The Book of Courage "Our ongoing quest. . . To courageously ascend where no one has transcended before." --Lord John Paul, Serpent's Hold |
. . . the residents of the Serpent's Hold are an odd assortment, certainly a different generation than those who first founded the order. John-Paul, Lord of the Hold and its surrounding lands, is a stoic fellow, but well-versed in the virtues and is certainly well-respected by his knights and followers. By his side thou shalt always find Sir Horffe, Captain of the Guards, abandoned as a child to be raised by two knights, and perhaps the most honorable gargoyle in the land. However, when in battle, 'tis Sir Richter of the Armory who serves as the Lord's second. Alas, the young man has been able to do naught but morn since the loss of Lady Tory, a compassionate young woman praised for her empathy and her guidance, and yet who was hideously murdered. Richter bears the burden of raising her only child, Riky, who, if rumors are to be believed, is his son as well. Lady Leigh, the healer, offers her comfort when she can, but again, if rumors are to be believed, the heart of this most beautiful of women belongs to the Lord of the castle. Perhaps the most interesting of this odd lot are the two friends, Sir Denton and Sir Jordan. Sir Denton is a most humorless fellow--odd for a barkeep, though he strives to parley and understand jokes. What he lacks in humor is compensated by logic and wisdom. He is a puzzle-solver, a virtual encyclopedia, and like all knights, an extraordinary fighter. Sir Jordan, too, excels in combat, though one would never guess this at first, for he is blind. But blindness does not to inhibit his hands, as he is one of the most skilled bowyers in the land. Yes, an odd group lives at Serpent's Hold, but they are knights all the same, sworn to uphold virtue by a common oath: "Virtue, the Way of the Avatar. . . "We are the Knights of the Serpent's Hold. Our ongoing quest, to uphold the land's Honor, to seek out paragons of Valor and Sacrifice. To courageously ascend where no one has transcended before. . ."