Ravenwood Roll Call: Halston Balestrom

Halston Balestrom was born in the slums of Greenchapel in Marleybone’s Westminster Skyway. Poor but proud, Halston’s father Alfred supported his family by working long hours as a lowly Airship porter. He was determined to create a better life for his children.

“Education! That’s the ticket! The pilot’s fly the airships, Halston but it’s ‘lectricity what makes ‘em go – and its engineers what makes the ‘lectricity. That’s your future, lad!”

Halston’s imagination was indeed sparked by electricity, but not in the way his father hoped. Halston had a knack for Storm Magic and even began running with a gang of petty storm magicians known as “The Thunderclouds”. This was far more fun than sitting in a classroom, memorizing formulas... or so Halston thought.

But gang life led to disaster for Halstrom. The gang’s leader, “Bully” Deansgate, wanted to learn “real” storm magic – and use it to commit crimes! Halstrom had no intention of breaking the law. He challenged “Bully” to his first ever duel – and won! But when the Lightning bats Halston conjured went haywire, they caused a storm that nearly flooded Greenchapel, and Halston ended up being the one put behind bars!

Alfred was furious. He shipped Halston off to Frogby Academey to study Electrical Engineering. But in Digmoore Station, Halston met a shady Cat who tricked him into helping with the heist of the infamous Opal of Ojai and vanished when the deed was done. Halston took the fall. He was back behind bars, and this time, in the notorious Newgate Prison.

Fortunately, an unknown wizard from Ravenwood appeared from nowhere and helped Halston recover the Opal and clear his name. Halston was impressed and decided that he too would enroll at Ravenwood.

Alfred thought studying Magic was a waste of time, but Halston could not be deterred, and indeed, his natural talents made him a shimmering success. He finally learned how to control his conjured Lighting Bats and impressed everyone by becoming the first underclassmen to defeat a Kraken in a duel!

During Halston’s graduation, he was honored by Merle Ambrose with an offer to remain at Ravenwood in a teaching capacity. The moment was made all the more special when Alfred stepped forth from the crowd, and with no small amount of pride, watched as his son was made professor of Storm Magic at Ravenwood.