Thieves & Kings



Thieves & Kings is published by I Box Publishing.

Last Issue

 * Thieves & Kings #48: 05 Apr 2006

Current Issue

 * Thieves & Kings: Apprentices Book 1: 10 Dec 2008

Next Issue

 * none scheduled

Status
Originally an ongoing series, now a series of original graphic novels.

Main Characters

 * Rubel
 * Rubel is a thief of mysterious parentage. He is the nephew of the thief McGi, who lives in the fairy land, Nove and commands the respect even of great dragons and shadow monsters. A woman named Vera colluded with Quinton to name him Rubel. He grew up in Oceansend, raised by his grandfather who was good friends with Quinton. Rubel was recognized as a thief even as a young boy, fighting wolves and the clever monster Chead (with his friends, the Monster Slayers), and befriending Soracia and the ghost Sara Blue.


 * When he turned ten, his grandfather took him to sea where they had many adventures as sailors. However, the jealous Soracia arranged to drive off or kill Rubel's grandfather and all his friends so as to keep her all to herself. When Rubel returned to Oceansend as a teenager, his Princess Katara had disappeared and Soracia ensorcelled him into the Dragon's dreamgarden.


 * Since then Rubel has become Heath's paladin, but is still sworn in some ways to Soracia and Katara. He has displayed amazing talents, and defeated Jurid at the height of his power, and Ramanious' other Shadow Lady, Princess Mileshnivoss. He has recently vowed to learn more about where he came from and how he can perform sometimes supernatural actions.


 * Heath Wingwhit
 * Heath is one of the latest reincarnations of the Red Sorceress, the constantly reborn sister and rival of the Shadow Lady, Soracia. Other reincarnations who figure into the story include Trisha Ringlet and Princess Katara.

Allies

 * Quinton Zempfester
 * Quinton Zempfester is a wizard who is millenia old and the counterpart of his evil brother, Ramanious. Possibly because of his age, possibly by choice, and possibly due to events surrounding the Red Sorceress, Quinton acts completely mad.


 * However, for those who are clever enough to watch and spend enough time, like Soracia, Quinton's methods seem less like madness and more like an immensely old being playing an immensely deep and layered game. While Locumire contends that he has not a scrap of magic, Soracia suggests that he simply makes magic look invisible.


 * Parts of this plan include colluding with someone known as Vera to bring Rubel to Oceansend and bringing Heath Whingwhit ahead in time in order to help free Soracia from Ramanious' servitude. He may simultaneously plan for countless outcomes, but seems prepared for every eventuality in the end.


 * At one point, Quinton was known as Kaluvinar and may have taken a more active role in battling his brother, including forging an immensely powerful sword.


 * Varkias
 * Varkias is a winged imp, who may be immortal, but has a short memory. He is Rubel's companion, and is far more sensible. Varkias was once the companion of the Red Sorceress (in her Trisha Ringlet incarnation, and possibly others) and of Quinton (seen in the Walking Mage series). His demon heritage connects him with one of Ramanious' "Ministers" known as Thane The Ash.


 * Katara
 * Princess Katara is still a quite mysterious figure. She, along with Heath, is a reincarnation of the Red Sorceress. She was introduced first as a tragic fairy tale figure who, with the help of Rubel, won a competition with her brother Prince Kangar in order to be named heir. However, the machinations of Kangar and Locumire led to her running away from the castle regardless. In the Forest, she met a troll and after a number of years became the Queen of the Trolls.


 * Somehow Katara has retrieved all the memories of all her hundreds of former reincarnations. Possibly this was by tricking the Nove thief McGi (Rubel's uncle) into bringing them to her, but here she may have been speaking of a prior reincarnation. Quinton believes that these memories, or possibly the arrival of Heath in her time, has driven her mad.


 * She now seeks to awaken the Clockwork Knights in order to help her troll army fight her brother and Ramanious' Lamp Knights. She has magical powers that seem to surpass Soracia's but is still vulnerable to the affections of her childhood Thief, Rubel.

Enemies

 * Soracia/The Shadow Lady
 * The Queen of Halves was born Salnia, or 'Sally' about ten thousand years ago. Unlike her sister, The Red Sorceress (of whom Heath Whingwhit and Princess Katara are reincarnations), Soracia has only ever lived the one life. While Ramanious boasts that this makes her superior, it has obviously come close to driving her mad.


 * What made each of the Sorceresses immortal has not been revealed, although a letters page entry by M'Oak confirms that the nymph Auril has something to do with it. Quinton (Kaluvinar) and his brother Ramanious have something to do with it as well, to the point where Quinton claims that if the sisters ever fought he would perish. Ramanious maintains that Soracia's immortality "[springs] from his coffers of power."


 * After thousands of years of servitude to Ramanious, the terms of which seem to include holding a piece of his soul inside her, Soracia escaped over the course of the first three volumes and has now tentatively allied herself with Quinton, learning magic from him. She has declared this life better by far.


 * Locumire
 * Locumire is a witch born as a failed reincarnation of the Red Sorceress. Princess Katara contends that when Quinton sought Locumire out as an infant he was desperate to recapture his love with her last reincarnation (who was nearly killed by a jealous Soracia). Her spirit, about to or just having inhabited the infant Locumire sensed his mad need and abandoned the body.


 * Instead of the Red Sorceress, Locumire became a nonetheless powerful witch. Quinton taught her the beginnings of her first spells (perhaps not yet sure of her identity) and even shared a house with her for a year, at the behest of her father. The cohabitation did not end well.


 * Locumire's machinations fomented a war in the Duchy of Millbrook, a thousand years before the current story. However, despite Soracia's presence and possibly because Heath Whingwhit defeated Jurid, the local King won. Locumire was defeated and Soracia soon imprisoned under the Dreaming Tree again.


 * Locumire next appeared in the setting of the current story, manipulating the King and Prince Kangar of Oceansend. Her witches have infiltrated the palace and she seems to share power with the evil Prince Kangar, who may or may not be aware of her dark master, Ramanious Kath.


 * Ramanious
 * Ramanious Kath, the Dark Lord, is the brother of Quinton Zempfester and seems to be as terrible a force for darkness as he of light. Both are much older than Soracia and the Red Sorceress, but just how old is not clear. Ramanious has never been shown explicitly in the comics and may be trapped in "the fires to which he was cast." He was certainly asleep for at least a thousand years before the main story begins. He generally acts through minions such as his Ministers (of whom we know of Thane the Ash), his Shadow Ladies (Soracia, Princess Mileshnivoss), Locumire, Jurid, Klachillies the Gorgon, and others. Jurid, in particular, is his literal shadow, which can act independently of him though the two are connected. When Cespinarve Rogue fought Jurid and the Gorgon centuries ago, he injured Ramanious by biting Jurid (though he was poisoned as a result). It is likely Ramanious' voice that emerges from the wine barrel Heath traps Jurid under, demanding that she "Release the shadow." He calls his brother 'The Holden Lord' and 'The Fool of the World' but Princess Katara suggests that at one point in their millenia-long war the two came face to face and almost forgave each other. It may be his magical influence that is making the citizens of Oceansend xenophobic and violent, the same way Quinton makes people brave and benevolent.

Minor Characters

 * Kimithin

Thieves & Kings: Apprentices Book 1
This is the current issue, and therefore no story information will be posted about this issue. Please check your local comic shop for copies of this issue.

Collections

 * Thieves & Kings, vol. 1: The Red Book - Collects #1-6. "Introducing the story of the young thief, Rubel. Making his way amidst the powerful events changing his world, soldiers and pirates, kings and magic, and a Shadow Lady of the Sleeping Wood fill his life with gambles and adventure. Does the beautiful princess Katara to whom he has pledged his life really live under a bridge in the darkest corner of the Wood?" - WorldCat - ISBN 0968102506


 * Thieves & Kings, vol. 2: The Green Book - Collects #7-16. "Demon traps are built, poisonings endured and dragon dreams journeyed, while mad princes and monsters of every ilk challenge the way for all." - WorldCat - ISBN 0968102514


 * Thieves & Kings, vol. 3: The Blue Book - Collects #17-24. "From the dream garden of the Sleeping Dragon, to the tower of the Lost Wizard, the thief Rubel and young Heath make their way." - WorldCat - ISBN 0968102522


 * Thieves & Kings, vol. 4: The Shadow Book - Collects #25-36. "The Lost Princess Katara is found, and the Wizard Quinton is held prisoner, while young Heath, who would be a sorceress, finds herself stuck in school. However, unseen treachery and magic lurks in each of their lives, demanding quick wits and bold action from all!" - WorldCat - ISBN 0968102530


 * Thieves & Kings, vol. 5: The Winter Book - Collects #37-45. "During troubled times in the depths of a cold winter, Heath Wingwhit and the thief Rubel, -and their new witch friend recently escaped from the dark palace, must together survive the streets of Oceansend even as the Witch Queen plots to destroy them..." - WorldCat - ISBN 0968102549

History
Thieves & Kings combines traditional sequential comics with pages of illuminated prose.

Creative Team
Writer/Artist/Creator: Mark Oakley.

Publishing History
First published in 1994.

Order Codes
These are the order codes and prices as provided by Diamond Distribution. Your local comic shop should be able to order these for you.

Future Publication Dates
Dates subject to change at the whims of the publisher or distributor. Please see the Diamond Shipping Lists for current information.

Links

 * I Box Publishing - Publisher's Website
 * Thieves and Kings at down-time.org - Fansite and concordance
 * Thieves and Kings