by T B Phillips
An initiate approached and handed Fatwana another piece of parchment. She accepted the latest transcription of the most recent Da’ash’mael, and then read the words with a trembling hand. Since none of that will happen, will you at least tell my sisters that I am alive and well? She felt her knees buckle at the realization. Tell her. She needs to know that I took my mission to Andalon. That I will see these people free.
Samani lived. He lived and she would do everything in her power to help him free these people. Her thoughts turned to the Chancellor and his fancy room with souvenirs from Andalon. His and the Council’s exploitation of innocents must end. Knowledge is an uncontainable storm that would spread to all seven continents. The latents revealed by the oracles were just the beginning, and the people of Astia had a right to know that Andalon awakens.
Cast of Characters
(Alphabetically)
ANDALON
The Cove
BRAEN BRASTON: Winter emotant. Pirate Captain of Ice Prince. Eldest son of Krist Braston and exiled heir to Fjorik.
ADAMAS CREECH: Pirate Captain of Vigilance. Political opposition to both Braen Braston and Stefan Nevra.
ADOLPHUS DOMINIQUE: Pirate Captain of Aggressor.
MATTHIEU DOMINIQUE: Son of Adolphus Dominique.
ARTEMA HORN: Pirate Captain of Wench’s Daughter. Pirate king of The Cove. Whereabouts unknown.
AMASH: Friend of Braen Braston. Classically trained swordsman.
DEVIL JACQUE: Quartermaster of She Wolf.
KRILL: One-eyed Gunnery Sergeant of Ice Prince. Childhood friend fiercely loyal to Braen Braston. Uncanny ability to estimate range.
PETER LONGSHANKS: First Mate of She Wolf.
LORD STEFAN NEVRA: Former Duke of the Southern Continent and pirate king.
ALEC POGUE: Pirate Captain of Desperation and Captain of the Guard for The Cove.
ALEXA POGUE: Fifteen-year-old daughter of Alec Pogue.
LIZA POGUE: Seventeen-year-old daughter of Alec Pogue
MATTIE POGUE: Wife of Alec Pogue.
SA’MOND: First Mate of She Wolf and best friend of Eusari Thorinson. Eunuched by unknown means in the southern continent.
EUSARI THORINSON: Captain of She Wolf. Originally from Loganshire, was kidnapped and sold to pirates at thirteen years old. Won her freedom through mutiny.
TURAT: Agent of Stefan Nevra. Slaver and conspirator of Adolphus Dominique.
SIPPEN YURIK: Engineer and Weaponsmith of Ice Prince and Malfeasance. Best friend of Braen Braston. Stutters when anxious.
Dreamers
CAROLINE: Autumn emotant with affinity for air.
MARITA: Autumn emotant with affinity for air.
SEBASTIAN: Autumn emotant with affinity for air.
SUZETTE: Autumn emotant with affinity for air.
Esterling Empire
LORD CAMPTON SHOL: Sensitive to Autumn Oracle beads. Astian agent and overseer of Andalon. Chancellor to the Eston Empire and secret head of the Falconers.
MATTEAS BROHN: Captain General of the Eston Army. Mentor to Marcus Esterling.
CHARLES ESTERLING: Deceased. Former king of Eston. Unified the kingdoms under the Esterling Empire and drove the Pescari across the Misting River.
CRESTAL ESTERLING: Queen Regent of Eston.
ROBERT ESTERLING: Eldest son of Crestal Esterling.
MARCUS ESTERLING: Second son of Crestal Esterling. Mentored by Captain General Matteas Brohn.
KESTREL: Lead Falconer. Childhood friend of Campton Shol.
MACMILLAN LOURDES: Retired General of the Eston Army and Governor of Eskera. Renowned for defeating and driving the Pescari across the Misting River alongside Charles Esterling. Mentor of Maximus Reeves.
MAXIMUS REEVES: Eston General. Former protégé and aide-de-camp to General Macmillan Lourdes.
FREDERIQUE TITUS: Aide-de-camp to General Maximus Reeves.
Fjorik
ARTUR: First Mate under Skander Braston.
KRIST BRASTON: Deceased. Formerly king of Fjorik and father of Braen and Skander.
SKANDER BRASTON: King of Fjorik. Second son to Krist Braston and husband of Hester.
HESTER: Queen of Fjorik and wife of Skander Braston. Former lover of Braen Braston.
Outlaws of the Diaph Forest
MARQUE: Right hand man to Shon Wembley.
SHON WEMBLEY: Former Loganshire constable. Leader of the Outlaw band living in the Diaph Forest.
Pescari
CORNIN: Deceased. Former Shappan after killing the father of Taros in the right of Shapalote.
DASKA: Elder of the Pescari. Fears Taros from ancient prophecies.
FELICIMA: Goddess of the Pescari. Rises in the east and settles each night west of the Caldera of Cinder.
FLAYA: Granddaughter of Daska.
LYNETTE: Mother of Taros.
TAROS: Shappan leader of the unified Pescari clans.
TEOT: Uncle of Taros.
Weston
CASSUS EACHANN: Leader of the Humanitarian Party.
ABRAM HORSLEI: Father of Amash and Sarai. Governor of Weston.
SARAI HORSLEI: Daughter of Abram Horslei and girlfriend of Robert Esterling. Assumed the unrecognized title of Queen of Eston.
ASTIA
Astian Council
CHANCELLOR JAKATA: Elected and ruling chancellor over the Astian Council.
Winter Oracle
ASHIMA NAKALA: Deceased. A member of the Winter Oracle who perished revealing a prophecy that powers awakened in Andalon.
FATWANA NAKALA: Lead sister of the Winter Oracle.