Simon

**Simon** is the main character of the Traveler's Gate trilogy.

## Biography

While travelling through Latari Forest as a child, Simon's father is killed by Travelers and his mother is driven insane. Simon is saved by a mysterious man with a six-foot-long, pitted blade and chains winding up his arms.

As a young man, Travelers return and kill his mother along with most of his village, and his friend Leah is kidnapped. Meanwhile, his village acquaintance Alin is revealed to be the chosen one, with mystical powers of Elysia, destined to save them all.

Simon decides to set out to find the powers to stop the Travelers himself. He returns to the forest to seek out the stranger who saved him, but finds someone else instead: a madman named Kai who talks to dolls. Kai takes Simon as an apprentice and lets him into Valinhall where he learns the secrets of becoming a Valinhall Traveler.

## Appearance

Simon's complexion is tan, and has brown hair and wide dark eyes. At the start of House of Blades, Leah is taller than Simon by an inch or two. He generally looks uncomfortable. After spending time in Valinhall, Simon has well defined muscles but is still quite thin.

When Simon wears his Nye cloak and has his Ragnarus mask on, he looks like an executioner ready to bring judgement down on his opponents. This horrifying impression is extended by his silence in combat.

## Personality

Simon is socially awkward and somewhat prideful. He finds it easier to perform tasks alone and in silence. He doesn't see the point in cultivating relationships for their own sake. Simon is described by the Eldest Nye as "At times, the son of Kalman is a boulder rolling downhill. He decides that he must do something, and he lets nothing stop him. Even when it would be wiser to stop. But that is only sometimes. The rest of the time, he is a leaf in a breeze. He does not know what he wants, so he does what others tell him." Simon struggles with coming up with witty responses in combat and usually decides to remain silent instead. Simon has gained a level of paranoia from his time in Valinhall. Simon is also quite violent, albeit usually unwillingly, as he is did try to kill Alin for the greater good even though he did not want to. However, when he discovered that Leah was the heiress to the throne, he contemplates cutting her down even knowing he would die seconds later, mentally promising he would do his best to kill her. Throughout book 3 of the Traveler's Gate series, Simon was haunted by Valin's words: "What do you want?" constantly going back to this as he could not actually say what.

## Abilities

As a Traveler of Valinhall, Simon can gain access to abilities by completing rooms in ways that fit the criteria of the House. Most Valinhall powers last for only a few minutes. Simon has shadow-like chain tattoos on his wrists that grow along his body as he draws power from Valinhall. If the chains wrap him completely he would become an Incarnation. After Simon stops drawing on his powers, the chains recede. Valinhall powers are activated by picturing the artifact they are connected to. Then the power activates or the item is summoned. Simon was given a cloak by the Eldest Nye. When he wears the cloak and draws on his Nye essence magical detection can not find him, seeing him only as a silver and black blur.

**Powers:**

Nye Essence

When Simon draws on Nye essence the world seems to slow around him as he speeds up to an incredible degree. This power feels like cold within his lungs.

Steel

Steel makes Simon incredibly strong. To the point he can casualty swing a Dragon's Fang, a 7 foot blade, without the slightest effort.

Stone

When using stone, Simon becomes very physically tough. Simon dislikes using this power because it makes his skin feel like stone.

Ghost Armour

Ghost armour creates a ghostly suit of green armour around Simon that protects him from attacks from other territories. This does not protect from the physical but from magical techniques.

Ragnarus Mask

The Ragnarus Mask is a half mirrored silver and half black iron full face mask. There are gaps for eyes but when Simon uses the mask the eyes holes are filled with strange light and Simon can see as if there was no mask on his face. When Simon wears it he can draw all of his other powers in endless amounts. However, the mask causes his chains to grow rapidly. Initially, when Simon takes off the mask he collapses. However, now, unless he draws excessively from Valinhall he can continue fighting after removing the mask. Also, when using the mask if Simon is not drawing on any powers the chains growth is negligible.

Mithra

Mithra is one of the Dragon's Fangs. A 7 foot blade made from Tartarus steel, a conceptually indestructible metal, with a line of gold from Elysia running up the blade. Simon can use this blade to cut open a gate, a portal, into Valinhall. This is Simon's blade because he agreed to become the Founder's heir.

Frozen Horn

The Frozen Horn has the power to close gates to territories. This power can be applied in two ways. Simon can either summon and blow the horn or channel the power into Mithra. If he summons the power into Mithra he has to cut through the gate but if he blows it the gates close without contact being needed - however, this is less efficient than cutting the gates.

Dolls

The wielder of Azura, another of the Dragon's Fangs, has a set of sentient dolls as advisors. Until Azura choses a new wielder the dolls have decided to stick with Simon. They help him in combat by sending him telepathic messages of where to move and strike.

Eldest Nye

As the wielder of Mithra, the Eldest Nye is Simon's advisor. The Eldest is meant to aid Simon in the governance of Valinhall.

White Flame

The white flame is a power that allows Simon to burn poisons out.

Diamond

Valinhall's diamond is a mental enhancement power that focuses Simon's thoughts to an insane degree. The diamond makes things appear simple but causes such intense focus that Simon is likely to kill people if it would fix his non-lethal problems faster.

Bronze Key

When Simon draws on the power of the bronze key he can summon weapons from the Valinhall armoury like war hammers and swords.