Nillian
Dr. Biene
Dr. F. Biene was born in Kataras(*) and according to records has never left the city in his life. He was a very bright student and excelled at mathematics and understanding scientific principles. He worked with several other scientists, trying to improve their knowledge and grip on the principles governing the world. Though he did not create the first steam engine he was the first person to see the full potential of steam power.
After the first steam engine Dr. Biene focused entirely on steam. He experimented with the different qualities of steam and designed several complex machines that are still in use today (the automatic postal sorter in the Post Office, the public transport system). He was also the first scientist that successfully integrated a steam-powered arm into a living human(*), a woodcutter who had lost his arm.
In Dr Biene's final days rumours began to spread that his newest research was about creating life with steam engines, building artificial constructs that were never alive but 'imitated' life. But there was never any real proof of these experiments and one day Dr. Biene disappeared and was never seen again.
Gerardina Nott
Gerardina Nott was born in a small village just outside Kataras(*). Her parents were farmers, and she had three brothers and a sister, being the youngest of the bunch. She grew up very quickly, doing lots of chores on the farm. In school she excelled, and the teachers advised her parent for her to go and study. Because her parents did not have enough money she went to Kataras alone, and worked in de evenings and in the weekend to be able to pay for her education. She was a good learner, and though not at the top her class anymore still very close to it.
After Gerardina graduated she applied for an assistantship at several professors. She worked for a few professors at the same time, proving that she could handle the pressure. After a few years she was accepted by Dr. Biene as an assistant, and she dropped her other assistant jobs. She focussed entirely on Dr. Biene and his work. This went well till the Great Bang, in which she was killed (as reported in the official records).
Information from page 1.2:
Nillian receives from James Thomp a letter from twenty years ago, which describes how the author saw Gerardina Nott several weeks after the Great Bang. So it seems that she did not die in the explosion...
Information from pages 1.5 and 1.8:
In his conversation with Dr. Aeros Nillian discovers that Gerardina Nott was indeed alive after the Great Bang. Together with an old servant she was in Räan(*), gathering information about wind power, in particularly information about sails and propellers. She bought a lot of unknown equipment from Wind Riches, and was escorted out of Räan by two rangers.
Information from pages 1.29 and 1.35:
In Capes Gerardina Nott founded a company called "Finding the Future", and used it to build a secret laboratory in Capes, in the Wet District. There she helped Dr. Biene build a steam powered ship capable of traveling the world, to discover the world outside Kataria.
Rowena
Rowena is Nillian’s oldest sister, only a year younger than he is. She always was a kind soul, taking care of wounded animals. She got the same education as Nillian. She was often daydreaming and her education was therefore not as easy as it could be. Rowena was very fond of books and in her spare time, when she was not healing some kind of animal, she could often be found with her head inside a storybook, dreaming away to strange and distant lands.
When her parents asked what Rowena wanted to do, after her formal education was finished, she replied that she wanted to be a healer. So she applied at St. Helena's Hospital, and was educated on medicine and chirurgery. She resided often at the hospital, and only sometimes visited her parents. So it came as no big surprise when she accepted a position of doctor in the harbourtown Capes, lying to the east of Kataras. Since her appointment she has been back a few times, but mostly stays there. She does keep in contact with Nillian and Lyxia by letter.
Norbert Giles
Norbert Giles is the current mayor of Räan(*). He was elected several years ago, and has since done some minor projects. His views are best described as conservative, he wants everything to stay the same. When change does come by he always tries to minimize its impact. Norbert's term is filled with bureaucratic projects, bringing order to companies and such, trying to make records more accurate.
Norbert is a tall and broad figure, with the beginnings of a pot belly. He is a very charismatic man, which a neatly trimmed circle beard and short black hair. He often wears fancy clothes and indulges in food and drink, though in public he tries to constrain himself. In public gatherings he is nice to everyone, to both the upper class as lower class. Not much is known about his private live, it is believed that he has a secret lover, but who remains a mystery.
Information from page 1.17:
Norbert Giles was originally born as Norbert Cooper, the son of a barrel maker, in one of the outer neighbourhoods of Räan. His father was a boozer, often getting angry and beat him and his mother. When Norbert was ten his mother died, after she was beaten severely by his father. In response Norbert plotted and killed his father several weeks later, by poisoning his bottle of gin.
After that Norbert lived on the street, as a pickpocket and later as a burglar. He joined a gang, and with his strength and charisma he soon became the gang leader. He made a name for himself, and by the time he was twenty he ran a small smuggling group.
When Norbert turned twenty-three he was noticed by some influential figures in Räan. They were looking for someone they could control to become the next mayor. That way they could dictate the city's direction without themselves having to appear in public. They took Norbert from the streets and gave him a quick education. Then they fabricated an entire identity for him. They made him appear at some social gathering, to build up his name, and then let him run for mayor. Because of their support and his own charisma he was elected and became the new mayor of Räan.
After becoming the mayor Norbert soon showed that he was more than his benefactors could handle, and he had them killed. After that he had a free rein, and he set up multiple clandestine operations. Because he was a bit sloppy in his doings he was noticed, and rumours began to spread. These rumours mainly assumed that he had a secret lover somewhere, which he tried to enforce, hoping his other activities would remain unnoticed.
Then, one day before the festival of light, an anonymous file was delivered to the chief commissioner. In it was a list with all the wrongdoings of Norbert, together with enough proof to warrant a search of his house and workplace at the city hall. There the watchmen found the rest of the proof they needed, and Norbert was arrested on several counts of murder, fraud, smuggling and violence. While he was transported to prison some of his former associates bust him out, and he has been in hiding ever since.
Information from page Former Mayor of Räan:
After reading in the newspaper about Nillian's decision to follow Dr. Biene and that Lyxia will go with him, Norbert vows that he will chase them. He plans on humiliating Nillian, winning back Lyxia, who he only knows as Sarah, and returning with Dr. Biene. Together with some of his associates he plans on stealing the shuttle and travelling after the Dr Biene's Request.