PEOPLE
Carbunkle! is shaped as much by its calamities and cataclysms as by the people who inhabit it. Their actions, whether virtuous or villainous, have built empires, sparked revolutions, and in some cases altered the course of history itself. Be they adventurers or bakers, kings or potion makers, each individual contributes to the ongoing tale of “The Wayward World.”
What follows is a “Who’s Who” of unique souls who walk the world, leaving their mark on the lives of those they encounter, be it great or small, or in the case of the barbarian known as “Horsepuncher,” extremely confounding.
Castrillo
The Blue Wizard of Carbunkle!
Castrillo is the Blue Wizard of Carbunkle! and the First of the Spectros Wizardri, a mysterious order of twelve nigh-immortal, color-coded wizards who have protected the world for thousands of years. Some believe the “protection” offered by the Spectros Wizardri comes at too high a cost, for few appreciate that cataclysms, catastrophes, and the collapse of civilizations are far preferable to the alternative, allowing the world to become a lifeless husk drifting through the void, which would be its fate were it not for Castrillo and his order. Since history has been unkind to the Spectros Wizardri, most of its members operate in the shadows, watching in secret and helping from afar. That is not the case, however, when it comes to the Blue Wizard. Castrillo is jovial, outgoing, and ever ready to help those who seek him out. He welcomes visitors to his tower, hires adventurers for quests, and counsels both the meek and the mighty. Despite his accessibility and candor, Castrillo remains evasive about the origins and purpose of the enigmatic Spectros Wizardri. When asked about his own beginnings, he simply says that one day he “wasn’t,” and the next day he “was.” While Castrillo has played a role in historical events both great and small across the Wayward World, he remains particularly focused on preventing the return of any of the Seven Sorcerer Kings. Even though thousands upon thousands of years have passed since their downfall, the Blue Wizard has never forgotten their malevolence and diligently works to uncover their lingering secrets, disrupt the cults that worship them, and stop anyone from taking their place. Throughout his long life, Castrillo has always surrounded himself with unique companions, collectively known as the Band of the Blue Wizard. The current roster includes his wife Neenaroo the Homebody, Gormgoggle the Demon Eye, the sentient grimoire Grim Tidings, Sir Bruce DeGander the Wargoose, Goblin Repairman Diggsby Dab Funnel, and his ever-faithful companion Kettle Black the Living Cauldron. There have also been many auxiliary members over the years. In the modern era, the most notable is the adventurer Fishbone, who thoroughly enjoys the outlandish quests the Blue Wizard sends him on. Castrillo is perhaps the most prominent, if exceedingly eccentric, individual in the history of the Wayward World, wholly dedicated to keeping it safe from threats both within and without, though preferably not before his morning tea and raisin crumpet.
Fishbone is the quintessential adventurer. Having joined The International Guild of Adventure Seekers, Dungeon Explorers, and Treasure Hunters at an earlier age than most, he has become extremely good at the job he loves. Embodying the Adventurer’s Guild motto of “Go forth and save the world...sometimes from itself”, Fishbone frequently takes on the hopeless, unusual jobs other adventurers avoid. In doing so, he has made friends of both kings and knaves alike. Fishbone’s eccentric job choices have inadvertently had him taking part in several historical events in his lifetime, most notably, the slaying of the “Dark Lord” Valongondrel, discovering the lost civilization of Uzal Uzulleas, and preventing the assassination of the Exalted Princess Isavia Exin’arle, all of which Fishbone dismisses as “Just doing my job.” Frequently held up by the Guild Elders as an example of what a true adventurer should be, Fishbone is often considered the Guild’s “Golden Child”, earning both admiration and resentment from his fellow adventurers. None of which matters to the man named “Fishbone”. As a child, he dreamed of living a life filled with adventure, and he gets to live that dream every day.
Fishbone
The Stalwart Adventurer
Knave, scoundrel, rapscallion, none of these words apply to beloved swashbuckler Heezew Dewdrop! One of the most well-known adventurers on Carbunkle!, Dewdrop made his fame hunting monsters and his fortune licensing his image to anyone willing to pay for it. No matter how deep the Dwarven hall or how high the Akolian aery, Dewdrop branded merchandise will be there. The fuzzy swashbuckler’s iconic face is on everything from weapons, to spices, to airships, and more. With his likeness being so famous, the elders of “The International Guild of Adventurer Seekers, Dungeon Explorers, and Treasure Hunters” (aka “The Adventurer’s Guild”) asked Dewdrop to be the international spokesman for the Guild, a job which he proudly accepted. These days, with his duties as ambassador, Heezew Dewdrop has to make the time to hunt down monsters, but he always has time to approve new and exciting branding opportunities!
Heezew Dewdrop
The Famous Monster Hunter
Sir Demitrious Bludwyn is called “The Knight of Woe” by friend and foe alike, for misery and sorrow await those who commit evil and make an enemy of him. He wields the greatsword Woebegone, which is, in truth, the Hellsword Dagorkazgorath. Forged in the Third Hell, Ghorusghol, by the Demon Lord Pozddexus Zule, the blade is possessed by the souls of one thousand demons. When the Demon Lord and his Hellsword came to wreak havoc upon Carbunkle!, the Knight of Woe stood in their way. Bludwyn, a guileless knight wholly devoted to what is good and right, could not be overcome by Pozddexus Zule’s evil. He fought the Demon Lord into submission and banished him back into the abyss of the Third Hell. The Hellsword remained behind, and Bludwyn, as was his right as victor, claimed the weapon as his own and renamed it…much to the dismay of the demons bound within. Now, the Knight of Woe and his Hellsword wander the world together, forever at odds: the demons within striving to corrupt the knight, and the knight countering their evil through ever greater acts of good.
Sir Demitrious Bludwyn
The Knight of Woe
Feldspar Jab Jubbo is the long-suffering Exalted Foreman of the Goblin Repairman Legion. His grizzled exterior belies a wealth of experience and wisdom gained from years of service. He often regales his comrades with tales of legendary repairs and recounts the history of the legion, emphasizing the importance of manual labor and craftsmanship over the allure of modern shortcuts. In the face of skepticism and eye rolls from the younger goblins, Jab Jubbo stands firm, asserting that the Legion's reputation is built on the sweat and grit of its members, not on the fleeting promises of magical or technological alternatives. As a staunch traditionalist Jab Jubbo rejects the growing cries of those young legionnaires to modernize the long-standing Goblin Repairman Protocols. There will be no “streamlining of processes”, “efficiency Integrations”, or any other “mumbo-jumbo nonsense phrases” happening to the respected institution that is the Goblin Repairman Legion while Jab Jubbo is on the job. Along with his Infernal Wrench “Scornkrunk”, Jab Jubbo’s leadership is characterized by a blend of tough love and unwavering loyalty to the legion's values. It is said that “Old Jab Jubbo suffers no jibber-jabber from young whipper-snappers.” Though, not usually to his face.
Feldspar Jab Jubbo
Exalted Foreman of the Goblin Repairman Legion
Hellturt and Burps
When Carbunkle! appeared in its solar system, the Saurian world of Quazdexxal went to war with the Wayward World. Forced into military service, the Quazdexxal mercenaries “Hellturt” and “Burps” (their so-called “professional names”) quickly realized that life on Carbunkle! would be far better, and far more profitable, than on their homeworld. They betrayed their people at the earliest opportunity and were instrumental in helping Carbunkle! fight off the Quazdexxal forces until, eventually, the “World of Adventure” departed the Saurian solar system, never to be seen again. Since then, Hellturt and Burps have made a name for themselves on Carbunkle! as high-priced mercenaries willing to take the jobs that noble adventurers are too good to do. Betraying their entire world hardly crosses their minds compared to the riches they now enjoy. Despite their dubious past, the pair have become minor legends across Carbunkle!, known for being only as brave as the pay allows, and for their questionable morals. Tales of their exploits grow taller with every retelling, usually because Hellturt is the one telling them, while Burps stares down anyone who dare dispute any part.
Opportunistic Mercenary Duo
Bomundo the Apathetic is the most adept magic-user in generations, yet he spends his days in a state of perpetual bemusement, staring out the windows of his sister’s flower shop. He only stirs from his melancholy when his niece and nephew manage to coax him into their childhood shenanigans. Apathy was not part of Bomundo’s nature growing up. He had been an energetic, inquisitive child with a natural affinity for magic. His talents soon drew the attention of a local wizard, who in turn alerted a Council of Greater Wizards. They offered to sponsor Bomundo’s education at a prestigious school of magic, an opportunity his parents could never have afforded. Though reluctant to leave his family, Bomundo was convinced by their encouragement and support. At school, he excelled, as his magical aptitude far outpaced his fellow students and impressed his instructors. But tragedy struck: a house fire claimed his parents’ lives. Though his sister survived, Bomundo was devastated. He knew that, had he been home, he could have prevented the disaster with a simple spell. Despite pleas from students and faculty alike, Bomundo dropped out of school and never returned. He nursed his sister back to health, but once she recovered, he withdrew completely, becoming so aloof and disinterested in life. His growing detachment from the world earned him his unofficial wizard moniker “The Apathetic” He remains close to his sister and, at her request, reluctantly performs small acts of magic to help the flower shop when times are hard. Otherwise, his indifference to magic remains unshaken, in the face of flattery, bribery, and even outright threats. All other efforts to coax him back into using his magic are met with a shrug of his shoulders and a turn of his head.
Bomundo the Apathetic
Magical Prodigy Burned by Grief
Based out of the floating islands of Atla Naru, the legendary Aircastle Shipbuilders have been the premier designers and manufacturers of airships for over a century. Their grand airships are the pride of nations, symbols of dwarven ingenuity, and the envy of every would-be sky captain who ever took to the clouds. The youngest, and most reckless, of the esteemed Aircastle family is Rebekah Aircastle. While her relatives prefer drafting blueprints and holding board meetings, Rebekah would much rather be out hunting sky pirates. To her family’s despair, Rebekah insists the only true way to prove an airship’s worth is by blasting it into combat. Few things bring her more joy than watching a pirate skiff engulfed in flames plummeting through the clouds. Her pride and joy is the AS Steadfast Flabbergast—a sleek, lightning-quick prototype she designed herself. The elders of the Aircastle dynasty dismiss it as a novelty, claiming it lacks the gravitas of their traditional flying fortresses. Still, with the family’s innovation faltering and rivals closing in, the future of the Aircastle Shipbuilders might just rest on their youngest daredevil—provided she can stop picking fights in the skies over Atla Naru long enough to notice.
Rebekah Aircastle
Daring Scion of on Airship Empire
The barbarian known only as “Horsepuncher” hates horses. Kicked in the head at an early age by a wild stallion, Horsepuncher has led a one man war against all things equine or equine related. Horses, donkeys, mules, zebras, pegasuses, unicorns, nightmares, hippogriffs, hippocampi, centaurs… he’ll punch them all! Not even the knight pieces on a chessboard are safe from Horsepuncher’s wrath. Exiled by his people and shunned by almost all horse using societies, Horsepuncher roams the lands of Carbunkle! looking for horses to punch. In this, his unending quest, Horsepuncher inadvertently brought about the downfall of the Dark Lord Rammiuldus, the Nightbringer, whose armies had nearly overcome those of King Galavan of Caellalyth. With the king’s defeat imminent, Horsepuncher appeared on the field of battle, fought his way through two bloodthirsty armies, and upon reaching the Dark Lord’s side, he punched Rammiuldus’ warhorse out from under him. The subsequent fall from horseback broke the Nightbringer’s neck and moments later, the King’s sword pierced his heart. When the battle finished and the Nightbringer’s army routed, King Galavan mounted his horse and went to find the mighty warrior who had helped bring about the Dark Lord’s demise. The king soon found Horsepuncher and called out to him, and Horsepuncher, being a puncher of horses, raced over and punched the king’s horse. The startled beast reared back and fell, crushing and killing King Galavan. In the sudden shock and confusion of the king’s death, Horsepuncher casually walked away, satisfied with the horses he had punched that day. Horsepuncher… he really hates horses!
Horsepuncher
Equine Hating Barbarian
Kettle Black, the Living Cauldron, was magically forged from the molten slag of a fallen meteor by Castrillo, the Blue Wizard of Carbunkle!. With both the personality and dedication of a faithful dog, Kettle Black has weathered many millennia as the Blue Wizard’s constant companion. It’s loving devotion notwithstanding, the primary purpose of the cauldron is to serve as both a receptacle and generator of various liquids. From scalding acid to hearty soup stock, burning lava to magical healing potion, Kettle Black can produce an infinite amount of anything liquid with just a word. Kettle Black is always at its master’s side and, as an ageless, magical pot of cosmic origin, likely always will be.
Kettle Black
Faithful Magical Construct
The Y0J1-MB-061 Blademaster Fighting Unit is a machinaman out of time. Constructed in the third incarnation of the world by the world-conquering enigma engine known as Periwinkle, it remained dormant long after that terrible machine had been reduced to scrap and myth. When a band of adventurers stumbled upon the Blademaster, they unwittingly activated it, bringing it back to life. Without Periwinkle’s commands to guide it, Y0J1-MB-061 found itself adrift, its purpose lost. Out of guilt or perhaps compassion, the adventurers took it under their care, teaching it about life, the passing of ages, and the strange new world it had awakened to. In time, those adventurers grew old, retired, or died. Left behind once more, Y0J1-MB-061 wandered the world without direction. As its metal frame began to wear and its systems faltered, survival became its new purpose. It began hunting other machinamen, dismantling them for parts and assimilating their memories to extend its existence and expand its knowledge. Over the years, Y0J1-MB-061 has become both feared and respected as a hunter of its own kind, taking bounties on rogue machinamen whenever they arise. Yet the Blademaster still seeks a greater purpose in life than mere survival.
Y0J1-MB-061
A Wanderer Seeking Purpose
Culvern Copperminer was a dwarf with no great prospects in life. The fourth son of a working-class mining family, his life would normally have consisted of hard labor, hard drinking, the boon companionship of his fellow miners, and a lifelong dedication to hearth and home. But fate had other plans. While doing survey work in the Clatterbang Mines of Mythnovhar, Culvern was caught in a mine collapse. Instead of finding death waiting for him in the deep darkness, he discovered the remnants of a dwarven civilization from another age. While exploring, he came upon the long-forgotten artifact-weapon Hailstone, a mace forged from a shard of Aegamyx, the Celestial Crystal. Taking up the mace, Culvern gained the accumulated knowledge of its previous wielders, including the lost secret of forging crysteel weapons and armor. When a rescue crew broke through the rubble, they were surprised to find themselves greeted by a dwarf transformed. Culvern Copperminer, the hard-working common laborer, was no more; in his place stood Culvern Crystalmace, a champion of singular vision and purpose. With the knowledge of crysteel returned to them, the dwarves of Mythnovhar, under Culvern’s guidance, are now, by any and all means, gathering up shards of the Celestial Crystal in hopes of forging an armory of crysteel to reclaim what remains of their homeland beneath Mount Grockunmaz, the God Volcano.
Culvern Crystalmace
The Inheritor of Lost Knowledge
The ghost of an unknown adventurer, Memento Maury, likes to show up at the most inopportune times to remind his fellow adventurers that they too will die one day. He follows up his declaration of mortality with uproarious laughter, as if enjoying a joke for which only he knows the punchline. While his main haunting ground seems to be the great city of Byastonia, the headquarters of the International Guild of Adventure Seekers, Dungeon Explorers, and Treasure Hunters, adventurers have claimed that the ghost has appeared to them in other locales across the world. With the various sightings over the years, and with no two descriptions being exactly the same, some suggest that Memento Maury may not be the spirit of a single adventurer at all, but of many, each sharing the same admonition: that one day, death comes for us all. However, no one has proven the theory, and the ghost (ghosts?) refuses to reveal its secrets. Some adventurers see Memento Maury’s appearance as an ill omen, a precursor to a doomed expedition, while others feel the exact opposite, believing that Maury’s absence is the true sign of impending failure. The two sides agree to disagree. All Memento Maury wants everyone to know is: “Pssst… hey! Hey, you! You’re gonna die. You’re all gonna die! Aha… ha… ha ha ha!”
Memento Maury
A Merry Messenger of Mortality
Diggsby Dab Funnel is one of the youngest members of the prestigious Goblin Repairman Legion, the world famous organization that is unparalleled in the repair and reconstruction of mechanical wonders, both ancient and modern. With his unwavering dedication, Diggsby made a name for himself as an innovative legionnaire, demonstrating a remarkable aptitude for solving even the most complex repairs and renovations. Due to his exceptional ingenuity, Diggsby quickly advanced to the rank of Specialist, faster than most of his fellow repairmen. This led to jealous grumbling from veteran legionnaires, claiming the youth hadn’t properly paid his dues. Diggsby’s colleagues became even more frustrated when Castrillo, the Blue Wizard of Carbunkle, offered the brilliant young goblin an exclusive open-ended contract. Given the choice of dealing with the continued disgruntlement of the other goblin repairmen or the exciting possibilities of working for Castrillo, the Blue Wizard was the obvious choice. Diggsby sometimes questions his decision though, as life with the jovial old wizard and his entourage has proven to be endlessly challenging for the talented goblin.
Diggsby Dab Funnel
The Innovative Repairman
Captain Jett Engine came to Carbunkle! by way of an unstable dimensional rift. A science hero on his world, he fought against anarchy and chaos under the codename “The Jet Engine”, using his fists, his gun, and his personal jet engine powered by the mysterious “Fuel X”. Stuck on Carbunkle! with no way back to his world and with his fuel supply running low, Captain Engine was told to seek help from the “Byastonian School of Gnomish Alchemy and Engineering”. There they discovered that “Fuel X” was similar in chemical composition to the dwarven grog known as “Wet Gravel”. So, with some gnomish alchemical know-how, the not so mysterious “Fuel Z” was born! On a world not his own, Captain Jett Engine now fights monsters and evil wizards, blasting through the skies of Carbunkle! with a heroic cry of “JET ENGINE!”
Captain Jett Engine
Science Hero from Another World
Abandoned by his parents at a young age, Jomojami Peccavi’s early years were spent as a street urchin, surviving on scraps and the occasional kindness of strangers. Despite his humble existence, he possessed a remarkable talent: his voice. The streets soon became his stage, and singing for his supper a way of life. Passing adventurers would frequently tell the young Peccavi that dungeons had the best acoustics in all the world, greater than the greatest of opera houses, so, curiosity piqued, he joined The International Guild of Adventure Seekers, Dungeon Explorers, and Treasure Hunters to see if the tales were true. The deep, dank, stone walls of various dungeons indeed served as a unique canvas for his voice to resonate, turning forgotten chambers into impromptu concert halls. Jomojami’s singing echoed through the underground passages, enchanting his fellow adventurers and the ferocious monsters they were trying to kill. As tales of the singing adventurer spread, his story reached the ears of a renowned opera impresario who recognized the untapped potential in this exceptional artist. Jomojami was offered a chance to showcase his talents on the world’s grandest stages. Thus, the street urchin turned dungeon troubadour became a rising star of the opera scene. His journey from the depths of Carbunkle!’s many dungeons to the world’s most prestigious theaters captivated audiences and critics alike. Now world-famous, Jomojami enjoys a life of opulence and extravagance, a far cry from singing on the streets for survival. Yet despite his fame, he is always on the lookout for a good dungeon-crawling adventure, for it is in the dark depths of a gloomy, dripping dungeon that his voice truly shines.
Jomojami Peccavi
The Adventurer of the Opera
Grimmgor Giftgiver
The Father of Grim Giftmas
Carbunkle! The World of Adventure was born when the “God Volcano,” Mount Grockunmaz, erupted, destroying the old world and reshaping it anew. Those who survived the eruption and the disasters that followed were powerless as their civilizations crumbled and the land itself transformed around them. Buried beneath volcanic ash, the scattered remnants of the world’s races were left sick, starving, and bewildered. With dwindling resources and no hope left, there was little to do but wait for death or for divine intervention. Out of the gray misery of the God Volcano’s wrath he appeared: a white-bearded dwarf, armored in red, flying upon a mechanical ram. Across the ravaged world he traveled, seeking those who struggled to survive. With a grim visage and somber bearing he arrived, carrying a magical sack that never seemed to empty. From it he produced food and water, tools and weapons, medicine and materials, everything needed not only to live but to rebuild. Overwhelmed with gratitude, the survivors would turn to thank their morose benefactor, only to see him already soaring away across the ashen skies. Calling out their thanks, they would ask what they should do next. And in the distance they would hear a grim yet heartfelt reply: “Don’t die!” All the peoples and cultures who endured those dark days of Carbunkle!’s beginnings tell their own version of the tale, yet the similarities are undeniable. Although scholars endlessly debate its historical accuracy, the common folk have long embraced the legend that helped their ancestors survive, recover, and rebuild upon the ashes of the God Volcano. He has been known by many names: The Giftgiver, Saint Grimm, Gordrak’hilke (“He Who Gives Gifts Grimly”), Sir Grimgifts, and others. In the modern era he is known primarily as Grimmgor Giftgiver, the Father of Grim Giftmas.
Quick with a smile but quicker with a knife, Petra Rose Emberthorn is an ambitious young rogue with dreams of running her own criminal empire. Currently working as an adventurer to gain practical experience, she rankles at the rules and regulations of the International Guild of Adventure Seekers, Dungeon Explorers, and Treasure Hunters, especially the stipulations against killing civilians indiscriminately, even in certain situations. Petra’s parents were petty thieves. Her mother died when Petra was very young, and while her father desperately tried to turn away from a life of crime for the sake of his daughter, he was never successful. Instead, he taught her the basic skills she would eventually build upon as a rogue in the Adventurer’s Guild. Petra has made a name for herself as a charismatic, quick-witted, and enthusiastic adventurer, all while secretly making connections and establishing ties to the criminal underworld she plans to one day rule.
Petra Rose Emberthorn
Aspiring Princess of Crime
Ankor Anvilhelm
The Pride of His Parents
Growing up, his mother wanted him to join the priesthood while his father hoped he would carry on the family legacy by serving in the military. For Ankor Anvilhelm, a most industrious dwarf, the decision was simple: “Why not both?” While training to become a Battle Cleric, he also dedicated himself to mastering the forge. Though he focused primarily on crafting weapons, his greatest creation so far has been his namesake, the Anvilhelm, a Mastercraft helmet that doubles as a working anvil. Paired with his enchanted hammer and tongs, Stormmolder and Stormholder, Ankor Anvilhelm is prepared to make, break, or repair anything at a moment’s notice. Having distinguished himself in countless battles over the years, he now serves as First Cleric and the primary field medic for Dred Dradsholnax, the elite fighting force of Kingpriest Hezekiah Holyhammer. With Holyhammer’s forces perpetually at war, Ankor Anvilhelm can be found on a battlefield somewhere in the world on any given day, serving with skill and dedication that would make both his mother and father proud.
In the shadowy ruins of a long-forgotten library, an ambitious wizard unearthed the forbidden spellbook Grimoirous Obscurum. With its vast, archaic, and arcane knowledge, the ancient tome had been sought by generations of magic users. Determined to harness its power, the wizard made a daring attempt to bind the book to his own soul. However, the incantation misfired catastrophically, merging man and book into a single, sentient entity. The now living tome possessed all the information contained within the Grimoirous Obscurum, combined with the canny intellect of the wizard who had dared to claim it. Yet the merging had come at a terrible cost: the book retained no memory of its previous existences, neither as forbidden grimoire nor as ambitious wizard. Seeking to understand its existence, the conscious compendium of conjuring soon found that its new life was fraught with peril and strife. Answers were few, and sympathy rarer still. Wizards coveted it. Scholars feared it. Clerics called it an abomination. A deep and abiding melancholy set in as the magical manuscript sought refuge and acceptance to no avail. At last, wearied by pursuit and despair, the grimoire accepted what it was, an anomaly, an aberration of powerful magic cursed with self-awareness. Accepting that its fate was not within its own grasp, the tome resolved to give itself over to the first wizard it encountered, no matter their intent, if only to find a reason to exist. The particular wizard the tome happened to come across was Castrillo, the Blue Wizard of Carbunkle! The jovial old mage was delighted to meet the sentient spellbook, immediately offering it a place in his entourage, a mission to fulfill, and a name: Grim Tidings. The gloomy grimoire indeed accepted its fate at Castrillo’s side, forming a partnership that, despite their vastly different temperaments and perpetual bickering, endures to this day.
Grim Tidings
The Gloomy Grimoire
Mighty Último!
The Immortal Champion
When the sorcerer Wokengroat unleashed a zombie plague to conquer the island nation of Ferronus, only one man stood in his way: the masked hero known as Mighty Último. As the mindless undead rampaged across the land, Último fought them fearlessly, stopping zombie hordes from destroying villages and cities with neck-breaking elbow drops, skull-splitting dropkicks, and spine-shattering flying butt-bumps. The people of Ferronus cheered for him, though few were brave enough to join the fight. Still, Último battled on for their sake, one man against many. Enraged that a single warrior was halting his conquest, Wokengroat summoned the Death Knight Moribunde the Moth-Eaten to hunt down and capture Mighty Último. The undead champion came, armed with a flaming mace and clad in armor forged from the bones of his enemies. He found Último and the two clashed in a brutal duel. Though Último fought valiantly, Moribunde was neither mindless nor mortal, and in the end, the hero succumbed to his wounds. Curious to learn the identity of the man who had so fiercely opposed him, Wokengroat ordered the hero unmasked. Was he a prince? A soldier? A legendary champion? No. Beneath the mask was Lucca Adoré, a humble farmer whose greatest claim to fame was winning the pig-wrestling contest at the Feast of the Twin Moons three years in a row. Outraged that his nemesis was a lowborn nobody, Wokengroat had Adoré thrown into prison, intending to keep him alive until Ferronus was fully conquered. Then, he would gloat over the broken hero before killing him. The sorcerer spread word of Mighty Último’s defeat, boasting that Ferronus’ so-called champion was nothing more than a peasant. He warned that further resistance would not be tolerated. But his message had the opposite effect. From across the island, people rose up, young and old, men and women, donning masks in honor of their fallen hero. They called themselves the Lucca Liberators and united to fight back against Wokengroat’s undead legions. Many gave their lives for Ferronus and for Mighty Último, but their sacrifice was not in vain. The Liberators stormed the prison holding Lucca Adoré and freed him from his cell. Donning his mask and cape once more, Mighty Último returned to the battlefield. Leading the charge, Último fought his way to Wokengroat’s tower. Breaking away from the Liberators, he ascended the winding stair and burst into the sorcerer’s lair. Bolts of magical lightning struck him as Wokengroat cursed his name, but Último pressed on. Step by step, seared by burning energy, he drew closer until he was near enough to strike. With one final burst of strength, he delivered a devastating kick to the gut followed by a neck-breaking piledriver that ended the life of Wokengroat, would-be conqueror of Ferronus. With the sorcerer dead, his dark magic collapsed. The zombies fell where they stood, lifeless once more, and the plague was ended. When the battle was over, the surviving Liberators found Mighty Último’s body beside that of the defeated sorcerer. They mourned Lucca Adoré, the simple farmer who had become their greatest hero, and swore that Mighty Último would live on. One of them would don the mask of Mighty Último when the need arose, and so would their children, and their children’s children. And so Mighty Último passed from life into legend — an immortal champion behind a mask, identity unknown, ever watchful and ready to protect the island nation of Ferronus. Evil-doers beware… for Mighty Último lives on!
For three hundred years, the nation of Lagranzz lay shrouded in an ensorcelling mist that confounded all who tried to cross it. Cut off from the rest of the world, its people splintered into warring clans, fighting over scarce resources and relying heavily on their rich crystal deposits from Aegamyx, the Celestial Crystal. With metal and other materials for traditional weapons in short supply, a new warrior class emerged: fighters who harnessed the crystal shards of Aegamyx to channel elemental energy through martial discipline. These Crystal Monks became a powerful faction unto themselves, independent from yet highly sought after by the Lagranzzer clans. It soon became custom for high-ranking families to send their lesser-born children to the monks. Though the training was perilous and often fatal, families hoped their children would return as powerful assets to serve both kin and clan. Annavale Claremonde’s parents were especially ambitious. Determined to rise higher in their clan’s hierarchy, they were willing to risk their only daughter and heir, sending her to train as a Crystal Monk at an early age. Though she excelled in her training, Annavale had little interest in advancing her parents’ ambitions or serving her clan’s warlords. When the mists of Lagranzz finally and mysteriously lifted, Annavale was twelve years old. Unlike many of her countrymen, who feared what lay beyond, she was overjoyed by the vast world that awaited her and wanted to learn everything she could about Carbunkle! Amid the chaos of Lagranzz’s reintegration into the wider world, dignitaries, ambassadors, and emissaries brought with them books, maps, and histories from across the globe. Annavale pored over them all. And there, among a battered old stack of Adventurer’s Almanacs donated to her family, she discovered her true calling. She learned more about Carbunkle! from those pages than anywhere else and was captivated by the tales of adventurers who fought monsters, explored dungeons, and uncovered lost cities. She knew then that becoming an adventurer was what she wanted to do with her life—not fight over scraps of land in one country, but fight for the greater good of the whole world. When she told her parents she intended to join The International Guild of Adventure Seekers, Dungeon Explorers, and Treasure Hunters at eighteen, her announcement was met with fierce resistance from them. Understanding that they would never give their approval, Annavale waited patiently, playing the dutiful daughter while training ever harder as a Crystal Monk. When she finally felt her skills were without equal, she took inspiration from her favorite adventurer, Fishbone, and ran away from home, leaving Lagranzz behind to forge her own path in the greater world. Now her life is one of adventure and purpose. Always eager to learn the history of every place she visits and the customs of those she meets, Annavale Claremonde stands ready for any challenge. Bold, curious, and unshakably determined, she has become a rising star within the Adventurer’s Guild, ready to rise even higher.
Annavale Claremonde
The Fighter for the Light
Sir Bruce DeGander
The War Goose
Waddlefast Furyhonk was a perfectly average goose who, along with the rest of his flock, was enchanted by the Zephyr Enigmas, the “Ill Wind of Misspent Magic.” The transformed geese became smarter, stronger, and meaner, with a select few, like Furyhonk, granted unique abilities. The magicked flock descended upon the grounds of Aquarallane, the majestic summer residence of the King of Friznieve. True to their nature, the geese promptly began feasting on every available patch of foliage and leaving their droppings in abundance. A diligent royal groundskeeper, faithfully carrying out his duties, attempted to politely usher the avian intruders away. That mild shooing incident became the spark that ignited the Great Goose War of 1624. There were few heroes to be found in the war of man versus goose. The conflict, in fact, came perilously close to igniting a world war as other nations became involved. Yet, in the same year it began, the war came to an abrupt end. Leadership among geese is a collective affair. As their ranks swelled to include a contingent of ducks, several factions of beastmen, a few perplexed platypuses, and one particularly disgruntled dwarf, only the geese touched by the Zephyr Enigmas assumed command of the flock’s army. Much like the V formation of a flying gaggle, any goose serving as primary leader would eventually step aside, allowing another to take its place. When the time came for Waddlefast Furyhonk to lead, he did so. But recognizing no hope of victory and longing for the days of flying, feasting, and defecating in new and captivating locales, Furyhonk decided to sue for peace, thus bringing the Great Goose War to an end. Delighted by the sudden cessation of this inexplicable conflict, the King of Friznieve ceremoniously knighted the goose responsible for restoring peace. Thus, Waddlefast Furyhonk became Sir Bruce DeGander, Knight of the Realm. Though reluctant, the king conceded control of the palace grounds to the geese, as they had already left their indelible mark upon both palace and land. Furthermore, he imposed an oath of fealty upon the flock, compelling them to swear never to start another war in Friznieve again in exchange for the land they now inhabited. Much to their chagrin, the groundskeeper who started it all—and the rest of his crew—were included in the deal, tasked with keeping the grass fresh and healthy for the warmongering geese. With the war ended and peace restored, DeGander promptly resigned from the flock and, embracing his new knighthood, set out into the world as a knight-errant. Possessing a penchant for aggression, gluttony, and copious excretion, DeGander was hardly the epitome of a noble knight, often making a nuisance of himself wherever he went. Delighted by tales of an enchanted goose knight, Castrillo, the Blue Wizard of Carbunkle!, set off to find Sir Bruce and offer him a position in his entourage as a bodyguard. Though initially reluctant to accept the Blue Wizard’s invitation, DeGander’s hesitation vanished after tasting the assortment of baked goods prepared by Castrillo’s wife, Neenaroo the Homebody. Now, Sir Bruce DeGander serves the Blue Wizard and his wife as their vigilant protector, aggressive devourer of food, and dedicated defecator. But he is, most certainly, not their pet.
