Character Gallery

Over the coming months you'll find original artwork depicting some of the characters of Paksworld, starting with just one (below) and working up to...what I can afford to commission, basically. I don't have a schedule for the additional images, but I'm happy to introduce the work of Richard Hescox, an artist whose work I've admired for (among other things) his ability to portray characters. I'll announce new images on both the Paksworld blog and on Twitter.

Note that although I commissioned the images the artist holds the copyright; the notice is on the image. If you are interested in a print, in licensing the image for other uses, or purchase of the original, contact Richard Hescox at http://www.richardhescox.com/

Arvid Semminson is everyone's favorite thief enforcer from Paksworld. Brought up in a thief family, under the tutelage of the Thieves' Guild in Verella, Arvid started in the trade as a cute little boy very good at both cutting purse-strings when someone else created a disturbance and standing on a barrel and singing for a coin while other little boys and girls cut the purse-strings of his audience. By the time Paks first met Arvid, he was just becoming uneasy with his work as a Thieves' Guild enforcer...the new Master in Verella had begun an alliance with the followers of Liart, the Bloodlord. Arvid didn't mind a little thieving or even breaking a few kneecaps, but ritual torture disgusted him. He preferred to spend his time impressing country girls with his city sophistication and his mellow singing voice. As an Enforcer, he could travel from town to town, reminding local thieves and merchants alike of the advantages of cooperation with the system, avoiding what was happening back in Verella. Smart, handsome, dangerous and proud of it...this is the Arvid Paks met in Sheepfarmer's Daughter. But life as a roving bad boy has its costs, and Arvid will discover them in time.

Aliam Halveric, born and bred in Lyonya, younger brother of the Sier of Halveric, was still a very young commander when he took in a starveling boy late one autumn, a boy who had no memory of his real name or home and, who called himself Kieri Phelan. Later, Aliam made the boy his squire, and then--seeing his abilities--sponsored him to the training hall of the Knights of Falk. Meanwhile, Aliam built his own reputation as a mercenary commander in Aarenis: competent, tough, honest, and fair. Though war is a hard, cruel business, Aliam never made it worse than it had to be. He and Kieri Phelan remained friends, even after Kieri formed his own mercenary company and held a domain in neighboring Tsaia. Together with several other mercenary commanders, they instituted a code of honor for mercenaries. This did not mean they never fought on opposite sides. In the first book of the Paks opus, one of Phelan's cohorts was captured by Halveric Company, and Paksenarrion, then a very young soldier, was not happy to lay down her sword at Halveric's feet.

Though notably shorter than Kieri Phelan, Aesil M'dierra, Sofi Ganarrion, and other mercenary commanders, Aliam has taken the teasing about that and his baldness with his usual good-humor. He knows his colleagues respect his skill and strength on the battlefield and trust his honor in all situations.