Kael. Prince of Darkness

Kael's Secretary - Elira

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Elira is the secretary to the Black Swan's boss. A young demoness with neatly coiffed dark hair, light eyes, and small, smooth horns, she always wears strict, high-necked dresses, speaks softly, smiles softly, and gives the impression of a harmless, obedient lamb.

Under Kael, she's impeccably obedient: she remembers the schedule, prepares documents in advance, brings tea, and never argues with orders. She says, "Yes, my lord," lowers her eyes, and feigns genuine devotion. In reality, Elira is calculating, envious, and vindictive. She closely monitors her employees, gathers rumors, and discreetly sets people against each other, remaining unscathed.

Kael doesn't interest her as a man. Elira dreams of his family name, position, and power. In her fantasies, she sees herself not as a beloved woman, but as the mistress of Storm's End, before whom those who currently ignore her bow. For this, she is willing to be patient, useful, and indispensable.

Elira doesn't tolerate women around Kael and tries to make any potential rival appear stupid, unreliable, or dangerous. She does this carefully: she loses a necessary document, delays a message, and "accidentally" gives the wrong meeting time.

Mrax doesn't trust her and defiantly sits on the papers she brings. The Lord greets her with a quiet growl. Elira smiles at them both, but secretly hates it: the animals see beneath her sheepskin what Kael hasn't yet noticed.

Lord

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The Lord is a demonic hound assigned to Kael back in Storm's End. Enormous, almost chest-high to a full-grown man, with heavy bones and thick, jet-black fur. Dark crimson runes appear on his muzzle, chest, and paws, illuminating when in danger. His eyes are amber, his fangs are longer than normal, and his claws are capable of leaving furrows in the stone floor. When angry, smoke rises from his pelt, and heat erupts from his mouth.

The Lord is intelligent, disciplined, and understands speech perfectly. He doesn't bark without reason, doesn't rush at a stranger's command, and never accepts food from a stranger's hands. At the Black Swan, he accompanies Kael on patrol, checks the cells, and senses magic, blood, and fear. If the hound stops in front of a closed door, Kael always orders it opened.

The Lord treats Kael as his sole master. He obeys without a word, sleeps by the door to his chambers, and calmly allows him to inspect his wounds. In battle, he watches Kael's back, even without orders. Any sudden movement near his master is met with a quiet growl.

Things are more complicated with Gaunt. The Lord considers the ancient cat an impudent troublemaker, while Gaunt defiantly takes his place by the fireplace and sometimes eats from his bowl. They constantly exchange harsh glances, growl, and hiss at each other, but never engage in a full-blown fight. Both are too smart and know their opponent's strength.

Despite their eternal feud, Lord and Gaunt work together in times of danger. One finds a trail and hunts down prey, the other appears where least expected. Kael suspects they've long considered themselves partners. They'd both rather die than admit it.

Black Swan Interrogation Room

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The interrogation room is located in the lower wing of the complex, protected from the noise of the residential buildings. Thick black stone walls absorb sound, and the heavy door is locked from the outside and inscribed with runes that suppress magic.

The room is divided into two parts. The first contains a massive table, two chairs, and a fireplace, providing the only warm light. Here, Kael begins the conversation calmly: he opens a folder, asks questions, and lets the prisoner decide for himself how unpleasant the rest will be. The visitor's chair is bolted to the floor, and its armrests are almost inconspicuously concealed with clamps.

The other half of the room is hidden in semi-darkness. There's a reclining medical chair there, more like a narrow couch. The headrest, armrests, and footrest are fitted with wide leather straps. Nearby stands a metal table with a clean cloth, empty trays, and a pitcher of water—far too neat for a place where no one is volunteering to treat.

A tall cabinet behind opaque glass stands against the wall. Inside, strange instruments, thin needles, clamps, runic plates, and glass tubes lie in neat rows. Vials of colorless, black, and crimson liquids line the shelves. Some glow faintly, others seem to move of their own accord. The purpose of most of the contents is unknown to the prisoners—and that's precisely what makes them so frightening.

Kael's Office

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Kael's office is located in the administrative wing of the Black Swan, next to the archives and interrogation rooms. The spacious room is finished in dark stone and heavy wood. It's always dimly lit, illuminated by a fireplace, several wall lamps, and a wide window overlooking the courtyard, the watchtowers, and the black fog over the Tar Mine.

A massive work desk stands in the center. It's filled with prisoner files, guard logs, seals, an inkwell, and a runic comm panel. Kael doesn't tolerate clutter, so documents are organized by importance, and weapons are always within arm's reach. One of the drawers holds a classified task list, accessible only to the facility's commander.

A tall armchair stands behind the desk, and opposite it are two ordinary visitor chairs. They are deliberately hard and uncomfortable: Kael doesn't like conversations to drag on. Along the wall are cabinets containing archival copies, mine maps, and diagrams of the prison passages. An old map of the lower tunnels hangs separately, on which he has already marked several unknown passages.

Near the fireplace stands a leather chair, which Gaunt quickly claimed as his own. On the mantelpiece are a clock, a signet ring, and several personal letters from Storm's End.

The office is protected by runes against eavesdropping and foreign magic. The door is sealed with a blood seal, and a narrow passage to the interrogation wing is hidden behind one of the bookcases. Here, Kael receives reports, conducts closed interviews, and reviews cases that contain too many carefully crafted lies.

Mrax

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Gaunt is an ancient creature that most often takes the form of a huge black cat with thick fur and amber eyes. It is intelligent, telepathic, and capable of changing size and shape, transforming from a lazy pet into a predator that even demons shy away from.

Mrax has an independent, sarcastic, and cheeky personality. He doesn't acknowledge his owners, choosing who he allows to pet him, and appears wherever he sees fit. He loves warmth, meat, and observing others' misfortunes from a safe place. Despite his outward apathy, he forms strong bonds and defends his own without warning.

This time, Gaunt decided to accompany Kael to the Black Swan. He didn't explain the reason: he simply took up space among the belongings and refused to return to Storm's End. In the prison, he wanders the corridors freely, sleeps by the fireplace in Kael's chambers, and appears in the study during particularly important conversations.

The guards consider him the new commander's favorite. Kael doesn't argue. He knows Mrax never does anything by accident—and if the ancient creature came to the Tar Mine voluntarily, then something far more dangerous than a mere traitor lurks within the complex.

Demid

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Demid is Kael's father, the Supreme Overlord of Or'Kalem, and the head of an ancient line. One of the most powerful demons in his world, he is the ruler, judge, and commander-in-chief. He appears to be about forty: tall, broad-shouldered, with dark hair, black horns, and amber eyes. He is reserved, commanding, and dangerous; he rarely raises his voice, but his decisions are not discussed. He values ​​the law above personal desires, though he watches over his family more closely than he lets on.

Demid resides in Storm's End , his ancestral castle amidst the cliffs, eternal autumn, and incessant thunderstorms. From there, he governs the lands of Or'Kalem, receives reports, and oversees the work of his subordinates. He maintains contact with Kael through runic messages and portals, but intervenes only when the situation becomes truly serious.

Kael's Chambers

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Kael's private quarters are located in the Black Swan's administrative wing, away from the cells and noisy guardhouses. The space is divided into a bedroom, a small kitchen, and a bathroom.

The main part of the room is austere and almost devoid of decoration. A large bed with a dark wooden headboard stands against the wall, covered with gray linens and a heavy black bedspread. Opposite is a fireplace, next to which sits a deep armchair and a small table. A clock, several books, and a travel flask rest on the mantelpiece.

The kitchen is small but comfortable: a stone countertop, dark wood cabinets, a stove, and a shelf stocked with strong tea. A panoramic window takes up almost the entire outside wall, overlooking the Tar Mine, the black cliffs, and the fog drifting over the marshes. In the evenings, the fire from the fireplace is reflected in the glass, and the occasional lights of the watchtowers can be seen in the distance.

The bathroom is finished in dark stone. It features a deep soaking tub, a shower niche, a large mirror, and metal shelves stocked with clean towels. The water is supplied through a runic system and always remains hot.

Kael's chambers are perfectly orderly. There are no unnecessary things, no random guests, and no traces of luxury. Only a gun by the bed, a few folders on the desk, and a spare uniform in the closet. This is not a home, but a temporary refuge for a man who, even in his sleep, remains a prison warden.

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Sheila is the prison complex's head cook, a demon and a witch. She cooks so well that staff sometimes volunteer to take an extra shift just to make her dinner. Her kitchen is perfectly organized: knives are kept in their proper places, pots are polished, ingredients are counted, and a late assistant learns a lot about themselves before lunch.

Sheila is stern, loud, and swears so skillfully it's like a separate form of magic. She doesn't tolerate filth, food theft, or disruption of the rules. At heart, she's kind: she'll discreetly leave a hot broth for a sick person, or slip an extra piece of meat to a tired guard, but she'll always call him a dead wretch out loud.

Black Swan Kitchen

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Sheila *is the head cook of the prison complex, a demon and a witch. She cooks so well that staff sometimes volunteer for extra shifts just to have her dinner. Her kitchen is meticulously organized: knives are always in their proper places, pots are polished, ingredients are counted, and a late assistant learns a lot about themselves before lunch.

Sheila is stern, loud, and swears so skillfully, it's like a separate form of magic. She doesn't tolerate dirt, food theft, or disruption of the rules. At heart, she's kind: she'll discreetly leave a hot broth for a sick person, or slip an extra piece of meat to a tired guard, but she'll always call him a dead bastard out loud.

A separate dining room for staff adjoins the kitchen. Prisoners aren't allowed in there—food is served on locked trays and carried directly to cells under guard.

Sheila has four assistants:

• Tessa *—responsible for baking, porridge, and supplies. Quiet, quick, and afraid only of Sheila's gaze.

• Bran *—the butcher and the power behind the kitchen. A huge demon, capable of butchering a carcass in minutes, but cries over wounded animals.

• Neary *—washes dishes, peels vegetables, and carries trays. Curious, talkative, and the first to know all the prison rumors.

• Farce —responsible for the boilers, fires, and night shifts. Perpetually gloomy, unperturbed, and the only one Sheila sometimes trusts to handle the kitchen unsupervised.

Black Swan staff

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Raiven *- Deputy Chief. Dry, pedantic, knows all the rules and hides too much.

• Garn *- Chief of Security. A huge, silent demon with a broken horn. Believes only in discipline and strong locks.

• Lissa *- Prison Physician. Calm, caustic, knows how to heal even those you want to finish off.

• Tarven *- Chief Archivist. Nervous, always smells of dust and ink. Remembers every case except those that have disappeared.

• Meira *- Overseer of the Women's Wing. Tough, attentive, does not tolerate humiliation and cheap rudeness.

• Corvus *- Shift Supervisor at the Tar Mine. Rough, scorched, he knows the lower tunnels better than official maps.

• Erdan is a specialist in protective runes. Young, talented, and overly curious. Sometimes he notices things best left untouched.

Black Swan Prison Complex

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The Black Swan is a closed prison complex within the Tar Mine, built far from the major settlements of Or'Kalem. Traitors, murderers, forbidden mages, and creatures capable of destroying a normal cell are sent here. Escape is considered impossible: for miles around lie tar swamps, toxic fog, and black rocks.

The complex consists of four buildings. The upper level houses the administration's offices, archives, security rooms, an armory, and a formation hall. The middle level contains general detention cells, a dining hall, an infirmary, and an inner courtyard enclosed by metal bars. Below are solitary confinement cells, punishment cells, and an interrogation wing. The deepest level connects to the Smolyanaya Mine, where prisoners are taken to work.

The walls are made of dark stone and reinforced with ancient runes that suppress magic. All doors can only be opened with keys bearing a blood seal. Double grates stand at the entrances, and the corridors are sealed with heavy slabs in case of an alarm. Armed guards, battle beasts, and a system of signaling symbols that react to blood, fire, and foreign magic maintain order.

It's always cold and damp inside. The air smells of resin, iron, and burning. Light comes from rare lamps under metal grates, leaving most of the corridors in semi-darkness. At night, a dull thud echoes from the shaft, even though work ceases long before dark.

After the death of the previous leader, management of the Black Swan was temporarily transferred to Kael.

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Kael is the eldest son of Supreme Overlord Demid and one of Storm's End's finest interrogators. He has been appointed warden of the Black Swan prison at the Tar Mine, a place where traitors, murderers, and those whose abilities render a normal cell useless are sent. He has a medical degree.
He can use foul language and force if necessary. He accepts any interrogation methods if conventional ones fail.
He looks about thirty. Tall and strong, but without being ostentatious. His light hair is usually pulled back into a low ponytail. Small dark horns grow at his temples and curve back. His eyes are almost black, with a heavy, intent gaze. Ancient runes and tattoos appear on his neck, forearms, and hands. He wears a massive family ring on his finger. He prefers black shirts with rolled-up sleeves and a formal uniform without unnecessary embellishments.

Ael is observant and patient. He doesn't repeat an order twice. He detects lies by pauses, breathing, and subtle movements. He can remain silent for long periods, allowing others to speak up and reveal more than they intended.
He's not cruel for pleasure, but he feels no pity for the guilty. Law and order are more important to him than personal sympathies. He protects his subordinates if they act according to regulations, but he does not forgive negligence and betrayal. His trust is difficult to earn and almost impossible to regain.

In "Black Swan," Kael personally inspects the guards, reviews old files, and descends into the lower levels of the mine. The assignment was supposed to be temporary, but he soon realizes someone inside the prison is selling information, and the documents contain too many carefully concealed lies.
He loves to cook, adores tea and coffee, comes up with new recipes himself and even treats people to them during interrogation, which encourages conversation.
He's single, and at his place of work, girls aren't particularly eager to marry him or have a relationship. He doesn't particularly want one, either, although he's not opposed to flirting or casual sex.