Baldric was tall, dark-haired, grey-eyed, and wore his office in a way that was unlike a king or any known official or titled person. His greatest weapon was academic knowledge tempered by uncommon administrative abilities, and this gave him greater clarity of purpose and fundamental empathy for the inhabitants of the Four Kingdoms than any king. It was said of him that his life was a combined ethic of sword, plough, sceptre of office and ancient text of wisdom. His strength,
therefore, came from excelling at leading a balanced life that included genuine experience.
The representatives of Belloc's company were seated directly to his left; Belloc, Celedhan, Grol, Amrhost, Damond, Brogan, Dorain, Lily and Anest.
At the table to his right sat the renowned Garnak the Warrior, the very man-at-arms who had been unable to keep his meeting with Belloc, just before their departure for Lund. Beside Garnak sat the strangest creature Lily had ever laid eyes on. This was Akaru, a half-troll from the far north. Apparently taking the half-troll's presence for granted, an elven swordmain named Julina sat next to him. Julina, Lily noted, was a head shorter than Dorain, and was raven-haired. She looked to be very young. Next came an elf Anest informed Lily was Julina's elder brother, Palindor, and at the end of the table sat the largest dwarf Lily had yet seen. In a respectful tone, Anest informed her that he was Gart the Renowned, whose feats of strength and daring were legendary throughout the Four Kingdoms. Like Akaru, the Dwarf wore a sleeveless leather jerkin, a short hauberk over this, and short, heavy fur jerkin overall. In both cases their arms were bare, massive, and gnarled as old oak with muscle.