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Main Character Index | Val'Sarghress | Val'Sarghress: Vals | Val'Sarghress: Vassal Houses | Vel'Sharen | Vel'Sharen: Snadhya'rune and her bloodline | Vel'Sharen: Sarv'swati and her bloodline | Vel'Sharen: Sil'lice and her bloodline | Vel'Sharen: Nishi'kanta and her bloodline | Zala'ess and her bloodline | Val'Sullinsin'rune | Vel'Vloz'ress | Val'Kyorl'solenurn | Val'Illhar'dro | Val'Beldrobbaen | Val'Nal'sarkoth | Val'Jaal'darya | The Nidraa'chal | Minor Clans and Clanless Characters

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Illhardro_3554.jpg
Illhar'dro clan symbol

The third of the "Great Clans" note  to come to power. Heavily invested in music, trade and the expansion of their supply routes. They have a mutually beneficial business relationship with the Val'Nal'sarkoth as the latter specialise in surface trade, whereas the Illhar'dro specialise in underworld trade. Unlike most of the other Chelian clans, the Illhar'dro have their homebase in Nuqrah'shareh, with only a fraction of the clan actually living in Chel. Rumoured to have the largest numbers of any clan due to the fact that they are spread out across a very wide portion of the underworld, the Illhar'dro are nonetheless a peaceful clan, preferring the merchant life to that of the warrior. The Illhar'dro share power in Nuqrah'shareh with several other clans, the three most prominent being the Duskians, the Jie'yen and the Balvhakara. ( The latter two clans are instrumental in helping Nega'fanea regain her rule over Nuqrah'shareh after Balsii's coup.) The specific details about these three clans complete with individual character information can be found in Drowtales Other Clans.


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    General 
  • The Alliance: This forms the set-up of their power-base in Nuqrah'shareh- the Illhar'dro share power with three other powerful clans although they are nominally the overall head clan.
  • Animal Motifs: Birds, which makes sense as the clan is strongly associated with music and they are one of the few clans who have strong ties to the surface.
  • Boldly Coming: Their usual approach to diplomacy is to set up their relatives with members of the ruling clan and have children with them. Its noted in a podcast that because of this practice they are probably the only clan to care about the bloodline of their childrens' fathers. Phani'lath Vel'Sharen is the product of one such union between Zala'ess and an Illhar'dro male.
  • Born Under the Sail: The Illhar'dro Clan were originally seafarers back in the Moons Age, but after being driven underground have turned into a Proud Merchant Race that still use turquoise blue as their primary color.
  • Compelling Voice: one of the Illhar'dro applications of spellsong, which they mainly seem to use for crowd control. It's described as being a mix of empathy, mana arts and sound.
  • The Fashionista: Potentially rivaling the Sullisin'rune for this trope amongst the nine major clans.
  • Intrepid Merchant: They have close ties to the surface, most of their clan relations involve trade and their ancestors were seafarers. This is probably why blue seems to be a popular color choice for members.
  • Magic Music: The Illhar'dro specialty.
  • Magi Karp Power: Their spellsong technique. Kyo'nne even says that it's all but useless in a fight except in support roles. Though Shodun proved in Sillice's flashback that it can be very deadly, using it to stun Sae'ryne and decapitate her, and later uses it to blast Sandaur out a window.
  • The Mole: at least one Nidraa'chal, Shodun, is in their clan.
  • Merchant City: Val'Raveran and various outposts on the surface.
  • Royally Screwed Up: Chapter 33 shows that all is not well in the royal family, and Balsii at least has a major chip on her shoulder.
  • Shining City: Their home city of Nuqrah'shareh, described as "the modern, peaceful and beautiful jewel of the west!" at least before the 15 year timeskip, since so many refugees have poured into the city that it's now anything but those.
  • Slobs Versus Snobs: As chapter 33 shows, they're very much on the snobbish side, and very very rich, with one Illhar'dro telling commoners to "return to your hovels" (note ) which, naturally, backfires.

    Chelian Illhar'dro 

Nega'fanea Val'Illhar'dro

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nega.png

The Ill'haress of the Illhar'dro and the Queen of Nuqrah'shareh, despite having been born in the neighboring city of Val'Raveran.


  • Actual Pacifist: Which is a rarity amongst Drow females, let alone Ill'haresses, though Sara'hilana Balvhakara believes that her pacifist ways have hurt her.
  • Be Careful What You Say: During the council Nega'fanea is very proud of Nuqrah'shareh to the point that Kharla'ggen effectively tells her to shut up about it, and extols its virtues at every opportunity, but after the 15 year timeskip she probably regrets that, considering that the city has been destabilized by all the refugees pouring in from other cities, possibly even because she was so vocal about how great her city was.
  • Curtains Match the Window
  • The High Queen: Of Nuqrah'shareh, where she's Queen, and also projects this image when in Chel.
  • Immigrant Patriotism: Though originally from Val'Raveran and officially Queen in Nuqrah'shareh, Nega is shown to care a lot about Chel, and she implies that the decision to leave Chel and come to Nuqrah was a very hard one for her.
  • Know When to Fold 'Em: During the timeskip the Illhar'dro left their base in Chel and withdrew to Nuqrah'shareh, and Nega had a long conversation with Zala'ess where she explained why this was necessary.
  • Scars Are Forever: Gains several around her throat, presumably a result of empathic healing, following Balsii's attempt on her life. Ash'waren's sporting of a similar scar over her heart imply they do not fade.
  • Reasonable Authority Figure: From what we've seen of her she seems to be very concerned about following law and order. In chapter 33 she even seems to be willing to forgive Balsii for her coup before Balsii tries to kill her, and in chapter 34 talks about trying to end the conflict with the least amount of bloodshed possible, and had ordered caravans to bring food to the hungry civilians from the Surface, though they never arrived. To say nothing of how she actually does forgive Balsii after she surrenders, deciding to end the bloodshed there.
  • Universally Beloved Leader: It's implied that she has the support of most of the clan leaders in Nuqrah'shareh despite Balsii's attempt at a coup, judging by the lengths the Jie'yen and Balvhakara heads go to ensure she remains queen-despite or perhaps even because of her pacifistic attitude.
  • Unwitting Pawn: She seems to fall for Zala'ess claims against the Sarghress pretty quickly. After the Timeskip, the Nidraa'chal easily trick her with a False Flag Operation into believing that the Sarghress have been undermining her and she declares war against them. Of course, her allies have been itching for conquest anyways, so that might not be the only reason.

Kyo'nne Val'Illhar'dro

One of Nega'fanea's younger family members (note ) and a member of Chry'stel Vel'Sharen's Girl Posse at Orthorbbae. Post-timeskip she has become a popular idol singer for citizens in Chel.
  • Ascended Fanon: A long-running joke before the timeskip was that Kyo was an Expy of Lin Minmay, with her even singing "My Boyfriend Is A Pilot" in the Space Age Daydream story, and after the timeskip she's essentially become the DT equivalent of Minmay, complete with a reference to how she could sing before a battlefield and bring peace to both sides. invoked
  • Broken Pedestal: Originally admired Snadhya'rune and referred to her as the only one advocating peace among her sisters, but at the Felde gathering once Snadhya shows her true colors Kyo is visibly shaken by what she's seen Snadhya'rune do, including the sadistic execution of the Sarghress squad via airship. Nevertheless, she still spouts pro-Snadhya'rune propoganda to the public. Though that could be because Snad literally holds the life of her ilharess, if not her whole clan, in her hands thanks to the flower poison ploy. She continues working for Snadhya'rune in the name of peace, but she eventually gets tired of being coerced into betraying her friends and ends up turning on her.
    • Kyo herself may be becoming this to Ariel, since Ariel is visibly upset when she realizes that Kyo has tricked her and delivered her straight to Snadhya'rune and Kyo's body language, mainly avoiding Ariel's eyes, suggests she knows damn well what she's done.
  • Character Development: One of the best examples in the series after the timeskip in terms of how much maturity she gained.
  • Cloud Cuckoo Lander: The lyrics to her song are... special.
  • Cool Big Sis: After the timeskip this describes her relationship with Ariel, and presumably Faen as well. Kyo even tells Ariel to listen to "big sister Kyo."
  • Coy, Girlish Flirt Pose
  • Damsel in Distress: Subverted. Even though she's the least combat-savvy of the group, she still manages to keep from falling into Damsel in Distress territory using her spellsong, or a frying pan if necessary.
  • Deal with the Devil: After the timeskip, she reveals that the sponsor of her show is none other than Snadhya'rune. Even the author lampshades this.
  • The Face: Word of God says that she has worked her way up the Nidraa'chal's hierarchy and more or less become one of their better public faces.
  • Famed In-Story: She is a famous singer advocating peace after the Timeskip.
  • Forced into Evil: Starting with Snadya holding her clans Il'harress hostage via flower poison, Snad has forced one difficult decision on her after another. By the time Ariel boots her out of Matchike, rejecting Snad's "charity," Kyo'nne has apparently come to believe bending the knee to Snad, despite the obvious perils, and lack of trustworthiness on Snad's part, is actually the least dangerous option.
  • Genki Girl: Not too over the top, but she is pretty genki and even owns a tiktikki backpack. Amusingly, during Kiel's Imagine Spot to what would happen if Kharla were allowed to take over Chel, among the puppets representing her friends the one representing Kyo'nne has her Mouth Stitched Shut.
  • Girly Girl: The most stereotypically feminine of her Girl Posse.
  • Glamorous Wartime Singer: After the timeskip, owing to the fact that Chel has been in a perpetual state of civil war.
  • Heel Realization: Has one after Ariel saves her despite being on the opposite sides of battle, and notes that she just stood by while her Nidraa'chal allies tried to kill her friends.
  • Hidden Depths: It's easy to dismiss Kyo'nne as The Ditz, but just watch her call out Chiri'nide and Shan'aal on their hypocrisy)
  • Hypocritical Humor: She's very mad at Shinae for "throwing her to the Kyorls", and yet look what she did when the Kyorls showed up.
  • Immigrant Patriotism: Sort of. Even though Kyo says she was born in Chel, she's apparently spent a fair bit of time in Nuqrah'shareh and is culturally more similar to a Nuqrah'sharian than a Chelian, but she ultimately decides to stay behind in Chel even after the rest of the Illhar'dro leave.
  • Improvised Weapon User: Two words: frying pan.
  • The Ingenue: Towards Shan.
  • In Love with Love: Implied to be the reason she's so intent on Shan.
  • Jumping Off the Slippery Slope: Despite spending a great deal of her visit with Ariel in chapter 51, in private (away from the eyes and ears of her fellow Nids), she continues to toe the Nid party line until the very end, only making a token apology for delivering Ariel into Snad's clutches back in chapter 46 when Sar'nel reaches the limits of his patience and only looks on guiltily before boarding Snad's airship which looks like it's going to start blasting Matchike in response to Ariel refusing the "invitation" to go to Felde and be Snad's hostage.
  • Leonine Contract: She shows up in Matchike offering one to Ariel. Come to a Felde "gathering" with a small squad of guards and the colony will get all the troops and supplies it needs to repel the Hermione invasion, permanently. Of course, the symbol at the top of the "united clans" scroll is Snadya'Rune's. Ariel was openly considering it... until Faen whispered something in her ear.
  • The Mole: Chapter 44 suggests that she is playing a double agent to Snadhya'rune for Nega'fanea by using her job as an idol singer to gain information.
  • My Hovercraft Is Full of Eels: Her Halme is not the best.
  • Plucky Girl: Even after getting hit in the face in the middle of using her spell song on Jer'kol she manages to get back up, restrain Chiri of all people and knock her out, stopping the fight. Kyo'nne has guts. After the timeskip, she's become the spokeswoman for the colonization effort and an advocate for peace in Chel. Off-stage the strain is starting to show.
  • Princess Classic: Fits closest of any of the characters.
  • Princess in Rags: After the timeskip, fits some parts of this trope, since she says that the Illhar'dro leaving Chel means that she might as well be a commoner, and it's hinted that she resents this fact. And Snadhya'rune, being Snadhya'rune, seems to have taken advantage of this and offered Kyo sponsorship, which Kyo accepted.
  • Stepford Smiler: After the timeskip, there are hints that her Plucky Girl persona is a front and that Kyo is actually more bitter about her situation than she lets on.
  • Took a Level in Jerkass: After the three-year Time Skip between chapters 50 and 51, her personality has dramatically changed. Even characters in-universe find her behavior very odd. She acts far less bright and more openly manipulative. When she gives Ariel an offer of Nidraa'chal support in return for kneeling to Snadhya'rune, she only gives the vaguest hints that her Nidraa'chal backers will not take no for an answer. When Ariel rejects the Nidraa'chal offer, their airship attacks the Sarghress colony and Kyo'nne dismisses the Sarghress as idiots.
  • Unwitting Pawn: She joins the Nidraa'chal and works her way into becoming a high ranking member, genuinely believing Snadhya'rune's manipulative scheming to be for the greater good.
  • Well-Intentioned Extremist: She has been wedging her way into Snadhya'rune's circle in an attempt to reform drow society, and is perfectly willing to back stab her friends to further her efforts.
  • Wrong Genre Savvy: The young Kyo'nne seems to think of herself as a Disney-style princess. Unfortunately her world is not nearly that kind, and by the end of the timeskip this seems to have finally sunk in with her, though she falls for Snadhya'rune's plot just as hard as everyone else.

Sorane'saniil Val'Illhar'dro

A cousin of Kyo'nne and one of Ariel's classmates in the Davya Tower of the Orthobbae Legs, (note .) He has a highly effeminate appearance which Kel'noz played upon to hide the fact that Ariel is in fact a girl studying at the male only section of the school during Chapter 2, essentially using Sorane as a decoy. His mother is Jal'na Val'Illhar'dro with whom he shares a strong resemblance.


  • Crossdresser: Was fanon for a long time, and confirmed as of this page. After the timeskip he's seen in such feminine clothing, including what might be fake breasts, that there are some who think he may actually be the drow world's equivalent of transgender.
  • Dude Looks Like a Lady: Ariel initially mistook him for a girl. It's not hard to see why.
  • I Have Brothers: gender-flipped: he has sisters.
  • Large Ham: Yup.
  • Red Herring: An in-universe and invoked example, since Kel'noz had him in the same tower as Ariel specifically so that if any rumors started of there being a girl in the group Sorane would be the obvious first person they'd look at.

Jal'na Val'Illhar'dro

Nega'fanea's favorite daughter and Sorane'saniil's mother, she is Nega'fanea's second in command and overseer of the Illhar'dro base in Chel'el'sussoloth. She appears to be a strict disciplinarian.


  • Damsel in Distress: In chapter 34 she's captured by Balsii's agents, who plan to kill her to get back at her mother, though Jie'yen agents arrive and rescue her before that.
  • Education Mama: She seems to be in charge of the children of the clan if Frisk Illhar'dro's words are correct.
  • Facial Markings: Hangs jewels from her nose bridge to her jaw line.
  • Number Two: To Nega'fanea as the overseer for Illhar'dro affairs in Chel, and is referred to as "her favorite daughter".

Sandaur'recherrai Val'Illhar'dro

A battle instructor in the Davya Tower at Orthobbae. He was first seen in Chapter 2 training Ariel's class in battle skills before being Out of Focus until Chapter 33 where he dies.
  • Badass Teacher: Shows up to rescue his students when the Illhar'dro island is attacked.
  • Bare-Fisted Monk: So far has used nothing but his bare fists in combat, and has kicked copious amounts of ass with them.
  • Big Ol' Eyebrows: He has noticeably larger eyebrows than most other characters.
  • The Bus Came Back: First appeared in Chapter 2. Didn't show up again until Chapter 33!.
  • Cool Teacher: Students at both Orthorbbae and in Nuqrah seem very fond of him.
  • Et Tu, Brute?: his expression when Shodun blasts him out the window suggests that this was going through his mind, especially since it's implied that they were close in Chel.
  • Groin Attack: In Chapter 2 he shows the kids in Davya Tower that one should be a Combat Pragmatist with this.
  • In the Back: What Balsii's guards do to him. Notably, all three swords clearly go through his body, not that this stops him, and had he not been thrown out the window he likely would have died from his injuries.
  • Long-Haired Pretty Boy: As is the custom for several male Vals, he wears his hair long.
  • Mr. Fanservice: With a helping of Stupid Sexy Flanders for male fans.
  • Neck Snap: The fate of one unfortunate guy he catches in Chapter 33.
  • Not the Fall That Kills You…: He was already injured and likely dying from his wounds, but falling straight onto the apex of a nearby roof was the real death blow, and likely broke his back and/or neck.
  • Overly Long Name: Although the fact that the Commander of the Illhar'dro forces at the Great Bridge shares the "Recherrai" implies that it may be a subhouse name, and he's usually referred to just as "Sandaur".
  • Undying Loyalty: To Nega'fanea, even after he gets stabbed multiple times by Balsii's guards his main concern is for her safety. It's probably why Shodun killed him.
  • We Hardly Knew Ye: After several pages of Sandaur kicking ass and taking names he gets one-shotted by Shodun out of the window and right onto the apex of the roof outside.

Frisk Illhar'dro

A Chelian Illhar'dro and a member of Kyo'nne's band after the timeskip.

Tu'suust*note 

A bodyguard seen protecting Kyo'nne during Chapter 37. Her concept artnote  can be found here.

    Nuqrah'sharian Illhar'dro 

Balsii Val'Illhar'dro

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screen_shot_2016_04_16_at_122427_am.png

A cousin of Nega'fanea in Nuqrah'shareh. She is the regional ruler under Nega'fanea.


  • Ambition Is Evil: Possibly. She's willing to pull a coup in the middle of a civil war, attempt regicide and order Sandaur killed which probably qualifies her for this.
  • Didn't See That Coming: She says that the one thing she didn't predict was that Agneya'mukhi, the Balvhakara Matriarch, would oppose her when she tried her coup.
  • Easily Forgiven: After she surrenders, Nega'fanea forgives her actions for a second time. It remains to be seen whether or not this will come to bite Nega'fanea in the ass later.
  • Et Tu, Brute?: Betrays her own cousin in order to seize power.
  • Fantastic Racism: She's this towards anyone not native to Nuqrah'shareh and that even includes members of her own clan who just happen to be born outside of said city. Sara'hilana Balvhakara even says that while she's a good regional ruler, if given control of the entire clan her xenophobia would turn them into another Chel.
  • Fashionable Asymmetry: Her hairstyle, which has small sections of white on one side of her bangs.
  • Klingon Promotion: She tried this with Nega'fanea, but it didn't work since Nega survived.
  • Know When to Fold 'Em: She surrenders rather than tear Nuqrah'shareh further apart. Though as chapter 36 shows, it didn't do much good at stopping the violence.
  • Parasol of Pain: A variation, in that she has a sword hidden inside it.
  • Punny Name: She must be pretty ballsy to pull a coup on her cousin, in the middle of a civil war, no less.
  • The Resenter: Towards Nega'fanea, who she sees as a weak and ineffective leader, and to add insult to injury Nega isn't even a native Nuqrah'sharian, and Balsii sees the influx of refugees from other parts of the underworld as the cause of the problems plaguing the city.
  • Sore Loser: After being told in no uncertain terms that neither the Balvhakara or the Jie'yen will support her coup, she gets a chance to set down her weapon and (it's implied) be forgiven. Instead she orders her guards to kill Sandaur and stabs Nega'fanae in the throat.
  • Unwitting Pawn: Implied, since her "foreign backers" who are all but confirmed to be Nidraa'chal don't seem to have been slowed down much by her surrendering, and given the Nidraa'chal's M.O. they likely would have gotten rid of her once she was no longer of use even if she had won.

Rei'shiid Recherrai Val'Illhar'dro

The Commander of the Illhar'dro defense force, she holds the main bridge against the rebels during the initial days of fighting.


  • Big Ol' Eyebrows: This along with the name Recherrai implies that she and Sandaur belong to the same subhouse.
  • Fangirl: Apparently of Quain'tana, since she prominently has a book with the Sarghress symbol on her desk.
  • Reasonable Authority Figure: She successfully convinces Balsii to surrender rather than tear the city further apart, and this is why Nega'fanea forgives her for not picking a side.

Shen'fya Val'Illhar'dro

An Illhar'dro noble, Shen'fya is first encountered by Sandaur executing the palace's drowussu slaves to avoid them turning against them. Things don't get much better for her afterwards.


Ishii Val'Illhar'dro

A young Illhar'dro girl who is on the beach when the mercenaries landed, she nearly has her tongue cut out and is later seen among the refugees.


  • Facial Markings: She has dots above her eyebrows.
  • Tongue Trauma: Word of God is that her tongue was just cut and not completely removed, but she may not be able to use it to the extent she once could.

Layani Vajdya Val'Illhar'dro

A student of Sandaur's who was on the beach when the mercenaries landed, she was wounded but survived and was later among Balsii's hostages.
  • Genre Savvy: She quickly figures out that the landing isn't one of Sandaur's tests.
  • Fashionable Asymmetry: She only wears one glove.
  • Made of Iron: Despite being stabbed, she manages to keep going. Seems she learned from her sensei.

Araa'toskr*note 

A proud colony-born Illhar'dro soldier and envoy. First seen in Chapter 44, on a diplomatic mission to Felde. His concept art can be found here.
  • Balance of Power: His concept page explains that he advocates the idea of males being seen as equal to females in Drow politics and that he admires the Sarghress model of this.
  • Expy: In a sense he is a blue haired, Dark Elf male version of Snadhya'rune, right down to the love of fur. Yet his aspirations could not be more different.
  • Fur and Loathing: Seems to like fur, judging by the orange fur on his armour in Chapter 44 and his concept page actually states that he has a preference for small men in fur.
  • Long-Haired Pretty Boy: Like most male nobles in the setting.
  • Making a Splash: Has a water affinity.
  • Token Minority: He was born in a surface-colony to two drow parents, and is thus a first-generation Dark Elf.

Cy'ril Illhar'dro*note 

A Nuqrah'shareh representative attending Snadhya's gathering in Felde, during Chapter 44. He is nominally a member of the Illhar'dro Clan but is clearly also a Nidraa'chal agent. His concept art can be found here.


  • Deadly Doctor: His concept page seems to imply that he is one of these, calmly suggesting potions for suicide attempts!
  • Green Thumb: Has a wood affinity which is unusual amongst those of his clan and more common amongst members of the Nal'Sarkoth.
  • Mistress and Servant Boy: His relationship with Snadhya'rune.
  • Not-So-Harmless Villain: He may look like an unassuming character but it is strongly suggested that the gift he gives Iliva'fay secretly a Sullisin'rune spy from Snadhya'rune is in actual fact the deadly parasitic flower that destroyed Blossom's nation.

Kyu'dosha Illhar'dro*note 

An Illhar'dro courier of mixed Jie'yen ancestry working for Zala'ess' alliance. Appears in Chapters 43 and 47. Her concept art can be found here and here.
  • Courier: By trade; no mean feat in Chel.
  • Curtains Match the Window: Pale blue, on both counts.
  • Guilty Pleasures: Greatly (and secretly) enjoys Quain'tana's sagas, even though Quain'tana herself had dismissed them as nonsense. This despite her being an enemy of the alliance.
  • Horse of a Different Color: Her mount is a large blue bird.
  • Large Ham: Noted in her concept art to be over-dramatic.
  • Impossibly Cool Weapon: Her preferred weapon appears to be two small scythes attached by a length of chain.
  • Shipper on Deck: Seems fond of this, especially with Quain'tana.
  • Theater: One of her favoured pastimes, though of higher standards than the Vloz can provide.

Roon'vas Illhar'dro*note 

An Illhar'dro soldier first seen in Chapter 47, serving in the Sharen Alliance during the closing cycles of the District War. His concept art can be found here.
  • The Bard: He plays a woodwind instrument, often from unusual places.
  • Blow You Away: His affinity is air sorcery.
  • Perpetual Smiler: Of the type that screams "up to something".
  • Sitting on the Roof: In his on-page appearances, as well as his concept art, he's usually perched up on tall objects or buildings.
  • Toilet Humour: As seen in in his concept art, he combines this with his sorcery for pranks.

Sonor'enai Val'Illhar'dro*note 

An Illhar'dro commander first seen in Chapter 47, serving in the Sharen Alliance during the closing cycles of the District War. Her concept art can be found here.

Return to the main character index here.


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