Cast
The primary actors of our tale are as follows:
Brevetted Corporal Samuel Blackstone
Born the son of a deserter, Sam is one of the Fettered: the lowest social caste in the Empire of Korveil. He is worked hard and spat on by his countrymen as he is considered no better than a conquered foe and is forbidden from marrying his sweetheart Bethany.
And yet, Sam burns bright. If he can prove himself in the eyes of the imperial army by fighting the ghast hordes then he can become Citizen Apparent. He’ll stake his life on the chance to win the love and respect he’s longed for. But Sam has a heart as gentle as a lullaby. Does he have the strength of will to confront the devils of Umbrora?
Jack Wick of House Lilimfair
Of course Wick was appointed Rune Singer in the royal court of Umbora. No one else would do. It takes a genius to weave spells of this caliber and a perfect voice to command them to life. But these skills are needed now more than ever. The walls of the city have fallen and the savages have come to seize the Well of Magic. Time is running out.
The flames of this unending war have robbed Wick of many things. It does not matter if Umbrora falls. In the name of his Queen and the Stars above, he will make certain the enemy cannot claim their prize. Wick sings the runes and seals the Well. He flees, satisfied to deny his enemy a true victory. His voice is the only thing that can open the well.
War Master Andreas Silverpeak
How many battles are enough? Andreas has endured much to reach the title of War Master of the Vanguard. He has fought and conquered. He has watched the men under his command fall and he has seen them victorious. He has done everything he could to carve a path through life.
He is tired, but he cannot falter. The flames of life test each of us. We must burn brighter than the fire we find ourselves in. He longs to be reunited with his wife and children, but Korveil needs him. Curseweed spreads throughout the country, sucking life from the soil. It is his responsibility to lead. To seize the power needed to break the spell. There is no choice but to see this duty through to the end.
Citizen Apparent Bethany Pestle
It’s not easy to be the chieftain’s daughter in a small village. There are more eyes on you. You are expected to conduct yourself with dignity and honor. And people gossip. The whole village will have an opinion on your every act and choice.
Bethany didn’t choose to fall in love with a Fettered man. She couldn’t help it. He was kind, and strong, and there was never a hint of judgment in those big brown eyes. If her mother could only see Sam the way she does, maybe she could be happy. But there is no future in becoming the wife of a Fettered. She knows too well that her standing grants her comfort. Her choice is between a life worth living and the man she loves.
Ascended Lord Ember
There are souls who burn bright and there are souls who burn dim. Each is tested in the Great Furnace of life. Many are consumed, but there are those who are tempered by this heat. They are named the Kor, after the old word for tempered steel. They are the greatest of the Korveilian people. The Ancestors have favored these individuals, seeing the strength of their will, and entrusted them to lead the country and its people.
Lord Ember is one of an elite few Ascended. She seeks a secure future for Korveil. Under her directive, Korveil will have no reason to fear its neighbors. There will be no want. Every soul will have its proper place. The nation will rise and weather the ages. It is only a matter of time.