The Rising & Solar Republic | Darrow's Family | House Barca | House Telemanus | The Howlers | The Sons of Ares | The Rim Dominon | House Raa | The Society | House Lune | House Grimmus | House Bellona | House Augustus | The Boneriders | The Gorgons | The Institute | The Obsidians | Criminals and Terrorists
Due to the prevalence of Late Arrival Spoilers and First Episode Twists in both the Red Rising and Iron Gold series, spoilers from Red Rising, Golden Son, and Morning Star may be unmarked. Read at your own risk.
The Rim Dominion
The inhabitants of the outer planets in the solar system and their respective moons. Because of their distance from the sun, the people of the Rim long desired their independence from the Core. While their previous attempt at rebellion had been crushed several decades before the series began, Darrow's actions in Golden Son give them an opportunity to try again. open/close all folders
Rim Dominion Government
In General
After gaining their independence from the Core in Morning Star, the Golds of the Gas Giants went dark, spending the next decade quietly waiting and rebuilding while the Core descends into chaos.
- A Lighter Shade of Black: The Rim Dominion is fundamentally an autocratic slaver society just like the Society Remnant, but its elites are more decent to the citizens and generally portrayed much more sympathetically. This is the land of Noble Demons.
- Culture Chop Suey: The Rim takes on elements of Ancient Grome and the Roman Republic in particular (showing classical themes like the Core, but with a slightly more democratic approach, at least as far as the Golds are concerned) and Feudal Japan (with the Raa family hailing from Japan), IN SPACE!
- Honour Before Reason: A recurring trend for the Rim, notably exemplified by their decision to go to war at the end of Iron Gold against the warnings of Romulus, and by the Last Stand performed by the commanders of the Rim Armada after the battle of Kalyke starts with a disaster. This second case seals the doom of the Rim Fleet, whose remnants could have outrun the ambushers after a Tactical Withdrawal.
- Pragmatic Villainy: They maintain the Fantastic Caste System of the Society, but they do so without the greed or excessive cruelty of the Golds in the Core.
- Pride: A defining characteristic of the Golds of the Rim, much like Greed is one for the Golds of the Core. Exemplified by their honour, isolationist ways, and disdain for the Core.
- Proud Warrior Race: The Golds of the Rim are this to a greater degree than those of the core, as their culture places more emphasis on honour, martial skill and revenge.
- Revenge Before Reason: The Rim goes to war against the Core to avenge Rhea and the death of the Raa patriarch, then with the Republic to avenge the dockyards of Ganymede. Both times, these wars cost them immensely. The end of Light Bringer presents them with a dilemna: seek revenge against the Obsidians for the sacking of Illium, or ally with them to seek revenge against Lysander and the Core.
House Raa
See thhe House Raa page.
Helios au Lux
The Truth Knight of the Rim Dominion and commander of their Dust Armada. Following Romulus' death, he becomes co-consul of the Rim.
- Asskicking Leads to Leadership: Possibly. Initially an Olympic Knight, he becomes co-consul of the Rim in Dark Age, perhaps because of his status as leader of the knights.
- Frontline General: Helios personally goes ahead of his fleet to scout when on mission.
- Kill and Replace: Atlas does this to him in Light Bringer in order to ambush and annihilate the Rim Armada.
- Mentor Occupational Hazard: He is Diomedes' mentor and his death, which Diomedes is one of the first to discover, sets up his protégé's Heel–Face Turn.
- Noble Demon: Helios isn't nice, but his honour is unimpeachable.
The Krypteia
The Rim Dominion's secret police, responsible for maintaining the Color hierarchy.
- State Sec: Their role in the Rim's government is to serve as this, along with maintaining the hierarchy at all cost.
Pandora
An agent of the Kryptea and the most famous assassin of the Rim.
- Living Legend: The Rim's greatest assassin.
- Red Baron: The Ghost of Ilium
- What Happened to the Mouse?: She disappears from Lysander's chapters after Dido's coup, so it's unclear whether she's still alive or if she was killed during Volsung Fa's attack.
Daughters of Athena
In general
A sister faction to the Sons of Ares founded to ensure the survival of the rebellion in case the Sons of Ares were ever destroyed. After Darrow sacrificed the Sons of Ares on the Rim to secure an alliance with Romulus au Raa against the Society, the Daughters absorbed the remaining Sons of Ares that survived the ensuing purge and became the primary force of lowColor rebellion on the Rim.
Athena
The leader of the daughters of Athena.
- Red Herring: Her gender, Red eyes, access to recordings from Fitchner, and possession of a book collecting the knowledge of Cryssos, all point towards her being Sevro's aunt Ryanna. Instead, she turns out to be a completely new character.
Aurae
A courtesean in the Raa household at the time of Iron Gold.
- Ascended Extra: Only appeared for a few brief scenes in Iron Gold before having a major role in the plot of Light Bringer.
Cheon
A Daughter of Athena and commander of their Black Owls unit.
Others
Hecuba au Rhodes
A corporate rival of Quicksilver's in the Sons of Ares comics that Fitchner is sent to assassinate.
- Mutual Kill: She and her daughter kill each other.
Prospera au Rhodes
Daughter of Hecuba
- Mutual Kill: She and her mother kill each other.
Goroth
An Obsidian servant of House Raa who serves as Gaia's walking guide.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: Disappears into the tunnels of Sungrave after Lysander chooses to support Dido over Romulus, and is never seen again.
