Alright, so here is the deal. Part of why it’s taken me so long to get chapter 6 (formerly chapter 7) posted is because I am contemplating the future of the story and whether or not I want certain characters to be introduced now and whether I want certain characters to be more important in the long run than I had originally planned. Keep an eye on Theo and Suren, for example. I’m also thinking specifically to several chapters in advance. I need to know how I am going to conclude chapter 12 (formerly chapter 13) in light of what changes may be made to chapters 6 through 11. In case you are wondering, yes, I intend to conclude the abomination saga in chapter 12. That is not the end of the River’s Tale, just a milestone in the story. If this ever becomes a real book, these chapters will probably be combined and instead of 30 or so chapters, it’ll probably be closer to 18 to 20 total, but they’ll be longer, obviously. At any rate, I wanted to share some more about the Descendant storyline because it is the successor to the main four Koeleth storylines: The Forgotten War, The River’s Tale, Clash of Dragons, and Blade and Wolf. A brief glimpse into why these are important stories. The plot of the Forgotten War establishes the backdrop for Blade and Wolf and explains certain things that go unanswered in the other stories. The River’s Tale establishes the setting and characters that are important to know in Clash of Dragons and Blade and Wolf, as well as being a crucial aspect of Tom’s overall story. Clash of Dragons is the necessary result of the events in The River’s Tale. The resolution of Clash of Dragons gives the main character of Blade and Wolf the ability to explore her own roots, as explained in The Forgotten War. The dynamics established by these four stories all play into the climate of The Descendant. Now, I can’t give away any real details because that’s still at least 3 stories away from being written, and I’m not even through with my first. So have this thing instead.
Characters in the Descendant
The Founder – What? A dead guy is a character in the story!? WHAT!? Yeah. He appears very briefly in a vision or something along those lines. I’d tell you who he is, but spoilers aren’t cool.
Argus – The protagonist and the eponymous descendant. His family has fallen into financial ruin and more than just their possessions are on the line. To save himself and restore his family’s honor, he flees from his home, taking the Founder’s Blade with him.
Daniel – Argus’ manservant and best friend. Daniel is loyal and reliable, despite his goofiness. His family has served Argus’ family for generations. When Argus flees his home, Daniel joins him despite all protests to contrary. A skilled fighter, despite his humble position, Daniel is a great boon to Argus’ quest.
Phantom – A cheerful dog that Argus cares for secretly. Argus and Daniel first found the Frostreach husky as a puppy in the woods near his home when he was a teenager. Though his snow white fur and blazing red eyes were peculiar, they are not what drew Argus’ attention. The dog, wounded, dirty, and starving, shied away from Daniel, growling and whimpering, but hid behind Argus, displaying an innate trust in Argus’ kindness. Argus, too, felt that there was an unspoken bond between them, and he nursed him back to health, keeping his new pet a secret. He joins Argus when he flees.
Lord Virgil – The patriarch of the family and Argus’ father. His family descends from the Founder’s eldest son and therefore is considered to be the primary branch. The family has fallen into financial ruin and he is seeking a way to restore their wealth. This leads him to sell many of his family treasures and to seek out less savory means of income. His desperation is what causes Argus to take the Founder’s Blade and flee.
Lady Helena – Virgil’s wife and Argus’ mother. At her direction, Virgil sells many of his family treasures to restore their wealth. She is not greedy, but she fears that other nobles will disregard them if they lack wealth. A poor noble, after all, has very little to offer. She appeals to other nobles as best she can to aid their plight.
Lord Theodore II – Virgil’s father and the former patriarch of the family. He appears briefly in the beginning of the story, acting as a guide and mentor to the young Argus. He passes away early on in the story but leaves a lasting impression on Argus, as well as gifting him the Mind’s Eye. He was content with their less than wealthy status, but he knew that Virgil was not, and he entrusted many secrets to Argus, knowing that Argus was more worthy of them than his siblings.
Azurius – Argus’ eldest brother. Azurius is somewhat greedy, but not unkind. He encourages his father to do whatever he can to restore the family’s wealth. He wants to inherit a fortune when his father passes away and not live indebted to others. He detests what he sees as impractical idealism in Argus. Argus holds that honor and integrity should be placed above the acquisition of wealth, which Azurius adheres to only nominally.
Clay – Argus’ second eldest brother. Clay is a stoic man. He cares little for wealth and agrees with Argus that honor and integrity are of high priority, but disagrees on what those terms mean. He sees Argus’ flight as a betrayal of the family and a dishonor on the family name. Instead, he believes Argus should have honored his father’s wishes. Clay hires himself out as a mercenary to accrue wealth for the family.
Cerulean – Argus’ elder sister. Cerulean is conniving and manipulative but has always had a soft spot for Argus. Even in their current plight, she has never used her cunning to play with her little brother’s head. It is genuine sadness she feels when she learns that Argus has fled. When Argus is caught by those in the employ of the family or others seeking him, if she is able, Cerulean will use her skills, whether they be physical or mental, to ensure that he is either guaranteed safety or freed entirely.
Revenant – The family dog. Argus’ family has a long history of keeping dogs, one line going back as far as the Founder’s own Frostreach husky. Revenant is the descendant of the Founder’s dog, but he is not a pure husky. He is a wolf dog, and his vicious wild nature shines through. Larger than a husky, black as the night, eyes blood red. He is the alpha dog. He dislikes Argus but knows not to harm him. His dislike partly stems from the knowledge that there is an unknown dog that Argus sees. A potential threat.
Beryl – A noble’s daughter and Argus’ former love interest. Beryl is an intelligent and kind young woman, but her life of nobility has left her detached from the plight of the common person. She has trouble understanding Argus’ motives for leaving his home and cannot come to terms with Argus’ new life of hardship and adventure. Though their relationship ends, as a final gift to her former object of affection, she harbors him at her family’s home briefly before he departs for good.
Catherine – A commoner and Argus’ new love interest. Catherine has endured a life of hardship, as even in Koeleth, where the common folk are well taken care of, her family struggles to survive. When Argus’ journey brings him and Daniel to her father’s farm, she quickly develops a fondness for Argus, which is reciprocated.
Adelaide – The matriarch of her family and Argus’ ally. Adelaide is a just but firm leader. Her family is known for its strong combatants and skillful strategists. She is a descendant of the Founder’s eldest child, an adopted daughter, and when the Founder was ennobled, the adopted daughter was not left. However, as the generations passed, enmity grew between the biological branches of the family and the adopted branch. As such, Adelaide and her relatives are often treated with contempt by the other branch heads. Despite this fissure, the other branches frequently hire members of Adelaide’s family to serve as bodyguards. Argus agrees to restore her place alongside the rest of the family in exchange for her sponsorship. She carries the Ruby Eye and uses it to summon Argus to her home in the first place.
Elise – Adelaide’s maid and best friend. Elise is a gentle and kind girl. She was bought from slave traders after Adelaide’s mother saw the half-elf and took pity on her. She and Daniel develop a fondness for one another after she treats his battle injuries.
William – The patriarch of his family and Virgil’s friend. William is proud and confident, as is fitting of the patriarch of a branch family. His family descends from the Founder’s youngest child, his only biological daughter. She was an abomination with mage-like powers. As such the family has always had a strong affinity for magic. The enmity between William’s family and Adelaide’s is particularly strong. William is no exception. He always knew his Lover’s Bond was a magical ring, but the nature of the magic was not made clear to him until Argus accidentally awakened its power through the Mind’s Eye. William uses it in service of Virgil to track down Argus.
Otto – The patriarch of his family and Virgil’s friend. Otto is calm and wise. He rarely makes swift leaps to judgement or impulsively acts. His family descends from the Founder’s second biological son. The family is well known for its combat prowess, only surpassed by Adelaide’s line. Otto gets along quite well with all his relatives, even trying to resolve the issues that drive a wedge between Adelaide and the rest of the family, not an easy task after so many generations. As with William and Adelaide, Otto discovers the magic of his earring, the Warrior’s Bond, when Argus accidentally awakens the power of the Mind’s Eye, though he initially does nothing with this knowledge. Argus ones to him seeking aid, hoping that his rational, calculated approach to things will lend itself to Argus’ cause. Otto attempts to remain neutral, however, and he simply promises to keep Argus safe while he is there and provides him with supplies when he leaves.
The Man (I forgot his name) – The antagonist and a man who holds a centuries old grudge. Dark and brooding, the man has his own goals to achieve. To achieve those goals, he’s willing to do anything. He offers a great deal of wealth to Virgil in exchange for Argus’ life. Not as a slave, mind you. He simply wants Argus to be his squire, or so he claims. He serves the guardian Desiren, but not as a worshiper, merely as one who seeks her aid. Virgil, seeing little other choice, agrees, contributing to Argus’ flight.
Verbal Realms 