Insect Kings: Characters

This section will contain a brief synopsis of each of the main characters as they appear in the story. There's not a whole lot in the way of content here, these little snippets are only intended to give a quick impression of the characters.

Slayd is the main character in “Insect Kings”. He wakes up at the beginning of the story to find that he doesn’t remember who he is. He is easily confused by what is happening around him, and he doesn’t understand this bizarre world that he seems to be so alien to. He is very sure that he doesn’t belong there, and that his own world and his home must be somewhere far away from this place. But it is because of his journey through the seemingly dark and twisted world of Dehalen that he begins to realize just who he really is. But is the person that he discovers really the one that Slayd wants to be? When we first meet Guile, he manifests himself as Slayd’s reflection in a mirror. Guile is far more than just a reflection, however. He is Slayd’s guardian and protector, and it is his duty to see that Slayd finds the right paths through the world of Dehalen, and ends up where he needs to be. But Guile is not just Slayd’s guardian. He holds many secrets, and his true motives and intentions are unspoken. Just what is Guile hiding, and can Slayd really trust him? Slayd and Guile employ the Ferryman’s services at various times throughout their journeys. No one knows his real name, or even who he really is. He does however, share some of Guile’s secrets, and the two seem to understand each other well. He rarely speaks, and shows no intention of ever giving up his secrets. When Slayd gets injured soon after he enters Dehalen, it is the Priest Incavius who heals him. Slayd thinks he is a very kind old man. He dwells in the black stone temples on the shore of the dark Lake Khorakh. Guile tells Slayd that the priests of those temples were clerics of the ancient gods called Grigora who shaped the world of Dehalen. Jyrr is the adopted son of the Maggot King. He escorts Slayd and Guile to the Maggot Kingdom on his giant wasp. Slayd doesn’t remember, but according to what Guile and Jyrr say, Slayd has had some association with him before. When Slayd meets Jyrr for the first time after he has lost his memory, Jyrr is very polite and courteous, but Guile clearly doesn’t like him. What happened so long ago that makes Guile hold such animousity towards Jyrr? The Maggot King’s name is Jurochlus, but only a very few people actually call him by his name. (This is typical for kings in Dehalen.) He is a very wise and powerful man, and his people adore him. His kingdom is the largest and richest in all of Dehalen, and many people attribute this to the just rule of the Maggot King, as well as his great capacity for magical power. It is said he is more magic than man, and there certainly is a lot of man to the Maggot King. A hunter by nature, Dysz is travel-worn, has little in the way of manners, and hides his face under a wide hat. Dysz obviously has some ties to both the Maggot King, who refers to him as his closest friend and ally, and to Guile, whom Dysz refers to as "prey". Guile and Dysz seem to be friends, but looks can sometimes be deceiving. The Spider Queen is a mysterious and dangerous woman. Very few dwell in her kingdom, and she does not abide many visitors. She has the gift of prophecy, and holds a special hostility for Guile. What could she have foreseen that caused her to hold such a hatred for him? And why does she hold such a great respect for little Slayd? The Locust King is an easily distracted and absent minded person, much to his aide Lieron’s chagrin. He and Guile seem to be on happy and friendly terms, and Slayd even took an instant liking to him when they first met. Still, he seems to be well aware of something sinister going on, and he and Guile’s cryptic conversations leave Slayd uneasy.