Zara, the Adjutant of Kerun

Zara, the Adjutant of Kerun

Zara was named adjutant by his dear friend and confidant, Voltairine Maloran, with whom he shares a long past that is mired in mystery and rumor. In recent years, he is known by his association with the Phoenix Blade and the kinship he found with its leader, a fellow Midanian named Takaa. He has made many friends in his travels, and it is common to hear stories involving him from the clubs of Rashara to the seedy pubs of Dalaska. He is generally known for his kind, if eccentric nature, and his love for flowers and animals. He has more than once been compared to the legendary Talib, who circled the world several times after pointing to a line of stars in the sky and vowing to follow wherever it pointed.

***

Zara took a deep breath as he felt the air around him move. It had continued to pick up as the sun dipped lower behind the rolling Galean hills. He noted the slight breeze and took it into account as he aimed carefully, looking down the shaft and adjusting the angle of his arrow. He released the shot and smirked in approval as the point stuck the center of the target, prompting an eruption of cheers and whistles from the small, drunken crowd that had congregated nearby. 

Volt watched, wide-eyed, as she hung on the shoulder of a handsome oni who had joined their caravan. The man seemed preoccupied with her, but she was engrossed in the impromptu shooting contest that had broken out. She turned her gaze to Zara’s opponent — a bearded, golden haired human with a refined Restan accent. He frowned as he eyed Zara’s perfect shot, and took several moments to line up his own. Everyone fell silent, careful not to distract the shooters and inadvertently tip the game in anyone’s favor. 

With a whirr, the man’s arrow stuck the center of the target, prompting another round of cheers from the crowd, who seemed to be taking nobody’s side in particular. They were simply glad for the entertainment. Zara smiled charmingly at the man. “Nice shot, mate.”

The Restan snickered, looking Zara up and down derisively. “The target is a bit close. And a bit still for what I’m used to.” He fumbled casually with his bowstring before fixing his gaze on Zara again, narrowing his eyes. He seemed particularly disgusted with the poppies Zara had braided into his locs. 

Zara ignored the man’s aloof manner and simply nodded in agreement. “In that case, let’s have a bit more fun with it, yeah?” He nodded to Volt, who cocked an eyebrow curiously before grinning and running off towards their wagon. The Restan eyed the woman with interest before she disappeared. Zara continued to study the man, noting his reaction to Volt. The woman emerged a few moments later, carrying a bushel of apples. Zara grinned approvingly as she approached him, giving the Restan man a coy glance. The tall Midanian reached into the bushel and pulled out one of the apples before leaning in towards Volt and kissing her on the cheek before covertly whispering something in her ear. A subtle smile curled her lips as she backed away. “Ready?” Zara asked the Restan man with a playful smirk, tossing the apple between his hands.

The man returned Zara’s smirk haughtily and raised his polished bow. “When you’re ready, Sir,” he replied. 

Zara pulled his arm back and tossed the apple high into the air. His eyebrows perked as it disappeared with a crunch, the arrow taking it out as it peaked. “Nice one!” Volt cheered and whooped loudly for the Restan, giggling and prompting the first genuine smile from the man. She tossed him an apple, and he looked to Zara. Zara nodded.

Zara raised his bow as he followed the apple’s path through the air. He pinpointed it, and moved his arrow a hair’s width to the left. His arrow grazed the side of the apple, prompting a groan from the crowd. “Damn!” he swore, snapping his fingers. “Guess I’m a bit more out o' practice than I thought!”

The Restan man snickered. “Too bad. I suppose fending for oneself is no substitute for proper training.”

“I guess not! Better luck next time, Zara!” Volt called to him with a vacuous tilt of her head. She giggled and stood up, filling a tankard of mead and taking it to the Restan man with a smile on her face. Zara eyed the pair and set down his bow and quiver, doing his best to look dejected as the crowd began to disperse. He shot a covert smirk and wink to Volt when he was sure the Restan’s back was turned. 

***

Volt grinned as she drove their wagon through the darkness, the trees thickening around them as they followed the road north.

“He’s tied up nice and tight, yeah?” Zara asked with a laugh as the air whipped against his face. 

“You know I’m good at knots!” Volt replied. “And anyway, he’s out cold. Prolly will be till we get him back to Resta!”

Zara sighed and leaned back, smiling as he ran his fingers over the finely-crafted bow the Restan man had been shooting with a few hours earlier. “Damn, this is a nice piece. That dick don’t deserve it. Guess that’s one o’ the reasons we do this, though,” he mused, spotting a small line of engraved text on the weapon. “Esia,” he whispered. His eyebrows perked.

“Keep it!” Volt called over to him with a smile as her braids whipped behind her. “It’s just a little bit o’ justice, you know?”

“Yeah, I guess.” Zara sighed soulfully as he gazed down at the item for a few more moments before pulling his gaze up towards the night sky.

Volt sighed, her own smile fading as she spoke with an uncharacteristically serious tone. “At least he won’t be able to hurt no one else anymore. I hope the spellwarriors don’t find out, but it kinda seems like those ladies have done this sorta thing before. At least, I hope so.” She slowed the wagon down as she started to catch a chill. “Karatal can be rough.”

Zara stowed the bow in his pack before folding a blanket behind his head as he continued to stargaze.“Yeah, but you’re right though. They seem like they know what’s up.” 

***

An arrow whirred towards a target and pierced it dead through the center as a few sunbeams poked through the grey sky over Midania. 

“Ooh! Nice shot!” Volt called with a whoop as the sable-haired woman lowered the bow with a surprised smile.

“You’ll have to thank that funny Midanian for me,” she replied as she lifted the bow and ran her fingers over the delicate spirals that were carved into the ruddy wood. “This is a nice item. Not surprising, since it came off that blonde bastard. Shame he couldn’t use all that money to buy a damn conscience, though.”

Volt snickered as she leaned against one of the pillars holding up the rickety building behind her. “Well, he doesn’t need neither where he is now. As for the bow, Zara seems to think it’s rare or something.”

“Well, we’ll be careful,” the woman replied, raising an eyebrow. “We always are.”

Tir Apollo, the Avatar of Crane

Tir Apollo, the Avatar of Crane

Tir Apollo, the Avatar of Crane, is Galeon's most popular Avatar, respected greatly as an academic and for her pull with the Windlords, who are also highly thought of in the region. She is also revered by the Tanisians for her heroic actions during the sho'kai invasion, to the point where a popular restaurant bears her name. Tir's most controversial position among the people of Comalan is her continued support of her predecessor, Richard Blackstone - more specifically, her personal concern for him and belief that he can be rehabilitated. This has caused many to, at best, question her ability as his successor, and at worst, question her motives. Despite this controversy, those who have met her or worked with her personally consider her to be both confident and trustworthy.

***

Tir was born in the Crowmont territory of Heron to her father Alim, a Galean machinist and inventor, and Leora, a Galean-Heronite writer and seamstress. Alim had moved to a small mountain village in Heron to live with his wife. They had a loving family until Leora disappeared when Tir was eight. She was presumed dead, and Alim told his daughter that she had died of an illness as she slept. 

Tir and her father were very close, and she often felt that he was the only other person in their village who understood her. He avoided telling her stories about Galeon, fearing that they would only make her feel unhappy with the small village that they lived in, but Tir was smart - from a young age, she loved to read, and had learned many things that her father didn't teach her. She was also highly rational for someone so young. She often chose not to discuss certain things with him in order to spare his feelings. 

As she grew older, Tir found she had an affinity for machinery and engineering, picking up the skill quickly under the instruction of her father. Engineering was how they made their living in the small village they lived in, constructing lamps, ovens, and lumbering equipment for the people there. All Tir knew was that the people there valued her and her father deeply. 

Despite the affinity Tir felt for the place she had grown up in, as she entered her teens and twenties, she felt more and more of an urge to leave. She desperately wanted to go to Galeon in order to train in one of the Intalan temples there, and to experience the life she could have had if her father had not stayed in their Heronite village. Seeing how restless his daughter had become, Alim could no longer keep her with him, despite how much he would miss her. He told her that it would be alright if she left, and so she did. 

Tir traveled to Galeon and found she had an instant affinity for the place. She traveled to the Temple of Crane in order to train in the art of foresight, and it was this action that started Tir on the journey that would acquaint her with the first Avatar of Crane, Richard Blackstone, which would eventually lead to her becoming his apprentice and taking his place as Avatar.

Tir in her Starlight Crusade uniform, of which she serves as Fleet Commander, as well as the commanding officer of the Selon Res.

Atunis Astersong, the Avatar of Salica

Atunis in his Starlight Crusade uniform, in which he served as the Captain as the Karashartal.

Atunis Astersong, the Avatar of Salica and brother of the Adjutant of Crane, Eione Astersong, is widely considered one of the most personally approachable and sincere of the Avatars. He cares deeply about his charge and is a devout follower of the gods, leading him to consider his charge a heavy responsibility. As a result, he works hard to make sure he lives up to it - something reflected in public opinion of him. Also, somewhat unrelated to his performance as an Avatar, he is renowned for his beauty.

***

Atunis is very pious, being the child of two priests of Serenity. It is what they taught him in the Theia Seminary, the institution they ran and taught at on Iris Isle. He grew up in the church and was a quiet, well-behaved child, unlike his younger sister, Eione. He spent much of his time in his father's study, reading books about history and mythology. When he grew too old for schooling, he worked in the seminary, primarily as director of the choir. From early childhood, he struggled with bouts of anxiety and depression, but with the support of his parents and the clergy at Theia, he was able to live a fulfilling life in a very nurturing, uplifting environment. 

After the armies of Geos stormed the shores of Iris, he stayed with his parents to help protect the Island, the Seminary, and the Bishop’s Pinnacle. He was terrified at first, but the arrival of a righteous band of Templars to help defend the isle both comforted and inspired him. He became fast friends with one in particular - a Galean named Zaraan. He got his first taste of combat after enthusiastically joining the band in their training regimen and finding he had the makings of an adept swordsman.

After finishing his work on Iris, Atunis moved on to experience the adventure and prestige that came with being a full member of the Templar Order, inspired by the friends he made in the Order on Iris. He did not get far past training, finding that he did not have the temperament for the organization. That, and an upsetting personal clash with one of his commanders made it nearly unbearable for him to stay. After he left the Order, disillusioned, his despair pushed him into a hasty decision to enlist with a clerical expedition to the Vortex Archipelago. He was determined to reaffirm his self worth by volunteering for a dangerous mission in service of the gods. 

This rash choice turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The friends he made while protecting the clergy helped him relearn how to trust others, as well as himself. He found a renewed sense of purpose. Upon his return to Resta, however, he found that his old demons began to haunt him once more.

Atunis credits Lady Salica with the chance meeting that introduced him to Kartal Marle - the templar who would eventually become Atunis' best friend. Kartal had just experienced a grave personal tragedy that he couldn't deal with alone, and Atunis desperately needed a friend and a purpose. It was this occurrence that would eventually lead to Atunis being named the Avatar of Salica, a position which he accepts with mixed emotions - pride and devotion, certainly, but also anxiety and self doubt. 

Atunis Astersong, the Avatar of Salica

Voltairine Maloran, the Avatar of Kerun

Voltairine, Avatar of Kerun

Voltairine, the Avatar of Kerun, is one of the most beloved amongst the Avatars. Her origins and past are shrouded in mystery, though there are many a story about her escapades before she was granted Avatar status — nothing confirmed, however. It is well known that she happens to be married to the Third Archknight, Gyanda Maloran. Her choice to take his last name was a convenient one for her, as it has served to further obscure her past from those who may wish to probe. Personality wise, she exudes a carefree demeanor, but she also has a very strong sense of justice that tends to favor the oppressed, and this colors her decision making as an avatar. 

***

The early afternoon sun disappeared behind the side of a mountain as the creaky cart turned along a bend in the path. As they rode through the cold, grey mountain pass, Volt swore and gritted her teeth, pulling the large fur blanket she borrowed tightly around her shoulders and knees. She glared daggers at her travelling partner.

“I hate you. I hate Heron. What good is coin if you freeze to death before you can spend it, huh?” she growled at the smiling, dreadlocked man. 

Before Zara could respond, the cart’s driver looked over his shoulder at the pair, donning a scowl. “Damn disrespectful foreigners ain’t welcome on my cart if that’s how you talk, got it? You want me to toss you and your coin to the rocks?”

Zara chuckled through his own chattering teeth. “No disrespect here, mate! We love your beautiful country and your lovely hospitality!” He nodded emphatically, grinning apologetically at the man before turning to Volt and lowering his voice. “Listen, the place we’re going is warm as a Galean summer. And there’s coin. And beer. And food. Tasty food,” he emphasized. “So chin up! It’ll be worth it, just like you said!” Volt merely scowled back, cursing her decision to take this job as she huddled next to Zara.

“Well, I’m a bloody idiot!” 

*

About four hours later, Volt was cackling gleefully as she and Zara made off from Nacre Hill, jingling with as much coin as they could fit in their clothes, and lugging as many valuables as they could nimbly carry. She whooped as she leapt from one boulder to the next in front of her. 

“I told you this job’d be excellent!” she shouted back at him with an impish grin as her braids bounced around her wildly.

Zara snickered, smirking back at her over the large sack he carried, a golden candlestick poking out from the top. “Like you’re ever wrong about a good time.”

Volt glanced over her shoulder at the path behind them as they made their way up the steady incline. “Okay, with the trail we planted, the guards oughta be kept busy for a good long while — plenty o’ time for them to get in and get out, yeah?” 

The pair reached the peak of this very particular hill, atop which stood an old stone monolith, that likely once carried the Piers heraldry. It was about six feet high and made of stone, with a pair of hooks screwed into the side. Volt pulled a large, crimson piece of cloth from her sack and attached it to the stone. She took a few steps back and put her hands on her hips, watching the signal flag billow in the crisp breeze. 

“That oughta do it.” She turned back towards Zara and picked up her pack before leading the way towards the drop point.

Down the road till you see the stone wolf, turn right through the gap in the pines, take twenty paces to the hollow tree, Volt recalled from the rundown she’d gotten earlier. She and Zara followed the process easily, coming upon the hollow tree just as the full moon had started to show through the clouds. 

Volt leaned over and shook out her top, pouring out a nearly implausible number of coins. The pair divvied everything up and shoved half the coin and any useful items in a sack in the tree, just as was agreed upon. 

“So, ready for a real party?” Volt asked, smirking and leading Zara eagerly back towards the road. 

*

Late into the night, Volt’s laughter could be heard ringing through the hills surrounding the small village they celebrated in. Volt pantomimed comically as a tipsy Zara enthusiastically recounted her actions at Nacre Hill to a group of resistance fighters, along with a woman who was very recently freed from the Nacre Hill dungeon. She had curly auburn hair and a smattering of freckles across her nose — and she watched Volt move with a loopy grin on her face. 

“Awright, so these blokes are all jus’ droolin’ all ovah the tables, watchin’ ‘er shake ‘er you-know-whats, and all of a sudden, she gets real close — too close — and I get awful nervous, ‘cause you know these lords are supposed to be pretty uptight ‘bout stuff, yeah? I was just thinkin’ it might be too much is all, but,” He shook his head and threw up his hands. “Turns out they don’t mind a Galean lady’s hands all ovah them as long as their wives ain’t there, right?” Volt snickered and winked at the auburn-haired girl from across the table as she wrapped her arms around Zara’s shoulders. 

“Yeah, they got pretty handsy, for all their talk o’ piety and shit,” Volt added with a grin.

Zara sighed and smirked. “Not as handsy as you, milady. And whaddya know — before those rich bastards knew it, she’d taken every damn coin off e’ry one of ‘em! I wouldn’t be surprised if one of ‘em woke up tomorrow morning and realized his gold fillings were gone!”

The audience laughed heartily, but a second uproar sounded when Zara gasped upon realizing Volt was dangling his own coinpurse in front of his face. She tossed it on the table before running her hands down Zara’s back and sighing contently, whispering something in his ear. He smiled at her, kissed her on the cheek, and gave her a wink. She rounded the table towards the auburn-haired girl.

“So, you’re a free woman now, I hear,” Volt remarked with a roguish grin, leaning on the table beside her.

The lady turned towards Volt and looked into her enticing brown eyes, lowering her voice. “Yeah. Been thinkin’ what I should do with my first night out o’ that damn cage,” she replied, tilting her head.

“I think I have some good ideas,” Volt replied with a chuckle. “And I’m told I’ve never been wrong about a good time.”

Ekera of Sister, Avatar of Serenity

Ekera of Sister, Avatar of Serenity

Ekera, despite being seen as an enigmatic, and sometimes fearsome figure, is a well-loved and trusted avatar not only to those of her own faith, but with those who follow other gods. While her ways have garnered some criticism from the most orthodox followers of Serenity, she is most notable for being an avatar who successfully blends the tenets of other faiths with the Serene, making her popular with the interfaith community. 

***

Ekera was born on the island of Sister and was raised to be a proud member of her community. She valued her family, community, and the well-protected ecosystem of the island. Growing up, she found she excelled in physical activities and was also powerfully gifted in the use of Serene magic, so she committed herself to serving her community as a protector who would guard her island and its people from anyone who would threaten them. Ekera had a very straightforward plan for her life — she wanted to protect her island, build a family, and live out her final years as a respected healer. However, this was not meant to be.

One seemingly ordinary day, Ekera was patrolling the edge of the wilds when she spotted a team of strange men attempting to disembark the island with a large tiger in tow, who seemed to be bound in some kind of magical chain and in clear distress. Ekera, who was sworn to protect her island and all of her creatures, attacked the men in a rage. Though she managed to take out three of the invaders, the others were able to escape in what looked to be a large, gilded ship emblazoned across the side with the words Siren of Solan. Ekera returned to the community, ashamed of her failure, but determined to make things right again. She gathered enough supplies for a long trip and headed out on the first ship bound for Resta.

From Solan, Ekera was able to track the kidnappers to a wealthy estate in the Restan countryside, where she found a menagerie filled with a variety of exotic animals — including the tiger that had been stolen from Sister. It was heavily guarded, but she fought her way through the defenses in order to free the creature, along with several other caged animals. Just as the pair was about to escape, however, they would find themselves confronted by the wealthy Restan man whose menagerie she had liberated, along with more mercenaries she could count. She and the beast took out dozens of fighters together in a glorious battle that ended with the tiger tearing out the rich man’s throat before it and Ekera were overwhelmed and killed by the remaining soldiers. 

As she died, Ekera thought that this would be her final waking moment before moving on to the afterlife. This would explain the surprise she felt as she awoke several hours later in the back of a moving wagon, covered by a sheet of burlap. At first, she thought she may have survived the battle somehow, but she quickly realized that she was no longer a living person, but was a sai’mul — one who has died without passing into the afterlife. 

This realization devastated Ekera. She was severed from her connection to the divine magic she once valued so deeply, and she knew that not only could she never return to Sister, she would be separated from her family and community even after they passed to the next life. For several days, she simply wandered, seeking out places that reminded her of home, while trying her best to avoid other people. She made a small camp in Lightning Ridge, where she contemplated what she should do. Despite feeling disconnected from the gods she had once revered so highly, she almost felt as if they had given her an answer as she spotted a pair of poachers stalking through the ridge, wheeling a large cage of chinchillas — likely to be bred and sold, or slaughtered for their pelts. Ekera liberated the chinchillas and handily scared off the poachers. 

From then on, Ekera spent her years caring for the place she now considered her home. She appreciated the company of the animals around her, but she was still pained by the disconnect she felt from other humans. She wore a hooded cloak to conceal her features whenever she felt in danger of encountering other people, and rarely spoke to anyone. This way of life continued for nearly a decade. 

Ekera continued to quietly search for ways to regain her connection with the gods enough to perform Serene magic once more. This search would take her life on another unexpected turn when she visited the lab of Richard Broger, who was known for researching the nature of sai’mul and various types of soul magic. It was here that she met Elidol Dawnstrike, the man who would become the Avatar of Chaos. The pair bonded over their undeath, and Ekera would soon be pulled into the quest that would lead her to become the Avatar of Serenity, granting her what she had originally sought in her initial journey — a renewed connection to Serene magic. Her relationship with Elidol, as well as her status of Avatar, led to a new sense of purpose for Ekera, as well as a stronger sense of connection with other people. 

Eione Astersong, Adjutant of Crane

Eione Astersong, the Adjutant of Crane

Eione Astersong, current Adjutant of Crane and sister of Salica's avatar, Atunis Astersong, is one of the more controversial figures to be given the title. She has a checkered past and, in the eyes of many, has built herself a reputation for being untrustworthy and unpredictable. Nevertheless, the Avatar of Crane, Tir Apollo, decided to put her trust in the fallen priestess, perhaps believing her to be capable of redemption. Some say her curiosity and cryptic motives will lead to an inevitable betrayal, while some, including Tir Apollo herself, believe that focusing her intellect, drive, and insatiable curiosity towards a higher purpose has the potential to make her a vital asset to the Avatar's goals.

***

Eione was born on Iris in the seminary that was run by her and Atunis’ mother and father, two priests of Serenity. As a small child, she frequently misbehaved, teasing her brother, running off alone, and exploring in places that she should not. Living amongst disciplined, pious priests in training had an influence on her, and she soon learned how to act in a manner that pleased her family.

Though at a glance she seemed to be a pious priestess of Serenity, the temptation to explore and learn of things unbefitting a young girl in her position persisted within her. She remained in the seminary for many years before she seized the opportunity to escape the life that was so unfulfilling to her. A particular human mage, Yann, visited the isle in search of magical artifacts. Eione, already being a gifted potion maker, disguised herself as his apprentice and left the island with him, traveling all the way to his far away tower in the desert edge of Galeon. 

Of course, it was not long before her protective brother managed to track her down with the help of his friends. She refused to leave with them, however, and Atunis resignedly left her with the mage, where she continued to study her craft, soon outgrowing Yann’s teachings and leaving his tower to explore. In her travels, Eione met several members of and was recruited into the noted mercenary troop, the Phoenix Blade. Eione moved to the Phoenix Blade headquarters, developing close relationships with several of the members and proving herself an integral part of the team. She encountered her brother once more on a mission with the Phoenix Blade. As usual, he disapproved of her decision to participate in something so dangerous, but knew he could do little to change her. 

She also developed a more secretive relationship with a member of a dangerous cult, and began contemplating joining the group to gain knowledge of the arcane secrets of Comalan’s darker forms of magic. Soon, she began to juggle her two lives, managing to keep her affiliation with the cult secret until a Templar commander who was investigating the cult, Venaticus Desmond, realized she was helping the cult evade the authorities. After the Templar wound up dead, it was discovered that Eione had conspired in his murder.

At trial, Eione was granted mercy due to her close familial relationship with the Avatar of Salica, and was sentenced to live under the custody of the Avatar of Death, Aennin Moonstep, who she has reluctantly served ever since.