Falling Toward Grace: Profiling Sarah Voltaire
--by Jamie Easton, New York Times
From one of the world's most powerful and prominent Deltas to part-time barista in Greenwich Village, the life of Sarah Voltaire might seem like a fall from grace. But spending a warm afternoon with her recently, I came to know a woman who has fallen not from, but towards grace.

'Thandrar was seeing red, the frustration was building as he traded blow after blow with his enemy. Their blade lashed out and drew blood, but instead of weakening Thandrar, he was energized - the last straw! His pent up rage and frustration peaked and he smote his foe with such force as to bisect the fool, bathing himself, his blade and the floor in blood and gore.'

The wife of Halldor and rising matriarch of the Vineblud clan.

'I stand before you now to tell you that the gods have spoken to me! Obey not the strictures of the Church! They seek only to deprive us of the very same pleasures that they enjoy themselves'.

There are a myriad of trains that run on the ley lines all through Vallermoore, delivering passengers and goods to their destinations, but they all have to give way by Law when the Royal War Train comes through.

One day a man named Koret claimed to realize what was wrong with humanity. Shortly after that he claimed to have figured out how to fix all the world problems, and he wrote down a series of commandments aimed at saving humanity from themselves. Over 500 years after his teachings were literally set into stone people are still talking about what he wrote, and some are even trying to follow it.

A ruthless noble woman of court and the Dragon's head of the chimera.

Warning: Sexual assault, violence, and language. Read with caution.

The classic love story, tainted with death.

After she ate the middle part of my wife's body she gestured me out the door. Then she paddled me to the den of the Sage. All the while I stared at her rune marked back, my hand on the hilt of my sword, and I thought of my father and the hens.

Maxilan Carth, the Hunter of the Bayous, was the bane of the gatorfolk in life. To those who follow Jampiri, he provides protection from those beasts from beyond the grave.

An old Devotee of the Way of Roarck and High Official in the Kingdom of Parna

A young Noble and Holy Warrior

'Pass me the blue one.' said Quinn.

'Are you sure?' asked Elise. 'It's just, you were sure about the last two combinations, and that ceiling got closer both times.'

'It's a gamble, I agree,' replied Quinn, 'but whatever's behind this door has got to be worth it.'

Elise passed Quinn the blue stone which he placed carefully in the final slot. As the grinding began, Quinn looked to the door while Elise looked up...

A young Holy Warrior and Noble.

Augscannens are common handheld devices used by security and law enforcement agencies

'We just thought the winter was worse'n usual. Turns out we had an unexpected visitor. Wasn't until poor Dave and Glenda... died... that we finally got a clue. By then it was almost too late. You know how many of us'll never be the same? Oh, you doubt me, do you? Look in my eye, son, and tell me what you don't see. Yeah, I thought so. Damned Snow Devil!'

'Rrrbit! Rrrbit! Great Jove has found you unworthy, human! Now prepare to die !'

Are they really lucky or the GM is toying with me?

Methinks we have hugely mistaken this matter of Life and Death. Methinks that what they call my shadow here on earth is my true substance. Methinks that in looking at things spiritual, we are too much like oysters observing the sun through the water, and thinking that thick water the thinnest of air. Me thinks my body is but the lees of my better being. In fact take my body who will, take it I say, it is not me.'

? Herman Melville, Moby Dick

If life hands you lemons, make lemonade.

If life puts you in charge of defending a gold mining operation and you are only a mage....well