Factions

• The Horselord: Ruthless lord of the castle and surrounding lands. Having conquered the world of war, he turns now to artistry, obsessively spending every hour in his sanctum attempting to render the essence of horses in sculptor’s stone. His household functions suffer without his usual direct supervision.
• Soldiers: 40 veterans of the Horselord’s bloody campaigns reside in the castle. They lack organization since their lord and castellan have each been indisposed for some time (see Areas 14 and 26).
• Piers: The Horselord’s loutish, eldest son. He inherited his father’s truculence but lacks his ambition.
• Finnian: The Horselord’s sensitive, youngest son. A musician, currently locked in his room (Area 20).
• Eira: The Horselord’s wife, a princess from a distant kingdom. Childlike, wine-drunk, and pampered, with a penchant for small cruelties.
• Servants: 20 in total. Will do anything to prevent horses from escaping, as failure means execution. Ignore strangers who stay away from the horses.
• Centaurs: A subjugated tribe of 12 centaurs secure the castle’s outer perimeter. Unallowed within the castle walls.

Relationships

• The Horselord: Focused solely on his artistic endeavor to the exclusion of all others.
• Soldiers: Respect their master, though they serve only out of greed, and are puzzled and frustrated by his current pursuits. Ignore all others.
• Piers: Contemptuous of all save his father, whom he privately fears and hopes to replace.
• Finnian: Wishes his father dead and all horses freed. Despises his brother and the soldiers. Pities his mother.
• Eira: Indifferent to all, caring only for her bizarre, intemperate whims.
• Servants: Fear all others, particularly Piers; they wear the scars of his misplaced aggressions. Some show sympathy to Finnian.
• Centaurs: Subservient to the Horselord and the soldiers, believing themselves “loathsome creatures undeserving of His Excellency’s charity.” Ignore all others.