We’re getting closer to closer to the release of The Alchemist of Middlesbrooke on the 12th — and the presale is underway now on Smashwords.
We’ve already met the Three Ladies of Middlesbrooke, and here’s your chance to meet the titular Alchemist and friends.
Roland von Middlesbrooke
The first thing Lucia notices about him is that he’s big — very big. He’s taller and even more muscular than Petra, with arms that Lucia feels are about as big as she is herself. He’s dressed in expensive clothes and looks like a nobleman, but he’s got his sleeves rolled up and his collar undone in a decidedly un-nobleman manner. His red hair falls to his shoulders, kept out of his face by a blue headband.
Muscles: Abundant
Cool names for his moves: inexhaustible
Should probably find: a real job
Originally an orphan living on the streets of Middlesbrooke, Roland von Middlesbrooke and his adopted sister Alda were taken in by the Duke of Middlesbrooke as his wards and have since lived as members of the Duke’s household. Roland has no memory of his birth parents or the circumstances of his early life. Though not related by blood to Alda, she is the only family member he has any concrete memories of life with.
However, Roland has embraced Duke Charles and his children as his own family, viewing the Duke’s children as his siblings and affectionately referring to the Duke himself as Uncle Chuck.
Living as the Duke’s wards, Roland and Alda were provided with the finest tutors and trainers in Middlesbrooke and received an extensive classical education, though Roland showed little interest in or patience to learn much beyond martial training and alchemy — with his interest in alchemy largely stemming from his attempts to impress his beautiful female tutor.
However, Roland’s pursuit of alchemy has since developed into a thriving hobby and Roland spends most of his free time conducting alchemical experiments with his sister in Duke Charles’ laboratory. Recently, Duke Charles has begun to unsubtly suggest that Roland could (and should) perhaps consider beginning to make an honest career out of alchemy.
Alda von Middlesbrooke
“The kid’s your sister?” she asks. “You look nothing alike.”
“We’re adopted,” Alda explains.
“Well, yeah. She’s really my sister,” Roland adds, “but she might not actually be my sister, you know?”
“No.”
“We grew up on the streets. I don’t really remember my parents, or even ever having parents. All I can remember is that it’s been me and Alda since forever. So, she might not be my sister, but she’s still the only family I’ve ever had.”
A much better student: than her brother
Made a volcano: with minimal adult assistance
Current tally of stupid things Roland has done: 7,356
After spending her early life under the care of her adopted older brother Roland, Alda von Middlesbrooke has since been taken in as a ward of Duke Charles of Middlesbrooke. Alda is young enough that she remembers little of her life before been taken in by Duke Charles beyond the constant presence and help of her brother. Though not biologically related, Roland and Alda view each other as real siblings and true family — though they have also embraced the Duke as their father figure and his own biological children as an extended family.
Unlike her brother, Alda eagerly embraced the education provided by the Duke in the form of tutors and trainers from throughout Middlesbrooke and across Realmgard and proved a capable student with a wide array of academic interests. Like Roland, Alda has displayed a particular interest in the subject of alchemy and the two bond over their shared interest — with Roland tending to just try new things and see what happens while Alda often refers back to their previous lessons for instruction.
Having an ample supply of adventure stories in the Duke’s library, Alda is beginning to consider an adventuring career when she’s old enough and has decided to make the most of her brother’s recent acquaintance of the female adventurers Lucia, Petra, and Apolline and insists on being as involved as possible in their adventurous affairs, having been granted special status by Duke Charles as an official associate of their group.
Celeste Anselm
“I haven’t been your tutor for years, Roland. You don’t have to still call me Miss.”
“Yeah, but Agricola is always saying that it’s unbecoming of a gentleman to be too familiar towards a lady. I don’t really understand it, but that think that means I’m supposed to still call you Miss Celeste, uh, Miss Celeste.”
“It’s also unbecoming of a gentleman to ignore a direct request from a lady.”
Roland’s eyes widen as he hears this. His brain isn’t quite sure what to do with two contradictory pieces of information. At times like this he wishes he paid better attention to his Philosophy tutors. And his Etiquette tutors. And, well, most of his tutors in general.
“Uh…”
Tutoring references: numerous
Working on a monogram about: The applications of Skremmler’s Combustible Powder
Soft spot for: horses
Half-Elf daughter of two alchemists, Celeste Anselm has spent her recent years working as an alchemy tutor in Middlesbrooke, helping to educate many promising young alchemists, most notably Roland and Alda, the wards of the reigning Duke of Middlesbrooke. Although she has not been their tutor for years now, Celeste remains close to Alda and Roland, a source of inspiration and admiration for the former and the object of the latter’s ongoing, but as yet unspoken infatuation.
When not tutoring younger alchemists in their studies, Celeste pursues her own studies, hoping to make groundbreaking discoveries in the field in the near future.
Celeste is also an active member of the Ducal Alchemical Society of Middlesbrooke and is well-connected with many other alchemists in the Duchy, often supplying them with the finest alchemical ingredients and equipments from the alchemy store owned and operated by her parents.
I’ll be posting more characters from The Alchemist of Middlesbrooke more the next few days. And, once again, the book itself goes live on the 12th and is on presale until then.
And this week’s chapter is here:
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