#polarfront

Polarfront of Sonatus is a teacher for close combat fighting techniques at the capital city's Royal Guard Academy of the Diurnal Kingdom and the main characters' form teacher (one might even call him a sort of mentor figure). He is not a people person (anti-social, not shy), yet his teaching skills leave nothing to be desired and he's good at judging people.

This is the reason why he introduces the main characters to Om who is considered to be the Chosen One that will save Aether in the future. They accept them into their friend group and together they and other students from all across the planet search for a way to fight the corruption spreading from inside their planet's core where a parasite is absorbing its energy.

Since the Diurnal Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy, they need to present their plans in front of the parliament and the Luminescence (religious leader). It just happens that the current Luminescence, Searchmark, was once one of Polarfront's students and more or less his secret lover. They were both young and foolish and when Polarfront discovered that Searchmark had been dared by his friends to start dating their teacher, a relationship which lasted ten years, they broke up and Searchmark joined the royal guard. Now, circa 350 years later, they meet again and the now blind Searchmark recognizes Polarfront by his voice and they have a bittersweet reunion after the presentation.

Aetherians age differently and looking back at the age chart, it doesn't follow any rules nor does it make sense. But it can be used as an approximation to how age works for humans. Polarfront is about 470 years old now (equivalent to a 37 year old human) and Searchmark is 370 (35 year old human).

They have what they call a First Line of Defense type build: sturdy and strong armor protects their organs and their extremities are powerful enough to serve them well in battle. Most main characters are of this build, only Rhiza, one of the older students, is a Second Line of Defense type with a nimbler, more agile physique.

Their armor is fully customizable and represents their heritage, but the fabrics and how they wear them play a more important role in society. Sonatians wear cold colors in honor of their home city that is located in the far south of Aether (it's like a high tech cyberpunk Scandinavian city but on the southern hemisphere). First Line Defenders usually wear them on their shoulders, Second Line Defenders around their hips. If it's on one side, it has to be their dominant one, if it's on both sides then this person does not do manual work. It's different for Second Line Defenders where the placement on both sides means they are a fighter and on either side means they are not.

The general population only wears fabrics in public and it's easy to lie by moving the cape to a different position. The royal family and a select few nobles may wear capes in more than one color. Oops, I strayed too far from the subject. Back to Polarfront. His turquoise shawl is on his left side because he's a leftie.

Polarfront is also the founder of the Exercitus Crudelis ("cruel army", Rhiza suggested the title just for fun and they agreed, much to her dismay) that starts out as a small group of students who promote Aether's environmental protection program. After his death, Searchmark will leave the Luminacy and take over as their new leader, hellbent on avenging his death and slowly turning it into a specialized combat unit with only the original line-up remaining.