Support Cast

Alays Maccard (a-LAYZ muh-CAR)
First appearance: Chapter 1, Page 10
A server at the Harp & Trumpet Saloon, Alays is a foundling who grew up on the streets of Sherbourg. Her mother was a doxy who died of disease when Alays was 8 years old. Her mother claimed that Alays was sired by a sage at the University of Sherbourg but couldn't provide proof or a name. Alays believes it to be true, and eagerly absorbs tales, trivia, and stories because she dreams of becoming a scribe.
« Return to Cast Page

Ald Baillon (ALD by-OH)
First appearance: Chapter 1, Page 24
A gendarme, Ald is the sergeant of the Riverside District. He is responsible for keeping the peace in one of the poorer districts of the city, which is filled with transient hunters, trappers, and sailors. While he is massively corrupt, he manages to keep the violence and mayhem that once plagued the Riverside under control. He achieves this by dispensing brutal justice and savage beatdowns. Ald is not from Sherbourg. As his surname indicates, he comes from the town of Baillon in Saronne. Or at least that is what he claims. He is tight-lipped about his history, but rumors mark him as a dragoon formerly in the service of the crown. He's an excellent shot with his carbine musket, which is the dragoon's trademark weapon. This past year, he married Jeanne, a Daughter of the King who was about to be sent back to Saronne for lack of finding a husband.
« Return to Cast Page

Antoine Dupuis (an-TWAN du-PWEE)
First appearance: Chapter 2, Page 9
Antoine Dupuis is the curator of the Museum in Sherbourg and a renowned botanist. He earned his doctorate at the Royal University in Arcaneaux in 1653, then joined the faculty at the recently established University of Sherbourg in the colony of Aradie. Antoine greatly desired to study the new plants of Everique, and he has spent the past three decades identifying and categorizing its flora. He is considered the foremost authority on New World botany, and it was his testimony to King Raimond IV that convinced the the Royal Court of Saronne to allow cultivation of the potato -- a New World plant that was considered poisonous because of its close relationship to nightshade (it is still banned to this day in Morante).
Antoine was appointed curator in 1672 after Governor General Jean-Henri de Carailles gifted the university a sizable grant for the construction of a museum. The philosopher has spent the past six years building the collections of the museum and is fiercely protective of them. Thoroughly committed to his work, Antoine never married. He lives in the professors' hall in the dormitory of the university in Templetown.
« Return to Cast Page

Bertrande Grusseau (BEAR-trand GROO-so)
First appearance: Chapter 2, Page 13
Bertrande Grusseau is perhaps the most renowned alchemist in Sherbourg and a guild officer in the Order of the Erudite. She is a stern, non-nonsense woman who is proud of her accomplishments and certain of her rights and privileges. Unlike some alchemists who view themselves as philosophers, she crafts alchemical goods for sale. She is also willing to create saltpeter (a smelly and filthy process) and is one of the leading suppliers of gunpowder to the city.
Bertrande lives in the Overlook, but her laboratory is on the outskirts of town because of the smell and the significant risk of fire and explosions. She has been a widow since her husband was killed while adventuring in the Lakelands more than twenty years ago. Of her five children, one died in childbirth, a second was lost at sea, and the other three still live in Aradie. Her eldest daughter is married to a prominent guilder, her eldest surviving son is a habitant, and her youngest son embraced the life of a voyageur. She is a bit disappointed that none of her children were capable of following in her footsteps as an alchemist.
« Return to Cast Page

Chugan (Chew-gan)
First appearance: Feathers and Frost, Page 2
Chugan, the First Crow, is a powerful manitou and a trickster spirit. He is notoriously greedy and he lines his nest with all manner of precious items. As he is the spirit of air, his lack of any earth element causes him to seek out metallic items that sparkle and gleam in the light. Chugan nests at the top of one of the tallest trees in Everique. Where this tree is and even what type of tree it is changes from tale to tale. Since it is filled with many wondrous treasures, many explorers have sought Chugan's nest. Their quest seems to be in vain as no mortal has found the nest, much less made off with any part of the First Crow's collection.
« Return to Cast Page

Cienan yr Tuathal (KEE-nan EAR TOO-hahl)
First appearance: Chapter 2, Page 5
Cienan yr Tuathal is a conundrum to most people in Sherbourg. He is not Saronnan, but hails from Garthmoor - a large island off the northwest coast of Japethe. His wealth has given him significant status in the town, but no one is sure of the source of that wealth. He calls himself a gentleman collector. He buys rare treasures and artwork from the natives and explorers, which he then sells to rich patrons in Saronne and elsewhere in Japethe. He is well mannered and well dressed at all times and can move among the upper levels of society. Yet he also has myriad ties to the rooks of Riverside and sometimes deals in dangerous or stolen goods.
Cienan lives alone in a townhouse in the Heavens. He has had relationships with a number of fine ladies since arriving in Sherbourg more than a decade ago. None of these courtships developed into anything serious, and he remains a bachelor. Cienan keeps a single maid to care for his household. He changes maids every couple of years, and those that leave his employ invariably do very well for themselves, making the position much sought after. Rumors persist that he has had liaisons with many of his maids, but all the maids deny this and there is no evidence to support the gossip.
« Return to Cast Page

Claude Amaury (CLAUD AH-maw-ree)
First appearance: Chapter 6, Page 8
Claude Amaury is a journeyman alchemist who works for the master alchemist Bertrande Grusseau. He is an even-tempered, patient man, who weathers the exacting demands of his master without complaint. He has a passion for his work and willingly puts in the long hours required by Bertrande. His social life is nearly nonexistent, but he finds satisfaction in his craft and does not feel that he is missing anything.
Claude is a younger son of Louis-Odet Amaury, a seigneur in Aradie and a veteran of the Nine Years' War. Without any opportunities for inheritance, Claude had to look elsewhere for his fortune. He had little fondness for the rigors of the military campaign or adventuring into the interior of Everique. Instead, he attended the University of Sherbourg, where he flourished in the practical application of experimental philosophy (another term for alchemy). He was fortunate to find a position with Bertrande and has served her for the past seven years.
« Return to Cast Page

Claudine Nareau (claw-DEEN nuh-ROW)
First appearance: Chapter 1, Page 12
A young silversmith who recently obtained the rank of Master in the Blazoners' Guild, Claudine just opened her own shop in the Overlook District and is quickly making a name for herself due to her work ethic and attention to detail. She pays off the local thieves to ensure her goods don't wander. She is unmarried. Her success has attracted several suitors, but her quick fuse and high standards tend to quickly drive them off.
« Return to Cast Page

Defiant Elk
First appearance: Chapter 11, Page 11
Defiant Elk is the grandson of Distant Smoke and a cousin of Toothy Kit. He is also the sachem of the Liranequois from the Kahne'aké town of Tionnontego. Born in Tionnontego 22 years ago just as the Nine Years' War was ending, Defiant Elk was spared much of the bloodshed. He grew to be a strong man and was selected as sachem of Tionnontego last year by the clan matrons. He is respected by the other warriors and the backing of his grandmother Distant Smoke carried great weight.
Defiant Elk is a stern, stoic man. He keeps his passions fiercely bottled up, believing that showing emotion is showing weakness. In times of great stress, all those emotions come rushing out in a tremendous eruption that can be dangerous to those nearby. Defiant Elk has found the duties of sachem difficult because of the shifting balance on the frontier, but he is tremendously loyal to his town, clan, and nation and will do all that he can to defend them.
« Return to Cast Page

Distant Smoke
First appearance: Chapter 11, Page 5
Distant Smoke is a Wisdom of the Liranequois and the matron of the Fox Clan of the Kahne'aké. Distant Smoke was born 47 years ago in a town to the east of Tionnontego. When she came of age, she quickly proved to have powerful medicine and was taught the ways of the Wisdom. During the Nine Years' War, the Elakanois burned her town and took her prisoner. Along the journey to the Elakanois town of Stone Beach, Distant Smoke used her medicine to plague her captors. They grew fearful and released her and the other captives, who returned to the Liranequois town of Tionnontego. Distant Smoke was one of the strongest supporters of the Grande Entente at Ville Marcelet, hoping that peace would give her people time to recover. She has taken many lovers over the years and given birth to eight different children, half of whom are still alive. She has nearly two score living grandchildren, including Toothy Kit and Defiant Elk.
Distant Smoke has seen a lot over the years and not much surprises her. In almost every situation, she can think of an anecdote on how this happened before. She is intensely secretive about her medicine, deflecting questions with false self-deprecation. Like Defiant Elk, she is concerned about the future of her people, but she does not believe that war is the answer. She is careful with her actions, lest they offend the spirits.
« Return to Cast Page

Jacqueline de Tilly (zhak-eh-LEEN de tee-YEE)
First appearance: Chapter 2, Page 2
Named for the legendary Jaqueligne de Chantillac, Jacqueline is the second daughter of a seigneur in Aradie. Her older sister has already been married off to an heir to a seigneur. Her younger brother entered the university and became a philosopher. Long thought of as nothing but the demure and quiet younger sister, Jacqueline entered the army to prove herself, which caused some tension with her family as they expected her to take religious orders. As with most noble women, she joined the cavalry, where she met Vivienne de Carailles. Vivienne was impressed by Jacqueline's conviction, and when Vivienne became the commander of the 1st Aradie Cavalry Company, she named Jacqueline her aide de camp. They became good friends and Jacqueline continues to serve as Vivienne's lady-in-waiting and secretary.
Jacqueline is proper and quiet, but possesses a wry sense of humor that takes many people by surprise. She feels a great sense of indebtedness to Vivienne and serves her loyally. While she doesn't have initiative to begin them herself, she enjoys the adventures she gets into with Vivienne.
« Return to Cast Page

Jean-Henri de Carailles (ZHON oh-REE de car-AY)
First appearance: Losing by Winning, Page 1
Jean-Henri de Carailles is the Governor General of Aradie and acts as the voice of royal authority in the colony. He rules from the governor's palace in Sherbourg, but spends a great deal of time in Arcaneaux, representing the interests of the colony as well as his own. Jean-Henri is most noted for the Grande Entente, a treaty which ended more than a hundred years of conflict known as the Pelt Wars between the Elakanois, the Liranequois, and dozens of lesser tribes. He also oversaw the near-collapse of the fur trade in Aradie, when furs flooded the market after the Grande Entente. His efforts to diversify the products of the colony have met with some success and rebuilt the fortunes of Aradie.
Jean-Henri is the youngest son of Jacques de Carailles, a marquis on the eastern border of Saronne. Jean-Henri's elder brother, André-Nicolas, succeeded his father to the title and has risen high in the service of the king. He was part of the diplomatic corps that ended the most recent war between Morante and Saronne. His influence secured Jean-Henri's appointment as governor general of Aradie in 1665.
Unlike many of the previous governors general, Jean-Henri's wife Antoinette accompanied him to his post in the Aradie. She birthed a daughter and two sons before she died in childbirth with the youngest. Jean-Henri dotes on his daughter, Vivienne, giving her leniency that is almost scandalous in the courts of Arcaneaux. His eldest son is in training to become an officer in the king's army, while the younger is receiving the education of a philosopher at the University of Arcaneaux.
« Return to Cast Page

Laurent Rivière (lor-AUNT riv-ee-AIR)
First appearance: Chapter 1, Page 20
A known thief, Laurent Rivière (the name is almost certainly an alias) is a sharp, who plans and organizes heists. He does not have a regular crew that he works with; instead he hires canailles as he needs them. Laurent came to Sherbourg from Arcaneaux five years ago. His fellow rooks believe that he fled the old country to escape gambling debts. He is a passionate gambler. While he is a good player, he loves the exhilaration of taking risks and regularly overplays his hand. This applies to his night work as well. The gendarmes have arrested him several times, and he has spent days in the pillory.
« Return to Cast Page

Liaze Toupin (lee-AZE too-PA)
First appearance: Chapter 1, Page 15
A millner (a hat maker) who operates Jehan's Fine Hats in the Riverside District. In addition to her legitimate enterprise, Liaze is also a miller (a fence) of stolen goods for the various thieves on Iniquity Row. While her hat shop is successful enough that she doesn't need the money, she enjoys the excitement and danger of dealing with the underworld of Sherbourg. Liaze is married to Jehan Toupin, who is the namesake of the hat shop. Their marriage is a cool and distant one. Jehan allows Liaze free rein with the business as long as she turns a tidy profit and allows him to spend the money as he pleases. Meanwhile, Liaze uses Jehan as a cover of respectability for her illegal activities.
« Return to Cast Page

Paws-Tread-Lightly
First appearance: Chapter 3, Page 13
Paws-Tread-Lightly is a manitou that manifests as an arctic fox with pure white fur. His tail gives away his spirit nature as it fades away into mist behind him. He is considered a benign manitou and commonly takes the role of a spirit guide for mortals that he deems worthy. He does not share the criteria he uses for determining who is worthy, but he does have rules that guide his actions. As a spirit of the earth, Paws-Tread-Lightly lacks a strong connection to the element of air. No one is quite sure of Paws-Tread-Lightly's strength as he deliberately keeps it hidden, preferring to hide his power and appear as an almost normal fox.
« Return to Cast Page

Pénélope Gâteau (peh-neh-LOPE gah-TOH)
First appearance: Chapter 2, Page 4
Pénélope Gâteau is the latest in the long line of maids in the employ of Cienan yr Tuathal. She is a quick-witted teenager with a mischievous streak. Pénélope is the granddaughter of a voyageur and an Elakanois woman. Her father inherited the grandfather's fortune and the Elakanois' weakness for firewater. The money is all gone now, lost at the gambling tables on Iniquity Row, but the weakness to alcohol remains. Her father appears in her life from time to time to demand money. Having been raised in extreme poverty, Pénélope considers it a stroke of fantastic good fortune to have the opportunity to work for Cienan, and she is intensely loyal to the gentleman collector. Pénélope avoids drinking anything alcoholic, fearing that she might develop her father's cravings.
« Return to Cast Page

Singing Jay
First appearance: Feathers and Frost, Page 1
Singing Jay is an older man from the Elakanois nation upriver from Aradie. His warrior years are behind him, and he is now a man of words and stories. He is a man of great influence among the Elakanois and a respected elder. He travels a lot, having visited every town in Aradie as well as those in his own nation. He is a consummate story teller, able to recite many tales of both his people and far-away nations.
« Return to Cast Page

Toothy Kit
First appearance: Chapter 11, Page 3
Toothy Kit is the daughter of Leaping Hare, a Liranequois woman, and Julien, an Aradian voyageur who traded with the Liranequois. Her mother died of disease when Toothy Kit was 5. Kit then went to live with her father in Aradie, where she disobeyed constantly and she did not like life there. However, she did learn the language before running away and returning to Tionnontego. She has not seen her father or his family since. Kit is currently living with her mother's family and is a member of the Fox clan. She is learning medicine from her grandmother, Distant Smoke, the Wisdom of Tionnontego.
Toothy Kit is a curious young girl who does not appreciate boundaries or being told no. She likes to get reactions out of people and will deliberately provoke them. She finds she can get out of a lot of trouble by giving a huge smile and being adorable. She can slide back and forth between Aradian society and the Liranequois, and takes pride in that ability. She is a bit sensitive of her parentage, as the other children in Aradie teased her. The teasing is less common among the Liranequois, which is one reason she has chosen to live among them.
« Return to Cast Page

Vivienne de Carailles (viv-YEN de car-AY)
First appearance: Chapter 2, Page 2
Vivienne is the eldest child of Jean-Henri de Carailles, the Governor General of Aradie. Unlike many other governors, Vivienne's father brought his wife with him to the colony when he received his appointment. Both Vivienne and her two younger brothers were born in Sherbourg. Her mother died giving birth to her youngest brother when Vivienne was 8. Vivienne played a large role in raising both of her younger brothers, stepping into the role left by their mother.
Vivienne has since grown into a beautiful, if a trifle spoiled, woman. Her father has showered her with gifts, clothing, servants, tutors, and his indulgence. She attended universities in Sherbourg and Arcaneaux, where she studied many of the 12 Revelations of Giavere, excelling at rhetoric and logic but showing no skill at all in music. In addition, she has a passion for military affairs and is renowned as an excellent sharpshooter. She is equally renowned for spurning suitors, which has caused her father considerable political difficulties and may be the reason that he has not been promoted to a more prestigious office.
« Return to Cast Page

Father Winter
First appearance: Feathers and Frost, Page 2
One of the most powerful manitou in existence, Father Winter (sometimes called Old Man Winter) is the manifestation of the season in Everique. He is a spirit of water and air who is renowned for his almost cruel dispassion toward any mortals he encounters. Father Winter lives beyond the North Wind in a great mansion carved out of the heart of a glacier. He commands the winds that blow down from the north, bringing snow, frost, and ice with him wherever he travels. Fortunately for all living things, Father Winter weakens quickly and must return to his home to rest and recover, limiting the extent of his reach. He is spiritually related to many of the winter manitou in Everique, and they refer to him as their father. As a manitou, he could not beget them in the conventional sense, but they defer to him and often seek his wisdom. In return, Winter cherishes his "children" and protects them from Sun-in-Splendor, a manitou manifestation of summer who lairs far to the south.
« Return to Cast Page