Truff

*You are right here in your story. Don't skip ahead.*
Massie Burnson, *The Wreck and Rise of Whitson Mariner*, p. 32
**WARNING: SPOILERS FOR *THE ARCHER'S CUP* ARE AHEAD; CAUTION IS ADVISED.**

**Truff**: I don't accuse him of anything! I was there. I was not a child, as you were. I remember. I was an officer in the guard. I fought alongside your father and Captain Ronan. I loved them both. No one loved Ronan better than Lord Lokken.

—*The Archer's Cup*, p. 87 |  | ”

**L****ead Captain Truff** is a buck of Blackstone Citadel, Lead Captain of the same, and a Keymaster.

## Biography

### Early life

Truff served as a member of Blackstone's guard forces when Ronan was Lead Captain, both of them supporting Lord Lokken. Truff admired both of his superiors, and was aware that Lokken held Ronan in high esteem as well. He later watched Lokken's decline with sorrow, and was among the citadel residents who supported Ronan's elevation to citadel lord despite the former captain's own reluctance. As with many members of the Cause, particularly soldiers, he came to harbor a deep suspicion of all members of the Longtreader family and those closely associated with them after Garten Longtreader betrayed King Jupiter.

Truff was eventually appointed as Ronan's Lead Captain, and became well-known as his staunchest supporter among the secret citadels. When Ronan fell ill some time after the Citadel Congress at Cloud Mountain, Truff was given authority to act in his place in certain matters, including being entrusted with one of the keys held by the Keymasters of Blackstone. Unfortunately, Matron Breelia Wilder and her supporters took advantage of this situation to advance their own position within the citadel. Worse, Lokken's son Lokken, who had long resented Ronan, returned to Blackstone with a small army recruited from Harbone Citadel. He shortly thereafter became a Keymaster following the death of Stovall Ganes, a mysterious occurrence that earned the suspicion of both Truff and Wilder.

### Division of Blackstone Citadel

Truff angrily appears to confront Emma Joveson and her escorts shortly after their arrival at Blackstone, dismissing Gallipot Grenda in the process. Truff behaves rudely, due both to the earliness of their arrival and to the humiliation to which they subjected his guard force upon arrival. He also curtly rejects Emma's offer to assist with the citadel's problems, citing her known connection to the Longtreaders as his reason. Eventually, Truff invites her to attend the Lord's Council meeting later that morning, before leaving and promising to send soldiers to escort them to sleeping quarters.

Truff is present at the council meeting when Emma's party arrives, having narrowly escaped a fire in the citadel hospital. As the meeting begins, he is embarrassed when Emma reveals to Ronan that Truff has been aware of her presence for some time, and Truff apologizes to Ronan for not informing him sooner. Truff and Ronan note that they had been dealing with other matters at the time, and Truff blames their difficulties on Matron Wilder. He becomes angry with both her and Lokson, but settles down after Ronan orders silence. As Ronan briefs Emma on affairs at Blackstone, Truff demonstrates that he is currently in possession of Ronan's key, and Ronan surmises that Truff is responsible for the citadel's main gate being unlocked when Emma's party arrived.

As the newcomers are told about the turmoil they have been experiencing, which has been aggravated by the mysterious Bane Graveheart, Truff is quick to attack Lokson for speaking against Ronan. When the citadel's difficulties have been made clear to Emma, Lokson proposes an event to boost morale. Truff is skeptical, particularly when Lokson-whose band includes many skilled archers-suggests an archery tournament. Before the discussion can go further, Lady Elisabeth arrives with Bane Graveheart's letter, warning of trouble behind the water gate. Lokson rushes off to investigate, and Truff follows him and is followed in turn by Jo Shanks of Emma's party.

Truff and Jo arrive at the gate to find Truff's bucks barring Lokson's entry, and he orders them to stand down before reminding them of the dignity of Lokson's position. At his request, Lokson opens the gate, and Truff leads him, Jo, and Cheltham inside to investigate. They find what appears to be a lit barrel of blastpowder, too far away to be reached in time, but Cheltham is able to extinguish the fuse with a bowshot. The bucks then make their way back to the Lord's Quadrant, during which time Lokson calls out to the anxious citadel inhabitants. Truff is silent until they return to the council chamber, at which point he rounds on Lokson and accuses him of setting up the whole incident in order to ingratiate himself with the rabbits of Blackstone.

Emma manages to prevent the two from coming to blows, and the group-minus Ronan who has fallen ill again-turn to discussing the latest messages from Bane Graveheart. After Matron Wilder confesses to giving Lady Elisabeth advice that led to the first note's discovery, Truff-with Lokson's consent-arrests her on suspicion of being Bane Graveheart. Afterwards, Truff approaches Emma in the Blackstone mess hall and apologizes for his earlier treatment of her before escorting her entourage to new and better quarters. Later he receives approval from Lord Ronan to work with Lokson in putting together the previously discussed event: the Ultimate Archer's Cup.

When Matron Wilder escapes her cell and flees the citadel, Truff takes charge of organizing the search for her. When Lady Elisabeth surprises the searchers by making an appearance, Truff explains to Jo that she hasn't visited the mess hall in years. Elisabeth entrusts Truff with Ronan's key and the mission, making a personal plea to him to bring an end to the crisis, which he vows to do everything in his power to do. Truff has the searchers divide into small groups, charging Lokson's forces with searching the citadel while he leads parties out into East Wood.

Despite their efforts, Wilder escapes, leaving the citadel to continue with the Ultimate Archer's Cup. Jo notices Truff's conspicuous absence from the event, and later sends Cole to look for him when he pieces together Bane Graveheart's true identity. The villain, having been thwarted before he can carry out his schemes, admits to drugging Truff with lalla oil and locking him in a secret pantry in the mess hall. Some time later, a fully recovered Truff joins the denizens of Blackstone as they pledge their loyalty to Emma, and leads them in formalizing this resolve by reciting Blackstar's oath. During the ensuing celebrations, he is seen speaking with Lokson and Grenda; Lokson later decides to pass his position as Keymaster to Truff after Jo declines the honor.

## Physical appearance

Truff is described as being "burly" and "large and white-furred". Jo Shanks was quickly able to identify him as being a military officer.

## Personality and traits

Captain Truff is a fiercely loyal buck, with an unfortunate tendency to become aggressive towards those who speak against Lord Ronan or whom he believes might be disloyal to the Cause as a whole. Much of the negativity he displayed was undoubtedly tied to the unusual strain both he and Lord Ronan were under during the division of Blackstone. In times of actual crisis or calm, Truff displayed the ability to behave with both courtesy and professionalism. In spite of his own suspicions about and dislike for Lokson, he insisted that his bucks behave out of respect for the younger buck's office.

Like his counterpart Frye from Halfwind, Truff is noted for possessing speed and endurance unexpected for a buck of his maturity and proportions.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 As revealed in *The Archer's Cup*
2. ↑ *The Archer's Cup*, pg. 28
3. ↑ *The Archer's Cup*, p. 80