One of the few Doppelganger families from outside Mwyr Aeld, he is one of the long-lasting Vesturian noble families, the Volkvs. As with many of his bloodline, he was naturally powerful, descended from the Doppelganger Subsequent. His power led him to be one of the most feared Vesturian noblemen of his time, providing him with fresh young bodies to extend his life much further than most Doppelgangers, especially since he also used rune-magic to steal the powers and properties of other Doppelgangers.

Karl eventually was forced by one of his political rivals to leave Vesturia. For a while, he stayed in Mwyr Aeld, but he quickly made enemies there, too, as even those decadent savages thought his rune-magic practices were abominable. Karl fled again, this time to Srisia, where his Vesturian background made him a target of religious purists; onward, then, to Starfall Continent, where he made his own small kingdom for a long time. There, too, he faced rebellion and conflict, but he also unexpectedly married. Vermiga Deslondes (see below) was of fey blood, and the two were well matched in temperament (a terrifying thought). After the New Industrial Revolution, they decamped to the faerie nations, where Deslondes' family was falling apart. She ruthlessly took over and Karl set himself up as a retired rune-warrior.

Karl is, of course, old enough to be AK.

As many speculate due to the face-removal aspect of AK MO that the AK will be associated with the Court of Thorn, Karl's species and ancestry are of interest here. Furhter, the association of murder/bloody violence with the Court of Shadow is backed by Karl's worship of the dead Serpent Mother.

Karl is known to have been travelling in the vicinity of known victims #8, #13, and #15. Karl's secretive slave/rune purchases also meant he spent a great deal of time moving around the world untracked.

Karl's rune-magic and consumptive powers require the mentality that views other mortals as things.

The ritualistic processes of high-level rune-magic often require specialized methodologies, meaning AK MO could be explained as a rune-magic ritual. No traces of rune-magic found at scenes, but the violence could be used as an external ingredient. Counter: rune-magic requires living victims.

Karl was known to have been travelling in the vicinity of suspected victims #3, #5, and #8. Karl is known to have the ability to identify the family history of people if he observes them long enough, a power identical to one known to have been used by suspected victim #5.

Karl lived in Quietgrace City West when known victims #3 and #10 were killed and when suspected victims #1 and #9 were killed. Known victim #10 has another connection to another figure in Karl's life (see below).

N/A. Not in consideration as AK.

Whatch witnessed her mother's death. Unfortunately, she experiencing a moment of religious ecstacy and cannot give reliable account of the murder. She swears that Karl Volkv was the killer, however, based on (1) his servant's approaching their candy shoppe the day before seeking two specific chocolate bars that later went missing during/after the killing, (2) his known hatred of revels (a not uncommon sentiment amongst Vesturians), (3) aspects of her religious vision that depicted a green-eyed figure in chains.

Local authorities could not identify anyone matching her description of the Volkv servant Whatch insists visited their shoppe. No corroborating evidence was found from reliable sources that put Volkv at the scene. He passed a truth-detecting incantation, which he willingly submitted to. Scope of incantation was only connected to his presence at the shoppe, however, and his answers to other questions--whether he used rune-slaving, for instance, were not subject to its power (he steadfastly denies it).

Ilona was born to an ancient family of Cornucopian religious leaders in the Aeslaw (now Monsapple City). At a young age, she devoted herself to the Faith of the Amber Goddess, but also found herself attracted to criminal activities. Though she was trusted to serve as caretaker of the foundlings and orphans, she was continually reprimanded for acts of petty theft, connections to unsavory elements, and at one point, arson. Many of the details of these incidents are sealed, and the incident that removed her from the church is completely unattainable. We have here scant details, but it is known she was involved with a slaving operation. Some have suggested she was selling her charges into slavery, but the punishment therefore would have been death. More likely, she was caught providing funding to some slaving operation, giving sanctuary to them, or possibly in the planning stages of selling the children. Regardless, she was merely Excommunicated.

She moved not to Starfall, Krevzuk, nor Vesturia, but then to Oddlepoddle, in 12 Age of Wounding. There it is believed she used her talents as a caretaker of children to begin converting revels to her faith in the Amber Goddess, setting herself up as a legitimate priestess despite the Excommunication (none in the small village where she lived cared to check up on it). Here she remained for nearly three millennia, aging not at all, leading to speculation from those who now know her that she might have been using the juvenate energies of the revels (and before that, the children under her care) to remain young. Evidence, however, suggests a combination of the Cornucopian's naturally longlife and her potent ancestry (descended of the Manifest of her species) simply made her very long-lived, as she insists. There is evidence of this among her relatives, though none quite so long as she.

After AK struck in 2973 (the area now Quietgrace City East and over-urbanized), or perhaps after Volkv's visit, she moved to the Instar area in Quietgrace City West. There, she has taken up gardening for faerie nobles.

N/A. Not in consideration as AK.

Ilona is believed to have been involved in selling slaves to (or possibly buying slaves from) Karl Volkv and might have been the servant in question seeking chocolate bars (really casing the candy shoppe), but descriptions do not match.

N/A. Not in consideration as AK.

She almost never leaves her district after her election, save on official trips, none of which match up with AK. If her husband is AK, she almost certainly knows, however. She refuses to answer questions on the matter and uses her considerable power to cover it up.

N/A. Not in consideration as AK.

It is believed she knows more than she speaks about, but is afraid of retribution from her parents.