AwyrailThe only son of a simple and long-lived farming family. Possessed of ambition, touched by wanderlust, and kept in check by a healthy respect for the Draig, he expressed his interest in the Order of the Maes Seren at a young age.
In many ways, the opposite of the 'ideal' Order paladin. Proactive instead of reactive, he quickly became a noteworthy name for his competence—or nosiness. Some of his more traditional peers and betters, while acknowledging his practical skill, see him as more of a rowdy upstart than a reliable servant of the Draig.
Awyrail and Lacharyn's families became close out of practicality, living in close proximity and trading harvests. Lacharyn would run errands between the two houses as a boy, and the two likewise became mutually fond of each other. Awyrail was admittedly surprised when Lacharyn insisted on following him to the Order, but took him under his wing in an official capacity as soon as Lacharyn was eligible for mentorship. He is not particularly secretive about his attachment to his little star, and many within the monastery assume they're far more involved than they are—a curious rumor that neither seems concerned with dispelling.
Awyrail is keenly aware Lacharyn makes all checks against him with disadvantage. As sweet as starstruck Lacharyn is, Awyrail is deeply concerned with his protege's self-esteem and makes great efforts to avoid taking advantage of him. He is not always successful.
Despite his untraditional demeanor, he uses a traditional sword-and-shield.
One of his parents is an excellent baker. Lacharyn perpetually misses the fresh loaves of bread he'd receive from their family home. Unfortunately, Awyrail is completely incompetent in the precise art of measurement and everything he makes turns out Not Quite Right.
GwyntgleanGwyntglean, born as Gwyntryd on a particularly windy day, is perhaps best known for his attention to detail. A meticulous farmhand who makes the best out of the worst harvests. Lacharyn inherits his quiet, imposing demeanor. Unlike his son, Gwyntglean is fairly sociable, if tall and a bit sour-faced. A man of modest means and little ambition, which is not the same as lacking love for his lot in life.
He rarely cooks on account of his attention to detail to the harvest, but Lacharyn remembers the few meals he prepares—simple as they are, a true meat and potatoes man—as especially delicious. Perhaps because Gwynt has only ever learned to cook one type of food to perfection and perhaps because of its rarity.
Lacharyn has been mortified on more than one occasion to remember his keen eye extends far past the farm fields. Gwynt is deeply perceptive and not fond of speaking around issues. He may be more exasperated with Lacharyn and Awyrail than anyone, themselves included.
The parent who instilled in Lacharyn the value of eating his veggies at a young age.
The Long Tail gene runs through his side of the family. He likes to wrap his around Cilg when they sleep.
CilgantweaveCilgantweave, born as Cilgant under the crescent moon in a fairly quiet time of year, took his name after his favored hobby. While he is by no means a professional weaver, the counters in Lacharyn's household are often cluttered with all kinds of half-finished cloth.
Initially intending to have a much larger family, the joys of childrearing and infatuation with their firstborn quickly put an end to those dreams. While Lacharyn leaving the nest early to pursue the order was a particularly harsh blow in this respect, Cilgant and Gwynt doubled down on being as paternal and homely as possible when Lacharyn is off-duty.
Known to recite "perfection is the enemy of good" as easily as the daily prayer, Cilgant takes care of many practical matters in the family, lest they never get done. He ensures Gwynt and Lacharyn remember to eat, fetch water, barter for groceries, and, occasionally, sleep. Averse to coddling but possessed of deep and unconditional love.
Particularly fond of gifting scarves—the winds in Ilysiau'r Draig can be fierce.
MerryIt was with a heavy heart that Lacharyn agreed to "protect" Merry on her way to Caberty. A Paladin of the Order of the Maes Seren and a Melpomene's Muses performer do not have much in common, and even more at complete odds.
Despite her difficult personality, her "creativity," especially wherein it prioritized health and safety over conventionality, garnered his respect. For all of his hangups with the Muses, he remains touched by Melpomene and Merry's relationship. He's sworn to do his best to ensure Merry returns to the troupemaster unharmed.
Merry has proven to be surprisingly observant and thoughtful at times. She has also proven to be much less impressive than she lets on, and the consequent gaps between her projected image and her true personality often operate as the bridge between Lacharyn's straightforwardness and Merry's performances.
Encounters with Miss Mammern, the Thrupend Queensmakers, and Melpomene have shed some light on the complications behind Merry's mask. They have also exposed the abundance of love in her heart, and there is nothing more honorable.
She deserves to know the truth about Awyrail, but Lacharyn would have to find the words.
Tara "Tims" Timberland
Tims has an unassuming figure and a jovial nature that belies her competence. Initially written off by Lacharyn for her childish demeanor, he would come to realize Tims is an accomplished ranger possessing surprising strength. He trusts no one more as a guide through the woodlands—or, for that matter, to watch his back in a fight.
Tims comes across as the member of their group with the simplest aims, which also makes her the most reliable. Her straightforward dreams of heroic adventure speak to the quality of her character, and remind him of youthful cloister gossip besides. Lacharyn is certain Tims will become the hero she dreams of; he would argue in earnest she is already quite heroic.
He is somewhat envious of her large family, counterbalanced by his exhaustion in their extended presence.
Alun CladeLacharyn approached Alun with concern after an attempted mugging in Thrupend. That concern has gradually dwindled—perhaps more accurately, morphed into wariness.
Of all of the backgrounds in his party, Alun's nobility is the furthest from his own upbringing. "Class" is a farce imposed on children of the Draig—nevermind that his own race possesses a unique claim to such a title. Alun has repeatedly proven himself incompetent at best, a danger to himself and others at worst.
Although the strain on their relationship began with Merry's suspicions of Alun's arsonist tendencies, it reached critical mass when Alun began reflexively combusting in response to healing. In the ensuing confrontation, Alun set the Hook Line and Sink 'Er ablaze with a fireball. Lacharyn sensed a great evil in him at the time, a sense that Clerigwyr Aramie would later confirm.
In his duty as a paladin, Lacharyn attempts to keep Alun on a leash. Alun proves utterly exhausting, though, and relatively oblivious to his own faults. His oblivious nature and well-intentioned sentiments warrant a level of grace from some of the other party members. Lacharyn acknowledges Alun is likely not intentionally evil—but a malicious force certainly walks in his steps.
At a point of particularly intense strain after Alun aimed a fireball at Lacharyn (again) in their fight with the Fad Felan.
Calloway Candlethorpe
One of Lacharyn's first encounters with non-theocratic authority, wherein he learned a paladin ought not murder even dangerous criminals within city walls. Although Calloway and him abide to fairly different sets of regulations, he is nonetheless deeply sympathetic to the role one plays in an organization upholding order.
While Calloway has a firm grasp on the laws of the land, Lacharyn also finds her a bit inflexible. The Order of the Maes Seren holds no illusions about its place in the world: the actions that most adequately protect the peace gifted by the Draig may not always align with widespread sentiment or common sense. He takes Calloway's advice with healthy grains of salt and remains realistic about her area of expertise.
Lacharyn trusts her implicitly with all manners of magical items and phenomena, and likewise enjoys the trust he's afforded on manners of divinity.
A stardust whelp that answered Lacharyn's call for a trusthworthy steed and companion. As with all paladin steeds, Veles is unusually intelligent. As a young whelp, he contains near-endless energy and curiosity. He remains telepathically connected with Lacharyn, who finds disproportionate comfort in the opportunity to speak draconic again.
Thrupend
The titular Melpomene of Melpomene's Muses. Lacharyn had the misfortune of meeting Melpomene in Thrupend. He remains convinced all performers are strange, eccentric, frivolous—Nonetheless, the troupemaster clearly cares deeply for their performers. At their earnest plea, Lacharyn agreed to watch over their foster daughter, Merry.
Concerningly capable of receiving the prayers of others. They've been dreaming of ascending to the Braid, solidifying Melpomene as uniquely bizarre.
The owner of the Lox o' Luck, presumably headquartered in Thrupend. Lacharyn initially met Barb in the party's quest to remove Chrom's curse of mismatched color. Barb proved capable and thoughtful, obliging Lacharyn's request to use his hands instead of his trunk and do an appraisal on Awyrail's ring. The kind loxodon loaned Lacharyn his child's coloring book as a means to sate Chrom's thirst for color.
Lacharyn has since learned, though not quite understood, that the Lox o' Luck is in as many places as Barb wills it. Upon being presented a darnseren in Bramblehollow, Barb suggested he would be interested in crafting with the stones.
The head clerigwyr at Thrupend's Cartref Serennog. Responsible for returning Prudence's memory after her unfortunate encounter with Miss Merry and purifying the necromantic energy at the Cwypanaid Gaban. He offered Lacharyn valuable advice about Alun's deficiencies and the nature of the darnseren after identifying Awyrail's ring as such. Their shared faith offers Lacharyn a breath of fresh air in the world outside Ilysiau'r Draig.
He is apparently quite a fan of Merry's.
Caberty
Miss Merry's aunt. Although they met under suspicious terms due to the tense atmosphere in Caberty, Lacharyn came to know Miss Mammern as a bold and kind woman—hastened by Lacharyn indirectly causing her arrest on false charges. Miss Mammern would go on to provide the party food, shelter, and emotional support. A woman capable of convincing Lacharyn nobility is not always grotesque.
She made Lacharyn promise to attend a Muses' showing with her. He looks forward to their future spar, provided she remembers how to use her axe.
An initially paranoid young woman plagued by her family's deal with a hag. Lacharyn holds a particular fondness for her, perhaps born out of his efforts to protect her from such malevolent evil. Seeing her and her daughter able to relax after the hag's demise filled him with a great sense of accomplishment. He earnestly hopes they can find normalcy.
The potion seller in Caberty. They met only briefly, but his eccentric passion for his work left a strong impression on Lacharyn. He certainly is strange, but their interactions were pleasant enough, and Mikhail's devotion to his work was plain. Lacharyn regrets that he was unable to fulfill his promise to test his newest work.
Bramblehollow
A bugbear initially encountered at the docks of Thrupend, where he was arrested by Calloway for selling without a vendor's license. In a strange turn of events, he would become Elaine Clade's assistant. Seeing the opportunity to cause trouble for Alun's cruel sister, Lacharyn advised Arth on the importance of fair labor. Following Elaine's Alun-abetted destruction of their contract, Lacharyn endeavored to help Arth find a new line of work as a means of taking responsibility.
As of the party's departure from Bramblehollow, Arth is pursuing work with magical creatures alongside Eilonwy.
Pranden
A kapincho fisherman in charge of fishing as a tourist attraction. He reminds Lacharyn in some ways of Gwynt: a simple man in a simple trade, not overly fond of conversing. He taught Lacharyn the basics of fishing and provided him his first rod. Lacharyn sympathizes with his disdain for the newly established Foundry and changing landscape of Pranden.
He's always seen with his young daughter, who often rides atop his head.
