Chenko doesn't look like an inventor. Runaway, street urchin, or fugitive are the first possibilities that come to mind. Chenko also carries an enormous blunderbuss, also known by some as a "lightning stick". Pointing this terrifying weapon at someone gives Chenko more than enough leverage to ignore whatever threat anyone may make. Her strength depends on her skills as inventor, nothing more nothing less. And she is more than happy to test the effectiveness of her inventions on evildoers.
Whenever the Rebels are at the gates, Chenko takes great joy in picking them off. If there are no Rebels? Dangerous predators will do just fine. There are those who counsel Chenko not to rely overmuch on her newfangled weapons. What if they suddenly fail in a fight? "Then my enemy might survive".
Story
Chenko's previous two prototypes were failures. The wealth that had funded her experiments in gunpowder projectiles was running out. Pressure was mounting. If Chenko haven't received her "lucky break" in the form of a Rebel attack during her third demonstration, it is quite likely she would have had to skip town altogether.
Chenko was ready to demonstrate her new blunderbuss when the bell tower alarm sounded. Rebel cavalry were at the gates!
"...This slender new weapon must be seen to be believed! Far more reliable than a traditional cannon, it will convince you on the first try, guaranteed! None can block the dark lightning that shoots out of the barrel. Invented by the brilliant Chenko, foremost prodigy of her age... No Governor can afford to be without this extremely reliable investment in their town defenses!"
Chenko shook her head. She had paid two silver for the advertisement and yet its wording left something to be desired.
"Feeling embarrassed by the weight of your armor? The short length of your sword? Here's an opportunity to solve all your problems with the most brilliant inventor, Chenko, you'll ever meet! Whether it's improving existing weapons or crafting new shields and armor, this is one master-crafter you can't afford to miss (assuming you have the funds). Get yourself down to the house at 3-6 G Street today!" So says the flyer in the royal museum. It must be decades old now, and a precious reminder of those early days when the inventor Chenko was not a household name.
