Creation

Beeane II of Alden was created by Kelly Thompson and Meredith McClaren in Black Cloak 7.

Major Story Arcs

Beeane, commonly known as Alden, is partners with Theron II of Pax. They are Black Cloaks, or detectives, in the city of Kiros.

Alden is a Bellweather, a race who speaks in a language very different from most Kiros beings. It is represented in the comic as visual emojis or similar icons within a speech bubble. It is unclear whether the other races literally see these emojis or if that is just a way for the comic to represent something that is otherwise unrepresentable. Since most beings can’t understand this emoji-speech, Alden has a small device that he can type into and then audibly translates it to the common tongue. Bellweather speech is apparently similar to the language of the Maids, or mermaids, who are also not well-understood (linguisitically or culturally) by the rest of Kiros.

He always wears his Black Cloak hood up, covering his face, unlike most other Black Cloaks. He tends to stand around inobtrusively and observe while others talk.

Bellweathers also have an innate high-level emotional empathy, which makes them rare among Black Cloaks, but which Phaedra (Pax’s previous partner) comments makes them particularly good candidates for the job.

Pax and Alden visits Phaedra, who now works as a private investigator, to ask for help in a series of mysterious murders. Pax, who can’t speak Bellweather, is surprised that Phaedra can. There are many Taka, a small furry breed of magical animals in her office. From this point on, Alden often has Taka climbing on him wherever he goes.

Alden is visibly shocked to hear that Phaedra believes the deaths are by a serial killer.

The visit one of the recent crime scenes and are attacked by a Dragyern, a huge beast that was thought to be possibly mythical.

Alden knows they are supposed to be attracted to light so he volunteers to lead it away with a flashlight. He runs away from the others and then tosses the light down the hole the Dragyern came from. The creature slithers away in search of it. Pax is impressed with his rookie partner’s bravery.

After looking more at the scene, they all realize that while the mythical concept of a Dragyern is that of a mindless beast, in fact it is sentient.

After some more investigations, Alden, Pax, and Phaedra meet with their friend Sashenka. Sash guides them through the process of swimming underwater through the Lagoon to the home of the latest victim, which can only be reached by water.

Another Dragyern comes after them underwater. Pax and Alden swim ahead to safety while Sash and Phaedra temporarily slow it down and then join them.

When the Dragyern follows them up into the room, Alden notices a teleportation portal. Their friend Valorie has brought a stranger, Dagmar Solas, who uses magic to knock the Dragyern out.

They hear of another attack, this time on the prison where the Queen and her old magician, Lysanthir, both of whom were arrested for corruption and murder, are held. They go to check it out but Alden warns them of an explosion just before it happens.

They survive the explosion. Alden sees traces of Dragyern burrows and alerts the others. They realize that this time, the Dragyern took Lysanthir away instead of killing him.

They continue to investigate. They talk with Dagmar, whose memories had been erased. After they are restored, she tells them that she had been kidnapped and forced to use her magical sensibilities to control the Dragyern on behalf of one of the Kiros Three, Elea Veris. The Kiros Three are the most powerful humans in Kiros: Dagmar’s father is one of them. Elea has been working to create a synthetic magic that can help power the city, and gain power for herself in the process.

Pax, Alden, and Phaedra go to Elea’s lab. Alden contacts the police for backup. Alden works as their early-warning system, using his empathy to sense the presence of either Dragyern or other people. He lets them know when they’re near.

They confront Elea, who has been making Lysanthir work for her. She has a Dragyern attack them. They fight.

Picking up on and inspired by Phaedra’s emotions, he gives a motivational speech. They manage to win after a Dragyern eats Elea and they free the people who were forced to magical controlling them.

Alden senses a relation between the Dragyern and the Taka, which are both magical beasts. He can feel that the Taka are helping the Dragyern feel better.

They all give the synthetic magic Elea was working on to the Prime Minister, who happens to be Phaedra’s father. He uses it to help the city.

They all hang out at the end, with Alden happily accepted by Pax’s family, the Taka, and all their friends.

Powers and Abilities

Alden can sense the presence of other beings from a short distance. He can also sense their general emotional state.