WHISTLECOG AERONAUT
GnomesAirship Engineer
"The sky isn't just empty space—it's freedom, possibility, the future itself. Every airship that takes flight is a dream made real, a defiance of gravity, a promise that we can go anywhere, be anything.""
Identity
- Residence
- The Sky Docks, Gearhaven
- Civilization
- Gnomes
Appearance
• Clothing: She wears reinforced leather clothing designed for high-altitude work, heavy boots with steel toes and slip-resistant soles, and a vest with pockets for tools and emergency equipment. Her coat has special fastenings that won't catch on rigging. • Distinguishing Marks: A scar on her cheek from a rigging accident, permanently wind-burned skin, and a pendant containing a fragment of her first airship's envelope.
Relationships
- Family - A husband who is an airship captain (they met through work), children being trained in various aviation fields, parents who worry constantly about her "dangerous" career
- Allies - The Aeronauts' Guild, airship crews who trust her work, fellow engineers who share her passion
- Rivals - Competing airship manufacturers, those who prioritize cost over safety
Personality
- Traits: Fearlessly adventurous, genuinely passionate about flight, surprisingly cautious about safety, fiercely protective of her crews
- Mannerisms: Looks up constantly even when on the ground, speaks in terms of lift and drag, taps her fingers in patterns that match propeller rhythms
- Voice: Loud and commanding (necessary for shouting over wind), with occasional wistful tones when discussing the freedom of flight
Backstory
Whistlecog was one of the first gnomes to work on airship engineering when the technology was new and dangerous. She's helped develop many of the safety protocols and engineering standards that make modern airship travel possible. She's personally overseen the construction of dozens of airships and considers each one a child.
Daily Life
Her days are spent at the Sky Docks, overseeing airship construction and maintenance, consulting with captains and crews, and solving the inevitable problems that arise. She frequently makes test flights to verify her work. Her evenings are dedicated to design work and planning future projects.
Secret
Whistlecog has discovered a design flaw in a popular airship model that could cause catastrophic failure under certain conditions. She's been quietly working on a retrofit solution but knows that revealing the flaw would destroy the manufacturer and potentially ground hundreds of airships.
Story Hooks
- 1 Whistlecog needs help deploying a retrofit solution for the airship flaw without causing panic or destroying the manufacturer.
- 2 An airship has suffered a suspicious failure that matches the flaw she's discovered; she needs help investigating whether it was accident or sabotage.
Narrative Value
Pioneer of aviation and keeper of dangerous knowledge. Provides airship expertise, access to aviation networks, and raises questions about safety versus commerce. Her discovery adds urgency and moral complexity. ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════