Codex Harmonicus
Conservatory Archives
Dekker Kohl
Trovatore for the Columbus Conservatory. Age 42. Born December 25th, which he considers an unreasonable thing to do to a person. Plays the ossia. Fences when he has the time, which is less often than he'd like. Has not written anything worth keeping in three months, which he calls a dry spell. Has strong opinions about instrument nomenclature, investigative protocol, and velvet jackets. Weak opinions about most authority figures.
Hoagland "Hoagy" Porter
Novizio, first year. Assigned to Trovatore Kohl as field apprentice. Precise hair. Ironed shirts. Plays trombone. Once transposed an entire piano down a whole step during a lesson and restored it before the teacher could identify the source of the problem. Considered this funny. Has been reconsidering several assumptions since.
Armando Villard
Head of the Harmonic Council, Columbus Conservatory. Former prodigy. Gray hair, thin, dressed by excellent tailors. Believes his portrait belongs on the wall with the other great composers. Has been told this is premature. Continues to believe it.
Detective Dash Handler
Columbus Police Department. Has worked with the Conservatory long enough to stop asking how the magic works and start asking how long it will take. Eats sunflower seeds. Firm handshake.
Sonny Mordent
Head of Special Projects, DHR. Does not play the violin. Has strong views on the role of creativity in a well-regulated society. Married to Felix Cantabile, separated. Three inches taller than Dekker in heels, which she is aware of.
Eliza Wonderly
Chief Archivist. Chestnut hair, pince-nez glasses, wooden pins. Answers questions with better questions. Knows more than she explains. Has been described as maddening by at least one Trovatore who should know better than to say so out loud.
The Codex Harmonicus is a living document. Entries will be added as the series progresses.
The Day the Whimsy Died (Book 1) · Joy to the Morgue (Book 2, forthcoming)
This digital archive is maintained by Tim A. Mills as a companion to the Virtuosi Chronicles. While the Conservatory's records blend the historical evolution of the Circle of Fifths and the works of 17th-century theorists with the arcane traditions of the Virtuosi, the ‘Vis Naturalis’ remains a property of the narrative.
© 2026 Tim A. Mills. All rights reserved. The Virtuosi Chronicles, the Vis Naturalis, and the traditions of Il Conservatorio degli Stregoni are original works of fiction.