This is a brief look into some of the secondary characters that will be featured in Sword of Vaifen. These characters will cross paths with Bastiel Isthal, the Gestalt Team, and the Royal House of Starsong throughout this book series.
These men and women of different backgrounds and beliefs that live in the nation of Vaifen are only some of the side characters that will come to life throughout this upcoming book saga. Their dreams, hopes, ambitions, desires, and the clash between these elements and the reality that they live in will shape their lives.
MARCUS JOHNSON
Marcus is a skillful software engineer that works as a Senior Quality Assurance Technician for the Noveaux Tech Corporation at the company’s branch offices in Ternion. He’s a very outgoing, upstanding, easygoing, and friendly man that’s unrepentantly in love with his fiancee, Sally.
His friends, neighbors, and acquaintances have no complaints about him, and he’s always a blast at parties and social gatherings. Living within a walking distance of the emblematic Estival train station, Marcus always takes the ever so punctual Line Five train that takes him to Addicus every morning — the location of his workplace. While his job can be boring at times, it is a well remunerated position. Marcus’ life can be monotonous and insipid to some, yet very much idyllic to others.
An ugly brown briefcase and its contents will seal his fate one morning…
JEANNE HALCEN
A young waitress that works at Halcen’s, her family’s restaurant. It is a small but renowned locale hidden in plain sight at the outskirts of Ternion’s Grand Royale district.
Jeanne is always eager to greet each and every customer with a smile, and more than willing to help her family and the restaurant they’ve run for decades in any way she can. Her nimbleness and dexterity are invaluable assets as she navigates through the tables with the customers’ orders. Recurring customers, such as Bastiel Isthal, find her charisma as one of the reasons that make come back and highly recommend the restaurant to others, besides the excellent food, of course.
HAROLD VOGEL
Harold Vogel is the Crown’s proud current caretaker at the service of the Royal House of Starsong. He is a man with an impeccable appearance, and an enviable posture. Age does not seem to have an effect on his duties, nor does it seem to have slowed him down at all.
As the Royal Caretaker, Harold is in charge of keeping and preserving the Royal Palace, its patrimony, and heritage. From the smallest book to the most inspiring works of art; from the flowers in the gardens to the walls and furniture — everything must be kept in pristine condition during the present, so that it all can continue to inspire greatness to future generations.
Having served two generations of Starsong regents, Vogel is one of the handful of people in the entire planet that have King Sulwyn Starson’s complete and undivided trust. The Royal Caretaker is also a firsthand witness of the burden the crown of Starsong heavily imposes upon a King.
While he can be demanding to the staff under his command, Vogel is a very comprehensive and empathic man that never raises his voice in anger, which earns him the respect of everyone that works for the Crown.
His personal life is something he keeps to himself, and his greatest mistake is not being able to mend the rocky relationship between himself and his son and daughter.
ANNETTE HUGHES
Annette is Princess Vesper Starsong’s personal assistant and partner in crime. If Vesper is considered to be the brains behind the resurgence and rebirth of the Starsong Foundation, then Annette is the brawn behind it. An extremely resourceful and diligent woman, Annette does everything in her power to assist Vesper in her duties, and then some more.
While she sees a role model in the Princess she adores and respects so much, the heiress sees in “Annie” a real and genuine friend, something that was mostly absent throughout her atypical life.
CILLIAN BYRNE
The Crown’s current spokesman, and the youngest person to ever hold such a prestigious position.
As a representative of the Crown, Cillian is the frontline voice and liaison between Vaifen’s monarchy and the media. Always looking for ways to stand up, Cillian’s rampant sycophancy towards the King is perhaps his greatest flaw, a dual-edged trait that the King attributes to Cillian’s relatively new tenure in the job, and something which the regent expects will subside as he further acclimates in the position.
EVAN LECARDES
A surgeon and a longtime friend of Bastiel Isthal. Handsome, charming, yet unlucky in the matters of love. Evan’s penchant for fashion makes him stand out from the crowd, and he has no shame in boasting the eccentricities and luxuries that he’s so fond of — his office is but one example of his “excellent” sense of decor.
All that luxury and fashion, however, does not hide away the humble man he is, and the oath he took as a doctor to save lives and to do no harm. The kindness and excellent attention he gives to each and every one of his patients is always reciprocated.
Evan and Bastiel’s friendship goes way back, having become friends on a fateful afternoon during the last years of their high school education, back when Evan’s love affairs had taken a turn for the worst.
One day, Evan found himself in a life or death situation after tarnishing the honor of a notorious student and ace athlete — who was out for blood — Evan’s life was saved by the unusual and lonely white haired Bastiel, who fought against the mob to save a fellow student using the Absolute Doctrine that he was still learning to wield.
Bastiel emerged victorious that afternoon despite being outnumbered, but not without suffering through its fair share of pain and injuries. Evan’s reckless amorous actions had left him with a broken nose and a pair of broken ribs — but he ended up gaining a lifelong friend in return.
THOMAS EASTON
A seasoned politician, and the head of the recently established New Vaifen Front political party. Thomas Easton is a father of three sons, and a husband to a loving wife. Easton’s radical political messages are centered about shaking down the traditional foundations of Vaifen’s way of governance and reforming them into something new — going as far as to challenge the rule of the Crown of Starsong, proposing to refund the nation into a new Vaifen Republic that goes away with the monarchy in favor of a “true democracy.”
With a nation under turmoil due to a stagnated economy and the unleashed terror of the Ashen Reckoning, Easton has begun to dramatically gain support among Vaifen’s electorate for the upcoming parliament elections — but whether or not his actions and proposals are well intended and mean good for Vaifen or is he merely another piece in the board for the powers that be is something that remains to be seen.
ANDRE CALLAHAN
Vaifen’s current Prime Minister. A “milquetoast” pragmatic man that’s outshined in eloquence by those around him. Callahan, despite holding the highest rank among Vaifen’s senate, has been obfuscated by his peers, especially by Senator Thomas Easton, who constantly denounces his “inaction and ineptitude” with regards to the rise of the Ashen Reckoning — a narrative that regardless of its veracity, has dictated the discourse and public agenda of the Prime Minister in recent times.
ALMA
A relic of the Nasivern’s war torn past. Alma is an artificial intelligence that once fought alongside the legendary warrior Isthara — the White Blaze — serving as both her ancilla in battle, and as her close confidant.
Alma’s existence is kept a secret from everyone except a select few, for the world would both fear and covet her for what she is, a true sentient Artificial Intelligence. Alma lives in seclusion with Bastiel Isthal, the heir of the White Blaze’s sword and legacy.
The old Nasivern Battle Ancillas were created long ago during the Nasivern’s Age of Wonder, and while they saw extensive use during the Age of Devastation, no records remain of their exact origins and how they were actually made.
At some point, Alma was severely damaged in battle, losing much of her capabilities in the process. Because of the damages she received, Alma’s core functionalities have been impaired. Sometimes she struggles with maintaining focus, and sometimes finds herself locked trying to resolve complex calculations.
With no way to “repair” her, Alma’s functions and potential have been severely impaired since, which would’ve deemed her flawed and useless in the eyes of the Arghest Empire, and would’ve seen her promptly decommissioned and destroyed.
Yet, it is those irreparable “flaws” that made Isthara consider her a true living entity and a friend, as it makes her act, think, and feel less like a machine and more like any other living being would.
She is Bastiel’s main nexus to a world of legends and heroes that no longer exists. As Bastiel grew up, Alma would tell the young Nasivern about the stories and exploits of his grandmother Isthara, the Daybreak group she led in times past, and the bloodied history of the fallen Nasivern race.
Alma exists as a remnant of what once was, an instrument of a war that tore apart the old Nasivern world, and the living legacy of the woman that gave the Ancilla purpose in life — not a day goes by when Alma doesn’t miss her friend.
AXEL INGRAM
A young child with an unfortunate congenital heart condition that has deprived him of a normal life. Axel has spent most of his young existence at the mercy of doctors, nurses, treatments, needles, and tests. Greatly loved by his mother, the young child hopes to one day be free from it all so he can step into the world, grow up, and pursue his dreams of becoming a hero — just like the ones from his favorite television shows.
MICHAEL TRAXLER
A renowned Colonel of Vaifen in life, and a legend in death whose legacy and influence are still palpable among the nation’s military.
Ruthless and cunning, Traxler had a shrewd keenness for strategic forecast and combat. His sharp wit and exploits were fundamental assets that he employed in preserving the peace and security of Vaifen.
Michael Traxler was a man that entirely devoted himself to his duty above all else. He founded and led Silent Echo, a highly controversial elite black ops group that carried out top secret operations for Vaifen’s military.
Traxler, along with the majority of his unit, died during the disastrous outcome of Operation Warm Daylight — not without saving the life of Erron Leitner, the youngest and newest member of Silent Echo, and the last soldier that was ever recruited into it.
JONATHAN FOSTER
A natural of Quaile and the founder and CEO of Noveaux Tech. No one could’ve predicted that the son of a simple miner would go on becoming one of the biggest and most renowned names in technology at such a young age.
Some call it luck, others call it wit and determination — regardless, to be able to build such a large tech conglomerate at such a meteoric rate and at such a young age is a monumental feat worthy of recognition.
His advanced algorithms and proprietary software solutions rapidly put him in the spotlight. Noveaux is now a leading global software powerhouse and hardware manufacturer, from computer devices, phones, to other types of devices.
Jonathan Foster dreams of pushing humanity further through technology, and he’s certainly built the right empire to do so — but there are times when empires outgrow the men that built them, and despite what he thinks, Jonathan may no longer be in control of the company he built.
DEXTRIAS
A Nasiven exile living in Ternion, and the last living Archon of her Mother’s Grace and Mercy.
As part of the alliance that once existed between the Nation of Vaifen and the Nasivern race, Dextrias was sent to Ternion as a member of the Nasivern’s diplomatic mission, and was placed in charge of the newly built edifice that acted not just as an embassy for the so-called “Heirs of Sin,” but also as a center for the cultural exchange between both races. Dextrias is a representative of the Nasivern religion and their mother deity, the goddess Sollente.
As all of the top hierarchy of the Nasivern’s religion perished during the fall of Nineveh and the Nasivern race was annihilated by the Estremoz, Dextrias is now the highest ranking member of the religion of Sollente, a religion that’s now devoid of an Exarch and High Archons — as such, there is no one left alive that can promote the Archon.
While others would’ve thrown the towel given the circumstances, the Archon continues to work and maintain the Nasivern Cultural Center in Ternion, which now hosts the last remnants of the race’s history, culture, religion, traditions, and heritage.
Fate has turned Dextrias into the last custodian of a dying religion, the keeper of the fading faith of a race on the verge of extinction — something that he vehemently claimed will continue to do so for as long as he draws breath.
CHARADE
// CRITICAL ERROR : MISSING DATA
PANTOMIME
// CRITICAL ERROR : MISSING DATA
Sword of Vaifen is a work in progress. Things are not set in stone and can be subject to change.
Every image, logo, and any other graphics that you see here are placeholders, none of them are final.
2024, by Christian Kaleb Caruzo.
