Salty and Cara – Who is Who
On this page you will find background information on the main characters of the Salty & Cara adventures (in alphabetical order).
Alpha (or Al)
A colleague of Cara’s at Hanano’s Spot. She is a pear and ‘Alpha’ is not her real name. She is also quite extravagant and gets herself into trouble in the first story ‘The Blue Dew’.
Aubergio
The lieutenant of New Valley crime lord Don Tomatoni makes a big appearance in ‘The Blue Dew’. Oh, and he is an eggplant (see the [‘How about …’] page for background information on eggplants).
Balim
Cara’s uncle is her mother’s younger brother and lives in Big Valley, where he runs various businesses.
Beta
A colleague of Cara’s at Hanano’s Spot. He is a pear like Alpha, with whom he is very close. Like Alpha, Beta is not his real name.
Cara
Cara Mabola comes from a once wealthy but still influential starfruit family in New Valley. The family’s money was lost in a mysterious scam. This, and the fact that she does not get along well with her mother, has led to her working at Hanano’s Spot bar. Although she is pretty and comes from a prestigious family, Cara is a kind fruit, very practical and straightforward. This makes her a perfect match for her lover Quentin Cumberman aka Salty. Her family – as well as the conservative upper class in New Valley – does not approve of this relationship. She is aware of this and is careful not to draw too much attention to their liaison, but she does not really care.
Courgette
The secretary of Cumberman & Cumberman Investigations. She has been with the company since the beginning. Her family has been friends with Salty’s family for a long time. Her brother Murkus also used to be a boatsman for Cara’s family. This is how Salty and Cara met when they were very young. As you may have guessed, Courgette is a zucchini.
Don Tomatoni
I don’t have to tell you what kind of fruit he is. He lives and works in the world of nightshades. And he is basically the crime lord of New Valley from a wealthy and ‘proper’ family of tomatoes. Very powerful and dangerous. For some reason, though, he liked Salty’s father, whom he had known since they attended an academy together when they were much younger.
Hanano
The owner of Hanano’s Spot – a bar in New Valley where Cara works. The Banana has an interesting past in Big Valley, which is still his secret second identity. To get a little insight into the banana culture, look for ‘Banani’ on the [How About] page.
King Pineus
The male ruler of Big Valley, he is overshadowed by his wife Queen Bromelia not only in matters of beauty. He is kind, benevolent, and wise enough to listen to a council of high-ranking families in his realm. He and his wife also maintain close relationships with the rulers of other realms, both near and far. He has a few follies, which his wife gladly tolerates, knowing that he is truly devoted to her and ready to make the right decisions should the need arise.
Lord Mabola
Lord Mabola is Cara’s grandfather and the father of Avery Mabola, Cara’s father. As an advisor to the King of Big Valley, he has a lot of influence. Since contact with son Avery and his family has not been very close for some time, Cara does not remember her grandfather and other members of the family, such as her grandmother – tragically killed some time ago – and her aunt.
Maximilian (or Max)
The head of the New Valley Police and a friend of Salty’s father from their days working together. Like most guards – public or private – he is a pumpkin.
Queen Bromelia
A beautiful pineapple who is the female part of the ruling couple in Big Valley. Very influential, caring for her people and wise – or you might even say dangerously smart and cunning.
Salty
He is a private investigator for insurance companies in New Valley, whose real name is Quentin Cumberman. He comes from a middle-class family of cucumbers and is in love with the starfruit Cara Mabola. His company, Cumberman & Cumberman Investigations, was founded by his father, a former New Valley police detective who died in a strange accident just as Salty was joining his father’s firm. The young entrepreneur went to the University of New Valley and holds a degree, which entitles him to have a ‘Master’ in front of his name. Hardly anyone uses it, though, preferring to call him ‘Detective’ or just Salty.
Togrow, Towata and the Twins
The deities of the Fruitable society, representing soil, water and sun (see ‘Religion’ on the ‘How about’ page).
Here is the Salty & Cara info page with the overviews of the episodes [Salty and Cara – Info Page]
And here you find further background [Salty and Cara – How About]