| Prologue/Introduction | Table of Contents |
Note from the author: Although this has been available on the website for sometime, I’ve only sent it out as an email after the conclusion of Aodh’s story. I wanted to make sure readers were aware of these profiles and had a chance to read them before voting on the next character story.
Real fighting games sometimes have extensive character profiles, so I thought channeling that could be helpful for readers and add to the imaginary game aspect of this work. Consider it a piece of bonus content.
Aodh
The King Thief
Race: Dragon (fights in human form)
Likes: Cooking, gold, fire dancing
Dislikes: Mortality, slavery, politics, Lunis
Fears: Being alone
Home Stage: Hollow Mountains
History
As the red dragon of fire Aodh never cared for politics, his immense power meant that he could ignore it. What he did care for was King Fintan of Lunis. While the two were close friends, Aodh began to harbor deeper, unspoken feelings.
Aodh loathed how restrained of a life Fintan led as royalty, and wanted to lighten the weight of the crown. His approach was to burn the hair of any noble who got in Fintan’s way. Fintan did not approve of Aodh’s method, warning Aodh that his threats hadn’t resolved anything.
Tinehatsu is a Lunan word that refers to the act of burning hair. It only became needed when my brother Aodh began burning the hair of nobles to a shorter length associated with the lower classes, as a reminder that he could burn the rest of them as well.
-Nisha, Dragons and Politics
Aodh only understood the warning when Doran, one of his friends and a retainer of Fintan, was assassinated. This was only the first step of the tragedy. The factions that Aodh had driven underground waited for when he was away from the capital, then carried out their competing uprisings. Aodh returned in time to save Fintan, but was forced to kill one of Fintan’s sons in the process.
Overcome by maddened grief, Aodh revealed his hidden feelings for Fintan. Then he forced immortality onto his surviving friends and stole them away to the Hollow Mountains.
It’s strange. Aodh branded and kidnapped Fintan and I, but let us leave, and I feel bad for leaving him. It’s for the best that we walk separate paths for now, Fintan and I need to think about our newfound immortality. Still, I think one day we’ll meet again.
-Ciara, Records of a Drake
The Grand Festival marks the first time that Aodh has left the mountains since that day. He claims that fighting in the tournament is only a way to test his new fighting style, but his fellow dragons appear to be either unconvinced by the claim or hopeful that there’s something more.
Fighting Style
After the Bloody Day, Aodh was forced to confront his reliance on brute force. In response he sought to create a fighting style that allowed him to use his draconic powers without killing. The Grand Festival will be its first test in a proper battle.
Aodh based his fighting style on fire dancing, a tradition practiced by the Solmata people in the countryside of Lunis. Because of Aodh’s control of fire, the flames used are incapable of burning living things.
Each strike Aodh makes is fierce yet controlled. Although he starts with a cautious approach, once his opponent make a mistake Aodh rushes in to overwhelm them with an onslaught of attacks. His most powerful attacks draw on the Sunrise Dance and the Sunset Dance, two rituals performed each day at the time they are named for.
Nisha
Guardian of Knowledge
Race: Dragon (fights in human form)
Likes: Learning, poetry, music
Dislikes: Illiteracy, willful ignorance, noisy environments
Hates: Erasure of information
Home Stage: The Layered Forest
History
Nisha is the sworn protector of the Forest Library, located in the Layered Forest, her birthplace. She is beholden to no king or emperor, seeking only the preservation and spread of knowledge. To her there is no greater power than literacy, which allows people to form connections from beyond death.
It was her first friend, Purnia, who helped her appreciate that power. They had met by chance, and uncovered the Forest Library together. Inside that library were the sole surviving copies of books destroyed during the Cultural Cleansing of the Dravalan Empire.
Purnia was a Dravalan princess, but held no love for the empire. She attempted to keep both Nisha’s existence and the location of the Forest Library secret, but eventually her father, Emperor Durai, learned of them and sought Nisha as an ally. After much contemplation, Nisha declared herself and the library a distinct political entity, beholden to no king or emperor.
Slowly, allies came to Nisha who shared her desire to preserve knowledge, cementing her as the leader of a distinct faction. Tetlacatl, a druid from the Xilaman Empire, wanted to protect records from historical revisionism. Walakea, a lore keeper from the non literate people of Hirzen, also sought to safeguard his knowledge by becoming immortal.
“My marriages to Tetlacatl and Walakea may have been made for pragmatic reasons, but we get along so well I can imagine people assuming otherwise. Our discussions are enlightening, and I enjoy being around them. That is most likely because we share a purpose, so I’d advise finding a spouse you share a strong belief with if you seek stability.”
-Nisha, Letter to King Eamon
Nisha has decided to advance the cause of spreading knowledge by opening a school in the forest. Spreading word of her school is her main objective at the Grand Festival, so she cares little for the tournament, only joining at Hákon’s request.
Fighting Style
Nisha has never felt a need to fight, and so has never trained in combat. The problems she faces either can’t be solved through force, or are solved through the raw power that comes with being a dragon. Although she is only competing in the tournament out of obligation, she intends to put in an honest effort.
In preparation Walakea has taught her some basics of Hirzeni Martial Arts, while Tetlacatl has shared some fundamentals of druidic magic to help her draconic powers. Nisha intends to take full advantage of her abilities, turning the battlefield itself against her opponents with various obstacles.
Hyperion
Radiant Lord
Race: Dragon (fights in orc form)
Likes: Gems, throat singing, flying, Photens
Dislikes: Clouds, sweets, a certain someone’s insistence that he becomes padishah
Fears: His anger
Home Stage: Photens
History
Hyperion lived a quiet life in the village of Photens. Then the Dark Lord Cyrus began to exploit the villages of his territory, and Hyperion left so that Photens wouldn’t be targeted, as he knew that his presence intimidated the dark lord. He took residence in a cave far from the village.
The Dark Lord began to purge the various villages in his territory, and a rebellion formed, which Hyperion joined. During a battle to protect the refugees, Hyperion saw several of his allies on the brink of death, including Chrysanthos, the son of the dark lord. He saved them by using the brand to make them into drakes, but regretted forcing such a change on others in haste.
While the rest of the rebellion confronted the dark lord, Hyperion went to make sure Photens was safe. Ruins and the corpse of the village shaman, who had been like a father to him, awaited Hyperion. In a rage he pursued and slaughtered the dark lord’s forces. His rage was only quelled by the discovery of survivors from Photens, protected by the magic of the shaman’s sacrifice.
“An eternal dark lord is not what the people need, they would become complacent and dependent. Therefore, my reign shall be only ten years. Hyperion has sworn to keep me to that promise.”
- Dark Lord Chrysanthos, speaking to his court after his ascendancy to the throne.
In the aftermath, Hyperion locked himself away in his cavern, fearful of his own power. The spirit of the village shaman came to him one day, and encouraged him not to cower from the world. Hyperion took the words to heart, and dedicated himself to rebuilding Photens.
Despite his great power and fame, Hyperion merely wants to represent his hometown at the Grand Festival.
Fighting Style
Wrestling is a long standing tradition in Mondragnes, one that Hyperion takes part in. As a dragon he already possessed great physical strength, and the development of solid posture has enhanced it. Once he unbalances an opponent, he can throw them to the other side of the arena, or even out of it.
Hyperion prefers not to use his power over light, fearing the destruction he can cause with it. Relying on his physical strength is safer for his opponent. However, Hyperion does have a trick up his sleeve. By channeling his power into a special kind of gemstone, they shine so brightly that they stun opponents, opening them up to one of Hyperion’s most powerful attacks.
Hákon
Rising Reformer
Race: Dragon (fights in human form)
Likes: Runa, Vethsmärholm, fighting
Dislikes: Mistreatment of thralls, spicy food, stubborn politicians
Fears: The absence of a physical challenge
Home Stage: The Arena
History
A member of the ruling council of the island Vethsmärholm. Hákon seeks to pass many reforms aimed at protecting thralls, but faces deeply entrenched opposition. While he has immense power as a dragon, the limits of his political power have proven deeply frustrating.
Hákon’s wife, Runa, is a former thrall who Hákon freed from an abusive master. Although he gave her enough to leave the island behind if she wanted, she choose to find Hákon at his family’s farm and live alongside them. The two developed mutual feelings, but it was sometime before they felt comfortable marrying.
Most other members of the council are less than pleased with the fact that Hákon married a former slave instead of accepting marriage proposals from the established families, or the pride he takes in being raised by mere farmers.
“I find the entire system of slavery repulsive. It’s for that reason that Hákon has requested my input on many of his proposed reforms, which displeased me. I’ve come to accept that helping him does more to improve the circumstances of thralls than starting another futile argument with him over why slavery should be abolished completely. I can only do so much from the forest.”
-Nisha, Dragons and Politics
When the proposal for the Grand Festival was made at the gathering of island councils, Hákon supported it and took an active role in helping it become reality. If all goes well, his influence will grow.
Fighting Style
As advised by his adoptive father, Hákon hid his draconic nature from people at first. Because of this he initially trained to fight without using his dominion over ice, relying on his great strength. It was Erlingr’s mentoring that helped Hákon develop into a truly skilled warrior, striking with both his weapon and power over ice.
The macuahuitl is a weapon that can either kill or capture, making it ideal for the captive taking focused warfare in the Revolving Sea. Hákon has outfitted his, Winter’s Embrace, with blades made of ice. It’s heavy, making each hit slow but impactful, enough to let Hákon take captives.
When it comes to his draconic powers, he’s best known for trapping enemies in ice and unfreezing them after the battle. Technically, the technique is easy, but doing so without killing the target is complicated and requires deep focus. Hákon had to practice it extensively on plants before using it in a real battle.
Quiahuitl
Mother of the empire
Race: Talpman
Likes: Chocolate, being revered, power, tests of strength
Dislikes: Inefficiency, randomness, her husbands with the exception of Epcoatl
Fears: The dragons
Home Stage: Burned Grove
History
Founder of the Xilaman Empire. Quiahuitl was the daughter of the tlatoani of the altepetl Huacali. As the ruler’s daughter, she became well acquainted with the running of both the city Huacali and its tributary villages. Naturally, she was one of the candidates to succeed her father and become cihuatlatoani.
Her main rival for the position was Epcoatl, a longtime friend of hers and the son of one of her father’s advisors. When the choice of successor was narrowed down to the two of them, they agreed to settle it in the sacred ballgame, which would double as their wedding. Quiahuitl emerged triumphant as the cihuatlatoani.
Quiahuitl saw many potential enemies from beyond the forest, and the appearance of the dragons made them a greater concern. The Lunans who had once tried to burn the forest, the body of the deity Xilaman themself, now had a dragon who commanded fire. Meanwhile the slavers of the Revolving Sea had a dragon who could freeze his enemies in a single breath.
To compensate for the lack of a dragon ally, Quiahuitl sought to unite all the altepemeh of the Xilaman Forest so that they could have a better chance in a world where dragons determined politics. For some it was a matter of arranging the right marriage, others a victory in the sacred ballgame, and a war or two.
“I trust in Quiahuitl, just as I have since we were young. She has what is required to lead all of us safely into this era of dragons, she sees further than most do. Though there are some who still can’t recognize what is beyond the trees.”
-Epcoatl, letter to a friend.
Eventually Quiahuitl succeeded, taking the title of huey cihuatlatoani. However, between the conquests and the revision of historical records, not all in the empire have reason to think well of their new ruler. Quiahuitl aims to show the strength of her new empire at the Grand Festival, and to reinforce her new idea of national identity.
Fighting Style
The sacred ballgame is a center of Xilian culture, with religious and political importance. Quiahuitl’s skill at it was a key element of her unification of the altepemeh, which she brings to the Grand Festival alongside a rubber ball used to play it.
With her athletic abilities Quiahuitl seeks to end each battle quickly and decisively with a combination of power and speed. And she knows first hand how much a rubber ball with enough force behind it can hurt. By using these skills she hopes to symbolize the might of the entire empire and its culture.
Fintan
The bloodied king
Race: Human (Drake)
Likes: Lunis, traveling, cartography
Dislikes: Irresponsibility, being idolized
Hates: His memories
Home stage: Lunan Throne Room (Infernal Nightmare)
History
As the only son of the Lunan king, Fintan understood from a young age that his life was only one part of a greater whole, that his responsibilities mattered more than his desires. Although he had few friends his own age, he had been raised alongside his retainer Doran, and so the two shared a brotherly bond.
On his pilgrimage to the various shrines in the kingdom, he met the dragon Aodh. Fintan became Aodh’s first friend, earning the dragon’s loyalty. Once word spread of the immense power that dragons held, the political power held by Lunis grew.
Most of the Lunan nobility was divided into two competing factions, the White Crescent, and the Black Crescent. While it wasn’t a civil war, it could not be considered peace either. Fintan wished to bring true peace, one where the common people didn’t suffer for the sake of the nobility’s plotting.
Despite having a dragon as an ally, tragedy was not unknown to Fintan. His wife died of sickness when their two sons were still young. Doran was assassinated. And his reign came to an end on the Bloody Day, where his two sons, who had been drawn into the Crescent Factions, led competing uprisings seeking to kill him.
Fintan was forced to slay one of his own sons in self defense. His failures as a king and father led him to openly wish for death. This death wish broke Aodh, who blamed Lunis itself for the tragedy and stole Fintan away, forcing immortality on him. Although Fintan left Aodh, he did not return to Lunis.
Fintan’s first use of his newfound powers was to burn his own hair to a short length. He told me that he was going to finally see the world, and that he wished to do so alone. It appears that all three of us must suffer alone, lest we hurt each other again.
-Ciara, Records of a Drake
To Fintan the Grand Festival is a chance to finally confront his past. Not even he knows what will happen when he finally crosses paths with Aodh again.
Fighting Style
Fintan was trained in archery and swordplay as early as possible, both the kind for formal duels and the kind used in actual warfare. Many competing schools of swordplay competed for the right to train the royal heir, but it was a master of the Dancing Blade style who ultimately became Fintan’s mentor.
Dancing Blade style draws is name from the dance like movements it employs, it is a style of elegance and precision. It seeks to limit the options of its opponents until all remaining outcomes lead to victory.
Now that he is a drake, Fintan has used his powers to coat his entire blade in fire, with the flames at the tip being the most powerful. Fintan’s archery has also grown more efficient by replacing traditional arrows with ones made of fire. This removes the need to take arrows from a quiver, and the need to carry a quiver in the first place.
For the Grand Festival he is using flames that won’t burn the other participants. But, there have been stories of a lone swordsman who leaves the charred corpses of criminals behind.
Eamon
The Gladiator’s Grandson
Race: Orc
Likes: Moon gazing, heights, swordplay
Dislikes: Overly formal language, bureaucracy, unanswered questions
Fears: Failing Lunis
Home Stage: Lunan Throne Room
History
Despite being born in Lunis, many referred to Eamon as a foreigner. His grandfather had been a gladiator on one of the isles of the Revolving Sea, until he was gifted to the Lunan King on a diplomatic visit. His father, Doran, had been raised alongside the king’s son, Fintan, to ensure loyalty as a retainer and bodyguard.
Eamon too was set to become a retainer of King Fintan, but Fintan treated Eamon like a nephew. The dragon Aodh, another friend of Doran, was also like an uncle to Eamon, and punished any who called Eamon or his father foreigners.
The peaceful life Eamon knew was shattered when his father was assassinated. Fintan tasked Eamon with hunting down the assassin responsible. However, right as he had begun to make progress, the capital was engulfed in civil war. It was a three way battle, with two rival factions seeking the throne in what would come to be known as the Bloody Day.
The battle ended as suddenly as it began once Aodh arrived. However, Aodh stole Fintan away from the kingdom, and appointed Eamon as king in Fintan’s place.
“We all fucked up, and now this rotten country is even worse. I’m taking Fintan far away from these ungrateful bastards. But, maybe you can make things right. I will return for you someday. And if anyone challenges your status as king, I’ll kill them.”
-Aodh
And so Eamon was left by himself, seated on the throne in a capital that had been drenched in the blood of its own people. In the years since he has gathered loyal followers, finished off the insurrectionist factions, and enacted many reforms.
Eamon comes to the Grand Festival seeking to prove that both he and his kingdom can stand strong without a dragon’s protection. At the same time, Eamon hopes to finally reunite with his uncles.
Fighting Style
Eamon was trained in both archery and the Dancing Blade style of swordplay, a style known for its swift and precise movement. He has found it difficult to abandon the aggressive approach to combat he developed as a retainer. However, the Dancing Blade’s focus on controlling what the enemy can do has proven useful when applied to politics and military strategy.
With his ascension to the throne, Eamon’s skills with the sword have come under greater scrutiny, requiring more intensive training. Eamon has found training with the sword to be calming, affording him a valuable chance to collect his thoughts amidst his many obligations.
When Aodh appointed Eamon as king, he also enchanted Eamon’s sword to surround itself in flames when unsheathed. The flames are strongest at the base of the sword. This sword was given the name ‘Sunrise Blade’ and quickly became a symbol of Eamon’s authority.
Aris
Visionary General
Race: Lizal
Likes: Strategy, poetry, feasts
Dislikes: Disloyalty, needless bloodshed, cowardice
Hates: His past self
Home Stage: Photens
History
A drake of Hyperion. He was once a general of Dark Lord Cyrus, but when Cyrus fell to madness it was Aris who orchestrated the rebellion to depose him. Afterwards he wandered the world before joining Hyperion in the village of Photens.
Aris’s father had been the royal vizier to Cyrus’s father, so the two had grown up together. They came to share the same dream, one that stretched beyond the city state of Guingos. By unifying the desert region of Mondragnes, all of its myriad peoples could focus on aiding one another rather than competing.
But first, Cyrus had to become shah. This was complicated when a faction within Guingos overthrew Cyrus’s father, killing both the shah, his vizier, and their wives. It was only Aris’s quick thinking that allowed himself, Cyrus, and Cyrus’s infant child Chrysanthos to escape. He was unable to save Cyrus’s wife.
Aris and Cyrus found their political and strategic skills tested as they waged a war from the shadows to reclaim the throne, a test they passed. When Cyrus claimed the throne, he took the title of dark lord, reflecting both the path that led him to the throne and his ambition to shelter his people even from the relentless sun.
Yet gradually Cyrus lost sight of their dream and fell into madness. Aris was blind to it, until he received the orders to slaughter a village for insufficient loyalty. Instead of following them, he evacuated the village, and that was when he began the rebellion.
“Neither of us could forgive the people who did nothing when the murderers of our family seized the throne. That was the cause of Cyrus’s madness, and I should have stopped him from falling into it. Don’t you dare call me a hero for defying him. I’m the reason he needed to be deposed in the first place.”
-Aris, speaking to Princess Purnia of the Dravalan Empire.
Even after everything, Aris still holds on to the dream of a united Mondragnes, but has sworn to do so without conquest. He believes that Hyperion has the qualities necessary to become a benevolent padishah, one who can unify without conquest, but Hyperion remains unconvinced by Aris’s arguments.
Aris hopes that the Grand Festival can bring him one step closer to his dream, or at the very least that he can learn something useful from all the other political plans taking place.
Fighting Style
Most of Aris’s tactics as a general are aimed at forcing the enemy to retreat or surrender, seeking to not kill more than necessary. Since he has focused on warfare, the formal combat of the Grand Festival is new territory to him, but he’s used to getting into the heads of opponents.
On the battlefield he prefers ranged weapons that let him survey the entire battle, but he decided that a curved sword would fit the Grand Festival better. With the varied forms of the arena he knows movement will be important, and therefore wanted an agile weapon.
Ever since becoming a drake, Aris has worked to make the most of his command of light. He has developed a technique where he can temporarily make siege machines, which he knows will throw several other competitors off guard, and will hopefully let him dictate the flow of battle.
Metrophanes
Puppeteer Shaman
Race: Talpman
Likes: Throat singing, children, prayer, meditation, puppet theater
Dislikes: Sand, irreverent people, dismissal of puppet theater
Fears: His legacy
Home Stage: Gaiapolis
History
Metrophanes was one of the greatest shamans in the city state of Gaiapolis. However, as the shrines began to lose the supply of resources needed both to maintain them and shelter the orphans in their care, Metrophanes became discontent with his home. He worried for the future of his student Galene, who was like a daughter to him.
This led to Metrophanes attempting to overthrow the shah, which failed and led to his banishment. Afterwards he wandered the desert, falling in with Dark Lord Cyrus for a time before going his separate way. He was eventually able to send a message to Galene, informing her of new schemes he had crafted to attain political power.
Rather than join him, Galene sought out Hyperion to help pursue him. When she finally tracked Metrophanes down, she foiled his plans and convinced to abandon his ambitions of seizing power. Despite having been enemies, Hyperion invited Metrophanes to live in Photens, where Galene was set to marry one of Hyperion’s drakes.
Photens offered Metrophanes a more peaceful life. He turned his ability to magically animate puppets from a tool of subterfuge and sabotage to one of entertainment, inventing the art of puppet theater. However, the reputation earned from his past actions still clings to him.
“It doesn’t matter how good or bad someone was before, us vultures will always be there to help the soul ascend once the body fails someone.”
-Vulture Shah
The Grand Festival offers Metrophanes the hope of dispelling his past villainy and leaving behind a more positive legacy. Initially he only planned on staging his puppet plays, but a vision from the spirits instructed him to compete in the tournament as well.
Fighting Style
Everything has a spirit, and the shamans of Mondragnes negotiate with them for the sake of the people. At first, Metrophanes made puppets that were empty vessels that he could place his soul in while meditating. Now he calls upon the spirits of the puppets to follow his lead.
Even with this cooperation, directing the puppets requires deep focus, so Metrophanes has only brought one to the arena. He chose to fight alongside Vulture Shah, a key character in his plays.
Metrophanes was never trained for proper combat, but attacking in sync with Vulture Shah is the key to overcoming the veteran fighters in his way.
Walakea
Immortal Lorekeeper
Race: Cephal
Likes: Storytelling, history, debates with Nisha and Tetlacatl
Dislikes: Warm weather, ‘unharmonious’ personalities, lack of respect for elders
Fears: Hirzen being conquered
Home Stage: Yazen
History
Walakea spent most of his life on the White Plateau in Hirzen, having been chosen at a young age to become the successor to his village’s lorekeeper. Due to the small size of his village, he was also the resident mathematician and judge. When the time came, he began the training of his own successor, and reflected on his own role.
The people of Hirzen do not have a written language, and feel no need for one. Walakea knew that writing was an untrustworthy and weak form of communication, but his thoughts went towards one moment in Hirzen’s history. One of the isles of the Revolving Sea had conquered the coast of Hirzen, and it was said the lorekeepers were persecuted and hunted down in that time, leading to a loss of knowledge.
Even though Hirzen had no major enemies in the present, the potential damage of an invasion made Walakea worry. Word of the dragons came to Hirzen, and the story of a dragon named Nisha, who was devoted to preserving knowledge, intrigued him. With his successor fully trained, Walakea chose to leave his village and travel to find Nisha.
Upon meeting Nisha, the two debated the merits of literacy and lorekeepers for preserving culture. Walakea convinced Nisha that immortality was a solution to the problem of lorekeepers being vulnerable, leading to him becoming a drake. Instead of returning to Hirzen, he decided to stay with Nisha in order to broaden his knowledge of the world.
“Walakea’s proposal of marriage was so sudden I thought it had to be a joke at first. However, his logic was rather simple. We are allies bound by shared power and purpose, and it would ensure his loyalty to me. And he knew I found marriage proposals from various nobles tiresome. So I accepted. I was also curious about what being married is like.”
-Nisha, letter to Purnia.
The Grand Festival has the makings of an important event, so Walakea intends to experience it for himself. He also hopes that displaying his power will help deter anyone who would harm his homeland.
Fighting Style
Martial arts is one of the many things Walakea was trained in. Hirzeni Martial Arts are focused on powerful flowing movements, striking with the speed and force of a raging river. Opponents are not given the chance to defend. Being a cephal also gives Walakea the advantage of having six arms to strike with.
Walakea also has ways of making use of his powers as a drake. He has metal balls in his pouch to throw at troublesome opponents who keep running away, his command of metal means he can manipulate them even after they leave his grasp. Although not as elegant as he’d like, Walakea knew he needed an answer to ranged weaponry.
Erlingr
Proud Gladiator
Race: Human
Likes: Training himself and others, battle, fashion
Dislikes: Foreigners who look down on the Revolving Sea, his fans, being touched
Hates: Preforming for a crowd
Home Stage: The Arena
History
A skilled fighter who once traveled the Revolving Sea. Erlingr gained a reputation as a powerful warrior who could help others reach their full potential. The Revolving Sea formalized war between its isles into dedicated peace and war seasons. In the peace season he would train others, and in the war season he would fight for whichever isle he was at when it started. The island councils always paid attention to his movements.
“Mainlanders may fight to kill, but that is not our way. Killing is easy, taking captives is a true mark of skill. And if you’re not prepared for the risk of becoming a captive yourself, then don’t step foot on the battlefield. It’s undignified to complain of a fate you would have dealt to others.”
-Erlingr, addressing warriors he was asked to train
Erlingr was one of the Radakali, descendants of a mythical race who had magical powers. This magic gave him the experienced needed to mentor Hákon in the use of draconic powers, as they shared some similarities.
Eventually, Erlingr was bested in combat and taken captive. Since he refused to have his ransom paid, he was enthralled and became a gladiator. One of his ancestors had been said to create the modern non-lethal gladiatorial practices, so he viewed it as a fitting fate.
Life as a gladiator did not meet Erlingr’s expectations. The focus of the arenas had gone from the beauty of combat to the individual gladiators, making them into marketable personalities whose career would end with them purchased by a wealthy fan. Erlingr had essentially become an actor, preforming to please the crowd with a false persona.
Erlingr’s master was one of the people responsible for putting together the Grand Festival. As a worldwide event, Erlingr is hopeful that his participation will be more about actual combat than his marketability. It has also reunited him with his former student Hákon, who doesn’t seem happy about Erlingr’s current status.
Fighting Style
The Radakali have their own style of martial arts that much like their magic is forbidden to teach to outsiders, even forcing thralls to teach them is illegal. Radakali Martial Arts have a focus on grapples and are focused on defeating the opponent with a few powerful strikes.
Erlingr has mastered other forms of combat, which is what he usually teaches to people. As a gladiator, Erlingr has been ordered to only use Radakali Martial Arts, and to focus on audience appeal above all else. This deeply offends Erlingr, but he believes in his place too much to voice that offense.
It’s said that the ancestors of the Radakali could create anything with a single thought. Even Erlingr, who has trained extensively, can only maintain the creations of his magic for a short time, which requires deep concentration. His preferred technique is to create two tentacles as additional limbs to attack with.
Kazuko
Young Soul
Race: Cephal
Likes: Her tribe, hunting, trinkets
Dislikes: Staying in one place, silence, seagulls
Fears: Not being able to return to her tribe
Home Stage: Corkoa Village
History
The Corkoa are a semi-nomadic tribe, living in a village pulled between different islands by trained sea lions. To come of age, a member of the tribe must leave the village, and is forbidden from returning until they have something of value to bring back.
“They may live on the Revolving Sea, but the civilized islands merely tolerate those barbarians off the coast of Esrena. Why let barbarians waste perfectly good land when we could have a port of our own? What is that burning smell?”
-A Lunan noble, unknowingly in the process of having their hair burnt by Aodh.
Kazuko has only recently left the village for her pilgrimage. While she’s excited by the chance to see the world, the possibility of not returning home has frightened her into seeking a quick end to her journey.
When she heard of the Grand Festival, it stood out as a perfect place to find something of value. She plans on using her winnings to purchase something useful for her tribe.
Fighting Style
Hunting is a key part of the Corkoa’s way of life, and Kazuko takes those hunting techniques with her into the arena. Although the Corkoa mainly hunt sealife, a majority of them are cephal, so they can dive into the water and pursue fish directly. Because of this Kazuko has focused her practice on getting used to fighting on dry land.
Kazuko’s preferred weapon is the boomerang, backed up with a hunting knife for when the enemy gets close. Additionally, she has a talent for making traps, which can help her control the battlefield. Although she lacks the experience and training other fighters bring to the tournament, she’s determined to go as far as she can.
Feriel
New knight
Race: Lizal
Likes: Exploring, hard work, singing
Dislikes: Laziness, fruitless endeavors, her armor
Fears: Not being around to help her family
Home Stage: Ringed River
History
Feriel grew up on a farm in the kingdom of Pheona, watching Mount Pheona, the volcano for which the kingdom is named, from a distance. She enjoyed the simple, humble life of a farmer’s daughter. Then one day bandits attacked the family farm. Her family was saved from disaster by the arrival of the Volcanic Knights.
The heroism of the knights inspired her as much as the bandits had terrified her. She wanted to be safe from any future attacks and protect others as well, so she worked to join the knights. Eventually she was accepted after Amezwar, the leader of the Volcanic Knights himself, took notice of her.
I hope everything has remained peaceful since my departure, it saddens me that I can’t help you with the farm. But, I have good news, my formal period of training is over, I am now officially a Volcanic Knight. I still have much training to do in order to match the strength of my comrades, but Chief Amezwar has faith I’ll achieve that…
-Letter written by Feriel to her family
Although Feriel has dedicated herself to the path of a knight, she still has doubts about if life on the farm would have suited her better. The Grand Festival will serve as a test for her capabilities as a knight, and her first exposure to the world beyond Pheona.
Fighting Style
The techniques of the Volcanic Knights take years of training to master, training that Feriel is still in the middle of. While she has the fundamentals down, she can’t rely on being able to consistently preform the more advanced moves.
With her spear and shield, the basics are enough for Feriel to keep opponents at a distance. She compensates for her less developed style with power and speed, throwing everything she has into each attack, meaning each one carries more risk for both the opponent and herself if it fails.
Amezwar
Volcanic Vanguard
Race: Human
Likes: Maintaining equipment, helping people, theater
Dislikes: Selfish knights, nobles who don’t understand the reality of combat, unpunctuality
Fears: Losing his knighthood
Home Stage: Lava Lake
History
The Volcanic Knights are an elite group of fighters in the kingdom of Pheona, and Amezwar is their leader. If Amezwar had his way, protecting the people of Pheona would be his only concern, but securing the resources to do so requires far more negotiation than he would like.
Despite Amezwar’s loyal service to the king of Pheona, a relative of his was found guilty of conspiring to undermine the king, along with evidence that implicated Amezwar. While he was able to convince most that the evidence was forged, the damage to his reputation lingered, including calls for his resignation, which would require his death.
“If by some chance Aodh appears at the Grand Festival, bring him to me. Perhaps now that the Lunans have repulsed him, he’ll realize he belongs with us. Keep an eye on the Xilians as well, there may be a desert between us, but Lady Quiahuitl doesn’t seem like the type to let geography stop her ambitions.”
-Orders from the Pheonan King to Amezwar
The Grand Festival marks a chance for Amezwar to silence his doubters. To do so, he intends to do everything asked of him by the king and more, including winning the tournament.
Fighting Style
As leader of the Volcanic Knights, Amezwar prizes his strength and skill. His spear and shield have become like parts of his body. Rather than go towards his opponent, he is content to let them come towards him, or rather the tip of his spear.
Some say that Amezwar has such keen reflexes that he can send a projectile back to where it came from with a hit from his shield. Or that he can stand on the top of his spear with perfect balance. Even the most complicated of techniques looks simple when performed by Amezwar.
A few have critiqued Amezwar for his lack of innovation when it comes to the fighting techniques of the Volcanic Knights, said to have been created by the first king of Pheona. Amezwar has been known to respond that new techniques will be developed when needed, not out of boredom.
I have some academic questions about Kazuko.