Here's the antagonist in Simone's backstory: Tommy the inquisitor. Once a friend, then traitor. Find some lore below these images but it's very summarized:
Thomas / Tommy used to be a folk woodwind musician living peacefully in a glorious empire. He joined Simone's band, but later learned that they were spellcasters and rebels against his home. After some internal conflict, he took matters into his own hands and got them arrested (but Simone escaped).
Now he's an inquisitor climbing up the ranks, thus ending his flutist career. His motives and fate are unknown, but it seems he got his hands on Hector's recording tech, and he's contributing to an invasion on the neighboring free city harboring mages and fugitives (does he know Simone is there?)
Here's some more art of him during various moments of the story (while the first 2 pieces are him in the present, these are from the past)
(bro has a lot of hairstyle changes, will be a nightmare to make a reference sheet)
His design and name were secretly inspired by Thomas Giles from Between The Buried and Me (particularly the long hair & beard phase, and his younger self) but shh 🫣
