Henry Westcroft

Henry Westcroft
Titles	Chief Artificer Head Architect
Race	Human
Ethnicity	Koperdammer
Gender	Male
Age	31
Date of Birth	Era Vetus, February--March, Year 27
Nationality	Koperdammer
Nation	Technate of Koperdam
Occupation	Chief Artificer
Religion	Vormgeloof
Languages	Kopersch Westmark Common Tongue
Character Type	Primary Character
Player	_baseplate
Status	Alive

Henry Westcroft is the Chief Artificer of the Technate of Koperdam and one of its co-founders alongside Sir Percival van der Berg. A renowned architect and inventor, Westcroft oversaw the construction of Koperdam's earliest workshops, infrastructure, and industrial works. Henry Westcroft also oversaw the design and construction of Clockhaven, the capital city of the Technate. His practical ingenuity and commitment to technological progress established many of the engineering traditions that continue to define the Technate. He belongs to House Westcroft.

Biography & History

Early Life

Henry Westcroft was born into House Westcroft, a family renowned for its tradition of engineering, craftsmanship, and public service. From an early age, he displayed an insatiable curiosity for how things were built, spending much of his youth studying mechanics, architecture, and the practical sciences under the guidance of his family.

Founding of Koperdam

Together with Sir Percival van der Berg, Henry Westcroft led an expedition into the frontier in search of a suitable homeland for a new society. Upon discovering the great mountain that would become the heart of the nation, the pair established the settlement that would later grow into the Technate of Koperdam.

Rise to Chief Artificer

TBA

Personality & Appearance

Personality

Henry is methodical, disciplined, and quietly ambitious. He possesses an analytical mind, instinctively viewing the world as a series of problems waiting to be solved. While reserved in conversation, he speaks with confidence when discussing engineering, architecture, or public works.

He believes that progress is achieved through patience and practical innovation rather than grand promises. Henry values merit above status and respects those willing to dedicate themselves to improving society through honest work.

Despite his composed demeanour, he is known to become deeply absorbed in his projects, often neglecting rest in pursuit of a better design or more efficient solution.

Appearance

Henry is a young man of average height with neatly kept chestnut-brown hair and amber eyes. He typically dresses in practical engineering attire reinforced with leather harnesses and work straps for carrying tools and drafting equipment. Though often seen in formal settings as Chief Artificer, his clothing remains utilitarian, reflecting his belief that function should never be sacrificed for appearance. His left hand frequently bears the marks of manual work, and he is rarely seen without a worn notebook tucked into his satchel.

Following a progressive palsy that began in May--June of Year 2 and eventually resulted in the complete paralysis of his left arm, Henry underwent a clandestine and gruelling procedure in the northern frontier tower of Electrus in October. To replace the dead biological limb, it was surgically amputated and fused to a custom mechanical prototype through a violent, blinding surge of electromancy. The resulting copper prosthetic operates through a system of miniature clockwork gears and steam pressure, responding directly to Henry's thoughts and allowing him to retain the use of his arm. The procedure left him permanently marked by the era's first known cybernetic integration, and also leaving a heavy toll on his wellbeing - evident by the tiredness under his eyes.

Relationships

Percival van der Berg

Henry's closest friend, intellectual equal, and fellow Chief Artificer. Together, they founded the Technate of Koperdam after leading an expedition into the central peaks in January of Year 1, establishing a diarchy built upon complementary strengths. While Henry provides the practical, methodical civil engineering to construct and refine, Percival's relentless curiosity and cartographic expeditions uncover the raw knowledge upon which those physical creations are built.

Their close bond was heavily tested throughout Year 2 by separate, parallel burdens of isolation. When Henry developed a progressive physical palsy in his right arm during May--June of Year 2, he became terrified of Percival discovering his condition. Knowing that Percival possesses an extraordinary attention to detail capable of spotting the smallest irregularity within a machine, Henry locked himself away in his study under the guise of finalizing structural plans for Clockhaven's grand warehouse. He wore heavy leather work gloves and hid his worsening tremor to protect Koperdam's image of absolute progress from his closest companion, eventually fleeing into the frontier in October to undergo a secret cybernetic amputation.

Conversely, during his months away mapping the globe, Percival struggled with a profound personal loneliness that he felt he could not easily share with his friend. Although Percival returned a detailed geographical survey to Koperdam in November--December of Year 1 - expressing an eager anticipation to reunite with his co-founder—he privately carried a deep fatigue from his solitary travels, which he eventually confessed only to Queen Semet. Despite these unshared secrets, they remain the ideological pillars of Koperdam, relying entirely on one another's genius to steer the nation's rapid industrialization.

Sylvis Pardali

Henry met the Archdruid of The Circle of the Sūle Starhood in September of Year 1, at the edge of Koperdam's golden wheat fields. Although Sylvis initially mispronounced Koperdam as "Cuuperdam", she invited Henry into the southern grove. Sitting around a fire, the two engaged in a deep philosophical discussion, comparing the druidic protection of nature with Koperdam's drive to build. Through their conversation, they eventually found common ground: raw resources were not opposed to progress, but rather formed its foundation.

Semet

Henry shared a brief but significant meeting with Queen Semet in September--October of Year 2, during her official state visit to Koperdam. He greeted the Queen-Goddess with a few reserved but warm words before returning to coordinate his workers as they constructed a new metal road in Clockhaven. The brief encounter nevertheless left Semet with a lasting impression of Henry's immense dedication. She privately noted, however, that the Chief Artificer appeared deeply fatigued and that something seemed physically wrong with his arm.

Electrus

Henry's relationship with the eccentric western hermit is defined by a desperate and agonizing secret. They first met by chance in Clockhaven during January--February of Year 2, when Electrus arrived in Koperdam by accident. The two shared a table and discussed the conductive properties of copper and elemental energies.

When Henry's arm palsy deteriorated into total paralysis, he secretly sought out Electrus's western tower in October of Year 2. There, Electrus clinically amputated Henry's dead biological limb and used electromancy to channel a jolt of lightning through a copper prosthetic, fusing it directly into Henry's remaining nerves. The procedure marked the world's first known cybernetic integration.

Katherine Kingswell

As co-founders and pioneering architects of Koperdam, Katherine and Henry have worked side by side to establish the physical foundations of the Technate. Their partnership has largely centred around civil and military construction: Henry focused on the logistical design of Clockhaven and Koperdam's expanding railway network, while Katherine led the manual labour and architectural development of the fortress city of Vestad.

Together, their complementary talents in civil engineering and military fortification have played a significant role in shaping Koperdam's rapid industrial growth.

Character Posts

A series of character posts by Henry Westcroft:

The Beginnings of Koperdam

Westcroft Peak: I

30/07/26 - Henry discovers the mountain that is the new home of Koperdam

Whispers Beyond the Field: II

02/08/26 - Henry hears a mysterious noise coming from the grove

A Walk Among the Grove: III

06/08/26 - This is Henry's first encounter with the Sūle Starhood

Whimsical Graffiti: IV

15/08/26 - Henry discovers whimsical graffiti on the walls of the train station

The Defect

The Defect in the Draft: I

16/08/26 - While working late on calculations for Clockhaven's grand warehouse, Henry experiences a sudden, violent spasm in his fingers that ruins his drafting precision and leaves him deeply unsettled

The Cost of Secrecy: II

18/08/26 - As his palsy worsens into complete forearm paralysis, Henry hides his failing limb under heavy leather gloves and isolates himself to protect Koperdam's illusion of absolute progress

The Conductive Stranger: III

20/08/26 - With his arm completely paralyzed, Henry prepares to journey into the frontier to find the sorcerer Electrus, hoping the hermit's knowledge of copper conductivity can bring a custom mechanical prototype arm to life

Spark of Life: IV

21/08/26 - In a grueling and clinical procedure at the western tower, Henry's dead left arm is amputated before a violent, agonizing surge of electromancy fuses the internal copper filaments of his prosthetic directly into his remaining nerve endings

The Anchor of Koperdam

A Year in Copper: I

15/09/26 - After a year of public silence spent mastering his cybernetic left arm, Henry addresses Percival's unannounced departure and reflects on carrying the sole burden of Clockhaven's governance while the citizens marvel at his new prosthetic.

Gallery

Henry discovers the mountain that is the new home of Koperdam.

Henry hears a mysterious noise coming from the grove.

Henry Westcroft's attire from 28/07/26 to 21/08/26

This is Henry's first encounter with the Sūle Starhood.

Henry discovers whimsical graffiti on the walls of the train station