Tev (pronounced TEV) is an eccentric gnomish inventor who lives in the drylands several miles east of Yarma. Obsessed with the idea of flight, he has attempted many experiments in non-magical means of aviation, including feathered wings, parachutes, and and kites. Though it took him at least seventeen attempts, Tev's most successful experiments have been with hot air balloons - in Y9976*, with the aid of a pair of adventurers, he was finally able to achieve a long, controlled flight in one of his balloons.
Tev lives with his friends Yast and Yost in a small, cluttered hut far away from the home of anyone else, rather reminiscent in appearance to an oversized earthen oven. Mobiles of scrap metal hang from much of the ceiling, and the remains of past experiments are piled over all available space, save for Tev's bed and around his fireplace.
The inventor tends to be extremely cagey about his works until they are brought to an acceptable state of completion, as he assumes others only show interest because they intend to steal his ideas and claim them for themselves.