Spotlight: The Free Agents

Today’s spotlight is on a special team, discovered by the Chessmen in their second book (in process). They are the Free Agents.  The original team consisted of Argas, Ojo, and Jaman who fought for their lives in space arenas. They were slaves to an interstellar bloodsport organization who called themselves, “the Gamers”. The Gamers underestimated Argas’s strategic genius and the three friends escaped during a bloody riot. The Gamers seek revenge to this day. 

Moved by their experiences, the three friends decided to form a team to stand against oppressors and other victimizing types across the stars. While they expect to be paid, they have a tendency to accept various forms of trade or just whatever a client can afford. Because of this, the team has a hidden base where they have livestock, tools, weapons, and a vault of odd items given to them.  If a threat is particularly evil enough and threat to enough innocent people, they will do the job for free.  They also will challenge the Gamers for free because the Gamers have a tendency to raid villages and resort to kidnapping.

Since their escape and formation of the team, several others have joined up, making the Free Agents a truly formidable force.  Now, for the member of the Free Agents:

Argas Metrax, the leader: Argas is a genius strategist and builds his own weapons. He carries four Metron Slammers that look like sawed off shotguns with similar loadable shells. These high impact energy shells can blow an unarmored man in half.  Once he’s fired all for, he resorts to a rifle and sometimes a sword. His starcycle is also loaded with weapons and tricks. Argas has learned to be a ruthless combatant and strives to end fights quickly. As an arena fighter, he’s capable of defending himself from nearly any position. Despite using weapons like the slammers, Argas is a deadly marksman. In all, Argas doesn’t believe in the word ‘helpless’.

Ojo, the sorcerer: Ojo is a Charak. The Charak are a race of people about 5 to 6 inches tall. They have a variety of artifacts to protect themselves and most are adept sorcerers. Ojo is no exception.  Ojo stays on Argas’s shoulder (which is amazing in combat) and supports the team with a variety of powerful spells. He mostly does healing magics with a few well-placed energy bolts, but he’s stood his ground against the likes of Maestro by himself.  He makes great use of his race’s artifacts, such as the atomic marble. You guessed it, BOOM. Ojo is a bit of a joker and his sense of humor gets inappropriate at times. Argas taught Ojo to count on others underestimating him and to use that as a weapon.

Jaman, the ninja: Jaman was a human black man from the Bronx before a spacial anomaly sucked him into the Twilie dimension. The energies of that dimension altered him forever. He can travel through shadows and even control them to a degree. While he was there he was trained in combat arts similar to, but more powerful than ninjutsu. When he finally escaped the Twilie dimension he did it on a barren rock of a planet and was picked up by the Gamers. Jaman rarely speaks but when he does, it’s best to listen. Jaman is a lethal fighter, capable of using almost anything as a weapon. His best tactics are in stealth with bladed weapons. 

Warhorse, the muscle: Not only is he strong, but he has some special attributes. His horn has the same powers of healing and curing as a regular unicorn. It also has the tendency to repel or cancel magical attacks, powers, and energies. Argas designed Warhorse’s giant hand cannon. This weapon creates large blasts that scatter enemies and make big doorways wherever needed. Warhorse, was already a good fighter, but since joining the team, he’s been tutored by Argas and Jaman both. Warhorse is very bold and fearless, which often gets him into trouble.

Lypsi, the Althamite: Althamites are the smallest race known at just 1 centimeter tall. What’s amazing about their race is the ability to auto-equalize their strength to anyone else within 50 yards. So Lypsi can punch just as hard as anyone else she is with.  Since she can fly over a hundred miles per hour, she can be highly destructive. Lypsi doesn’t bother with weaponry very often and carries quite a chip on  her shoulder regarding size. Lypsi feels she has to teach the giants that size isn’t everything.

Grand Commander Surok of the Telki: The Telki people are aliens with elongated heads and three eyes. They have four digit hands and feet and a lanky build. Despite their light appearance, they are agile and durable. One endearing issue is that they don’t take damage from heat or fire. Part of this is thought to be because they developed their technology around the fiery gemstone, pyranium. Most of their weapons are either powered by it, or made of it. Surok is a decorated officer of his race and a knight to boot. He’s equally deadly in combat as Jaman, if not more so. Surok became a member of the team when they joined forces against the Gamers on another world. Unless summoned by his people, Surok is always close to the Free Agents. Surok’s  attitude is lighthearted and refreshing to his friends.

Talachek, the demon:  Another quiet member of the team is Talachek. He will speak more often than Jaman but prefers to remain unheard and almost unknown. His power is control any magical item or artifact within 50 yards. This won’t work on blessed items, but that hardly matters with all the enchanted weapons enemies like to bring to a fight. Talachek mentally rips the weapons right out of enemy hands and commands them to go on the attack. Talachek protects his true identity with his helmet that never comes off, if he can help it. He doesn’t want anyone to know that he is a demon or especially what kind. Talachek follows the god of Dragons, Zanakar and has a few powers like a dragon as well. When asked about them, Talachek mentioned he preferred  commanding some fool’s enchanted armor to run them off a cliff.

So, that’s todays spotlight on the Free Agents. Hope you enjoyed it!