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Appendix 20-21 Character list, Status, Author's Commentary, and Arc 10 Teaser
🕑 Added 2023-06-09 23:39:58 +0000 UTCAs always, if I've missed something or someone (I probably have) please let me know.
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Character List of Hidden Knife
This list includes people mentioned in all Arcs to date.
It does not include people with only a single mention or the “people” from the Story Dungeon; they are specifically for that Story. If I missed anyone more important than that (I often do), please let me know in the comments.
Aaron - Abducted from another world; not useful to Priestess Alanaeon. Ended up at Steadfast Seventeen as an acolyte; emigrated to Tzintkra with Denise (and the rest of the Steadfast Seventeen Church staff)
Acolyte Tinar - Assigned to be Serenity’s guide on Lyka
Acolyte Deek - Tinar’s partner and observer for Rourke; probably a former member of Karit’s military. Loyal to Rourke
Acolyte Varandaeon - Escorted Earthlings from Zon to Lyka. “Interviewed” by Ekari disguised as High Priestess Karin and returned to his normal life
Agent Jones - Agent of an unknown agency, on a sniper team
Agent Miller - Agent of an unknown agency; higher ranking than the others. Might be with Internal Affairs?
Agent Price - Agent of an unknown agency, watching Serenity. Whistleblower.
Agent Smith - Agent of an unknown agency, the sniper
Agent Taylor - Agent Price’s boss (former). Forcibly retired for issuing the kill order for Serenity
Aide - Artificial intelligence “given” to Serenity by Tek to manage his cybernetics
Aki - Crystal Raz removed from the dungeon below the Sunrise Clan holdings
Alain - Member of the Mercenary’s Guild in Takinat
Alanok - Lawyer in Celestials’ Rest
Alrin - Member of the strike team assembled by Hand Tillon to liberate Stallet Academy; Draykin, strong and stealthy
Althyr - Eldest of the Conclave of Dragons, Elder Dragon of Order, Serenity’s mentor
Amily Sen Keraeth- The Viper’s Assassin
Ancient Temple Dungeon Core - Childlike dungeon core
Andarit - Daughter of Kalo Lichbane; Heir of Lowpeak
Anna - In charge of assigning new people to groups in the mercenary(?) camp Gustav led Raz to
Ansera - Healer in the time-warped Forest of Lost Regrets; saved by Serenity from the saktiin plague
Apollyon - Known as “the destroyer”. The actual source of the curse on Rissa’s family (maternal line). Has a reputation for clever schemes.
Arbiter - Unknown woman who attempted to kill Rissa in the Timestream. Twice
Ardeval - Assigned to Steadfast Seventy-three by Priestess Alanaeon to hide her takeover of the church
Arkandaeon - Tutorial Instructor and Mage; member of the Church of Aeons. The man who marked the people who were kidnapped from the Tutorial; dead
Arrimet - Xarx’s aunt; innkeeper
Arrin - Assassin belonging to the Night Sky Court; followed Serenity and Andarit into the Palace Dungeon
Azav - Originally the aide to BattleLord FlameHeart, Azav now leads the Sterath Serenity managed to pull under his banner
Baron Celestials’ Rest - Ruler of Celestials’ Rest
Baron Heavenfall - Ruler of Heavenfall
BattleLord FlameHeart - Leader of the Sterath invasion of Earth; Merged by Serenity
Baron Restali - Lord Cymryn’s superior
Baxter - Private pilot; old friend of Lex Rothmer. Has known the family for years, including Serenity/Thomas
Bethany Rothmer - Thomas’s mother
Bethyr - Imperial Agent working for Lord Cymryn
Blaze - Instructor and Healer. Grumpy with people who don’t follow his advice, completely unsympathetic with people who try to make things worse. Diehar with the power of a Phoenix bloodline and Path
Broken Mirror of the Repository of Secrets - A knowledge repository specializing in the intersection of biology and magic buried under the Great Library of Takinat. Contains a subset of the data stored in the Repository of Secrets on Earth. Known as the “Locked Archive” by the Great Library’s Librarians until Serenity opened it. Probably the “Vault” Lord Cymryn was looking for.
Brown - Member of the Boston UERT, liaison with Russ
Bylek - Member of the strike team assembled by Hand Tillon to liberate Stallet Academy; Human, sneaky
Captain Larsen - Captain of the Necropolis City Watch; escorted Serenity, Stojan Tasi, et al to the City Lord’s Residence
Ceney - Armorsmith and secret princess
Coyote - Trickster god. Appears to be helpful?
Curio - A voidling that presents as a shadowkitten; Serenity’s familiar (?)
D’ackt - Crossing Guide on Berinath
Darian Ebongrove - Linked to the A Rest From Death dungeon; member of Rising Phoenix mercenary company
Darrin Winterslo - Duke Lowpeak’s spy in Zenith
Daniel - Gabriel’s cousin. Blind since birth until Serenity and Blaze healed his eyes
Daryl - Tier Nine member of the Silver Blades in Takinat
Death - Personification of Death Himself. May be a god? Very friendly to Serenity
Denise - Jacob Latimer’s girlfriend; also a teacher
Denise - Earthling rescued at the Steadfast Seventeen church; emigrated to Tzintkra to be with Aaron
Desariin (Rin) - Tzintkra Mercenary Guild Healer
Desinka te A’nar Rakyn - Daughter of Rakyn; Formerly cursed, now a Daywalker vampire bound to the A Rest from Death dungeon.
Dezan - Package sorter at the Tzintkra Messenger’s Guild
Director Collins - Museum Director for the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Djen - Owner of Djen’s Hiring Hall; slavemaster. Enslaved the kidnapped Earthlings.
D’Nehr - More commonly known as the First Guardian; man-shaped semiliquid rock; cannot currently walk on Earth’s surface
Doyle - ally, helped people through trials. Former military; Settlement Manager of Serenity Settlement
Dr. Allen Ridge - Lead Scientist for the DARPA Portal Detector project; has a foot-in-mouth problem but smart and good at the technical side
Dr. Rachel - Scientist and Allen-wrangler for the DARPA Portal-Detector project
Dr. Sandra Mattingly - Project Manager for the DARPA Portal Detector project
Echo - Cheerful girl, “tutorial mascot”. 16 years old, hard life previously but knows how to deal with people; Settlement Manager of Serenity Settlement
Emily - one of the founders of Serenity Settlement; mother
Emira (Emi) - A guide on Berinath
Emry - Sillon’s irresponsible sister
Ekari - Head Administrator of Earth’s Tutorials, Serenity’s ally on Lyka and Aeon; descendant of the rulers of Karit; Planetary Manager of Lyka and Aeon
Ẽ̷̬l̶̙̿a̷̘͘t̴̙͂ḭ̸̌q̸̳͊ ̴͙̈́ḇ̶̈í̸̲n̸̙͆e̶̗͒r̶͊ͅt̵̼͑ ̶̺̒K̷̩͒i̵̗̚’̷̥̆Ã̶͕m̴̬͝v̵̼̅r̶̹͂ẽ̸͖n̸̢͘ ̷͇̄U̷̩͝u̸̪̅ỉ̶͓n̴̖͝ - the djinn (demon?) Rube found. Dead.
Emery (Emerald) - Enchanter; Daryl’s sister
Entherys - Trial instructor. Leader (in his mind) of the conspiracy to kill Serenity. Sent back to his home in disgrace by Order’s Voice; abducted Andait to get her to agree to marry him; Dead
Finley - Gatherer and shopkeeper who overdosed on monster cores; Serenity never got the full story after helping to remove the excess stale essence that was corrupting him
Frank Smith - Shady antiques dealer; may have other sidelines. Was the person behind Macho’s original attempted theft and the later theft of all of her magical artifacts
Gabriel - Tier Nine member of the Silver Blades in Takinat
Gaia - Earth’s World Core
Garrett - Leader of the party Raz is placed into; has a reputation for “losing” trapfinders
Greenstick - Extremely excitable Traa dungeon-master
Greyvine - Mage in the party Raz was placed in; ran from the Last Refuge of the Deathless dungeon and survived
Gustav - Recruiter for an unknown group of mercenaries(?) operating on Tzintkra
Hand Esme “Grandma” Tillon - Quest-Giver of Stallet Center before the invasion; Hand of Order’s Guild; leader of Asihanya’s Resistance
Hegemon Worm Queen - Leader of the Hegemon Worms that came to Earth; Dead
Helen Leos - First person rescued by Serenity on Lyka; went to Order’s Guild on Ranar instead of Earth
Helios - God of the Sun; former Lord of Sol and the Solar System. Dead.
Hj!vr - Greater Obsession Demon, Called Ruler of Mornmot when Serenity arrived
Hollis - Guildmaster of the Tzintkra Healer’s Guild; old friend of Rakyn. Lightning Azata bloodline
Honoria Clearsight - Tutorial instructor, witch. Goes by Helga in Tutorials where she has to use an alternate name. Can teach mental defense. Librarian at the Great Library of Asihanya.
Innat - Fixer / event planner in Celestials’ Rest
Irene - Tzintkra Mercenary Guildmaster
Irma - Caravan leader and guard
Ita ena a’Serenity - Sterath Connections mage; Serenity’s first Shameless
Iva - Fighter in the party Raz was placed in; died in the Last Refuge of the Deathless dungeon
Janice - Serenity’s assistant
Jacob - Rissa’s brother; mind-mage; was cursed until Serenity broke the curse
Jeff - Rescued from an Infirmary on Aeon by Ekari; poisoned by greendust and partially healed by Blaze. Returned to Earth
Jemma - Master Runeweaver at the Runemasters’ Guild in Takinat. Administered Serenity’s Journeyman test.
Jenna Adrienne Rothmer - Firstborn daughter of Serenity and Rissa
Jine - Sillon’s wife
Josaiah - Restaurant worker who managed to get caught by both the Hegemon Worm Queen (hypnotized only) and one of the decay-creatures. Rescued by Serenity and an emergency Tutorial entrance to get Blaze’s help; Biomage
Juka - Guild Master at the Mercenaries’ Guild on Lyka
Kalo Lichbane, Duke of Lowpeak - Andarit’s father
Karen A. - Thomas’s Boss (at least for however long the "unpaid vacation" lasts)
Karin - Former High Priestess of the Church of Aeons; Ekari’s mother. Recovering from Lykandeon’s influence
Katya Kyrika - Outside the dungeon when Serenity and Raz emerge; member of the Rising Phoenix mercenary company; member of the Kyrika clan of crafters; member of the group Serenity has assembled
Kerr (Aardya a’Kerinth) - Weapons instructor who knows Sterath. Looking to have Serenity as an ally. Possible friend
LaCroix - undead student
Lak - Member of the Tzintkra Mercenary Guild; Formerly Cursed
Lak - Sillon’s Daughter
Lancaster - Police officer who takes Thomas and Rissa’s statements about Macho. Serenity’s friend and ally
Larsen - Captain in the Necropolis Watch
Legion - Composite person created by Priestess Alanaeon and the overuse of greenstone; currently assisting Serenity while he/she figures out the future; extremely sensitive to being called by anything plural
Lex (Alexander) Rothmer - Thomas’s father, Former Secretary of Defense
Liam Brown - Obsessive ritualist (dead)
Lieutenant Smith - Leader of “Task Force Kangaroo” for the DC Police
Linda - Employee at Lorenzo’s Magic Shoppe in Takinat
Liuyedao - ally, helped people through trials. College student, martial artist; Swordmaster Path
Longsight - Traa elder and strategist. Has been known to out-clever himself
Lord Cymryn - Imperial Agent assigned to find the Vault hidden on Asihanya
Lykandeon - God of Ekari’s homeworld; ascended mortal. Dead.
Macho - Man who “originally” killed Rissa. Attempts to kill Serenity (twice?). Current status unknown (escaped custody in the Tutorial)
Made (Madeleine) Fulton - Reporter for Channel Six, first identified person with Hegemon Worms
Madelyn Alexander - State Department negotiator assigned to the Traa
Maerite - Anti-slavery organizer in Celestials’ Rest
Mandy - Child Serenity encountered in a Tutorial, then again in the Blue Line Dungeon; magical prodigy
Margrave Iron Mountain - Ruler of the Mountain’s Crest Estate on Iron Mountain
Margrethe - Cleanser for Earth’s Tutorials. Saved Moira. Attempted to kill Serenity twice. Forgiven(?)
Marti - Receptionist at the Tzintkra Mercenary Guild. Suspicious of Serenity
Mina - Friend of Mindy; met Serenity during his last Tutorial
Mindy - Friend of Mina; met Serenity during his last Tutorial
Miranda Elliott - British Prime Minister
Missy - One of the founders of Serenity Settlement; mother. Lead farmer of the Settlement
Moira - Ambitious mage, wanted to learn “all elements”. Thought Raymond was a friend until he tricked her into attacking Serenity while she was loopy from a misguided attempt to gain Death affinity. Saved by Serenity and Margrethe. Sworn follower to Serenity. Shares emotions with him when they are close enough.
Morwen - Friend of Serenity’s from college; now works for DARPA. Lightning mage
Mr. Williams - British liaison
Nadia Kyrika - Katya’s aunt
Naomi - Tier Seven member of the Silver Blades on Takinat
Narin - Member of the strike team assembled by Hand Tillon to liberate Stallet Academy; Excitable draykin
Nat (Natalie) Freeman - Cameraman for Channel Six
Nightmare Wraith - Boss of the 3rd level of the Ancient Temple Dungeon; Dungeon Guardian; can be summoned by Serenity
Nightwitch - ally, helped people through trials. Pilot. Military; coordinated a significant portion of the invasion portal effort
Obas - Member of the strike team assembled by Hand Tillon to liberate Stallet Academy; Human
Officer Jones - DC Police; Member of “Task Force Kangaroo”; Rookie
Officer Nguyen - DC Police; Member of “Task Force Kangaroo”; Stealth specialist
Officer Surrey - DC Police; Member of “Task Force Kangaroo”; Melee combat
Old Man Rinsetti - Master of Runic Synthesis in Takinat on Asihanya. Helped Serenity analyze the runescript found on the attacking biplanes
Oliver Davis - Helicopter Pilot for the Rothmers’ attempts to reach the island Lex believes holds the “Well of Souls”
Order’s Voice - Somewhere between an interface and a person. Sometimes speaks to Serenity
Pelni Sukaj - Inventor of the Curse used on the Shining Caverns
Phoebe Latimer - Rissa’s mother, Seer
President Stewart - President of the United States during the First Wave
Priest Evan - Priest of the Steadfast Seventeen church, he is the last survivor of a previous religion captured and controlled by Lykandeon’s Eternal Church; he was mutilated in the process. Serenity and Blaze healed his wings. Emigrated to Tzintkra after swearing loyalty to Serenity
Priest-Healer Tirina - Healer on Lyka, affected by Lykandeon but content enough that Blaze wasn’t certain he could heal her. Very dedicated to her profession
Priestess Alanaeon - Priest-Thumaturge, Commander-Priest, or Priest-Inquirer Alanaeon commanded the facility “investigating” Lyka’s world core that produced greenstone, Legion, and greenstone-based “overcharged beam weapons”; Dead
Prince Ora - Prince of Zenith; one of the few survivors of the royal family
Professor Eric Rasmissen - Archaeology professor at New York University, contact of Russ’s
Professor Richard “Dick” Indiana Jones - Archaeology professor at New York University
Psyche - Deity who told Serenity that Apollo was dead, so the person responsible for Rissa’s family curse is probably Helios; lives in Canada these days
Quincy - Member of the Boston UERT, liaison with Russ
Rakyn - Father of Desinka, Friend of Guildmaster Hollis, Former vampire hunter
Raymond - Lancaster’s partner before the Tutorial. Attacks Serenity twice. Dead
Raul - Owner/manager of an underground fighting arena on Aeon
Razinkh ‘e Sunrise (Raz) - A Draykin from Asihanya, near Stallet Center. Raz’s Clan was destroyed and he fled to Tzintkra
Red - Cousin of Phoebe Latimer; Spellwitch. Possibly cursed.
Ren’shel - Member of the strike team assembled by Hand Tillon to liberate Stallet Academy; Human Light Mage
Rhea - Goddess; motherly and associated with Earth. Bakes excellent cookies.
Rissa (Clarissa Latimer) - Thomas’s girlfriend; Auspex/Time Dragon hybrid; mother of Jenna
Robert - Discharged Lowpeak retainer; beastmaster variant. Killed by Serenity.
Rockfist - Fighter at an underground fighting arena on Aeon
Rourke - Former Captain in Karit’s military; former Priest of the Eternal Church, was in charge of the “Pillars of the Faith” (the Eternal Church’s Inspectorate) while working to bring it down. Supporter of World Manager Ekari
Roy - Helped Serenity & Raz travel the Metro; appears to work in a job tracking Tutorials and people that come out of them? Possibly military?
Rupert “Rube” Merryweather - Sensitive Path; a student at New York University who found a cracked vase holding a djinn. Partially healed.
Russ (Russell) Latimer - Rissa’s father, Guardian, Auspex and psychic
Serenity - Main character; former name is Thomas Rothmer; known as Vengeance and The Final Reaper in the previous timeline
Sillon - Trial instructor. Friend of Serenity; bodyguard of Planetary Manager Ekari
Stojan Aith - Dhampir City Lord of the Necropolis (temporary); Breaker of Tzintkra’s World Core (dead)
Stojan Kenna - Dhampir, Son of Stojan Aith, Nephew of Stojan Tasi. Mastermind behind the plan to curse the Shining Caverns
Stojan Tasi - Dhampir City Lord of the Shining Caverns; DeathLord; City Manager of the Necropolis. Brother of Stojan Aith, Uncle of Stojan Kenna
Sub-Priest Vinal - Assistance to the priest of Steadfast Seventy-three
Sunrise - Founder of the Sunrise Clan; Raz’s ancestress
Syri - Dhampir healer at the Tzintkra Mercenary Guild. Outwardly subservient to Serenity
Tek - Earth’s God of Technology
Thad - Tried to challenge Serenity for “his women”, Mindy and Mina
The Deathless - Ancient mage that wanted to live forever
The Librarian - An old-seeming man who manages a magical library under the library of the University of London
The Final Reaper - Thomas’s final name the first time around
The Viper - Leader of the group attacking Takinat; left a ritual to create Hollow Ones behind as a trap while he ran (which didn’t quite work out for him)
Thomas Rothmer - Serenity’s name before everything started
Tibral Unalgos - Pelni Sukaj’s sponsor
Timmat - Revenant in the Dead Swamp
Tirmanak Oathbinder - Guildmaster of Order’s Guild on Ranar
Tranquil Conviction - Sterath god (or perhaps boogeyman?). Also known as the Peace of the Grave before Serenity took the name.
Tyche - Lady Luck; has a mean sense of humor
Tzintkra - The World Core of the planet known as Tzintkra; damaged by Stojan Aith
Vengeance - Thomas after Rissa’s death the first time around
Verit - Elder of the Iron Mountain Sect; Entherys’s aunt
Vladimir Angeloff - Russian interrogator from a Tutorial. Defected with family; last seen in London
Vurin - Member of the strike team assembled by Hand Tillon to liberate Stallet Academy; Draykin
Widetail - Lord of the Traa who decided to invade Earth
Yngoliat Hale - Ynsarac Hale’s father; current head of the Rising Phoenix mercenary company
Ynsarac Hale - Outside the dungeon when Serenity and Raz emerge; member (heir to) of the Rising Phoenix mercenary company
Xarxinal (Xarx) - Ceney’s bodyguard and friend
Zan - Outside the dungeon when Serenity and Raz emerge; former member of the Rising Phoenix mercenary company; ripped them off for a lot of Etherium; Zekia’s brother
Zanzital “Zany” Aniza Zitanar - Guildmaster of the Silver Blades on Takinat, Knife of Order’s Guild, agent of the Empire (or at least of Lord Cymryn) on Asihanya
Zekia - Zan’s sister (Dead)
Current To-Do List
Building the dungeon into a home - Raz, Aki; input only
Decay creatures - Russ is handling, but needs my help?
Finding the Lost Quest from Althyr - how to save the dragons’ children?
Spend time with Rissa
Flying practice
New Affinity practice - Magitech, SpaceTime, Liminal, Nihility
Essence magic & runes!
Practice shapeshifting. Especially investigate emotional/assumption shifts associated with Forms. Will require Aide’s assistance.
Zon is shrinking. Have a quest for that; I know I talked to Andarit and Ceney a lot about it, but is there more I should do?
Where are my parents?
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Planets near Earth mentioned so far:
Aeon - moon of Lyka
Asihanya - Raz’s origin
Berinath - dryads’ moon
Grayson - not friendly to foreigners
Lyka - Ekari’s home planet
Ranar - home of Order’s Guild’s headquarters for the local cluster
T’cherna - Desinka delved with some people from there
Tzintkra - Planet of Death, Necropolis
Zon - Andarit’s origin
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General
Magic
Resistances
Heritages
Chimeric
Pure (Innate)
Essence Dragon (Primary)
Asura
Child of Time, Unbound
Dhampir, Essence/Mana
Draugr, Sage
Elemental, Essence
Elemental, Mana
Godling
Human, Earth
Lich, Paramount (Primary)
Vampire, Daywalker
Potential, Sovereign
Wraith, Nightmare
Other Known Heritages
Azata, Lightning
Curse Witch
Healing Light
Hexen
Heavens’ Fire
Jiang-Shi
Knight of Blood
Malevolent Spark
Mote of Decay
Mote of Stasis
Mummy
Remnant Wisp of Life
Revenant, Star
Sea Lion, Earth
Abilities
Monster Biology
Eyeless Sight
Colorless vision that does not require light; no visual effect
Vital Sight
Shows the primary animating Affinity, usually Life, for creatures. Makes the eyes glow with blue-white fire
Blossoms’ Sleep
Can induce sleep on self with a defined wakeup time
Runic Shielding Tattoos
Resists one attack of any sort. Does not require preactivation if the attack will kill or disable. Fully drains current MP to establish, drains SP to maintain, ends when hit. MP drained determines strength of blow that can be resisted, will fail if strength is exceeded but may reduce the power of the attack even if it fails. Effect is better with automatic activation
Crystal Seed Remote Link
Allows Serenity to access the World Core features as though he were at a Node, even when he isn’t on a ley line. Functionality may be limited inside dungeons.
Dhampir’s Default
When a Dhampir is casually examined, he or she appears to be a normal member of the living population.
Down to the River
When you physically envelop a being with a soul, you may choose to send their soul to the River of Souls. The soulless body will remain if applicable. Success rate depends on Ambit. When you do this, you will gain some of their knowledge but not personality. Decreased chance of success in any form other than Sovereign of Potential.
Link Core
While touching an Essence Core, you can attempt to create a Sovereign Link. Enhanced by Ambit.
Multiform
You may assume the shape of any Form you know. All Forms reflect yourself and all Forms are reflected in some manner in your Chimera Form. Detailed control of Forms increases with familiarity. Any Forms above the minimum require a continual maintenance cost of both Mana and Essence. Minimum number of Forms: 2. Maximum number of Forms: 4. Forms may be repeated.
Forms passively return to their normal condition.
Current known forms: Chimera, Wyrmling Essence Dragon, Sovereign of Potential (Kernel), Human(?), Crystal Hilt, Armor, Sterath(?), Greater Demon of Righteous Retribution
Rift of Potential
You can manifest a small rift between your location and the Origin Point.
Path Abilities
Loot Core
Teleports a monster core from touched monster body to the user. Usable on any dead monster with a core. Costs mana
Resilience of the Dead
Slightly increased resistance to certain status alterations
Eat Death
Absorb Death energy found within the Death Eater’s aura. Absorption based on Affinity. Intensity of absorption can be varied but the ability cannot be completely disabled. Absorbed Death energy may be used as if it were Death mana. Dissipates with time.
Ability damaged
Basic Analyze
Analyze a being for basic information. The being may be animal, Pathed, or monster. Other beings may be analyzed if they have any appropriate features. Items may not be analyzed
Intermediate Unarmed Combat (Claw Variant)
Losing your weapons is not a disaster when you have weapons attached to your hands. Your expertise with claws is nearly nonexistent, but your general training with unarmed combat is transferable
Adept Aspect Form
Instead of infusing an Affinity into your weapon, infuse your Aspect into yourself. Limited time, consumes both stamina and mana, induces unconsciousness when the Form lapses
Basic Sense Raw Magic
Detect background, non-attuned energy. This sense is always active
Linked Sight
You may share your vision and vision-based abilities with your Seer or anyone whom you share a similar Link with. They may also share their vision and vision-based abilities with you. Consumes Stamina per vision or vision-based ability shared in either direction. Vision ability costs are paid by the user instead of the originator of the ability, if applicable
Moment of Prescience
Know a moment ahead of time when something will kill or disable you or someone you wish to protect. Activation is automatic. Cannot be activated more than once a minute. Consumes stamina in inverse proportion to the threat
Time’s Eye
Your eyes see the motions of Time as it stretches and changes. The hidden is easier to see and the false easier to see through. Consumes Stamina
Unbound
Time does not quite have the same hold on you as it does on others, and Fate does not rule you. You can slip between the lines of the future and past or even blur them if you have the desire and the strength. That which will be has no power over you, and you can break the strands of Destiny for others if you dare. This ability is always active and has always applied to you
Basic Identify
Identify an object to gain basic information on it, such as its name, basic properties, materials, and/or minor enchantments
Scale Hardening
Use Essence or Mana to reinforce your scales, making them harder to damage and more protective. Costs Stamina to maintain
Wait for an Opening
Study an opponent’s actions in combat to gain an intuitive understanding of the right time to strike
Second Wind
Convert some of a more filled resource pool (Mana, Stamina, or Essence) into an empty one. Consumes some of the converted resource
Stand Tall
Whether you are the last wall between your loved ones and your enemies or you simply love to fight, your ability to take a beating is exceptional. Blood loss, bruises, injuries, and even broken bones will not stop you. You can fight at the full effectiveness your body is capable of despite your injuries
Essence Sight
You can already sense Essence with your Aura. Sight adds precision and distance to your detection capability. This may be enabled or disabled at will. A visual effect may be present
Physical Storage
You can store spells inside your own body to be evoked later. Stored spells may be evoked only by you and may be triggered at any time. All variable effects must be determined prior to casting. Stored spells will degrade with time and use of mana or essence in the area the spell is stored.
Spell Conversion
You can convert the power of any spell you can Evoke into a ranged mana or essence strike. The power of the strike depends on the stored spell power.
Store Spell
You may temporarily store spells in items to be evoked later. The item must be strong enough to hold the spell, and synergy with the spell will slow spell degradation. Stored spells will degrade with time and nearby mana or essence use. Storage of spells can damage items used.
Designate Evocation Conditions
You may designate conditions on when a stored spell can be evoked. You can bypass any conditions you set, but you cannot bypass conditions set by other Evokers. This allows you to set conditions that will allow non-Evokers to Evoke stored spells, but spells Evoked by the untrained will be significantly degraded during the evocation.
Entwined Magic
You can mix Mana and Essence magic freely, to achieve effects not possible with Mana or Essence alone. Passive.
Gaze of the Origin
When you choose, you can infuse your gaze with the power of your connection to the Origin. Effects vary. Power depends on Ambit.
Aura of Magic
When you choose, you can reveal your Mana and Essence pools with your aura. Passively increases the maximum size and regeneration of your Mana and Essence. Increases the regeneration of others’ mana and essence at a slight cost to your regeneration rate. Easily sensed. Power depends on size and regeneration rate of mana and essence pools.
Mold Magic
You can alter magic that has been given a steady form. Passive.
Potential of the Rift
Your Rift to the Origin will allow you to move items or creatures to the Origin and retrieve them later. Items or creatures stored in the Origin will be exposed to it. You may travel to the Origin using the Rift.
Rift Control
You may control the Potential that leaks from your Rift to the Origin as long as it is within your aura, including increasing or decreasing the amount that leaks.
Call on the Origin
The Origin is just that: the beginning of all things. Bring something temporarily into the real world, limited only by your imagination and power. Variable Cost.
Revivify
Potential can become warped in many ways. Restore something to its original Potential. Quality of repair affected by the level of understanding of what the repair requires, the amount of damage being repaired, the time since the damage occurred, and the Time Affinity, Concept, and Aspect of the user.
Realize Potential
Use Potential drawn through the Rift to temporarily gain something from your Heritage. Variable Cost.
Death Magebolt
Throw a mass of Death-attuned magic at your enemy.
Magesight
Advanced Sight Skill that combines Mana Sight, Basic Sense Raw Mana, Essence Sight, and Vital Sight into a single improved Skill. Passively view all forms of magic. Observe how they affect each other and can transform from one to another. When used actively, additional details can be observed such as Affinities and faint traces of spell residue.
Fireball
Place a ball of Plasma where you want it within your sight range. Maximum expansion size varies with mana used.
Cone of Lightning
Emit Energy starting from your hands in a cone shape. Spread in height and width may be controlled by hand position; maximum length depends on mana used and height and width selected.
Spot Nullification
Use Nihility to destroy what you can see. Roughly shapeable. Potentially explosive.
Death Field
As Death’s Incarnate, you radiate Death through your aura. You may choose creatures to include or exclude at any time. Toggleable, Easily Detectable.
Synaesthesia
You have gained many new senses that do not quite fit the ones you are accustomed to. You must choose: do you represent them as another form of a familiar sense or do you learn to meet them on their own terms?
Subconscious Synchronization
You have been growing closer and closer to Aide. Allow Aide to take over for your autonomic functions, consuming a fraction of its processing power to free the space for additional cyberware and expansions for Aide.
Skill Integration
Senses require attention; so do many Skills. Attention is a limited resource for most, but you have the ability to use the next best thing: processing power. Figure out how to integrate your Skills with either your own additional processing or hand them over to Aide.
Quickrune
As an Evoker, you can store a spell to be cast later. As a creature of Magitech and (former) Runemaster, you can now build a rune of your own flesh to be triggered when needed.
Abominable Absorption
One of your basic abilities is the absorption of technology, changing it to fit within your body. As a magitech abomination, you may absorb magic or technologic items, altering your body to fit its new needs.
Gather Faith
Energy, even magic, has to come from somewhere. Those who follow you can send you some of theirs. This faith naturally adds to your available power, allowing you to advance more easily, but it may be directed into specific tasks or simply accumulated with practice.
Value and amount received depends on level of faith, willingness to sacrifice, power of the believer, and distance from origin. Other factors may apply depending on the specific beliefs and actions taken to show faith.
This ability is a prerequisite for the Deity Path and is simply recorded here.
Detect Believer
Gods and those who believe in them are linked. While this link is the most active during prayer, it can be felt at other times.
Deity (Unique/New) -
Level 25 - Appoint Intercessors - Priest, Shaman, or Shameless, almost all deities have mortals who act as the interface between the God and the Believer.
Level 50 - Wrath of Dungeons - Those who follow the Dungeons’ Way are supported in their efforts against those who would act against it by their Faith in the Dungeon Deity.
Applies to both direct action and attempted persuasion of nonbelievers.
Level 75 - Cursebreaker - Faith energy may be used to assist when breaking a curse.
Level 100 - Miracle - Broad, powerful, and rare.
There is no one Miracle. All miracles must align with the deity whose Faith they use.
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Planetary-level World Core Authorizations
Portal Management
Dungeon Taxation
Quest Visibility
World Citizenship
World Coalition
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Serenity’s Titles
Previous Supreme Existence
You were the Supreme Existence in a previous incarnation, and can remember some of what came before. Your status also grants you the Ghost in the System title. This title is hidden from all but you.
First of A Kind
You are the first True Chimera and the first Essence Dragon. Your Paths shall shape the future of those who follow in your footsteps.
Named
Your Name is known and respected or feared. No other can bear this Name.
Ghost in the System
You bypass certain restrictions. This title is hidden unless you share it with another.
Aspect Pathfinder
As the first person to discover a new Aspect, Concept, and Affinity, you set the path for those who follow you on the road of Essence Magic. Creating new methods and applying methods from other magical schools is easier.
Incarnate
More than an Aspect, you are an Incarnate. Your Concept sets what the meaning of the Affinity you Incarnate does and does not mean. Your Incarnate will always be a part of you, and you will always be a part of it.
As an Incarnate, you are not capable of combining or otherwise altering this Affinity.
There cannot be more than one Incarnate for an Affinity at a time, as no two people will ever have identical Conceptions of an Affinity.
Lord
You are recognized as the ruler of a Settlement. This comes with certain rights as long as you are within the Settlement or interacting with people who are identified as belonging to the Settlement. This Title will be removed if you are no longer the Lord of a Settlement.
DeathLord
You have a high enough combined Death Affinity, Concept, and Aspect to qualify to rule a Necropolis.
Tyche’s Mark
You have been marked by Lady Luck. Interesting things will happen around you. They may be good or bad.
This Curse removes your Luck and Luck % attributes and suppresses all Luck attributes that would affect you (directly or indirectly). Instead, Luck is in flux around you and unlikely events are more likely to occur when you are nearby.
Worlds’ Friend
Multiple worlds have declared you an ally. Others who are strongly tied to those worlds may sense a kinship with you. This may affect the reaction of other worlds or their servants.
Reaper of Souls
Death is not the end, at least not for many. You guide those who have died and lost their way on to their next destination.
Your capacity to guide the dead is more likely to be noticed by those in need of guidance and others with related abilities.
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Serenity’s Gear List
Storage Bag (pocket of backpack) (Has bought extras)
Cloak of Minor Disguise
Void Elemental Armor
Boots of Far Step (nonfunctional except as boots)
Serenity’s Throwing Ax
Mercenary Guild tag
Dreamstone in a box (the one Rakyn was supposed to deliver to the Conclave of Stars)
Small golem statuette (“Lessi”) - activation phrase unknown
Knives of Duplication
Backup Armor (does not have space for wings)
Attuned Keys: Teleportation Beacon at Serenity Settlement, Earth
Tent of Comfort
Order’s Guild Uniforms (2 each for Human and Chimera forms)
Order’s Guild Insignia
Order’s Guild Emergency Beads
Solid Form Manablade Sheath
Quickdraw Ax Harness
Minor Belt of Illusions (clothing alteration illusion)
Footwraps of Air Glide
Wands (damage, Quickness, Slow, damage transfer, Severing)
Wand harness, storage
Staves (Fire Cone, Fire Magebolt)
Assorted everyday/camping items
Single-use charms (Battlefield teleportation, short-range communication (individual and group), specialized protective wards)
Charm Pouch, Quick Retrieval enchantment
Favor of Tranquil Conviction
I, Tranquil Conviction, assert that the Peace of the Grave, Serenity, has earned his Name.
Favor of Death
Commonly sought after but rarely granted, Death Himself believes he owes you a favor. This Favor will not be honored if called on by another.
Favor of Luck x3
You have amused the source of Luck. As long as you continue to be interesting, you will earn her Favor.
Favor of Coyote
A trickster with a fondness for Humanity, wherever it is found, Coyote has granted you a Favor that will allow you to speak with him.
Favor of Ptah
Thought, Word, Existence: Creation is Ptah’s passion, and you have crafted yourself as others craft the world around them. Ptah grants no gifts that you cannot make yourself, but those who can see shall know that he favors you.
Favor of the Earth-Mother
A home is more than a place.
Favor of Tek x7
You don’t write, you don’t call... Seriously, Serenity, I put my number in your phone for a reason. Use it.
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Open Quests:
Restore the Lost
Path Quest Stage 5: Runemaster
A Past Built in Layers
The Fall of Zon
[Mentor Quest: Restore the Lost]
[Goal: Find out a way for dragons to have lower-Tier eggs and hatchlings to allow their minds and bodies to grow together and prevent them from becoming Lost]
[Optional Goal: Find a way to restore those who have been Lost from their spirit form, physical form, or both]
[Optional Goal: Learn about other species with this issue. Generalize the solution]
[Reward: Unknown]
[Failure Consequences: None]
[Message begins: I don’t really expect you to be able to do anything about the Lost any time soon, but you have the best chance I’ve seen in millenia. If you can’t, maybe a descendant of yours will be able to. Message ends.]
[Path Quest Stage 5: Runemaster]
[You have the knowledge but not the power of a runemaster. Regain your title]
[Optional Goal: Gain an equivalent title with Guild leadership authority]
[Optional Goal: Gain an equivalent title in the Enchanters’ Guild]
A Past Built in Layers
Group Quest - Order’s Guild
No Time Limit
Variable Reward
Requirement: Wardsmith, Enchanter, or Runemaster
Many worlds hold artifacts older than the Voice itself. They may be buildings or they may be items. Find one and decipher it, then offer the knowledge to the Voice.
The Fall of Zon
Group Quest - Order’s Guild
No Time Limit
Failure Condition: Quest will fail if no strong center to rebuild from remains
Requirement: None
Zon has been shrinking for the entire lifetime of the Voice. While it was slow at first, often unseen, it has continued and accelerated in recent centuries. Only one major civilization remains, centered on the ancient city of Zenith. Several outlying areas are also strong, such as the Duchy of Lowpeak, The Mountain’s Crest, Heavenfall, and Celestials’ Rest.
Guildmaster Tirmanak Oathbinder believes that Zenith will fall within the century, taking most of the civilization of Zon with it.
Find and counter the cause of this decay, reversing it and making Zon grow once more.
Success Condition: An expanding native population and settlement area, leading to an increase in Zon’s Tier. Direct assistance from the Voice will invalidate this quest.
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Author’s Commentary on Hidden Knife
Before I say anything else, I should mention that I came up with a better title for this arc than Space Invaders (which I never liked): this arc is now Hidden Knife. The obvious reference is to Zanzital, but he’s not the only reason the name fits. I like it a lot better; I hope you do too.
Now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk about the arc. It was a strange one, because I knew who the major players were and what they were looking for … but not exactly how I wanted it to play out. I knew about the Great Library and that it hid a secret that tied into the rest of the story (the Broken Vault is obvious and that entire sequence fills in some of the background I’ve known and not been able to express about the world).
I mentioned that Phorus the Terrorbird would come back up during the last Author’s Commentary … and he already has. Can you tell me where? I don’t think I particularly hid it, but I didn’t actually call it out either.
I’ve been setting up the assault on Stallet Academy since I first introduced Raz …. But it took longer to get here than I expected and it didn’t quite play out the way I thought it would. Basically, when I did the original setup I thought Serenity would be excited … but by the time we got here, he wanted to help Raz but otherwise just wanted to go home.
I’ve also been setting up the Hollow Ones for a long time; the first mention of Life-based undead was … was it back in the first arc? I think it may have been. They didn’t have to be the Viper’s fallback plan - I’d originally intended that to be the summons that Serenity & co wiped off the map by destroying the cores before it really activated - but I changed my mind when I realized this was the perfect place to show off something I’d talked about but never shown. The fact that it also showed just how much the Viper cared about “his” people was a plus; he had the cognomen Viper for a reason.
On a more detailed note, this definitely felt like first draft material to me; realistically, that’s all it is but it felt like it showed in this arc (and not just in the level of typos). There are some revisions I want to do to smooth things out a little and make the ending a little more expected - basically, introduce Cymryn earlier as someone other than “Lord C” in the Viper’s papers. I’m sure I’ll find other things when I go back over it … eventually.
I enjoyed the planning for the Layered Dungeon more than I think it ended up being worth plot-wise, but … it was fun to plan out, so it served its purpose. Its true purpose was to introduce the Silver Blades and lead Serenity to Zanzital, after all, and it did that. Because I can, here’s my initial set of notes on the dungeon layout itself:
1 - Swamp (quicksand, sticky mud)
2 - Desert
3 - Tidal Wave Extravaganza (beach)
4 - Blizzard
5 - Volcano (w/lava), Floating Embers
6 - Lightning Storm, Shocking Field
7 - Blinded By the Light
8 - Windy Pitfall
9 - Death Zone
The next arc is tentatively titled Deep Blue Sea. There are several reasons for the title; one will become obvious after we’re back on Earth and some events happen. Another is a reference to the saying “caught between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea” - meaning a dilemma, generally one where you’re choosing between two bad choices. In this case, the choices are not necessarily bad, but Serenity IS going to have to choose which major plot thread to follow first. At least, if things go the way I think they will.
Anyway, we’re back on Earth. You saw the snippets of Russ and Lex I added to this arc; those are the two threads I’m referring to. Russ has finally finished up with the Solomon vases, while Lex has found (but not yet been able to reach) the structure he thinks is the Well of Souls. Each of them is about to find out that things aren’t quite as simple as they thought.
Now, on a larger note, let’s talk about the future of the series. I am currently expecting two more arcs in Serenity’s story - Deep Blue Sea and the one after it. I wouldn’t be too shocked if it stretches to three; I doubt I can fit it all in Deep Blue Sea. There’s just too much left.
I’ve started the rough story setup (not plotting yet) for the series I’ll be writing after Serenity is over. So … even when this story ends, there will be another. At the moment, it’s looking to be somewhat less overpowered and more crunchy (though, uh, I seem to have a tendency to drift away from crunch…). I’m hoping to keep a more constant main cast, but I’ve clearly discovered in the course of Serenity that I’m bad at that. It’s something to strive for. I don’t plan to do anything more than rough edges until Serenity is much closer to done, but I wanted to let you know where I stand.
It’s set in the same multiverse and the current plan is to have the main character be Serenity’s daughter (probably not Jenna, a later daughter). We’ll see how much of that survives to the final story.
I do plan to do a full edit (less than a rewrite … most places) on Serenity while I write the next story. This will mean a slower release pace for the sequel but also a rerelease of Serenity.
Not that those plans will happen soon. We still have (probably!) two more arcs to go!
See you in the Deep Blue Sea!
~Lillene
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Arc 10 Teaser
Pulled from a hopeless (if powerful) future back to the moment of Earth’s integration to try to improve the outcome, Serenity has met unexpected threats and unexpected allies - even friends. Everything is different this time.
It’s been over a year and a half since the first Tutorial.
The Tutorials are over now; in that time, it’s been one success after another. All of the invasion portals have been closed, removing that threat and allowing Earth time to figure out how it’s going to grow without too much interaction with the outside universe. Serenity has even managed to return most of the abducted Earthlings to their home countries.
Portals have opened to a few select marketplaces elsewhere, but travel is still rare and potentially dangerous. The potential is enough that many are heading out, trying to establish trade or even simply to see what’s out there.
The return of magic to Earth is waking old, long-lost secrets. One is already loose, growing its power as it hides from those who might stop it. The forces that once suppressed these dangers have grown brittle, for they have their own secrets that may prevent them from completing their ancient task.
One such ancient secret is Apollyon, whose curse has restricted the peacekeepers for centuries. One truth is revealed, but many more remain to be found. Despite this, Serenity’s attention lies elsewhere.
His parents are missing, having disappeared on their sixth attempt to reach an ancient artifact on a newly-appeared island. With what Serenity has heard of the Well of Souls, he fears for their safety and sanity.
