UberQuest

UberQuest is a webcomic by Skidd and Phuufy. The webcomic currently updates on an regular basis, every Sunday on the main site.

Previously hosted by The Katbox, it is now part of the Studio Khimera webcomic community.

Setup
UberQuest is a scifi/fantasy/drama webcomic set in a fantasy realm named Evyr. Three races inhabit the four kingdoms of Evyr: the Fera (mammals), the Dahaki (dragons), and the Avion (avians). All are anthropomorphic animals with a variety of fantastical abilities.

The world of Evyr has many magitech contraptions used in a variety of ways, from the mundane to military-grade weaponry. The story follows a group of unlikely companions as they embark on a quest that slowly unveils an ancient mystery with power-sources known commonly as 'Ubers', along the way various factions rise to power as the world becomes more turbulent with the brink of war and political espionage afoot, all fighting for power.

Plot
The story of UberQuest follows Sesame, her life is turned upside down after her village is attacked by a group of raiders, her father is slaughtered in the mayhem. Homeless and alone, she embarks on a quest to find her sister Soya who will hopefully aid in finding out more information and enacting vengeance on behalf of her home. Along the way, she runs into a mage-in-training named Kibbles (Kibella), who was tasked by her teacher Winsley to seek out Sesame and follow her. Later, during a fight, they run into a mysterious futuristic teleporter holding Claire, an eccentric engineer, and her robot companion Proto, eager to return home.

The three also run into Farron a shady merchant rat out to get rich and Mason a weary blacksmith venturing out on his own for the first time. Meanwhile, in the capital of the Kingdom of Alder Kylar, a skilled archer and high-ranking knight, finds himself tasked with a covert mission to find a noble from Prince Drayven, who is next in line to the throne. Prince Drayven is approached by the ex-royal-mage and now Necromancer, Valmont, to make a secret allegiance to gain political power, using their undead army.

Various factions seem interested in ancient artifacts known more commonly as Ubers. Including an uprising rebellion known as the Severance, various Kingdoms, and a mysterious group known as Zysa. Along the way, the group finds themselves entangled in a world increasingly in turmoil, with a war on the horizon, factions gaining power with an arms race for the power source of the Ubers all while the past of Evyr is slowly unveiled.

Cast



 * Sesame - Sesame has embarked on a quest to seek vengeance for her father and justice for her homeland. Dutiful, loyal and vigilant she is quick to stand up for her friends and defend those she cares for. Helpful to a fault, she tries her best to live by an honor code and never ignores a cry for help. Though at times she can be hard-headed, brash, and passionate. Her intense nature can be off-putting for some. Jumping before looking, her short-sightedness and firey-temper more often than not put her into trouble. Sesame is eager to prove herself as a warrior. Trying very hard to keep up a strong face in the wake of adversity.


 * Kibbles - Kibella, better known by her nickname “Kibbles” is a young mage looking for adventure. She is an optimistic social butterfly, her sweet nature often makes it easy for her diplomatic skills to shine. Acting as a glue for the group. She was trained by the famous Grand Mage, Master Winsley in all things magic. Eager to make friends, her sheltered and spoiled upbringing makes her naive to the cruel world around her. Kibbles has a mysterious past she tries hard not to speak of. She also has a snarky, selfish, and irresponsible side. Out to experience life to its fullest, she throws caution to the wind for the adventure of a lifetime!


 * Claire - An eccentric inventor from a different time period. Crash-landing in a freak accident on Evyr from a space colony. Claire is an excitable, brilliant oddball. She has a bad habit of sticking her foot in her mouth and lacks social graces. Her childish humor often is misleading to how intelligent she is. A brilliant genius in all things mechanical, she is quite educated, possessing a doctrine and master's degrees in theoretical physics and astronautical engineering. She loves to live in her own head and finds humor in most things. This is perhaps a coping mechanism as Claire struggles with facing reality and harsh truths. She often clings to her comfort companion, Proto - an assistant bot she programmed with advanced AI. Claire brings a certain levity to the group, along with some brilliant ideas - that is if she can calm down and focus long enough.


 * Farron - Farron Jacques is a shady merchant that lives his life as a nomadic vagabond. His main priorities seem to be entirely self-serving and are not above using others to satisfy his vices. Jaded, apathetic, and cynical, he has no shortage of dry wit and unsolicited commentary for his companions. His main source of income is “Farron’s Extraordinary Traveling Shop” which houses many items of questionable origin from his enchanted backpack slash pet mimic, Scrab. Farron’s goal was to steal an Uber and get-rich-quick falls quickly apart and finds himself reluctantly joining a group of adventurers. Though his bad attributes seem to outweigh his good, Farron can be charitable, sensitive, and charming in his own way. Able to talk himself out of almost any situation, though often he fails spectacularly in his endeavors. Despite immense baggage (literally) and self-isolation - there is perhaps more to this gruff street-rat than what appears.


 * Mason - Mason is a skilled blacksmith, having worked at “Hamrell Smithy” all his life, under the thumb of his abusive Uncle Edgar. He has lived a very strict, controlled, and sheltered life. Mason is a meek, quiet, and gentle-tempered young man. Eager to please, his attempts to be independent have gone awry. Despite his foreboding large size, he has a soft spot for creatures, artistic leanings and is quite emotionally sensitive. However, his tepid nature hides a nasty volatile temper and an assortment of issues from years of abuse. He always tries to be helpful and asks little to nothing in return. Now he finds himself out on his own, he is struggling to find his place in the world and just what type of man he wants to be.


 * Kylar - Kylar is a Knight of the Order of Olde and Lieutenant Commander in the Kingdom of Alder’s army. Excelling at a career he is passionate about, Kylar looks to be an ideal and exemplary citizen. Poised, professional, and orderly. He is a stickler for rules and law, boasting himself as the most mature and put together of the main group. But he also can come off as snooty and judgemental, holding high standards to everyone (especially to himself). However, this leaves him micromanaging others and being a killjoy. An immensely fierce and loyal fighter, he has earned a reputation as a war hero in his hometown of Northon, Alder. Kylar hails from a successful well-to-do family and does his best to live by the books. Though, he secretly lives a double life built upon a house of cards. Especially when it comes to his secret boyfriend Joel and how sinful and dangerous such acts are perceived by his Kingdom.


 * Drayven - Heir to the Kingdom of Alder and firstborn son of King Alphonse Alder. Prince Drayven was groomed at a very young age for leadership. Drayven is a brilliant, well-read individual, good-looking and oozing with charisma. Much to his Father’s dismay, his scholarly pursuits is a far cry from being a strong, valiant warrior that the Kingdom of Alder prides itself on. His personal ideas, persuasiveness, and quick-witted nature put him at odds with his father and how the Kingdom is ruled. In an effort o sway him, Alphonse has seen fit to make Drayven's life miserable and rob him of power. Steeped in politics at a young age, noble-houses and other politicians have fought to influence and use him. Topped with being restrained and isolated for much of his life, Drayven can come off as aloof, icy, and arrogant. His reserved quiet nature, lack of agency, and true connections have left him painfully lonesome - desperate to break free and establish himself as his own person.


 * Valmont - Bombastic, theatrical, and always fabulous - a necromancer and former Royal Mage to the Court of the Kingdom of Alder. Ambitiously driven Valmont has high hopes of conquering the world and ruling as he sees fit. Residing on the outskirts of society he is regarded as a misfit, living a life of ridicule and isolation - he yearns for acceptance. Though he comes off as confident, it beguiles his insecurities. Sarcastic, manipulative, and cocky - he becomes hostile when he doesn't get what he wants. Seeking to climb the hierarchical ladder - there is nothing Valmont wouldn’t do to achieve his goals. A natural trickster, he is quite adept as an illusionist taking many forms, he delights in mayhem and witty banter. Valmont has very strong convictions, he attempts intellectually to persuade others foremost. He is especially taken with the current heir to Alder’s throne, Prince Drayven. With his army of undead at his side and being an immensely talented mage, it just may be possible to execute his schemes after all.


 * Dante - Dante prides herself in being one of the best thieves in all of Evyr, or so she says. Sarcastic, confident, and independent - she makes her living off of many five-finger discounts. She is the half-blooded younger sister to Farron, whom she is very close to. The two grew up in the rough rural areas of the Kingdom of Hazerath as orphans. Being a key member of a thieving guild, she often takes care of new recruits - who too come from impoverished backgrounds. In addition to thievery, Dante sometimes takes jobs collecting intel as a spy, as she is light on her feet and easily slips between the shadows.


 * Winsley - As one of the most respected and venerable mages in all of Eyvr, Winsley acts as an impartial aid to any country willing to listen to his advice and heed his warnings. His body has been fundamentally altered after accidentally falling into a leyline of magic energy and surviving with his mind still intact. This altered body has slowed his aging so much that it’s rumored that he’s been alive for at least 1000 years or more, but even Winsley can’t quite remember his age, as his perception of time is a little skewed since the accident. He also serves as a guardian and mentor to Kibbles to try and guide her in her mastery of magic, as well as helping her through some of her personal troubles. Little else about him is hard to discern from rumors as Winsley isn’t one to make a habit of being away from his tower for too long. One thing is for certain, there would scarcely be another as qualified, or as knowledgeable, as him with all things magical in nature.


 * Sam - Sam Jeston is a soldier in the Kingdom of Alder’s military. His life has been hard as his lack of any special abilities valued by his nation has greatly hindered his progression. Despite all odds, he’s managed to keep up with some people that are much more fortunate than he is out of sheer spite. Sam is not someone content to live a quiet mediocre life and aspires to rise up to be something, anything, greater than he is now. His intense passion and focus are both his greatest asset and flaw as this fierce defining trait often gives him a short-sighted perspective. However, with such a narrow focus and aggressive nature, it still leads to success even if the results weren’t intended.


 * Joel - Quiet, Playful and, Kind, Joel is a scribe and aspiring novelist. Graduating at the top of his class, he has found a mundane but somewhat fulfilling job as a scribe. A novelist in the making, he often writes stories filled to the brim with high action and adventure. Joel is Kylar's long-term secret boyfriend, the two take great strides in keeping up the charade. The two had met in university, though he loves Kylar deeply the two have fundamentally differing views on politics and their own sexuality. Joel enjoys the simpler things in life, such as gardening and cooking -preferring to keep to himself. However, given his recent role as the royal scribe, he finds himself flung into the political crossfire of the Alder Kingdom. Joel's perhaps having to find the strength to challenge the very Kingdom in which he serves, to protect those he loves.


 * Alphonse - Alphonse is the King of Alder and an indomitable man. There is nothing in his personality that allows for weakness or needless compassion when his paranoia is so often well-founded. Alphonse is so unyielding, on and off the battlefield, that he often comes across as overly harsh and sometimes downright cruel. He does his best to lead his country through all forms of strife as Alder is often at war and in open conflict, but with his nation’s people and resources being strained it has become increasingly difficult to appease the local populous. His eldest son, the crowned prince Drayven, does little to dissuade his paranoid troubles as he sees him as weak and overly influenced by emotions. Alphonse has little time for novel concepts like mercy when his family might very well be in jeopardy by something difficult to bring light to. He loves and cares for his family, but to him, there is never a moment where he could ever show it.


 * Eiran - Eiran Akane is the father to Soya and Sesame Akane and was reigning General Chief for The Akai Islands. A stoic, calm, and serious figure, Eiran stood as an epitome of strength for those who knew him. His past was somewhat mysterious, having ship-wrecked to the Islands and incurred amnesia for a brief period as a result. He met Ginger (Ginny) Akane who nursed him well, the two quickly fell in love and had two daughters. The loss of his wife giving birth to their youngest Sesame made him even more distant than before - though he tried his best as a single father to raise his children with the morals of strength, respect, and honor. He was very protective of Sesame and reluctant to train her as he did his oldest Soya in the way of the sword but relented eventually. He lost his life during the siege on Akai defending his homeland.


 * Zeldane - Known for his brutality and ruthlessness in battle, Zeldane excels at his job as a mercenary. The sell-sword's past is murky, but what is known is he lived a difficult life full of strife. Having burned most of his bridges along the way, he has become jaded and cold to the world. Only finding solace in a good strong drink, women for company, and of course most of all, a good fight. His skill set is so coveted he rarely finds himself without work. Though recently he has come back into the fold of Zysa, whose interested in retrieving ubers and obtaining the custody of certain members of high society for their own schemes. Zeldane's blood-lust is unparalleled and a life in which he has nothing left to lose, he constantly pushes the limits of what his body and others can withstand.


 * The Omni - The Omni is a mysterious leader of Zysa. Little is known of The Omni's origin, only that they appeared one day presenting psychic-like powers. The Omni as the name suggests to their followers knows and sees everything and is in essence, everywhere. Few are beholden to even the presence of The Omni and only very select chosen ones may hear them speak. Motives for this enigmatic figure are not quite known, other than wanting to bring a rebirth to the world.


 * Proto - Proto is an excitable, optimistic, and happy-go-lucky robot. Built by Claire (with prototypes for the design coming from her father, Gordon), he was simply meant to help out with monotonous tasks. However, Claire installed an advanced AI that allows him near sentient interactions. Proto has aspirations of being a junior executive and often has silly lackadaisical conversations. But most of all, he wants a body that reflects his mind. Proto is very resourceful, having gotten the aid of a tribe of deadly mandrakes at his side, all named Steve but his favorite Sven also seems to be an anomaly amongst their kind.


 * Scrab - Scrab's origins are mysterious, but one day Farron happened upon the mimic's lair. After a tense battle, Farron managed to tame and seal the monster within a lock. Attaching it to a backpack became Scrab's default form. Scrab is a lazy, mischievous, and sometimes feracious mimic. Void-mimics being the largest variety are also the most dangerous and rare. Scrab has typical animal instincts, loving food above all else. He has a special soft spot for Farron and is perhaps the only one the beast will not attack. Scrab will eat just about anything, his stomach acting as portable storage for Farron.


 * Soya Akane - Soya is the eldest daughter of the Akane family. Even at a young age, she showed signs of immense gifted potential inherited from her father and mother, Eiran and Ginger Akane. Eiran trained her in the art of combat while under the loving care of her mother. Soya would learn well from her father and become strong, but the loss of her mother when her new younger sister, Sesame, was born still hit her hard. Instead of letting the loss shake her she firmly trained harder to become an unshakable strong force for herself and to hopefully inspire as much as she protects what she cares about. Soya is a natural leader that inspires all to be like her, and those that call her an ally, a fierce defender of what she believes in. To her enemies, she is a ruthless nightmare that will hunt them down until she rends them asunder into utter ruins. Soya is a diligent believer in her own cause that can never be shaken from her ideals. When she decides to do something she’ll accomplish it or die trying. Any that would stand in her way will quickly find her wrath and be removed with ruthless force.


 * Gordon - Passionate, dedicated, and brilliant, Gordon O'Connell was a scientist whose curiosity and lust for knowledge was boundless. He is the father of Claire, who was the result of a fling with a woman named Helen. The two quickly got married and did their best to raise their daughter. However, problems arose, as a large fallout due to emotional neglect and lack of common ground lead to their divorce. Gordon did his best to support and encourage Claire, who had the same intellectual pursuits and interests as her father - but parenting fell to the wayside as he became increasingly more consumed by his work. Having discovered a mysterious element known as 'Abyssium' he studied it for years, in hopes to find a solution to his people's energy crisis. As funding from companies was pulled out due to the lack of discoveries that would be applicable to their plight - Gordon went to extremes to try to unlock a use for Abyssium. He disappeared after a rogue scientific experiment and has not been seen since.


 * Thana - Thana is a member of Zysa and a mage that acts as an agent to train and recruit new potential members. While she doesn’t hold any special rank or serve any significant role she strongly desires to become more for the cause she believes in. Thana is a hardened survivor of a rough life that she had little choice but to endure and adapt. She uses both her body and her wits to full advantage and doesn’t think twice about doing something if it benefits her or her agenda. Through the veil of charming appearance and behavior lies a woman who has suffered much and is ultimately determined towards a very personal vendetta.


 * Raziel - Raziel was an orphan in the city of Wreston that Farron encountered, selling flowers and starving on the streets. Farron offered her a hot meal and money along with some sage advice on how to survive. Raziel is naive, sweet, and sensitive - not yet hardened to the world despite some of the hardships she has faced due to her parents being murdered and the rampant racism in Alder. Despite being a citizen she is ostracized for being a Dahaki (dragon folk).


 * Eliza - Queen Eliza Alder is wife to King Alphonse Alder and mother to Drayven, Samara, Remus, and Romulus Alder. She does her best to support her family - even though her husband and children need very different, and often, conflicting things. Her husband’s ruthlessly distanced behavior towards her and the regrets of how she handled things when Drayven was born has made her focus her efforts on her youngest children. Eliza is a strong stalwart woman with a great deal of compassion and still holds hopes that things could work out so her whole family can be happy. She may have idealistic desires, but she is far from naive. The truth of her nature is she understands what she cannot change or control everything so she copes as best as she can while longing for happier days that are long gone.