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Derrexi
Tzelan
Age: 24
Role: Swordswoman.
Station: Noble, military officer.
First Appearance: Nov. 2nd,
2002.
Proud firstborn daughter of House Tzelan, she ceded her right to become
the head of the clan to her younger sister and trained as a swordswoman
in the Hawk's Talons School. During her service in the westernost border
of the Empire she proved to be an excelent fighter as well as a capable
commander, and was recommended to become a Falcon Knight, one of the
few women to achieve this honour. Astonishing her family once again,
she declined and put her sword at the service of the Empress. Still
searching for herself, she is sent to Beldatz to train a small cadre
of female halberdiers called the Hawk Maidens in preparation for the
Festival of Renewal. She knows nothing of the hotbed of intrigue and
danger in the city, as she digs up more than she bargained for in her
quest to find herself. |
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Yanti
(True Name: Yu'wuf)
Age: 17
Role: Troublemaker, explorer.
Station: Outcast, courier.
First Appearance: Nov. 2nd,
2002.
The young Yu'wuf left his parents at the beginning of his adolescence,
as the traditions of the Quetzerri foxfolk dictate. He took the human
name of Yanti as he liked the sound, and discovered his knack for sneaking
in and out of trouble. He found an easy job as a courier and messenger,
which gave him the chance to travel abroad and get paid. Another thing
he discovered was his additction to games of chance, which he excels
at. He has almost no savings as his fortunes rise and ebb like the tides,
and gladly enters Derrexi's service to both alleviate his encroaching
boredom and to get out of jail. How long his amusement will keep him
at her side is anyone's guess, including his own. |
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Eclipse
(Real identity unknown)
Age: ?? (between 16 and 25)
Role: Agent of the Moonshades.
Station: Servant?
First Appearance: Dec. 4th,
2002.
Eclipse is a mysterious young woman, possibly at the service of the
governor's wife. She is a Moonshade, one of the legendary spies and
saboteurs rumoured to have a hand in every aspect of the politics of
the Empire, but whose existence has never been proven. Her job is to
run errands and get information, at least during the night. In the wake
of the arrival of Lady Tzelan, she has been commanded to watch over
her, for the morass of politics she is about to sink into is of interest
to the Moonshades. |
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Larriki
Age: 20
Role: Monk and advisor
Station: Clergy
First Appearance: Mar. 8th,
2003
Larriki is one of many Skrii'qek birdfolk that left the Shattered Islands
to explore the rest of Nahast. His family was hit by a storm as they
crossed the Dawn Sea. His parents died just after they managed to leave
the young hatchling in the care of monks in the Aureous Feather monastery
overlooking Beldatz. he learned the tenets of the monk's philosophy,
and adapted their martial art to his unique physiognomy. He received
dreams of a respendent hawk flying around the bay and became a priest
of Suze'en, Goddess of the Sun, whose sacred animal is the hawk. The
dreams have not ceased, but at least they have been pointing at a near
event that will shake the foudnations of Beldatz, possibly of all the
Empire. The Skrii'qek monk is determined to find out what it is and,
if possible, deal with it. |
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Xu're
Age: 26
Role: Sorcerer.
Station: Exile.
First Appearance: Dec. 7th,
2002.
Xu're discovered early his ability to wrest magic from the air itself.
Being born in the harsh Zergune Empire, his family tried to hide his
talent from the bloody priests, but he had to escape his home when he
lost control of his power and killed a tax collector. Almost dead from
exposure to the broken lands west of Zergune, he stumbled upon one of
the greatest secrets of the world of Nahast: the Land of Dreams. He
was revitalised by the spirits of the land itself, and learned the true
nature of many things, a knowledge that would have driven a lesser man
insane. Travelling half through the real world and half through the
Dreamlands, he is making his way to Beldatz, for he senses that something
is about to be awakened, unleashed or unsealed. His motives are his
own, and does little to appease the Solernian's distrust of any Zergunese
travelling by himself. |
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Niriko Zarranz
Age: 15
Role: Natural born leader.
Station: Hawk Maiden trainee, commoner.
First Appearance: Nov. 2nd,
2002 (look at the background :) )
Niriko is a blonde in a land where dark hair is the norm, her skin much
fairer than that of any of her friends, and the reason for this is her
secret shame: she is one of the first half-elves to be born in Solerne.
Ridiculed through her entire childhood, she spent a lot of time and
energy winning the respect and friendship of all children her age, but
she still gets strange looks, and still keeps her slightly pointed ears
hidden under her hair. Her father is the portmaster in Beldatz, and
he will not tell who her mother is except for the fact that she was
an elf, and she abandoned both of them weeks after Niriko was born.
She is all too eager to join the Hawk Maidens as the perfect way to
realise her dreams of being independent and, most importantly, respected. |
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Behari
Age: 18
Role: Angry, angsty and loyal friend.
Station: Hawk Maiden trainee, former prostitute.
First Appearance: May 16th,
2005
Behari knows nothing of her parents, having been abandoned as a baby
and brought up in a small brothel. She became a prostitute as soon as
she became a woman, and has been the "property" of the brothel's
housemaster ever since. Neither she nor her owners knew that she is
of the Miyalli people, a different ethnic group than the main Solernian
branch. Having grown without any true affection and used as an object
for the good part of her teenage years, she has grown angry, bitter
and quiet (but prone to violent outbursts); the Hawk Maidens are her
chance to discover how fiercely loyal she can be. |
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Jakitza
Egoski
Age: 16
Role: Well-read, well-informed and brilliant strategist.
Station: Hawk Maiden trainee, middle class.
First Appearance: June 3rd,
2005.
Being the daughter of a government magistrate and a scribe, Jakitza
grew amongst books, and she loves knowledge with a passion. Her dreams
of becoming an imperial magistrate were shattered when Beldatz closed
the schools for girls, denying her the diploma that was requisite for
the magistrate exams. An excellent calligraphist herself, Jakitza has
very good coordination, but her still undiagnosed near-sightedness hinders
her training. Her strength lies in her quick mind, cool head and iron
will. She joined the Hawk Maidens as an alternative to advance her studies,
but there she will develop her strategic skills. |
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Gisako
Gizaletzi
Age: 17
Role: The loyal opposition, voice of dissent and giver of insights.
Station: Hawk Maiden trainee, upper class.
First Appearance: June 14th,
2005.
A child of privilege, Gisako nonetheless feels sick about the rich merchants
and nobles that roam the courts and party halls. It's a mystery where
she got her morals given his father's ruthless business disposition
and her mother's indifference. Her curiosity and inquisitive mind got
the better of her when she stumbled upon the wrong conversation at the
wrong time, and she is now under the dubious care of Eclipse, acting
as an unofficial informant for the Moonshades regarding the Hawk Maidens
and Derrexi's movements. Despite her natural decency, Gisako is still
a bit conceited and self-important, and just asumes she's the better
suited for leadership. The Hawk Maidens will teach her some humility
and give her a chance to have friends that are not after her father's
money. |
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Zintzi
Tainoz
Age: 15
Role: Confidant, advisor wise beyond her years.
Station: Hawk Maiden trainee, commoner.
First Appearance: Oct. 24th,
2005.
A very tall girl for her age, Zintzi's height and quiet smile makes
everybody think she is older, especially when she speaks, because almost
always she says something deep and insightful, or helpful at least.
She's Niriko's best friend, and the only one in the Hawk Maidens with
a boyfriend. Her reasons for joining the Hawk Maidens are a mistery,
but she says she did because she wanted to have something in common
to talk with her boyfriend, who joined the Watch recently. |
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Eruhien
Age: 13
Role: Official mascot.
Station: Hawk Maiden trainee, poor.
First Appearance: June 14th,
2005
Eruhien does not have an exciting and intriguing life story (as short
as that would be anyway). She lives in one of the city's slums with
her parents, and is the oldest of five children. Doing odd jobs with
her mother and being a street urchin, she dreamed of a better life for
her family. When she heard that the Hawk Maidens would take care of
her, she decided to join so she could ease her parents' burden of raising
a child, and hopes to one day get them out of poverty. |
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Waio
Ko Xiang
Age: 45
Role: Steadfast pillar of stability.
Station: Hawk Maiden trainee, dwarven merchant class.
First Appearance: Oct. 24th,
2005
The dwarves of Kerrost are renowned craftsmen and merchants, and settled
in the northern districts of Beldatz to conduct their business, relatively
isolated from the human population. Xiang, only daughter of the leader
of Guild Waio Ko, grew up in Beldatz and is eager to get to know the
humans better, not to mention all the other kinds of people that arrive
from the mountain passes and the port. She convinced her father to let
her join the Hawk Maidens arguing that it could bring honor to the family
name, and thus make business with the humans easier. |
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Tercos Itzcori
Age: 38
Role: Leader of the Beldatz Watch.
Station: Military officer.
First Appearance: Jan. 1st,
2003.
The strict and grim Captain Itzcori has served the governor of Beldatz
since he first learned to wield a sword. He acquired all his military
expertise not from a lofty noble's academy, but from hands-on experience.
Originally a commoner, his outstanding service has earned him rank,
fortune and honour for him and his family, although many of Beldatz's
nobility see him as a bothersome upstart. He refuses to enter the field
of politics even if his position as leader of the city's army does give
him a lot of power, which he disdains claiming that he is only a dutiful
servant. Scrupulous and honest, he follows the warrior's code even if
it is not expected of him to do so. |
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Lady
Beltzane Matsidari
Age: 50
Role: Leader of the Beldatz Moonshades, governor's wife.
Station: Nobility.
First Appearance: Dec. 4th,
2002.
This cold and calculating woman has been playing a dangerous game of
intrigue in Beldatz for years. As the leader of the Moonshades in Beldatz,
it is her job to manipulate events and people to follow the secret order's
agenda; whatever it is. She is in direct communication with the Empress
and seems like a loyal subject of the Imperial Throne, but once night
falls all bets are off, as she schemes and plots behind her husband's
back, sometimes aiding him, sometimes hindering him, but always ruthlessly
achieving her goals. She has a vested interest in Derrexi's success,
although why this is so remains unclear. |
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Lord
Oskardi Matsidari
Age: 52
Role: Governor of Beldatz
Station: Nobility.
First Appearance: Aug. 24th,
2003.
Good natured and seemingly addle-brained, Lord Matsidari rules Beldatz
and its surrounding lands with fairness and a hands-off approach, letting
the people who know their business to do whatever they think is best.
He would like to see his daughter married off to Leial Azpikeri in order
to secure a hold into the Merchant's Guild, although Diru Azpikeri pursues
the matter for the same purpose. He knows that there is something strange
brewing in his city, and plays dumb in order to lure out whatever plot
is being cooked up under his nose; unfortunately, he is not as clever
as he thinks he is, although he is definitely not as foolish as he appears. |
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Lady
Tzie Matsidari
Age: 17
Role: Scribe, governor's daughter.
Station: Nobility.
First Appearance: Jan. 15th,
2003.
Shy, insecure and bookish, this lady is ripe for an arranged marriage,
but her own disinterest in all things romantic (whether by fear or something
else) and her mother's pickiness keep her unbethroted. She serves her
mother as a scribe and record keeper as she spends most of her time
in the castle's library or reading in the gardens, but also is aware
of some of her mother's darker connections and acts as her messenger
and go-betweener, when the situation would not put her at risk. She
refuses any invitation to join the Hawk Maidens as she is too afraid
of fighting, although her nervousness in the matter may hide some secrets
of her own. |
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Master
Gaizco Zarranz
Age: 42
Role: Portmaster of Beldatz' docks.
Station: Retired military, civil servant.
First Appearance: Mar. 22nd,
2003.
Grissled veteran of the Solernian Navy, Gaizco Zarranz is also a retired
adventurer himself, an explorer of no small skill who was one of the
few humans to be freely accepted by the Maevindran elves. He arrived
in Beldatz with a baby daughter in his arms, and found a ready job as
a portmaster, given his skill with dealing with the various races that
stop by Beldatz. He is gruff and strict, but very fair in his judgements.
He tries to stay out of the politics game, but his position draws him
to the game of influence brokerage, and he always looks out for Niriko's
interests in everything he does. |
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Leial
Azpikeri
Age: 26
Role: Swordsman.
Station: Son of the leader of Beldatz's Merchant Guild.
First Appearance: July 26th,
2003.
Training abroad served to mould Leial's ideals far away from his conniving
and manipulative father, and returned to Beldatz as a just man, if a
little aloof. He is perfectly aware of his father's machinations, but
is honour-bound by blood to put up with him. He likes Lady Tzie Matzidari,
but agrees with her mother that a bethrotal would not make her happy.
He is a little aimless, excelling in the forms of swordsmanship but
having little real combat experience. |
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Diru
Azpikeri
Age: 62
Role: Plotter and schemer.
Station: Aforementioned leader of Beldatz's Merchant Guild.
First Appearance: Aug. 24th,
2003.
A man who rose to his fortune due to hard work and by leaving several
stabbed backs behind, Diru Azpikeri founded and leads the Merchant Guild
operating in Beldatz, independent of any other similar guild that operates
in the Empire. He's a calculating man but far from cold, prone to holding
deep grudges although he manages not to let his personal feelings cloud
his judgement. He has acquired several dark contacts and is plotting
to become the true power in Beldatz, and he is not so far from achieving
that end. He is behind many of the troubles of the city, for which he
has the "solutions" to make him appear like the city's savior,
one of which is the mercenary corps complementing the Watch's ranks,
although the merc's disregard for civil duty is beginning to backfire
on him; he sees Derrexi's arrival as a dangerous weight to tip the precarious
balance in which his plots thrive. |
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Xisve'ki
Age: Unknown, but counted in millenia.
Role: Dark undead sorcerer.
Station: Evil force behind the potential downfall of Beldatz
and its people.
First Appearance: Aug. 9th,
2004.
Xisve'ki used to be one of the Hooded Ones, a priest-king of the forgotten
reptilian civilization of Nahast's Third Age. He foresaw the downfall
of his Age and embraced undeath to at least save himself to preserve
the glory of his people. He slept through the end of the Third Age,
through the entire Fourth Age and through the beginning of the current
Age, his power greatly diminished because of his exile to the Lands
of Dreams. He has woken to a world he scarcely understands, dominated
by pathetic mammal-things and where the spirits he used to command have
become gods. His goals and his methods are an enigma, but he is working
"for" DIru Azpikeri while he regains his power and understand
the people of this Age. |
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Quitzam
Age: Late 50s.
Role: Eccentric wizard.
Station: Lighthouse master, unofficial teacher.
First Appearance: Dec. 7th,
2003.
Nobody quite remembers when Master Quitzam moved to the southern lighthouse.
The lighthouse itself was no longer operating thanks to the smaller
and more potent lighthouses build right along the Beldatz docks until
the night he moved in. He brought with him a pack of xolotzins to attend
to his everyday needs and has never asked for payment from the city.
He has assisted the Watch now and then with magical matters but otherwise
prefers to stay apart from society, conducting whatever studies or practices
he does in the solitude of the fort. He was annoyed when Lady Tzelan
and her girls moved in, but has accepted a position of teacher in exchange
of having Jakitza as his apprentice, the first and only one anyone has
heard of him accepting, let alone requesting. |
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Narmati
Bah'riini
Equinox