Information
Location Tier Premier Armory, Shield-Smithy & Protective Combat Depot Location South-western corner of Delver’s Square, Midtown, Ptolus (Across from Rastor’s Weapons) Proprietors Hirus Feek & Sholum Feek (Brother Master Armorsmiths & Battered Veterans) Store Clerk Iltumar Shon (Overeager young human apprentice, front-counter salesman & aspiring delver) Trade Alliance The Iron Alliance (Exclusive mutual-referral and salvage-liquidation pact with Rastor’s Weapons) Specialties Custom Armor Tailoring, Cold-Iron Plate Refitting, Heavy Tower Shields, Salaged Gear Reforging
🛡️ Overview: The Iron Bastion of Delver’s Square
The Bull and Bear is the designated protective outfitter, shield-smithy, and heavy armor depot of Delver’s Square. Occupying a prominent, soot-stained granite blockhouse on the southern edge of the plaza, the building vibrates day and night with the rhythmic ringing of hammers against anvils and the hiss of red-hot steel plunging into brine vats.
Inside, the shop is a functional, no-frills fortress of defense. The walls are lined with everything from supple leather buff coats and reinforced chainmail hauberks to gleaming suits of articulated half-plate, full field plate, and heavy pavise tower shields.
The armory is owned and operated by two veteran dwarven-trained human brothers, Hirus Feek and Sholum Feek. While they leave esoteric enchantments to the mages, the Feek brothers are master craftsmen of mundane protective engineering. They know firsthand that a poorly fitted breastplate will chafe until a warrior cannot swing their sword, and an unpadded helm will turn a bludgeoning blow into a cracked skull.
Assisting them at the front counter is Iltumar Shon, an earnest, star-struck young human youth who dreams of becoming a legendary dungeon explorer. Iltumar greets every customer, handles trade-ins of dented dungeon salvage, and hangs on every word of adventuring gossip brought back through the Delver’s Stair.
⚔️ The Iron Alliance Partnership
The Bull and Bear’s close trade compact with Rastor’s Weapons across the square is what keeps both independent shops competitive against the massive, smoke-choked industrial foundries of the Guildsman District:
- The Steel Reciprocity: The Feek brothers strictly refuse to sell weapons, honoring their pact with Rastor. When an adventurer asks for a shield-spike, a throwing axe, or a dagger, Hirus directs them across the cobblestones with an iron voucher granting priority service.
- The Custom Fitting Integration: When an adventurer purchases a suit of heavy armor from The Bull and Bear, Cornellius Rastor will personally cross the square to assess the buyer’s weapon balance, grip style, and reach. The Feek brothers then tailor the gauntlets, elbow cops, and pauldrons specifically to accommodate the wearer’s favored weapon traits (such as reducing the Bulk penalty for switching between two-handed and one-handed grips).
- The Salvage Pipeline: When an adventuring party returns with a mixed haul of battlefield loot, Rastor buys the weapons while the Feek brothers purchase the dented armor, melting down ruined scrap to forge new shields and refitting salvaged breastplates for resale.
🛒 Pathfinder 2e Remaster Services & Mechanics
The Bull and Bear stocks all standard armor and shields from the Player Core at book prices, alongside specialized armorsmith services:
- Custom Armor Tailoring (20 gp + base price): The Feek brothers spend 2 days measuring and articulating a suit of medium or heavy armor. The custom-tailored suit reduces the armor’s Check Penalty by 1 (minimum 0).
- Reinforced Shield Bossing (Item 1, Cost: 5 gp): Adds heavy tempered steel plates to any wooden or steel shield, increasing its Hardness by +1.
- Cold-Iron Inlay (Item 4, Cost: 40 gp): Reworks an existing suit of steel plate or chain with cold-iron rivets and gorgets, granting the wearer resistance 3 against physical attacks made by demons and fey.
🧭 Story Hooks for Adventurers
- Iltumar’s Temptation: Overeager to prove his courage, young Iltumar Shon has begun secretly meeting with a mysterious hooded figure in the Warrens who promises to teach him secret martial arts. In reality, the contact is an operative of the Cult of the Ebon Hand attempting to use Iltumar to spy on Delver’s Square.
- The Cursed Breastplate: A delver sells the Feek brothers a battered suit of ornate dwarven plate recovered from Dwarvenhearth. When Sholum begins hammering out the dents, the armor begins bleeding black bile and whispering ancient curses. The brothers hire the party to identify and cleanse the haunt before it drives the armory mad.
- The Steel Embargo: Grand Inquisitor Frederick Vane orders a municipal freeze on all high-grade cold-iron and steel sales in Delver’s Square, attempting to stockpile protective plate for Order of the Dawn crusaders preparing to descend into the Banewarrens. The Feek brothers hire the party to smuggle a shipment of iron ore past the city watch.