Dockmaster Harvin Quickhitch
“The Pragmatic Bureaucrat”
“Rules exist. I enforce them. Mostly. When convenient. For appropriate consideration.”
Quick Reference
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Age | 47 |
| Role | Dockmaster, Skyport Eos (controls all arrivals/departures) |
| Personality | Efficient, pragmatic, corrupt but professional |
| Method | Enforces rules except when bribed (reasonable rates) |
Dockmaster Harvin Quickhitch - The Pragmatic Bureaucrat
Overview
Dockmaster Harvin Quickhitch controls access to Skyport Eos’s docks—every arriving ship, every departure, every cargo inspection passes through him. This makes him both essential (settlement functions because he’s competent) and problematic (he takes bribes routinely).
Harvin’s corruption is professional: he has rates, keeps his word, and doesn’t endanger the settlement. Smuggling? Sure, if you pay and it’s not Rot-related. Skip inspection? Absolutely, for appropriate fee. Expedite departure? Premium price. But he won’t allow Rot-Shards, weapons for revolutionaries, or anything that threatens Eos’s stability. He’s corrupt, not suicidal.
This makes him useful to almost everyone: legitimate traders (efficient service, for price), smugglers (reliable access), authorities (competent management), and even Elder Mira (who suspects but tolerates because he’s effective). Harvin represents practical governance: imperfect but functional, corrupt but not chaotic.
Appearance
Height: Short, compact
Build: Lean (active job)
Hair: Graying, practical
Face: Sharp features, calculating eyes
Voice: Crisp, official
Clothing: - Dockmaster uniform (always) - Official insignia - Practical boots - Clipboard (constant)
Background
Origin: Skyport Eos (born there)
Career: Always docks - Started as dock worker (age 14) - Worked up (competent) - Appointed Dockmaster (age 35, 12 years ago)
Early Years: Actually honest (idealistic)
Change (5 years in): - Realized system underpays him - Massive responsibility, modest salary - Started accepting “considerations” - Justified it (still doing job well)
Current: Established rates, professional corruption
Operations
Official Duties
- Ship arrival/departure authorization
- Cargo inspection (theoretically thorough)
- Fee collection
- Record keeping (accurate—useful for him)
- Safety enforcement
- Berth assignment
Unofficial Services
Expedite Processing: Skip line (standard fee)
Reduced Inspection: Light cargo check (higher fee)
No Inspection: For trusted clients (premium)
After-Hours Service: Depart/arrive outside normal hours (surcharge)
Record Alteration: Adjust manifests (rare, expensive)
Information: Who’s arriving/leaving (valuable)
Hard Limits
Will NOT Allow: - Rot-Shards (too dangerous) - Infected persons (outbreak risk) - Military threats (weapons for coup) - Blatant illegal activity (when officials watching)
Philosophy: “I bend rules, not break them. There’s difference.”
Pricing
Scale: Ability to pay (richer pay more)
Consistency: Same service, same price (reliable)
Payment: Coin primarily, favors occasionally
Collection: Always before service (learned that lesson)
Relationships
Elder Mira: - She suspects (correct) - Tolerates (he’s effective) - Occasionally grateful (efficiency) - Would prosecute if blatant
Merchant Vex: - Regular client (mutually beneficial) - Information exchange - Professional respect
Smugglers: - Major revenue source - Reliable business relationship - Risk calculated carefully
Captain Jorah: - Jorah refuses to bribe (principle) - Harvin respects that (weird) - Processes him efficiently anyway (reputation)
Honest Dock Workers: - Resent his corruption (silently) - Can’t report (he’s boss) - Some participate (corrupted by him)
Secrets
The Ledger: - Records all bribes (names, amounts, services) - Hidden secure location - Insurance (if authorities come for him, others go down) - Blackmail potential (leverage)
The Savings: - Substantial wealth accumulated (decades) - Hidden (multiple caches) - Planning early retirement (Drifting Sanctuary?)
The Guilt: - Sometimes questions choices (rare) - Justifies easily (underpaid, everyone benefits) - But occasionally troubled (what’s he become?)
The Refusal: - Once refused massive bribe (Rot-Shard smuggling) - Reported it (anonymously) - Line exists (rare, but real)
Quest Hooks
- The Bribe: Need ship processed (negotiate with Harvin)
- The Smuggling: Move illegal cargo through docks
- The Investigation: Authorities examining corruption
- The Ledger: Discover his records (use? Destroy? Leverage?)
- The Line: Harvin refuses job (too dangerous, what is it?)
- The Betrayal: Someone outbid party (Harvin chose them)
- The Favor: Harvin needs help (blackmail situation?)
Related Topics
“I manage docks efficiently. If efficiency includes flexibility about regulations, well, that’s just good governance. Compensated appropriately, of course.”
“I have standards. Low standards, admittedly. But they exist.”