Stories of Starfall

Shatterstone Arc Characters - Part One (Portcallan, 1313)

Main

Viyony Eseray

Co-runs a family business in the Eister Ranges in North Eastern. Visting her great aunt Diyela Eseray in Portcallan for a few months before she makes a marriage of convenience to Imoren Fioris to save the family business. She has a powerful affinity, the ability to dream true dreams of the future, which she finds a curse rather than a gift. It's the dreams that push her to make the marriage.

Affinity: has prophetic dreams & other abilities she finds out during the course of this arc.

b. 1290 Eseray, North Eastern to Isiyan Eseray and Reohr. She has 3 younger siblings.

Introduced in: The Soldier's Betrayal (G, 2294 words. Viyony Eseray, Marran Delver, Eollan Barra, Ranir Maraseny, Imai Lullers.)


Leion Valerno

Enquiry agent with an interest in protecting people with affinity from unscrupulous types who want to take advantage of their powers. He also works on & off for Tana Veldiner in High Council Intelligence as well as one day a week as a clerical worker in the High Council buildings, to make ends meet. He has a lot of relatives, contacts and friends about the city, and tries to help Viyony during her stay.

b. 1286 to (Imor) Iyana Valerno, a High Justice and Arnan Sola (a High Guard). His father died when he was very young, and his mother remarried to Tam Jadinor, formerly head of the Guardians of the Peace. He has an older full sister, Arna Valerno, an older stepsister Seahra Jadinor & a younger half-sister, Kettah Jadinor. Arna is married with children, so he also has a whole string of niblings.

Low level Laonnic affinity that he has not yet pursued.

Introduced in: Take To The Streets (PG, 6040 words. Viyony Eseray, Seahra Jadinor, Leion Valerno, Eollan Barra, Mierlise Modelen, Laida Modelen, Nia Delant, Ranir Maraseny, Tana Veldiner, Iyana Valerno.)

Main Introduction & 1337 Arc

Aimon Merner is sent to Starfall Manor by the High Council in Portcallan. He's only meant to be checking the accounts, but finds himself embroiled in far more than he ever expected or wanted.

Marran Delver, Governor of North Eastern District is also travelling to the Manor, but his reasons are a mystery to everyone but himself.

And at Starfall, Leaira Modelen, the Manor's librarian, can't understand why Governor Delver behaves as if he knows her, or what this sequence of events is going to lead to for all of them...

Star Storm (G, 501 words. Aimon Merner on his way to Starfall.)
Open and Above Board (G, 1245 words. Aimon Merner, Cam Tolling, Tannis Kellen, Arin Teykal)
Signs and Wonders (G, 1083 words. Aimon Merner, Leaira Modelen, Arin Teykal.)
Dreaming in Ice (G, 397 words, the Ice Prince.)
First Frost (PG, 1760 words. Leaira Modelen, Aimon Merner, Rion Wolmer, Tannis Kellen.)
Boundary Break (G, 2011 words. Lyel Nanoller, Kaia Aemullens, Cam Tolling, Tannis Kellen, Arin Teykal, Aliyna Dimue, Garner Rulwarch, Osmer Nivyrn.)
Morning Walk (G, 1236 words. Aimon Merner, Imiya Sarno).

Guessing Game (G, 1099 words. Rodern Ylie, Fena Modelen, Tana Veldiner.)
Make A Wish (G, 498 words. Zila Fayne.)
Sweets From Strangers (PG, 1496 words. Zila Fayne, Tana Veldiner.)
Pawn in Play Teen, 3926 words. Zila Fayne, Marran Delver.)
Breakfast in Portcallan (G, 1970 words. Zila Fayne, Marran Delver.)
Wayside Moment (G, 653 words. Zila Fayne, Marran Delver.)
Wrong Key (G, 1691 words. Zila Fayne/Laonna Torwell.)
Personal Delivery (G, 1402 words. Zila Fayne/Laonna Torwell.)

Unwelcome (G, 780 words. Tannis Kellen, Marran Delver, Pen Stolley)
Say My Name (G, 1515 words. Leaira Modelen, Marran Delver, Tannis Kellen, Secretary Stolley, Osmer Nivyrn, Aimon Merner.)
Reject (G, 1355 words. Aliyna Dimue, Osmer Nivyrn, Tannis Kellen).
A Study in Grey (G, 1708 words. Leaira Modelen, Marran Delver, Aimon Merner.)
Overdue (G, 1251 words. Aimon Merner, Evornan Hoall, Diessa Tarvinian, Leaira Modelen, Aliyna Dimue).
Best Foot Forward (G, 1709 words. Leaira Modelen, Marran Delver, Aimon Merner, Aliyna Dimue.)
Partners in Crime (G, 1539 words. Leaira Modelen, Marran Delver.)
In the Depths (PG, 3381 words. Marran Delver, Zila Fayne.)
Paper Trail (PG, 1551 words. Leaira Modelen, Aimon Merner.)
Point of No Return (Teen, 3247 words. Leaira Modelen, Marran Delver.)
now the whole house is rocking (PG, 4399 words. Zila Fayne, Aimon Merner, Aliyna Dimue, Pio Caffsley, Tannis Kellen, Kaia Aemullens, Osmer Nivyrn.)
Fine Feathers (PG, 2929 words. Zila Fayne, Pen Stolley, Sy Halsay. 1337, 1316, 1321, 1325.)

Background pieces/additional:
Into the Light (G, 824 words. Leaira Modelen. 1322)
something that's all mine (G, 504 words. Leaira Modelen, 1335.)
stories we tell ourselves (PG, 4x 100 words. Aimon Merner, Leaira Modelen, Pio Cafflsey, Kaia Aemullens, Osmer Nivyrn).

---

Winter in the Wastelands




Leaira finds herself back in 1317, trapped in a fort in the Wastelands, facing the worst winter of her life with only a man who doesn't know or trust her yet for help. And the longer she stays, the less she can remember of her real life in the future - if she can survive long enough to return.

Point of No Return (Teen, 3247 words. Leaira Modelen, Marran Delver.)
Winter in the Waste (PG, 1902 words. Leaira Modelen, Marran Delver, Ennan Hilten, Jaian Fyler.)
Snowed In (PG, 1625 words. Leaira Modelen, Marran Delver, Jaian Fyler, Tol Anness.)
Establishing Credentials (PG, 2352 words. Leaira Modelen, Tamman, Marran Delver, Bryoll Kilvern.)
Round in Cicles (Teen, 5587 words. Leaira Modelen, Ennan Hilten, Tol Anness, Tamman Fortens, Allian Otlevo, Duza Eisterwill.)

and this is my only country (PG, 100 words. Marran Delver.)
Illusions in Ice (PG, 200 words. The Ice Prince.)

Name:
Story: Starfall
Colors: Azul #22 (Sympathy for a lion); Vert #10 (And all we can do now is hope)
Supplies and Styles:
Word Count: 957
Rating:
Warnings:
Notes: North Fort, 1317; Leaira Modelen, Marran Delver, Ennan Hilten.
Summary:

---

It was late afternoon before Hilten finally escorted Leaira down to see Captain Delver. The rest of the fort was not any more scenic than the section of it she'd been limited to until now. The shutters remained tightly shut, the corridors lit only by wan lamps, and several of the soldiers and staff that she and Hilten passed on the way, shot Leaira ugly looks.

When Hilten ushered her into the office, the Captain wasn't there.

"He won't be very long," Hilten said as soon as she turned, before she could open her mouth to complain. "You can sit down while you wait."

Leaira cast a withering look at him. "Oh, thank you," she said, but her sarcasm bounced right off him. He only grinned back in his usual good-natured fashion, and she felt more ashamed than she liked to admit. She pulled out the nearest chair and sat down.

It wasn't the same office where she'd been questioned by Lieutenant Kilvern. This one wasn't precisely plush, but it was as near as North Fort could get to it. The furniture was all of matching dark wood, a little battered in places, but well-polished. The chair she'd chosen had velvet padding on the back and seat. There were two cabinets behind the large desk, with shelves full of books behind glass, with more matching cupboards, sideboards and shelves around the room. The curtains over the window matched the red velvet on the chairs. It had to be the commanding officer's study, not the Captain's.

The door opened with a click.

"Hilten," said the Captain, entering. "Leave us. I'll call you when you're wanted."

Leaira stood hastily, although once she had, she wasn't sure why. She folded her arms. "Don't you need someone to stand guard in case I attack you? Seeing as I'm such a threat."

"There is already a guard outside," said Captain Delver mildly. "Hilten has other duties. Please. Sit down."

Leaira wished even more than she hadn't stood. She lowered herself back into the chair slowly.

"You disobeyed my instructions," he said, positioning himself on the other side of the wide desk. He remained standing.

Leaira held his gaze. "You promised you'd speak to the Colonel about me, and then you forgot! How long would it have taken you to remember I existed if I hadn't forced the issue?"

"You were left where you were for good reason," he said. "You should have asked to see me first, not started running about the fort at night. I have discipline to maintain here. You can't just disregard my orders."

Leaira moved forward out of her seat, facing him across the desk. "Oh, can't I? I'm not a soldier! But I'm sorry— don't let my predicament inconvenience your rise to power!"

To her surprise, he gave a start and blanched. "What?"

She hadn't really meant anything but temper. She halted, unsure how to respond. But his reaction shook something loose in her mind. Disparate pieces came together and suddenly made sense. The Captain in this office, not his own. A commanding officer whom everyone spoke of with respect but who never bothered to see her. And everyone here had said something about nothing being usual or right.

Leaira let out a soft 'o' of understanding. "The Colonel," she said. "She's been hurt, hasn't she? By the light—I didn't know—I didn't mean anything! I was just angry—frustrated."

"Please," he said, although the stiffness in his shoulders eased. "Sit down. I will explain -"

They were interrupted by a knock at the door. Delver called out, "Enter," and Tamman bounced in with a tray, on which balanced a pot of tea that slid about alarmingly at his careless pace. He grinned at Delver. "Here you are, Captain!"

Leaira pulled the heavy chair in closer to the desk and leaned forward, elbows resting on the surface, as she watched them.

Delver rescued the tray from Tamman and then shooed the boy away. Tamman gave Leaira a quick wave before he darted out, pulling the door shut behind him.

"Want some?" said Delver, unstacking the two cups on the tray, and pouring out a dirty green liquid into the first.

Leaira shook her head. "I thought you people had done your worst in trying to poison me already. What in the empty world is that supposed to be?"

"Greygrass tea," said Marran, a gleam of amusement stealing into his face. "Of our current options, honestly, I think it's the best. It's got a sort of, ah, sharpness to it that I like."

"Oh, well, why not?" said Leaira. When he passed it over, she cupped her hands around it, and took a tentative sip. The Captain was right. It did have an acidic quality that made it at least feel like it was worth the trouble of drinking, which was more than she could say for some of the other things they'd given her over the past few days.

Marran stared down at his own cup for a few moments, before giving a slight shake, and sitting. "You asked about the Colonel," he said heavily. "She went over to the village the day you arrived with a handful of the others. They were caught when the snow started up again. We only got two of them back alive, and the other died shortly after. The Colonel, though, is still with us, and we're hopeful. But in the meantime, it leaves me in an awkward position."

"You are and you aren't in charge?"

He nodded, although he inclined his gaze away from her. "Yes. I'm afraid so." Then he straightened and added, "But that's not the point now. We need to decide what to do about you."

Maps & Info
[Temp maps - drawn offline, still working docs + my scanner isn't working. Please forgive all scrappy writing/drawing/lack of scale etc. I will post some cleaner copies when I'm more technologically able, but these give a reasonable idea of the countries used in the stories so far.]


Emoyra


Emoyra (sometimes known elsewhere/in the past as Emora or Imora) is where the main story is currently set. Starfall Manor is situated in the northern mountain ranges and the Boundary Paths go around the Wasteland, crossing Emoyra, Norhyria, the Northlands and East Korphil, and the Manor has staff from most of those countries as well.

Emoyra has eight Regional Districts which were formerly independent nations, although there has always been an Emoyran identity as well. Each Regional District has an elected Governor who is in charge of it, over a Council, and they answer to the (elected) High Council and High Governor in Portcallan, Emoyra's capital city.

So far, the action has been set chiefly at Starfall Manor, in Northern District and in Portcallan in Southern District, where the politicking plots live. North Eastern District is where Marran Delver is from and appears in several of pieces connected to him.

The eight Districts, with their former nations:
Northern = Hyensland & Ennesland
North Eastern = Rosfallen
North Western = Miershia
Central = Emora (or Old Emora)
Eastern = Eisemore
Western = Westimore
Southern = Callamaine
South Eastern = Araland



The Northlands


The Northlands has never been a nation as such until now. It is a collection of small communities outside of the other nations and is in many ways older than all the others, but in the last couple of decades the Ice Prince has built up a power base there, which has changed things.


West & East Korphil


None of the stories have been set here so far, but Marran Delver spent some time in West Korphil in the army. The capital of West Korphil is Tamah, which has regular ships between it and Portcallan. The more northerly parts and most of East Korphil are very heavily wooded and parts are also mountainous. It also includes large areas of land that are Untransformed (by the events of Starfall). Arin Teykal comes from West Korphil.


High Eisterland (& Low Eisterland & the Eastlands)


High Eisterland is very closely related to Emoyra - at some point in the past it occupied most of the eastern parts of Emoyra, which is one of the reason North Eastern (and Eastern) are often regarded as having a different culture to the other districts, or being more superstitious. It shares a lot of Emoyra's lore regarding Starfall, but with additional elements, like a greater number of Powers. Osmer Nivyrn is from High Eisterland.

Low Eisterland is similar to both High Eisterland and southern Emoyra. Its capital, Lialia, is regarded as the best centre of learning in the known world (or so the Lialians say), and it's often referred to as the capital of the Circle of Civilisation (referring to several cities along the southerly seaboard - Tamah, Portcallan, Lighthaven, South Haven and Lialia), although northerners across High Eisterland and Emoyra wouldn't agree. Aliyna Dimue is from Low Eisterland.

The Eastlands were partially cut off during the Great Transformation and can mostly be reached via the south and the sea, so they don't feature much as yet. They are actually a lot of different small countries that Emoyra and the other countries refer to collectively as the Eastlands.

Norhyria borders with High Eisterland, Emoyra and the Northlands, but is very isolationist and regards the Powers as evil or hostile. It has ruling families and a more military culture, but the Paths also cut through it, so they have to co-operate with Emoyra and Starfall to a certain degree. Pio Caffsley is from Norhyria.

Current year: 1337