Barnaby Blockerton

💖 Meet Barnaby Blockerton

Barnaby is a compact, blocky automaton with a deeply sensitive soul and a slightly distressed look. His two rectangular wooden segments are painted a distinctive metallic rose-pink with darker, weathered accents. His square head features mismatched dark gears for eyes, giving him a worried, anxious gaze. His body is adorned with more tiny clock parts, and he sports miniature silver feet and a pair of articulated, mismatched arms that seem perpetually unsure where to go. Barnaby always looks ready to ask a question, but then thinks better of it.

⚙️ Origin Story

Barnaby was the accidental result of a late-night inventory error in a Victorian doll factory. He wasn't designed for any grand purpose, only meant to be a tiny, decorative spare part container. However, when the inventory clerk mistakenly soldered a tiny clock hand to his shoulder (now his arm), he immediately achieved sentience and developed an intense case of performance anxiety. His only goal is to stand still enough not to draw attention, a goal he consistently fails at due to his vibrant colour.

💼 Employment History

Current Role: Undercover Shelf Inspector & Chief Clutter-Staresman. (Barnaby specializes in occupying a small amount of space while exerting a large amount of silent judgment on surrounding messes. He's an expert at looking deeply uncomfortable but refusing to move.)

Previous Role (1970s): Test Subject for a Noise-Canceling Headphone Prototype. (Fired because the headphones worked too well. Barnaby found the silence overwhelming and would repeatedly attempt to shout (via rusty gears) "HELLO?" He now prefers the predictable soundscape of a quiet room, where he can concentrate on his next mission: holding that tiny arm still.)