Honest Businessman

X1-30 (a.k.a. Honest Businessman)

Originally known as X1-30, the Honest Businessman began his life as an artificial being created shortly after the collapse of the Nameless Empire. He was designed by a group of scientists and artificers who survived the conflict deep beneath the earth in the far north. He was one of the first models of his kind, far surpassing the automatons that had been designed by the group's predecessors on the surface. He also developed an intelligence far beyond what could have ever been expected. He proved smart enough to keep this intelligence hidden, and used the first opportunity to escape to the surface less than six months after his creation.
X1-30 fled south, escaping through hordes of monsters, abominations, and raiders, all who sought to destroy him. He learned how to mimic a human appearance, and when he began visiting towns, he referred to himself as an "honest businessman" when anyone would ask about him, trading the goods he found along his journey. He believed that his creators would stop at nothing to reclaim or destroy him, and so sought to keep his trail as hidden as possible. Only two years after he was created, he ended up in the town of Waycross, which had avoided the worst of the devastation of the Empire's collapse. There, he settled down and began investing in the local cotton industry, having determined that people will always need clothes, and that those left in the warehouses would only last so long. 
Wealth came easy to the Honest Businessman, and sooner rather than later he had supplanted the town's elected government, running things behind the scenes in a very libertarian viewpoint. His enforcers kept order in the town and protected his interests against the myriad marauders that threatened them. In 89 AF, he was instrumental in organizing a coalition to defeat and destroy a massive band of orcs that threatened to destroy Waycross and the surrounding free cities, bringing together allies from across the region.
Three years later, he faced the greatest threat that nearly destroyed him, a man made immortal that history would eventually just refer to as "the Traveler." Wanted in the Jakonian Empire for a variety of crimes, the Traveler found himself and several companions in Waycross. A conflict broke out, and the battle that ensued nearly destroyed the Honest Businessman, and he barely bought a peace, but the terms have been lost to all but the two of them. It is said that over the centuries that followed, the two became friends and allies against the mortals who would seek to undo either of them.
Over the centuries that followed, the Honest Businessman became a supporter of the rise of the Jakonian Empire, financing their growth and using political opportunities to expand his interests over the growing empire. He was able to also operate businesses among the Shin, due to a mysterious connection with their Empress. Only when the Church's influence grew beyond any measure of control and the Emperors of Jakonia began turning upon him, did the Honest Businessman become their enemy. Those who have crafted stories about him claim that his wealth helped fuel rebellions and unrest across the empire, and continue to do so today. 
Today, most believe that the words "Honest Businessman" refer only to a title, and not a singular being. This is a notion that he encourages, particularly as over the last three centuries, he has been experimenting with creating his own life and intelligence. Gradually, he has been increasing his processing power and replacing his presidents with copies of himself. Today, he has an actual physical presence in twenty major cities at once, using gelatinous material and other connections to create extensions of himself far away from his actual body. This has enabled him to keep safe, while presenting himself as appearing in multiple locations at the same time. This has added to his mystique, and only a handful of individuals know this deep secret.

Species

Automaton

Year of Birth

45 AF 996 Years old

Current Residence

Waycross

Gender

male

Aligned Organization

Honest Business International

Ruled Locations

• Waycross