The Saga of the Lightriders


     

Chronology
Characters
Cultures
Dictionary
Star Map
Worlds


 

Principal Characters of True Light
by T.N.Todaro

 Name:  Species:   Notes:
Jonas Goodwill Humaine

An apprentice Lightrider. He is injured in an ambush on a space station and manages to escape to the magical planet of K-Nadu, where a reclusive Wizzen-physician brings him back to health. Jonas' strong physique and inherited genetic magical powers aid in his recuperation. He possesses a magic bio-wand, lightvest and mysterious relationship to the Lightriders, but his injuries have induced traumatic amnesia, and he remembers little of his past.

Initially, the young Humaine's personality is as blank as his memory. As his recollections return, he learns to face personal tragedy and the inescapable reality of his destiny. He learns that he is Jonas Goodwill, the son of a murdered Protector of the Infinite Light, and destined to become the True Light. Despite attempts on his life and an accusation of murder, Jonas travels to worlds of wonder and survives perilous obstacles as he struggles to clear himself and cope with his destiny. He is the embodiment of everyone struggling to discover, “Who am I?” and “How can I control my own fate?”

As Jonas becomes the True Light, he draws on his inherited magical powers, the teachings of his father and the Lightriders, as well as his personal spiritual beliefs, to triumph over the minions of a Demon Wielder who is determined to destroy him and the Lightriders. His life takes on a larger significance when his father appears in a vision and reveals that the survival of all United Sentient Beings hinges on his success.
B’Obadine Pelucidor Humaine

Physician, Wizzen (wizard-engineer), bioengineer. B’Obadine is considered the best gene therapist outside Genome Prime. He has a vague past, but a good heart. The elderly Humaine is popular with his patients and considered the best Humaine physician on K-Nadu. He heals young Jonas and mentors him, both personally and spiritually. He treats Jonas like the son he has never had.

B'Obadine has taught at the famous Academa in the stars, which was rewarding, but through his infirmary on K- Nadu, his practice actually helps save lives - something more valuable than his modest fees. As many locals possess one magical power or another, a Wizzen in their midst is not unusual.

He is secretly involved in a project with Lutha Radwaste, a R’Horne bioengineer. He worries about their argumentative relationship and her tendency to vanish from time to time. When she vanishes again, B’Obadine worries her disappearance is tied to the appearance of the young Lightrider.

B’Obadine’s role takes on a large significance in “Nexus of Swords” Book Two.
Ulua Rektrek New Mauritian

Ulua is a famous archaeologist, researcher for the Academa, School of Truths, and the  seventh son of the seventh son of the clan of Rektrek. New Mauritians are a tall species with a warrior-like appearance. They are dark-skinned with copper tattoos that favor their contours like a topographic map. Each tattoos tells a story of their clan, ancestors, or significant achievement. New Mauritians are also known for their botanical skill in the management and production of potions with the sentient and plant life of Mauritius Major.

Ulua has been researching the ruins at the Library of Axiiom on K-Ylix Prime, where he seeks knowledge of an ancient civilization that mysteriously vanished. He becomes one of Jonas’ mentor and guardians.

A bundle of fiber optics run from a small backpack to the base of his skull. Wizzen archeologists often use backpack recorders to store their observations for future retrieval and research.

Ulua is an old friend of Jonas and his slain father, and helps Jonas clear his name. As they travel down into the volcano of Zucchetto to retrieve magical sunstones, Ulua suffers a series of missteps and doubts his worth. He struggles to find a way to redeem his dignity as a New Mauritian and find his hoku.
Shane of Myanmar Altarian

Shane in Jonas’ closest friend. He has an endearing personality for a typically reserved Altarian. A few yahren younger, Shane is tall for his age and could easily pass for an upper classman. Altarians are very wise, with large feline-like eyes and golden, fleecy hair. They have an air of elitism that some consider condescending. It is a racial misconception. Altarians are believers in the Rules of RITE and would never consider the slightest lack of respect.

Shane has been extensively educated before attending the Academa, and is very knowledgeable. His father is a great Wizzen, with knowledge of the sciences, chemicals, metallurgy and spells. Shane is shy, yet resourceful and an accomplished inventor — the cleverest youth Jonas has ever met. The Altarian has a knack for transputers and tech that is amazing. He can operate any device he encounters and can take it apart and put it back together again — often better than before. On their mission to the volcano of Zucchetto, Shane constructed what he calls a near-time resonator, which deciphers the innermost secrets of an important crystal journal.
Truka Drambu New Mauritian

WAM Commander of the USB, one of the highest-ranking WAM officers and the Lightrider’s Peacekeepers. He is an imposing dark figure with the copper-colored ceremonial tattoos of a New Mauritian warrior, yet his disposition is measured and he is considered a better diplomat than most.

Truka carries a long, ceremonial walking stick grown for him by the biotechs on Genopsys. Its function as a weapon is surpassed by the sophisticated built-in command center. He communicates with members of his Intelligence and Command Entourage, and his battalions. The telemetry never ceases. The base of the shaft is finished with the fighting blade of a Mauritian warrior.

Drambu saved the life of Magellan of Proponus during the Sha'Ken Crisis, and the two have become life-long friends. They do not believe that Jonas could have murdered his father, but have no evidence to the contrary. Drambu pursues the Station of the Ages, where the senior Goodwill was killed, and finds it occupied by Sha’Ken and Kr’ill marauders. An epic space battle ensues to regain control of the station.
Malvere of the Maje Majean

Malvere is a Grand Wizzen and professor of Magnetic Influences at the Academa. She is a vaguely Humaine female, though much taller, with regal features and engraved eyebrows that curve around her eyes to curled on her cheeks. She walks and speaks in an elegant, ageless manner; her bearing announces that she is someone of importance.

Malvere is a complex person who seems to moves in contradictory ways. She befriends Jonas and his companions upon their arrival at the Academa, yet later, the Majean witch calls for his capture on murder charges. Later, she boards Commander Drambu’s lightship and attempts to seduce him.
Hathsid Sha'Ken

Hathsid is the homeliest female Sha’Ken in the solar system. She is obese with loose skin draped over her putty-gray face and a crisscross of scars brand her left eye and cheek. She has a mane of dark, coarse hair that sprouts out the edges of her helmet and down her thick arms. She visually a bit comic until she attempts to kill Jonas and his companions.

She is a Navigator at the College of Powers, assistant to Malvere of the Maje, and much more. At their first meeting, Jonas senses that her passionless temperament could make her very dangerous.
The Demon Wielder unknown species

A evil so old that its origins were lost before legends began. Most spiritual beings believe in a benevolent deity, a positive force in the cosmos. Evil, on the other hand, wears the face of many demons. Wherever there is absolute devastation, mindless sacrilege, and the despair of the vanquished, the Demon Wielder holds dominion. Over the eons, many have tried to end its tragedies. At best, they had imprisoned it and it never forgave them.

From its crystal prison in the heart of the Vulpecula Anomaly, the Demon Wielder reaches out to enslave the nearby civilizations of the Kr'ill, the Sha'Ken, T’Ritans, and others to serve as its minions. It appears to each in a manifestation of their greatest fears, such as The Lord of Vulpecula, and Zahra Dolodun, Katchighouli, and others.
Dav'd Goodwill Humaine

Protector of the Infinite Light, Grand Wizzen, and father of Jonas Goodwill. Although slain at the beginning of True Light, the senior Goodwill feels guilty that Jonas has inherited the blessing or curse of the True Light. He vows to protect Jonas when possible.

More of his character and history are revealed as Jonas struggles to regain the memory of his past and his relationship with his father.
Amaterasu MesNe-Ra, a sun spirit

Amaterasu first appears with Dav’d Goodwill in Jonas’ vision. She is consort to the spirit of the slain protector and messenger of the Infinite Light.

Magellan of Proponus Altarian

Ambassador of the Altarian government to the Council of United Sentient Beings, a Grand Wizzen and powerful Seer of Truths, Past, Present and Future. He wields the Orb of Tlaquepaq, a medium he has created from exotic sun- and moon-stones.

The elder is tall for an Altarian with typical large, feline eyes and fleecy locks. His long beard always smells of potions, and he walks methodically due to an old injury during the Sha’Ken Crisis. His achievements for the USB Council have earned him a measure of acceptable eccentricity. He seldom travels to M’rrr, preferring to live his life in the seclusion of his fortress in orbit over Proponus, and represent the Altarian civilization in the USB Council by lightvid.

Magellan was friend to Dav’d Goodwill and is compelled to aid Jonas to find the truth, whether it clears him or not.

Mnmnomemn Ogalan

Ogalans are large, pachyderm-like creatures, timid in nature, patient shippers, and perpetual scavengers. Their kind does one task well, traveling from one solar system to the next, transporting endless cargos, raw minerals, oils, technologies, and anything else that did not travel as safely or inexpensively as with USB transports.

Mnmnomemn is an old soul, with no greed for commerce — it is just an existence, a harmless passage of time. Mnmnomemn is captain of the freighter & trade ship that navigates the southwestern regions of the C’Hamarande. The Ogala first find the wounded apprentice Lightrider and leave him with B’Obadine on K-Nadu. It sees the lightship, Grace of MesNe-Ra, as salvage and decides to sell its treasures to the highest bidder.

Omanon Two Humaine

The young ambitious WAM Squad Leader charged with finding Dav'd Goodwill's stolen lightship, the Grace of MesNe-Ra.

Ozumell unknown species

The mischievous sorcerer who guards the entrance to the volcano of Zucchetto. He is powerful, with highly unpredictable mood swings. He has created an army of miniature stone creatures to aid in the protection of the sunstones in Zucchetto’s depths and challenges all visitors to riddles or combat.

Quidam Xhiambole R'Horne

Chancellor of the College of Powers. Angered at the negative attention Jonas draws to his administration, he presides over the young Lightrider’s tribunal in the hopes of expelling him from the Academa. Quidam is a career educator who has learned how to play the politics of the Academa to his advantage.

Eli Axness Humaine

Fleet Commander of the USB Rigorous, the most powerful Peacekeeper Lightship in the fleet, and flagship of WAM Commander Truka Drambu.

He is stocky for a Humaine, with a neck like the trunk of a stout tree. His tenacious work ethic helped him rise through the ranks at an early age and earned him command of his first lightship before he was thirty. He is a veteran of the Sha’Ken Crisis, and run the command ship with a tight hand. His only emotional attachment is to his son, Aric Axness, a rising officer in the WAM.
Femke Hu Humaine

Student at the Academa. Her graceful, Humaine features are captivating. Slender ribbons are tied loosely in her dark hair. Jonas first rescues her from misdirected magic during a disagreement between a crowd of youths. She befriends Jonas and they become companions on their journey to the Rings of M’rrr.

Lady Pon of Proponus Altarian

Daughter of Magellan, adjutant to the Ambassador of Proponus. She is elegant with a petite form, and unusually close-cut locks for a female. She closely guards her aging father’s safety and is more powerful than she appears.

S’Zuk The Growth

A sentient tree-creature that guards the Lightbridge on the planet of M' Terrene. Its spores migrated across the depths of space from Mauritius Major and evolved into the Growth.

S’Zuk asks Jonas to journey to a tree city and retrieve a potion. It rewards him with a pouch of crystal coins.
Baldak Rocambole R'Horne

A student at the Academa. Baldak aspires to join the WAM and become an important officer, though his brash attitude and ill-manners continually get him in trouble.

A typical R’Horne, Baldak’s face is exaggerated by a long ridge of bone that extends up both sides of his nostrils, curves up the forehead and around his recessed ears. They remind Jonas of wild mammal horns.
     
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