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* RagsToRoyalty: He goes from poor slacker/outlaw to [[spoiler:King of all Tiro states.]]
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!!Mira
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* {{Hypocrite}}: For a man who laments how his faithless allies keep betraying him, he turns against his allies at the slightest pretext without ever questioning his own self-righteousness.
* LargeAndInCharge: At almost eight feet tall, he towers over everyone else, and puts his imposing figure to full use as a WarriorPrince.
* LargeAndInCharge: At almost eight feet tall, he towers over everyone else, and puts his imposing figure to full use as a WarriorPrince.
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* TheConfidant: By the end, she's the only person Mata will open up to, and she speaks frankly to him in return.
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Kuni's wife and the daughter of a rich rancher from Faça. Jia is an expert herbalist and reliable source of advice for Kuni.
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Kuni's first wife and the daughter of a rich rancher from Faça. Jia is an expert herbalist and reliable source of advice for Kuni.
* SilkHidingSteel: While she retains her ladylike mien as the war goes on, she matures into a strongwilled political wife with astute instincts for intrigue. She stays strong throughout the years she spends as Mata's hostage, and after [[spoiler:staying behind after Mata invades so Kuni, Risana, and the children can escale]], Soto commends her on making herself come off as a selfless woman while keeping both Kuni and Risana in her debt.
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* TheSpymaster: Rin's penchant for dabbling with unsavory sorts later makes him a good fit for spymaster when Kuni declares himself king. He is the one who comes up with the idea for Kuni's allies to send their families to Kuni, as royal hostages are great to spy on.
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[[folder:Risana]]
A dancer and illusionist who becomes Kuni's second wife.
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* MasterOfIllusion: She is skilled at casting illusions, which aid Kuni and his circle in manipulating allies and enemies.
[[/folder]]
A dancer and illusionist who becomes Kuni's second wife.
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* MasterOfIllusion: She is skilled at casting illusions, which aid Kuni and his circle in manipulating allies and enemies.
[[/folder]]
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[[folder:Mira]]
!!Mira
A woman whose brother died fighting in Mata's army. She later becomes Mata's lover.
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* TextileWorkIsFeminine: She is frequently seen doing needlepoint, which Mata initially dismisses as a useless feminine pursuit. She points out that its artistry is similar to his battlefield victories, only much less bloody.
[[/folder]]
!!Mira
A woman whose brother died fighting in Mata's army. She later becomes Mata's lover.
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* TextileWorkIsFeminine: She is frequently seen doing needlepoint, which Mata initially dismisses as a useless feminine pursuit. She points out that its artistry is similar to his battlefield victories, only much less bloody.
[[/folder]]
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Ethereal White Dress requires the supernatural context provided by "The god". I've added this context back with slightly more elaboration.
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* LittleMissConArtist: When she was a young, she was taken in by a gang of thieves who taught her to exploit the perceived innocence of her youth and gender to distract potential marks before robbing them blind.
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* EtherealWhiteDress: He wears a spotless white cloak, an incongruous element when he disguises himself as a grimy beggar.
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* EtherealWhiteDress: He wears a spotless white cloak, an incongruous element when he disguises himself as a grimy beggar. It's a tipoff to his divine nature.
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* WiseOldTurtle: He has the sea turtle as his "pawi" (totem) and is the god of fishermen, divination, mathematics, and knowledge, and in practice basically the good TricksterGod counterpart to the GodOfChaos Tazu. Lutho, like the other gods, manipulates humans behind the scenes to achieve his desired (benevolent) ends, and in one instance plays the role of OldMaster to the intellectual master-strategist Luan Ziya, and gifts him with a magical GreatBigBookOfEverything. The reader is clued into the fact that the wise old man is Lutho, partly because he's described as [[MorphicResonance looking rather like a turtle]].
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* WiseOldTurtle: He has the sea turtle as his "pawi" (totem) and is the god of fishermen, divination, mathematics, and knowledge, and in practice basically the good TricksterGod counterpart to the GodOfChaos Tazu. Lutho, like the other gods, manipulates humans behind the scenes to achieve his desired (benevolent) ends, and in one instance plays the role of OldMaster to the intellectual master-strategist Luan Ziya, Zya, and gifts him with a magical GreatBigBookOfEverything. The reader is clued into the fact that the wise old man is Lutho, partly because he's described as [[MorphicResonance looking rather like a turtle]].
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* FatalFlaw: Mata Zyndu's BlackAndWhiteInsanity. He lives like a [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy warrior out of legend]], distrusts any deviation from that ideal, and is quick to assume he's being betrayed. This repeatedly causes him to turn against his friends and allies, and ultimately [[spoiler:[[WonTheWarLostThePeace costs him his empire]] and his life.]]
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* FatalFlaw: Mata Zyndu's BlackAndWhiteInsanity. He lives like a [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy warrior out of legend]], distrusts any deviation from that ideal, and is quick to assume he's being betrayed. This repeatedly causes him to turn against his friends and allies, allies and ultimately [[spoiler:[[WonTheWarLostThePeace costs him his empire]] and his life.]]
* MoralMyopia: He lives like a WarriorPrince out of legend and doesn't understand how other people might have different priorities -- like, say, living in peace and safety or escaping an oppressive caste system. He's described as a man who would weep for a dead horse but not know why civilians might object to having all their food seized for the war effort.
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* RedRightHand: Played with. Mata has double-pupiled eyes and is like eight feet tall, suggesting an appearance bordering on HumanoidAbomination. While Mata and his uncle think of his eyes and build as representing his foresight and ties to the heroes of old, as he becomes increasingly unsympathetic, they instead are a mark of his ObviouslyEvil-ness (even though Mata thinks of himself as a good guy).
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* RedRightHand: Played with. Mata has double-pupiled eyes and is like almost eight feet tall, suggesting an appearance bordering on HumanoidAbomination. While Mata and his uncle think of his eyes and build as representing his foresight and ties to the heroes of old, as he becomes increasingly unsympathetic, they instead are a mark of his ObviouslyEvil-ness (even though Mata thinks of himself as a good guy).
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* UsedToBeASweetKid: The narration pointedly notes that Phin was the friendly and well-read second son of the Zyndu clan, intentionally kept from their family's martial traditions by his father and brother who wanted him to find independent happiness. But when his entire family save for his baby nephew is slaughtered when Phin is thirteen, he curses his weakness. Phin spends the rest of his life as a hardened warrior and raises Mata to be the same.
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* UsedToBeASweetKid: The narration pointedly notes that Phin was the friendly and well-read second son of the Zyndu clan, intentionally kept from their family's martial traditions by his father and brother who wanted him to find independent happiness. But when his entire family save for his baby nephew is were slaughtered when Phin is was thirteen, he curses cursed his weakness. Phin spends the rest of his life as a hardened warrior and raises Mata to be the same.
* DidntThinkThisThrough: [[spoiler:He kills Lügo Crupo to seize power, then quickly comes to realize he knows very little about all of Crupo's duties.]]
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* HandwritingAsCharacterization: Good calligraphy is considered a mark of refinement and is one of the factors being judged in the qualifying exams for state office. The scholar Lügo Crupo is renowned for the beauty of his writing as well as for the elegance and intelligence of his words.
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* HandwritingAsCharacterization: Good calligraphy is considered a mark of refinement and is one of the factors being judged in the qualifying exams for state office. The scholar Lügo Crupo is renowned for the beauty of his writing as well as for the elegance and intelligence of his words.
words -- both of which hide a morally bankrupt character.
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* EtherealWhiteDress: The god Kiji has a spotless white cloak, an incongruous element when he disguises himself as a grimy beggar.
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* EtherealWhiteDress: The god Kiji has He wears a spotless white cloak, an incongruous element when he disguises himself as a grimy beggar.
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* DivineDate: The GodOfChaos Tazu [[GodInHumanForm disguises himself as a concubine]] to seduce [[spoiler:Kuni Garu]] in Pan. The dalliance appears to serve no purpose other than delaying him and [[ItAmusedMe amusing Tazu]].
* GodOfChaos: Tazu, the patron god of Gan, is also the chaotic god of tsunamis, sea currents, and sunken treasures. He's prayed to by gamblers who put their faith in pure chance, whereas those who prefer more strategy pray to Lutho.
* GodOfChaos: Tazu, the patron god of Gan, is also the chaotic god of tsunamis, sea currents, and sunken treasures. He's prayed to by gamblers who put their faith in pure chance, whereas those who prefer more strategy pray to Lutho.
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* ConsistentClothingStyle: His human incarnations can be identified by their shark-tooth jewellery.
* DivineDate:The GodOfChaos Tazu He [[GodInHumanForm disguises himself as a concubine]] to seduce [[spoiler:Kuni Garu]] in Pan. The dalliance appears to serve no purpose other than delaying him and [[ItAmusedMe amusing Tazu]].
* GodOfChaos:Tazu, the patron god of Gan, He is also the chaotic god of tsunamis, sea currents, and sunken treasures. He's prayed to by gamblers who put their faith in pure chance, whereas those who prefer more strategy pray to Lutho.
* DivineDate:
* GodOfChaos:
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* WiseOldTurtle: Lutho, one of the members of the pantheon, has the sea turtle as his "pawi" (totem) and is the god of fishermen, divination, mathematics, and knowledge, and in practice basically the good TricksterGod counterpart to another god in the pantheon, Tazu, who is the god of chaos and chance and is rather malevolent. Lutho, like the other gods, manipulates humans behind the scenes to achieve his desired (benevolent) ends, and in one instance plays the role of OldMaster to one character, an intellectual master-strategist, and gifts him with a magical GreatBigBookOfEverything. The reader is clued into the fact that the wise old man is Lutho, partly because he's described as [[MorphicResonance looking rather like a turtle]].
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* WiseOldTurtle: Lutho, one of the members of the pantheon, He has the sea turtle as his "pawi" (totem) and is the god of fishermen, divination, mathematics, and knowledge, and in practice basically the good TricksterGod counterpart to another god in the pantheon, Tazu, who is the god of chaos and chance and is rather malevolent. GodOfChaos Tazu. Lutho, like the other gods, manipulates humans behind the scenes to achieve his desired (benevolent) ends, and in one instance plays the role of OldMaster to one character, an the intellectual master-strategist, master-strategist Luan Ziya, and gifts him with a magical GreatBigBookOfEverything. The reader is clued into the fact that the wise old man is Lutho, partly because he's described as [[MorphicResonance looking rather like a turtle]].
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[[/folder]]
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[[folder:Kindo Morana]]
The Empire's chief tax collector who starts to become more involved in the war effort.
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[[/folder]]
The Empire's chief tax collector who starts to become more involved in the war effort.
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[[/folder]]
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A listing of characters from ''Literature/TheGraceOfKings''.
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[[foldercontrol]]
!!Kuni and Associates
[[folder:Kuni Garu]]
A layabout slacker turned upright citizen turned outlaw, Kuni recognizes the rebellion as an opportunity for adventure and capitalizes on it to rise high in society.
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* TheExtremistWasRight: Although he disagrees with the cruelty with which he ruled, Kuni believes that Mapidéré's goal of unifying the Dara states was a good one and wants to maintain/continue this, but in a manner that is not oppressive and betters the lives of the common people.
* JustLikeRobinHood: When he first becomes an outlaw he tries to follow the path of the honorable bandit, teaching his men not to harm innocents as they rob. He also distributes his spoils to the woodsmen who live in the mountains so they don't rat him out to authorities.
* LovableRogue: Jia develops an interest in Kuni after watching him con an officer into not harming an innocent widow and her son. Jia notes that he does good without being ''good'' himself, and expresses a desire to get to know him. After Kuni becomes an outlaw he develops popularity as a folk hero for his supposed virtues and charm.
* ThePiratesWhoDontDoAnything: As a young man, Kuni is described as a "gangster", and while he was definitely a ne'er-do-well and mooch, he never actually does anything gangstery (i.e. extortion, violence, etc.). The closest he gets is one scene where he's pressed about paying a bar tab and Kuni responds in a threatening manner- but rather than offering "protection" as a gangster would be expected to do, he instead points out that the liveliness of he and his friends helps bring in and keep customers, and their presence dissuades troublemakers from causing trouble. Later on, Kuni does become an actual bandit, but still a friendly one who aims to completely avoid deaths and injuries- and most of his ideas of what banditry involves come from fictional books about noble bandits he read in school.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Jia Matiza]]
Kuni's wife and the daughter of a rich rancher from Faça. Jia is an expert herbalist and reliable source of advice for Kuni.
----
* MarryForLove: Jia's wealthy father tried to set her up with several men of equal or greater social class, but to his surprise she liked and married Kuni, a rogue with no history of being an upstanding citizen.
* SignificantGreeneyedRedhead: Her early appearances emphasize her bright red hair and her deep green eyes, instantly signifying her as a remarkable beauty and major character.
* SpiritedYoungLady: Before marrying Kuni she was the daughter of a rich man who mocked her suitors and matchmakers in turn. She happily lives a relatively humble life with him after they wed.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Rin Coda]]
A childhood friend of Kuni's who becomes one of his brothers-in-arms.
----
* ChildhoodFriends: He and Kuni have been close since their schoolboy days. Rin reasons that this long friendship is why he can call Kuni out for his hedonism in the wake of [[spoiler:the fall of Pan]].
* FriendInTheBlackMarket: After Kuni [[spoiler:conquers Pan]] Rin is the one who keeps in touch with less savory business associates and does underhanded things in Kuni's name.
[[/folder]]
!!Mata and Associates
[[folder:Mata Zyndu]]
The warrior grandson of the deposed Duke Zyndu, Mata was raised by his uncle Phin to avenge the deaths and humiliation of the Zyndu clan.
----
* BloodKnight: Mata enjoys striking down people in combat a little ''too'' much.
* DualWielding: Mata Zyndu wields a pair of ancestral weapons, a OneHandedZweihander and a tooth-studded cudgel -- a choice that would be wildly impractical for anyone not an eight-foot-tall LightningBruiser OneManArmy.
* FatalFlaw: Mata Zyndu's BlackAndWhiteInsanity. He lives like a [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy warrior out of legend]], distrusts any deviation from that ideal, and is quick to assume he's being betrayed. This repeatedly causes him to turn against his friends and allies, and ultimately [[spoiler:[[WonTheWarLostThePeace costs him his empire]] and his life.]]
* HonorBeforeReason: Mata sticks to the old aristocratic codes of honor and propriety, in contrast to Kuni's more casual attitudes. For example, he doesn't understand why Kuni would pardon a traitor, only to be surprised when Kuni is able to parlay this into something advantageous.
* MeaningfulName: He's noted to have extra pupils. ''Mata'' is the word for ''eye'' in Malay.
* PoliticallyIncorrectHero: Mata starts out as a heroic figure, but displays contempt for women/"feminine pursuits" and his primary issue with Mapidéré's rule was how it displaced the old aristocracy and replaced them with "lowly bureaucrats".
* RedRightHand: Played with. Mata has double-pupiled eyes and is like eight feet tall, suggesting an appearance bordering on HumanoidAbomination. While Mata and his uncle think of his eyes and build as representing his foresight and ties to the heroes of old, as he becomes increasingly unsympathetic, they instead are a mark of his ObviouslyEvil-ness (even though Mata thinks of himself as a good guy).
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Phin Zyndu]]
Mata's uncle. He survived the deaths of his family and raised his nephew Mata in exile.
----
* UsedToBeASweetKid: The narration pointedly notes that Phin was the friendly and well-read second son of the Zyndu clan, intentionally kept from their family's martial traditions by his father and brother who wanted him to find independent happiness. But when his entire family save for his baby nephew is slaughtered when Phin is thirteen, he curses his weakness. Phin spends the rest of his life as a hardened warrior and raises Mata to be the same.
[[/folder]]
!!Xana Empire
[[folder:Mapidéré]]
Initially King Réon of Xana, he annexed the other six Tiro States into a united Dara and crowned himself Emperor Mapidéré.
----
* DismemberingTheBody: When [[spoiler:Mata Zyndu]]'s rebel army reaches the outskirts of Pan, they disinter Mapidéré's body from its ostentatious mausoleum and allow an angry mob to tear it apart.
* TheEmperor: Initially just king of Xana, he united the other Tiro States into the Empire of Xana. He is a visionary whose brutal methods proved unpopular among his new subjects.
* KingOnHisDeathbed: By the end of the first act, he's gravely ill and as he deteriorates his ministers plot and scheme as to who will succeed him.
* VisionaryVillain: Despite his ruthless methods, Mapidéré had admirable goals, wanting to end the continual wars among the island states and bring peace to the region, achieving respect for his homeland in the process.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Erishi]]
Formerly called Prince Loshi. Mapidéré's son and successor.
----
* PuppetKing: He only became the second emperor because his teacher Lügo Crupo wanted to hold on to power after the Emperor's health seriously began deteriorating, and deployed a coup to make him king. Erishi ascended the throne at twelve and is otherwise kept complacent and entertained while Lügo and Goran enjoy being in charge.
* UnexpectedSuccessor: He had several other brothers ahead of him in succession, but after Lügo Crupo decided he liked being prime minister too much to give it up after Mapidéré's death he leapfrogs his student Erishi to the throne. Post hoc, Erishi's brothers were ''conveniently'' all rebels who committed suicide after their plots were found out.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Goran Pira]]
The chatelain.
----
* ChildhoodFriends: He was a childhood friend of the emperor and stuck by him throughout the wars of conquest, which makes his planned betrayal more notable.
* TheStarscream: He is the chatelain of Pan and one of Emperor Mapidere's inner circle, but has secretly been plotting the Empire's downfall and his takeover ever since Mapidere killed a concubine Goran had loved.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Lügo Crupo]]
A high-ranking bureaucrat who becomes regent during the reign of Emperor Erishi.
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* CorruptPolitician: Made himself regent and is content to swan around enjoying the benefits of regency and ignoring the rebellion.
* CruelAndUnusualDeath: [[spoiler:Goran Pira makes a grab for power and brutally tortures Lügo before having his heart cut out.]]
* HandwritingAsCharacterization: Good calligraphy is considered a mark of refinement and is one of the factors being judged in the qualifying exams for state office. The scholar Lügo Crupo is renowned for the beauty of his writing as well as for the elegance and intelligence of his words.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Tanno Namen]]
An old general who is called on to lead the military campaign against the rebel forces.
----
* FourStarBadass: After being brought out of retirement, General Namen immediately proceeds to deal blow after blow to the fledgling rebellion.
* MyCountryRightOrWrong: General Namen never wed, and the Xana Empire is described as his 'great love'. He regrets several actions that he has to take to keep the empire going, but does them anyway.
* OldSoldier: He made his mark during the reunification wars, and is dragged out of retirement decades later to crush the rebels after the imperial court got rid of all the other generals who weren't on their side.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Kindo Morana]]
The Empire's chief tax collector who starts to become more involved in the war effort.
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[[/folder]]
!!The Tiro States
[[folder:Huno Krima]]
Initially a peasant from Cocru, he initiates the rebellion against the imperial regime in an attempt to get out of conscripted labor.
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* HeWhoFightsMonsters: His rebellion against the tyrannical Xana throne is initially welcomed by the populace, but in his efforts to depose the imperials and maintain his own power he becomes just as bad as the empire he seeks to overthrow. Rebel soldiers grumble that they are fighting against Xana because they hate its policy of forced labor, only for Krima to force them to build monuments in honor of his reign anyway.
* InternalAffairs: As [[spoiler:Huno Krima]] becomes a paranoid [[TheCaligula Caligula]], he forms the elite Black Caps to root out subversive elements within his forces, then the White Caps to spy on the Black Caps, and finally the Grey Caps to spy on the White Caps. [[spoiler:He's then unexpectedly [[OffWithHisHead de]]''[[OffWithHisHead cap]]''[[OffWithHisHead itated]].]]
* OffWithHisHead: He's eventually beheaded by a disgruntled follower.
* TheParanoiac: Krima eventually becomes more and more paranoid and entitled. He begins abusing his "soldiers", becomes convinced that his inner circle is out to get him (to the point of establishing a secret police, [[WhoWatchesTheWatchmen then distrusting this force and establishing yet another force to keep tabs on them]], and attributing his forces' defeats to infiltration by the empire [[NeverMyFault instead of his own incompetence]].
* RebelLeader: PlayedWith. Krima and his co-conspirator Zopa Shigin establish the rebellion and enjoy early success against the empire, but Krima's failings cause the force to crumble. The protagonists Kuni and Mata eventually take over.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Dafiro and Ratho Miro]]
Two brothers who are one of Huno Krima and Zopa Shigin's initial band of rebels.
----
* AlcoholicParent: They lost their father to conscription, and their mother to drink. Dafiro took the brunt of her intoxicated abuse.
* ThoseTwoGuys: In the first half of the story they pop up occasionally to provide the current foot-soldier perspective to the rebel leaders' actions.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Thufi]]
Heir to the throne of Cocru at the time of the rebellion.
----
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Knows well enough that he just happened to be born the son of the right man and that he has no martial experience. He is all too happy to hand the reins over to Huno Krima and later the protagonists. He also internally expresses frustration with the ass-kissing of the other Tiro ambassadors.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Jizu]]
Heir to the throne of Rima at the time of the rebellion.
----
* BetterToDieThanBeKilled: Sets himself on fire rather than to be taken as a trophy by the Xana military.
* SelfImmolation: He self-immolates rather than be taken as a prisoner of war and his horrific screams are described by the narration.
* TheWisePrince: Tanno Namen notes that Jizu, in his parlay with the Xana military, truly understands the weight of leadership and regrets that the young king has to die.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Luan Zya]]
An assassin from Haan who joins Kuni and the rebellion.
----
* CulturedBadass: Luan was born into a family with close ties to the royal family of Haan (itself the most learned of the Tiro states), and thus grew up surrounded by scholars, poets, artists, politicians, and other great thinkers. The loss of culture as a result of the Xana conquest is part of what spurs him to assassinate the emperor (and nearly succeed) via kite-riding.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Kikomi]]
The princess of Amu, who is renowned for her beauty.
----
* HeirClubForMen: Despite being the granddaughter of the previous Amu king, her country's succession rules forbid women from inheriting, and so it's her great-uncle who rules.
* HistoricalVillainUpgrade: Invoked. She [[spoiler:seduces and assassinates one of the rebel army leaders, Phin, in an attempt to save her nation from desecration if Xana wins, but realizes that if Xana loses, the rebels may still destroy Amu. So she casts herself as a lovesick idiot to ensure her memory will be denigrated, but her country will live on.]]
* InLoveWithTheMark: She is [[spoiler:tasked with assassinating either Mata or his uncle Phin. She chooses the latter, wondering if her developing feelings for Mata are not coloring this decision.]]
* PrincessClassic: Invoked. Kikomi's great beauty was apparent from a young age, and so she was shoehorned into the role of beautiful and docile princess because her people needed a symbol. She expresses frustration that her interests in mathematics and governance were forgone by her guardians in favor of fashion, manners, and elocution.
* SoBeautifulItsACurse: [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded.]] "It was a cliché for a beautiful woman to complain about being cursed with beauty, Kikomi knew, but just because it was a cliché didn't mean it wasn't true."
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Gin Mazoti]]
A talented strategist.
----
* BaldHeadOfToughness: Gin Mazoti first started shaving her head to [[SweetPollyOliver pass as a man]], but continues after openly becoming the Dara States' [[BreakingTheGlassCeiling first female Marshall]]. Getting there involved a harrowing OrphansOrdeal, a hard life on the streets, and years of determined work to rise to power.
[[/folder]]
!!Dara Pantheon
[[folder:Kiji]]
The patron of Xana and god of the winds.
----
* EtherealWhiteDress: The god Kiji has a spotless white cloak, an incongruous element when he disguises himself as a grimy beggar.
* NobleBirdOfPrey: He's the god of winds, and his totem is the dignified falcon.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Kana and Rapa]]
Twin patronesses of Cocru. Kana is the goddess of fire and death, and Rapa the goddess of ice and sleep.
----
* FireIceDuo: Kana is the goddess of fire and volcanoes. Her twin Rapa is the goddess of ice and glaciers. Despite this dichotomy they act in tandem and are mentioned to be as close as their other domains, death and sleep.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Rufizo]]
Healing god, patron of Faça.
----
* DovesMeanPeace: The most pacifistic of the gods in accordance with his domain of healing. His pawi is accordingly the dove.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Tazu]]
The unpredictable god of sea currents and treasure, and the patron of Gan.
----
* DivineDate: The GodOfChaos Tazu [[GodInHumanForm disguises himself as a concubine]] to seduce [[spoiler:Kuni Garu]] in Pan. The dalliance appears to serve no purpose other than delaying him and [[ItAmusedMe amusing Tazu]].
* GodOfChaos: Tazu, the patron god of Gan, is also the chaotic god of tsunamis, sea currents, and sunken treasures. He's prayed to by gamblers who put their faith in pure chance, whereas those who prefer more strategy pray to Lutho.
* LordOfTheOcean: A jovial and unpredictable god whose domain includes sea currents, whirlpools, and sunken treasure.
* MegaMaelstrom: There's a giant and apparently permanent whirlpool that moves around Wolf's Paw attributed to Tazu that drowns any ship in its path. [[spoiler:By sacrificing 20 000 prisoners to the whirlpool, Matu Zyndu not only wins safe passage for his own army but entices Tazu to consume his enemy's ships instead.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Lutho]]
The patron of Haan and the wise god of mathematics and divination.
----
* GodInHumanForm: He appears to Luan as a trickster fisherman to inspire the scholar on his travels.
* WiseOldTurtle: Lutho, one of the members of the pantheon, has the sea turtle as his "pawi" (totem) and is the god of fishermen, divination, mathematics, and knowledge, and in practice basically the good TricksterGod counterpart to another god in the pantheon, Tazu, who is the god of chaos and chance and is rather malevolent. Lutho, like the other gods, manipulates humans behind the scenes to achieve his desired (benevolent) ends, and in one instance plays the role of OldMaster to one character, an intellectual master-strategist, and gifts him with a magical GreatBigBookOfEverything. The reader is clued into the fact that the wise old man is Lutho, partly because he's described as [[MorphicResonance looking rather like a turtle]].
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Fithowéo]]
The god of the hunt and war, as well as the patron of Rima.
----
* {{Irony}}: The narration considers it ironic that the least martial of the seven Tiro states has the god of war as its patron.
* NobleWolf: A dignified and noble war god whose symbol is the wolf.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Tututika]]
The youngest of the Dara pantheon and the goddess of agriculture and beauty. She is the patroness of Amu.
----
* SilkHidingSteel: She is often considered the youngest and weakest of her godly family, but Kikomi recalls an anecdote about her in which she used her beauty and feminine wiles to seduce an enemy hero before killing him with her poisoned hairpin.
[[/folder]]
----
[[foldercontrol]]
!!Kuni and Associates
[[folder:Kuni Garu]]
A layabout slacker turned upright citizen turned outlaw, Kuni recognizes the rebellion as an opportunity for adventure and capitalizes on it to rise high in society.
----
* TheExtremistWasRight: Although he disagrees with the cruelty with which he ruled, Kuni believes that Mapidéré's goal of unifying the Dara states was a good one and wants to maintain/continue this, but in a manner that is not oppressive and betters the lives of the common people.
* JustLikeRobinHood: When he first becomes an outlaw he tries to follow the path of the honorable bandit, teaching his men not to harm innocents as they rob. He also distributes his spoils to the woodsmen who live in the mountains so they don't rat him out to authorities.
* LovableRogue: Jia develops an interest in Kuni after watching him con an officer into not harming an innocent widow and her son. Jia notes that he does good without being ''good'' himself, and expresses a desire to get to know him. After Kuni becomes an outlaw he develops popularity as a folk hero for his supposed virtues and charm.
* ThePiratesWhoDontDoAnything: As a young man, Kuni is described as a "gangster", and while he was definitely a ne'er-do-well and mooch, he never actually does anything gangstery (i.e. extortion, violence, etc.). The closest he gets is one scene where he's pressed about paying a bar tab and Kuni responds in a threatening manner- but rather than offering "protection" as a gangster would be expected to do, he instead points out that the liveliness of he and his friends helps bring in and keep customers, and their presence dissuades troublemakers from causing trouble. Later on, Kuni does become an actual bandit, but still a friendly one who aims to completely avoid deaths and injuries- and most of his ideas of what banditry involves come from fictional books about noble bandits he read in school.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Jia Matiza]]
Kuni's wife and the daughter of a rich rancher from Faça. Jia is an expert herbalist and reliable source of advice for Kuni.
----
* MarryForLove: Jia's wealthy father tried to set her up with several men of equal or greater social class, but to his surprise she liked and married Kuni, a rogue with no history of being an upstanding citizen.
* SignificantGreeneyedRedhead: Her early appearances emphasize her bright red hair and her deep green eyes, instantly signifying her as a remarkable beauty and major character.
* SpiritedYoungLady: Before marrying Kuni she was the daughter of a rich man who mocked her suitors and matchmakers in turn. She happily lives a relatively humble life with him after they wed.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Rin Coda]]
A childhood friend of Kuni's who becomes one of his brothers-in-arms.
----
* ChildhoodFriends: He and Kuni have been close since their schoolboy days. Rin reasons that this long friendship is why he can call Kuni out for his hedonism in the wake of [[spoiler:the fall of Pan]].
* FriendInTheBlackMarket: After Kuni [[spoiler:conquers Pan]] Rin is the one who keeps in touch with less savory business associates and does underhanded things in Kuni's name.
[[/folder]]
!!Mata and Associates
[[folder:Mata Zyndu]]
The warrior grandson of the deposed Duke Zyndu, Mata was raised by his uncle Phin to avenge the deaths and humiliation of the Zyndu clan.
----
* BloodKnight: Mata enjoys striking down people in combat a little ''too'' much.
* DualWielding: Mata Zyndu wields a pair of ancestral weapons, a OneHandedZweihander and a tooth-studded cudgel -- a choice that would be wildly impractical for anyone not an eight-foot-tall LightningBruiser OneManArmy.
* FatalFlaw: Mata Zyndu's BlackAndWhiteInsanity. He lives like a [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy warrior out of legend]], distrusts any deviation from that ideal, and is quick to assume he's being betrayed. This repeatedly causes him to turn against his friends and allies, and ultimately [[spoiler:[[WonTheWarLostThePeace costs him his empire]] and his life.]]
* HonorBeforeReason: Mata sticks to the old aristocratic codes of honor and propriety, in contrast to Kuni's more casual attitudes. For example, he doesn't understand why Kuni would pardon a traitor, only to be surprised when Kuni is able to parlay this into something advantageous.
* MeaningfulName: He's noted to have extra pupils. ''Mata'' is the word for ''eye'' in Malay.
* PoliticallyIncorrectHero: Mata starts out as a heroic figure, but displays contempt for women/"feminine pursuits" and his primary issue with Mapidéré's rule was how it displaced the old aristocracy and replaced them with "lowly bureaucrats".
* RedRightHand: Played with. Mata has double-pupiled eyes and is like eight feet tall, suggesting an appearance bordering on HumanoidAbomination. While Mata and his uncle think of his eyes and build as representing his foresight and ties to the heroes of old, as he becomes increasingly unsympathetic, they instead are a mark of his ObviouslyEvil-ness (even though Mata thinks of himself as a good guy).
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Phin Zyndu]]
Mata's uncle. He survived the deaths of his family and raised his nephew Mata in exile.
----
* UsedToBeASweetKid: The narration pointedly notes that Phin was the friendly and well-read second son of the Zyndu clan, intentionally kept from their family's martial traditions by his father and brother who wanted him to find independent happiness. But when his entire family save for his baby nephew is slaughtered when Phin is thirteen, he curses his weakness. Phin spends the rest of his life as a hardened warrior and raises Mata to be the same.
[[/folder]]
!!Xana Empire
[[folder:Mapidéré]]
Initially King Réon of Xana, he annexed the other six Tiro States into a united Dara and crowned himself Emperor Mapidéré.
----
* DismemberingTheBody: When [[spoiler:Mata Zyndu]]'s rebel army reaches the outskirts of Pan, they disinter Mapidéré's body from its ostentatious mausoleum and allow an angry mob to tear it apart.
* TheEmperor: Initially just king of Xana, he united the other Tiro States into the Empire of Xana. He is a visionary whose brutal methods proved unpopular among his new subjects.
* KingOnHisDeathbed: By the end of the first act, he's gravely ill and as he deteriorates his ministers plot and scheme as to who will succeed him.
* VisionaryVillain: Despite his ruthless methods, Mapidéré had admirable goals, wanting to end the continual wars among the island states and bring peace to the region, achieving respect for his homeland in the process.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Erishi]]
Formerly called Prince Loshi. Mapidéré's son and successor.
----
* PuppetKing: He only became the second emperor because his teacher Lügo Crupo wanted to hold on to power after the Emperor's health seriously began deteriorating, and deployed a coup to make him king. Erishi ascended the throne at twelve and is otherwise kept complacent and entertained while Lügo and Goran enjoy being in charge.
* UnexpectedSuccessor: He had several other brothers ahead of him in succession, but after Lügo Crupo decided he liked being prime minister too much to give it up after Mapidéré's death he leapfrogs his student Erishi to the throne. Post hoc, Erishi's brothers were ''conveniently'' all rebels who committed suicide after their plots were found out.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Goran Pira]]
The chatelain.
----
* ChildhoodFriends: He was a childhood friend of the emperor and stuck by him throughout the wars of conquest, which makes his planned betrayal more notable.
* TheStarscream: He is the chatelain of Pan and one of Emperor Mapidere's inner circle, but has secretly been plotting the Empire's downfall and his takeover ever since Mapidere killed a concubine Goran had loved.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Lügo Crupo]]
A high-ranking bureaucrat who becomes regent during the reign of Emperor Erishi.
----
* CorruptPolitician: Made himself regent and is content to swan around enjoying the benefits of regency and ignoring the rebellion.
* CruelAndUnusualDeath: [[spoiler:Goran Pira makes a grab for power and brutally tortures Lügo before having his heart cut out.]]
* HandwritingAsCharacterization: Good calligraphy is considered a mark of refinement and is one of the factors being judged in the qualifying exams for state office. The scholar Lügo Crupo is renowned for the beauty of his writing as well as for the elegance and intelligence of his words.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Tanno Namen]]
An old general who is called on to lead the military campaign against the rebel forces.
----
* FourStarBadass: After being brought out of retirement, General Namen immediately proceeds to deal blow after blow to the fledgling rebellion.
* MyCountryRightOrWrong: General Namen never wed, and the Xana Empire is described as his 'great love'. He regrets several actions that he has to take to keep the empire going, but does them anyway.
* OldSoldier: He made his mark during the reunification wars, and is dragged out of retirement decades later to crush the rebels after the imperial court got rid of all the other generals who weren't on their side.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Kindo Morana]]
The Empire's chief tax collector who starts to become more involved in the war effort.
----
[[/folder]]
!!The Tiro States
[[folder:Huno Krima]]
Initially a peasant from Cocru, he initiates the rebellion against the imperial regime in an attempt to get out of conscripted labor.
----
* HeWhoFightsMonsters: His rebellion against the tyrannical Xana throne is initially welcomed by the populace, but in his efforts to depose the imperials and maintain his own power he becomes just as bad as the empire he seeks to overthrow. Rebel soldiers grumble that they are fighting against Xana because they hate its policy of forced labor, only for Krima to force them to build monuments in honor of his reign anyway.
* InternalAffairs: As [[spoiler:Huno Krima]] becomes a paranoid [[TheCaligula Caligula]], he forms the elite Black Caps to root out subversive elements within his forces, then the White Caps to spy on the Black Caps, and finally the Grey Caps to spy on the White Caps. [[spoiler:He's then unexpectedly [[OffWithHisHead de]]''[[OffWithHisHead cap]]''[[OffWithHisHead itated]].]]
* OffWithHisHead: He's eventually beheaded by a disgruntled follower.
* TheParanoiac: Krima eventually becomes more and more paranoid and entitled. He begins abusing his "soldiers", becomes convinced that his inner circle is out to get him (to the point of establishing a secret police, [[WhoWatchesTheWatchmen then distrusting this force and establishing yet another force to keep tabs on them]], and attributing his forces' defeats to infiltration by the empire [[NeverMyFault instead of his own incompetence]].
* RebelLeader: PlayedWith. Krima and his co-conspirator Zopa Shigin establish the rebellion and enjoy early success against the empire, but Krima's failings cause the force to crumble. The protagonists Kuni and Mata eventually take over.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Dafiro and Ratho Miro]]
Two brothers who are one of Huno Krima and Zopa Shigin's initial band of rebels.
----
* AlcoholicParent: They lost their father to conscription, and their mother to drink. Dafiro took the brunt of her intoxicated abuse.
* ThoseTwoGuys: In the first half of the story they pop up occasionally to provide the current foot-soldier perspective to the rebel leaders' actions.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Thufi]]
Heir to the throne of Cocru at the time of the rebellion.
----
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Knows well enough that he just happened to be born the son of the right man and that he has no martial experience. He is all too happy to hand the reins over to Huno Krima and later the protagonists. He also internally expresses frustration with the ass-kissing of the other Tiro ambassadors.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Jizu]]
Heir to the throne of Rima at the time of the rebellion.
----
* BetterToDieThanBeKilled: Sets himself on fire rather than to be taken as a trophy by the Xana military.
* SelfImmolation: He self-immolates rather than be taken as a prisoner of war and his horrific screams are described by the narration.
* TheWisePrince: Tanno Namen notes that Jizu, in his parlay with the Xana military, truly understands the weight of leadership and regrets that the young king has to die.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Luan Zya]]
An assassin from Haan who joins Kuni and the rebellion.
----
* CulturedBadass: Luan was born into a family with close ties to the royal family of Haan (itself the most learned of the Tiro states), and thus grew up surrounded by scholars, poets, artists, politicians, and other great thinkers. The loss of culture as a result of the Xana conquest is part of what spurs him to assassinate the emperor (and nearly succeed) via kite-riding.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Kikomi]]
The princess of Amu, who is renowned for her beauty.
----
* HeirClubForMen: Despite being the granddaughter of the previous Amu king, her country's succession rules forbid women from inheriting, and so it's her great-uncle who rules.
* HistoricalVillainUpgrade: Invoked. She [[spoiler:seduces and assassinates one of the rebel army leaders, Phin, in an attempt to save her nation from desecration if Xana wins, but realizes that if Xana loses, the rebels may still destroy Amu. So she casts herself as a lovesick idiot to ensure her memory will be denigrated, but her country will live on.]]
* InLoveWithTheMark: She is [[spoiler:tasked with assassinating either Mata or his uncle Phin. She chooses the latter, wondering if her developing feelings for Mata are not coloring this decision.]]
* PrincessClassic: Invoked. Kikomi's great beauty was apparent from a young age, and so she was shoehorned into the role of beautiful and docile princess because her people needed a symbol. She expresses frustration that her interests in mathematics and governance were forgone by her guardians in favor of fashion, manners, and elocution.
* SoBeautifulItsACurse: [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded.]] "It was a cliché for a beautiful woman to complain about being cursed with beauty, Kikomi knew, but just because it was a cliché didn't mean it wasn't true."
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Gin Mazoti]]
A talented strategist.
----
* BaldHeadOfToughness: Gin Mazoti first started shaving her head to [[SweetPollyOliver pass as a man]], but continues after openly becoming the Dara States' [[BreakingTheGlassCeiling first female Marshall]]. Getting there involved a harrowing OrphansOrdeal, a hard life on the streets, and years of determined work to rise to power.
[[/folder]]
!!Dara Pantheon
[[folder:Kiji]]
The patron of Xana and god of the winds.
----
* EtherealWhiteDress: The god Kiji has a spotless white cloak, an incongruous element when he disguises himself as a grimy beggar.
* NobleBirdOfPrey: He's the god of winds, and his totem is the dignified falcon.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Kana and Rapa]]
Twin patronesses of Cocru. Kana is the goddess of fire and death, and Rapa the goddess of ice and sleep.
----
* FireIceDuo: Kana is the goddess of fire and volcanoes. Her twin Rapa is the goddess of ice and glaciers. Despite this dichotomy they act in tandem and are mentioned to be as close as their other domains, death and sleep.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Rufizo]]
Healing god, patron of Faça.
----
* DovesMeanPeace: The most pacifistic of the gods in accordance with his domain of healing. His pawi is accordingly the dove.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Tazu]]
The unpredictable god of sea currents and treasure, and the patron of Gan.
----
* DivineDate: The GodOfChaos Tazu [[GodInHumanForm disguises himself as a concubine]] to seduce [[spoiler:Kuni Garu]] in Pan. The dalliance appears to serve no purpose other than delaying him and [[ItAmusedMe amusing Tazu]].
* GodOfChaos: Tazu, the patron god of Gan, is also the chaotic god of tsunamis, sea currents, and sunken treasures. He's prayed to by gamblers who put their faith in pure chance, whereas those who prefer more strategy pray to Lutho.
* LordOfTheOcean: A jovial and unpredictable god whose domain includes sea currents, whirlpools, and sunken treasure.
* MegaMaelstrom: There's a giant and apparently permanent whirlpool that moves around Wolf's Paw attributed to Tazu that drowns any ship in its path. [[spoiler:By sacrificing 20 000 prisoners to the whirlpool, Matu Zyndu not only wins safe passage for his own army but entices Tazu to consume his enemy's ships instead.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Lutho]]
The patron of Haan and the wise god of mathematics and divination.
----
* GodInHumanForm: He appears to Luan as a trickster fisherman to inspire the scholar on his travels.
* WiseOldTurtle: Lutho, one of the members of the pantheon, has the sea turtle as his "pawi" (totem) and is the god of fishermen, divination, mathematics, and knowledge, and in practice basically the good TricksterGod counterpart to another god in the pantheon, Tazu, who is the god of chaos and chance and is rather malevolent. Lutho, like the other gods, manipulates humans behind the scenes to achieve his desired (benevolent) ends, and in one instance plays the role of OldMaster to one character, an intellectual master-strategist, and gifts him with a magical GreatBigBookOfEverything. The reader is clued into the fact that the wise old man is Lutho, partly because he's described as [[MorphicResonance looking rather like a turtle]].
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Fithowéo]]
The god of the hunt and war, as well as the patron of Rima.
----
* {{Irony}}: The narration considers it ironic that the least martial of the seven Tiro states has the god of war as its patron.
* NobleWolf: A dignified and noble war god whose symbol is the wolf.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Tututika]]
The youngest of the Dara pantheon and the goddess of agriculture and beauty. She is the patroness of Amu.
----
* SilkHidingSteel: She is often considered the youngest and weakest of her godly family, but Kikomi recalls an anecdote about her in which she used her beauty and feminine wiles to seduce an enemy hero before killing him with her poisoned hairpin.
[[/folder]]
