Ari Laguin

Ari Laguin is the only child of Elis Eldrid and Arwin Laguin, born into the politically entangled union of two powerful criminal families: the Eldrid, shadowy mobsters dealing in drugs and humanoid trafficking, and the Laguin, masters of weapon smuggling and money laundering through legitimate-seeming ventures like nightclubs and bars. Raised in Kration, Ari learned early the stark contrasts between her parents’ worlds; her father’s oppressive, patriarchal cruelty and her mother’s quiet resilience, steeped in Laguin values that honored women as lifegivers and leaders. Defiant even as a child, Ari trained secretly in combat under her mother’s guidance, wielding dual short swords and absorbing lessons in both manipulation and survival. Her life was forever altered at age 15 when her mother was murdered, a thinly veiled act of violence ordered by her father. This tragedy ignited Ari’s resolve to seek justice, setting her on a decades-long path of vengeance and subterfuge.

Forced into a political marriage to a weak clerk, J'tak, Ari weaponized her position, gaining access to forbidden knowledge and building an underground network of allies among the women of her family. Over 57 years, she methodically dismantled Elis’s power by sowing doubt, manipulating trade routes, and sabotaging his reputation, all while maintaining the façade of a dutiful daughter and wife. Her vengeance culminated in her poisoning Elis and leaving him to die, delivering a final rebuke as the house of Eldrid collapsed around him. With her past destroyed, Ari fled to a life of solitude, building homes on land and sea and taking solace in caring for animals. A shadow of her former self, Ari now lives as a reclusive freelancer, using her lethal skills to aid those in need while keeping a watchful eye on the criminal tides she once defied.

Despite her reclusive lifestyle, Ari’s sharp mind and deep understanding of the underworld keep her tethered to the broader currents of power and influence. She remains connected to the Laguin through coded correspondence, maintaining relationships with a select few women who provide her with updates on the world she left behind. These connections allow her to monitor the balance of power between the Eldrid and Laguin families, ensuring her father’s legacy of cruelty does not resurface. Although Ari tells herself she has no interest in the affairs of the past, she cannot ignore the sense of unfinished business that lingers, especially as whispers of new leadership within the Eldrid begin to surface. This tenuous link to her old life, combined with her growing fondness for helping the vulnerable in her solitary work, suggests that Ari may one day be forced to confront the ghosts of her past—and perhaps reclaim her place among the tides of power.

She also has an Arboreal Turtle named Frank.