Groth-Ka, a Orc Artificer — D&D 5e NPC portrait
#0080

Groth-Ka

"The Master of Sublimated Peace"

Orc Artificer (Alchemist) CG Lvl 12 Guild Artisan

Male (He/Him) · Adult, 34 years

Ability Scores

STR
18
+4
DEX
12
+1
CON
16
+3
INT
20
+5
WIS
10
+0
CHA
12
+1

Combat

Armor Class
15
Breastplate under apron
Hit Points
99
Hit Dice: 12d8
Initiative
+1
Speed
30 ft.
Proficiency
+4
Passive Perception
14

Attacks

Alchemical Ladle (Mace)+81d6+4 bludgeoning
Acid Splash (Cantrip)+93d6 acid

Personality

Personality

Speaks in a soft, rumbling baritone; frequently apologizes for his size; handles glass with more care than most people handle babies.

Ideal

Peace. There is no conflict so deep that the right combination of jasmine and sulfur cannot soothe it.

Bond

The 'Universal Fragrance.' I will find the missing note, even if I must boil the stars to find it.

Flaw

He is easily distracted by new scents, often losing his train of thought if a breeze carries the smell of roasting garlic or distant rain.

Backstory

Groth-Ka was once the heir to the Iron-Tooth warband, a creature bred for the cacophony of breaking bone. His awakening came not through philosophy, but through a shattered vial of lilac oil during a bloody raid on a perfumer's caravan. As the scent filled his lungs, the 'Red Haze'—the ancestral rage that had dictated his every breath—simply evaporated. For the first time, he saw the world not as a list of targets, but as a spectrum of sensory experiences. He fled that night, carrying only the merchant’s charred recipe book and a stolen copper still.

Since then, Groth-Ka has become an outcast among outcasts. He spent a decade in the slums of a human metropolis, trading his physical labor for the secrets of molecular chemistry. He has realized that violence is a biological failure, a chemical imbalance that can be 'corrected' through the olfactory system. His life’s work is the 'Universal Fragrance,' a theoretical compound that, when aerosolized, would induce a state of profound empathy in any sentient creature, effectively ending war forever.

He currently operates from a cramped, silk-draped stall in the city’s underbelly, his massive frame hunched over delicate glassware. He is perpetually covered in the soot of his burners and the glitter of reagent dust, a giant trying to solve the world's loudest problems with its softest whispers. He remains haunted by the knowledge that his old tribe still hunts him, viewing his pacifism as the ultimate blasphemy against their god.

Abilities & Actions

Aerosolized Serenity (3/Day)

As an action, Groth-Ka uncorks a specialized vial. Each creature within a 20-foot radius must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be affected by the Calm Emotions spell. If a creature fails, they also gain 2d10 temporary hit points as their muscles relax. This represents his ongoing research into the 'Universal Fragrance.'

The Scent-Sifter's Ladle

Groth-Ka uses a soot-covered iron ladle to fling alchemical concoctions. When he uses his Alchemist's Savant feature to cast a spell that deals acid, fire, necrotic, or poison damage, or restores hit points, he adds +5 to one roll of the spell. Additionally, he can use the ladle to deliver a touch spell at a range of 10 feet.

Olfactory Recognition

Groth-Ka has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) and Intelligence (Investigation) checks that rely on smell. He can accurately identify any chemical or herbal component within 30 feet, even if it is hidden in a mixture.

Experimental Elixir (Level 12)

At the end of a long rest, Groth-Ka creates three experimental elixirs. As an action, a creature can drink an elixir or administer it to an incapacitated creature. Effects include: Healing (2d8+5), Swiftness (+10ft speed), Resilience (+1 AC), Boldness (+1d4 to attacks/saves), Flight (10ft), or Transformation (Alter Self).

DM Notes

Groth-Ka should be played with an air of tragic gentleness. He is a man who knows he looks like a monster but wants only to be a scientist. Signature gesture: He often dabs a tiny drop of a new scent onto his thick, scarred wrist and closes his eyes, inhaling deeply while humming a low, vibrato note. Reaction pattern: If threatened, he first tries to 'de-escalate' with a cloud of lavender smoke before resorting to his massive strength. Sample Dialogue: 'Please, move the crystal... I am quite wide, and my apron tends to snag on things of beauty.'