Delia, Helen, and Esme
Delia, Helen, and Esme are triplets from Branoli Town. Delia speaks of nothing but the wonders of Cerapion City and her plans to go be part of the "city of the future." Helen dreams of setting out to sea and finding an uncharted island—she already has the name picked out: Pomono Island. And Esme sketches the tall mountains to the south, eager to see their forests and lakes. But the triplets can't imagine being separated. So as they share their dreams with each other, they wonder how they can make it all work.
Shilvoya Timpoli
Shilvoya and her husband Nedd live and work in the outpost close to the Vendigo River in the Brittle Lands. With all the activity due to the development of the new experimental city, the Brittle Lands Outpost has become a well-used rest spot for travelers making the grueling voyage to the desert building site. Shilvoya greets and feeds the travelers, and enjoys listening to their tales. On quiet days she paints the prickly local plants. The outpost is now adorned with many of her paintings.
Bobby Elsburg
When Bobby of Unree Town, Gie Coast, celebrated his tenth birthday, the entire village celebrated with him. For as long as he could remember, Bobby had heard that he would not survive long, having been born with devastating ailments. But to everyone’s shock, by age ten, he was cured. Rumors circulated about the nature of his cure, but the only one who might know what happened is Bobby, and if he knows, he won’t say. The villagers don’t pry though, they are just glad for this sweet, good-natured boy.
Elbertine Misk
Elbertine of Maror, in the Esquina Hills, has just opened up a cafe. After many years of planning, dreaming, saving and waiting, Cafe Misk is a reality. The cafe specializes in delicate pastries with rotating daily flavors. It is always decorated with fresh cut flowers and is situated perfectly to catch the breeze. Already the cafe has become the talk of the town. Elbertine is very pleased and finds great joy in both the daily work and the success of their creation.
Cassia Camploi
Cassia lives in the woods outside of Torinan Village, Inalas, with her father, a woodcutter and carpenter, and her mother, a much sought after mushroom farmer. Cassia used to try to make herself useful, but as no one seemed to notice, she started spending more time wandering in the woods, sometimes following the tracks all the way into Torinan. In the village, she borrows books from her friend Marina and purchases sweet slivers of chocolate that she savors on her walk back home.
Neil and Waverly Poppok
Neil, Tisha, and their daughter Waverly live in Cranefish Town. Once a week, starting shortly after Waverly was born, Neil takes her down to the docks to see the boats while Tisha has an afternoon to herself. It’s a long walk, but Waverly looks forward to it each week. She sings and dances circles around her father as they walk. Neil is a quiet man. He remembers their early walks when he could push her in her carriage and is a bit startled by the lively child she has become, though he loves her dearly.
Brinn Dulock
Brinn has lived in Sunto Village in Iranca since she was born. When a fire burned down her family's home, her parents and siblings moved to Komoko City, hoping to improve their lives. But Brinn stayed behind with her grandparents, caring for their flock of sheep. Recently, Brinn has acquired two sheepdog puppies, and she is training them to help her out. She's named them Biff and Bopp and they have brought her great joy. Although she is busy and works hard, she always saves time for all that she loves.
Jinsto Jalmeri
Jinsto of Iranca Caves is fascinated by history, especially tales of discovery. He's read all the history books he can get his hands on but isn't satisfied that the accounts are accurate or comprehensive enough. It frustrates him that he may never know who found certain places first, and that their stories are lost. He'd like his own name to go down in history as an explorer who discovered a whole new cave system. In his fantasy, the caves he discovers contain multiple previously unknown species.
Ingrid Lapso
Ingrid emigrated from the Masconian Empire to the Overgrowth as a child. She was old enough to remember her old home and the long, treacherous journey. Her family had traveled with a caravan that shrunk the further south they went. By the time they reached the Overgrowth, they were on their own. They settled in Cava Village, where her parents started a small homestead. Ingrid tried to get used to her new life, but her foreign accent, clothes, and memories left her feeling out of place.
Denio Bole
Denio lives in the village of Cassel at the foot of Overgrowth Mountain. He is a devout follower of the God of Life, known to locals as Garolio, the Green God. Denio has a shrine to Garolio by his house but also regularly hikes up the mountain to care for the many shrines there. His favorite is the oldest, most inaccessible, and hardest to find. Once there, Denio pours water carried up from the base of the mountain into the receiving cup, prays, then, renewed, heads back down the mountain.
Oliver Quest
Oliver is the son of wealthy Pintecho City merchants. The locals all run out to greet him when he passes by and sometimes jokingly call him "Prince Oliver." Oliver enjoys the celebrity and is friendly and gracious with his people. He loves his city and has never left the peninsula. Some whisper that they would prefer that he were to be their ruler instead of the handful of elite merchants currently holding the reins. To that, Oliver just smiles, charming and polite, but in fact he shares their dream.
Grace-Linn Fox
Grace-Linn moved to Tamvari, deep in the Rayline Jungle, after a dream in which a monkey spoke to her and told her that her destiny awaited her. She loved the jungle right away but has had a difficult time getting used to the local customs. Instead of trying to settle in, she prefers to pack a day bag and trek out on her own, writing her observations, sketching what she sees, and turning her notes into poetry. She’s lonely but sure that she will be able to make a place for herself here.
Alan Fitzroy
Alan lives in Gensipolis on the shores of Lake Bliss.He has a busy life. He studies, works in his parents' hardware store, and he makes plans. Not only does he make plans, but he carries them out. After carrying out a spectacular birthday extravaganza for a cousin, his skills have been noticed, and now he's not only planning his own activities, he's planning a camping trip for some neighbors, a field day for the school children, and a holiday celebration for his neighborhood.
Chembrok Tivito
Chembrok came to the Ixari Tower on a pilgrimage in honor of the God of Quiet. Maintaining his vow of silence came easily and was even a relief after spending recent years living in crowded orchard-laborer housing in Gie Coast. During his stay at Ixari Tower, Chembrok fell in love with the sounds of the desert, especially the croaks of the Agrockrip frog. He also fell in love with fellow pilgrim, Amalli. Instead of returning home, the couple built a cottage in the desert where they live together quietly.
Tampara Otlipico
Tampara of Walkia Bluffs is a student of Chivani the sea witch, a vocation that requires great patience as Chivani rarely shows herself and instead communicates through omens and cryptic messages. Tampara has studied the tides and the patterns of rock and shell so carefully that she sees more quickly than most when a message has been sent. She is not the only one of Chivani's students, though she is currently the most promising. The other students regard Tampara with great respect and wonder.
Bert Vano
Bert and his beloved hound Lizzie live in the no-man's land on the border of Walkia and the Masconian Empire. Although there is a road that passes nearby, connecting Masconia to Walkia Flats, it is not well traveled as the two regions are somewhat hostile to each other. Although their location sounds desolate, Bert and Lizzie aren't alone out here. A small community has grown in the ruins, mostly refugees from Masconia seeking space and freedom over the relative comforts of the city.
Snell Fibb
Snell lives in a small, tight-knit community on Levia. Recently he had an opportunity to set sail to the Jinivar mainland but after much soul-searching he decided to stay on Levia. Life is hard here. Ships with goods from the mainland are few. But Snell loves it all the same. Plus, he's also recently met a woman named Violet from the far side of the island, and he's pretty sure he's in love. He hopes to impress Violet by building her a house where they can settle and prosper together.
Tamroy Albierterson
Like many in Nakla City, Tamroy's family has a cottage along the shore of Zies Sea where they head for the holidays. Tamroy always tries to avoid the preparations for the annual community fish-fry and instead wanders along the shore looking for abandoned Zies Blue Duck nests. Sometimes the nests are big enough that he can—very carefully—climb inside. This year he's considering letting his younger cousins tag along, though this increases the risk of being caught and put to work.