What follows is a comprehensive list of the characters in The Belromanticum from "The Adventurer" to "The Vendetta." They are arranged by location or faction, which are placed geographically, going from Chassudor, then into the Turquoise, into Aucor, then Uazica, and finally Obai. I've included only the spoilers I could not possibly avoid. I will update every 10 chapters.

THE STORM'S COURT

The household of Belromanazar, a wizard of humble birth risen to rank and power. The house sigil is a white feathered serpent on a background of blue. Their residence is Azureview, a sprawling estate in Castellandria, though they have lived for a time in the Zuun Khatai, the ruling palace in Zuunkhorun.

Belromanazar of Thunderhead, a.k.a. Dreadstorm, Ashuz, Blackspear, Farmer, Lord of Eirashtar, Tyrant of Zuunkhorun, Prince Consort of Bashamailon: A wizard from the bleak and dreary coast of the Gray Ocean, known for a lengthy career as an adventurer, wanderer, warlord, archmagus, and sage. The narrator of The Belromanticum, a chronicle of his loves, dalliances, and relationships.

Familiars

Oddrin: A night eft, a small, somewhat dragon-like creature.

Quiyahui: A coatl, or feathered serpent, from the highlands of the Ocaital. Her feathers are iridescent white, showing rainbows where the light hits them. She is still growing and is many times the size of a human. Her eyes are the bright blue-white of lightning. She has the ability to take human form, an ability that steadily grows more reliable. In her human form she is petite, slender, and beautiful, retaining the eyes of her serpent-form. Her skin is white-blue, and instead of hair, she sports downy feathers.

Wives & Concubines

Zhahllaia the Enlightened: A djinn from the fallen empire of Qammuz, Zhahllaia's powers have been exhausted. She is Bel's oldest companion in every sense of the word, his first true love, and valued counselor. He has vowed to find a way to make her flesh and blood. She appears as a beautiful Qammuzi woman, with olive skin possessing metallic bronze undertones, deep brown hair that reaches the middle of her back, and wide gold-flecked eyes. She is nude, wearing only bronze bracers on wrists and ankles, and a harness consisting of a golden ring over her belly with delicate golden chains that wrap about her body.

Sarakiel of Castellandria: Sarakiel is a darkling, a race of people whose ancestors had unholy congress with demons, and who are reviled in modern times as a result. An orphan, she was adopted and disguised as human with the aid of a magic amulet. Sarakiel spent her early life as one of the Monia, a librarian in the legendary Grand Library of Castellandria. In her natural form, she is a voluptuous woman whose pale blue skin sports black tiger stripes. Her eyes are indigo, with softly glowing yellow-orange whites, dark horns curving back from her forehead, fangs, retractable claws, and a pointed tail. Her hair is tri-colored, copper at the base, orange for most of its length, and yellow at the tips. She often wears full robes and spectacles, and usually has a book nearby. She is the mother of Arkohnus, Sabrael, Zazel, Sophiel, Haliel, Leiliel, Tarsus, Janniah, and Bethor.

Lysethe the Heaven's Fire, a.k.a. Pale Death, the Hound of Heaven, the Pale Hound: Lysethe had the misfortune to be born a wizard in the Heacharid Empire, and so was enslaved, forced to become one of their dreaded witchthralls. Her magic takes the form of scorching rays of sunlight, and she often wears red enameled plate armor. Her skin and hair are stark white, her eyes blood red. Her body is lean and strong, sculpted by a lifetime of battle, and striped with scars. Her familiar, the skymander Eytelis, likes to perch upon her shoulder. She is the mother of Faustan, Euvorio, Vitalan, Castinan, Dioscoro, and Kelephas.

Princess Tanyth of Clan Abibaal, a.k.a. Crimson Tanyth, Tanyth the Fair, the Crimson Flower, Angel of Castellandria, Mother Mercy: Tanyth is a princess of the Red Wastes of Kharsoom whose beauty is said to shame even that of the Goddess of Love. Her skin is crimson, her wide eyes violet, her lustrous hair black. As is the custom of her decadent homeland, she often goes nude, but when this is impossible, she wears diaphanous gowns of iridescent white, the color picked to match Quiyahui's feathers. She is never without jewelry, at minimum wearing the scorpion diadem of her clan and a golden scorpion set with amethysts in her navel. Though undeniably luminous, her beauty hides a keen political mind and an ironclad sense of honor. She is the mother of Abilyth, Belyth, Beltorys, Hadirseen, and Imshu.

Maireili, a.k.a. the Darklight: Maireili is a ghoul, perhaps the only race more reviled than the darklings. She has the common features of her people, namely a hairless body, pure black orbs for eyes, black claws on her fingers, and sharp teeth perfect for shearing the meat from bones. She is slender, her grayish skin displaying blue undertones. She has round, youthful features at odds with her more monstrous traits. She is a skilled assassin and rogue, having spent her youth in a war against the Rising Shadow. Her enchanted Widow's Cloak can render her invisible in areas of shadow and possesses a number of other abilities. She is the mother of Miloz, Tobar, Vai, and Deimara.

Jerrika Grendel: The former captain of The Burning Knave, Jerrika is a skilled mariner adept at running blockades. In life, she had a golden complexion, tawny brown eyes, and curly red hair. The sea serpent tattoo twining about her right ankle is always visible thanks to her habit of going barefoot. Belromanazar slew her with his magic, and unlike other stormwights, she has retained her will and intelligence. She glows green, and waves pass over her, rendering her flesh transparent and revealing her skeleton. She exudes a glowing slime that she can control and shape into clothing and tools.

Queen Allegeth ur-Udraeg: A sorceress, Allegeth's power comes from her dragon ancestor Bashamerax the Mountain's Flame. Her skin is scaly, the bulk burgundy, with diamond patterns of black, orange, and yellow up her limbs. Another pattern, like a flame, stretches from between her legs up her belly. Her eyes are yellow and vertically-slitted, and she sports small claws at the ends of her fingers. Her teeth are sharp, as befitting her strictly carnivorous diet. The only hair on her is the massive mane on her head, black, but tipped in gray, like smoke. She is a master of fire magic, but despite this, is shy and retiring. Allegeth was a Redmark, and the initial romance between her and Belromanazar bloomed whenever the paths of the Mythseekers and Redmarks crossed. Later, she was crowned Queen of Bashamailon.

Ten Ghosts, a.k.a. The Huntress: Ten Ghosts comes from a race of people called Theva, native to the highlands of southern Aucor. She is a head taller than her husband, with teal skin, golden blonde hair, and eyes of pink and blue that look like a sunset. A line of runed tattoos runs from her right thigh up her torso and neck, ending at her hairline. Though she has the lithe form of a dancer, she possesses incredible strength, wielding her great club with frightening ease. She draws power from her ancestors, and is capable of feats of strength and healing. She rides a vorghal, a fearsome creature that combines the features of cats, lizards, and porcupines.

Children

Bethor: The youngest of Bel's children, a darkling, is a wizard like his father.

Servants & Slaves

Ujaala: A bedslave, stolen from her master in Xoc-Nehar to serve as a guide for Belromanazar in the Red Wastes. Ujaala has consistently displayed a quiet cunning and fierce loyalty, making her a valued member of the household. She was born in distant Tabiyya, but culturally she is Kharsoomian. She is curvy, with wavy brown hair to her waist, dark brown skin, and eyes the color of chocolatl beans. She served Bel first as companion and then as a spy, before being manumitted. She wed Dorbei, a Zuunese spymaster and Bel gave her a noble title as a wedding gift.

Shaluvia: Shaluvia served Tanyth for the entirety of her life, first as warmaid, then as the free captain of the guard for the Storm's Court. Beautiful and dangerous, she has the amber eyes and lithely-muscled body of a tiger. A tattoo of a purple scorpion wraps around her navel.

Ku-Aya, Akadina, Itzamatul: Tanyth's handmaids, a trio of enslaved body servants. Ku-Aya and Akadina are both Kharsoomian, while Itzamatul hails from a village in the Ocaital. They were eventually manumitted and given control of brothels and gambling houses.

Makgrumman: A dwarven man who served for a time as butler at the family's Castellandrian home Azureview. A bit of a dandy, he is never seen without his mustaches braided into his temples, his hair oiled and coiffed, and clad in fine breeches, blouse, and waistcoat.

Ku-Tala: A second bedslave, she is young and petite, with fetching scarlet skin. She was eventually manumitted and given control of a brothel and gambling house.

Lash, Kiatet, Astar, Tlotl: A quartet of warmaids purchased from Kharsoom to guard the family.

Einoë & Kallea: Belromanazar's hetairoi, or sacred bodyguards, for the duration of the war between Axichis and the Heacharid Empire. Tall and leanly muscled amazon warriors, Einoë has coppery red hair while Kallea's is brown. Their most distinctive feature, common to the hetairoi, are the stylized turquoise tattoos that wrap around every segment of their body and vaguely resemble people. In a moment of desperation, Bel slew and raised them as stormwights. Strands of lightning writhe over their ruined bodies along with the barnacles and other sea life that has grown there. Unlike most stormwights they retain some will and claim to honor the oath they took to protect their tent brother.

Mu-Baoth: A legendary sea monster said to haunt the Lapis. The beast was cousin to a breed of gods in the First Strata. Bel killed it, but the ring raised it as a colossal stormwight. It has some connection to Jerrika Grendel, who commands it far more easily than Bel.

Treasures

Xilquinal Sapling: The xilquinal are the silver-gold trees of the elves. The sapling was a gift from Tarasynora, and is said to bring good luck.

Sweetwater Goblet: This tarnished silver goblet, its outside encrusted with old sea life, does not look like much. Water, no matter how foul, put inside the cup is instantly transformed into the pure and healing waters of the elves.

Fidget: A figurine of a strange lizard-bird creature that can come alive for a short period of time every day. Found in the lost city of Ul Adrax, Bel has since given it to Sarakiel who was the one who gave the creature her nickname.

Diotenah's Ring: The ring contains a piece of the necromancer Diotenah's soul and a distillation of her power. It whispers its desires to Bel, nudging him to use it. Whenever Bel slays someone with his magic, they rise as an undead servitor. Thanks to Bel's storm-based magics, threads of lightning play over these creatures' rotted bodies and giving them the sobriquet of stormwights. The ring itself is a serpent's skeleton, wrought in silver, and it wraps around the index finger of Bel's left hand. The ring cannot be removed, and renders the digit as cold as the air around it.

Ur-Anu, a.k.a. Fate, the Blackspear: Forged in the First Strata to slay a god, Ur-Anu is a weapon of remarkable beauty and power. Its head, as long as a man's forearm, at first appears crafted of obsidian, but veins of lightning betray that it is something far greater. The blade is apparently unbreakable, capable of slicing through metal like butter. The weapon's most powerful ability is what Bel has come to refer to as "threads." Small glimpses into the future that guide Bel's steps in combat, these threads render him able to defeat most combatants. The bone-white shaft of the weapon is carved with scenes from Bel's own life, and periodically reshape as new moments supplant older in importance. Bel later gained the ability to summon the spear to his hand on a bolt of lightning.

Loincloth, boots, sheath: These were gifts from Iura, Chala, and Xogra. The loincloth is light and airy, and its folds can hold small objects without betraying their presence. The boots are comfortable, keeping Bel's feet protected from the elements. Lastly, the sheath, only as long as a forearm, intelligently clasps the Blackspear. It will release the weapon when Bel draws it, and close about it when he replaces it.

The Fish in the Bottle: A strange object Bel found in the hoard of one of the Rising Shadow, this appears as a tiny glowing fish in a glass bottle. It possesses formidable magic and it can facilitate travel to "somewhere far away."

The Amulet of House Farad: A rose inside a sunburst, this hung around the neck of the Heacharid Emperor and protected the wearer from poisons.

ADVENTURERS

Heroes in search of a cause.

The Swiftblades

An adventuring party who welcomed Belromanazar on his first adventure.

Ulrika Karksdóttir: Hailing from Svarlskell, the cold lands to the north and west of Rhandonia, Ulrika is a priestess of Umione. She braids her long blonde hair, her blue eyes are bright, and she wears heavy armor and carries a Warhammer. Her tabard is emblazoned with the sunburst of her deity. She is a skilled and fair leader.

Mallathar: A roguish bard, he dresses in fiery colors and wields a rapier. His true skill is morale, keeping spirits up with songs from his lute. He is the father of Bridda's first child, Gerold.

Black Mira Sauret: Belromanazar's first paramour is a black-haired, blue-eyed, pale-skinned rogue from Mairault. Mira instructed Bel in the art of loveplay before returning to the road.

Brennan the Blade: A shaggy-haired warrior, Brennan eventually retires to farm turnips.

Lavinia: The party's witch, Lavinia vanishes on an expedition to distant Jhobai.

The Mythseekers

Belromanazar's first true adventuring party, formed initially to seek the tomb of Jacobal IV.

Alia of Freeport: Of his companions, Bel has the strongest bond with Alia. The little rogue is impulsive and often reckless, but there is no more skilled treasure hunter. So short that she was often mistaken for a halfling, she has long red hair in plaits, sparkling green eyes, and freckles. She is the mother of Rina.

Velena Grimm: The party's witch and leader, Velena hails from the deep forests of Esmia. She is always just as attentive to the emotional health of her comrades as the physical. She's voluptuous, with pale skin and eyes, and deep black hair. Her most distinctive trait is the intricate tattoos that stripe her body and bind her to otherworldly powers. She is the mother of Hadrian.

Xeiliope, daughter of Xelyphe: Xeiliope is an amazon warrior, skilled with the spear and shield. She is a loyal ally, but has a tendency to judgment and holding grudges. She is tall, with golden hair and eyes, and an athletic, muscled build. She is the mother of Xeilyphon.

The Redmarks

An adventuring party who primarily worked as bounty hunters and were close friends, companions, and lovers to the Mythseekers.

Cull Callen: A massive half-orc, Cull is more at home in mountain forests than in civilization. His skin is pale green with eyes of darker green. He shaves his long black hair on the temples to show off his orcish tattoos and dresses in skins and hides. When the time comes to fight, he transforms himself into a monstrous dire wolf. He and Velena eventually marry and start a family together.

Thrandlas the Red: Depending on who asks, the archer of the Redmarks claims he was nicknamed for his red beard or for his deadly aim with his golden bow. He and Xeiliope are frequent paramours.

Razor Rose: Freeport is famed for the quality of its criminals, and Rose is no exception. While her lover Alia's skills leaned to treasure hunting, Rose is a killer through and through. Rose wears her silver hair short. She has a single sapphire blue eye, while the other is dead, a scar running over it.

The Gloom Sovereigns

Black Mira's party after the Swiftblades, they went missing after journeying beneath the Caster Mountains on the trail of the Rising Shadow.

Karlukh: An orcish priest of Yegoth who was the only one of the Gloom Sovereigns to return from their adventure. He died shortly thereafter.

Tandor: A ghoul wizard who had been in love with Mira.

The Night Delvers

An adventuring party that forms to determine the fate of the Gloom Sovereigns. In addition to Belromanazar and his son Threch, the group included Ulrika and Mallathar of the Swiftblades. Maireili would later join.

Framzet: A gnome with a collection of abilities that makes him an excellent underground guide. As an older adventurer, he takes young Threch under his wing and the two continue to adventure even after the Night Delvers disband.

MERCENARIES

Somewhere between adventurers and professional soldiers, freeblades fight for any cause willing to pay their price.

Talynore Tazo: A mercenary hailing from Haguellon, a client kingdom of the Heacharid Empire, Talynore fights for the highest bidder. Her father was a half-elf and her mother a half-orc, and her heritage shows itself in her unusual beauty. Her skin is gray-tinged, her hair auburn, and her eyes a stunning magenta. She carries scars from a hundred battles. She is the mother of Malycent Tazo.

Malycent Tazo: Daughter of Belromanazar and Talynore, Malycent has spent time as a pirate, a mercenary, and an adventurer.

RHANDONIA

A loose affiliation of kingdoms, duchies, and free cities nominally ruled by a king.

King Jacobal IV the Unholy: An ancient bloody-handed tyrant who ruled northwestern Rhandonia a thousand years before Bel's birth.

Vexacion the Iceheart: An undead lord defeated by the Mythseekers.

Sir Gereon: A wandering knight who mentors Arkohnus.

Burley Shoal & Thunderhead

Thunderhead is wizard's tower on the remote northwestern coast of Rhandonia on the continent of Chassudor where Belromanazar spent his youth. Burley Shoal is an unremarkable fishing village a league south.

Rhadoviel: A cantankerous old wizard who mostly wants to be left alone, he raised and trained Belromanazar in the arts of magic. His familiar is a sullen cyclopus named Ephlin.

Adalbert: The garum-maker in Bel's youth and Galfrid the Younger's father-in-law.

Hagen: The innkeeper in Bel's youth.

Galfrid the Elder: Bridda's father, Burley Shoal's baker during Belromanazar's youth.

Bridda: Belromanazar's childhood crush, she followed her father into the family trade to become a baker. All three of her children have different fathers. The eldest, Gerold, was courtesy of Mallathar, while the middle, Enna, was thanks to her husband Elbrin. In her youth, she was blond and voluptuous, with warm brown eyes and an easy smile.

Galfrid the Younger: Bridda's third son, the result of a night of passion with Belromanazar. Named for his grandfather, he has joined the family business. He looks almost exactly like Bel, though this apparently went unnoticed by Bridda's husband. He has four children by his wife Adelle.

Morwen: Galfrid's daughter and Belromanazar's granddaughter, Morwen is a wizard. Given to Rhadoviel as an apprentice, her familiar is a moon cat.

Steelhelm

A town on the lawless border of Rhandonia and Svarlskell known for its smithies. It is also the home of Comfort House, a sumptuous brothel.

Genofeva: The madam of Comfort House.

Isellynor: A redhaired half-elf worker at Comfort House who shared a moment with Bel during his reward there, but turned cold when she learned he was leilatha to an elven noble.

Mei, Pemwith, Skalmurra, Vadoma, Yelan, Zemfira: Workers at Comfort House.

Warestal

A small and rural kingdom in southeastern Rhandonia.

Elianor, Aspar, Heva: Brennan the Blade's wife and two children.

FREEPORT

A bustling free city south of Rhandonia.

Gonril Atoff: The grandson of Malycent Tazo and great-grandson of Belromanazar.

THE GRAY OCEAN

A stormy ocean that stretches from Chassudor in the east to Obai in the west.

Thalalei: A nereid, she and Belromanazar had a brief liaison that resulted in the birth of Belazei. Thalalei gave him the gift of the sweetwater goblet, an object that saved Bel's life numerous times in his exile.

IARVEIROS

An elven kingdom within the Laeroth Forest on Chassudor.

King Tanduin: The king of Iarveiros.

Elion Tarasynora: Tara, as Bel calls her, is the scion of a noble elven house and the largest landholder in the kingdom of Iarveiros. Bel is her leilatha, an elven term for a non-elven lover that every elf noble is expected to have. Her rank, Elion, is the equivalent to Duchess, and she is a relative of the king. A beautiful woman, she has long, platinum blonde hair, lavender skin, and violet eyes. She will, in the fullness of time, become a bitter enemy.

Elion Ellisyr: Tarasynora's feckless, possibly murderous, husband.

Rosaniya: Tarasynora's cousin, Rosaniya's rank translates to countess.

Ilsevel: Tarasynora's cousin.

Vallyn: An elf lord. Lyta Sullac is his leilatha.

Itylara: A maker of jewelry and a commoner, Itylara is Tara's leilasa, an elf's long-term same-gender lover. She has short bronze hair and turquoise eyes, and her well-muscled limbs are covered in tattoos. She often joins Tara and Bel in their trysts.

Zelyon: A half-elven wetnurse.

Galan: A half-elven page in Tarasynora's employ.

VALENSPAR MINES & GRUKHNAK

A tribe of orcs made its home in the Valenspar Mines to the east of Lake Aelwyn before abandoning them in favor of a more permanent settlement in the hills to the west. Grukhnak means "Haven in the Hills."

Ghorza the Hammer: The chieftain of the orcs, Ghorza is a mighty warrior. Heavily muscled, she was a model of burly orcish beauty, with green skin and red eyes. She is the mother of Threch.

THARWIHR

A dwarven kingdom.

Threch the Bold, a.k.a Threch the Bastard: Bel's half-orc son by the orc chieftain Ghorza, Threch is a skilled warrior who became an adventurer like his father. Later, he retired to serve as magistrate in Tharwihr.

Amentaine & Bazentaine Lostlight: A pair of dwarven nobles, these sisters married Threch.

Eltuil, Ognagith, and Balmarra Lostlight: Threch's children, they serve as ambassadors to the dwarves of Zuunkhorun for their grandfather Belromanazar.

THE INFERNIUM PEAKS

A mountain range in central Chassudor.

Bashamailon

A kingdom in the Infernium Peaks ruled by the part-dragon descendants of Bashamerax.

Bashamerax the Mountain's Flame: A dragon who founded a line of dragonblooded sorcerers.

Melisant the Faithful: A knight of the Order of Bashamerax, Melisant is the bride and champion of Queen Allegeth. She is a human woman of stunning beauty, with an athletic build, alabaster skin, dark brown hair cut short, and deep uncommonly blue eyes.

Haerzoth ur-Alraek: The ranking bishop of the Church of Bashamerax, Haerzoth is a cousin of Allegeth and shows as much draconic ancestry.

Fieman: The majordomo of the queen's hunting lodge, his wild red eyebrows point to a gnomish ancestor.

ESMIA

An expansive kingdom of dense forests and rugged mountains.

Stellanmark

A duchy at the edge of the Nachtwood and the eventual home of the Mythseekers.

Rina of Stellanmark, Hadrian Grimm, Xeilyphon, son of Xeiliope: Children the Mythseekers had with Belromanazar.

CASTELLANDRIA

The Great City is located on the Castelpont, a narrow strait that bridges Chassudor to the north and Aucor to the south. Castellandria connects the Turquoise Sea to the Azure Ocean, and is the most important geographic point in the world.

The Prince Regent

The official government of Castellandria has no real power. The army technically owes its allegiance to the Prince Regent, but in practice they do what they like.

Acropolita: The Prince Regent during Belromanazar's residency, known for being even more useless than most who hold his position.

Church of Holios

Castellandria is considered a free city, for it bows before no king nor emperor. The Church of Holios is the closest any organization has come to controlling it, and such fetters can be brittle. The faith is a carnivorous one. Holios began as a sun god but has added aspects of travel and commerce.

The Doge, a.k.a. Archpriscus Wolusian XI: "Doge" is merely the accepted title of the city's ruler, and for some time, that has been the sitting archpriscus of the Church of Holios. No one had a high opinion of the Doge who ruled during Belromanazar's residency.

Priscus Spyrlan: The head diplomat for the city during Belromanazar's residency.

Priscus Kurkuas: The primary political opponent of the current Doge while Belromanazar dwelled there.

Minervina Hecht: A chaplain attached to the guards who served during the Heacharid siege.

The Kallisites: The masked militant arm of the church.

Order of Owls

A fraternal order of retired adventurers.

Skeevan: The gnomish majordomo of the club, Skeevan is unfailingly polite and endlessly resourceful. He dresses in earthtoned finery and his auburn hair and forked beard are always oiled and combed.

Durrack Flinthand: Durrack is a friendly and welcoming presence at the Owls. A dwarven bard with a lovely deep voice, he always carries a pewter mug in case there's beer to be had. His hair is bristly and red, and he braids his mustaches with bone beads.

Varanaya of the Seven Shrouds: Varanaya is a wizard from Tabiyya who claims to be many centuries old. She maintains several homes around the world and keeps a substantial group of husbands and concubines. She is a beautiful woman, tall and elegant, with brown skin, tawny eyes, and long black hair. She is never without expensive ornamentation. Her familiar is a silk manta. She and Bel have a wary rivalry.

Iago the Gray: A halfling wizard who always seems to be smoking. His familiar is an ill-behaved briarchild.

Clodomyr of Mordru: An elderly warrior from Esmia, Clodomyr once adventured with the Shimmering Striders. Now he is far too old for adventuring, but when the enemy comes to him, they learn the hard way that he can still fight.

City Guard

The most numerous of Castellandria's three armed forces, the guard is also the one with the least oversight.

Glycas Bendewar: The captain-general of the guard during the Heacharid siege.

Florian Wahl: A guardsman who served during Belromanazar's residency.

The Monia

The sacred order of librarians who look after the famed Grand Library of Castellandria. Sarakiel was once a member of the order.

Evgenia Palamas: The reverend mother when Belromanazar dwelled in Castellandria.

Cettina: The human librarian who raised Sarakiel, she is deceased before the story begins.

Guildmasters

The masters of the various guilds are a traditional powerbase in the city. Their feuding keeps them from ruling, but if they could ever unite, the Great City would be theirs for the taking.

Thraz Dervaiou: The half-orc head of the Stevedores' Guild during Belromanazar's residency, perhaps the most powerful guild in the city.

Azureview

The estate of the Storm's Court in Castellandria, located on the Aucor side of the Castelpont, overlooking the Azure Ocean.

Faustan, a.k.a. Azure Faustan: A wizard like both of his parents, Faustan has settled into a comfortable existence as a local mage in the Great City. His familiar is a night eft named Kajah.

Zuriel: Faustan's first wife is a darkling woman with a brassy demeanor.

Thrirdifa: Faustan's second wife is a modest Svarl.

Sima: Faustan's first child is a daughter by Thrirdifa.

Euvorio, a.k.a. The Voice of the Crowd: The sickly son of Bel and Lysethe, Euvorio gained great fame as a poet.

Darklings

A significant but downtrodden population in the Great City, centered around the neighborhood of Darktown on the Aucor side of the Castelpont.

Adoel: A young darkling maid who watched the children when the family lived in Castellandria.

Black Zazel: This firebrand, the daughter of Bel and Sarakiel, is a militant devotee for the rights and dignity of the darkling people.

THE AZURE OCEAN

A brilliant blue ocean off the eastern coast of Chassudor.

Belazei: Bel's daughter by Thalalei, Belazei is a nereid like her mother. A creature of the water, she combines the features of fish and human. Unusual for her people, she sought out her father and stayed with him for a time.

THE TURQUOISE SEA

A shallow sea between Chassudor to the north and Aucor to the south, filled with innumerable islands.

MAIRAULT

A country consisting of several islands located in the Turquoise Sea. Ostensibly ruled by a Lord Governor, the true power lies with its Matriarch. The island of Saumont is famous for the quality of its vineyards.

The Golden Hand

The household of Lyta Sullac and the true rulers of Mairault. Their sigil is a golden handprint on a field of white.

Phylyta "Lyta" Sullac, a.k.a. Matriarch of Mairault: Bel and Lyta first meet as apprentices at the symposium in Iarveiros. They are fast friends and correspond as colleagues for many years before finally becoming infrequent paramours. Lyta is a lovely woman, with honey-colored skin, bright green eyes, wavy black hair, a round face and curvy figure. Her magic focuses on enchanting mundane objects with magical abilities. Her familiar, Meero, is a moon cat. She cleverly rules Mairault as a beloved tyrant.

Jassam: Lyta's husband was a pirate, though he would insist he never stole from any who could not afford it. He has dark olive skin, deep brown eyes, and long curly hair. He dresses in the height of fashion, but eschews footwear, a habit he picked up at sea. He and Ujaala are fond of one another, falling into bed whenever possible.

Saroya: Lyta's wife was a burglar, caught in the middle of robbing Lyta's home. Her skin is pale olive, dusted with brown freckles. She has pretty amber eyes and long, curly red hair. She wears a ring on every finger.

Teht: A massive golem of Lyta's creation, Teht serves as both bodyguard and lover.

The Burning Knave

A smuggling vessel that primarily plies the Turquoise Sea and Lapis Ocean. Its captain was Jerrika Grendel.

Piet, Waller: Two former crewmen of The Burning Knave.

THE AMAZONS

A culture entirely consisting of women, they live on an archipelago in the Turquoise Sea named for the largest island in the chain, Axichis.

Kleomenope: The legendary progenitor of the amazons.

Thaodora: The gray-haired general in command of all the forces of the island of Axichis.

Eineira: Lochagos, or adjutant, to General Thaodora, Eineira is beautiful, with bronze skin, copper hair, and golden eyes.

Scyda: The amazon general in charge of all the forces of the island of Thessandreia.

Ysmache: The scarred and iron-haired general of all the forces of the island of Paiari.

Eomnestra: The youngest of the amazon generals, Eomnestra is in early middle age, with short dark hair and turquoise eyes. She commands all the forces of the island of Elepetra.

Meda: A warrior and childhood friend of Xeiliope's.

Kucyone: A grizzled older woman, Kucyone is a sailor and captained Naeri's Revenge, a Heacharid ship captured in an early battle. Along with Belromanazar, she preys on the Heacharid navy and adds more ships to her fleet. She is never seen without her pipe clenched between her teeth. After the fall of Axichis, she took to a life of piracy.

Phaeliope: The eldest wizard in Axichis at the start of the war, Phaeliope is truly ancient with an advanced understanding of magic. Her golden-brown hair is long and curly, her gold eyes deep and intelligent. Her familiar, a sky eel, is as self-possessed as she.

Eegea & Kledaska: Phaeliope's hetairoi.

Ulodice: One of the only Axichan wizards, or areteoi, left, she sports a distinctive shaved head and numerous turquoise tattoos all over her body. Her familiar is a sea bat.

Dromesia: An amazon iasos, or healer, the Heacharids slew her family in the sacking of Eolene. Voluptuous and beautiful, with long curly black hair, smooth olive skin, and bright blue eyes. Though steeped in sadness, she remains a compassionate presence.

Gaiadia: An archona, or ruler, of the island of Melisis, Gaiadia is the leader of the amazonian diplomatic delegation.

Dioxyroë & Kluorera: Envoys attached to Gaiadia's diplomatic delegation.

Teidestra Petite, brown-haired and golden-eyed, Teidestra is a historian of the amazons.

Ikapeia: This seven-foot tall massively muscled warrior is the greatest champion of the amazons.

Klaomeia: A simple weaver whose home serves as the site for peace talks between Axichis and the Heacharid Empire.

THE HEACHARID EMPIRE

A repressive, expansionist empire of religious fanatics located in Aucor. They worship Xomera, Goddess of Purity and demand that the world conform to their ideal. Their sigil of the burning rose is dreaded throughout Thür.

Sabbatius the Pure: The first Emperor of the Heacharids, Sabbatius was a warlord whose conquests truly created the Heacharid Emperors. Twenty-odd cities are named for him.

Sabbatiamos Heacharios: The final Emperor of the Heacharids who ruled when Belromanazar came to Heacharium.

Cerularius Phrantzes: A Heacharid champion who fights in the Turquoise Conquest.

Theophilia Bardane of House Tzimis: An envoy attached to the Heacharid diplomatic delegation during both the Turquoise Conquest and the siege of Castellandria, and the lead diplomat during initial negotiation with Zuunkhorun. A cunning manipulator. The mother of Melodora Diagon.

Melodora Diagon of House Vatat: An envoy attached to Theophilia's Zuunkhorun delegation, she seduced Belromanazar under false pretenses. The mother of Belisarios.

Domianus Ducas: The leader of the diplomatic delegation during the Turquoise Conquest.

Petrus Bardas: The leader of the diplomatic delegation during the siege of Castellandria.

Belisarios: The son of Belromanazar, conceived in deceit. A skilled and dangerous witchthrall in his own right.

Harmatius: A Heacharid knight that was part of Melodora's bodyguard.

Haniakes: A general in the latter stages of the war, he was on the losing end of the Burning of Sabbatium.

The Ifrit: A being of elemental fire present at the Burning of Sabbatium.

THE GOLDEN SEA

A great plain to the west of Zuunkhorun, it was nominally under the control of the Heacharid Empire. More often, bandits raided its scattered settlements, retreating to the frigid tundra to the south whenever threatened.

Whetehan the Winter Wind: A bandit chieftain, every inch of her body was covered in lines of different colors turning her into a living work of art.

Servet the Red: One of Whetehan's warriors, a fierce woman with red hair.

Ogai: Another of Whetehan's warriors, he was bald with a drooping mustache.

ZUUNKHORUN

A kingdom in the east of Aucor, it was conquered in the distant past by people from Jhobai. For a long time, it was a vassal of the Heacharid Empire, before Bel turned it into the instrument of their fall.

Tyrant Yerentei Wailor: The extremely elderly tyrant when Bel arrives in Zuunkhorun, his death paved the way for Nesugen to seize the throne.

Tyrant Nesugen Wailor: Initially a halaak (the Zuunese equivalent of duchess), Nesugen nurtured greater ambitions and became Bel's pathway to the Zunnese throne. Once beautiful, after taking the throne, she settled into a life of decadence that robbed her of her looks and ambition.

Khaidu Wailor: A cousin of Nesugen and possible claimant to the throne.

Jodai Yargai: A noble and close ally to Nesugen.

Shindeger: The Master of Birds under Yerentei Wailor.

Jungsai: The Master of Horse under Nesugen Wailor.

Durgha The Master of Wolves during the early years of Bel's reign.

Taragai, a.k.a. The Lion of the Gold: Bel's legendary Master of Wolves during the phase of the war after the long siege.

Tagadhur: The Master of Birds during the latter parts of Bel's reign.

Dorbei: A spymaster working for the Ministry of Birds, Dorbei married Ujaala.

Choragana: The general of Bel's army during the end of the war.

Kharachar: A well-regarded artist from southern Zuunkhorun.

Arkohnus, a.k.a. The Black Rose of Ironmotte: Sarakiel's eldest child, Arkohnus was a knight and beloved hero of the Zuunese people. Arkohnus was undeniably a darkling, though his demonic features were slightly less pronounced than his mother's. His eyes were a dazzling green like his father's. He founded the Order of the Black Rose and the famous Arkohnum Gate was named for him.

Deimara: The daughter of Maireili, Deimara is a wizard like her father. Her familiar is a deep bell.

Shura-Hegal: A human-shaped golem, she became Deimara's first wife.

Dioscoro: The son of Lysethe, Dioscoro is a wizard with a darker reputation than his siblings. His familiar is a bright hound. He was infamous for his massive number of concubines.

Diotai: Dioscoro's daughter has the gift like her father, grandfather, and grandmother. Like Lysethe, her skin and hair are stark white and her eyes are red. Her reputation is even worse than Dioscoro's.

Tartu: A highborn man of Jegu extraction, Tartu was a Zuunese-born wizard trained by Bel and Lysethe.

Amala: A lowborn woman of Besh extraction, Amala was a Zuunese-born wizard trained by Bel and Lysethe.

Sabrael: Full sister to Arkohnus, Sabrael became known as a great beauty in Zuunkhorun. Along with her brother, the main reason their people are welcome in that kingdom.

Dobrun Altani: The noble husband of Sabrael.

Belyth of Clan Abibaal: Twin to Princess Abilyth, Belyth stayed in Zuunkhorun and married a noble.

Miloz: Miloz nurtured the ghoul community beneath the capital into a great undercity.

Sophiel: Sarakiel's daughter was a famed academic.

Tobar: A son of Maireili, Tobar spent his life as a shoemaker.

Vitalan: Lysethe's son was a guard commander at the Arkohnum Gate.

Haliel: Sarakiel's daughter was a well-regarded weaver.

Vai: Maireili's daughter, she was a famed scout of the underground.

Leiliel: Sarakiel's daughter was a celebrated beauty.

Castinan: Lysethe's son spent his life in indolence.

Tarsus: Sarakiel's son chose the life of a warrior.

Janniah: Janniah was a skilled archer who often competed in Zuunese games.

Kelephas a.k.a. the Blue, the Cruel: The son of Lysethe is a knight of the Order of the Black Rose.

Belzuun-Hegal: A juggernaut of incredible power, Belzuun-Hegal is a golem formed of hundreds of other human-shaped golems. Her overall shape changes easily, and she is incredibly strong.

Kizzakir Barrelbreaker: A Khaltóg battle engineer in Bel's army.

Shala: The proprietor of the hospitality house in Uraraoi after Ku-Aya.

The Khaltóg

The local dwarves live in the Zuunkhor Mountains. Though citizens of Zuunkhorun, they were marginalized for centuries.

Strombella Stoneborn: A Khaltóg noble, Strombella became the first Master of Stone of Zuunkhorun. She has thick black hair, bright blue eyes, cherubic features, and a voluptuous figure.

Bhaznella Stoneborn: Strombella's sister and closest ally. She looks much like her sister, though her hair is auburn.

Dhuram Ironriver: The Magistrate of Milgrum, a Khaltóg town.

Bhazdrag Stoneborn: A Khaltóg quoin, or equivalent to a duke, the father of the Stoneborn sisters has bright red hair and thick muttonchops.

Gognella & Skandella Stoneborn: The black-haired wives of Bhazdrag and mothers of Strombella and Bhaznella.

Torelar Stoneborn: The brother of the Stoneborn sisters.

Ararfog Caskbreaker: A young dwarven noble who wanted to marry the Stoneborn sisters.

QEL RYLAH

The highlands in the south of Aucor were said to be home to a race descended from the skies themselves. They bred with the local humans, creating the Theva people, a mysterious, powerful, and rare tribe.

Three Skies: The father of Ten Ghosts and leader of the Theva rebellion.

Seven Falls: The mother of Ten Ghosts.

QAMMUZ

A long-fallen empire.

Jahiz the Magnificent: A long-dead shah of Qammuz and the mytho-historic founder of Castellandria.

Shah Sehat XIII: One of the Qammuzi shahs Zhahllaia served, he did not like music or dance.

THE LAPIS OCEAN

The ocean between Aucor to the east and Uazica to the west, known for its exceptional depth.

THE EMERALD SEA

Also known as the Edda Aroyac, this body of water is somewhere between a massive river and as narrow sea. It divides Obai to the north and Uazica to the south.

THE AXOXCAN

A huge jungle covering the southeastern parts of the continent of Uazica, the name means "the Green Ever."

The Dryad: A plant-woman whose land is being poisoned by a settlement of hobgoblins. She gifts Bel with a seed.

LIXHA

A kingdom on the northern edge of the Axoxcan.

Pelesamatu

An idyllic village in southern Lixha.

Izhapoma no Tlaoc: A priestess of the harvest goddess Atauchi, she is a leader of the farming community of Pelesamatu. A beautiful woman, she has brown skin with bronze undertones and wide, dark eyes. Tattoos run from the corners of her mouth, marking her as married, and additional tattoos cover her right arm and left leg.

Kunaq no Tlaoc: Izhapoma's husband, a farmer of chocolatl beans.

Ixem no Meztli: The daughter of pepper farmers, Ixem is a young woman who recently reached marriageable age, so marked by the modest tattoos at the corners of her mouth. A remarkable beauty, Bel imagines a life with her.

Teitli: An elderly scholar covered in tattoos.

THE OCAITAL

An unaligned area of small villages, free cities, and petty kingdoms to the west of Lixha.

Texomoc: A scarred and deadly bandit king gathering an army with the goal of one day uniting the Ocaital under his tyrannical rule.

The Defenders of Tlaican

A motley band of adventurers, warriors, and mercenaries gathered to defend a town from a bandit army.

Anil-Isu: The leader of the defenders is a former gladiatrix from Kharsoom. Though she is in her late middle age with the gray hair and softer body to prove it, she is still a formidable opponent. She is romantically involved with Yoro, her second-in-command.

Yoro Colclatue: A highborn gambler from Lixha, Yoro could not be a greater contrast to his mate.

Ixtli no Xihui: A somewhat cowardly alchemist from Lixha, identifiable by her distinctive feathered cloak.

Tzunapu: This massive man is a peasant who takes up arms to defeat Texomoc.

Ququmec: Small and slender, this priest of Koya serves as the group's healer.

Valfrid Evarsdóttir: A redhaired archer of deadly skill, this Svarl is far from home.

Montlís

A small village in the foothills of the Mixtayhua.

Mamak, Pumaya, Kasha, Palca: A family of farmers.

The Mixtayhua

Highlands in the Ocaital. The name means "land of clouds" and is the home of the coatl.

Ocoxochi: The mother of serpents blurs the line between a merely powerful mortal being and a deity. She is a colossal feathered serpent of many colors, attended to by an endless brood. Quiyahui is one of her daughters, given to Bel as a companion.

TORANAM

The kingdom on the western side of the Ocaital.

Ocupiri

An important port on the Edda Aroyac, or Emerald Sea.

Oqyo Malvica: The middle-aged nobleman who owns Malvica Mercantile, an important trading company in the area.

Sumatika Malvica: Oqyo's rebellious daughter, a beautiful young woman who flees into the Edda Aroyac to be with her love.

Red Zuhreii: Sumatika's love, Red Zuhreii is a mix of Kharsoomian and Ocaitalan heritage, her nickname coming from her umber skin and maroon eyes. She is a pirate, preying on Malvica shipping.

Anqaspuma "Anqa" Huazha: A thief with a devil-may-care attitude, Anqa operates on both sides of the Edda Aroyac.

Michnamacac

A den of thieves and smugglers hidden in a swamp.

Ah-Tol: An elderly Kharsoomian man who fences stolen goods.

XOC-NEHAR

This free city was once two different cities on two different continents. Xoc was on Uazica, while Nehar was on Obai. Over time they reached out to one another, and now great bridges span the Edda Aroyac, uniting this place into a single metropolis that blends the cultures of northern Uazica and southern Kharsoom.

THE YZHATA EMPIRE

A great and fallen empire that once covered northern Uazica.

Ixumone the Conqueror: A long-dead empress famed for her magic shirt.

Ctheltek the Great: A long-dead emperor.

KHARSOOM

The so-called Red Wastes, Kharsoom is the cradle of humanity and takes up most of the continent of Obai. A land broken by the hubris of a great wizard, the red earth is cracked and baking. The people are known for being beautiful, their flesh various shades of red. Their clans battle over the meager resources in the wasteland, living in the ruins of their glorious past.

Shu-Turul of the First Clan: A wizard-emperor in the distant past who united Kharsoom and slew the gods, condemning the land to become the Red Wastes that they are today.

Clan Abibaal

An impoverished clan with an impressive bloodline, Clan Abibaal makes its home on the shores of a dry lakebed. The Forest Issatesh, a wood whose trees were turned to onyx, borders its capital city of Eirashtar. The clan sigil is a silver scorpion on a field of purple.

Prince Hadirseen of Clan Abibaal: Prince Hadirseen led the clan until his granddaughter took over. He rejects Kharsoom's more decadent aspects. Tanyth's beloved father.

Princess Imshu of Clan Abibaal: Tanyth's deceased mother.

Princess Abilyth of Clan Abibaal: The daughter of Tanyth and Belromanazar and granddaughter of Hadirseen and Imshu, Abilyth is the first of the Tanic Line to hold the position of leader of the clan. In addition to her political power, she is an accomplished historian.

Lord Beltorys of Clan Abibaal: Abilyth's brother, Beltorys serves as her war leader.

Lord Hadirseen of Clan Abibaal: Named for his grandfather, Hadirseen served his sister in Kharsoom.

Lady Imshu of Clan Abibaal: Named for her grandmother, Imshu served her sister in court.

Zidon: A free man who serves Prince Hadirseen as majordomo.

Samas-sum: An outrider captain who wears a scorpion charm at his throat.

Clan Adonyah

A clan whose lands are far from those of Clan Abibaal.

Lady Rubati of Clan Adonyah: A young noble from a good family, she marries Prince Hadirseen and founds the Rubatic Line of Clan Abibaal.

Clan Bazaya

Traditional allies of Clan Abibaal and far more stable in their power, Clan Bazaya rules from the city of Ravia on the Plateau of El-For. Their sigil is a stylized golden sun on a field of blue.

Prince Sharbat of Clan Bazaya: A young and handsome prince.

Clan El

One of, if not the most powerful clans in Kharsoom, El's capital is the mighty city of Ghanappur. Their sigil is a golden hawk on a field of crimson.

Prince Enlilbanipal of Clan El: A nobleman in vital middle-age, Enlilbanipal would see himself ruling more of Kharsoom than any man since Shu-Turul.

Iron Rhayn: An infamous half-orc gladiatrix and reigning champion of the Crown Game, Rhayn is a favorite at the hippodrome in Ghanappur. She is half-Mairish, her greenish skin carrying a touch of brown. She shaves her auburn hair into a mohawk, and her temples are covered in tattoos. She is a skilled fighter who lives for the adulation of the crowd.

Amukkan: A fearsome warrior of Clan El who fights with a two-handed cleaver.

Clan Ilyaas

A small, relatively unimportant clan whose holdings center around the Udath Swamp in the south, their sigil is a prancing qobad, a Kharsoomian riding bird, on green.

Lord Uras of Clan Ilyaas: A soft, middle-aged noble, he appears unaware of the evil wrought by his kinsman Zaqhat.

Lady Ia of Clan Ilyaas: A vibrant middle-aged Kharsoomian lady, she seems stifled by her backwater existence.

Tura: Lord Uras's bedslave.

Clan Keldet

Their sigil is three spears buried in the earth on a field of orange.

Lord Eakassir of Clan Keldet: A young lord, Eakassir is an honorable man who takes bonds of friendship and hospitality seriously.

Clan Nakmaal

A clan who owes its power entirely to the Silken Labyrinth, located in their capital city of Baiydira. The most infamous brothel in the world, those trained there fetch a high price as bedslaves.

Prince Gehmahl of Clan Nakmaal: An older decadent lord who nonetheless observes the principles of Kharsoomian honor.

Ra-Nom & Halitet: A pair of athletic workers in the Silken Labyrinth who use their acrobatic skills to entertain clients.

Clan Palisiah

Enemies of Clan El, Clan Palisiah rules from their capital of Inhirnas.

Lord Malab of Clan Palisiah: A young lord who wishes to return Kharsoom to its storied past by supporting the research of the brilliant scholar and inventor Paldina.

Lady Iltani of Clan Palisiah: A young and beautiful Kharsoomian lady.

Ku-Baba: Lord Malab's concubine.

Ohtli: Lord Malab's Lixhan bedslave.

Paldina: Gnarled and gnomelike, no secret escapes Paldina's bright amber eyes. She is a scholar, inventor, and artificer who has rediscovered some of Kharsoom's lost secrets.

Mutesh: An enslaved guard.

Clan Sesamhat

A wealthy clan who enslaves Belromanazar for a time in their capital of Felokolyun. Their sigil is a bronze urok, a Kharsoomian pack lizard, on a field of green.

Prince Zahudmammu of Clan Sesamhat: A stocky man in late middle-age, Zahudmammu has been forced to remain strong and vital thanks to his clan's precarious social position.

Princess Jezreal of Clan Sesamhat: A middle-aged and still beautiful noblewoman, Jezreal has scarlet skin, a voluptuous figure, and only the faintest touch of gray in her hair. She wears a chain that connects both of her nipple-piercings. She is fond of using her personal guard as bedslaves, something her husband does not seem to mind.

Grud: A huge half-orc warrior and Jezreal's favored lover.

Pari, Ninsunu, Hulda: Princess Jezreal's handmaids. The former two are both Kharsoomian, but Hulda is Rhandonian, a fact that endears her to Belromanazar. The two maintain something of a romance during his time with Clan Sesamhat.

Sahdina: Jezreal's warmaid.

Iriman: A cruel overseer.

Happanu: A eunuch overseer. Not cruel like Iriman, but devoted to ensuring that the clan's will is done.

Behnan: A scarred and gray-haired guard captain.

Uitzin: An enslaved guard from the Ocaital, Uitzin is Belromanazar's closest friend at this time.

Kur, Tarmati: Guards.

Marka: Prince Zahudmammu's bedslave.

Clan Zukhet

Their sigil is a skull on a field of orange.

The Crusher: An enslaved cyclops warrior.

The Slaver's Guild

Based in Dezsu, the Slaver's Guild of Kharsoom is the largest organization in Thür devoted to human chattel.

Utuaa: The slave merchant who sells Belromanazar to Princess Jezreal.

Nordegar: An Esmian freeblade held captive with Belromanazar.

Repentance & The Shattered Reef

On a section of coastline broken by an ancient calamity, the Shattered Reef is the perfect hideout for pirates who ply the Beryl Ocean. Numerous villages dot the islands that make up the reef, and Repentance, the city on the mainland, is the gateway. The city is said to be ruled by Lord Salt, and his sigil, in mockery of Kharsoomian tradition, is an unadorned flag of black.

Hark: A half-orc former pirate drinking his days away in local taverns.

The Shattered Reavers

A powerful pirate clan led by the self-proclaimed Princess Arishat.

Princess Arishat of the Shattered Reavers: The leader of the Shattered Reavers and the captain of their flagship The Typhoon Cross, Arishat is a fierce warrior and an excellent naval tactician. With flashing turquoise eyes and a curvaceous figure, she cuts a stunning silhouette on the waves. She is never without Jagga and Kagga, her pair of jagkru. These Kharsoomian hunting lizards serve as mascots for her ship and fleet. In another pirate custom, she still wears her old slave collar from Clan Hasdrubaal.

Prince Mar-Urukh of the Shattered Reavers: Arishat's successor was a mountain of a man, barrel-chested and enormously strong. A pharcyl sat on his shoulder that he constantly threatened to eat.

Daijirai: Quartermaster of The Typhoon Cross, Daijirai is an archer from Zuunkhorun and one of the finest marksmen alive.

Gurek: The Master-at-Arms of The Typhoon Cross is a cyclops. Massively strong and capable of hurling men from the deck of one ship to another, his primary weapon is a forbidding harpoon. He is far more introspective than his ferocious appearance might imply.

Ixalvuh: Captain of The Boldisar, one of the ships of the Shattered Reavers. Though Lixhan, she is far more Kharsoomian in culture. She fights and loves freely.

Agon: Quartermaster of The Boldisar, Agon is a beefy Kharsoomian warrior.

Hriti: Master-at-Arms of The Boldisar is a Tabiyyan woman of scarred beauty.

Ixya: A wizard hailing from somewhere in Uazica.

Geb: A friendly bosun's mate.

Boldisars

A peculiarly Kharsoomian class of wandering warriors, cultural heroes that occupy a strange space in the heavily stratified society.

Aihiram: An honorless boldisar who uses his unique social status to abuse others.

Tele'kili

The name means "a place of slaughter." It is the place the gods were killed and Kharsoom condemned to its present debased state.

Errishti: The remains of the Goddess of Magic, Errishti is difficult to describe, as magic tends to spark impressions in the senses least able to understand them. She is the silhouette of a beautiful woman, her body filled with all manner of wonder.

HEGAL-TOTH

A fledgling nation of clockwork golems being carved out of the Red Wastes.

Kushan-Hegal: The first of her people, built by Paldina. She is covered in plates of bone-white porcelain, while her joints are exposed gears of copper and gold. Though shaped like a woman, she is capable of mobility that would be impossible to a human. Her hair is a cascade of multicolored ribbons.

Heshal-Hegal: The first of Kushan-Hegal's children, Heshal-Hegal is formed of human parts but assembled in the shape of a monstrous spider.

Ashuza-Hegal: A giant twice as tall as a human, Ashuza-Hegal sports four arms. Her name is in honor of Belromanazar's chosen alias.

Taigan-Hegal: A ball of arms.

Kelek-Hegal: A beetle-shaped golem.

XERXYSS

A mysterious race native to Kharsoom that bears some resemblance to the First People.

Rhikiksys: A xerxyss with lovely lavender eyes, she and Bel save one another's lives.

Kirylkis: A xerxyss priest and scholar, he knows the ancient history of the Red Wastes better than most.

HOLLOWS

The history of the planet, Thür, is divided into ages called Strata. A Hollow is a place that remains at an earlier Strata in the modern age.

Adrax

An island that appears only at certain times, Adrax is a Hollow of the Third Strata, a verdant jungle filled with strange lizardlike birds. At its center is the legendary lost city of Ul Adrax.

Rollin Maidenbane: A murderous bandit battled by both Mythseekers and Redmarks.

Storm's Rest

Named by Belromanazar, Storm's Rest keeps the First Strata alive in a bizarre landscape of alien beauty. Its inhabitants are crocodile-sized salamanders, fungal trees, and flyers of unknown origin. Its two intelligent races are goblins, who still have communities underground on Thür, and the mysterious First People who are apparently extinct. It can be found somewhere on the southeastern coast of Uazica.

Old Heacharus: The biggest, meanest, and most relentless of the "frog-lions" of Storm's Rest.

Ksenaëe: A demigoddess of some kind, she is half again as tall as Bel, with skin that glows where a human's pulse would be found. Her eyes are like a starry night sky and her long hair is braided like a river. After encountering her, Bel names his qobad, a Kharsoomian riding bird, after her.

Forsaken Shoal, Reborn Seas, Stirring Rebuke: These three beings are remnants of the First People, the dominant sentient race during the First Strata. Bound to the ruined city of Khulum Pal in a deathless state after a battle with a god, they await one who will free them. Tall and slender, they are semi-aquatic, sporting gills and fins.

Iura, Chala, Xogra: A mysterious coven of witches who each bear traits of humans, elves, and ghouls, though in different combinations. Iura seems largely concerned with the past, while Chala lives in the present, and Xogra ponders the future.

THE RISING SHADOW

A mysterious collection of evil cults across Thür working together for some dark purpose.

Ghasts: While most races retain their shapes when becoming undead wights, ghouls transform into ghasts. They become more muscular and apelike, their skulls warping and teeth and claws lengthening. The necromancers of the Rising Shadow are fond of creating and using ghasts.

Chaldum: Literally "rotkin" in the language of the ghouls, the chaldum are a hideous race of four-armed grublike humanoids often used by the Rising Shadow as cultists and shock troops.

Lord Kulla of Clan Ghasson: A middle-aged Kharsoomian noble, Lord Kulla provides a space for the cult of the Rising Shadow to conduct its rituals in his home of Xoc-Nehar.

Diotenah the Shadow's Daughter: A ghoul necromancer who preys on other ghouls, Diotenah has the skill to forge a magical ring. An impressive feat, a ring forged by a wizard distills their power to an astonishing degree. It also traps a piece of their soul, and a magical ring will have its own desires and goals.

Zaqhat of Clan Ilyaas: Zaqhat, a cult leader, has shaved his head and filed his teeth to appear more ghoulish. His maroon eyes peer from a pit of kohl, and he paints his lips black. He is a Kharsoomian wizard, something almost unknown in the modern age. His bloodorm familiar is usually wrapped about his neck and shoulders like a meaty scarf.

Stugzon: A ghoul necromancer.

Thabban the Subtle Fang: A ghoul who serves as an evangelist for the King of Maggots, seeding cults throughout the world. His citadel is the Pit of Khazal.

Mh'rohgg: A leviathan grublike demigod worshiped by the chaldum.

The King of Maggots, a.k.a. Ughor the Shadow, the Unholy, the Devourer, the End of All Things: An otherworldly evil worshiped by the Rising Shadow.