“When the Dragonfly finally met his demise at the hands of the villainous Sisa, he was soon avenged by his many children and protegees. Most notable among them were the eldest (and the group’s leader) BLUEWING, the GADFLY, and the enigmatic SKIMMER, who would work against their siblings as often as with them – bringing their parents much grief in the process.

You might think that a home dedicated in part to training and raising a new lineage of heroes would be a pressurised, unpleasant environment. However, accounts from the time report that many of the Dragonfly’s offspring saw Lake Etta as a refuge from the stresses of the wider world. Indeed, those of the Dragonfly’s foes who dared attack their home base tended to see the swiftest imprisonment.

From the diary of Francesco Gabrielli Jr, otherwise known as Bluewing, we learn that the Dragonfly’s progeny were raised alongside several supernaturally intelligent magpies. Historians have attempted to unearth the significance of this to no avail. However, one of these birds was named Alfieri – after the valet who formed the second half of the Dragonfly identity. According to Francesco Jr., unlike its namesake, the magpie lived to a ripe old age and was greatly mourned by Florizel when it did pass.”

– Excerpt from A Dragonfly’s Brood: The Lineage of Esharia’s Finest Hero by Angela Nacar

“The Society for the Preservation of Reparational Culture are delighted to announce that with the assent of Florizel Gabrielli’s great-grandchildren, we will be giving tours of the historic estate where the man himself housed – and, indeed, continues to house! - hundreds of refugees.

Quite aside from his stellar work as the Dragonfly, Florizel Gabrielli was a noted philanthropist who vastly increased the quality of life of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of Esharians. Countless shelters, famine relief efforts, emergency funds, and public health measures bear his name. The tour will include a visit to the house currently occupied by the Marchettis, selected rooms of Florizel’s estate, and selected extracts from Florizel’s own correspondences, allowing visitors to get to know the man behind the mask…”

“PASQUA MUDAZO: Considerable debate was had over whether a legitimacy ritual was proper in this situation. Ordinarily, an individual of this age would not even be considered, but an exception was made due to the peculiar instances of her ‘birth.’

This debate proved unnecessary. The legitimacy ritual failed. I am told she continues to reside with the Gabriellis, who treat her with great affection.”

– From the state records of all legitimacy rituals performed in the year 191EA

“We didn’t manage to get in wedding – no invitation – but Pietro and I did manage to climb a tree and look over the walls. It was all so beautiful! We saw Valentina Gabrielli and the Dragonfly and half of Sikar Gabrielli’s face and most of Yasmine Gabrielli! Pietro thought Sikar looked the best but I liked Florizel’s clothes most. They looked just like sunlight on water – all ripples and shimmers. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was a Marchetti original. She lives here now, after all!

Afterwards, when everybody else was dancing, Valentina and Florizel broke off from the crowd and wandered off. We were so high up we could see exactly where they went – to the grave. No, not like that! Where they buried Alfieri. They stood there together for a while. Florizel knelt down and spoke a few words to him – to Alfieri, I mean. And then Valentina joined him and said something herself. I couldn’t hear it, it was too indistinct. But they both looked sad – well, half-sad, half-happy. They stayed there until the rest of the Gabriellis came along, and then they all stayed there together, talking and laughing and eating food. I do think it’s nice that they made Aflieri part of the wedding too – he was always so nice to me.”

– The diary of Simonetta Lamberti, who grew up near Lake Etta