Mellis Doorknapp

Mellis Doorknapp is the manufacturer and handler for Sparky

Young Mellis was raised by his elven mother Kailu, and human father Pober, in the town of Deadwater in Usloya. His father was an ornamental smith, specialising in ornamental things like statues and doorknockers (hence the surname).

He is an only child, raised without siblings due to their inability to care for anyone else. Water was too scarce to bring another life into the family. Because he had no other kids around him, he instead spent time alone, playing in his dad’s workshop tinkering with any scraps of metal he could find.

He was very inventive, constantly making things to entertain himself or to help make his parents’ lives easier. Creating tools for his father to use to automate his furnace, and utensils to help his mother around the house. But his biggest achievement was his water reclamation system, which left the family with double the usable water that they previously had. In turn, this meant the Doorknapps were the only family in town with a collection of flowers. Kailu prided herself on her beautiful arrangements.

One day a number of years ago Mugril Coinbasher was passing through the desert town. And he saw an arrangement of brightly coloured flowers, and he just needed to go and see what caused it. He struck up a conversation with Kailu and soon found out that young Mellis was responsible for the overabundance of water. He got to talking to Mellis to see what he was up to and offered to bring him under his wing. Looking around his dad’s workshop and seeing how limited his supplies were, he decided now was his chance to broaden his horizons, to learn new building techniques and really come into his own. He said goodbye to his parents and began working under Mugril in the Society of the Star.

All was well for the first while, he was learning new techniques, building new things, and in a sense, he encountered magic for the first time, Mugril showed him things beyond his wildest dreams. Then after a few years in the society, news of an attack on Deadwater reached Mellis. Desert rangers had ravaged the town and left his mother crippled and unable to move. Mellis went to Mugril and told him the news with tears in his eyes, he needed to go back to Deadwater to protect his family.

After some more training Mellis became the sheriff of the town, but never gave up his inventing. He eventually crafted himself a giant steel dog that he would patrol the town with. Under his protection, there were never any more successful raids on the Deadwater. Years pass and Mellis’ parents pass away, leaving him alone to himself. Not having any personal connections beyond his family, he decides to take the next step in his life, and go off exploring. To find himself, to live a new life.

Current Sparky Model: II