Renn Keeneyes

Renn Keeneyes is a wild elf from Rastegar City. He was an exceptionally curious youngster and that trait got him into trouble with his more serious family, who were focused on scholarly pursuits, some becoming sages, others wizards, and others still excelling as clerics. Young Renn was interested in none of these pursuits and instead wandered about making up "mysteries" to solve, hanging around the local constabulary hoping to get involved in cases, and generally in the way.
Tragedy struck when he accidentally set fire to a barn when he was using his magnifying glass looking for "clues" for his imaginary mysteries, killing a human boy he played with. Renn's arms were seriously burned when he tried unsuccessfully to save the boy, and he carries the scars to this day, hiding them under his tunic but not completely covering the damage to the skin on his hands.
Renn was as was sent away as an apprentice to very aged and demanding scholar of some renown, but ran away after some months of mistreatment. He was befriended by an old kind-hearted tabaxi former rogue/reformed thief, who taught him both the ways of rogues and the skills of an Investigator, as well as instilling in him both a respect for justice and the thrill of adventuring.
When his mentor died of old age, Renn joined the City Watch, quickly moving up the ranks. Eventually, Renn tired of the bureaucracy of the Watch, preferring to do things his own way and follow his investigations wherever they led. He left the watch on good terms, though, and still carries a badge to this day, as he's sometimes called back to help investigate especially difficult cases. He spends the majority of his time, however, working as a private investigator and bounty hunter in the city and has a small office in a nondescript building near the city center. The day-to-day responsibilities of the office are done by his assistant, Effie, an absent-minded gnome who enjoys tinkering with mechanical gadgets of all types. Around the office are generally scattered parts of projects underway or discarded, and when one of Renn's items needs basic repair, Effie can take care of it.
Renn is motivated by an intense curiosity, in part from his basic disposition and in part from his training by the tabaxi. He'll generally ask lots of questions. He might not leave alone an investigation that has political ramifications, even if it causes trouble for himself and those around him. which probably accounts for his decision to leave the City Watch.
He wants to prove to himself that his curiosity and skills can be used for the good and secretly hopes to make amends or the death of the boy during his childhood. He can be quiet but also prideful.
Renn has a rival in town, a former City Watchman who Renn exposed as corrupt. After losing his position and serving time in prison, the rival reportedly has ties to Rastegar criminals.
While not working, Renn enjoys smoking pipeweed and playing chess. He generally has a correspondence game going with a town magistrate, and Renn's board is set up in his office tracking the moves that are sent by mail each week.