by Alex Aguilar
I eat the meat pie within minutes. It fills my liquor-ridden belly.
And then I feel the exhaustion start to settle in.
I make it to my bed this time. I lie there, inebriated and cold.
Another night in hell…
At times it’s difficult to tell my dreams apart from reality, they’re so often bleak.
‘Tis the burden of the liberal mind.
And so I close my eyes and force myself into a deep slumber, silently wishing I could sleep forever… Or, if not forever, then at least until the seventh day…
Character Index
Kingdom of Vallenghard
John Huxley
Age: 23, Hair: Blonde, Eyes: Blue.
Courageous, Benevolent, & Reckless.
A young farmer from Elbon with dreams of someday becoming a knight.
Hudson Blackwood
Age: 30, Hair: Black, Eyes: Brown.
Clever, Devious, & Intrepid.
A notorious thief/mercenary from Raven’s Keep
Robyn Huxley
Age: 17, Hair: Black, Eyes: Hazel.
Kind, Stubborn, & Brave.
A young archer from Elbon. John Huxley’s sister.
Adelina Huxley
Age: 40, Hair: Black, Eyes: Hazel.
Warm, Protective, & Good-natured.
Mother and keeper of the Huxley farm.
Margot & Melvyn Huxley
Ages: 11, Hair: Black, Eyes: Hazel.
Twins; the youngest of the Huxley children.
Nyx
Age: 306. Wise, Candid, & Loyal.
A swordsman who fought in the Great War, before he was cursed by a witch with immortality. He resurrects as a different species every time he is killed.
Sir Viktor Crowley
Age: 43, Hair: Blonde, Eyes: Blue.
Valiant, Firm, & Conflicted.
The Golden Eagle of Vallenghard. Knight Commander of Val Havyn’s royal guard.
Sir Jossiah Biggs
Age: 45, Hair: Brown, Eyes: Brown.
Distant, Cold, & Prejudice.
A knight of King Rowan’s court. Viktor’s lifelong friend and comrade.
Lady Brunylda Clark
Age: 53, Hair: Black, Eyes: Brown.
Candid, Fearless, & Dangerously Intelligent.
The outspoken Treasurer of Val Havyn.
Sir Darryk Clark
Age: 25, Hair: Black, Eyes: Brown.
Modest, Empathetic, & Coy.
A knight from the city of Roquefort and Lady Brunylda’s distant nephew. Betrothed to Princess Magdalena and appointed Lord Regent of Val Havyn.
Brie
Age: 19, Hair: Blonde, Eyes: Blue.
Friendly, Meek, & Intelligent.
Former handmaiden to Princess Magdalena. Bookkeeper to Lady Brunylda Clark.
Evellyn Amberhill
Age: 24, Hair: Red, Eyes: Green.
Kind, Diligent, & Proud.
A blacksmith in the city of Val Havyn and lifelong friend of the Huxleys.
Alycia Amberhill
Age: 13, Hair: Red, Eyes: Green.
Timid & Gentle. Evellyn’s younger sister.
Baryn Lawe
Age: 60s, Hair: Grey, Eyes: Brown.
Forthright, Prejudice, & Deceiving.
A preacher in Val Havyn, hateful towards anyone who isn’t human.
Cedric
Age: 18, Hair: Chestnut, Eyes: Brown.
Bashful, Friendly, & Loyal.
An orphan who volunteers to be a squire for Sir Viktor Crowley.
Jasper Nottley
Age: 50s, Hair: Brown, Eyes: Brown.
Cruel & Greedy. Cedric’s abusive warden.
Thaddeus Rexx
Age: 40s, Hair: Black, Eyes: Brown.
Discreet, Strong, & Protective.
A blacksmith from Val Havyn that volunteers to join Sir Viktor Crowley‘s company.
He is a friend and father figure to Cedric.
Martyn & Wyll Davenport
Age: 30s, Hair: Blonde.
Hunters/Traders from Falkbury that captured the witch Syrena of Morganna.
Mister Abner Beckwit
Age: 60s, Hair: Grey, Eyes: Hazel.
Friendly & Wise. A veteran of the royal guard; friend and mentor to the Huxley children.
Larz & Henrik
Age: 30s. Mister Beckwit’s farmhands.
Count Raoul Jacquin
Age: 60s, Hair: Grey, Eyes: Black.
Spiteful, Greedy, & Selfish.
A wealthy count from the free city of Kahrr.
King Rowan of Val Havyn
Age: 50s, Hair: Brown, Eyes: Green.
The King of Vallenghard and Magdalena’s father. A good leader with a strong temper,
presumed to have been cursed by a witch with the inability to father any sons.
Sir Hugo Symmond
Age: 40s, Hair: Chestnut, Eyes: Brown.
A knight of the king’s court.
Hektor & Bogden
Age: 40s. Soldiers of Val Havyn’s royal guard.
Kingdom of Halghard
Syrena of Morganna
Age: 30, Hair: Black, Eyes: Orange.
Fidgety, Aggressive, & Honest. A witch with the ability to conjure fire.
Though born in the city of Morganna, she has lived in the Woodlands for most of her life.
Sir Percyval Garroway
Age: 45, Hair: Black, Eyes: Brown.
Honorable, Ethical, & Avant-garde.
A knight who is sent to the Woodlands to recruit soldiers for his brother’s army.
He supports civil rights for all races and believes in unity and the breaking of barriers.
Sir Antonn Guilara
Age: 48, Hair: Black, Eyes: Brown.
Tenacious, Cranky, & Loyal.
Sir Percyval’s second-in-command; a foreigner with a shadowy past.
King Alistair Garroway
Age: 50, Hair: Black & Grey, Eyes: Brown.
Resilient, Seasoned, & Unyielding.
Sir Percyval’s older brother. Once the right-hand knight of the King of Halghard,
Alistair rose to power when he led the rebellion against the usurper Balthazar Locke.
King Balthazar Locke
Age: Unknown. A tyrannical usurper who was once the king’s most trusted advisor. Claimed the crown for himself after the king’s unexpected death.
Osric Skinner
Age: 60s, Hair: Black & Grey, Eyes: Blue.
Experienced, Firm, & Protective.
A former guardsman who spends his days mentoring and providing shelter for orphaned youth, naming them the ‘Wardens of Grymsbi’.
Ayisha
Age: 19, Hair: Dark Brown, Eyes: Honey.
Sharp & Distrustful. A member of Skinner’s wardens.
Milo
Age: 15, Hair: Brown, Eyes: Blue.
Kind & Smart. A member of Skinner’s wardens.
Aldous
Age: 20, Hair: Silver/Dyed Black, Eyes: Green.
A half-human/half-elf and member of Skinner’s wardens.
Yuri
Age: 19, Hair: Black, Eyes: Yellow.
An orcess and member of Skinner’s wardens
Gibbons
Age: 15. A member of Skinner’s wardens.
Tails, Mallory, & Sam
Ages: 14, 13, and 9. Members of Skinner’s wardens.
Seamus
Age: 25, Hair: Red, Eyes: Green. Friendly and Good-natured.
A tavern server in Grymsbi that becomes the owner when his superior is killed.
The Woodlands
Captain Malekai Pahrvus
Age: 40, Hair: Black dreads, Eyes: Hazel.
Cruel, Megalomaniac, & Resentful.
The newly-appointed Captain of the Rogue Brotherhood.
Borrys Belvaine
Age: 35, Hair: Brown, Eyes: Brown.
Greedy & Wicked.
A member of the Rogue Brotherhood; Malekai’s second-in-command.
The Beast
Age: Unknown, Ha
ir: Black, Eyes: Yellow.
Bad-tempered, Withdrawn, & Tough.
Used to be the sole orc member of the Rogue Brotherhood, until they left him behind to die.
He later befriends Robyn Huxley and becomes her traveling companion.
Clive
Age: 40s. A member of the Rogue Brotherhood.
Naru
Age: 40s. A member of the Rogue Brotherhood.
Miss Rayna
Age: 60s, Hair: Grey, Eyes: Blue.
Strict, Domineering, & Compassionate.
The owner of a tavern in the Woodlands, which was built into the trunk of a massive tree.
Kiira
Age: 20s, Hair: Silver, Eyes: Grey.
An elf servant to Miss Rayna.
Edmond & Grum
Ages: Unknown.
Miss Rayna’s two sons; an ogre and a human raider, respectively.
Gwyndolyn ‘Gwyn’ Althercross
Age: 35, Hair: Blonde, Eyes: Green.
Fierce, Snappy, & Loyal.
A mercenary who was recruited into Sir Percyval Garroway’s troop of Woodland folk.
She befriends Cedric, seeing him as a younger brother figure that she can mentor.
Daryan Althercross
Age: 35, Hair: Blonde, Eyes: Green.
Polite, Well-read, & Drunk.
Gwyn’s twin brother; also recruited into Sir Percyval Garroway’s troop.
Skye
Age: Unknown, Hair: Silver, Eyes: Purple.
Reserved, Soft-spoken, & Nimble.
An androgynous elf and ice mage from the north who was recruited into Sir Percyval Garroway’s troop. It is unknown whether Skye is male or female, nor do they specifically identify as any gender.
Toro
Age: Unknown, Hair: Black pelt, Eyes: Black.
A minotauro from the Great Plains of Belmoor; Skye’s henchman. Recruited into Sir Percyval’s troop of Woodland folk.
Zahrra
Age: 70s, Hair: Grey, Eyes: Green.
Blunt, Aggressive, & Resentful.
A seasoned witch with the ability to read people’s thoughts through a link such as hair or fingernails. Recruited into Sir Percyval’s troop of Woodland folk.
Aevastra
Age: 30s, Hair: Black, Eyes: Yellow.
Quiet, Vigilant, & Brave.
An orcess who flees the Woodlands in search of a better life for her infant son in the free city of Kahrr.
Kingdom of Qamroth
Lord Yohan Baronkroft
Age: 45, Hair: Black, Eyes: Black.
Extremist, Maniacal, & Liberal.
A lord with a dark past whose cause is to liberate the oppressed races of Gravenstone. Because he practices dark magic, his mind has been infected, thus he is violent and aggressive when challenged.
Princess Magdalena of Val Havyn
Age: 19, Hair: Blonde, Eyes: Green.
Astute, Outspoken, & Dedicated.
The princess of Vallenghard, who is kidnapped by Baronkroft and smuggled overseas.
Harrok Mortymer, the Butcher of Haelvaara
Age: Unknown, Hair: Brown, Eyes: Pale Grey
Aggressive, Heartless, & Cannibalistic.
Baronkroft’s right-hand henchman, who was believed to be dead until recently.
Thomlin
Age: 12, Hair: Brown, Eyes: Brown.
Kind, Spirited, & Loyal.
A peasant boy and prisoner who befriends Princess Magdalena.
Valleria
Age: 60s, Hair: Grey, Eyes: Blue.
A sellsword and prisoner who befriends Princess Magdalena.
Sergeant Hauzer
Age: 45, Hair: Red, Eyes: Green.
A soldier in Baronkroft’s army, in charge of looking after the prisoners.
Sergeant Jyor
Age: 39, Hair: Platinum, Eyes: Grey.
An elf soldier in Baronkroft’s army, in charge of looking after the prisoners.
Okvar the Destroyer
Age: Unknown, Hair: none, Eyes: Yellow.
An orc who flees Baronkroft’s army to migrate to the free city of Kahrr.
Gruul & Murzol
Ages: Unknown, Eyes: Yellow.
Okvar’s orc goons, who flee Baronkroft’s army to migrate to the free city of Kahrr.
Sir Gerhard Vandelour
Age: 47, Hair: Black & Grey, Eyes: Brown.
A knight from Qamroth who gets blackmailed into lending his army to Baronkroft.
Sergeant Weston
Age: 40s, Hair: Brown, Eyes: Brown.
A soldier loyal to Sir Vandelour who gets kidnapped and tortured by Baronkroft.
Sebastien Swanworth
Age: 60s, Hair: Grey, Eyes: Grey.
A curator and prisoner of Baronkroft’s army.
Lord Olfur Millhurst
Age: 50s, Hair: Brown, Eyes: Brown.
A lord of Halghard and prisoner of Baronkroft’s army.
Magda
Age: Unknown, Eyes: Brown.
A gnome woman and servant to Baronkroft.
Vincent Soriano
Age: Unknown, Eyes: Brown.
A soldier loyal to Sir Vandelour.