Lyra Primrose

  Lyra's story began as the sole survivor aboard the abandoned and drifting wreck of an Imperial science vessel. Discovered by Tavian Primrose, the gruff but kind-hearted owner of the Primrose Salvage Company, he took her in as his own, raising the child back in Rusthaven, his home and base of operations.
  She grew up amongst the clang of hammers, the hiss of welding torches, and the ever-present scent of ozone and yrddestone dust. The salvage yard became her playground, her education a blend of practical lessons by airship mechanics and tales of daring expeditions by grizzled salvagers. Despite her affinity for all things mechanical, her true passion lay in the mysteries of the Old-World. She squirreled away any scrap of information she could scrounge up, and treasured any small bauble the salvage crews brought her, to her father's dismay.
  Her formal education was limited. Schools in Rusthaven were few and catered more to the children of merchants and traders than those raised in the salvage yards. Still, Lyra possessed a sharp mind and an insatiable hunger for knowledge. She snuck into school libraries after hours, devouring as much information as she could before evading capture.
  As Lyra grew older, her innate sense of wonder matured into a focused obsession. She began venturing out on her own, leading small salvage expeditions into the less-charted territories, drawn to the whisper of Old-World ruins.
  There, deep within a long-forgotten structure, she made a discovery that would change the course of the entire world. At first it appeared to be an old compass, dusty and worn with age, but when Lyra held it the needle began to glow and move, pointing with an unnerving steadiness to some distant location. She decided, then and there, that she would follow this compass wherever it led, no matter the risk or cost.