Adlai

Adlai (アダリー, Adarī) is a character in Suikoden II who also appears in Genso Suikogaiden Volume 1. Adlai is an eccentric inventor who came up with a form of elevator.

Suikoden II
Adlai is a self-proclaimed genius inventor, although there is little evidence that any more than a handful of his designs that have been completed and worked. His eccentricities and almost entirely useless inventions (such as his rabbit noise shoes) have caused a lot of damage, making him something of a nuisance to those who live near his home in South Window City, which doubles as his laboratory. Where he gets his research funds from is a mystery although many rumours abound that he creates the himself. The salvation of the hapless residents of South Window City would be the leader of the New State Army.

Adlai rudely demanded several errands from him and after one order too far, a Wind Crystal soared towards his head by some unexpected coincidence. The shock apparently inspired Adlai to continue his work on the elevator mechanism. Joining the New State Army, he immediately headed for the New State Army Headquarters and installed an elevator there without permission. The speed in which he installed it may indicate another talent of his.

The possibility that the elevator is Adlai's first (and last) successful invention is undeniable, but with his elevator running and its merits plain to see, it appears his talent as an engineer is, in fact, genuine.

Genso Suikogaiden Volume 1
It is later shown that Adlai's elevator was in fact powered by humans. "Elevator barbarians" in a hidden room above the elevator would operate the elevator using a system of pulleys. You could hear the workers complaining about the heat occasionally.

On his journey through Greenhill Forest, Nash Ratokie came across Adlai training his elevator barbarians.