Appendix
This section contains dangerous secrets. Consider yourself warned.
Primary Characters
Cassian ‘Cas’ Nightbrook: A twenty-one-year-old talented thief in the City of Analon, sworn to protect his little sister Elena.
Mrs. Crowe: A potion merchant and friend of Cas, who helped him hone his potioncraft.
Darion Thorne: A twenty-four-year-old man with a mysterious past. A member of the Order of Emberlight and a love interest of Cas.
Elena Nightbrook: The fourteen-year-old sister of Cas. Strong and talented with a sword, she helps Cas operate the herb cart.
Garrick: Crime boss and owner of the Charred Snake Tavern in the Wharf District, which operates as a front for Garrick’s clandestine business.
Orlik ‘The Butcher’ Leonom: The top lieutenant for King Tarnasau, known for his hatred of Emberborn.
Zephyra: A whisperhawk and friend of Cas, who can telepathically communicate with him.
Secondary Characters
Adela Fenn: A clock tender in the Citadel Clock Tower.
Brannic Yule: King’s assistant and steward of Thornfell Keep.
Caldren: Head of the guard for the Order of Emberlight.
Corin Fenn: Adela Fenn’s son, who lives in the clock tower.
Master Solcor: Master of the Citadel aviary.
Darrow Elkwright: Council member for the Order of Emberlight.
Edric Fenn: Adela Fenn’s father and master of ledgers.
Jask: First mate of Rook.
Kael Marrick: Order of Emberlight council member and friend to Darion.
Mireth Averin: High Steward of the Order of Emberlight.
Rook: Smuggler and captain of the Wind Runner.
Sprocket: Quartermaster for the Order of Emberlight.
Syra: Bodyguard to Orlik. A Marrowbound Emberborn capable of shifting into a beast.
King Tarnasau: The ruthless king of Velmorra who is driven to eradicate all Emberborn.
Teon: Bouncer for the Charred Snake.
Tobias: Kitchen cook for the Order of Emberlight.
Verrin: A warden of Pyrehold and Kael’s contact.
Mrs. Yarrow: Runs an orphanage. Raised Cas and Elena after their parents were killed.
Political Structure
The Crown: The ruling authority of Velmorra under King Tarnasau.
The Royal Guard: Elite soldiers loyal directly to the king.
Sentinels: Specialized anti-Emberborn hunters with Veilsense and able to create null-fields.
Order of Emberlight: A rebel group made up of Emberborn and Unkindled, dedicated to toppling the Tarnasau Dynasty.
The Council of Emberlight: Leadership body governing the Order of Emberlight.
Queen Amara: A beloved former monarch whose legacy symbolizes unity and resistance to tyranny.
Magic
Ember: An energy that flows through Emberborn allowing them to activate their special abilities.
Ember (colloquial): An Emberborn’s special ability.
Emberbane: A highly volatile and powerful substance containing distilled Ember. Prolonged exposure is corruptive and dangerous.
Emberborn: A subspecies of humans born with special abilities called Embers that vary from person to person.
Embers: The collective term for Emberborn special abilities.
Embersphere: Ember that flows in the natural environment outside of Emberborn and can be drawn on to activate more powerful Embers.
Active Ember: An Ember that requires drawing on Ember from the Embersphere, although it may have some innate aspects as well.
Innate Ember: An Ember that doesn’t require drawing power from the Embersphere. That ability is always active, unless the Emberborn actively suppresses it.
Null Field: A suppressive field generated by Sentinels that weakens or incapacitates Emberborn and allows Ember to be harvested or redirected.
Unkindled: Non-Emberborn humans. The majority population of Velmorra.