Gwendolyn is a sturdy, attractive human woman with warm brown skin, expressive hazel eyes, and unruly chestnut hair usually tied back with a tavern ribbon. She has a lively smile, a small scar across one eyebrow, and callused hands from years of bar work and martial training. Her clothing mixes practical traveler’s garments with bright sashes, ink-stained cuffs, and a well-worn cloak bearing her family tavern’s emblem.

Gwendolyn is light-hearted, sociable, and almost impossible to keep miserable for long. She loves a dramatic entrance, a strong drink, a ridiculous wager, and any story involving lost treasure or doomed romance. Beneath her jokes is a deeply compassionate woman who notices loneliness quickly and will sit beside someone in silence until they are ready to speak. She is a talented writer when sober, an enthusiastic writer when drunk, and an utterly unreliable editor at all times.

Gwendolyn Thomas was raised above the Lantern Thomas, a beloved family tavern in the heart of the largest city she has ever known. The tavern was named after her when she was born, supposedly because her mother claimed Gwen had arrived loudly, dramatically, and demanding to be fed. She grew up carrying plates, listening to sailors lie about sea monsters, and learning that every old woman at the bar had a story worth hearing. Gwen has never been able to refuse a request from an older woman, especially if it comes with a sigh, a worried look, or the phrase, “You remind me of my granddaughter.” This weakness has emptied her purse more than once.