So I get asked from time to time about All the King's Men in it's variety of characters and guest characters. One thing that I don't think I've made clear, cause I haven't had a chance to draw him much outside of the comics, is that ATKM does have a main protagonist. For anyone following the Monette-centric vignette, Crossing the Forbidding, on  lavenderpandy's page, you may already know of the story's hero. This is the caracal Adolyn Valenrow. He is the leader of the Raven Knight's, the primary group of 'King's Men' in the story. He holds the title, Primus Corvinus and is also a highborn nobleman, a Count, son of Duke Palence Valenrow. He's a fun character for me to write for, because he isn't the kind of protagonist I'm used to writing. He's not haunted or introspective, no truly traumatic pasts or events he needs redemption for. Though he is more than he appears, he's simply a character that despite the world around him can be taken at face value. He is a champion and a hero, a charming, polite and frustratingly personable fellow whose humbleness is borderline insulting compared to how extraordinary he can be. Often downplaying his reputation and feats by claiming stories and tales about him are merely, 'Fanciful exagerrations' and claiming to be nothing more than, 'An average man ina perculiar circumstance,'. Despite this, he is well known across Theria for several knightly deeds . Despite this and other accolades, Adolyn sees his position and titles as a burden, wishing nothing more than to spend his time either travelling about like some sort of Knights Errant or out in the borderlands with his fathers legion doing 'real work'. He's notorious for shirking noble engagements, pawning busy work and paper work on to his subordinates and generally refusing to engage nobility whenever he can. He is also the most eligible bachelor in the kingdom, fielding and refusing proposals from around Theria, not just Lioncourt Kingdom. Tragically, the one woman he would marry refuses to marry him, a complicated relationship that will unfold over the course of his story. Her name is Aritrea, you can find her image somewhere in my gallery.


The sword he carries is called Durendal, it is the most powerful Eldeidan in the world. It belonged to the Hero Canton during the Baptism of Fire. Originally it was thought that only the hero of ages could claim the sword, a claim debunked when it was stolen from it's ancient resting place. The sword was originally reclaimed by Dame Jo Schwarstrum who used it to battle the ancient guardian of the blade, but before she could finish the beast off a series of unfortunate accidents cause her to lose hold of the blade. Adolyn took up the sword to help his friend, slaying the creature in the process. Though the Levarin proclaimed Adolyn the Hero of Ages and the rightful heir to the sword, he insisted he had only finished the beast off and that Jo was it's rightful owner. Disgusted by being upstaged by Adolyn once again, she refused the blade and stormed off. In response, Adolyn would travel to the Lightning Pinnacles and brave the dangers and perils of the thunder valley to claim the greatest of the three Queen's Blades, Joyuese to give as a gift. Having presented the powerful Eldeidan to Jo in front of the nobility and knighthood, she begrudgingly had to accept it. Meaning she and he carried the two most powerful Eldeidan known in the story.