Agar– AMS, Koen
Gruff, big-bellied, and always ready with a crude joke, Agar is a loyal Knight of Norn and Brant’s closest companion since their shared childhood experience in the swamps of Norn. Though fond of drink, dice, and hearty meals, his dedication to Brant and their shared cause of protecting Erik never wavers. Beneath his rowdy exterior lies a seasoned warrior with a sharp mind and a dependable heart. In battle or in banter, Agar is the kind of ally you want at your side.
Anderson– AMS, Koen
The Lion’s surgeon, Anderson, is a former minor official from Milgarden who was once taken hostage during a ransom scheme. When no one paid for his return, he remained with the crew and eventually earned his place through medical skill. He studied at Thanatos in his youth, giving him a rare blend of anatomical knowledge and practical training. Though not a warrior, he is protected and respected by the crew for his indispensable role. Quietly observant and dry-witted, Anderson performs his duties with precision and grim efficiency.
Babak– Koen
Babak is a wealthy and influential figure in Dinasaur who operates under the guise of a merchant. He is known for his lavish attire, commanding presence, and sharp tongue. Babak owns the saltpeter fields surrounding the city and resides in a secretive, well-guarded estate hidden behind a modest entrance. Though often underestimated, he is deeply entrenched in the city’s economic and political undercurrents.
Bradwen– Koen
Captain of Blackdown’s city watch.
Brant of Norn– AMS, Koen
A seasoned Knight of Norn in disguise, he is the steadfast guardian to Erikson Gray. Brant serves as both protector and moral compass throughout Erik’s journey. Loyal, pragmatic, and burdened by past losses, he often acts as the voice of reason amid chaos. Though hardened by years of service, he carries a deep sense of duty and compassion beneath his gruff exterior. Brant’s steady presence anchors the group as they navigate the treacherous path laid before them.
Catarina– AMS, Koen
Catarina, often called the Lioness, is the commanding presence behind the infamous pirate ship the Lion. Known for her strength and shrewdness, she leads a crew of nearly 400 pirates—no small feat in a world where such men follow only those they fear or respect. Her ability to maintain order and loyalty aboard the vessel speaks to a deep tactical mind and a past shaped by careful instruction; someone, once, taught her the art of command well. She is more than a figurehead—Catarina is a force, earning her place not through lineage or legend, but through calculated grit. Her name carries weight across the coasts, whispered with both admiration and fear.
Cyrus– Koen
Koen the Gray’s trusted warhorse. Cyrus is a Luenwell Destrier and, therefore, a horse prized for its intelligence, loyalty, and bravery.
Doran– AMS, Koen
The second Grand Master of the Knights of Norn, Doran is known as the Butcher of Blackdown for leading the campaign that finally brought Prince Koen and his forces to their knees during the War of the Four Realms. A lifelong servant of the Knights of Norn, he is among the first to survive their infamous trials in the swamps surrounding Norn. Doran is a figure of grim devotion, martial discipline, and ruthless efficiency, embodying the austere might of the emperor’s Caspian bodyguards.
Duncan Payne– Koen
Eldest son of Reynoldus Payne and brother of Artemus. Gave up his barony and sold the Payne family holdings in Valedale to the Caspian church.
Prince Eadred- AMS, Koen
Prince Eadred, known as Eadred the Strange, is the fourth and youngest son of Emperor Vesper. He rules the Luenwell Peninsula from his seat at Oakenyard and famously remained neutral during the rebellion. Reclusive and enigmatic, Eadred is addicted to theriac and is rumored to consort with the forest people. His eccentricities and detachment from court politics have made him a figure of both suspicion and curiosity within the empire.
Erikini– Koen
A mysterious orphan whose origins are unknown, Erikini survived the destruction of her village and possesses the rare ability to hear the dead. She becomes an unlikely companion to Prince Koen during his three-year sojourn across Lucardia. Her strength and eerie connection to the spiritual realm shape the course of their journey. This encounter influences several storylines in the Lucardian universe.
Sword Master Eronicus– AMS, Koen
Perhaps the best swordsman to ever live, Eronicus spent his later years instructing the acolytes of the Knights of Norn.
Freyja– Koen
Freyja is the ghost of a powerful Nyth Cigfran witch, killed during the Mage Purge of 650 and now bound within ancient catacombs. Once a master of Seider—the weaving of fate—she possesses deep knowledge of the old craft and commands respect even in death. Though once revered, she dismisses worship, preferring to be seen as a clever and sharp-tongued spirit with unfinished business. Freyja’s presence is both a warning and a guide, and her insights often come wrapped in riddles.
Black-eyed Harmon (AMS, Koen, Thanatos)
Harmon is an opportunistic warlord who has established himself in the lawless borderlands between Highwater and the Northlands. Operating from a reclaimed and fortified castle, he commands local power through intimidation and opportunism. His presence has brought hardship to the Burm and Crow tribes, who view him as a growing threat. Harmon is always flanked by his two loyal mastiffs, Rabina and Casandra.
Hekate– Koen
Hekate is the sister of both Raenmaeld and Freyja. She dwells in the Temple of the Thrice Great within Ignis and is revered by its Council of Elders, who depend on the secrets she hears from her magical red stone. These messages, which she shares at her discretion, are believed to have led to breakthroughs, such as the discovery of gunpowder. Her temple is a place of carefully guarded mysteries. It and Hekate are protected by the Order of the Sacred Stone.
Hella– Koen
Hella is a feared demigod bound to the swamps of Norn by powerful Nyth Cigfran magic—proof that the raven-witches’ sorcery can imprison even divine beings. Known as the queen of the concealed place, she is half-decayed, accompanied by flesh-eating Garmr hounds, and delivers judgment to those who trespass on sacred ground. Her imprisonment is eternal unless someone can hear her riddle and accept her “gift,” a silver plate marked by prophecy. Though condemned as heresy by the Caspian faith, many claim to have seen her and lived—barely. Hella stands as both omen and guardian, her presence a grim testament to the old powers that still govern the wild places of Lucardia.
Hermingild- AMS, Koen
Hermingild is a merchant from Restol whose dark mercantile dealings eventually elevated him to the status of lord, granting him control over the port of Helmsdock and stewardship of its valuable secret. Calculating and opportunistic, Hermingild commands both economic and strategic power in the region. His rise from trader to lord reflects the shadowy undercurrents of Restol’s commercial elite.
Jericho– Koen
A ruthless innkeeper and underworld figure in Dinasaur, Jericho runs the tavern that bears her name while overseeing a network of criminal activity. Sharp, calculating, and dangerous, she commands respect from smugglers, mercenaries, and local power brokers alike. Some say she has an uncanny resemblance to Princess Rachel of Thorne.
Prince Koen the Gray– AMS, Koen
Second-born prince of the Zulikaarme house, remembered for his stoic resolve and tragic end. Tasked with securing peace through a political marriage, Koen ultimately rebels against his father, Emperor Vesper the Uniter, alongside his younger brother Sylvanus. Their rebellion fails; Koen is executed, Blackdown Castle is razed, and its earth is salted on the Emperor’s orders. Though vilified by his father, Koen’s defiance leaves a lasting scar on Lucardia’s history.
Laurentino Borelli– Koen
Patriarch of the powerful Borelli family, Laurentino is the true power behind the city of Restol, regardless of the imperial banner flying above its gates. His lineage traces back to the first vineyards planted in the region, and under his watch, the family’s influence has only deepened. The famed Resolvian Red, produced exclusively by the Borellis, is regarded as the finest wine in all of Lucardia, prized by nobles, kings, and emperors alike. Laurentino rules with the quiet confidence of a man whose wealth and legacy are rooted as deeply as the vines that made his house immortal.
The Lion– AMS, Koen
The Lion is a fearsome Royal Galleass, a hybrid warship that combines the firepower and sail configuration of a galleon with the speed and agility of oar propulsion. It boasts three masts rigged with triangular sails, 52 oars, and a crew of nearly 400, most assigned to the grueling task of rowing. Armed with eight bombards (four per side), two forward-facing guns, and twin ballistas in its forecastle, the Lion is built for dominance at sea. For nearly thirty years, it has pirated and terrorized the Sea of Styx. Now under the command of the infamous Lioness (Caterina), it remains a floating legend and a nightmare to merchant and navy alike. To combat this ship, the Emperor has created a fleet of powerful Dreadnoughts.
Matheson– AMS, Koen
Boatswain of the Lion, Matheson is the gruff overseer of the ship’s rigging, sails, and daily operations on deck. With a sharp eye for detail and little patience for incompetence, he keeps the crew working in rhythm, whether furling canvas in a gale or readying the ship for battle. Responsible for the ship’s stores and equipment, Matheson ensures every rope, sail, and tool is accounted for and in working order. His barked commands and calloused hands are as much a part of the Lion as its timbers. They are also skilled at cracking skulls, a practice with which Matheson is well acquainted. Before joining the Lion’s crew, Matheson worked for Laurentino Borilli in Restol.
McGregor- AMS, Koen
The Lion’s seasoned quartermaster, McGregor serves as the voice of the crew and the enforcer of order aboard ship. Elected by his shipmates, he holds authority just beneath the captain and oversees vital operations, from rationing supplies to maintaining discipline. Stern but respected, McGregor also leads boarding actions and ensures that plunder is divided fairly among the crew. His steady presence and firm hand help keep the Lion from descending into chaos during long voyages and violent encounters alike.
Newain, Macha, and Badb– AMS, Koen
The conjoined witches are the result of a failed magical experiment to produce the true Mórrigan, the all-powerful phantom queen. They are the mother of the witches Raenmaeld, Freyja, and Hekate. Though the power and influence of the Nyth Cigfran is diminished, it is not gone as long as these three exist to pull their strings.
Father Petrus– Koen
Petrus is a Caspian monk and the chief keeper of Dagon Light, a 278-foot lighthouse that rises above the treacherous Candoria Crest where the Fermont River meets the sea. He leads a cloistered monastic order tasked with preserving the beacon, which serves both as a navigational aid and a sacred symbol of divine guidance in the Caspian faith. The monks regard tending the light as a holy calling. However, the isolation and austere living conditions at Dagon Light have made Petrus and his brethren… peculiar.
Rachel of Thorne– Koen, AMS
Rachel of Thorne is the daughter of Jarl Agris of Thorne and Baroness Catelyn of Frey, a union of two powerful northern bloodlines. She is wed to Prince Koen the Gray in a political marriage meant to secure peace between the Northling tribes and the imperial crown. Though noble and dignified, Rachel carries a quiet sorrow—she is unable to bear children, a revelation that threatens to shatter the fragile alliance her marriage was meant to forge. Her infertility becomes the catalyst for Koen’s perilous three-year quest in search of a miracle. Despite her limited role in the wider conflict, Rachel’s fate shapes the destiny of Lucardia through the son born of that desperate journey: Erikson Gray.
Raenmaeld the Salter– Koen
Raenmaeld is an ancient witch of the Nyth Cigfran, cloistered within a forgotten temple and revered by her ravens. Known as “the Salter,” she possesses formidable salt magic—one of the most powerful forms in Lucardia, capable of countering Nephilim sorcery. Raenmaeld serves as a gatekeeper of lost knowledge, testing the worth of seekers through riddles whose answers come at a steep cost. Though feared for her sharp tongue and ruthless wisdom, she fulfills her role as a guide to those fated for great trials. Her solitary existence reflects the isolation of her order, whose members dispersed long ago to protect their secrets.
Reynoldus Payne Constable of Dinasaur– Koen
Constable of Dinasaur and second-born son of the Baron of Valedale, Reynoldus Payne serves the empire by overseeing the vital saltpeter trade to Ignis, ensuring a steady supply of gunpowder for the emperor’s armies. Stern and pragmatic, he governs the volatile town of Dinasaur with a firm hand and the calculated efficiency expected of a Payne. Though not the heir, Reynoldus has carved out his own authority through duty and discipline. He is the father of two sons, Davos and Artemus, and is currently aided by his elder brother, Theobald, in enforcing law through the family’s grim expertise.
Sulwyn– AMS, Koen
A knight and yeoman in service to Prince Eadred, Sulwyn stands as one of the prince’s most familiar and long-standing companions. Known for his easy charm and steady presence, he shares a deep personal bond with Eadred, having accompanied him since their youth. Though not of high noble rank, Sulwyn holds a position of quiet influence within the prince’s retinue. He is respected for his loyalty, skill, and the comfort of shared history.
Grand Master Terrick– Koen
Terrick is the first Grand Master and leader of the Knights of Norn, a Caspian religious fighting order and personal guard of the emperor. Once a farmer’s son from Fayhall, Terrick rose through the ranks by merit, earning his position through decades of disciplined service and unwavering loyalty. A seasoned commander and devout servant of the faith, he balances military duty with spiritual obligation, overseeing the emperor’s security and enforcing the Caspian church’s will.
Theobald Payne of Valedale– Koen
Eldest son and heir to the Baron of Valedale, Theobald Payne is a hardened man who takes pride in continuing his family’s grim vocation. For generations, the Paynes have served as torturers, executioners, and lawmen—figures both feared and required in the darker corners of the realm. Theobald approaches his work with measured precision and an unwavering belief in duty, viewing pain not as cruelty but as a means of preserving order. He now lends his macabre expertise to support his younger brother’s rise as constable of Dinasaur, ensuring law is upheld with the iron tools of their trade.
Emperor Vesper Zuilkaarme the Uniter– AMS, Koen
Vesper is the visionary and ruthless architect of Lucardia’s reunification. Once King of Brae Forest, he rose to power after marrying Queen Constance of House Anworth. Driven by a divine mission to spread the Caspia faith across all twelve kingdoms, Vesper forged his empire through conquest, diplomacy, and manipulation. He rules a realm shaped by both religious zeal and brutal pragmatism. Though many revere him as a savior, others see a tyrant whose relentless pursuit of order leaves lasting scars on his sons and the fractured world beneath him.
Washburn– AMS, Koen
An outspoken and rough-edged crew member of the Lion. Washburn joined the ship as a boy after surviving the burning and sacking of Brae during the Unification. Orphaned by the attack, he led a group of fellow survivors who called themselves the Painted Hounds, a ragtag band of children who lived wild in the ruins and woods around the fallen city.
Wendell the One Eye– AMS, Koen, Jezelle
Wendell is a cunning and unpredictable figure who weaves in and out of the shadows of Lucardia’s history. Sometimes a pirate, sometimes a crook, and occasionally an uneasy ally, Wendell is driven by raw ambition and a desire to carve out an empire of his own. Described as a demon let loose upon the weave of fate, he is a force of chaos and opportunity—help him, and he may reward you; hinder him, and you may not live to regret it. He plays key roles in Koen, Jezelle, and throughout the Absolution of the Morning Star series.
High Priest Wulfthere– AMS, Koen
High Priest Wulfthere is the head of the Caspian Church and a pivotal figure in its expansion from the Kingdom of Brae to all of Lucardia. A lifelong confidant of Emperor Vesper, he was among the first to believe in Vesper’s divine vision of a united Lucardia following the young king’s miraculous encounter with the Prophet Caspia in a cave. Wulfthere’s unwavering faith once served as the backbone of the Church’s authority, but age and doubt have begun to weigh on him. Now, in the shadows of his crisis of faith, he has started to lend an ear to the Red Cloths and their whispers of reformation.
Yasen– Koen
Yasen is the chamberlain and personal attendant to Prince Koen. Steadfast and formal, he serves as Koen’s intermediary in courtly affairs, relaying messages and executing orders with precision. Though deeply loyal, Yasen’s allegiance is more to the realm and, therefore, to the emperor. His presence reflects the ordered hierarchy of Blackdown Castle and Vesper’s ever-present watchful eye.
