Members of the various knightly orders in Ceannis: branches of the military that are more specialized and require more skills than the regular Army and Navy.
For knights of the past, see Historical. For the knight who invented the idea of knighthood, see Sir Rhódon on Myths and Legends.
Knights in the Order of the Chalice, working under Thorn Estragon. Most members of the original team died in the fight against the dragon; all the survivors have exciting new fire-related traumas.
The knights are typically paired with a mage, including Holly Cerise and Atarangi Neineikura.
In the comic: Juniper Sel
Thorn's sardonic second-in-command (replacing Moss after the dragon), who runs the team when Thorn is on a date, on psych leave, or out sick with tentacles.
Practical and rational, in a way that makes a good check for Thorn’s more romantic impulses.
Experiences sex-related dysphoria, identifies as agender (they), on testosterone since heartsword training. Still uses their birth name, which is androgynous in Ceannic. Smallest member of the original team…but definitely not the easiest to beat in a fight.
Speaks limited Sønska: basic vocabulary, almost no grammar (“show him the thing”).
In the comic: Birch Persil
Big cuddly cinnamon roll. (Or, in the local-cuisine-related metaphor, roseberry dumpling.) Fell in love with Annie Persil while they were stationed in the steppes, and married her during the rescue effort from the mine collapse. Texts her cute pictures when he's thinking of her.
Lost his right leg to the dragon, so now he's a below-the-knee amputee. His prosthetic is high-quality, with the most advanced magitech and some cool attachments, and durable enough that he's still field-ready. Has vague plans about maybe retiring from the Order and going back to school at some point.
Can't communicate in Sønska on his own, relies on auto-translate.
Birch's parents are Getsunese immigrants, and a poly triad (m/m/f), which is common in their home culture. Their family name is Baker; Birch changed it when he got married. He and Annie have talked vaguely about polyamory without making concrete plans.
In the comic: Rowan Muscade
Brilliant, flirty, easily annoyed. Has a lot of unsuccessful dates, where he'll charm them into bed but ultimately find out that they have Wrong Opinions on anything from science to fiction.
Award-winning physics prodigy as a teenager, but his tutor was his abusive uncle Aspen (which also made him vulnerable to the whispers), and he abandoned the field for knighthood instead. Violet, currently his housemate/best friend/medical power of attorney, is the only person who knows the full details.
Obsessed with Leachtric since Violet finally convinced him to listen to the soundtrack. His siblings Rosie and Rhodey work for the production.
Rowan has high standards for himself as well as other people, so he's keenly aware of how Pascentia has the edge on him in everything. He's secure enough in his talents/intelligence to not get angry or jealous, it's just…noticeable.
In the comic: Violet Dupont
Strategist, low-key snarker, avid reader, loyal friend who's not afraid to call you out on your nonsense. She and Rowan Muscade met when they were 14-year-olds, then were reunited in heartsword training as young adults. Now they're housemates and long-term BFFs at 28.
Violet reads fluently in Northern Ceannic, Southern Ceannic, Old Ceannic, and Sønska. She has an extensive Sønska vocabulary, excellent grammar, subtle grasp of idioms and allusions…and a chronic problem with pronouncing things weirdly.
Violet's parents are an interracial couple, and she's visibly mixed by Ceannic standards (along with her sister, Cymbeline Dupont). When she was younger they lived in Limestone Cliffs, a poor coastal neighborhood with streets designed to turn into canals when the tide comes in. She can codeswitch on a dime between a southern Ceannic accent and a more mainstream one. Sometimes gets called Violette by people who assume she'd use the more Feabhric variation of the name.
Barely ever dates in the traditional sense, but has a thing for Tamaputians (and non-painful kinky roleplay) that rises up occasionally.
In the comic: Kokum Hooper
Joined the team post-dragon, to serve at the Embassy.
Smug, cynical, casual. Kind of obnoxious. Doesn't like pickles. Always wears this one red stone as an earring (it's a spelltech device of some kind).
In the comic: Pascentia Zikos
Joined the team post-dragon, to serve at the Embassy. Dancer, polyglot, compulsive overachiever.
Pascentia tested into the Army Northern Force, the Ceannic Navy First Fleet, the Order of the Horn, the Order of the Axe, the Space Corps, the Medical Corps, and the Ceannic Army Chorus. (But not the veterinary corps.) She's also the choreographer and lead dancer in the heartsword ballet, wrote a guest script that became an episode of Ville-de-Prince General, once delivered a baby unicorn by hand, and can calculate, cook, and contact juggle.
Her only observed weakness is fighting people with wings, and she's working on it.
Of the team, Pas has formed the closest bonds with Rowan Muscade and Violet Dupont. They've noticed that her overachievement streak is more than a little compulsive, dating back to an abusive childhood, though she doesn't seem to recognize it.
The rest of her family is typical dark-skinned Islanders, including her sibling Dexippus Zikos; but Pas has oculocutaneous albinism, so people regularly assume she's from Sønheim (or mixed, if they notice her non-pointed ears). Doesn't help that she's highly fluent in Sønska. She also goes to Sønska specialty stores to pick up sunscreen, and the makeup she wears while off-duty.
In the comic: Quince Malina
Joined the team post-dragon, to serve at the Embassy. Quiet but speedy.
He wore a full costume and makeup to Thorn's Kolpovision party.
In the comic: Senna L'hysope
Joined the team post-dragon, to serve at the Embassy.
Illness survivor, collector, cute pseudo-British accent. She's a patron of rummage sales and Art Crawl.
They were on it during the dragon mission. For various reasons, they aren't now.
Deceased knights: Damask (backsword), Chestnut (broadsword), Ramtil (backsword), Edith (of Sønska descent, rapier), Wreath, Taro.
The team mage at the time was Hestia.
In the comic: Peach Pescher-Argyros
Alive, semi-retired, though she's filled in at the Embassy a couple times when an active team member was called away.
Started her career in the Order of the Horn, but had to get a transfer when she fell for the official she was bodyguarding.
Peach was the oldest knight on the dragon mission (of the mages, at least Heath Cornouiller was older), and left afterward, as she wanted to spend more time with her family. She's the “young trophy wife” of Senator Lysidice Argyros, and has two children from a previous marriage.
Only knows a handful of phrases in Sønska.
In the comic: Marula Sheaver
Alive, quit the Order. The only teammate who was sure the dragon-attacking plan meant certain death. She was put in the backup ranks, was one of the few survivors, then promptly gave notice and wasn't seen again until she got arrested for murder. (Twice.)
Marula doesn't form attachments to other people, or feel grief or concern over their pain. This isn't code for “she doesn't express those feelings in socially-typical ways” – she genuinely doesn't experience them. She is, however, pretty good at faking it when necessary in order to blend in, which is part of why nobody guessed her heartsword type before she drew it.
She follows laws, rules, and social norms only to the extent that they benefit and/or entertain her. All that said, she can be a decent ally…if you set firm boundaries, find ways to direct her interest, and remember not to rely on her for things she doesn't do.
In the comic: Moss
Deceased. Thorn's second-in-command during the dragon mission. They coordinated with each other very well. Juniper, who was promoted to take Moss's place after her death, still has a hard time filling her shoes.
That's not a scar on her cheek, it's a birthmark.
As of this writing, only seen in bonus art and flashbacks, mostly in No Moss.
Not officially knights, but then again, they don't officially exist. And they do have national-security missions, plus a surprising amount of heartswords.
In the comic: Agent Delphinium
Undercover vampire hunter, recruited after she was identified as an axe-wielder during heartsword training. Glamorous trans woman with excellent biceps. A mostly-unstoppable brawler with a specialty against vampires.
Delphinium (Del for short) is frequently partnered with the Woman in Black, a situation which she's getting slightly better at remembering. Also has a frenemy-type colleague in Agent D10.
Originally known as “Secret Agent D” back when her full name hadn't been revealed. She's also used the alias Nasturtium Amande.
Juniper Sel knew her during training, pre-transition; so the main characters are aware of her deadname, but not her current one. Del and Juniper are developing a bit of a frenemy relationship of their own.
In the comic: Agent D10
Talented secret agent, who has a frenemy-type rivalry with Agent Delphinium. Genderqueer (they), married, prone to boasting about their husband Hermosa as much as their own skills – which include acting, knife-wielding, and contact juggling.
Their wallet name is Dexippus Zikos, “Dexie” or “Dex” for short, older sibling of Sir Pascentia. Dex has ocular albinism (magically treated), in contrast to their sister's more visually-dramatic version.
Cover job involves working at a museum, while their real job includes a specialty for cases that involve dark mages, and they'll observe when trainees are being evaluated. Their style tends toward half-moon glasses, dapper vests, and makeup/jewelry/fancier clothes when off-duty (or undercover).
In the comic: Woman in Black
Who? I don’t remember anyone like that in this comic.
Although someone who's impossible to remember could be a particularly effective agent in the Secret Order of Monster Hunters.
And isn't it odd that Delphinum so rarely has a partner?
The WiB's unmemorability covers all her personal information, and all the details of any encounter with her, in-person as well as over calls or video chats. People will simply remember a version of the scene that didn't include her. Details that would reveal a continuity error are vague and confused; actual photos or videos will come out blurry and scrambled.
If she needs to convey some information long-term, it's easier to remember when it's written or text-based. Except for, again, personal information, which people won't be able to grasp even when they're staring at the words.
Other knightly types.
Minor/unnamed Order of the Horn members: miscellaneous security guards
Minor/unnamed trainees: knightly students
In the comic: Artie Carver
High-ranking knight, former co-trainer with Gerri Sureau. Nonbinary transfeminine (they).
Reincarnation of the historical Artemisia, but not a long-runner, so they only discovered the connection (and, per Getsunese tradition, changed their name to match) after drawing their heartsword.
In the comic: Geranium Sureau
High-ranking knight (a brigadier) involved in the coordination of all the teams in her Order, in between training new recruits. Previous trainer of Thorn, Juniper, and Delphinium, among others.
“Gerri” for short.
Trained the previous heartsword class that included Thorn, Juniper, and Delphinium; Thorn still goes to her for advice sometimes.
In the comic: Jonquil Sel
Long-runner who was a knight-captain in his previous incarnation.
Currently works for the Second Life Resource Center, because he has all the memories and knowledge of an adult, but is too short to use most of it.
In the comic: Turion
Student with a high opinion of his own abilities.
In heartsword training under Sir Gerri.
Characters | |
---|---|
Ceannis | Thorn • Kale • Knights • Team Relatives • Mages • Historical • Other Ceannic characters |
Sønheim | Leif • Embassy Staff • Vampires • Other Sønska characters |
Other | Tamaputians • Other Characters |