schemers, i love you.
a father, kind to a fault, but as skilled a liar as his rascal brother. haunted by death, an actor with everything to lose. he knows how to swordfight because he was a child soldier, but his only experience in twenty years is with stage foils. war is in your blood, though, and he hasn't forgotten. that blade at his side isn't just for show, no matter how convincing his harmless family man act is, and his magic is far more than smoke and mirrors.
a hillbilly wizard--brilliant, a new breed of magician in this new world. a sense of justice as subtle as a sledgehammer and the temperament to match. she's short, she's topheavy, and she's sure as hell gonna get shit done. she can see into the fabric of reality. she hasn't slept in four days. she's got the shittiest boss in the world. despite everything, she still believes in the beauty of magic in this fresh new world. the universe speaks to her and she speaks back: brash, bawdy, and smarter than anyone expects.
a tortured survivor. his very magic is built on memories. who is he without what he has lost? sunset eyes, shining armor, and a heavy grief--he had to grow into them all. he's the man with a plan. a perfect soldier, if you ignore the sedition. he's got a revolutionary heart, and the war hasn't left him, either. he is still trying to take the world on his shoulders, and he is so very young. he was ready to die for the man he idealized. he thinks his life is worth less than his heroes. who's going to tell him he's a hero himself?
and, of course. a man who's not a man at all. a story brought to life. a myth, walking and grinning and murdering his way through a nearly mundane existence. his magic is all smoke and mirrors; a whisper here, a misdirection there. it's all a great act--the best trick that's ever been pulled off. he's kind to kids in need. his best friend is the brother of his worst enemy. he's a catty bitch. who are you when you had to fight for the right to even think for yourself? what are you willing to do for your autonomy, once you find it? he is a monster, a horror of the old gods--and he is laughing next to you at the bar, helping you save the world.
