RUSTLEGEAR SALVAGER
GnomesSalvage Engineer & Recycler
"Nothing's truly worthless—just misunderstood. That broken gear? Raw material. That rusted boiler? Recyclable metal. That discarded device? Somebody's future invention waiting for the right hands.""
Identity
- Residence
- The Scrap Yards, Outer Gearhaven
- Civilization
- Gnomes
Appearance
• Physical: Rustlegear has the weathered look of someone who works outdoors in harsh conditions. His dark hair is prematurely gray from stress, and his brown eyes have learned to spot value in what others discard. He's developed a wiry strength from hauling heavy scrap and has an uncanny ability to identify metals by touch. • Clothing: He wears patched leather armor reinforced with salvaged metal plates, heavy gloves with the fingers cut off for dexterity, and boots with steel toes from multiple repairs. His coat has dozens of pockets for salvaged components. • Distinguishing Marks: A scar across his face from a collapsing scrap pile, permanently grease-stained hands, and a necklace of useful gears he's personally recovered.
Relationships
- Family - A wife who handles the business side, three children being trained in the trade, parents who still don't understand his success
- Allies - The Reclaimers' Cooperative, inventors who appreciate his quality components, environmental advocates who value his waste reduction
- Rivals - Corporate waste disposal companies who see him as competition, scavengers who steal from his yards
Personality
- Traits: Resourceful and pragmatic, genuinely sees beauty in discarded things, frustrated by waste, surprisingly philosophical about consumption
- Mannerisms: Picks up and examines any metal object he encounters, speaks in terms of potential and reclamation, hoards interesting scraps
- Voice: Rough and direct, with occasional poetic turns when discussing his finds
Backstory
Rustlegear was born in poverty and learned early that one society's trash could be another's treasure. He's built a successful business reclaiming valuable materials from Gearhaven's industrial waste, developing techniques to recover and refine metals that others considered lost. He's become an expert in identifying the potential of discarded devices.
Daily Life
His days begin before dawn at the scrap yards, sorting through new deliveries and identifying valuable materials. Afternoons are spent processing recoveries—cleaning, testing, and preparing components for resale. Evenings bring bookkeeping and planning tomorrow's operations, often while repairing his own equipment with salvaged parts.
Secret
Rustlegear has discovered evidence in the scrap yards of systematic industrial sabotage—evidence that someone is deliberately destroying equipment to drive business to certain manufacturers. He's gathering proof but fears the conspiracy reaches powerful people.
Story Hooks
- 1 Rustlegear needs help investigating the sabotage he's discovered, offering his unique knowledge of industrial waste in exchange.
- 2 Someone has learned about his investigation and is trying to silence him; he needs help protecting himself while deciding how to proceed.
Narrative Value
Underdog success story and information source. Provides access to materials, industrial knowledge, and connections to lower-class networks. His discovery adds mystery and danger. ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════