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Description edit
On a distant planet where conflicts threaten all of humanity, prophecy tells of a woman with indigo eyes who will unite the warring factions. Ginza has the odd colored eyes of the prophecy. But she does not believe she is capable of any kind of heroic deeds. Nor does she believe she deserves... read more
Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit
Summary edit
To spy on invaders in the homeland of her savage ancestors, Adalginza pretends to be a royal lady of the House of the Fifth Crescent Moon. She tries seducing the new captain of the Crescent knights assigned to Sola Re, an outpost belonging to the Crescent Houses. But, at first, Captain Kalos... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)
Characters/People edit
- Adalginza: Adalginza is half savage, with indigo eyes that were inherited from the enemy. She has been trained from birth to believe her only purpose in life is to spy for her brother, Benfaaro, the leader of a savage rebellion. She begins to think for herself only after she falls in love with an enemy captain she weds and then betrays. She is personally responsible for many deaths, and believes she can find redemption only by stepping forward to become a unifying leader named in a prophecy.
- Kalos: More a scholar than soldier, Captain Kalos sought a commission in the Knights of the Crescent Sword so that he could be sent to the frontier. Here, he wishes to find evidence about what happened to the missing House of the Seventh Crescent Moon that disappeared in a burst of light many generations ago. He is likable and good-humored, but the horrors of war coupled with the treachery of his wife bring out his dark side.
- Benfaaro: The leader of the savage rebellion, Benfaaro is also Adalginza's half brother. He is under the spell of his evil mate, Bruna, who manipulates him into committing terrible atrocities that escalate the war against the Crescent Houses.
- Bruna: Terrorized as a child by the infamous Crescent knight, Captain Heinste the Cruel, Bruna is a twisted, malevolent woman who will stop at nothing to inflict pain on all who oppose her. She is a master of potions, and the people of the tribes believe Bruna has bewitched her husband, Benfaaro.
- Calasta: Calasta is the child of Benfaaro and Bruna. She is Of The Blood, and first-in-line to inherit her father's status as leader of all the tribes in the frontier.
- Zartos: Nephew of Captain Kalos, Zartos wants to become a Crescent knight.
- Redolo: Redolo is the outspoken mother of Captain Kalos. She is a scholar interested in documenting the life of a Crescent House gnostic, Medosa, who once taught the savages.
- Swiala: With her striking indigo eyes, Swiala is the true grandmother of Adalginza. Swiala as a renowned lady of the House of the First Crescent Moon exerts considerable influence in the Congress of the Prime Continent. She is overbearing, self-centered, and possessive. She tends to drive away those who are close to her.
- Polyper: Once an apprentice of the famous gnostic, Medosa, Polyper is a mystic from the House of the Eighth Crescent Moon. He as well as other gnostics oversee the Dome of Archives on the Prime Continent.
- Sagawea: Sagawea, a practical woman from the Ninth Crescent House, was once almost betrothed to Captain Kalos. On the Prime Continent, she is allied with a group called the Eradicators who want the savages eliminated from the frontier to clear the way for a land grab.
Quotes edit
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“In my House, we do not believe in poxes and ill winds. We believe in our own wits, and in the labor of our hands and hearts. Knowledge is the treasure I seek, dear lady. That is all.”
Kalos (to Adalginza) -
“Please don't go! I would rather that all the light of all the moons in the sky fade forever, than to lose you.”
Adalginza (to Kalos) -
“I told you to guard your heart. You did not listen to me. For this folly, I have no pity for you. Sit back down and tell me the secrets you have brought me.”
Benfaaro (to Adalginza) -
“I thought it would be dangerous for Adalginza to fall in love with the enemy. Instead, it has only made her weaker. She serves us much better now, because of this pitiful state she is in.”
Bruna (to Benfaaro) -
“Our enemy foolishly thinks that those they call savages of that settlement are peaceful and welcoming? We will show otherwise. We will attack from within and without. The survivors we spare will quiver in terror as they tell what they saw. We must make those of the Crescent Houses fear us so much that they will never wish to return to the frontier.”
Benfaaro (to Bruna and Adalginza) -
“Betray your heart no longer, even though it may take you where you do not want to go. But in those places, you may be led to actions that can help undo past sins.”
Polyper (to Adalginza)
Setting & Locations edit
On this distant planet of only two continents, ten crescent moons typically light the night skies. Nine of these moons have been claimed by the Crescent Houses as symbols for each of their clans. The tenth and most distant moon remains unclaimed. The people of the Crescent Houses live on the Prime Continent and related islands. The savages live on the second continent, simply known as the frontier.
- Place of the Circles: This is the remote homeland of the Tribe of the Circles, where Adalginza spent her childhood.
- Sola Re: The Crescent Houses have established Sola Re as a major settlement in the frontier. Sola Re is not a coastal city, but it is near enough to the main harbor to serve as the gateway for settlers attempting to colonize the frontier.
- Mountain of Treasures: Mountain of Treasures is a remote, wilderness location characterized by an ecological zone that has a mixture of desert and scrubby trees associated with lower altitudes.
- Harbor City: Harbor City is the main ocean port of the Prime Continent, where trading ships and transports dock.
- Faradera Island: A territory of the Crescent Houses, Faradera Island serves as a midway point and respite for passengers and crews of ships traveling between the Prime Continent and the frontier.
- Solaria: On the Prime Continent, Solaria is a more remote location in wetlands where the Dome of Archives also is located.
Organizations edit
- Crescent Houses: The nine Crescent Houses were established many generations ago by their founding clans, originating with the first. The proper designation for each house is as follows: House of the First Crescent Moon, House of the Second Crescent Moon, etc.
- Tribes: The thirteen tribes of the frontier are designated by their physical surroundings. For example: Tribe of the Circles, Tribe of the Sands, Tribe of Rivers, etc.
- Eradictors: The Eradictors are a radical group on the Prime Continent who advocate genocide to remove the savages from the frontier and clear the way for colonization.
First Sentence edit
Lady Adalginza moved into the scant shade of a wooden post and frowned up at the bird perched haughtily atop an oil lamp.
Subjects edit
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