History Characters / MemorySorrowAndThorn

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: In 'Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn', Ingen Jegger is Utuk'ku's personal huntsman and chief enforcer. However, later Osten Ard books depict mortal huntsmen as being at the bottom of the barrel within the Norn hierarchy, meaning that someone of Jegger's stature shouldn't have had any business being anywhere near the queen, let alone taking orders directly from her.

* ArcherArchetype: Her preferred weapon is a bow, fitting both her independent spirit and the fact that, as a girl, she'd never be permitted to train with a sword.

[[spoiler: After the war she marries Simon and together they rule Osten Ard. They still do when thirty years later in ''The Last King of Osten Ard'' a new threat arises in the north.]]

[[spoiler: At the end of the Storm King War he fakes his own death and joins the League of the Scroll. In the timeline of ''The Last King of Osten Ard'' he's been missing for about twenty-six years with Pasevalles claiming that he murdered him.]]

* AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs: Due to his bother Elias calling onto otherworldy forces Josua finally loses his stronghold Naglimund. Him and a crowd of few can flee while the 'monsters' kill everyone else inside, earning Josua the mock "Prince of Rubble" by one of the Norns.

* ChekhovMIA: [[spoiler:In "The Last King of Osten Ard" he has been missing for more than 20 years but there is a lot of talk about him and a hunt after him - and the story is not yet over.]]
* DeadAllAlong: If Pasevalles is telling the truth in "The Last King of Osten Ard" [[spoiler:he killed Josua 26 years ago.]]

* TheEvilPrince: Step aside, Dad!

* HappyEndingOverride: [[spoiler:(As per the sequel series »The Last King of Osten Ard«) For Seriddan’s family the final victory proofs to be a bitter one. Brindalles is killed, Seriddan succumbs to his wounds days later, and the rest of the Metessan house quickly falls into ruin.]]

* [[spoiler: EvilChancellor:]] Basically his job description in ''The Last King of Osten Ard''.

* OldRetainer: Has become this by the time of ''The Last King of Osten Ard'', [[spoiler: working for King Simon & Queen Miriamele as an advisor.]]

A young Wranna girl, maid to Duchess Canthia of Nabban during the time of ''The Last King of Osten Ard''.

* TheRival: In "The Last King of Osten Ard" [[spoiler: between Lady Faiera and Vorzheva for Josua’s affection - which is firmly with the latter.]]

* ArchnemesisDad: To Vorzheva - [[spoiler:ultimately leading to her killing him.]]

The son of the hunter Snenneq from ''Memory, Sorrow and Thorn'', who is betrothed to Qina.

* CulturalRebel: Was already shown to be open-minded about working with mortals in ''Memory, Sorrow and Thorn'', and this is cemented by the time of ''The Last King of Osten Ard''.

Ineluki's older brother, dead for millenia. He has an important - if completely unwilling - part to play in Utuk'ku's plans in ''The Last King of Osten Ard''. The prequel novel ''Brothers of the Wind'' provides more insight into his story.

* IGaveMyWord: When Prince Cormach of the Hernsmen (the ancestors of those who would become the Hernystiri by the time of ''Memory, Sorrow and Thorn'') comes to Asu'a to beg assistance from the Zida'ya in dealing with the dragon Hidohebhi, Ineluki rashly vows to slay the beast himself. Multiple people try to sway him from this, and later he himself realizes he's made a terrible mistake, but can't bring himself to renounce his oath, which leads to tragedy.

* StartOfDarkness: He already disliked humans before the start of ''Brothers of the Wind'' and believed that one day, they would push the ''Zida'ya'' out of Osten Ard, but seeing Prince Cormach's men flee after he falls and is knocked flying by the rampaging Great Worm, and his brother Hakatri's subsequent maiming, pushes Ineluki into full-blown hatred. He then spends a great deal of time with the sorcerous Norn healer Jikkyo, and Jikkyo's silent and creepy apprentice Ommu, with the implication that it is their influence that would put him into the mindset to use forbidden magics to craft [[EvilWeapon Sorrow]] in a desperate attempt to turn back the invading Rimmersmen in the backstory to ''Memory, Sorrow and Thorn''.

* OneSceneWonder: In ''Memory, Sorrow and Thorn'', where he leads the Norns occupying Naglimund and uses necromancy to reanimate a number of dead human soldiers.

John came to the Hayholt as a wayward islander, but skyrocketed to fame when he emerged victorious from the catacombs beneath it, having slain the great dragon that claimed the life of the former king, Ealhstan Fiskerne. He went on to become the king of Erkynland and the foremost mortal warrior in Osten Ard, reveling in battle as he wielded the fearsome blade Bright-Nail. His only equal was the Nabbanai knight Camaris. At the opening of the story, his passing hands the throne to his son, Elias.

One of the founding members of the League of the Scroll along with Ealhstan Fiskerne, Morgenes devoted his life to the study of the Art and the history of Osten Ard, particularly the myths surrounding Prester John and the human conquest of the Hayholt. He also preserves in secret the legacy of Ealhstan's family. He takes Simon into his tutelage, but is unexpectedly spurred to action by the scullion's discovery of Pryrates' plotting. He sacrifices himself to allow Josua and Simon to escape the castle.

Founder of the League of the Scroll and the last in the line of the kings of Erkynland before Prester John took up the throne. "Saint" Ealhstan, as he was known, was a famously beloved leader who saw portents of the return of the Storm King and did everything in his power to prepare Osten Ard for this eventuality. He died fighting a dragon beneath the Hayholt.

* AsskickingLeadsToLeadership: '''Played With''' There's some light-hearted bickering between him and Josua that usually revolves around how Duke Isgrimnur is still able to bend the other over his knee and give im a spanking like the "little pup" he is (at age forty).

* To trolls he ranks as TallDarkAndHandsome but humans only see another troll.

Ineluki's older brother, dead for millenia. He has an important - if completly unwilling - part to play in Utuk'ku's plans in ''The Last King of Osten Ard''. The prequel novel ''Brothers of the Wind'' provides more insight into his story.

* MyGreatestShame: Enforced by the spirits of the Sithi at Hayholt, he never got over [[spoiler:the fact that Eahlstan killed the dragon and he's built his kingdom on a lie]]. It drove him to great accomplishments, but also to the persecution of the Sithi and a deep-seated insecurity and shame.

* HandicappedBadass: Having only one hand does not stop him from riding into battle with his army or from fighting and killing a couple of Norn-warriors when they attack Naglimund. He even beat and killed the Thrithing-man Utvart in a sword-fight, though Josua was smaller, older, starved and severly beaten up the day before.

* HeroicSelfDeprecation: Josua excels in this sport.

* MeaningfulAppearance: Josua’s appearance and demeanor are constantly compared to that of saints, marble statues or ancient philosophers.

* ArrangedMarriage: Elias tries to marry him to Miriamele; she runs away instead.

* TheAce: Though his education is cut short by his mentor's death, he's quite intelligent, able to calmly judge conditions even in the heat of battle and innovate. He's also noted, by the end of the trilogy, to be quite tall and strong, even beautiful (especially after getting LockedIntoStrangeness). On top of that, he's learned to be comfortable with a variety of cultures and situations, even the alien Sithi and their magic, which he understands well enough to help defeat the BigBad. All of this leaves him [[SeenItAll with enough knowledge and understanding]] that [[spoiler:he realizes independently that he's the descendant of [[IdenticalGrandson Saint Eahlstan, former king]], and the revelation leaves him solemn, rather than shocked]]. That's quite TheHeroesJourney.

* TheAce: Though his education is cut short by his mentor's death, he's quite intelligent, able to calmly judge conditions even in the heat of battle and innovate. He's also noted, by the end of the trilogy, to be quite tall and strong, even beautiful (especially after getting LockedIntoStrangeness). On top of that, he's learned to be comfortable with a variety of cultures and situations, even the alien Sithi and their magic, which he understands well enough to help defeat the BigBad. All of this leaves him [[SeenItAll with enough knowledge and understanding]] that [[spoiler:he realizes independently that he's the descendant of [[IdenticalGrandson Saint Eahlstan, former king]], and the revelation leaves him solemn, rather than shocked]]. That's quite a HeroesJourney.

* TookALevelInBadass: He begins the series as a kitchen scullion, and becomes first a capable soldier, then a leader among the forces of good, and finally [[spoiler:the king of Erkynland]]. Atypical of the traditional badass, his strength is reflected more in his mind and spirit than in his body.

* TheAlcoholic: Drunk all the time.

Josua's right hand man, a knight in his late 20ties. He is deeply devoted to his prince, but secretly he also wishes that his lord would be a little bit firmer, and less worried and haunted.

* VillainousFriendship: He truly cares about Elias as a friend and grows increasingly concerned about his descent into madness and dependance on Pryrates.

* BigBrotherInstinct: Has this towards [[CreepyChild Leleth]], and he becomes one of the few people besides Geloe that she shows visible attention to.

* LieBackAndThinkOfEngland: [[spoiler: Her way of coping with being raped by Makho.]]

* TheDarkChick: She's the only woman on the side of evil.

* AChildShallLeadThem: [[spoiler: She leads an uprising against the Duke of Naban]]

* {{Patricide}}: [[spoiler: In the Witchwood crown she finally gets her revenge on her father for a lifetime of abuse.]]

* WhoWantsToLiveForever: Being so long-lived, the Sithi and Norns acquire a lot of grudges and sorrow, and it's implied that all of them become afflicted by unbearable ennui as they get older. Amerasu secludes herself in her home rather than face a world that's not as beautiful as her memories, and Utuk'ku is so consumed by rage at the past and by disgust at her own very advanced mortality that she wants to destroy everyone and everything.

One of the youngest Sithi, Jiriki nevertheless has a place of distinction as a descendant of Amerasu and is her secret envoy with the humans. On one such trip, he becomes trapped in a woodsman's net and is about to be killed when Simon stumbles onto the scene and rescues him. Fleeing, Jiriki fires his White Arrow toward Simon, which is symbolic of the life-debt he now owes the young human. Despite his relative youth, Jiriki plays a major role in the conflict, as his understanding of and rapport with mortals leads him to drive his people to abandon their isolation and go on the offensive against the Storm King's forces.

Jiriki's younger sister, Aditu is less wise in the ways of mortals than he, but "adopts" Simon after she rescues him from the northern wilderness and brings him to Jao-é-Tinukai'i. She later acts as the Sithi emissary to Josua's forces.

* UsedtoBeaSweetKid: [[spoiler: Young Deornoth once hated confrontation and the sight of blood]]

Some sort of entity or creature living in the ruins of old Asu'a, that likes to keep people away from it's domain with traps and poison [[spoiler: , and is brought food and young women by Pasevalles.]]

* ObviouslyEvil: Whatever he does to the young women who are brought to him, the fact that they are never seen again sounds ominous.

A nameless, wandering priest that is Jarnulf's mentor for several years. He later disappears. Who he truly is, remains unknown.

* BigBad: The main antagonist of the trilogy behind all the world's woes. His hatred and pain has turned him into a being whose existence threatens reality itself.

* StartOfDarkness: He already disliked humans before the start of ''Brothers of the Wind'' and believed that one day, they would push the ''Zida'ya'' out of Osten Ard, but seeing Prince Cormach's men flee after he falls and is knocked flying by the rampaging Great Worm, and his brother Hakatri's subsequent maiming, pushed Ineluki into full-blown hatred. He then spends a great deal of time with the sorcerous Norn healer Jikkyo, and Jikkyo's silent and creepy apprentice Ommu, with the implication that it is their influence that would put him into the mindset to use forbidden magics to craft [[EvilWeapon Sorrow]] in a desperate attempt to turn back the invading Rimmersmen in the backstory to ''Memory, Sorrow and Thorn''.

* ForcedtoWatch: As his granddaughter is sacrificed.

* Rapeasbackstory: [[spoiler: The victim of sexual assault following the fall of the Asteline community.]]