Ka

Age: (prologue) 32 / (current) 52 Species: Wyvern Nationality: Veslian Ka is an ambitious wyvern in his late prime who was once enlisted as a tactician in the Veslian army. He has spent most of his life searching for the lost city of Eryl wherein he believes he will find freedom and power. He takes the side of neither good nor evil and is loyal to none; he will ally himself only with those whom he believes will aide him in furthering his own ends. He is extremely opportunistic, and will tenaciously pursue his goals until every conceivable option is exhausted.

Lady Andrea

Age: 23 Species: Human Nationality: Falian Lady Andrea does not act like a Lady should. Her father, Lord Cian, didn’t really know how to raise a daughter after his wife died when Andrea was only three years old. Spending her youth roughhousing with her older brothers and the gardener-boy, Seamus, certainly didn’t help. She’s stubborn, bossy, (a bit manipulative), and very much unafraid to speak her mind. Lord Cian taught her swordplay and survival skills, but seems to get very upset when she ventures beyond the town to put them to use. She’s fiercely patriotic for her home, Falia, and will do anything to help in the long and devastating war against the Veslian Empire. That desire may be tested to its limit all too soon.

Sleet

Age: 20 Species: Wyvern Nationality: Tervalan Rescued from his dead mother’s womb by a shepherd’s daughter in the small Tervalan village of Gleann Beithe, the albino wyvern Sleet grew up amongst humans. He is very close to his ‘brother’ Arra, and his ‘mother’ Sarah. He is very friendly and outgoing, and babbles almost constantly. If there’s one thing he can’t stand, it’s a lull in conversation. Though he is a wyvern – a creature normally considered a monster and an enemy in Terival – Sleet has been accepted by the villagers. He and Arra help the shepherds of the village defend their flocks against the many wolves in the area.

Jonathan

Age: 19 Species: Human Nationality: Tervalan Jonathan has lived his whole life as a shepherd in the small rural village of Gleann Beithe. He was raised alongside his ‘cousins’ Sleet and Arra, and is very protective of them- especially the baby-like dragon. He is a bit (okay, a lot) small-minded, but a good person deep down. However, he dislikes strangers and often lets his mouth get the better of him. He dreams of adventure and a life outside the village.

Arra

Age: 20 Species: Great Dragon Nationality: Tervalan Arra is the last living Great Dragon. Kidnapped by the wyvern Lis and flown halfway around the world, he ended up in the care of a young, headstrong woman named Sarah, who raised him and Lis’ son, Sleet, as her children. He and Sleet protect the village against the many marauding wolves in the area. Though he is large and strong, Arra is still a baby and needs the villagers’ protection against outsiders who might target him. His existence is kept a careful secret by the village, though recently information seems to have leaked out…

Kira

Age: 25 Species: Unknown Nationality: Veslian Kira is the archmage of the Veslian Empire, and like all mages, he was born with silver hair and red eyes. He is very quiet and often gentlemanly. But don’t let that fool you – he is not known as the Butcher Bird for nothing. Little is known about him, even amongst his own people, and his name is feared around the world. No one is really even sure what he is. He is very close to his t’akirou, Kazu. She is not just a pet or a battle mount, but also his closest friend.

Seravinsari

Age: Unknown Species: Unknown Nationality: Unknown Usually going by the alias ‘Raven,’ Seravinsari is a pirate captain, but their main profession is an assassin-for-hire. This produces the main source of revenue for their crew, as piracy has not been a lucrative practise of late with Veslian fleets sweeping the coasts clean to make way for merchant vessels. Raven is infamous around the world and is often referred to as the ‘Angel of Death,’ owing to the fact that not a single target of theirs has yet escaped alive. Despite the infamy, almost nothing is known about them, including their age, nationality, species, and gender. They are also the bearer of Plague – a black blade that has been handed down from a long line of Master Assassins to their successors. They are very small and agile, allowing them to creep into places most people wouldn’t fit. They also limp in their right leg, but they don’t let it slow them down much.

Minor Characters

Eryl

Eryl is a city that supposedly disappeared hundreds of years ago. Its existence has become mythical, and what exactly it was has also passed into legend. Stories of Eryl vary greatly from area to area. Some believe it was a city inhabited by angels, others believe it was a haven of scholars, with knowledge and technology far exceeding anything before or since it’s existence, though no matter the form of the tale, all will swear it was Paradise on earth. Many have searched for Eryl, none have found it. Most people agree that it is merely a fanciful story.

Falia

Falia is a country completely surrounded by tall mountain ranges that borders on the Veslian Empire. They are a land of warriors, having been locked in a fierce war with their neighbour for over two hundred years. The Falians enlisted the aide of one of the last great dragons, Strake, and employed him as a figurehead to their armies, boosting moral and the number of volunteering soldiers to supplement the drafts, as well as attracting allies in nearby countries. Falia is one of the last countries in the west to hold against the Veslians. However, the long war’s effects are straining the resources of the country and the hearts of the people. Taxes are high and the danger is great. Even on the borders farthest from the Empire, villages are in constant danger of being raided by wyverns.

The Veslian Empire

Also called Veslin’s Empire, or simply The Empire, this vast territory and its allies stretches across most of the western continent, and is even beginning to form colonies across the sea to the east and south. Their leader is rumoured to be an enormous and clever dragoness named Veslin. Many, however, believe that Veslin is only a name invented by Veslian leaders to frighten their enemies. The true leader remains unknown to all but the highest officials, though it cannot be denied that there is an intelligent centre turning the gears of its government. Their armies are the largest in the world, consisting mostly of humans, though many other species and fearsome beasts are also used in battle. The most feared of these are the crafty wyverns. Large, deadly, and highly intelligent, these dark-winged monsters have a terrifying reputation for their ruthless cunning and bloodthirsty nature.

Terival

Terival lies across the ocean east of the continent where Falia and the Veslian Empire lay. It is a coastal country, and used to rely heavily on sea trade. However, thanks to a proliferation of pirates, trade has continued to dwindle over the years. Their coast has now become a dangerous place rife with thieves, pirates, smugglers, and other outlaws. The country lives in fear that the Veslian empire will one day bring fleets and wyverns to seize their impoverished and poorly defended country. Inland the soil is quite fertile, so many Tervalans farm or raise sheep for a living.

Gleann Beithe

Gleann Beithe is a tiny, pastoral village nestled in a thickly wooded valley in Terival. Most of the villagers are shepherds, raising flocks of sheep for milk, wool, and meat. The villagers are all close-knit, and see themselves as one big family. And this extended family holds a great secret: their village is the home of the last living Great Dragon.

Port Harten

Port Harten lies along the central coast of Terival. It was once a bustling and respected crossroads for trade going across the sea. However, it has since fallen to ruin and ill repute, becoming a haven for pirates, thieves, and smugglers. There still dwell many decent folk – and even some respectable Lords and Ladies – within the city walls, which gives it a false air of serenity during the day. But nighttime is an entirely different story…

Wyvern

Though there are many species of wyverns, the most numerous and intelligent are the Northern River Wyverns, which are almost always the species people are referring to when they say ‘wyvern.’ They are very bird like in their motion, and feed mainly on fish, crustaceans, and lizards. A fully mature adult will stand an average of 5-6 feet at the shoulders, with another foot and a half or so added for the head and neck. Three of their fingers extend to form the wings, while their thumb and first finger remain normal-sized. Their thumbs are opposable, and though not as dexterous as a human’s, they can still pick up and manipulate objects to an extent. The three barbs at the end of their tails contain venom-sacs, usually used in very small amounts for paralysing fish, but when used in higher concentrations for offence/ defence, are extremely deadly. They are gregarious: living in colonies and often mating for life. Normally they live in caves pocketing large river cliff-sides, but sometimes they live in forests, roosting in large trees. Though their intelligence is on par with a human’s, they live simply, passing down knowledge mostly by word of mouth.

T’Akirou

T’Akirou are distant cousins of the griffons. They live in mountainous regions, mostly in the north. They are very agile and feed on the deer and mountain goats that share their habitat. In the summer they have a short, wiry grey coat, but in winter their coat is long, soft, and white. This longer winter fur is highly prised by fur traders. Some of the medium-sized breeds were the preferred mounts of the dwarves – before they vanished underground. They are also used like bloodhounds for their keen sense of smell and high intelligence. They can understand many commands and are fiercely loyal to their masters if raised from kits.

Great Dragon

Great Dragons are the largest of all land creatures. Once fully grown they can no longer fly, as their bulk becomes too massive. But they needn’t the power of flight to feed: they can hunt on the ground, herding large flocks of livestock off cliffs or cornering them. They are omnivorous, however, and will dine on vegetation (apples and other fruits are a treat for them), though they frequently prefer meat. They mate for life, raising only one or two pups at a time. The tiny pups hatch from eggs, minuscule compared to the parents’ size. They stay with their parents for 40-50 years – until they are sexually mature – though they won’t gain their full size for another hundred years. Apart from their small family prides, Great Dragons are solitary, needing large territories to support themselves. They will defend these territories fiercely from other invading Great Dragons, though will indifferently share them with smaller predators. While gifted with flight, they have solid bones, therefore flight is difficult for them, and for the most part they remain land-bound. Their colour ranges from green to blue, with red to violet wings.

Kurral

Kurrals are a species in the drake family. They are covered in scales like reptiles, but are warm blooded. Kurrals are pack animals, led by the largest male. They have crests of enlarged scales that can be fanned out and rattled. These scales are large and brightly coloured on the males, and are used for aggression and mating displays. Their tail-spines and the burrs on their heels are mildly venomous; being stung is extremely painful, but not fatal to humans and rarely does lasting damage. Kurrals live in thick forests and hunt all manner of animals, as well as eat carrion and steal other creatures’ kills. They are highly aggressive and fiercely territorial. Because of their ferocity and flashy scales, males are often the targets of trophy hunters.