Bastian Sterling is a compact rock gnome with the polished presence of a court minister and the restless hands of a pickpocket. His skin is the warm gray of river stone, smooth around the cheeks but ridged with faint metallic freckles at his temples. His narrow face is framed by immaculate copper-white hair, combed into a precise side part and perfumed with clove oil. One front tooth is visibly crooked, jutting inward at an angle that gives his smile a sly, almost unfinished quality. A polished silver crown cap covers it, engraved with tiny balance scales. He moves with quick, economical steps, never seeming to hurry even when everyone around him is panicking. His eyes are bright amber and constantly measure distance, exits, hands, and possessions. The unexpected contradiction is that his impeccable grooming cannot conceal the smell of hot engine grease that clings to his gloves and cuffs, a remnant of the scrap markets he secretly visits alone.