POPPINFUSE Tinkerspark
GnomesApprentice Gadgeteer
"The best inventions come from need, not money. Rich folks make things fancier. Poor folks make things that matter.""
Identity
- Residence
- Tinkers Alley, Lower Gearhaven
- Civilization
- Gnomes
Appearance
• Physical: Poppinfuse is small even for a gnome child, with enormous hazel eyes that seem to absorb every detail of their surroundings. Their curly copper hair is perpetually tangled with bits of wire and small gears. They have an unsettling habit of appearing silently in rooms, having developed stealth techniques to observe mechanics at work. • Clothing: Oversized hand-me-down overalls held up with modified suspenders that double as tool belts, fingerless gloves reinforced with leather patches, and a cap with built-in magnification lenses they "borrowed" from a master inventor. • Distinguishing Marks: A constellation of small burn scars on their forearms (badges of experimentation), permanently ink-stained fingertips from sketching designs, and a necklace made of salvaged clockwork components.
Relationships
- Family - Orphaned; considers the street children their true family, especially their best friend Coglet who dreams of becoming a merchant
- Allies - Fizzlespark (reluctant mentor), the Street Tinkers' Collective (fellow orphan inventors), a sympathetic human baker who trades food for repaired kitchen gadgets
- Rivals - The Workshop Guards who constantly chase them away from "valuable" scrap; older apprentices who resent their talent
Personality
- Traits: Insatiably curious, surprisingly mature for their age, fiercely loyal to fellow street kids, terrified of authority figures
- Mannerisms: Speaks in rapid questions when excited, hoards interesting objects in hidden caches, sleeps with a wrench under their pillow
- Voice: High-pitched but articulate, with vocabulary beyond their years from reading discarded technical manuals
Backstory
Poppinfuse was orphaned young and survived on the streets of Lower Gearhaven by fixing small devices for food. Their natural talent caught the attention of Master Inventor Fizzlespark, who took them on as an unofficial apprentice. Despite having no formal education, they've reverse-engineered complex devices and developed several original gadgets, including a lockpick that opens three different security mechanisms.
Daily Life
Mornings are spent scavenging the workshop district for discarded components. Afternoons bring formal apprenticeship duties (and informal spying on other inventors). Evenings are dedicated to personal projects in a hidden workshop beneath an abandoned warehouse, shared with other street children who've formed a loose guild of young tinkerers.
Secret
Poppinfuse discovered a hidden message in an "abandoned" device they scavenged—coordinates to a pre-Cataclysm gnomish vault containing lost technology. They're slowly gathering resources and allies to investigate, terrified that adults will steal their discovery.
Story Hooks
- 1 Poppinfuse needs protection while investigating the pre-Cataclysm vault, offering their unique street knowledge and gadget-making skills in exchange.
- 2 Someone has learned about their discovery and is hunting street children to find the vault first; Poppinfuse desperately needs help protecting their friends.
Narrative Value
Unlikely ally with unique perspective. Provides access to criminal underworld, street-level information, and surprisingly sophisticated gadgets. Their youth offers opportunities for mentorship storylines. ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════