The sleepy Vale of Thoir faces many hardships. The local Lord is a cruel and demanding taskmaster, who some say is involved in dark arts best left unspoken. Even without his demands, the land is rough and stony with towering mountains looming overhead. The winters are hard and the summers short. Families in the village of Thòl learn not to place too much hope in luck or to expect rewards for their long labors. They just hope not to die too soon.
Because of this, it's unsurprising that the Tuath Monastery is so celebrated in the Vale. The Brothers of the One God offer healing to those in need and many are able to perform miracles on the strength of their faith. But when the series disappearance is shocks the monastery, all that is pit into jeopardy. Many have gone missing in recent years and it has the brothers scared. Without help, it may shatter the community completely.
Characters
Finn
Played by: bodyinthelibrary
Faction: Magientists
Finn is a clever boy, curious about the world surrounding him. A free and very creative mind, his mentors always had much difficulty focusing his energy. His feelings for Loeg, his adoptive father, are ambivalent: Finn respects him, but he cannot help thinking of him as an old coot who promotes obscurantism. To see Adeliane again did not leave him indifferent, even if he showed nothing of it. Although Finn may appear cold and haughty at first sight, he did learn Magience for a fundamentally humanistic reason, and his medical vocation is genuine. He sees Magience as the way to improve the daily life of men, and can be generous and zealous in the practice of his trade.
Liam
Played by: edubs
Faction: None (prospective Magientist)
Liam’s freedom of mind is what characterizes him the most: like his mentor Venec, he finds interest in everything, without his curiosity being bound by some dogma. All sources of knowledge are valuable in his eyes. But from his open mind also comes his biggest weakness: a persisting doubt on the direction he’s going to take in his life. Taking over Venec’s shop? Traveling toward big cities in order to develop his knowledge? What would he do then: scribe, herbalist… or even doctor in a big city? Once, he even thought about becoming a Magientist. Those who do not know him often and wrongly judge him as an absent-minded dreamer. On the contrary, Liam has his feet on the ground despite his curious and perpetually active brain, and this is indeed his problem. He is often indecisive, because he has trouble weighing the alternatives, and he then hides behind complex discourses which aim to present the possible choices as well as to help himself make a decision.
Mòr
Played by: AsenRG
Faction: Demorthèn
Mòr’s build strongly contrasts with his temper. The young man likes the tranquility and loneliness of the open nature with the Caernides. He is secretly in love with Neala but keeps his feelings for himself because he fears to lose the young woman’s affection. As shy as he is musically gifted, he doesn’t sing but plays the lute wonderfully. No one in the village knows of his skills, since he only plays alone, far from the village. Even Neala would be astonished if she heard him play. Mòr takes his Ionnthén vocation very seriously and always pays close attention to Wailen’s teachings. He tries to be exemplary, in order to obtain the recognition and pride of Wailen and of his adoptive father Nar, two people who mean a lot to him.
Sid the Wolf
Played by: Jessiah
Faction: Varigals
Sìd’s greatest quality is also his biggest flaw: he is a combative, determined man who can seem stubborn when his mind is set. However, Sìd is intuitive and sensitive, attentive to the people surrounding him, but only showing his own feelings very rarely. Since the violent death of Anaelle, he has hardened: his quest for vengeance guides his moral principles, and he stops at nothing to reach his goals. However, he has kept some sense of justice, and is reluctant to harm innocents. Along the years, he became a taciturn man who appreciates being alone. Each day, Sìd says a prayer for Anaelle, afraid that her soul would disappear otherwise. He will do everything to accomplish such a ritual, lest he feels anguished, absorbed in metaphysical questions about death and the permanence of the soul.
Urvan
Played by: tomtesserae
Faction: The Temple
Urvan is sensitive and not very self-confident. He has not completed his initiation yet, and fosters doubts about his commitment. He does believe in the One, but must he fight and kill to serve him? He hopes that the Creator understands and forgives him, especially now. When he goes back to Gwidre, if he is to survive the perils of the Talkeride valleys, he knows he will have to be determined about his future life. The Temple only deserves a sincere devotion, without ambiguous feelings. Often, the young man glances at Jaber, wondering if the vocation of Vector wouldn’t be more suitable for him than that of Blade. But he also fears that his shyness would prevent him from preaching with the due conviction and assurance. In the end, Urvan fears the future, first because of the dangers of his current journey, but also, and especially, because he is afraid of making a choice that will engage him for the rest of his life, when he is not at all convinced he has the required qualities and willpower.
Supporting Cast
Alan
A young herbalist who would rather be in the company of his specimens than other people. He was very helpful at dinner, introducing all the residents of the monastery to the visitors.
Dalaigh
An old Varigal recuperating from chronic health problems in the Monastery of Tuath. He was very friendly with Sid and showed him around the monastery before going on a walk with Seane.
Eber
A physician at the monastery, round of build and placid of manner. He keeps to himself but is rumored to be able to heal through the powerful blessings of the One God.
Erwen
A newly inducted nun of the monastery who is dedicated to her prayers and to her work as a copyist.
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Fergal
An experienced monk who serves as a close confidant to the rector. He is demanding like his superior and somewhat judgemental.
Garan
The monastery's middle-aged rector, an intelligent and charismatic man but also a demanding superior. He was welcoming to the visitors when they came to his office upon arrival, but at dinner he warned of "dark days" for Tuath.
Irvan Mac Snòr
The lord of the Vale of Thoir is a proud and powerful man. He squeezes his vassals dry and a malaise settles over the vale as a result. Some say that Lord Mac Snòr dabbles in dark arts taught to him by demons or the vengeful gods of the Demorthèn but none dares to voice these rumors where guards or officials might hear.
Jalan
A scholarly and well-read monk of Tuath who recently died.
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Jakez
One of the few laypeople in the service of Tuath, Jakez maintains the stables and yard. He is the general handyman and is frequently seen throughout the monastery. He helped Padraig Donraic dig the grave for Uvelan, but left on business before he was buried.
Loeiz
A middle-aged nun with a wine-colored birthmark across her face.
Madel
The monastery's cook and all-around mother hen. She seems to regard all of the monastery's clergy as her charges and is suspicious of outsiders in the face of the recent deaths.
Maec
One of the monastery's two trained physicians, along with Eber, who recently died.
Meiriadog
A curt, sour monk of Tuath who seems to keep to himself. At dinner, though, he sat with Sister Teda.
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Seane
A young Gwidrite bard who has been a guest at Tuath Monastery for several years as she devotes herself to prayer and crafting reilgious music.
Selwyn
An idealistic assistant monk to Eber and another a miracle healer of the Temple.
Teda
A skilled herbalist and scholar, this nun has been at the monastery as long as Rector Garan.
Uvelan
An herbalist at the monastery who recently died.
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Locations
The Vale of Thoir
Located in the far south of the kingdom of Gwidre, the Vale of Thoir is close to the Talkéride border. From Dearg, it is accessible by heading west through the Pass of Lantrecht, behind the fortress of Smioraìl, which stands at the border. In winter, the awful weather makes such a journey all but impossible.
Royal authority barely reaches this border vale. It is ruled by Lord Irvan Mac Snòr, an insane man rumored to practice dark arts. Not only does he mercilessly rule over the villagers under his control, he occasionally takes a tribute young people for unknown purposes. People are thrown in jail for trifles, and some of them never leave Mac Snòr’s dungeon. Travelers who are lost or too weak to defend themselves fall prey to the lord and his henchmen. The region has become a place of very ill repute, carefully avoided by many Varigals and most merchant convoys.
The Village of Thòl
A village of about 300 souls who live on hunting and harvesting, Thòl has no significant source of tradable wealth, and Mac Snòr’s tyranny is hard. Thòl’s burgomaster is appointed by the lord and strives to fulfill his orders for fear of cruel retaliation. The villagers’ only comfort is in religion. Thòl has a little church, the priest of which preaches
patience and constancy in the face of hardship. In the valley, there is also a monastery, the pride of the vale’s inhabitants.
The Monastery
Located on the opposite side of the Vale of Thoir, the monastery has always been a source of comfort for Thòl’s inhabitants, since the monks generously share their healing skills, asking only for a symbolic offering in return. They worship a local saint, Beren. This devotion, and the saint’s strong aura among the vale’s inhabitants, have caused the monastery to receive strong admonitions from the Great Cenacle of Ard-Amrach. Five years ago, former Rector Tadeg, who overzealously preached the saint’s merits, was even removed from office and taken by the Sigires. Even to this day, tensions exist between the orthodox monks, led by Rector Garan, and the Berenians, who wish to perpetuate the cult of the saint.
During its heyday, the monastery housed about 40 residents. Since then, the number has decreased: one rector, only five monks, three adepts completing training, two familiars in charge of common tasks, and two guests sharing the life of the community without belonging to the order of the monks.
The Vale of Dearg
This thick pine forest across the border in Taol-Kaer is a few days' journey from the Vale of Thoir, although the passes are completely snowed in during the winter. The towns of Dearg and Melwan are found in this forest, as well as the Demorthèn holy site of Cúig Clocha, the deep
