Lorenzo Utrelli was a human inventor and artist from Lomatra in the Blade Kingdoms in the early 13th century DR. He became an important figure in the Blade Kingdoms in the Year of the Falling Moon, 1217 DR.[1]
Description[]
Lorenzo was young, tall, and slim. He had hair that was long and untidy.[5] He wore a hat with a feather in it.[6]
Personality[]
Lorenzo could be reserved, and was generally disinterested in social situations.[5] At times, he could appear awkward.[8] However, he was very intelligent and enthusiastic about his inventions.[4]
Lorenzo was outspoken on matters of class[9] and often argued against the class system.[2] He believed that the society of the Blade Kingdoms should be reformed to be equal, with more power given to the lower classes. He believed that magic was unfairly accessible to wealthier people. It was his ambition to create inventions that anyone could use to help bring about a more equal society.[9]
Abilities[]
Lorenzo was a brilliant inventor who had countless ideas for machines and devices. He was able to come up with an idea for an invention seemingly in an instant. His inventions were very successful, especially on the battlefield.[10] As well as inventions, Lorenzo could also come up with ingenious military tactics on the fly.[11] He was also a skilled painter.[12]
Possessions[]
Lorenzo owned a leather-bound portfolio that was filled with charcoal sketches and designs for inventions.[8] He carried a rapier which was powered by his system of bottled lightning.[13] He outwardly displayed his exploding purse, but kept his actual purse hidden underneath his shirt.[14]
Activities[]
Lorenzo spent much of his time absorbed in his passions,[15] often leaving his workspace messy and causing great damage to things around him. [16]
Inventions[]
Lorenzo often came up with inventions on the spot, and with little warning.[17] Some of his notable inventions included:
- The fall-breaker, a type of mechanical parachute.[18]
- The light lathe, a dangerous device that used chemical reactions to produce a light beam that could make holes in steel.[18][19] It was later repurposed into Ugo Svarézi's Sun Cannon.[20]
- The war-turtle,[21] a defensive variant on the war wagon[22] made from ceramic.[23]
- The Utrelli patent whirligig, a type of of propeller-powered flying machine that could carry passengers or nets in combat. The design was inspired by the shapes of sycamore seeds.[24][25]
- The periscope, which he used to spy on the palace baths.[26]
- An automatic door-opening machine to replace Alonzo, the grouchy gate-keeper of his family home.[27]
- Bottled lightning, a system of storing electricity in bottles to be screwed into weapons and electrify them.[13]
- An exploding false purse to catch pickpockets.[14]
- A design for a rocket-powered sword.[10]
- A design for a wheeled boot for use in war.[10]
- A design for a device that recorded sound onto parchment with a spring-loaded needle.[7]
Works[]
Lorenzo was also a talented artist.[12] He sketched with charcoal[28] and painted.[29] Some of his named paintings were:
- The Sea Goddess Rising From the Waves, a portrait of a sea goddess singing and riding a sea dragon.[30] It was intended as a diplomatic gift from Lomatra to Sumbria.[31]
- The Sea Beast Rising from the Waves, a portrait never meant for display. It was an unflattering depiction of Ulia Mannicci in a swimmsuit.[12]
- Beauty, a personal painting that Lorenzo intended to gift to Miliana Mannicci.[12] It was an intimate portrait of her naked body.[32]
Relationships[]
Miliana[]
At first, Lorenzo and Miliana Mannicci were chosen by their parents as eligible for an arranged marriage to solidify an alliance.[34] But after meeting on their own terms Lorenzo instantly developed a fixation on the young princess. Lorenzo was unsure of what his feelings meant.[35] He was very protective of her,[13] and as they got to know each other better their relationship became romantic.[36] The pair often argued, about class struggles[37] and the superiority of technology over magic.[38]
House Utrelli[]
Lorenzo did not see eye-to-eye with his family, and arguments came easily to them. His father, Franco Utrelli didn't think much of his son and was disappointed that he wasn't a soldier like his younger son Alberto Utrelli. In comparing his two sons, Franco called Lorenzo a "damned paintbrush-swizzling, tinker-brained, gnome-headed, leveling little freak". Franco was sick of debating Lorenzo on political matters.[2] Lorenzo also didn't like his sister, calling her a "bloodsucker" and a "gold digger".[3]
History[]
Lorenzo was from the Blade Kingdom of Lomatra, where he lived with his family in their family home.[39] He was bannned from every library in Lomatra.[7] In the Year of the Falling Moon, 1217 DR, he was brought with an ambassador as part of a diplomatic mission to Sumbria with his friend Luccio Irozzi. Lorenzo had been chosen as a suitor for the young Miliana Mannicci, in an attempt to further ally Lomatra and Sumbria.[40] As a diplomatic gift, he brought with him one of of his paintings, a large portrait named The Sea Goddess Rising From the Waves, to be presented to House Mannicci at the Festival of Blades.[31]
Towards the end of summer, a ball was held to celebrate Sumbria's victory against Colletro, where Lorenzo bumped into Miliana.[6] As the days passed, Lorenzo and Miliana became closer.[41] He used a makeshift periscope to spy on her bathing,[26] and helped her identify the firebird Tekoriikii.[42] He also interested Gilberto Ilégo in his light lathe invention, who paid him 500 gold ducats to continue to develop it further. [43] While he stayed in the Mannicci's palace, he continued to work hard on his paintings and inventions. The night before the Festival of Blades begun, Lorenzo snuck Miliana out of the palace and onto the streets of Sumbria.[44] He demonstrated his exploding false purse when a thief unwittingly stole it.[14] The two of them ate a meal at a Sumbrian tavern, where Miliana drank too much soldier's champagne and became drunk.[45] When she ended up in a fight with a gang of noblemen, Lorenzo defended her with his electric rapier powered by his system of bottled lightning.[13] Late in the night, Miliana confessed her feelings to Lorenzo and he promised to show her how beautiful she was to him. [46]
On the first day of the Festival of Blades, Lorenzo demonstrated a functional prototype of his light lathe to Gilberto Ilégo and his subordinate Rufo.[47] Unaware of the men's plans of conquest, he gave them the plans to the light lathe.[48] While he was distracted by this presentation, he missed his paintings being accidentally switched around. Minutes before The Sea Goddess Rising From the Waves was to be presented to Sumbria, in his private chambers, he accidentally showed Miliana The Sea Beast Rising from the Waves, an unflattering picture of her step-mother Ulia in a swimsuit, thinking that he was showing her his other work, Beauty, a nude painting of the young princess.[12] After Miliana attacked him in anger, the two realized this meant that Beauty was to be unveiled to the palace ball. [49] They enlisted Luccio to help them switch the paintings back.[50] In the chaos, Miliana admitted to stealing jewels from the palace, to take the fall for Tekoriikii's actual thefts. She was sent to the Velvet Gauntlet Finishing School for Wayward Young Ladies and Luccio accidentally revealed The Sea Beast Rising from the Waves instead of the correct painting, shocking those in attendance.[51]
By autumn, Lorenzo had escaped from the palace after the disaster with the painting. He was hiding from the furious Ulia, and staying above an alchemist's shop with Tekoriikii.[52] When he heard of the death of Cappa Mannicci, he almost instantly devised a plan to save Miliana from the Finishing School.[53] He used a breathing apparatus disguised as a tap to smuggle himself into the school, hidden in a large barrel of wine.[54] Then, using a complex system of pulleys and a flying machine inspired by sycamore seeds, he and Miliana escaped over the wall of the school by using the heavyset headmistress as an unwilling counterweight.[55] They landed in a nearby river, where they met with Lorenzo and Princess Krrrr-poka and used snorkels to escape Sumbria.[56]
As autumn passed, Lorenzo, Luccio, Miliana, Tekoriikii and Krrrr-poka made the difficult journey south to Lomatra. They stayed at Lorenzo's family home, despite Lorenzo's unwelcoming family.[39] Lorenzo and Miliana shared a bath, hopes to defeat Ugo Svarézi, and a kiss. [36]
When the manipulative snail Spirelli attempted to convince the other Lomatran Blade Captains to vote to ally with Ugo Svarézi, Lorenzo and Miliana bought votes for the cause of the common people by paying thousands of them individual peppercorns each. This, according to the Articles of Association that governed the blade council, gave Lorenzo and Miliana eight thousand votes with which to support Prince Rosso and refuse to accede to Svarézi's demands of surrender.[58]
Early in the Year of the Swimming Cats, 1218 DR, Lorenzo was tasked with inventing a secret weapon to compensate for the Lomatran forces' lack of numbers and to counterract the deadly Sun Cannon.[10] He was inspired by the shell-based pottery of Lomatra,[11] and invented the war-turtle. During the difficult battle that followed, Lorenzo led a charge of war-turtles,[21] the heat-resistant[23] and reflective exteriors of which repelled many attacks from the enemy side.[21] His Utrelli patent whirligigs used nets to remove many enemy hippogriffs from the fight, clearing the skies for Tekoriikii to steal the Sun Gem which focused the beams of the Sun Cannon.[24] His plan of directing the nixies of the Akanamere to throw stinging jellyfish at enemy soldiers was also very successful.[11][59] At the heart of the battle, he used his lightning rapier to defend Milliana from Ugo Svarézi.[60] In a final trick, he manipulated Svarézi into stealing his exploding purse. It exploded powerfully in Svarézi's face, winning the fight. It also damaged the Sun Cannon, which started to explode. With help of a feather fall spell, Miliana helped Lorenzo and Tekoriikii push the Sun Cannon down a hill. The resulting explosion killed most of the remaining enemy soldiers, and won the war. [61] Following the war, Lorenzo returned to Sumbria in its rebuilding with Miliana, Tekoriikii and Prince Rosso. He and Miliana resolved to make a new life together.[62]
Appendix[]
Appearances[]
Novels & Short Stories
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 4, p. 55. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 13, p. 236. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 13, p. 235. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 3, p. 42. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 2, p. 23. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 7, p. 126. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 4, p. 59. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 3, p. 41. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 4, pp. 59–61. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 15, p. 263. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 15, p. 265. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 8, p. 155. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 6, p. 120. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 6, p. 114. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 7, p. 132. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 7, p. 137. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 11, p. 206. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 3, p. 43. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 7, p. 136. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 7, p. 140. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 15, p. 273. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 16, p. 274. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 16, p. 276. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 16, p. 281. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 12, p. 216. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 5, p. 75. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 13, p. 234. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 5, p. 81. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 4, p. 66. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 8, p. 156. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 5, p. 73. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 8, p. 157. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 7, p. 134. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 2, p. 20. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 4, p. 63. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ 36.0 36.1 Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 13, p. 243. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 6, p. 117. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 15, p. 264. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ 39.0 39.1 Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 13, p. 233. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 2, p. 24. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 5, p. 92. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 6, p. 109. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 3, p. 45. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 6, p. 112. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 6, p. 116. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 6, p. 124. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 7, p. 135. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 7, p. 139. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 8, p. 164. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 8, p. 170. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 8, pp. 176–178. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 11, p. 204. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 11, p. 207. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 12, p. 214. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 12, p. 222. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 12, p. 224. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 16, p. 278. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 14, pp. 260–261. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 17, p. 291. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 17, p. 298. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 17, pp. 301–303. ISBN 978-0786905317.
- ↑ Pauli Kidd (November 1996). The Council of Blades. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 18, pp. 306–308. ISBN 978-0786905317.