- "A man can only swing a sword as hard as man can. A goblin behind a machine can pulverize a fortress."
- ―Pickler[1]
Pickler is the head of the Fifteenth Legion of Terror Sapper corps.
Background[]
Pickler is the daughter of Matron Wither[2] of the High Ridge tribe, but since childhood she has been fascinated by mechanics and disdained the political maneuvering expected of her position. For disgracing her line in such a way, her mother exiled her with a promise to cut her throat herself if she ever returned.[3] Instead Pickler entered the War College, where she was assigned to Rat Company and ended up becoming the lieutenant of their sapper line. After their graduation, she was put in charge of the Fifteenth Legion's sappers.
After the coronation of Queen Catherine and the settlement of the Snake Eater Tribe in Marchford, she was charged with creating a sapper corps for the Army of Callow. Meanwhile, her mother worked behind the scenes to place her as the Matron of said tribe, the only one outside the Grey Eyries.[2]
Personality[]
Pickler is extremely devoted to her work, and has little interest in anything else, including relationships. She flunked out of an advanced tactics course, disqualifying her from being captain of Rat Company, in Nauk's words because "if it ain't related to engineering she doesn't care about it".
She is highly competent both as an engineer and as a leader of her command, though it is unknown whether she could do well leading a larger force or one including non-sappers.
Relationships[]
Pickler has a good but somewhat distant working relationship with most of her colleagues. She also shares the respect and near-awe of Catherine that most of the Fifteenth have.
Nauk and Robber are both romantically interested in her, leading to them showing off around her and feuding with each other most of the time. While she has little interest in either of them, she has admitted that their affections are a pleasant reminder that she is outside of goblin lands and could start a relationship with one of them if she wanted to.
Appearance[]
Pickler has a fairly typical appearance for a goblin, at least to Catherine. However, Hakram has noted that she has very pretty teeth, which he speculates might be why Nauk finds her so attractive. Long and sharp teeth are a major part of orc standards of beauty for both genders.