Thieves and Kings
Encyclopedia
Thieves & Kings is a Canadian comic book series written, penciled and published independently by Mark Oakley. The first issue was published in September 1994, with the creator planning on publishing a complete saga comprising 100 issues and about 2000 pages. At the time of this writing the series is approximately halfway through. The series is available as individual comic issues and in trade paperback
form.
Thieves & Kings is high fantasy
set in a land called Oceansend, with most of the story focused in and around the capital city of Highborn. The story follows the life of a young thief named Rubel and a young sorceress
named Heath, but features a larger cast of characters.
Thieves & Kings is distinct from most other comics in that the creator makes extensive use of illustrated story pages in addition to the traditional sequential art
found in most comics.
, Rubel is a combination of hero
and everyman
. The story opens with Rubel as a boy of 14, (he ages as the story progresses) returning home from an apprenticeship at sea. Rubel was born in the "Sleeping Wood," a magical forest that borders Highborn, and was raised by his grandfather, with additional influence from Quinton the wizard and some local townspeople. At a very young age (recounted in the book as a flashback) Rubel declared himself to be a "thief," a vocation in Oceansend that means a lot more than just one-who-steals, and seems to be closer to paladin
. Rubel has proven himself to be capable of very decisive action, while maintaining an innocent, almost naive, view of the world.
Heath Wingwhit : Heath is a few years younger than Rubel. She enters the story as a young orphaned girl living in the small village of Millbrook, in the past. She apprentices herself to the wizard Quinton, despite the fact that most in Millbrook believe him to be a fraud. She eventually travels to Highborn, where she meets Rubel and becomes a powerful sorceress
in her own right.
Quinton Zempfester (aka Kaluvinar) : Quinton is a wizard. He is immortal
, and seems to be very adept at planning for events many years in advance. While he frequently appears to be scatter-brained and even foolish, he seems to have the respect of many of the mystical and powerful beings in Oceansend. Quinton very rarely displays any magical abilities directly.
Cespinarve Rogue : A dragon. He is smaller and younger than other dragons, and thus they ignored him until he felt he needed to prove himself by defeating Kath. He failed, and ran away to hide. He now sleeps, and his dream is open to those who know how to get in. He hates thieves.
Soracia (aka The Shadow Lady, Queen of Halves, or Lady Salina) : Soracia is an immortal
sorceress
. While she seems to be evil, her motivation is mysterious and she frequently seems to be in conflict with her own nature. She appears to love Rubel, which contributes to her internal struggle. Soracia has two long, black magic sword
s, which are able to fight on their own when summoned.
Varkias : Varkias is a winged imp
, who may be immortal
, but has a short memory. He is Rubel's companion, and is far more sensible. Varkias was once the companion of the Red Sorceress.
Katara (Pronounced Ka-tar-a) : Katara is the princess of the kingdom, and a sorceress
in her own right. She abandoned the palace for the forest, where she joined a band of trolls as leader, and seems to be assembling an army of the Trolls living in the forest. Rubel is officially Katara's thief. Katara may or may not be going insane, perhaps due to the presence of Heath in the modern era.
Loe : Katara's second in command. He was living under a bridge in the Sleeping Wood when she ran away, and so became the first of her Troll recruits.
Locumire : Locumire is a fairly old evil sorceress
who is currently, along with the prince, running the kingdom. She has a cabal of young apprentices who work with her.
Kimithin (aka Jale) : An apprentice of Locumire, she has fallen in love with the thief Rubel.
Leahanna (aka Morthalanue) : An apprentice of Locumire and Kimithin's best friend. She acts power crazed and violent most of the time, but according to Kimithin "It's less when she's playing with her kitten."
Red Sorceress : The Red Sorceress is the Shadow Lady's sister. Whereas Soracia has been immortal since they were born, the Red Sorceress is sequentially immortal-- she is reborn in each generation. Heath is the Red Sorceress for her generation; Katara is the Red Sorceress for the current generation. There may have been a love triangle
between Soracia, the Red Sorceress, and Quinton in the past; historically, the Red Sorceress and her sister have a combative relationship. Locumire was once made Quinton's protege under the erroneous assumption that she was that generation's Red Sorceress.
Ramanious (aka Kath) : The major villain. Locumire's boss, and perhaps Soracia's as well, he is barely mentioned, but is the force that opposes Kaluvinar. As Shadow Lady and the Red Sorceress stand to one another, so do Kath and Kaluvinar. The interactions between these grand underlying aspects are mirrored in the play of their more human aspects.
Jurid : A nasty monster. Jurid is Kath's shadow. He has fought Heath, Quinton, and Rubel, at least; Locumire has some control over him.
Klachilies : Another monster created by Kath. Also known as the Gorgon. He was Jurid's partner in guarding the Black Tower, apparently Kath's stronghold, until Cespinarve Rogue came to prove his worth to the other dragons by defeating Kath. Jurid and Klachilies won the fight, but Rogue bit Jurid and thus Kath through him. With his "last breath" (According to Klachilies) Kath ordered the Gorgon to chase Rogue. Klachilies did so, and when Rogue went to sleep he entered the dragon's dreams with the intent of getting revenge for his master. Later Soracia captures Klachilies.
Dyme Dun Tate : The Knight
in Rubel's childhood club, the Monster Slayers.
Islen Porter : One of Rubel's childhood friends. She was the sorceress in their group, but when Rubel came back from the sea she had married the baker's son, who was an enemy to the cause.
Jennifer Porter : Islen's mother. She likes Rubel very much, and when Heath arrives she lets her stay at her house.
Vale Porter : Jennifer's mother. She is a very bitter old woman, and doesn't like any of Rubel's friends on principle.
Baily : Rubel's dog. He was the Hound in the Monster Slayers. He lived in Jennifer Porter's house until, a few months before Rubel came back, Vale choked Baily with a chicken bone.
Smith Robins : A good friend of Jennifer's. He is a member of the Prince Guard, but doesn't like the way things are turning out. He is friendly towards Heath. His family is corrupt so he joined the Prince Guard to try and break away from them.
Geof Perkinson : A rich, if highly incompetent, man. He likes Jennifer, and Vale wants her to marry him. Jennifer does not like Geof.
The Lamp Knights (aka the Iron Guard) : Undead
constructs, made by Kath. They have superhuman strength, and are almost immortal. There are a few who are loyal to Soracia.
The Clockwork Knights : Creations of Quinton. He made them to combat the Lamp Knights, but destroyed them within fifteen years, because they were nearly unstoppable and killed all in their path. Katara wants to use them against the Lamp Knights when she overthrows Oceansend.
Trade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
form.
Thieves & Kings is high fantasy
High fantasy
High fantasy or epic fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy that is set in invented or parallel worlds. High fantasy was brought to fruition through the work of authors such as J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis, whose major fantasy works were published in the 1950s...
set in a land called Oceansend, with most of the story focused in and around the capital city of Highborn. The story follows the life of a young thief named Rubel and a young sorceress
Magician (fantasy)
A magician, mage, sorcerer, sorceress, wizard, enchanter, enchantress, thaumaturge or a person known under one of many other possible terms is someone who uses or practices magic that derives from supernatural or occult sources...
named Heath, but features a larger cast of characters.
Thieves & Kings is distinct from most other comics in that the creator makes extensive use of illustrated story pages in addition to the traditional sequential art
Sequential art
Sequential art refers to the art form of using a train of images deployed in sequence to graphic storytelling or convey information. The best-known example of sequential art is comics, which are a printed arrangement of art and balloons, especially comic books and comic strips.The term is rarely...
found in most comics.
Characters
Rubel : Thieves & Kings' protagonistProtagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
, Rubel is a combination of hero
Hero
A hero , in Greek mythology and folklore, was originally a demigod, their cult being one of the most distinctive features of ancient Greek religion...
and everyman
Everyman
In literature and drama, the term everyman has come to mean an ordinary individual, with whom the audience or reader is supposed to be able to identify easily, and who is often placed in extraordinary circumstances...
. The story opens with Rubel as a boy of 14, (he ages as the story progresses) returning home from an apprenticeship at sea. Rubel was born in the "Sleeping Wood," a magical forest that borders Highborn, and was raised by his grandfather, with additional influence from Quinton the wizard and some local townspeople. At a very young age (recounted in the book as a flashback) Rubel declared himself to be a "thief," a vocation in Oceansend that means a lot more than just one-who-steals, and seems to be closer to paladin
Paladin
The paladins, sometimes known as the Twelve Peers, were the foremost warriors of Charlemagne's court, according to the literary cycle known as the Matter of France. They first appear in the early chansons de geste such as The Song of Roland, where they represent Christian martial valor against the...
. Rubel has proven himself to be capable of very decisive action, while maintaining an innocent, almost naive, view of the world.
Heath Wingwhit : Heath is a few years younger than Rubel. She enters the story as a young orphaned girl living in the small village of Millbrook, in the past. She apprentices herself to the wizard Quinton, despite the fact that most in Millbrook believe him to be a fraud. She eventually travels to Highborn, where she meets Rubel and becomes a powerful sorceress
Magician (fantasy)
A magician, mage, sorcerer, sorceress, wizard, enchanter, enchantress, thaumaturge or a person known under one of many other possible terms is someone who uses or practices magic that derives from supernatural or occult sources...
in her own right.
Quinton Zempfester (aka Kaluvinar) : Quinton is a wizard. He is immortal
Immortality
Immortality is the ability to live forever. It is unknown whether human physical immortality is an achievable condition. Biological forms have inherent limitations which may or may not be able to be overcome through medical interventions or engineering...
, and seems to be very adept at planning for events many years in advance. While he frequently appears to be scatter-brained and even foolish, he seems to have the respect of many of the mystical and powerful beings in Oceansend. Quinton very rarely displays any magical abilities directly.
Cespinarve Rogue : A dragon. He is smaller and younger than other dragons, and thus they ignored him until he felt he needed to prove himself by defeating Kath. He failed, and ran away to hide. He now sleeps, and his dream is open to those who know how to get in. He hates thieves.
Soracia (aka The Shadow Lady, Queen of Halves, or Lady Salina) : Soracia is an immortal
Immortality
Immortality is the ability to live forever. It is unknown whether human physical immortality is an achievable condition. Biological forms have inherent limitations which may or may not be able to be overcome through medical interventions or engineering...
sorceress
Magician (fantasy)
A magician, mage, sorcerer, sorceress, wizard, enchanter, enchantress, thaumaturge or a person known under one of many other possible terms is someone who uses or practices magic that derives from supernatural or occult sources...
. While she seems to be evil, her motivation is mysterious and she frequently seems to be in conflict with her own nature. She appears to love Rubel, which contributes to her internal struggle. Soracia has two long, black magic sword
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
s, which are able to fight on their own when summoned.
Varkias : Varkias is a winged imp
Imp
An imp is a mythological being similar to a fairy or demon, frequently described in folklore and superstition. The word may perhaps derive from the term ympe, used to denote a young grafted tree.-Folklore:...
, who may be immortal
Immortality
Immortality is the ability to live forever. It is unknown whether human physical immortality is an achievable condition. Biological forms have inherent limitations which may or may not be able to be overcome through medical interventions or engineering...
, but has a short memory. He is Rubel's companion, and is far more sensible. Varkias was once the companion of the Red Sorceress.
Katara (Pronounced Ka-tar-a) : Katara is the princess of the kingdom, and a sorceress
Magician (fantasy)
A magician, mage, sorcerer, sorceress, wizard, enchanter, enchantress, thaumaturge or a person known under one of many other possible terms is someone who uses or practices magic that derives from supernatural or occult sources...
in her own right. She abandoned the palace for the forest, where she joined a band of trolls as leader, and seems to be assembling an army of the Trolls living in the forest. Rubel is officially Katara's thief. Katara may or may not be going insane, perhaps due to the presence of Heath in the modern era.
Loe : Katara's second in command. He was living under a bridge in the Sleeping Wood when she ran away, and so became the first of her Troll recruits.
Locumire : Locumire is a fairly old evil sorceress
Magician (fantasy)
A magician, mage, sorcerer, sorceress, wizard, enchanter, enchantress, thaumaturge or a person known under one of many other possible terms is someone who uses or practices magic that derives from supernatural or occult sources...
who is currently, along with the prince, running the kingdom. She has a cabal of young apprentices who work with her.
Kimithin (aka Jale) : An apprentice of Locumire, she has fallen in love with the thief Rubel.
Leahanna (aka Morthalanue) : An apprentice of Locumire and Kimithin's best friend. She acts power crazed and violent most of the time, but according to Kimithin "It's less when she's playing with her kitten."
Red Sorceress : The Red Sorceress is the Shadow Lady's sister. Whereas Soracia has been immortal since they were born, the Red Sorceress is sequentially immortal-- she is reborn in each generation. Heath is the Red Sorceress for her generation; Katara is the Red Sorceress for the current generation. There may have been a love triangle
Love triangle
A love triangle is usually a romantic relationship involving three people. While it can refer to two people independently romantically linked with a third, it usually implies that each of the three people has some kind of relationship to the other two...
between Soracia, the Red Sorceress, and Quinton in the past; historically, the Red Sorceress and her sister have a combative relationship. Locumire was once made Quinton's protege under the erroneous assumption that she was that generation's Red Sorceress.
Ramanious (aka Kath) : The major villain. Locumire's boss, and perhaps Soracia's as well, he is barely mentioned, but is the force that opposes Kaluvinar. As Shadow Lady and the Red Sorceress stand to one another, so do Kath and Kaluvinar. The interactions between these grand underlying aspects are mirrored in the play of their more human aspects.
Jurid : A nasty monster. Jurid is Kath's shadow. He has fought Heath, Quinton, and Rubel, at least; Locumire has some control over him.
Klachilies : Another monster created by Kath. Also known as the Gorgon. He was Jurid's partner in guarding the Black Tower, apparently Kath's stronghold, until Cespinarve Rogue came to prove his worth to the other dragons by defeating Kath. Jurid and Klachilies won the fight, but Rogue bit Jurid and thus Kath through him. With his "last breath" (According to Klachilies) Kath ordered the Gorgon to chase Rogue. Klachilies did so, and when Rogue went to sleep he entered the dragon's dreams with the intent of getting revenge for his master. Later Soracia captures Klachilies.
Dyme Dun Tate : The Knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
in Rubel's childhood club, the Monster Slayers.
Islen Porter : One of Rubel's childhood friends. She was the sorceress in their group, but when Rubel came back from the sea she had married the baker's son, who was an enemy to the cause.
Jennifer Porter : Islen's mother. She likes Rubel very much, and when Heath arrives she lets her stay at her house.
Vale Porter : Jennifer's mother. She is a very bitter old woman, and doesn't like any of Rubel's friends on principle.
Baily : Rubel's dog. He was the Hound in the Monster Slayers. He lived in Jennifer Porter's house until, a few months before Rubel came back, Vale choked Baily with a chicken bone.
Smith Robins : A good friend of Jennifer's. He is a member of the Prince Guard, but doesn't like the way things are turning out. He is friendly towards Heath. His family is corrupt so he joined the Prince Guard to try and break away from them.
Geof Perkinson : A rich, if highly incompetent, man. He likes Jennifer, and Vale wants her to marry him. Jennifer does not like Geof.
The Lamp Knights (aka the Iron Guard) : Undead
Undead
Undead is a collective name for fictional, mythological, or legendary beings that are deceased and yet behave as if alive. Undead may be incorporeal, such as ghosts, or corporeal, such as vampires and zombies...
constructs, made by Kath. They have superhuman strength, and are almost immortal. There are a few who are loyal to Soracia.
The Clockwork Knights : Creations of Quinton. He made them to combat the Lamp Knights, but destroyed them within fifteen years, because they were nearly unstoppable and killed all in their path. Katara wants to use them against the Lamp Knights when she overthrows Oceansend.