Haalen Hidebinder arrived in Neverwinter with nothing but a pack full of half-finished leatherwork, a flirtatious grin, and at least three different people insisting he owed them money, favors, or children. No two of them told the same story, which Haalen considers proof of his wide social reach. Born somewhere between the High Forest and 'none of your business,' Haalen spent most of his youth wandering through druid circles, ranger camps, and the occasional very enthusiastic festival. He learned the art of leathercraft by trading stories, kisses, and the occasional honest labor to those willing to teach him. The result is a technique unlike anything taught in formal guilds—flexible as living bark, strong as boiled plate, and infused with the faint scent of wild grass after rain. After the Mount Hotenow eruption and the chaos that followed, Haalen drifted toward Neverwinter, drawn by rumors of resurgent trade and an alarming number of single adventurers passing through the city gates. He set down roots—metaphorically—by converting a half-collapsed tannery in Tanner’s Lane into Hidebinder’s Craft. The building still groans during windstorms, though Haalen insists it’s just 'the shop stretching properly.' Inside, the workshop is lined with hides sourced from mundane beasts and stranger creatures: shadow-stalkers, ember wolves, driftwood serpents, and one extremely offended owlbear that Haalen maintains attacked him first. Every suit of armor he crafts bears a signature pattern—curving lines reminiscent of old druidic glyphs—that subtly shifts its flexibility with the wearer’s movements. Haalen keeps a wall of thank-you notes from former patrons, ranging from heartfelt gratitude to poetic compliments to poorly spelled invitations that suggest more than professional appreciation. When asked about his reputation, he shrugs and says, 'I get around. It’s good for business. And cardio.' Despite the flirtatious exterior, Haalen guards his deeper past as carefully as he works his hides. Some say he left a druid circle under awkward circumstances. Others whisper he’s on the run from a very determined elven noble. Whatever the truth, Neverwinter has embraced him as one of its own—a craftsman whose work is as dependable as his smile is dangerous. Whether outfitting adventurers for glory or patching gear battered in the Tower District, Haalen charges fairly, works quickly, and offers flirtation entirely free of cost. The extra fee only applies if you want him to stop.