Maks (he/him)
Kobold Artificer (15)
Current Level: 6
Current XP: 475/700
Current Inspiration: 1
PAST
Maks was born into a small clan of kobolds living deep in the mountains where he spent his early years scavenging for food and supplies in the dark, winding tunnels. As he grew older, Maks developed a fascination with the various gadgets and machines left behind by the dwarves who once inhabited the same caverns. He spent hours tinkering with broken pieces of machinery, studying their mechanisms and trying to repair them.
• The Clan Elder: Maks’ first significant influence was the wise and experienced elder of his kobold clan. The elder recognized Maks’ talent for crafting and encouraged him to continue exploring the world of machinery and invention. Under the elder’s guidance, Maks honed his skills and developed a deep respect for the ancient dwarven technology that surrounded them.
• The Human Artificer: One day, while scavenging in the tunnels, Maks stumbled upon a group of humans who had been exploring the same cave system. Among them was an artificer named Cal, who was fascinated by Maks’ ingenuity and offered to take him under his wing as an apprentice. Over the next few years, Maks learned a great deal from Cal, who introduced him to new tools and techniques that he had never encountered before. Maks also gained exposure to the larger world outside his kobold clan, and his curiosity and ambition grew as a result.
• The Gnome Tinkerer: Later in life, Maks encountered a gnomish tinkerer named Gizmo, who had a reputation for creating some of the most intricate and innovative devices in the region. Despite their differences in culture, Maks and Gizmo hit it off immediately, bonding over their shared love of machines and the ingenuity required to create them. Gizmo taught Maks some of his more advanced techniques, and Maks helped him refine and improve some of his designs. The two became close friends and collaborators, sharing their knowledge and experience with one another.
With the guidance of these three significant individuals, Maks grew into a skilled and imaginative artificer. Of note, Maks has an unusual admiration of gnomes (for a kobold). He is still wary of dwarves and humans because they have often slaughtered large numbers of his clan, but he is much more trusting of inventors and mechanics from the overworld races because of their shared interest in inventing.
PRESENT
As Maks continued to explore the world outside his kobold clan, he became particularly fascinated by the exotic creatures that roamed the jungles of Chult, including the mighty dinosaurs. He was amazed by their massive size and fierce strength, and he began studying their anatomy and behavior in his spare time.
Maks also continued to develop his skills as an artificer, experimenting with new materials and techniques to create ever more complex and sophisticated machines. When he learned about the Steel Defender spell, which allows an artificer to create a loyal mechanical companion, Maks knew immediately what he wanted to build.
Inspired by the triceratops he had seen in the jungles of Chult, Maks crafted his Steel Defender, which he named Slag, to look like a robotic triceratops.
Maks is not very physically imposing. At 2’4” and less than 40lbs, his opponents often underestimate him and fail to realize that he is an expert in the use of firearms and can handle his own in a melee as well with his magically infused light hammer.
Maks typically wears protective goggles (of his own design) to shield his eyes from the harsh sunlight that he is subjected to when above ground. He wears a duster which conceals both his homemade hand-cannon and his mithril half-plate armor.
FUTURE
Maks hopes to one day open a workshop/consortium that will be known across Faerûn as open to any race. Mechanics and inventors will be able to share knowledge and design new, wondrous creations together. For now, he needs to acquire the wealth and renown to accomplish this.