Barathrum the Old

Barathrum the Old is the founder, patriarch, and namesake of the Barathrumites. He resides in, in his personal study.

Character
Barathrum the Old is the leader of the Barathrumites, who derive their name from him. According to recounts by and Barathrum himself, Barathrum crossed the Homs Delta with his kin around one thousand years ago, when he was "but a cub". Presumably, together Barathrum and his kin established Grit Gate within some at the "heart" of Qud.

Barathrum is credited with inventing the and the astrolabe, and will always be loved by two random factions for doing so. However, he is hated by the Putus Templar for "serving as a counterexample to the tenets of their orthodoxy"; tells the player to beware the Templar, "...for while they despise all mutants, they harbor a special malice for Barathrum."

Argyve names Barathrum as "the eldest and wisest tinker alive". When asked about Barathrum, states: "Larger than life. Paternal. Concerned. The lenses of his eyes are focused on the far points of the world."

Location
Barathrum will not be present within the main atrium of Grit Gate, and instead can be found in his personal study, accessed by a set of within Otho's office. However, the player cannot descend the stairs unless they are in the possession of the, given to them by Otho after completing A Call to Arms.

Quests
Barathrum is the questgiver for two quests, Pax Klanq, I Presume? and Tomb of the Eaters. Pax Klanq, I Presume? can only be initiated after completing A Call to Arms, and Tomb of the Eaters can only be accepted after completing Pax Klanq, I Presume?.

In Pax Klanq, I Presume?, the player is tasked with delivering the to  in the heart of the.

In Tomb of the Eaters, the player is tasked with ascending the and crossing into Brightsheol, in order to disable the magnetic field protecting the Spindle.

Combat
Barathrum will begin neutral to the player, but will become hostile if they attack him or any Barathrumites in view of him. He can also become hostile if the player's reputation with the Barathrumites falls low enough, or if the player is seen stealing their belongings or damaging their property.

Equipment
Barathrum does not spawn with any weaponry, and will simply attack with his. The only armor he will spawn with will be a pair of, slotted with a at 100% charge.

Mutations
Being an urshiib, Barathrum possesses the Quills mutation at mutation level 6 and the Triple-jointed mutation at level 3. Quills provides Barathrum with damage reflection, immunity to the quills of other creatures, and the "Quill Fling" activated ability, which allows Barathrum to fire a portion of his quills to deal damage to adjacent creatures. He will also possess, natural equipment worn on his body that can't be removed, providing him with an additional 4 AV. Triple-jointed will grant Barathrum an additional 3 Agility.

Self Preservation
If Barathrum's hitpoints fall below 80% of his maximum, he will cease combat and will begin to actively flee from threats.

Properties
Barathrum will always be admired by two random factions, with special reasons being listed for both. One faction will admire him for "inventing the Barathrum clock", and one will admire him for "inventing the astrolabe". Additionally, the Putus Templar will always hate Barathrum for "serving as a counterexample to the tenets of their orthodoxy".

Barathrum will not randomly wander around his study, but he will move to the in his study to sleep at night. Afterwards, he will return to his usual spot in the study.

Water Ritual
If the player performs the water ritual with Barathrum and has sufficient reputation with the Barathrumites, he can teach them the Tinkering skill. He can also teach the player how to craft three random items and the recipe for The Porridge, and can trade secrets with the player. However, he cannot be recruited as a companion in this way.