Copperpot the Smith

“The Tinker Inventor”

“Official blacksmiths make swords. I make things that actually help people: better cookpots, water purifiers, heating systems. Which is more valuable?”

Quick Reference

Copperpot the Smith - The Tinker Inventor

Overview

Copperpot (real name: Thomas Copperfield, nobody uses it) is The Crossroads’ resident tinker—creating practical innovations for common folk. While master smiths like Garrick Stonehand forge weapons, Copperpot makes things people actually need daily: efficient stoves, water purification systems, improved farming tools, better lanterns.

His inventions are clever, affordable, and often distributed at minimal profit because Copperpot cares more about helping than earning. This makes him beloved by common people and frustrated by merchants who think he undervalues his work. Copperpot doesn’t care—he measures success by lives improved, not coins earned.

Cheerful, scattered, and brilliant in impractical ways, Copperpot represents technology’s democratic potential: innovation serving everyone, not just elites.

Appearance

Height: Short, round
Build: Pot-bellied (hence nickname)
Hair: Balding, fringe of red
Face: Cheerful, soot-stained
Hands: Calloused, burned, skillful

Clothing: Leather apron, practical clothes (always dirty), tool belt (organized chaos)

Background

Origin: Skyport Eos (craftsman family)

Training: - Apprenticed to blacksmith - Showed aptitude for invention (not traditional smithing) - Master encouraged innovation

Career Path: - Tried traditional smithing (bored) - Began inventing (passionate) - Moved to Crossroads (central location, diverse customers) - Established workshop (15 years ago)

Philosophy Development: - Noticed wealthy could afford anything - Poor couldn’t afford necessities - Decided: Invent for poor, price affordably - “Profit’s fine. Helping’s better.”

Inventions

Notable Creations

Copperpot Stove: - Burns 30% less fuel - Heats faster, safer - Affordable (widespread adoption) - Saving lives (fuel scarcity real problem)

Water Purifier: - Simple filter system - Removes impurities - Cheap to build - Distributes instructions (free—wants everyone making them)

Collapsible Lantern: - Portable, efficient - Burns slow, bright - Popular with travelers

Improved Farming Tools: - Ergonomic redesigns - Reduce labor, increase yield - Farmers love him

Wind-Up Toys (side project): - Makes for children (free distribution) - Just because he likes seeing kids happy

Method

Approach: - Identify common problem - Design simple solution - Test thoroughly (safety paramount) - Produce cheaply - Distribute widely

Philosophy: “Complexity is enemy. Simple works. Simple lasts. Simple fixes.”

Workshop

Location: The Crossroads marketplace

Size: Small (crowded with projects)

Condition: Organized chaos - Copperpot knows where everything is - No one else does - Works for him

Staff: Just Copperpot (considered apprentice, hasn’t found right person)

Business Model

Pricing: Cost + minimal markup - “Need to eat, not get rich” - Wealthy pay more (can afford) - Poor pay less (sliding scale) - Sometimes free (if necessary)

Income: Sufficient - Survives comfortably - No savings (spends on materials) - Zero interest in wealth

Merchants’ Opinion: “He’s terrible businessman, but good man. Frustrating.”

Relationships

The Crossroads Community: - Beloved (helps everyone) - Respected (skilled) - Worried about (doesn’t charge enough)

Wealthy Clients: - Some commission custom work (pays workshop costs) - Appreciate craftsmanship - Subsidize his charity work (indirectly)

Poor Clients: - Benefit most (affordable innovations) - Grateful (loyal customers) - Protect him (community guards what’s valuable)

Other Craftsmen: - Mixed feelings (admire generosity, question business sense) - Some collaborate (share techniques) - No competition (different markets)

Current Projects

Working On: - Heating system (for cold-climate settlements) - Food preservation device (extend shelf life) - Emergency beacon (for ships in distress) - Educational toys (teach while entertaining)

Dream Project: - Aether-current predictor (safety for pilots) - Beyond his skill alone (needs collaborators) - Seeking funding/partners

Philosophy

On Technology: “It should serve everyone. Rich can always afford things. I make things poor can afford. That matters more.”

On Business: “Merchants say I undercharge. Maybe. But I sleep well. Can they say same?”

On Innovation: “Fancy weapons get fame. Better cookpots save families. I know which I’d rather make.”

On Legacy: “When I die, I want people saying ‘His stove heats my home.’ That’s immortality enough.”

Secrets

The Debt: - Owes merchants money (material costs) - Can’t pay (gives things away) - Merchants tolerate (like him, community pressure) - Unsustainable long-term

The Patent: - Could patent inventions (legal monopoly) - Refuses (limits access) - Distributes designs freely - Loses potential fortune (doesn’t care)

The Health: - Workshop exposure (fumes, heat) - Lung problems developing - Ignores it (work more important) - Will catch up eventually

Quest Hooks

1. The Commission: Need custom device (Copperpot can build)
2. The Debt: Help him resolve merchant debts
3. The Collaboration: Assist with dream project
4. The Protection: Creditors threatening (defend him?)
5. The Patent: Convince him to protect inventions (or support his generosity?)
6. The Theft: Someone stealing his designs (commercially exploiting)
7. The Apprentice: Find suitable person to learn from him
8. The Crisis: His invention could solve major problem (scale up production)

Related Topics

• The Crossroads
• Blacksmith Garrick Stonehand (contrast)
• Technology

“Rich people’s problems get fancy solutions. Poor people’s problems get ignored. I’m fixing the latter. Let someone else handle the former.”

“You want masterwork sword? Wrong smith. You want stove that keeps family warm all winter on half the fuel? Right smith.”