Heroes & Villains | Tales of Rockbottom

Character Sketches
by Geraldo Prado

After a disastrous storm at sea, Tuck is shipwrecked on an island swarming with sea monsters. Worse, he's trapped with Hatch Brackwater, a villainous pirate who insults and torments him daily.

Armed with a rusty sword, Tuck is determined to find Lady Fray's treasure and solve the mystery of her disappearance. Tuck is brave and kind and an expert at riddle-solving. But he feels powerless in the presence of Hatch, who wields a deadly and terrifying magic.

Can Tuck escape Hatch's influence? Can he learn to believe in himself? If so, he may be the only person who can solve the mystery of Lady Fray.

Tuck Tarbuckle

Vella Malantria

Vella's dream is to become the greatest wizard in Rockbottom, and she'll do anything to reach that goal. She'll leave her family. She'll join a crew of villainous pirates. And she'll be an apprentice to the frightening figure of Rayven Stormrider.

In battle, Vella wields a wizard's staff with a glass crocodile's eye and a ring of silver blades—perfect for swashbuckling and intimidating her enemies.

But what will she be forced to do in her pursuit of magic? Who can she trust? And who deserves her loyalty?

Every hero needs a sidekick, and every Tuck needs a Squiggle.

He may be the smallest character in the series, but Squiggle has a big heart—two hearts in fact! Combine that with six tentacles and a squishy, purple body, and you've got the happy-go-lucky sea monster known as Squiggle.

At the start of our story, Squiggle is lost and far from home. He can't remember where he came from or how to get back. But one day, he hopes to find his family.

In the meantime, he's happy to follow Tuck on his adventures. He may not understand everything Tuck says, but that won't stop him from defending his Murk-mate from the perils of Rockbottom.

Squiggle!

Hatch Brackwater

Many pirates speak of Hatch in whispers. Some admire him. Others fear him.

Some say he's close friends with kings and sea trolls. They say he's explored the underwater cities of the fish-tailed Murfolk. He’s wrestled sea monsters and swashbuckled ghosts, and his hand has the power to rot anything it touches.

But Hatch doesn't talk about his past, and no one knows the truth. How did his hand acquire magical powers? Where did he come from? And why does he seem to know more about the treasure—and Lady Fray—than everyone else?

Captain Lavlo Zolanto

Zolanto is the handsome and charming captain of the Sword & Feather.

In East Bottom, Zolanto is known as "El Canalla Sonriente" ("The Smiling Scoundrel"). Zolanto and his have pillaged their way across Rockbottom in their pursuit of Lady Fray's legendary treasure.

But Zolanto claims to hate violence. He carries no sword and never harms anyone directly. Is it his fault his crew follow his orders to commit unspeakable crimes?

Meggs

Meggs is a young woman on Zolanto's crew. Like all the grusslings from East Bottom, she's a descendent of the fish-tailed Murfolk who live down in the Murky Deeps.

More than anything, Meggs loves a good battle. With her magical strength and talented swordplay, she's a skilled swashbuckler.

But Meggs has a dream of being more than just a villainous pirate. Someday, she wants to captain her own ship, and lately, she's been asking herself one question:

Could someone like her be a hero?

Rayven Stormrider

Rayven is the most powerful member of Zolanto's crew—and maybe the most powerful wizard in all of Rockbottom.

Rayven has a reputation for cruelty. She has a deep hatred of sea monsters—even harmless sea monsters like Squiggle. But she's a generous mentor to Vella. She has shared some of her most powerful spells, helping Vella to achieve her dream of becoming a great wizard.

But even Vella doesn't know much about her mentor. Where did Rayven come from? What does she look like under that shadowy hood? Is she even human?

And what will Vella do if she has to choose between Rayven and her new friends?