Rebel Heart

A Warrior’s Quest

The hero, Kex Mardugal, trained as a warrior under her mentor,

Aralund Chase, to be the King’s Champion in the

Tournament of All Saints.

Though she is a skilled fighter, she is a half-Alusian, which has made her an outcast among the humans of Calairn.

She has led a sheltered life and longs to explore the world beyond her homeland of Balmorhea.

Kex is called to adventure when a mysterious man, Don Claudio D’Inari, sends an invitation to her, enlisting her

help as the King’s Champion, to help defeat an evil demon that has overtaken Thistledown Keep.

She refuses the quest at first because she feels that her place is with her grandfather, the King. Their land is on the brink of war with her Uncle Ferrun, who believes that Balmorhans should not ally themselves with the “Soulless” Alusians.

Her grandfather assures her that war is a long way from their lands. He counsels her to take the quest so that she may gain experience

as a warrior.

Before she departs, her grandfather gives her his sword and a leather-bound journal, so that she will always remember that fighting must be balanced with learning.

Kex sets off with the messenger, Calket, to take up the quest.

They enter the unknown lands of Partenios and navigate the River Carda, which is controlled by a series of magical locks.

They enter the busy and unknown port city of Thryace. As they’re leaving their ship, pickpockets try to rob them. Kex gives chase and meets Arturo Torrenz, second born son and prince of the ruling family.

Kex agrees to meet him after she meets the mysterious Don Claudio D’Inari

Kex arrives at Don Claudio D’Inari’s fortress, where she meet the other heroes he’s summoned.

Don Claudio is intense and unpredictable. He’s incredibly wealthy and a bit arrogant.

Don Claudio hopes for them to be allies.

But they don’t get along… at first.

Oran Roly, a fighter and healer who is also an alcoholic

Kenshi Wayara, a misogynistic warrior.

Timoth, an exiled Rydian centaur

The group’s first test happens before they leave the city of Thryace.

Oran convinces Calket to pickpocket a Thryacian nobleman.

It backfires, and Calket accidentally stabs the nobleman in the leg with a poison dart.

This leads to Calket’s arrest and execution order.

Kex feels responsible for Calket since they have become friends. She tries to get the group to help free Calket. Instead, they fall apart – Oran gets drunk, Kenshi walks away, and Timoth believes law should follow its course.

Kex goes to Claudio for help. Annoyed, he agrees, but they arrive to find that

Calket has already been executed.

Don Claudio uses magic to resurrect Calket, which sets Claudio’s plans back. In exchange, he orders Calket to accompany the heroes on their quest.

The group leaves Thryace, bound for Lottia, a tiny village on the border of

the Wilderness.

There, they encounter their second test – an eerie psychic storm that washes over the town. Anything left outside the town’s defenses becomes twisted into horrid creatures.

In Lottia, they meet a warrior scout, Serys, who guides them into the wilderness.

As the dangers of the forest heighten, the group endeavors to help each other in order to survive.

Finally, they arrive at Thistledown Keep, which has been entwined with thorny vines. It takes several days to navigate the maze of briars to

reach the keep.

During this time, Kex learns that she responds differently to the evil magic

around the keep. The others feel ill-at-ease, but she is unaffected.

The group encounters

many grotesque creatures within

the keep, including a

group of soul-draining wights that nearly kill

Oran.

Finally, they meet the Naga demons.

Timoth dies in the dragon battle. Kex is critically injured, but Kenshi helps her before the female Naga kills her. Kex goes on to slay the Naga, but breaks her sword in the process.

After securing the keep, they return to Thryacia, where Arturo and Don Claudio were waiting.

But, all was not well. In their absence, Balmorhea sent word that war had broken out in Calairn.

Kex returns home to find the great battle is already over. Her father and Uncle Ferrun have made peace, and her grandfather is dying.

On his deathbed, her grandfather admitted that he sent her on the quest to get her out of danger. He also pleads for her to help maintain the fragile peace between her Uncle Ferrun, and her father.

After the burial, Uncle Ferrun participates in the coronation naming Kex’s father, Yrek, king.

Kex feels betrayed by her grandfather, and still mistrusts her uncle.

Kex realizes then that Calairn is no longer her home. She returns toThryace, where news of the heroes’ work at Thistledown has spread.

When she arrives in the Thryacian harbor, she’s welcomed as a hero.