#celestrian

Crux

the Guardian of Angel Falls, generally mistaken as a minstrel before becoming an armamentalist.

Soft spoken, reserved, and uses very formal, if not at times archaic, language.

Forgets that people can see her, now, and doesn't always realise questions are being directed her way (and that people can see her staring at them).

Holds a deep love and faith in humanity: if there was no goodness in the hearts of man, then she would not exist. Hope is deeply integral to her, and Crux is often admired for her steadfastness in the face of dark times.

Due to the strict, and innate, hegemony within Celestrian 'society' (i would argue they don't functionally have one: no history, no arts, no free will outside of shepherding their flock. There is a tragedy in that they will leave no true mark when they return to the skies), Crux sees the monarchies and caste systems throughout the Protectorate as something to be deeply respected and adhered to, which causes friction with some of the mortal party members.

When attempting to escape the Goretress during the revolt, her Celestrian identity is revealed. Crux is apprehended by Barbarus and Hootingham-gore before she can get away, and she's locked down in the Oubliette. It takes months before her friends are able to reunite and save her, as well as liberating the prisoners of the Goretress.

Her Celestrian identity is revealed in Wormwood, much to the confusion of her party members. Acceptance comes eventually, although there is no small amount of crises of faith when they enter the realm of the Almighty and learn their god tried to destroy their entire species.

Of all the party members, Crux is the one to recruit and consistently see past Tomas' hostile exterior. She witnessed him tending to a dying child in Coffinwell, praying and holding her hand as her strength slowly dwindled, and was touched by the priest's quiet dedication.

Thrae

A Stornish blacksmith's daughter who feels dissatisfied with living a mundane life, seeking out adventure after helping to resolve the Wight Knight issue.

Rash, powerful, and no-nonsense. She's generally the one to end any arguments, even ones she's not a part of. Sees no point in lingering on grudges, often to the detriment of real progress.

Completely incapable of magic (a blacksmith's daughter: iron in her bloodline), which becomes a source of deeper insecurity as she travels the world and watches her friends become more powerful in ways she can never achieve. Overcompensates by being increasingly reckless in her melee.

Injured attempting to find Crux after she's captured by the Gittish Empire, ending up stranded on the Pluvi Isle chain with Unscrupulous Maximus, who is in self-imposed exile. This leaves Thrae with chronic pain, reduced mobility, and fatigue issues for the rest of her life, something she must learn to live with, however difficult. Finding her place as a protector and also someone who needs protecting in turn helps her to learn the ways of a gladiator.

Her rashness and impulsiveness eventually becomes tempered, Thrae becoming a more tactical and independent thinker. Where once she'd been content to follow Crux's orders and not worry too much about it, Thrae now sees the importance of measured actions and being critical of people in positions of power.

As the oldest of three siblings, is very good with kids. After travelling with the party, Thrae finds herself teaching others about the gladiator vocation, as well as filling in as a part-time axe instructor at Swinedimples.

Zanni

Only child of two wealthy Gleeban merchants, and magic prodigy grown bored of his studies in Swinedimples: Zanni set out into the Protectorate to find adventure and challenge.

Incredibly intelligent, prideful, arrogant, and a deeply creative young man. Zanni is the youngest member of the party but experiences the most inner change through the events of the story.

When trying to find Crux after the events in Upover, Zanni finds himself apprehended by Hootingham-gore, who has had an interest in Gleeban magi for a very long time. Zanni manages to slip away but remains trapped in the rotting palace due to the barriers put in place. Here, he uncovers hidden histories about Gleeba and the Gittish Empire.

Upon discovering the Supreme Sage, a high-ranking Gleeban Sage who had been apprehended by the Gittish Empire during an invasion on the Khalaag Coast. The two monarchies used to be allies, Gleeba providing sages as advisors and diplomats to the Gittish. But, in an unnamed tragedy on the Khalaag coast, many sages of Gleeba were captured and used in experiments that would eventually result in the Gittish's mastery of necromancy and the machines used to harvest Celestrian energy.

With no one but the sage in the pages for company in a horrific, hostile place, Zanni asks to learn how to become one himself. The Sage, who had grown fond of the witty young man, mentions that while 'dark' magic is not inherently evil, simply a natural opposite to healing, it has a cost associated to it that seems scary to those outside the circles. Zanni trades his left eye to gain the knowledge of 'dark' magic, and Sage gives up his remaining strength to create a rune staff, as a final gift. Zanni, with new abilities, is alone. But now he knows how to sever the barriers keeping him trapped in the palace.

Learning of the tragedy in Gleeba, as well as his own personal struggles, Zanni matures into someone wiser, more mature. He still has his sense of humour, but his boyish charm has been replaced with a sense of quiet sadness. He is the only sage, now, and Zanni now recognises the importance of that. For the first time in his life, he feels intimidated by the thought of failure.

Tomas

The beleagured team healer, once a thief from Dourbridge, Tomas found a new calling at Alltrades Abbey as a priest.

Pessimistic, sardonic, and incredibly fed up with everything and everyone, Tomas is often at odds with the other party members. He finds Zanni to be an annoying, arrogant rich boy with too much power on his hands, Thrae a thoughtless brute who would rather someone else think for her, and holds a deep suspicion of Crux, whose kindness he struggles to believe has no ulterior motive. But Tomas gradually warms up to these people, seeing their strengths and accepting (while sometimes challenging) some their faults. His loyalty and trust are hard won, but when gained is as unwavering as he is in battle.

Is the descendant of a brutal Gittish commander who was cursed by a dying sage. As a result, Tomas sees the ghosts of people killed by the Gittish Empire's conquest (he isn't aware of the last part, simply believing he can see any ghost at all).

Met the party in Coffinwell, where he and a small detachment of priests were sent to try and help combat the plague, to very little success. Tomas had been exhausted and grieving the people he 'failed' when the party rucked up and swept him away on a strange adventure into the old Quarantomb.

Once connected to the thieves' guild in Dourbridge, which causes important developments as the shanty town comes into conflict with industrial behemoth that is Bloomingdale, due to Marion's kidnapping leading to people seeking retribution by targeting the former.

Stays in Upover to fend off the encroaching Gittish invasion, after Greygnarl's death. This causes conflict with Thrae and Zanni, who wish to seek out Crux and save her. Tomas, feeling partly responsible for Upover's beseigement, refuses to leave the people, leading Thrae to call him a coward. The battles to fend off the necrotic monsters are long and brutal, and Tomas does not have his friends to help.

Initially a caustic individual, Tomas' temper cools and he finds a sense of peace and worth in becoming a paladin. He learns how to find faith in the common man, after a crisis of faith in the Realm of the Almighty. Tomas has always had the capacity for kindness, but finds it easier to express as the journey continues.