A
Aariv
— A wielder of fire magic from Lendh ka Dakruim, now in the service of Ractia.
Aira tär Keria
— Daughter of Keria, grandmother of Airis, great-grandmother of Vari.
Airis ka Reimis
— A merchant from the Elden trading city of Al'Fenthia, who journeyed to Whitehill to purchase a particularly mana-rich harvest after the eruption. A member of House Keria.
Akela Kila
— A great fortress in Lendh ka Dakruim built above a vast city which has taken on the same name.
Alban Cooper, former Mayor of Whitehill
— Father of Mirabel, and a real piece of work. After being embarrassed by Airis ka Reimis, he relocated his family.
Albert Butcher
— A young guard in service to Duchess Julianne and Baron Henry.
Aldo Cushing
— Former Castle Chirurgeon of Whitehill and Master Chirurgeon of the Order of Chirurgeons. His position at Baron Henry's court was a comfortable one; he tended the health of the Summersets for decades prior to his death, and even delivered Henry himself.
Aldred Fane, Baron
— Leader of a cadet branch of House Arundell, father of Anson.
Al'Fenthia
— "High Pass," a trading city situated between Menis Ælvic and Menis Kesic, under the control of House Keria.
Allan
— A first-year student at Coral Bay; in the remedial magical combat course.
Aluthet'Staia
— Mana stone. While it appears to be gray or brown on the outside, like a sort of thin shell, a radiant cerulean light shines from within, peeking out from the exterior layer. The more mana is infused into the stone, the brighter the line shines; when the mana is used up, the stone dulls until it appears dead, but the stone remains capable of accepting more mana. Mana stones are used as batteries and often integrated into sigils to power an enchantment or worn set into jewelry by mages. The Bald Peak Quarry Rift is one of the few productive sources of mana stone within the Kingdom of Lucania and provides the Duchy of Whitehill's most valuable export.
Amelia Trafford
— Mistress of the Order of Chirurgeons.
Amelina Ridley, Baroness
— Distantly related to Edythe Blackstone, the first Guild Archmage.
Anne
— Second-year student on the same team as Liv for the king tide. One of the journeymen sent to Akela Kila.
Annora, Magia, Professor of Healing
— Professor who taught both Rhea and Julianne at Coral Bay.
Anson Fane
— Late student at Coral Bay and a distant cousin of Genevieve Arundell.
Archibald
— Steward at Castle Whitehill; an aging man who essentially runs the servants' quarters and the staff. Betrothed to Liv's mother, Margaret Brodbeck.
Arianell Seton
— Second-year student at Coral Bay.
Arjun Iyuz
— Formerly a second-year student from Lendh ka Dakruim; his jati specializes in healing magic.
Armas
— Commander of the north gate at Al'Fenthia.
Arnold Crosbie, Baron Valegard
— Father of Triss, husband of Agneta.
Artemisia Loredan, Queen of Lucania
— Mother of Milisant, wife of Benedict, sister of Baron Kerlin Ward.
Auris ka Syvä
— Father of Valtteri, husband of Eila, and grandfather of Liv. Succumbed to wounds suffered during the attack on the Hall of Ancestors.
B
Bald Peak
— A lonely, rocky bald prominence visible from miles away, the guardian of the grassy valley below. A shaft descends into the heart of the mountain from an entrance above the tree line, leading down into the quarries and mines where the workers toil. The most valuable prizes are veins of mana stone, but traces of silver can also be found occasionally. The entire operation is made more dangerous by the presence of a rift beneath the mountain, which regularly spawns a variety of subterranean mana beasts and requires regular culling by the local Dukes, the Summersets.
Barnabas
— Journeyman at Coral Bay. Teaches the basic course in Guild Law and History.
Basil
— Former Steward of Acton House, Duchess Julianne's home in Freeport.
Beatrice "Triss" Crosbie
— Daughter of Baron Arnold and Agneta, sister of Bliant and six other brothers, husband of Matthew, sister-in-law of Liv.
Benedict Loredan
— King of Lucania, son of Roland III and Milicent, husband of Artemisia, and father of Milisant.
Bennet
— Master smith at Coral Bay.
Bennet Howe
— Lord Commander of the Lucanian Royal Army, betrothed to the Crown Princess. Brother of Evangeline.
Bill Skinner
— A mercenary employed by Master Cartwright, a Coral Bay merchant.
Blackwood, Master
— Author of
Blackwood's Bestiary
and Professor of Beasts at the College of Vædic Grammar.
Bliant Crosbie
— Son of Arnold and Agneta, brother of Triss.
Blossom
— Daughter of Soaring Eagle and Calm Waters, cousin of Wren.
Brom
— Formerly a Second-year student on the same team as Liv for the king tide. One of the journeymen sent to Akela Kila.
Bryn
Grenfell
— Cousin of Isaac Grenfell, niece of Kazimir Grenfell. Formerly a second-year student at Coral Bay, on the same team as Liv for the king tide.
C
Cade Talbot
— Son of Gerold Talbot, heir to Bradon Bridge
Calder's Landing
— Calder's Landing was founded by the second expedition Captain Calder led to the western continent of Varuna; the first attempt at reestablishing a settlement on Varuna was the ill-fated Mango Island camp, which was found devastated and lifeless when ships came to resupply the adventurers who remained behind. Calder chose a more defensible location for Calder's Landing: a high ridge descending to a wide natural harbor with a view both of the ocean and the surrounding land for miles.
Calevis kæn Iravata
— House Iravata, in service to Ractia, Lady of Blood.
Calm Waters
— Wife of Soaring Eagle, mother of Blossom, cousin of Wren; a member of the Red Shield Tribe in Varuna.
Caspian Loredan, Archmagus
— Author of
An Introduction to the Principles of Grammar
and head of the college at Coral Bay. Younger brother of the king.
Cassandra Banks
— Daughter of Castor. Cassandra was a student at Coral Bay with Liv.
Castor Banks, Baron
— Father of Cassandra; the wealth and power of their family comes from the sea.
Cecily Falkenrath
— Daughter of Duke Thomas and brother of Thurston; Lady-in-Waiting to the Crown Princess.
Celestria Ward
— First-year student at Coral Bay; Daughter of Baron Kerlin Ward.
Chandrika Tiwari
— Arjun's betrothed, from Lendh ka Dakruim.
Conrad
— A guild mage and leader of a team in Varuna.
Cold Harbor
— A fishing village near Mountain Home.
Condor
— A hunter of the Red Shield Tribe.
Coral Bay
— The location of the College of Vædic Grammar in the kingdom of Lucania. The college is run by the Mages Guild, though it accepts all students who can meet its criteria. The greatest repository of magical research and expertise in the kingdom.
Coram Athearn
— Captain of the
Annie Gallant
, a merchant ship funded by Baron Henry and Duchess Julianne.
D
Dancing Lady, The
— The only Inn at Calder's Landing, owned and operated by Taika, an Elden woman.
Dasella Grenfell, Baroness Ashford
— Wife of Isaac, mother of Cyr and Lenota.
E
Edith Gage
— Former roommate of Sidonie and Liv, daughter of the Baron of Chestnut Hollow.
Eila Tär Väinis
— Mother of Valtteri, widow of Auris, grandmother of Liv. Originally not of House Syvä, but descended from House Däivi.
Eilis ka Väinis
— Brother of Eila, great-uncle of Liv, father of Miina. Elder of House Däivi.
Elias Howe, Baron
— A Lucanian baron with close ties to both the merchant guilds and the royal family.
Elias Lane
— Knight in service to Thomas Falkenrath, Duke of Courland. Father of Tephania.
Elenda Fisher
— Formerly a second-year student at Coral Bay. One of the journeymen sent to Akela Kila.
Emma Forester
— Wife of Dustin, daughter of Kale. As a young girl, she was saved from drowning during the a frost fair by Liv, and the two became friends. She is now married to a blacksmith.
Eustace, Priest of the Trinity
— Head of the Temple of the Trinity in Freeport.
Evangeline Howe
— Sister of Bennet, Lady in Waiting to the Crown Princess.
F
Florence Hading
— Daughter of the Baron of Bexbury, roommate of Helewise and Tephania.
Freeport
— Capital of Lucania and seat of the royal family. Freeport is the largest city in Lucania and both a trading and fishing port. With a population of roughly a million people, it contains the headquarters of every guild in the kingdom as well as the primary residence of the monarch, courts, and the apparatus of government.
G
Galleron Erskine, Baron of the Strand
— Spymaster to the crown, and father of Rowan.
Gamel
— Former Journeyman at Coral Bay.
Genevieve Arundell
— Royal Court Mage to the king and queen at Freeport, Guildmistress of the Mages Guild, and Archmage. Brother of Baron Reginald.
Genne
— Journeyman at Coral Bay, under Professor Norris.
Gerold Talbot, Baron of Bradon Bridge
— Father of Cade, a widower.
Ghveris, the Beast of Iuronnath
— Formerly a Great Bat in service to Ractia, now the remains of his body form the heart of an Antrian juggernaut.
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Gilbert Every, Baron
— Brother of Professor Lia Every.
Giles Cutler
— Second-year Student at Coral Bay, son of a merchant.
Gretta
— Former head cook at Castle Whitehill, now semiretired to the position of a kitchen maid.
Griselda Mason
— The daughter of the former head of the Hall of Bricklayers and Masons in Whitehill Upon Aspen, and once a student of Master Mage Grenfell.
H
Hamon
— A second-year student at Coral Bay. One of the journeymen sent to Akela Kila.
Hardwin of Ashford, Sir
— Knight in service to House Grenfell.
Harold Pearson
— First-year student at Coral Bay.
Heather
— Kitchen maid at High Hall at Coral Bay.
Henry Summerset, Baron Whitehill
— A formerly fit man, now crippled. Henry has put on weight since losing the ability to walk, and is in near-constant pain. He is married to Duchess Julianne, a royal bastard, and the father of Matthew.
Hubert Carver
— Drovers Guild, first year at Coral Bay.
I
Ilmari ka Väinis kæn Bælris
— Head of the council of elders at Mountain Home; father of Keri, uncle of Sohvis, brother of Väina.
Ingram Ryder, Baron
— Cousin of Lorelei Ryder, who was part of Jurian and Genevieve's party at Godsgrave.
Inkeris ka Ilmari kæn Bælris
— A young warrior of the Vakansa, born to the Unconquered House of Bælris and joined to his second cousin, Rika. Father of Rei. Sometimes called 'the scourge of the north' for his years spent hunting the Cult of Ractia.
Isaac Grenfell, Baron Ashford
— Husband of Dasella, father of Cyr and Lenota, nephew of Kazimir Grenfell.
Isabel
Tanner
— Second-year student on the same team as Liv for the king tide. One of the journeymen sent to Akela Kila.
Isemay
— Shopgirl at The Cedar Closet in Coral Bay.
Ishan, Commander
— An officer stationed at the fortress of Akela Kila and a member of the Ksatriya jati.
J
Jagan, Commander
— An officer stationed at the fortress of Akela Kila and a member of the Ksatriya jati.
James
— Guard at Castle Whitehill.
Jasper Cawley
— Court Mage of Duskvale.
Jasper Teller
— First-year student at Coral Bay.
Jo
— Originally a street girl in Whitehill; filthy and too skinny. Encountered by Liv in Freeport years later.
Julianne, Duchess Whitehill
— Julianne's position as a bastard daughter of the king at once made her presence an uncomfortable one at court but also ensured she occupied a position of incredible privilege from a very young age. She was raised to be a well-bred lady, and still looks the part, with pale skin and graceful movements. She has been recognized as a duchess in her own right, and has formally adopted Liv.
Jurian of Carinthia, Archmagus
— Formerly a recruiter, and now Archmagus and Professor of Combat at the Coral Bay College of Vædic Grammar.
K
Kaija tär Anssi
—
Former armorer at Kelthelis.
Kale Forester
— A hunter and single father who lives in Whitehill; as a younger man, he was regularly chosen for culling the local rift due to his skill at killing and butchering mana beasts. He has a daughter, Emma, but lost his wife to illness.
Karis
— Forged and given life by Antris, the Vædic Lord of Machines, this mechanical warrior served Ractia until his death at Liv's hands.
Kazimir Grenfell
— Court Mage to Baron Henry, Magis Grenfell is responsible for providing a basic education in Vædic Grammar to local children with sufficient talent as well as monitoring the Bald Peak Quarry Rift for signs that it is in need of culling.
Keremor
— A rift near Menis Breim, centered on a boiling, toxic spring.
Kerlin Ward, Baron
— Brother of Queen Artemesia, Father of Celestria.
L
Lambert
— Head cook for High Hall at Coral Bay.
Lena
— A journeyman student at Coral Bay in charge of teaching the remedial magical combat students.
Lendh ka Dakruim
— A kingdom to the south and east of Lucania, known for its spices.
Lia Every
— Former Professor of Guild Law & History at Coral Bay.
Linnea
— An Elden soldier under Keri's command.
Little Crow
— A hunter of the Red Shield Tribe, in service to Ractia.
Livara tär Valtteri kaen Syvä aka Liv Brodbeck
— A journeyman at Coral Bay. Formerly a scullery maid at Castle Whitehill, the bastard daughter of the head cook, Maggie Brodbeck, and Valtteri ka Auris. She is thirty-seven years old, but in size and development looks closer to eighteen.
Livari "Vari" ka Airis
— Son of Airis ka Reimis; a young man named for Liv's deceased aunt.
M
Manfred
— A mercenary from Lucania, now in the service of Ractia.
Margaret Brodbeck
— The head cook at Castle Whitehill, and the unwed mother of Liv Brodbeck. Fifty-nine years old, and became pregnant after the visit of a delegation from north of the mountains when she was only twenty-three years old. She retains a beautiful singing voice, and leads the kitchen work songs.
Martin
— A new guard in service to Duchess Julianne and Baron Henry.
Martin Corbet, Baron
— Father of Sidonie's.
Maynard
— A journeyman at Coral Bay.
Merek Sherard
— A member of House Sherard and relative of the queen.
Meriet
— Owner of the Sign of the Terrapin.
Miina tär Eilis, of House Däivi
— Daughter of Eilis, niece of Eila, cousin of Liv.
Mil
l
icent
— Queen of Lucania, formerly of House Sherard.
Milisant Loredan
— Crown Princess of Lucania, daughter of Benedict and Artemisia, named for her grandmother.
Mirabel Cooper
— Daughter of Whitehill's former Mayor, Alban Cooper. Mirabel is part of the rising merchant class in Lucania.
Molly
— The new Scullion at Castle Whitehill.
Mountain Home
— The stronghold of House Bælris, built along the slopes of Menis Breim.
N
Nicholas Mortimer
— Court Mage to Duke Falkenrath.
Nighthawk Wind Dancer
— Chief of the Red Shield Tribe, father of Wren.
Norris
— Master Mage, Professor of Enchanting at Coral Bay.
O
Olavi
— One of Keri's trusted soldiers.
P
Petrona "Roni" Wildheart
— First mate of the
Dawn Runner
and a frequent face at Calder's Landing.
Piers
— Guard at Castle Whitehill, husband of Sophie.
R
Ractia, Vædic Lady of Blood
— Worshipped as the Great Mother by the Red Shield Tribe, Ractia created the Great Bats during the war a thousand years ago. She was thought to be dead after a star was dropped on Varuna, but a vial of her ancient blood and the magic of the Red Shield Bloodletters has returned this goddess to life.
Rajesh
— A mahout in Lendh ka Dakruim.
Red Shield Tribe
— A tribe native to Varuna, led by Nighthawk Wind Dancer. The blood-letters of the tribe are responsible for reviving Ractia, and many of them serve her. Others have returned to their original hunting grounds north of Calder's Landing.
Reginald Arundell, Baron of Ridgewood
— Brother of Genevieve.
Rei ka Inkeris kæn Bælris
— Son of Keri and Rika.
Rhea of Fairford Village (Auntie Rhea)
— A no-nonsense woman of seventy-nine years, Rhea has delivered just about every baby in the valley. She has a reputation as a skilled midwife and herbalist and has picked up quite a few charms over the years.
Richard, Duke of Carinthia
— A distant descendent of the royal family.
Rika tär Calevis kæn Bælris
— A graceful and talented dancer of the Unconquered House of Bælris, kwenim of Inkeris ka Ilmari.
Roland III
— Former King of Lucania. Duchess Julianne is his daughter from an affair prior to his marriage to the queen.
Rosamund Lowry
— First-year student at Coral Bay and winner of the armed combat exams.
Rowan Erskine
— Heir to the Strand, formerly a student at Coral Bay.
S
Saana tär Taavetti
— Kwenim of Airis ka Reimis, mother of Vari.
Sakari ka Edvis
— Elden ambassador to the kingdom of Lucania.
Sawyer
— Second-year student on the same team as Liv for the king tide.
Semila
— Former student at Coral Bay. She was a year behind Liv.
Severa
— A whaler's wife at Cold Harbor.
Severi
— Elder of House Keria.
Sidonie Corbett
— A studious girl of noble birth, she wears spectacles and already has an encyclopedic knowledge of magical theory. Now a third-year student at Coral Bay and Liv's roommate. Daughter of Baron Martin Corbett.
Silica
— One of the original Great Wyrms, created by Iravata before the Vaedim were overthrown.
Soaring Eagle
— Husband of Calm Waters, father of Blossom, and a Great Bat of the Red Shield Tribe.
Sohvis ka Auris kæn Bælris
— Cousin to Keri and Rika; the three grew up together as close friends. Son of Väina.
Sophie
— A maid at Castle Whitehill.
Stonebat
— A mana beast commonly produced by the Bald Peak Rift, capable of tracking sources of mana, even from a great distance.
T
Taavetti ka Eliel kæn Asuris
—
A long lost member of the Unconquered House of Asuris, formerly betrothed to Livara of the Five Blades; brother of Taika.
Taika tär Eliel
— Owner and operator of The Dancing Lady and possibly the best chef in Calder's Landing. Member of the Unconquered House of Asuris, and sister of Taaveti.
Tej Mishra
— Senapati, or general, in command of the fortress of Akela Kila. A high member of the Ksatriya jati.
Tephania Lane
— Formerly a student at Coral Bay.
Tobias
— Guardsman in service to Baron Henry.
Tom
— Third Footman at Castle Whitehill.
Thora
—- Lady's maid to Liv.
Turstin
— Journeyman to Professor Norris at Coral Bay.
Tyler Mercer
— A guardsman in service to Whitehill.
V
Vædic Lords (or Ladies)
— The dead gods of both the Eld and humanity, who walked alone in the first age of the world. According to some sources, the Vædim did not originate here, but either traveled to this world or built it themselves from nothing. It is said they could use their magic to create bridges between worlds, and they certainly laid the portal stones that are still used to teleport today. By the time of the Vædic War, many of these elder gods had already passed beyond the world of mortals; of those that remained, three, later known as the Holy Trinity, took the side of the younger races while the others were cast down. While many names have been lost to time, a partial list of Vædim includes:
Antris — Lord of Machines
Asuris — Lord of Night
Arvatis — Lord of Purity
Bælris — Lord of Light
Celris — Lord of Cold and Winter
Ceria — Lady of Thorns
Costia — Lady of Bones
Däivi — Lady of Time
Iravata — Lady of Wyrms
Ractia — Lady of Blood
Sitia — Lady of Changes
Sivis — Lord of Storms
Tamiris — Lord of Potential
Väina tär Väinis kæn Bælris
— Sister of Ilmari, mother of Sohvis, aunt of Keri. A member of the council of elders at Mountain Home.
Valtteri ka Auris kæn Syvä
— Served briefly as an Elden ambassador; during his brief stay at Castle Whitehill, on his way to the capital, fathered Liv. Now that he is aware of his daughter's existence, he is making an effort to build a relationship with her.
Varuna
— The western continent, abandoned by most Eld and humans after the defeat of the old gods. Only in the past few years has a settlement been established at Calder's Landing.
Venetia
— Journeyman to Archmage Loredan. Something of a hall monitor, in temperament.
Vivek Sharma
— A priest of the Trinity in Lendh ka Dakruim.
W
Whit Cotter, "Big Whit"
— Champion of every bare-knuckle match at each fair in Whitehill for the past twenty years, this massive farmer has put on a bit of extra weight without losing any strength.
Whitehill Upon Aspen
— A walled castle town which is the heart of the Barony of Whitehill, located on the banks of the River Aspen, downstream from Bald Peak. The castle itself is built on a low, rocky hill overlooking a stretch of the Aspen River. The hot sulfur spring on the hill feeds down into the Aspen, increasing the size of the river past this point. The lower river ranges from thirty to fifty feet wide, with a rocky bed and shallow waters that give rise to the occasional rapids or white water. Mountains surround the valley on every side, and the town itself is located at a deceptively high elevation; visitors often remark they need time to adjust to the thin mountain air. Whitehill is divided into two districts: The Lower Banks, where many of the less desirable businesses and people have been shunted, and The Hill, which includes the manors and town houses of the knights in Baron Henry's service, as well as the Temple of the Trinity.
Wildcat
— A hunter of the Red Shield Tribe, in service to Ractia.
William
— Second Footman at Castle Whitehill.
Wren Wind Dancer
— A huntress who first met Liv during the Frost Fair, and pulled her out of the ice after Liv's magic ran out of control. A member of the Red Shield Tribe, and daughter of Nighthawk. Since leaving Ractia's service, she has been given the task of serving as Liv's bodyguard.
Wyman Carpenter
— A second-year student at Coral Bay. One of the journeymen sent to Akela Kila.