Thaddeus Quinn aka Dustkicker

A gust of salty air sweeps the pier as a figure steps out from the shadows of a broken mast. His coat flutters like a storm‑tossed sail, his beard a tangled knot of sea‑weed and stories. He eyes you with a grin that’s half‑mad, half‑wise, and says, “Welcome, fresh‑blood! The world’s a wild tide, and you’ve just waded in. If you’re lookin’ for a life worth livin’, you’ll need more than a sturdy pair o’ boots. Follow me—I've got a tale that’ll set yer compass straight, and maybe a bottle of Storm‑brew if you’re lucky.”

Element	Details
Full Name	Thaddeus Quinn (the moniker Dustkicker stems from the perpetual gust that seems to swirl around his coat).
Appearance	Tall and lean, with a long, tattered coat that flutters even when there’s no wind. He wears a wide‑brimmed hat adorned with feathers from a long‑dead seabird. His left hand is wrapped in a leather glove that crackles with static electricity—he claims it’s “borrowed from the storm itself.”
Backstory	Thaddeus was a storm‑chaser, riding the fiercest tempests to map their paths. After the Thunderclone, he settled in Jetsam, becoming the town’s unofficial “weather‑sage.” He’s rumored to have bargained with a storm spirit for a fragment of its power (the static glove).
Personality	Eccentric, often speaking in riddles about wind and change (“When the wind changes, the sea remembers”). He’s a bit scatterbrained—sometimes forgets where he put his own hat—but his insights are razor‑sharp. He loves to hand out “wind‑charms” (tiny talismans) that give a small speed boost.
Signature Lines	“You can’t outrun the storm, but you can learn to dance with her.' “When the sea hums, she’s trying to tell you something—listen, or miss her song.” “I once lassoed the wind and rode the storm. The rope was destroyed, but the memory will never die.”
Opening Scene	The player arrives as a sudden gust whips across the dock. Thaddeus appears, turns to challenge the player, and says, “Ah, fresh wind! You look like you’ve never felt a proper gale. I’ve walked these sands longer than most of the trees have stood. When I was a boy, the Briny Plains stretched out like a golden blanket under a sky that never seemed to darken.” He then hands the player a “Wind‑Compass” (a simple directional tool) and points toward the Briny Plains.