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**Protagonists **Supporting Characters **Hawk Maidens **Other Characters **

 

Protagonists

Derrexi Tzelan

Age: 24
Role: Swordswoman.
Station: Noble, military officer.
First Appearance: Nov. 2nd, 2002.
Proud firstborn daughter of House Tzelan, she ceded her right to become the head of the clan to her younger sister and trained as a swordswoman in the Hawk's Talons School. During her service in the westernost border of the Empire she proved to be an excelent fighter as well as a capable commander, and was recommended to become a Falcon Knight, one of the few women to achieve this honour. Astonishing her family once again, she declined and put her sword at the service of the Empress. Still searching for herself, she is sent to Beldatz to train a small cadre of female halberdiers called the Hawk Maidens in preparation for the Festival of Renewal. She knows nothing of the hotbed of intrigue and danger in the city, as she digs up more than she bargained for in her quest to find herself.

Yanti (True Name: Yu'wuf)

Age: 17
Role: Troublemaker, explorer.
Station: Outcast, courier.
First Appearance: Nov. 2nd, 2002.
The young Yu'wuf left his parents at the beginning of his adolescence, as the traditions of the Quetzerri foxfolk dictate. He took the human name of Yanti as he liked the sound, and discovered his knack for sneaking in and out of trouble. He found an easy job as a courier and messenger, which gave him the chance to travel abroad and get paid. Another thing he discovered was his additction to games of chance, which he excels at. He has almost no savings as his fortunes rise and ebb like the tides, and gladly enters Derrexi's service to both alleviate his encroaching boredom and to get out of jail. How long his amusement will keep him at her side is anyone's guess, including his own.

Eclipse (Real identity unknown)

Age: ?? (between 16 and 25)
Role: Agent of the Moonshades.
Station: Servant?
First Appearance: Dec. 4th, 2002.
Eclipse is a mysterious young woman, possibly at the service of the governor's wife. She is a Moonshade, one of the legendary spies and saboteurs rumoured to have a hand in every aspect of the politics of the Empire, but whose existence has never been proven. Her job is to run errands and get information, at least during the night. In the wake of the arrival of Lady Tzelan, she has been commanded to watch over her, for the morass of politics she is about to sink into is of interest to the Moonshades.

Larriki

Age: 20
Role: Monk and advisor
Station: Clergy
First Appearance: Mar. 8th, 2003
Larriki is one of many Skrii'qek birdfolk that left the Shattered Islands to explore the rest of Nahast. His family was hit by a storm as they crossed the Dawn Sea. His parents died just after they managed to leave the young hatchling in the care of monks in the Aureous Feather monastery overlooking Beldatz. he learned the tenets of the monk's philosophy, and adapted their martial art to his unique physiognomy. He received dreams of a respendent hawk flying around the bay and became a priest of Suze'en, Goddess of the Sun, whose sacred animal is the hawk. The dreams have not ceased, but at least they have been pointing at a near event that will shake the foudnations of Beldatz, possibly of all the Empire. The Skrii'qek monk is determined to find out what it is and, if possible, deal with it.

Xu're

Age: 26
Role: Sorcerer.
Station: Exile.
First Appearance: Dec. 7th, 2002.
Xu're discovered early his ability to wrest magic from the air itself. Being born in the harsh Zergune Empire, his family tried to hide his talent from the bloody priests, but he had to escape his home when he lost control of his power and killed a tax collector. Almost dead from exposure to the broken lands west of Zergune, he stumbled upon one of the greatest secrets of the world of Nahast: the Land of Dreams. He was revitalised by the spirits of the land itself, and learned the true nature of many things, a knowledge that would have driven a lesser man insane. Travelling half through the real world and half through the Dreamlands, he is making his way to Beldatz, for he senses that something is about to be awakened, unleashed or unsealed. His motives are his own, and does little to appease the Solernian's distrust of any Zergunese travelling by himself.

 

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Supporting Characters

Tercos Itzcori

Age: 38
Role: Leader of the Beldatz Watch.
Station: Military officer.
First Appearance: Jan. 1st, 2003.
The strict and grim Captain Itzcori has served the governor of Beldatz since he first learned to wield a sword. He acquired all his military expertise not from a lofty noble's academy, but from hands-on experience. Originally a commoner, his outstanding service has earned him rank, fortune and honour for him and his family, although many of Beldatz's nobility see him as a bothersome upstart. He refuses to enter the field of politics even if his position as leader of the city's army does give him a lot of power, which he disdains claiming that he is only a dutiful servant. Scrupulous and honest, he follows the warrior's code even if it is not expected of him to do so.

Lady Beltzane Matsidari

Age: 50
Role: Leader of the Beldatz Moonshades, governor's wife.
Station: Nobility.
First Appearance: Dec. 4th, 2002.
This cold and calculating woman has been playing a dangerous game of intrigue in Beldatz for years. As the leader of the Moonshades in Beldatz, it is her job to manipulate events and people to follow the secret order's agenda; whatever it is. She is in direct communication with the Empress and seems like a loyal subject of the Imperial Throne, but once night falls all bets are off, as she schemes and plots behind her husband's back, sometimes aiding him, sometimes hindering him, but always ruthlessly achieving her goals. She has a vested interest in Derrexi's success, although why this is so remains unclear.

Lord Oskardi Matsidari

Age: 52
Role: Governor of Beldatz
Station: Nobility.
First Appearance: Aug. 24th, 2003.
Good natured and seemingly addle-brained, Lord Matsidari rules Beldatz and its surrounding lands with fairness and a hands-off approach, letting the people who know their business to do whatever they think is best. He would like to see his daughter married off to Leial Azpikeri in order to secure a hold into the Merchant's Guild, although Diru Azpikeri pursues the matter for the same purpose. He knows that there is something strange brewing in his city, and plays dumb in order to lure out whatever plot is being cooked up under his nose; unfortunately, he is not as clever as he thinks he is, although he is definitely not as foolish as he appears.

Lady Tzie Matsidari

Age: 17
Role: Scribe, governor's daughter.
Station: Nobility.
First Appearance: Jan. 15th, 2003.
Shy, insecure and bookish, this lady is ripe for an arranged marriage, but her own disinterest in all things romantic (whether by fear or something else) and her mother's pickiness keep her unbethroted. She serves her mother as a scribe and record keeper as she spends most of her time in the castle's library or reading in the gardens, but also is aware of some of her mother's darker connections and acts as her messenger and go-betweener, when the situation would not put her at risk. She refuses any invitation to join the Hawk Maidens as she is too afraid of fighting, although her nervousness in the matter may hide some secrets of her own.

Master Gaizco Zarranz

Age: 42
Role: Portmaster of Beldatz' docks.
Station: Retired military, civil servant.
First Appearance: Mar. 22nd, 2003.
Grissled veteran of the Solernian Navy, Gaizco Zarranz is also a retired adventurer himself, an explorer of no small skill who was one of the few humans to be freely accepted by the Maevindran elves. He arrived in Beldatz with a baby daughter in his arms, and found a ready job as a portmaster, given his skill with dealing with the various races that stop by Beldatz. He is gruff and strict, but very fair in his judgements. He tries to stay out of the politics game, but his position draws him to the game of influence brokerage, and he always looks out for Niriko's interests in everything he does.

Leial Azpikeri

Age: 26
Role: Swordsman.
Station: Son of the leader of Beldatz's Merchant Guild.
First Appearance: Aug. 9th, 2003.
Training abroad served to mould Leial's ideals far away from his conniving and manipulative father, and returned to Beldatz as a just man, if a little aloof. He is perfectly aware of his father's machinations, but is honour-bound by blood to put up with him. He likes Lady Tzie Matzidari, but agrees with her mother that a bethrotal would not make her happy. He is a little aimless, excelling in the forms of swordsmanship but having little real combat experience.

Diru Azpikeri

Age: 62
Role: Plotter and schemer.
Station: Aforementioned leader of Beldatz's Merchant Guild.
First Appearance: Aug. 24th, 2003.
A man who rose to his fortune due to hard work and by leaving several stabbed backs behind, Diru Azpikeri founded and leads the Merchant Guild operating in Beldatz, independent of any other similar guild that operates in the Empire. He's a calculating man but far from cold, prone to holding deep grudges although he manages not to let his personal feelings cloud his judgement. He has acquired several dark contacts and is plotting to become the true power in Beldatz, and he is not so far from achieving that end. He is behind many of the troubles of the city, for which he has the "solutions" to make him appear like the city's savior, one of which is the mercenary corps complementing the Watch's ranks, although the merc's disregard for civil duty is beginning to backfire on him; he sees Derrexi's arrival as a dangerous weight to tip the precarious balance in which his plots thrive.

Xisve'ki

Age: Unknown, but counted in millenia.
Role: Dark undead sorcerer.
Station: Evil force behind the potential downfall of Beldatz and its people.
First Appearance: Aug. 9th, 2004.
Xisve'ki used to be one of the Hooded Ones, a priest-king of the forgotten reptilian civilization of Nahast's Third Age. He foresaw the downfall of his Age and embraced undeath to at least save himself to preserve the glory of his people. He slept through the end of the Third Age, through the entire Fourth Age and through the beginning of the current Age, his power greatly diminished because of his exile to the Lands of Dreams. He has woken to a world he scarcely understands, dominated by pathetic mammal-things and where the spirits he used to command have become gods. His goals and his methods are an enigma, but he is working "for" DIru Azpikeri while he regains his power and understand the people of this Age.

Quitzam

Age: Late 50s.
Role: Eccentric wizard.
Station: Lighthouse master, unofficial teacher.
First Appearance: Dec. 7th, 2003.
Nobody quite remembers when Master Quitzam moved to the southern lighthouse. The lighthouse itself was no longer operating thanks to the smaller and more potent lighthouses build right along the Beldatz docks until the night he moved in. He brought with him a pack of xolotzins to attend to his everyday needs and has never asked for payment from the city. He has assisted the Watch now and then with magical matters but otherwise prefers to stay apart from society, conducting whatever studies or practices he does in the solitude of the fort. He was annoyed when Lady Tzelan and her girls moved in, but has accepted a position of teacher in exchange of having Jakitza as his apprentice, the first and only one anyone has heard of him accepting, let alone requesting.

 

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The Hawk Maidens

Niriko Zarranz

Age: 15
Role: Natural born leader.
Station: Hawk Maiden trainee, commoner.
First Appearance: Nov. 2nd, 2002 (look at the background :) )
Niriko is a blonde in a land where dark hair is the norm, her skin much fairer than that of any of her friends, and the reason for this is her secret shame: she is one of the first half-elves to be born in Solerne. Ridiculed through her entire childhood, she spent a lot of time and energy winning the respect and friendship of all children her age, but she still gets strange looks, and still keeps her slightly pointed ears hidden under her hair. Her father is the portmaster in Beldatz, and he will not tell who her mother is except for the fact that she was an elf, and she abandoned both of them weeks after Niriko was born. She is all too eager to join the Hawk Maidens as the perfect way to realise her dreams of being independent and, most importantly, respected.

Behari

Age: 18
Role: Angry, angsty and loyal friend.
Station: Hawk Maiden trainee, former prostitute.
First Appearance: Oct. 12th, 2003 (story), May 16th, 2005 (comic).
Behari knows nothing of her parents, having been abandoned as a baby and brought up in a small brothel. She became a prostitute as soon as she became a woman, and has been the "property" of the brothel's housemaster ever since. Neither she nor her owners knew that she is of the Miyalli people, a different ethnic group than the main Solernian branch. Having grown without any true affection and used as an object for the good part of her teenage years, she has grown angry, bitter and quiet (but prone to violent outbursts); the Hawk Maidens are her chance to discover how fiercely loyal she can be.

Jakitza Egoski

Age: 16
Role: Well-read, well-informed and brilliant strategist.
Station: Hawk Maiden trainee, middle class.
First Appearance: April 11th, 2004 (story), June 3rd, 2005 (comic).
Being the daughter of a government magistrate and a scribe, Jakitza grew amongst books, and she loves knowledge with a passion. Her dreams of becoming an imperial magistrate were shattered when Beldatz closed the schools for girls, denying her the diploma that was requisite for the magistrate exams. An excellent calligraphist herself, Jakitza has very good coordination, but her still undiagnosed near-sightedness hinders her training. Her strength lies in her quick mind, cool head and iron will. She joined the Hawk Maidens as an alternative to advance her studies, but there she will develop her strategic skills.

Gisako Gizaletzi

Age: 17
Role: The loyal opposition, voice of dissent and giver of insights.
Station: Hawk Maiden trainee, upper class.
First Appearance: Nov. 29th, 2004 (story), June 14th, 2005 (comic).
A child of privilege, Gisako nonetheless feels sick about the rich merchants and nobles that roam the courts and party halls. It's a mystery where she got her morals given his father's ruthless business disposition and her mother's indifference. Her curiosity and inquisitive mind got the better of her when she stumbled upon the wrong conversation at the wrong time, and she is now under the dubious care of Eclipse, acting as an unofficial informant for the Moonshades regarding the Hawk Maidens and Derrexi's movements. Despite her natural decency, Gisako is still a bit conceited and self-important, and just asumes she's the better suited for leadership. The Hawk Maidens will teach her some humility and give her a chance to have friends that are not after her father's money.

Zintzi Tainoz

Age: 15
Role: Confidant, advisor wise beyond her years.
Station: Hawk Maiden trainee, commoner.
First Appearance: Dec. 25th, 2003 (story), Oct. 24th, 2005 (comic).
A very tall girl for her age, Zintzi's height and quiet smile makes everybody think she is older, especially when she speaks, because almost always she says something deep and insightful, or helpful at least. She's Niriko's best friend, and the only one in the Hawk Maidens with a boyfriend. Her reasons for joining the Hawk Maidens are a mistery, but she says she did because she wanted to have something in common to talk with her boyfriend, who joined the Watch recently.

Eruhien

Age: 13
Role: Official mascot.
Station: Hawk Maiden trainee, poor.
First Appearance: June 14th, 2005
Eruhien does not have an exciting and intriguing life story (as short as that would be anyway). She lives in one of the city's slums with her parents, and is the oldest of five children. Doing odd jobs with her mother and being a street urchin, she dreamed of a better life for her family. When she heard that the Hawk Maidens would take care of her, she decided to join so she could ease her parents' burden of raising a child, and hopes to one day get them out of poverty.

Waio Ko Xiang

Age: 45
Role: Steadfast pillar of stability.
Station: Hawk Maiden trainee, dwarven merchant class.
First Appearance: Oct. 24th, 2005
The dwarves of Kerrost are renowned craftsmen and merchants, and settled in the northern districts of Beldatz to conduct their business, relatively isolated from the human population. Xiang, only daughter of the leader of Guild Waio Ko, grew up in Beldatz and is eager to get to know the humans better, not to mention all the other kinds of people that arrive from the mountain passes and the port. She convinced her father to let her join the Hawk Maidens arguing that it could bring honor to the family name, and thus make business with the humans easier.

 

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Other Characters

Narmati

A Viryuni elf trader, master sailor like most of his race.

Bah'riini

A Viryuni elf Sea witch, wife and navigator to Narmati.

Equinox

A Moonshade infiltrator and spy posing as a servant girl in the governor's palace.

   
     

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Art and story © 2002-2008 Alejandro Melchor. Nahast Campaign Setting and Product Identity © 2002-2008 Proyecto Nahast
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