Darkonian Kargatane Record
- Known Name: Mirela Ironfoot
- Race: Dwarf
- Apparent Age: Mid 160s (human equivalent mid-40s)
- Birthday: 7 November 588 BC
- Height: 4'0"
- Alignment: Lawful Neutral.
- Affiliations: Ironfoot Clan, Leiksburg mines.
- Religion: The Silent Keeper.
- Character Class: Wizard (Transmuter).
- Place of Origin: Mr Ghakis, Barovia.
- Player/Type: NPC
Appearance
Mirela Ironfoot is a striking figure, not just because of her physical appearance but due to the aura of quiet strength and resilience that surrounds her. She has long, light brown hair typically tied in a neat braid, complementing her pale, almost alabaster skin. Her hazel eyes, always keen and observant, reflect the wisdom she has accumulated over her many years. Though she bears the short, stocky build typical of dwarves, her legs have grown thin, resembling those of humans, a testament to the muscle atrophy resulting from her years as a paraplegic confined to a wheelchair. Despite this, her presence is anything but diminished; she exudes an air of authority and determination that commands respect.
Mirela is dressed in practical, yet finely crafted dwarven clothing—a dark crimson tunic that hints at her arcane capabilities while serving the practicality of a working woman. The tunic is adorned with subtle arcane embroidery, indicating her calling without being ostentatious.
She is normally observed seated in a sturdy, intricately designed wheelchair that stands as a testament to her resourcefulness and expertise in magic. The wheelchair, crafted from darkwood and reinforced with metal and mechanical components, is inscribed with dwarven runes that suggest its arcane nature. The wheels of the chair, engraved with magical symbols, glow with a soft, mystical light when activated, hinting at their enchantments and the power she wields. A spellbook rests on her lap, and she holds a magic quill, ever ready to jot down new spells, notes, or cast a spell at a moment’s notice.
Background
Mirela Ironfoot was born on November 7, 588 BC (Barovian Calendar), into the Ironfoot clan. Her parents were Darkonese dwarves who migrated south and settled in the Balinok Mountains of Barovia a few years before she was born. Raised amidst the rugged beauty of the mountains, Mirela grew up in a clan deeply rooted in mining and craftsmanship.
Mirela's early life was marked by her industrious nature and love for her family. Although her father was a cleric of The Silent Keeper, she did not follow the family calling into divine service and instead married Thrain Ironfoot, a strong and kind-hearted dwarf who encouraged her passion for invention and jewelry. Thrain made her his partner in both marriage and his mining business, with Mirela quickly becoming the brains of the operation - managing the financial aspects, and using her engineering and blacksmithing skills to find inventive ways to improve their mining productivity. Mirela dived into having a family with the same zeal and ambition as any endeavour, and together, they had seven children: Gorrin, Varek, Garlin, Beldin, Toren, Eldrin, and Orin. Their life was filled with the joys and challenges of raising an unusually large family and contributing to the prosperity of their clan through their mining efforts.
The defining moment of Mirela's life came during a fateful mining expedition. A group of ravenous vampires attacked her family's mines, and the situation quickly became dire. Mirela devised a desperate plan to use explosives to trap the vampires in a rockfall. Thrain and a few brave dwarves held the vampires at bay, giving Mirela time to set up the explosives. The vampires realized the plan earlier than expected, and Thrain and his comrades fought valiantly to keep them trapped.
In a desperate bid to save her husband, Mirela stayed too close to the blast zone. The explosives detonated, successfully collapsing the mine and burying the vampires. However, the explosion also caught Thrain and the dwarves holding the line, killing them. Mirela was buried under the rockfall, and although she survived, the lumbar region of her lower spine was severely damaged, fracturing several vertebrae and compressed nerves. Her children and the remaining miners dug her out, but by the time they could take her to more proficient healers, the damage had become irreversible, at least by the limited magic they had access to and, with Thruin dead and the family operation in shreds, no financial means to seek more powerful healers in other realms. This left Mirela functionally paraplegic. Whilst she retained most sensation and partial ability to move her toes and feet, she was unable to walk ever again.
Determined not to be a burden, Mirela constructed a sturdy wheelchair and refused to let her disability define her. She performed exercises to build her upper body strength and quickly adapted to using a wheelchair in the mountainous terrain. Seeking a way to continue contributing to her clan, she turned to the arcane arts. Under the guidance of an Ironfoot sage, she began studying Transmutation magic, mastering the art to empower herself and aid her community, and eventually enabling her to enchant her wheelchair, transforming it into a magical battle-chariot that provided both increased mobility and combat advantages. Though she kept its magical capabilities low-key, revealing them generally only to her family or trusted allies, her resilience and resourcefulness became an inspiration to those around her. She became the family matriarch and leads the family with determination that would make Thrain proud, although deep down she still loves and misses her husband every day, and cries in her loneliest moments when she thinks no-one is around.
Although she was respected by the Ironfoot clan, Mirela's embracing arcane magic did not settle comfortable with many, as dwarves traditionally distrust arcane magic - and so she took the decision to aid the clan by taking her children and moving to the lower areas of the Balinoks in order to establish trade links with Barovian villages. For years, they avoided Leiksburg because their sages' divination magic revealed something otherworldly, very powerful, and utterly evil resided there. However, a few months ago, this dark presence disappeared without a trace. Curiosity and bravery led Mirela to travel to Leiksburg and establish links with the village. This endeavor resulted in her and her family being put in charge of the Leiksburg mine. Using their experience and new miners brought in from outside as labor, they renewed operations and aimed to improve on previous efforts. In return, they were not only given fair salaries and authority over the mine but also provided with a family manor house in Leiksburg.
Personality
Mirela is a woman of indomitable will and sharp intellect, qualities that have seen her through both personal tragedy and the challenges of leading her family and managing the mines near Leiksburg. Despite her physical limitations, she has never allowed herself to be defined by them. Instead, she uses her vast knowledge of transmutation magic to overcome obstacles, both literal and figurative. She is deeply protective of her family, particularly her seven sons, whom she has raised with the same strength and determination that defines her.
Mirela is known for her no-nonsense attitude and her ability to remain calm under pressure. She possesses a keen mind for strategy and logistics, essential traits for someone managing a mining operation in the dangerous terrain of Barovia. While she can be stern, she is also fair and compassionate, especially to those who prove themselves worthy of her respect. Her injuries have not made her bitter but have instead fueled her desire to ensure that those around her, particularly the vulnerable, are protected and cared for.
Other Notes
The majority of the Ironfoot clan resides up in Mt Ghakis, where Mirela's father is a cleric of The Silent Keeper. Due to the small number of dwarves in Barovia, marriage tends to occur less quickly and aims for more children than would be common in Darkon or other major dwarven population centres. Nonetheless, it is still unusual that none of Mirela's eldest children are yet married. They willingly chose to follow their mother down the mountain into her self-imposed unofficial exile and become miners at a human village, and in doing so makes it difficult for them to establish themselves in the way dwarven culture would like for them to become respectable potential husbands. Mirela is often considered by outsiders to be a harsh and strict mother to her children, but the fact that her children have chosen to be with her rather than (at least for now) strike off to establish families of their own is testament to the love and respect they have for her. She has given them permission to leave whenever they wish to pursue familial goals if they desire - for she understands the love of her husband and her children was her entire world and she would not deny her children that pleasure - but none have any intent to at this moment. And that is something for which Mirela loves each and every one of them dearly.
Mirela's sons are:
- Gorrin Ironfoot: 117M (human equivalent: ~32) "Doc". The eldest child, bespectacled, and wise.
- Varek Ironfoot: 110M (human equivalent: ~30) "Grumpy". Always with a battleaxe.
- Garlin Ironfoot:103M (human equivalent: ~28) "Happy". Cheerful, plump, and always smiling.
- Beldin Ironfoot: 96M (human equivalent: ~26) "Sleepy". Looks like he’s just woken up and is still half-asleep.
- Toren Ironfoot: 89M (human equivalent: ~24) "Bashful". Shy and avoids eye contact.
- Eldrin Ironfoot: 82M (human equivalent: ~22) "Sneezy". Sturdy with a slightly reddened nose, carrying a pouch of herbs, and often seen rubbing his nose.
- Orin Ironfoot: 75M (human equivalent: ~20) "Dopey". Youngest, clean-shaven, silent, dumb, clumsy, but endearing.
Gorrin Ironfoot
Varek Ironfoot
Garlin Ironfoot
Beldin Ironfoot
Toren Ironfoot
Eldrin Ironfoot
Orin Ironfoot
Combat Style
Mirela is a wizard and, as such, is nowhere near as good at attacking in combat as a warrior of her experience. That said, she is experienced due to her long life, and the hardships of years of having to rely on her arms for lifting, pushing her wheelchair, and other things that legs would normally assist or do, has given her respectable upper body strength. This means that when she swings her ram hammer, it hurts. And when she lights it up with fire or electricity (or other element), that makes her quite deadly in close combat, especially against the undead. Aware that being in the wheelchair can make up-close melee more risky than for others, she generally prefers to attempt to keep a distance and either use her magical crossbow (see signature equipment) or magic throwing hammer to use ranged elemental attacks on targets whilst being a little more out of harm's way.
Because her wheelchair is magically controlled by her thoughts and instincts, the fact she is in a wheelchair has little practical impediment to her and she can move and dodge with ease - in fact, her wheelchairs' speed is faster than that of most humans, and almost every dwarf. Where she has more problems is in confined spaces, as she needs more space and time to accurately maneuver than an ambulatory person would instinctively do, and cannot squeeze through tiny spaces. If she is removed from her wheelchair, however, she is seriously impeded and needs to use her arms to be able to crawl around and do things, preventing her from dodging attacks and making her an easy target.
That said, whilst Mirela is respectable at standard combat, all things considered, it is easy to forget she is a powerful transmuter with many spells in her repertoire. Ever since the vampire attack that took the life of her husband and some clansmen, and the use of her legs, she has sworn to always be prepared just in case. So whilst the majority of her "standard" spells prepared are utility oriented, she always has some absolutely devastating spells ready for a rainy moment, and some nifty spells in scroll format - so even "unprepared" she is never defenceless and always has the ability to at least put up a strong defensive feat - and would then come back after she next prepares spells as a living magical apocalyptic weapon on wheels. If she knows she is going into combat, the sheer array of deadly spells at her disposal would give small armies pause as she has various spells that can not only obliterate most people in one hit, but spells capable of affecting multiple targets or wide areas at once. Mirela's strength is as mobile artillery and the ability to empower her allies using her magic, to empower them physically and/or their weapons and armour.
Having Mirela with you in a fight is not having a liability of a cripple in a wheelchair, but having a powerful mage that can take care of both herself and anything foolish enough to stand in her way.
Social Style
Mirela commands respect wherever she goes, not just because of her noble lineage but due to her actions and the way she carries herself. She is a woman of few words, preferring actions over grand speeches, which has earned her the loyalty and admiration of those who work for and with her.
To gain her favor, one must show competence, loyalty, and a willingness to work hard. Mirela values those who demonstrate these traits and is likely to offer her help and wisdom to them in return. However, she has little patience for those who whine, complain, or shirk their responsibilities. She is also fiercely protective of her family and will go to great lengths to ensure their safety and well-being, even at great personal cost.
Signature Equipment
Armour & Weapons
- Everquarrel: This +1 Energy Aura, Endless Ammunition Light Crossbow] spontaneously creates a bolt the moment it is nocked, and so the wielder never needs to load the weapon with ammunition, nor fear running out. If other ammunition is manually loaded, the created bolt immediately vanishes. When Mirela gives a command word, the weapon becomes sheathed with acid, ice, flame, or electricity and this energy is passed onto bolts fired, inflicting additional damage appropriate to the element chosen.
- Forced Repose: This [+1 Called, Energy Aura, Undead Bane Dwarven Ram Hammer has the ability to be sheathed in one form of energy on command like her crossbow. Additionally, its enchantment bonus to attack and damage is higher when used against undead creatures. Although the hammer is naturally designed for use as a throwing hammer, it is enchanted so that Mirela can summon it into her hand as a swift action, allowing her to easily recall it after throwing it, or simply having it appear in her hand when she needs to smack someone with it.
- Fate Blade: This +2 Mithral Dagger is often used by clerics of The Silent Keeper during ceremonies, and may have been a gift from her cleric father or perhaps created to honour her heritage. At will, the wielder can cast Disrupt Undead.
Magic Items As a powerful wizard capable of creating rings, weapons, and wondrous items, and long-lived, it is no surprise that she has built up an impressive collection of magical items, most of which she has created or enhanced herself.
- Wedding Ring of the Silent Keeper: A wedding ring gifted by Thrain to Mirela out of recognition for her faith in The Silent Keeper, this golden ring has a large green gemstone set into it. When worn, the gemstone changes form to resemble the Mirela's personal arcane mark, which is a variation of the Ironfoot clan logo. The ring acts as a Ring of Protection, providing a deflection bonus to her AC. In addition, the wearer may use arcane mark at will, but only on objects and willing creatures. Once per day, the wearer may use Detect Metal, which Mirela uses to try to locate the most valuable metals and ore veins to mine. In addition to its magical properties, Mirela has turned this ring into her Arcane Bond, tying the ring intimately to her wizarding abilities.
- Ring of Eloquence: Fine etchings spell out the alphabets of four languages around the inside of this finely crafted silver band. The wearer gains the ability to speak and understand the four languages whose alphabets are inscribed on the ring - Luktar, Forfarian, Thaani, and Vaasi. The wearer retains the ability to speak in these languages even if she assumes a form normally unable to do so (such as a polymorphed shape). The ring also makes it easier for the wearer to find the correct words to express herself, granting a competence bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, and Perform (oratory) checks. Also, if the wearer is deafened and attempts to cast a spell with a verbal component, the chance of spell failure is significantly reduced.
- Robe of Arcane Might: Mystical sigils line the hems of this scarlet robe. The robe of arcane might grants permanent Mirela magical protection equivalent to that of a Mage Armour spell. In addition, the robe is attuned to the Transmutation school of magic. When casting a spell from that school, Mirela gains a competence bonus to her caster level.
- Amulet of the Living: This simple black choker grants the wearer a resistance bonus against mind-affecting effects created by undead creatures. Three times per day, the wearer may activate the amulet to detect the auras of any undead creatures within a 30-foot radius. Doing so discloses the presence of any undead auras, the number of undead auras, and the direction of the nearest undead aura.
- All Tools Vest: This well-made leather vest bears numerous shiny metal buttons, which stud a number of bulging pockets. Once per day, as a standard action, the wearer can speak the vest’s command word and order it to bring forth all the standard tools required for any one Craft skill. These tools appear in the countless pockets of the vest or, if too heavy, on the floor, on a nearby shelf, on a workbench, or in a toolbox or cupboard that appears nearby. Once summoned, they remain for 24 hours or until another creature touches them, whichever comes first.
- Scholar's Pen: This ink pen produces its own ink and never needs to be refilled. The user or last person to touch the pen can speak a command word to cause it to begin taking dictation, recording all words audible from its square. The pen can write in all languages but does not translate or enable its user to read what it has written. If held in hand, the user can relax while the pen writes, seeming to be taking the dictation, but the pen ceases to move of its own accord if the user intentionally attempts to control its movements. The pen writes as quickly as the words are spoken, but if multiple creatures speak over each other, the pen transcribes only the words of the most charismatic speaker. A different command word causes the pen to cease writing. The pen transcribes for up to 1 hour per day in 10-minute increments.
- Self-Propelled Combat Wheelchair: This wheelchair has been built with hardened and durable materials to withstand the rigours of combat. The chair has been imbued with a low-level pulse of transmutation magic. This appears in the form of Dwarven runes engraved into the frame. An attuned user is now able to use telepathy to command the chair's movements and actions and it responds accordingly. This telepathy doesn't require concentration, relying instead on the user's fast-passing surface thoughts. The chair will only respond to the attuned user and no one else. The Combat Wheelchair has a rear backrest compartment that can is identical to a handy haversack, having three compartments that can together hold 120 lbs of storage and can be quickly and easily retried. The bag also has tassels that lead around into the seat pan so that the user can pull the bag up onto the seat to access their items. The wheelchair also has all-terrain tyres that are thicker, have more grip, disperse weight more evenly, and even crossed with snow chains that allow her to traverse easily over most terrains that would be far harder to do with normal wheelchair tyres. The wheelchair also has an enchantment that instantly activates a Feather Fall effect on Mirela and her wheelchair up to twice a day if she has a substantial fall.
Mundane Items
- Spellbooks: Due to the amount of spells she has amassed, Mirela has 4 spellbooks that have leather covers and parchment pages, which she keeps in a large slipcase. She usually keeps it in the handy compartment of her wheelchair unless preparing her spells. The books themselves are Arcane Locked so only Mirela can open them conventionally.
- Case (map/scrolls): Usually kept strapped to the side of her wheelchair is a case of the type typically used to hold maps or scrolls. She used this to keep hold of blueprint maps of the Leiksburg mine, and a scattering of magic scrolls for spells that Mirela does not want to have to prepare as they are not likely to be needed often, but want to be able to cast if those emergency moments occur suddenly.
Signature Quotes
- "Strength isn't just in the body—it's in the will to keep going, no matter what life throws at you."
- "Magic is as much about precision as it is about power. One wrong move, and you can bring down an entire mountain."
- "I've seen too many good men and women fall to pride. Remember, there's always something to learn, even from the lowliest miner."
- "The earth is stubborn, just like us Ironfoots. But with patience and the right tools, even the toughest rock will yield."
Gallery
Mirela current image
Mirela before her injury
Gorrin Ironfoot
Varek Ironfoot
Garlin Ironfoot
Beldin Ironfoot
Toren Ironfoot
Eldrin Ironfoot
Orin Ironfoot