Trailblazing Intrepid Mystery Explorers/The Staff

aka the people who cook, clean, pilot, and generally do all the real work so you people can go off an play adventurer — anonymous graffiti

Zhi

Appearance: White-scaled anthro(pomorphic) male long, with no beard but a luxurious mustache.

Zhi at first appears to be the stereotypical straight-backed, proper butler type overseeing the day-to-day operations of TIME and necessary briefing and supplying of adventurers. Once you get to know him, however, it turns out that he's really the straight-backed, proper butler type with years of education of both the formal and hard-knocks kind, and so he's really over-qualified to play nanny to a bunch of pretenders to the name of TIME. Though his professionalism would never let that get in the way of his job.

His hobby is gardening and landscaping, and he is responsible for the design of the Artifact's main collections garden.

It's obvious he is infatuated with Ms. Ming, but is too proper to admit it out loud.

Ms. Ming

Appearance: Black-feathered anthro hen, not fat but short and wide.

Zhi oversees the whole operation of TIME, but when it comes to actually keeping the Artifact working that falls on the shoulders of Ms. Ming. Fortunately they're very good shoulders for carrying. If Zhi is the commander than Ms. Ming is the sergeant, and that's not just a metaphor: Ms. Ming runs her maids with army-like tactics, barking orders at them left and right.

Her one weakness is watching convoluted romances unfold.

It's obvious she has the hots for Zhi, but is too proud to ever let anyone know.

The Maids

Uniform: All maids wear stereotypical french maid outfits.

Magdalia

Appearance: Tall, well-muscled black female anthro bovine.

Magdalia takes care of the heavy work. And cooking. And chemicals, even the really dangerous and volatile ones. She says it's a family tradition.

Madhu

Appearance: Male honey-colored anthro vulpine/lupine hybrid.

Madhu deals with laundry and room-cleaning. And that's because he knows all the secret passages and has ninja skills. Now if he'd just learn not to sneak up on people when they're alone in their rooms.

Mascot

Appearance: 3-ft long green mermaid

Mascot doesn't seem like the reliable type: she's clumsy, a fact all the worse considering she doesn't have quite the right body structure for moving on land. But if you need something fixed she's your maid: electronics, magitech, great huge collections of gears that really shouldn't have that sophisticated a range of independent motions no matter how many times you claim "clockwork".

Former/Retired adventurers

TIME doesn't have many retired adventurers (because very few ever reach retiring age), but the ones who do tend to stick around even after their time in the spotlight has passed. They are usually found lounging around at the nearest bar, sharing lies about their past adventures.

Gramps

*Swats Elias' head with his cane* "Pay attention you effeminate idiot!

Elias' grandfather (on his mother side), a skilled adventurer on his own right and TIME's senior cartographer, although he rarely does anything but fishing these days. Likes to nag Elias about becoming a better adventurer, as Gramps wishes his grandson would focus more on becoming a skilled cartographer like he himself was in his youth.

Trailblazing Intrepid Mystery Explorers