Professor Hardy / "The Smart Man"



First heard of during The Big Fish quest, where a giant steampunk submarine filled with goblins was discovered and explored in the lake below town. The players found a note from the mysterious Professor telling the cyborg goblin mechanic, Grease-Nut, to destroy all evidence if discovered. The Big Fish submarine was destroyed in the quest and sunk to the bottom of the lake. The party saved most of the goblin crew, including hobgoblin Captain Cragnugget. The crew only knew the professor as "The Smart Man" and said he gave them the submarine and Grease-Nut. Telling them to do what they wish with it for his research.

In other quests, similar steampunk technology appeared within the orc camps in the form of a flame turret.

Any investigations on the technology shows no trace of magic, instead made purely from mechanical parts, clockwork and steam power.

In the Animal House quest, a group of familiars went to save the kidnapped Mucktooth. They found an underground base filled with similar technology and tests. Cyborg rats, a goblin and a kobold were seen around, seeming to be the start of bigger plans. "The Smart Man" was seen in the base getting ready to do experiments on Mucktooth. The animals saved him and got out as the base exploded from a stick of dynamite thrown by the professor. "The Smart Man" was caught in the explosion. In the Insubordination, Too Many Tentacles quest. Two Orcs were manning a similar looking turret. In the We're from the Union quest, a party found a self automated robot factory in the middle of the southern swamplands after defeating a giant spider tank controlled by goblins. Within the factory they discovered the inventors true identity to be Professor Hardy. Deeper in the factory they destroyed an AI clockwork brain controlling the facility and rescued Hardy's warforged butler, Cogbottom, as the place exploded.

In the Mechat Arete quest, Prof Hardy invited a group of adventurers onto his giant walking spider base in the desert to explain his work. This was an obvious trap and he had already decided he will try kill the party. After a long battle against clockwork mechs, Prof Hardy was shot through the chest by Bel and died. All his work was destroyed with his base. However, the party did manage to save one goblin mechanic named Groth, who now lives with Rolig.