A Gallery of Characters in Ellay

The Mayor – Pistol Brandt

Mayor Brandt is a small man, well-fleshed as the wealthy tend to be, with dark hair and eyes, narrow mouth, wide cheekbones and high forehead, and light brown complexion.  He has a sharp jawline, narrow chin, and is clean-shaven.  His clothing is impeccably tailored by the city’s finest tailor, of the finest cloth, and his robes of state are embroidered with bright silk thread imported from Asia.

Like his father and grandfather before him, Pistol is a ruthless, ambitious, and arrogant man, raised to be the absolute ruler of his small corner and, moreover, raised to believe he should be the absolute ruler.  He is so confident in his position, power, and charisma that he believes his grandfather’s mandate against open religious worship is strictly adhered to, and those few caught and executed are the exceptions to that rule, rather than the unfortunate few who simply get caught.

In spite of these flaws, or perhaps because of them, he is an extraordinary leader: intelligent, astute in matters of trade, and dedicated to keeping Ellay strong, secure, and wealthy.  He has no wife but keeps two known mistresses each of whom has given him several possible heirs.

The Commissioner – Erl Russel

Erl Russel is a large, reddish man with sea-blue eyes, strawberry hair and a full-lipped mouth that almost always smiles.  He enjoys staying fit and works daily either at swordplay or riding.  His stable of prized steeds is probably his only vice.  He is a friendly, affable, open man, charming and sincere.

Appointed by his Mayor, Erl Russel is the most trusted and most feared man in Ellay, for only the Mayor himself has more power and the Commissioner is routinely among the people.  Though he has a quick smile he also has a quick temper, and is accustomed to making on-the-spot decisions… and judgements.  He is honest, honorable, and completely loyal to his Mayor, a fair and impartial judge.  He is perhaps too impartial, for his justice is rarely tempered with mercy.  He detests falsehood of any kind and is quick to recognize deceit.  This last is what makes him so valuable to the Mayor, who relies on him during negotiations.  His main obligation, other than advising the Mayor, is the overseeing of Ellay’s 12 district Judges.  He is not married, has no known mistress, and his heir is his youngest brother.

The Deputy Commissioner – Wan Domingez

Short, stocky and chocolate-colored, one might, at first, mistake Wan Domingez for a relative of the Mayor.  His face, however, shows none of the traces of North American native ancestry and instead reflects the roundish shape of the Hispanic people south of the Sonora desert.  He has thick, black curling hair, bushy eyebrows over dark brown eyes, and a crooked nose.  His easy-going manner and lackadaisical method of dress hide a keen mind, sharp wit and superb swordsmanship.

Although appointed by Commissioner Russel, Wan comes from a long line of Deputies, the family proving time and again their aptitude for the position.  As captain of the City Guard one might think Wan to be feared, but his is probably the most loved figure in the city.  He is as generous and kind as his Mayor is ruthless, as merciful as the Commissioner is just.  He is well known, and respected, for sending his off duty Guardsmen to assist citizens who are having difficulties.  The Mayor allows this beneficence for several reasons: it provides a bridge between the people and their Mayor, it keeps the Guards active, it fosters respect for the Guards and thereby lowers crime rates, and Wan never allows it to interfere with the safety of the City.

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This work by Jean Headley is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.