying rare timber spirits.

Conflict Mediator: In bar brawls or political disputes, Orin steps in with commanding presence and combat prowess; PCs can fight alongside him or convince him to stand down.

Quest Giver: He might request help investigating threats to local mills or recovering stolen equipment from mountain bandits.

Use Orin to anchor the community’s pulse: when he’s threatened, Morningstar’s labor force rallies; when he speaks, folk listen.

Fogwood Sawmill

Saw’s End

Atrana Mountains

Great War

Twenty One (Card Game)

Role of the Contact Person