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Theod Knecht
Theod Knecht
A second year student at Kuiper's, seventeen years old. Theod is the only other nackie dragoneer at Kuiper's along with Anequs, being Naquisit. However unlike her, he is disconnected from his culture, having been raised in an orphanage (after his parents were executed for their part in the Nack Island uprising) and later sent into servitude. He expected to spend his whole life as a servant until a dragon hatchling bonded to him instead of his master's sons; the scandal of a nackie having a dragon at all rose to the level of a moot, where Frau Kuiper offered to pay the value of the egg and accepted him into Kuiper's as a student on scholarship. His dragon is Copper, an akhari—a Kindah breed similar to a bjalladreki.
- Actual Pacifist: Theod can't stand the idea of being in the dragonthede. When asked in front of the jarl and thedes if he'd consider joining the dragonthede, he shudders at the thought and says he's not a fighter; he'd only do so if drafted to defend the country, but never wants the life of a soldier.
- Beneath the Mask: Theod spent years being trained, as a servant, to be as unemotional and unnoticed as possible. He constantly puts on a blank, unemotional face at school so no one knows how he really feels in a situation—out of place, scared, and uncomfortable around the upper class people he's expected to present himself to as proof nackies can be "civilized", when he expected to live the life of a servant at best. It takes getting close for Anequs to see behind it and expose his vulnerability, but anytime he's uncomfortable or stressed—often on school grounds—the blank unemotional face comes right back.
- Book Dumb: Theod went from his first six years in an orphanage to serving in Herr Isbrand Malher's home, where he trained in service with desires to become a footman at best before Copper bonded to him. He never went to primary school like the other students and had no formal education; at his arrival at the academy, he couldn't even read. He is however, skilled at dragon knowledge—able to explain all the fact about dragons on campus to Anequs at their first meeting—friendly with the dragonhall staff, and knows quite a bit about upper class ways as he was being trained to serve them. He also recognizes how they're being used against him now that he's a dragoneer, in a way Anequs initially does not.
- Embarrassing Last Name: Knecht means "jarl's servant" and is given as a last name to almost anyone at the New Linvik orphanage Theod grew up in.
- Foil: To Anequs. While she is confident, direct, and secure in and proud of in her culture and was raised in it until becoming Nampeshiweisit, Theod has been torn from any connections to the Naquisit or any indigenous people his whole life until their meeting. He initially berates Anequs for refusing to be "elevated" and struggles to connect back to any aspects of his culture once exposed. He was also raised among the Anglish as an orphan and trained to be a servant, and is unskilled in scholarship, not even knowing how to read before his schooling while Anequs can read and write in several indigenous languages and Anglish. In contrast, while Anequs doesn't know much about Anglish expectations or social rules outside of what she's read in pennik novels to start (and is constantly befuddled or annoyed by them), Theod knows the ins and outs of Anglish society even from the angle of a servant and how the prejudice of the Anglish can and is continuously used against the two of them as nackie dragoneers.
- He Cleans Up Nicely: Played straight for the Valkyrjafax ball; he is very polished in his formal suit, but is completely miserable. Inverted on Masquapaug; when Anequs sees him in the very casual Anglish-style clothes worn by nackie boys (corduroy pants, a canvas coat, and calico shirt), she finds him even more handsome than he was in his suit or school uniform as he looks like part of her community now.
- Heritage Disconnect: Theod, while fully Naquisit, has absolutely no connection to his people before Anequs intervenes. He was raised in an orphanage from birth and served in an Anglish household, and due to only knowing the Anglish side of the Nack Island Uprising, believes himself nothing but the son of murders and traitors against the country. He begins to reconnect when Anequs brings him home for Nikkomo and he's introduced to his remaining family; he tells her wistfully she's "ruined" him for proper Anglish society now that he can reconnect to the heritage he didn't have before.
- Hidden Depths: Theod is a terrible formal scholar, having never attended any sort of schooling before Kuiper's—he went straight from the orphanage into servitude, and then straight from there to the academy—and even struggles to read. However he's exceptionally skilled with dragon husbandry, and once Anequs takes on the task of studying skitakraft with him in personal study (in part so he won't be confined to the school and can travel with Copper for longer than two weeks, including going back to the islands with her), he manages to master in one term with her what he didn't in three and a summer study under Professor Ezel.
- Hope Is Scary: When Anequs tells him he might have people still alive on Naquipaug, he sharply tells her that he has no people as an orphan—and then that if he wanted, he could check folkreckoning records to see anyways. Anequs calls him out on his fear, saying he can't lament about being alone in the world and also then refuse to try and see if he has family at all, and they have an argument over it. It takes three weeks for him to speak to her again, where he apologizes to her for his actions and distance before confessing that the idea of connecting to any potential family and visiting Masquapaug or Naquipaug—and what it would mean, after a lifetime of Anglish upbringing—had upset him.
- Missing Child: To his remaining family on Naquipaug. His maternal aunt Wampsikuk angrily states at their first meeting that the Anglish deliberately hid him from his family; it's against the law to execute a pregnant woman, so the Anglish kept his mother Nepinnae imprisoned until she gave birth, and never let his family know the child had been born alive at all.
- Never Learned to Read: Before he came to Kuiper's, Theod never attended any formal learning, going straight from the orphanage at six into service in a upper class household. He was illiterate to start.
- Orphan's Ordeal: Theod's immediate family—and a great majority of his people, the Naquisit—were massacred in what the Anglish call the Nack Island Uprising. His father Menukkis was hanged that selfsame April, and his mother Nepinnae was imprisoned until she gave birth to him and then hanged the very next day. Theod, rather than being sent back to any of his family that still lived, was sent to an orphanage in New Linvik until he was six and then made a servant of an Anglish household. Because of this, he has been surrounded by Anglish mentalities and thoughts his whole life, and is painfully disconnected from his Native culture because of it; he was taught to believe that he was the child of murderers and that he could be no better than a mere servant to the Anglish, and that alone was more than he deserved.
- Scholarship Student: Theod was given a full one after Frau Kuiper paid the value of Copper's egg, enrolling him as a student in the academy to try and prove that nackies can be civilized into Anglish society. It is Frau Kuiper's intervention for him in the high moot that set precedent to allow her to extend the same style of enrollement and scholarship to Anequs upon her notifying them of her and Kasaqua.
- The Whitest Black Guy: By dint of having been raised his entire childhood in Anglish society. Theod has no knowledge or connection to his Naquisit heritage and initially actively rejects it, saying he's been privileged to live among enlightened people for his entire life and is lucky to study at Kuiper's. This starts to change when he comes to Masquapaug with Anequs over the winter break for the Nikkomo holiday. And learns he has a living aunt, cousins, and maternal grandmother.
- You Are a Credit to Your Race: Theod is expected to help set the precedent for his people, as a nackie dragoneer—and only one of two in the era along with Anequs outside of the western front. He plays to society's rules a lot better than her, having been raised in Anglish society, and accuses her during their fight of refusing to be elevated at every turn offered.
Marta Hagen
Marta Hagen
A second-year Anglish student, sixteen years old. Marta is the only other female student at Kuiper's (as the other two from the prior year have recently left; one to graduation, the other to marriage) and Anequs' roommate. Marta is financially well off as the daughter (and only child) of her father, Herr Hagen, and due to inherit the entire estate. She grew up connected to many of the higher social circles and young ladies of proper society—but is disconnected from them after bonding with a dragon and seeking studies as a dragoneer. Her dragon is Magnus, a bjalladreki.
- Big Fancy House: Marta's house is an estate, Sjokliffheim, and simply huge—the lands are set on a cliff that overlooks the ocean, and the house itself consists of several rooms, a large front hall, grand parlor, and main dining room, with fine gaslight sconses and a huge garden. Marta has her own suite of rooms inside.
- Character Development: Marta starts out as a well meaning, but Innocent Bigot who thinks that Anequs is a project for her to elevate a nackie into high society, that Sander is simple (since that's all she's ever heard) and that Theod is strange and standoffish. By the end Marta's not perfect, but she is doing better and considers Anequs a true friend along with Theod and Sander, all while getting to know more about each of them.
- Condescending Compassion: Marta initially makes it her "task"—partially unasked, partially guided by Frau Kuiper—to guide Anequs into adopting the ways of proper Anglish society, so she can rise above her background as a mere nackie. Anequs does not take Marta's treatment of her well to start, though she does accept guidance later and reluctantly when it's clear she needs to be able to navigate what the Anglish expect of her.
- Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Marta is blonde and kind, even if a great deal of what she considers "kindness" borders on being insensitive without meaning to be. She's kind to Anequs from their first meeting even if she's casually racist (and eventually starts to be less so). When Anequs doesn't have proper ballgowns to attend festivals that require it, Marta insists that she be outfitted properly, pays for the dresses, and even finds colors that set off Anequs's skin tone well. She's not as cruel as others are to Anequs or Theod once she gets to know them. And while it does take some time—and Anequs's connection at first—she comes to accept Sander's differences and learn he's pleasant and smart in his own way now that his mother isn't in the way of him making said connections.
- Heel Realization: Multiple times between her and Anequs, eventually causing her path to learning better. Early on when Marta says she knows that Lisbet Jansen is a friend and would defend her against insult (and vice versa), Anequs points out how Marta didn't defend her in front of Ivar, Niklas, and Dagny during their first meeting—and thus, they're not friends by Marta's own metric of friendship. Marta gets upset even without showing it, enough Magnus chuffs at Anequs.
- Innocent Bigot: Combined with being Innocently Insensitive. She thinks Anequs's people aren't "civilized" and Anequs, since she's now a dragoneer, would prefer to be connected to upper society. She gets better, though.
- Innocently Insensitive: Combined with being an Innocent Bigot. She doesn't mean to be insulting to Anequs about her culture and background, but she is—especially when she expects that Anequs wants to try and "better" herself to fit into Anglish society and be their idea of a Proper Lady. She does the same with Sander initially, only having heard through society circles that he's simple. When they first can communicate the way he prefers with his wax tablet at school, she learns Sander is quite intelligent—and that they both share a love of serials. Most of what she does wrong is due to having absorbed the pervasive casual racism and ableism around her, because she simply hasn't been exposed to the differences or other people's cultures in "polite" upper class society.
- Interclass Friendship: It takes a while and a lot of missteps, but she forms one with Anequs.
- Only-Child Syndrome: Marta is the only child of her father and late mother, and stands to inherit her father's entire estate. When she hears about Anequs' large family, she's wistful for a moment, as all she had was her parents—and one has passed on.
- Missing Mom: Marta's mother became ill when Marta was ten and passed of consumption when she was twelve. Marta thinks fondly of her, and she wishes she could have told her that she achieved her dream to be a dragoneer.
- Proper Lady: Downplayed. Marta wants her best to continue to be among the circles of higher society, where she had connections as a child. Thus, she tries to remain proper and socially acceptable enough by doing all the right things expected of her gender, dragoneer or not. She cares very much about who is well known and has access to upper circles, meeting and connecting to the right ladies and families, the parties and invitations of the day, and all the trivial things that Anequs finds stupid and pointless and really wants no part of. That said, she actually finds the potential life of a married society lady utterly boring, consisting of nothing but flittering from function to function while constantly worrying about the social scene and the actions—and perceptions—of one's peers day in and day out. She has hopes for a better position in life than that, even if it's marrying another dragoneer. Theod points out during one of their first interactions that, by her father putting a dragon egg in front of her at all, she's already defied being a mere society lady like her peers; and later, when Anequs asks her if popular socialite Dagny Sørensen is even a real friend, Marta stumbles to eventually admit Dagny likely doesn't even consider Marta worthy of her social circle.
- Regal Ringlets: Her blonde hair is often in curls; the first time Anequs and her meet, they're perfectly set and adorned with ribbons that match her dress.
- Spoiled Sweet: Marta is rich and well off enough to be in several of the high-society circles as her father's only daughter. But—for all her faults and Innocently Insensitive statements—she is kind to Anequs, Theod and Sander once she gets to know them. Upon hearing that Anequs has nothing proper for a Anglish upper class ball, she has her outfitted with a expensive, fine ball gown. Twice.
- True Blue Femininity: The first time Anequs meets Marta face to face, she's wearing a fashionable blue dress with her hair in curls dressed with blue ribbons.
- Uninvited to the Party: Marta suspects—without being direct about it—that she was not invited to Dagny's tea party being hosted the same time Theod is attending a hunting party at the Sørensen estate on purpose due to her current social status. She says she'll have to host her own party and invite Dagny to point out the slight.
Sander Jansen
Sander Jansen
A first year Anglish student at Kuiper's, fifteen years old. Sander is the only son of the widow Frau Jansen and younger brother of Lisbet, a friend and former classmate of Marta's; his great-aunt is Elsie Brikenhoff, which is partially how he was given the chance to be a dragoneer and enroll at Kuiper's. He is autistic and because of this, his mother treats him like a shame to the family—which has ramped up especially since his father's death. His dragon is Inga, a velikolepni.
- Calling the Old Man Out: During a hosted tea at his house with Anequs, his sister Lisbet, and his mother Frau Jansen, who has constantly suppressed him to make him appear "normal." He ends up pushed to his limits by his mother and stressed to the point of repeating phrases he's heard multiple times from her such as "you must you mustn't" and "go to your room." Then he looks up directly at her—something he hates doing—and says "Go to your room. Mother." He firmly repeats himself when she tries to lecture him about "scribbling" (using his wax tablet to communicate) and end Anequs' visit early out of her own shame. Lisbet backs Sander up, saying in a more ladylike way that their mother ought to be the one to leave and allow the three of them to have a perfectly peaceable tea without her condescension and interference.
- Disappeared Dad: His father died two years ago suddenly, leaving his mother as head of household—and allowing her to suppress Sander all but unopposed in the process.
- Elective Mute: Sander prefers to communicate by writing rather than vocally, as he struggles with word precision, blurting out words and phrases, and echolalia when stressed; most of the time he carries a wax tablet to write what he wants to say, and can communicate easily with it.
- Emancipated Child: Near the end of the term, he starts the legal steps to formally disown his mother so she can't pull him out of the academy (as other parents are doing) and continue to control him; he also spends the summer break as a guest of his great-aunt, Frau Brinkerhoff, to stay away from her. Lisbet approves.
- Good with Numbers: Sander is exceptionally skilled at anglereckoning, which translates into a talent for skiltakraft.
- Hidden Depths: Several. Along with the skill in anglereckoning a notable one is his exquisite handwriting, as he was forced to write perfect lines by his governess daily—and fitting now, since he prefers to write instead of speak aloud. Most of his skill and ability is hidden behind his autistic traits (which others can adapt to) and his mother's suppression.
- Interclass Friendship: With Anequs—they connect as friends right away once they're able to communicate with each other. He might be a shame to his mother, but he's still well off.
- No Social Skills: Through no fault of his own, though he tries and can be social in his own way. His mother has been isolating him since he was a small child as she thinks his disability brings shame to the family. His late father treated him well and adapted best he could to his son's needs; he recommended the tablet he uses to communicate and even tried to mainstream him into primary school. However, his first and only attempt at primary school when he was twelve led to other students cruely picking on him. Since his father's death two years ago, his mother almost never lets him interact with others alone if she's present—often intervening, speaking for him, hovering over him, and lecturing him on how to appear "normal."
- The Un-Favorite: His mother Frau Jansen is ashamed of him and considers him a disappointment. She often forced him to stay hidden in his room when having callers, and sent his older sister Lisbet away for primary school so they wouldn't be together and she wouldn't be "tainted". He says that if Mother had had her way, he'd have been shut in an attic as a child and never let out, the way many parents do to their "unusual" children.
Ivar Stafn
Ivar Stafn
A second year Anglish student at Kuiper's. He is the son of Thane Arjan Stafn of Vastergot, and he makes sure everyone knows how important he is because of it. His dragon is Sigrod, a bjalladreki.
- Establishing Character Moment: At their first meeting, Anequs doesn't like Ivar by his smile alone. Soon after, Ivar insults Anequs to her face. He calls the indigenous people of New Markesland primitive, backward, and unambitious while saying his people, the Norsemen, are civilized; says that having her and Theod at the academy is nothing but an "experiment" of Frau Kuiper's to see if savages can even be truly "civilized" (with the implication they cannot be), brags about being a descendant of one of the first colonizers, and then asks if Anequs has read The Species of Mankind that is a treatise on how Anglish are of course, superior—and then asks if she can read at all. In short, he's a complete piece of work from his first appearance, and only Niklas telling him to stop it because they're among ladies—and not because what he's saying is racist—makes him go quiet shortly before they depart.
- Faux Affably Evil: Ivar uses a feigned idea of curiosity in studying "primitive" people to insult Anequs about being nackie to her face, twice. The second time he pays for it by being backhanded.
- Fisticuff-Provoking Comment: Ivar comes up behind Anequs during dinnertime and asks rude questions about her culture, claiming he only has natural curiosity in the ways of primitive peoples—and culminating in him rudely asking if, since a thirteen-year-old girl is considered a woman among her people, they can engage in "carnal congress." Anequs turns and slaps him so hard his head snaps sideways, leaving a red mark.
- Icy Blue Eyes: Ivar has pale eyes and is a total ass. His father has the same eye color.
- Jerkass: Absolutely nothing Ivar does is redeemable towards Anequs.
- Playing the Victim Card: When Anequs slaps him, he immediately tries this by telling Frau Kuiper that the "feral little savage" struck him for no reason at all and there's a dozen witnesses to prove it; in the office he claims that his neck has been misaligned by the hit and he needs a doctor. Frau Kuiper asks Anequs and gets the whole story—that he asked her about carnal congress with thirteen-year-old girls—and Frau Kuiper calls him out on asking a lady anything of that nature.
- Silver Spoon Troublemaker: As the son of the thane of Vastergot, Ivar expects to get away with anything he wants to say or do to anyone. He tries to invoke using his father's name as leverage after Anequs slaps him, but Frau Kuiper shuts him down by saying his father's position has no sway there.
Niklas Sørensen
Niklas Sørensen
A second year Anglish student in Kuiper's Academy and the brother of Dagny Sørensen, part of the influential and wealthy Sørensen family. His dragon is a bjalladreki.
- Establishing Character Moment: Unlike Ivar, Niklas tries his best to ask polite—if extremely ignorant—questions of Anequs' background. He also tells Ivar to be quiet about his studies once it's clear he's being rude to her, and that gentlemen don't discuss such things in front of ladies—but not because what Ivar has to say is insulting, instead saying it's because he's being a bore. He's not kind and still bigoted, but he's not a blatant ass like Ivar. Anequs still doesn't like him and finds him as unpleasant as almost any other Anglish upper class.
- Old Money: Part of the vastly wealthy and influential Sørensens; they're known as the Vastergot Sørensens.
- Recurring Extra: Outside of the lunch meeting with Marta before term starts, Niklas is only mentioned in passing as another student; Anequs doesn't interact with him, and Theod does only to appear more elevated socially. At the end of the term, Niklas withdraws as part of the over quarter of students whose parents take to heart the idea of showing they're true sons of Vastergot by unenrolling their sons from the liberal Kuiper's Academy.
