History Characters / SecondApocalypse

* [[Characters/SecondApocalypseCharactersIntroducedInTheAspectEmperorTrilogy Characters Introduced in The Aspect-Emperor Trilogy]] [[note]] Main POV Characters, House Anasûrimbor, The Great Ordeal, The New Empire, Scalpoi [[/note]]
* [[Characters/SecondApocalypseTheConsultHistoricalFiguresCunoroiAndGods The Consult, Historical Figures, Cûnuroi and Gods]] [[note]] The Consult, Figures of the First Apocalypse, Assorted Historical Characters, Cûnuroi of the Nine Mansions, The Hundred Gods [[/note]]

* [[Characters/SecondApocalypseTheConsultHistoricalFiguresCunoroiAndGods The Consult, Historical Figures, Cûnuroi and Gods]] [[note]] The Consult, Figures of the First Apocalypse, Assorted Historical Characters, Cûnuroi of the Nine Mansions, The Hundred [[/note]]

* [[Characters/SecondApocalypseTheConsultHistoricalFiguresCunoroiAndOthers The Consult, Historical Figures, Cûnuroi and Gods]] [[note]] The Consult, Figures of the First Apocalypse, Assorted Historical Characters, Cûnuroi of the Nine Mansions, The Hundred [[/note]]

* [[Characters/SecondApocalypseTheGods The Gods]] [[note]] Ajokli, Akkeagni, Anagke, Gilgaol, Onkis, Yatwer[[/note]]

* [[Characters/SecondApocalypseTheConsultHistoricalFiguresCunoroiAndGods The Consult, Historical Figures, Cûnuroi and Gods]] [[note]] The Consult, Figures of the First Apocalypse, Assorted Historical Characters, Cûnuroi of the Nine Mansions, The Hundred [[/note]]

* [[Characters/SecondApocalypseTheConsultHistoricalFiguresCunoroiAndOthers The Consult, Historical Figures, Cûnuroi and Others ]] [[note]] The Consult, Figures of the First Apocalypse, Assorted Historical Characters, Cûnuroi of the Nine Mansions, Others [[/note]]

* [[Characters/SecondApocalypseTheGods The Gods]]

* [[Characters/SecondApocalypseTheConsultHistoricalFiguresCunoroiAndOthers The Consult, Historical Figures, Cûnuroi and Others ]] [[note]] The Consult, Figures of the First Apocalypse, Cûnuroi of the Nine Mansions, Others [[/note]]

* [[Characters/SecondApocalypseCharactersIntroducedInThePrinceOfNothingTrilogy Characters Introduced in The Prince of Nothing Trilogy]] [[note]] Main POV Characters, The Thousand Temples, The Nansur Empire, Lords of the Holy War, Scarlet Spires, Nobles of Kian, Cishaurim [[/note]]

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[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder: Main Characters of the First Trilogy]]

Principal POV characters introduced in ''The Prince of Nothing'' trilogy.

!!Drusas Achamian
A [[AncientTradition Mandate]] sorcerer and spy who stumbles into events far beyond his control or understanding.

* AffectionateNickname: Akka.
* BadassBookworm: A bookish sorcerer and war-cant master.
* BadassGrandpa: in the second series.
* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: Akka is introduced as a dumpy, middle-aged, not-especially-competent spy with self-confidence issues. And then [[PersonOfMassDestruction he starts casting spells.]]
* DeadpanSnarker
* DefectorFromDecadence: at the end of the first series, turns his back on [[spoiler:Kellhus's court and goes off to live in the wilderness and research his dreams of Seswatha.]]
* DistinguishingMark: All sorcerers have a metaphysical stain that other sorcerers can see, due to them warping the fabric of reality with their magic. The narrative also makes frequent references to the distinguishing five streaks of white in his beard.
* TheHermit: After he [[spoiler:abandons Kellhus and Esmenet when he realizes Kellhus is a manipulating liar]], he ends up in the wilderness of the northern highlands as a lone hermit. This is how we find him in the beginning of the second trilogy.
* HeroicBSOD
* KnightInSourArmor
* LikeASonToMe: Feels this way about Inrao and Proyas even if he doesn't verbalize it.
* TheMentor: Was this to Inrao, Proyas, Kellhus and Mimara in various degrees and flavors.
* PersonOfMassDestruction: As a former sorcerer of the Mandate and a War Chant master, Achamian can slaughter whole companies of soldiers or Sranc with his words. Wielding the Gnosis, he's more powerful than several Anagogic sorcerers put together.
* PowersViaPossession: After he escapes from the Scarlet Spires, Achamian describes the exercise of the Gnosis as more powerful than normal. It's been speculated that in demanding circumstances Mandate Schoolman can be be possessed by Seswatha to become even stronger. [[spoiler:A similar circumstance in ''The Great Ordeal'' all but confirmes this]].
* PsychicDreamsForEveryone: A staple of the School of Mandate, where all sorcerers have to relive the ordeals of Seswatha in their dreams every night, in order to remember what they are fighting against. [[spoiler:It appears that Achamian's dreams are unique, exploring parts of Seswatha's life ranging from prosaic and banal to deeply kept secrets. He ends up dreaming of Nau-Cayuti's life as well.]]
* RefugeInAudacity: When Mimara begins annoying him with her questions, Achamian starts singing a child's nursery rhyme. To whit, "to match her ridiculousness with his own."
* WizardBeard: His long beard with five grey/white streaks in it is frequently mentioned.

!!Anasûrimbor Kellhus

A Dûnyain monk, sent into the outside world to find his exiled father.

* AFormYouAreComfortableWith: Kellhus is a subtle variant of this. As a Dûnyain he is basically an organic supercomputer with vestigial emotions. His persona as a charismatic, charming, insightful and helpful friend is a mechanism to facilitate his manipulations. Oddly enough, once he is the Aspect-Emperor and people believe he is a living god, he is allowed to act colder and be more detached from humanity.
* AGodAmI: While hanging in the Circumfix, Kellhus has a vision that he truly has been selected to save the world, and he's convinced most of the world that he's a divine being.
* AwesomenessByAnalysis: Most Triumphant Example. So long as he has someone to teach him or even just watch Kellhus can master seemingly ANYTHING. He is the greatest swordsman, greatest mage, greatest general, greatest politician the world may have ever seen. Almost everyone who ever meets him regards him as their greatest friend/teacher/leader ect. ect. You could call him the greatest philosopher... if only he believed anything he said.
* BigGood: PlayedWith. The vast majority of humanity perceive Kellhus as this. But the truth remains to be seen.
* TheChessmaster: He never, ever tells anyone to do his bidding "because I want to". Kellhus can find out everyone's innermost desire or motivation, and then appeal to that. Cnaiür scarily describes Kellhus' and his father's powers of manipulation when he breaks down completely. "They makes us love! They make us love!"
* TheChosenOne: A total deconstruction of this trope, since Kellhus makes himself the Messiah of a new religion by manipulating everyone into ''believing'' he is the Chosen One.
* CoolSword: Kellhus's Dûnyain steel sword. His disciples name it Enshoiya—''Certainty'' in Sheyic.
* DarkMessiah: Kellhus believes that he is the chosen one to save the world from the Apocalypse, and he's set himself in the position where most of the world believes him. However, he does so with brutally pragmatic strategies that cause untold suffering and death along the way.
* FlawExploitation: What he does to everyone.
* GodEmperor: Kellhus is firmly this in the second trilogy.
* IHaveManyNames: Kellhus accrues plenty of titles and epithets over the course of the story, including: Adûnyani, Prince of Atrithau, Warrior-Prophet, Prince of God, Blessed One, Son of Heaven, Most Holy, Lord-and-Master, Holy Aspect-Emperor, High King of Kûniüri, and the Harbinger. Less flattering are: Prince of Nothing, False Prophet, Kurcifra, and the Demon.
* HealingHands: AvertedTrope. Xinemus remarks this was one of the most famous abilities of Inri Sejenus. The fact that Kellhus, a supposed prophet, doesn't have this ability is a red flag for Achamian.
* HeroicBSOD: He has this while he is hanged from the tree, before his "resurrection".
* HolyBacklight: The haloes on Kellhus's wrists and head seem to have this effect.
* HyperAwareness: The ultra-perceptive Kellhus turns this into a superpower.
* InstantExpert
* LivingLieDetector: This is easily the scariest of Kellhus' abilities. All the Dunyain have the ability to read human faces, but Kellhus takes this to a new terrifying level.
* MagicKnight: Other than Cleric, Kellhus is the only other example of this in the series.
* MasterOfYourDomain: a skill all Dûnyain possess.
* PersonOfMassDestruction: More powerful than any Gnostic sorcerer, and possibly the most powerful living being in the history of Eärwa.
* RousingSpeech: Kellhus takes this ability UpToEleven. A notable example is when the Great Ordeal is leaving Sakarpus, Kellhus gives a speech to his army. The POV then switches to the Sakarpi who are watching from their ruined city. The people of the Lonely City can instinctively feel how epic, powerful and moving Kellhus's speech is—''and they can't even understand the language''.
* SelfMadeOrphan: [[spoiler: The very reason why Kellhus was sent to find his father Moënghus was to kill him. And he eventually does.]]
* TheSocialExpert: Kellhus is a master of social engineering.
* StepfordSmiler: Kellhus has no passion. He only smiles as part of his manipulation of others.
* {{Ubermensch}}: All of the Dûnyain are basically Nietzschean superhumans, but especially Kellhus.
* WarriorTherapist: As a Dûnyain, Kellhus takes this trope UpToEleven.

!!Esmenet

An ordinary prostitute in the metropolis of Sumna, who is thrown into an extraordinary situation.

* AffectionateNickname: Esmi.
* BettyAndVeronica: The "Veronica" to Serwë's "Betty" in the first two books.
* BigFancyHouse: In the second trilogy [[spoiler:she's the wife of Kellhus and her house is the lavish imperial palace on the Andiamine Heights.]] From a street hooker to the Empress of the Three Seas. Not bad.
* HookerWithAHeartOfGold
* MamaBear: To her children. She'll defend her sons to the death, even if they're obviously in the wrong. This is probably Esmi overcompensating and feeling guilty for having sold Mimara into slavery as a child.
* MeaningfulName: Esmenet was also the name of the wife of Angeshraël, the most important of the Old Prophets of the Tusk.
* ParentalNeglect: One of the things she blames herself for.
* RagsToRiches: Esmi goes from being a lowly prostitute, scorned by society and condemned in religious scripture, to being [[spoiler:wife of the Warrior-Prophet and eventually Empress-Consort of the Three Seas.]]
* TheSpymaster: Fulfills this role for Kellhus during ''The Thousandfold Thought''.
* TheWomanWearingTheQueenlyMask

!!Cnaiür urs Skiötha

A Scylvendi chieftain with a fearsome reputation.

* AffectionateNickname: Nayu.
* ArmouredClosetGay: [[spoiler:Cnaiür was seduced by Moënghus. He's become the greatest warrior of the Scylvendi, but nothing can wash away his shame. He does lust after women, however, so he's not exclusively gay]].
* BadassBoast: Half of the series' examples come from him.
* BadassNormal: He has no sorcerous ability or Dûnyain training, yet he's still an incredible fighter and extremely intelligent.
* BarbarianTribe: He belongs to one.
* DepravedBisexual: Quite depraved by the fact that Moenghus seduced him.
* AGodAmI: During his fight with the Nansur at Joktha, he seems to become possessed by Gilgaöl, the god of war. His ravings take on the personality of Gilgaöl, claiming to have stalked the Nansur for a thousand years. Or maybe he's just gone completely insane.
* ProudWarriorRaceGuy: The Scylvendi are "the people of war."
* MadLove: Cnaiür develops a very twisted kind of love/obsession for Serwë, who wants nothing to do with him -- mainly because his way of expressing this "love" involves ''repeatedly raping her''.
* NotQuiteDead: [[spoiler:Last seen contemplating the slitting of his own throat in ''The Thousandfold Thought''. He's then assumed dead for the second trilogy. Come the final chapter of ''The Great Ordeal'', Cnaiür reappears as the King-of-Tribes leading a vast army of Scylvendi marching north to aid the Consult—a WhamEpisode of titanic caliber.]]
* OddFriendship: Seems to have one with Proyas. Cnaiür warns Achamian about Conphas's incoming army solely to save Proyas from potential harm.
* RousingSpeech: Gives a curt one to his meager forces at Joktha.
* SanitySlippage: Cnaiür goes increasingly crazy in the third volume, after Serwë's death and Kellhus' ascent to [[spoiler:becoming the Messiah and a living god]].
* ScreamingWarrior: Cnaiür loves to scream threats and taunts at his enemies before and during combat.

!!Serwë

A Norsirai girl purchased as a concubine by a Nansur noble house. She falls in love with Kellhus, becoming his first and most loyal disciple.

* AffectionateNickname: Serchaa.
* BettyAndVeronica: The "Betty" to Esmenet's "Veronica".
* BreakTheCutie: Sold into sexual slavery as a child by her father, taken prisoner by Scylvendi, and finally [[spoiler: broken fatally by Sarcellus]] when she resists Kellhus' arrest.
* BrainlessBeauty: She's one of the dumbest characters in the series. Kellhus has her utterly within his spell.
* FateWorseThanDeath: [[spoiler:Kellhus tells Proyas that he was unable to save Serwë, that she burns in Hell]].
* InformedAttractiveness: We're told many times how almost impossibly beautiful she is. Even Esmenet, herself a beauty, is intimidated.
* RapeAsDrama: Happens to her at several points.
* RichesToRags: DownplayedTrope. Serwë wasn't from a tremendously wealthy family, but her father was a Chieftain of the Nymbricani.
* WaifProphet: Downplayed example. In a throwaway moment Serwë says she sees vast hordes of people bowing down before Kellhus, along with Kellhus killing the Padirajah in battle. With "inexplicable certainty, she knew this." Both of these things happen after Serwë's death and Kellhus is cut down from the Circumfix.
* WideEyedIdealist

[[/folder]]

[[folder: The Nansur Empire]]

Key figures in the Nansurium at the beginning of the first trilogy.

!!Maithanet

The Shriah of the Thousand Temples, and primary instigator of the Inrithi Holy War.

* BadassPreacher: Gives off this vibe. Esmenet describes him as "comporting himself with neck-breaking strength."
* BodyguardingABadass: Is always surrounded by Inchausti, the elite Shrial Knights who protect the Shriah. Maithanet can handle himself.
* TheConsigliere: To Esmenet at the beginning of the second trilogy. Inrilatas mocks how Maithanet tries to act like "a more human version of Kellhus" in order to facilitate this relationship.
* TheDragon: [[spoiler:To Anasûrimbor Moënghus.]]
* FamousLastWords: [[spoiler:Sister! You must tell my broth—!"]].
* {{Foreshadowing}}: His ascent to power is meant to parallel Kellhus. A complete stranger from far-off foreign lands arrives taking control of a corrupt and decadent institution. It's remarked upon by Achamian that Maithanet's mysterious origins are to his benefit as Shriah, insulating him from seemingly being a product of the already-corrupt Shrial Apparati.
* HighPriest: The Shriah is considered the living Apostle of the Latter Prophet, as well as the administrative ruler of the Thousand Temples, and the spiritual leader of all Inrithi.
* LargeAndInCharge: Achamian notes that he makes the tall priests next to him look "womanish."
* MadeOfIron: Recovers from almost being choked to death with unnatural quickness.
* MeaningfulName: "Maithanet" means ''Instruction'' in Thoti-Eännorean—the language of the Tusk.
* MoleInCharge: [[spoiler:For Anasûrimbor Moënghus within the Thousand Temples]].
* OnlySaneMan: [[spoiler:Anasûrimbor Moënghus had six half-Dûnyain children. Maithanet was the only child that expressed "balance" and was permitted to live]].
* RedHerring: There are plenty of clues in the first book that Maithanet is a Consult plant—specifically a skin-spy. This is Achamian's theory as well. Maithanet ''is'' a part of a larger conspiracy, but he isn't a Consult agent.
* RefugeInAudacity: Maithanet's confrontation with Xerius in ''The Warrior-Prophet'' is this.
* RousingSpeech: Delivers one outside the Junriüma on the Morn of Ascension, formally declaring the Holy War to reconquer Shimeh.
* SmallRoleBigImpact: Has remarkably little "screentime" in the first trilogy. He sets the entire plot in motion by calling for the Holy War.
* TurbulentPriest: Is this to most of the Great Factions of the Three Seas. In the words of Achamian, the corrupt and ineffective administration of the Thousand Temples had been a constant in the political calculus of the Three Seas. Maithanet completely upsets the status quo.
* WrongGenreSavvy: Deposes Esmenet thinking that he needs to gain control of the New Empire to forestall its collapse. Afterward he concludes that this is fallacy, that the utility of the Empire ended once the Great Ordeal marched.
* YourHeadAsplode: Delivers one of these to [[spoiler:Inrilatas]].

!!Paro Inrao

A former Mandate initiate and student of Achamian's. He abandoned the Mandate and became a Shrial priest in Sumna.

* DefectorFromDecadence: How Inrao viewed leaving the Mandate.
* ILetGwenStacyDie: [[spoiler:Achamian is haunted by his failure to protect Inrao]].
* TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth

!!Ikurei Xerius

The Nansur Emperor and one of the most powerful men in the Three Seas.

* CainAndAbel: His backstory.
* TheCaligula: Xerius lapses into "Caligula moments" when he's excited or angry. At one point, he throws a golden wine-cup off his balcony just for fun, and remarks that some servant will undoubtedly steal it. He then orders his guards to scourge whoever steals it.
* DumbassHasAPoint: Not particularly bright, but he has his moments. Conphas notes in regards to Xerius how proud lesser men are of their fleeting moments of brilliance.
* NeckSnap: [[spoiler:Receives this from a skin-spy pretending to be his mother.]]
* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: An interesting case; inspired by the political maneuvering and perceived decadence of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexius_I_Comnenus Alexius Comnenus]], the Emperor of Byzantium. For Alexius's military success, see below.
* ManipulativeBastard
* ParentalIncest: With his mother.
* RoyallyScrewedUp: The Ikurei royal family is quite screwed up.
* UndignifiedDeath

!!Ikurei Conphas

The nephew and heir of Emperor Xerius, and the finest general in the known world.

* {{Bishonen}}: He's extremely handsome, and his appearance is described as "godlike" when he's particularly triumphant.
* BreakTheHaughty: This narcissist is eventually broken, at the hands of Cnaiür (who [[spoiler: brutally rapes him]]) and Saubon (who [[spoiler: defeats his army and kills him]]).
* CatchPhrase: "War is intellect."
* TheCavalry: Is this to the Kianene defending Shimeh.
* TheChessmaster: To an even greater degree than his uncle.
* CulturedBadass: Is a well-read aristocrat. War is intellect after all.
* TheDandy
* TheDragon: As Exalt-General, Conphas is the supreme commander of the Nansur military and answers only to the Emperor.
** DragonWithAnAgenda: Is also this to his Uncle, Xerius. Conphas never gets around to directly confronting his Uncle though, due to being preoccupieed with the Holy War.
** DragonAscendant: [[spoiler: Becomes this in ''The Thousandfold Though'' after his Uncle's assassination.]]
* TheEvilPrince
* FamousLastWords: [[spoiler:"I defeated the Scylvendi, you were there! No ''man'' could do such a thing!"]]
* FourStarBadass: Conphas isn't much of a warrior, but put him in charge of an army and he will lead that force to victory.
* AGodAmI: Falls deeper and deeper into this narcissistic delusion as the Holy War continues.
* InsufferableGenius: He really likes to lecture people on his great intellect.
* IAmTheNoun: A rare implied variant after Proyas suggest he may seize Conphas for questioning.
-->'''Conphas''':"What? You propose to arrest me?"
-->'''Proyas''':"You propose to arrest Prince Kellhus."
-->'''Conphas''':"You would find it hard to arrest an army."
-->'''Proyas''':"I see no army."
-->'''Conphas''':"But you do..."
* LackOfEmpathy: Probably his greatest flaw. Despite his tremendous intellect and analytical mind, Conphas can't really fathom the ''emotions'' that motivate those around him. This leads to dizzying blind spots relating to many characters including:[[spoiler: Martemus, Biaxi Sompas, Cnaiür, and the vast majority of his army once they reach Shimeh.]]
* TheMole: [[spoiler: He was sent to ensure the Holy War fails, as part of a political deal with the Kianene.]]
* NotSoDifferent: Tries to pull this on Cnaiür. Cnaiür laughs in Conphas's face.
* KlingonPromotion: Aims to attain the throne early in this method.
* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Inspired by Alexius Comnenus's military expertise.
* RapeAsDrama: Happens to him.
* RapePortrayedAsRedemption: InvokedTrope, but ultimately subverted. Cnaiür says that he wants to teach Conphas a lesson about life by raping him. It has about as much effect on Conphas as a slap on the wrist. He actually express concern for how ''little'' he's bothered by the whole affair.
* RedBaron: "The Lion of Kiyuth" after his tremendous victory over the Scylvendi tribes at the Kiyuth River. Most rank and file soldiers of the Nansurium shorten it to simply, "The Lion."
* TheSociopath: In the words of Kellhus, Conphas has a "pathological disregard for the estimations of other men."
* TheStrategist: in general, and specifically offers to serve this role to the Holy War.
* TheUnfettered

!!Ikurei Istriya

Mother of Emperor Ikurei Xerius III, once famed for her legendary beauty.

!!Skeaös

Prime Counsel to Ikurei Xerius, having served in that capacity for thirty years.

* ArtificialHuman
* HypercompetentSidekick: Has been this to Xerius for many years.
* ProfessionalButtKisser: Goes into this mode when he needs to placate Xerius.

!!Martemus

Nansur general and aide to Ikurei Conphas.

* {{Foil}}: InvokedTrope. Conphas says that he values Martemus and his taciturn nature as a foil to his own personality.
* NumberTwo: To his Exalt-General, Conphas.
* PunchClockVillain: He's a good guy, but he's loyal to Conphas. He struggles mightily between his loyalty to Conphas and his conscience, which is manipulated by Kellhus.
* SocialClimber: Not an overt example. Conphas notes how his eyes "light up" when they discuss imperial politics and matters of state.
* WorkingClassHero: Has a provincial accent and isn't from a rich family. He became Conphas's aide on merit rather than privilege.

!!Biaxi Sompas

The Nansur General of the Kidruhil. Eldest son of Patridomos Coronsas.

* BlueBlood: A member of House Biaxi, one of the most prestigious and powerful Houses of the Congregate.
* FieldPromotion: Conphas tempts Sompas with a possible promotion to Exalt-General to motivate him. Sompas doesn't think it would be worth it.
* CruelAndUnusualDeath: Raped to death by a skin-spy—not a good way to go.
* TheHunterBecomesTheHunted: Is hunting for Cnaiür at first. Soon his cavalry patrols begin disappearing and Sompas quickly realizes this trope is in effect.
* ProfessionalButtKisser: Acts this way in the presence of Conphas. Ultimately subverted in that it's all an act and he is much more GenreSavvy.
* RankUp: After Thallei Numemarius is killed during the cleansing of Shigek, Sompas is promoted to General of the Kidruhil.
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: After he is deployed with the Kidruhil to track down Cnaiür, he rides for Kellhus hoping to gain some favor by revealing Conphas's imminent attack.

!!Cememketri

Grandmaster of the Imperial Saik and adviser of Ikurei Xerius.

* BadassGrandpa: He's quite old, but he's the grandmaster of the Imperial Saik.
* TokenMinority: Is Shiroptic, an ethnic Shigeki living in the Nansurium.

!!Ngarau

The Grand Seneschal to Ikurei Xerius.

* KilledOffForReal: [[spoiler:Is killed during the earthquake that wracks Momemn at the end of ''The Great Ordeal''.]]
* MauveShirt: Appears or is mentioned in all six published books. He is little more than background setting.
* UndyingLoyalty: To whomever happens to be in power on the Andiamine Heights. Be it House Ikurei or [[spoiler:House Anasûrimbor.]]


[[/folder]]

[[folder: Lords of the Holy War]]

The Principal Leaders and Lords of the Inrithi Holy War—The Great Names.

!!Nersei Proyas

Heir to the kingship of Conriya, and one of the principal Lords of the Holy War. Formerly the student and almost surrogate son of Drusas Achamian, he has hence turned to religious fervor and has a very ambivalent relationship to his former mentor.

* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: During the Holy War, he leads every cavalry charge from the front. In the final battle in book two, he kills the Kianene champion.
* TheFettered
* HappilyMarried: Probably the only example in these books, though he barely spends any time with his family due to the constant state of war.
* HeroicBSOD: [[spoiler: In ''The Great Ordeal'', after Kellhus explains he is a false prophet and everything Proyas has done in his name has been a manipulation, Proyas is in this mode for the rest of the novel.]]
* KnightTemplar: He is a deeply religious man, which puts him at odds with Achamian, since his religion condemns all sorcerers as unclean and sinful.
* RapeAsDrama: [[spoiler: Happens to Proyas at the hands of Kellhus in ''The Great Ordeal'']]
* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething
* WellDoneSonGuy: Whooo, boy. To his actual father the King of Conriya, to his childhood mentor Achamian, and his [[spoiler: Messiah, Kellhus.]]
* TheFundamentalist: To the point that it destroys his friendship with Achamian.
* WarriorPrince
* TheWisePrince
* WhatYouAreInTheDark: He views his interactions with Achamian during the course of the Holy War to be this.

!!Krijates Xinemus

The Conriyan Marshal of Attrempus.

* AffectionateNickname: Zin.
* HeterosexualLifePartners: Has the tone of this relationship with Achamian, even if politics and life keep them from seeing each other for years.
* NumberTwo: Is Proyas's second-in-command for the Conriyan contingent of the Holy War.

!!Coithus Saubon

The youngest son of the King of Galeoth, and one of the main Lords of the Holy War.

* AbusiveParents: Specifically his brutal father, King Eryeat of Galeoth.
* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: Saubon was born a prince, but achieved his loftier status by kicking ass and being bold on the battlefield.
* BadassNormal
* TheCavalry: Is this for the Inrithi assaulting Shimeh.
* DumbassHasAPoint: Saubon isn't stupid, but he is way out of his depth dealing with the likes of Conphas, Cnaiur and Kellhus, so his good ideas tend to come across as this.
* HeelRealization: [[spoiler: Saubon has this as he is dying, returning to the vision at Mengedda whilst feeling his soul being dragged off to Hell. He desperately cries out, vainly imploring his younger self to "not trust Kellhus."]]
* InSeriesNickname: The Fanim begin to refer to Saubon as "The Blond Beast" after his impossible feats of arms at Mengedda. By the second trilogy, "The Desert Lion" is his moniker in some circles.
* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Compare with [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bohemond_I_of_Antioch Bohemond of Taranto]], one of the principal leaders of the First Crusade.
* NoGuyWantsAnAmazon: Saubon reflects that he prefers striplings to large women, but will make an exception for the leading Swayali witch in the Great Ordeal because of her exotic red hair.
* StableTimeLoop: [[spoiler: Saubon experiences a horrifying metaphysical variant of this in ''The Great Ordeal''. In ''The Warrior-Prophet'', Saubon sees his own body among the dead at Mengedda, a nerve-wracking encounter that rattles him for the rest of his life. Nearly 22 years later, whilst dying at Dagliash, Saubon returns to that vision at Mengedda ''as the body on the ground''. Dying Saubon looks with surreal recognition at his younger past-self.]]
* TheRival:
** In the first trilogy, he is this to Conphas, who considers him an idiot and doesn't hold him in much respect. His deep grudge towards Conphas is due to losing a war against him, prior to the Holy War. This is also based on Bohemond of Taranto, who had fought a war against the Byzantine Greeks right before the First Crusade.
** In the second trilogy, he is this to Proyas. As the two Believer-Kings, they stand equally above all other men in the Empire. Unlike his previous rivalry, however, Saubon constantly comes out ahead of Proyas.
* WarriorPrince
* WellDoneSonGuy: He was the seventh son of his father, and a lot of his motivation, at least as a young man, is getting respect from his father.

!!Coithus Athjeäri

The Galeoth Earl of Gaenri, and nephew to Coithus Saubon.

* BadassNormal
* CavalryOfficer: One of the best, he leads the Holy War's outrider companies.
* EyeScream: [[spoiler:Is killed by a sword thrust into his face]].
* HatesSmallTalk: Hates the intricacies of jnan. As Kellhus notes, Athjeäri has little patience commiserating with others on matters not related to war.
* HotBlooded: In the Omniscient POV sections he is always described as being "impetuous", "brash" or "daring."
* MoralityPet: Seems to have been this to Saubon.
* RedBaron: The Fanim call him "Hurall'arkeet"—''Wind has Teeth'' in Kiani—in reference to the daring swiftness of his cavalry raids.
* ReplacementGoldfish: Saubon sublimated his adoring affection for his sister onto her son.


!!Hoga Gothyelk

Earl of Agansanor, and leader of the Tydonni contingent of the Holy War.

* BadassGrandpa: A grey-bearded father of adult sons who accompany him to war and one of the most capable warriors in the Holy War.
* BoisterousBruiser: Was certainly this in his youth. Is much more somber in his old age.
* DeathEqualsRedemption: Believes this. Gothyelk joins the Holy War to die in the service of Sejenus and be absolved of his sins.
* DropTheHammer: Wields a famous warhammer in battle.
* DuelToTheDeath: Engages in one with Fanayal upon the plains of Shairizor. [[spoiler:Fanayal wins.]]
* InSeriesNickname: Is called "The Old Hammer" in affection by his men. [[spoiler:Also "The Martyr of Shimeh.]]
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: He's introduced loudly chastising one of his sons, but Kellhus sees instantly that he's doing it out of love.
* OldSoldier: Has been a warrior for a long time. He fought Proyas's father, Eukernas, at the Battle of Maän nearly 20 years before the Holy War.

!!Hringa Skaiyelt

The eldest son of King Hringa Rauschang of Thunyerus and leader of the Thunyeri contingent of the Holy War.

* ScarsAreForever: Is described as having a pox-scarred face that lends him an unnerving aspect.
* ThePlague: Is victim to this whilst besieging Caraskand.
* WarriorPrince

!!Hringa Hulwarga

Second son of King Hringa Rauschang of Thunyerus.

* InSeriesNickname: Called "The Limper." It's not from an actual wound or physical defect. He just has a very awkward gait.
* KillItWithFire: Employs this in order to panic the Fanim elephants at the Battle of Tertae Fields.
* WarriorPrince
* YouAreInCommandNow: After the death of his elder brother, he leads the Thunyeri contingent.

!!Incheiri Gotian

Grandmaster of the Shrial Knights. Also the Shriah's envoy and proxy representative within the Holy War.

* AnnoyingArrows: AvertedTrope. Is struck by an arrow in the armpit which kills him on the plains of Shairizor.
* BadassGrandpa: Is noted to have grey hair. Always leads the charge of his Knights from the frontline.
* ChurchMilitant: Is the Grandmaster of the Shrial Knights, the military branch of the Thousand Temples.
* OnlySaneMan: Is this leading up to the Fifth Battle of Mengedda. The Norsirai Great Names impulsively want to fight Skauras as soon as possible. Gotian is the only one who is rightly worried about what [[FourStarBadass Skauras]] may be doing to prepare for them.
* WarriorMonk

!!Cutias Sarcellus/[[spoiler:Maëngi/Gaörta]]

The First Knight-Commander of the Shrial Knights.

* ArtificialHuman
* {{Jerkass}}: Sarcellus's defining character trait is being a haughty asshole.
* LegacyCharacter: An odd version. The original Sarcellus was killed many years before the series begins. The first skin-spy is killed at Mengedda, who is then replaced by another "Sarcellus." Everyone believes that there is only one Sarcellus, except for Kellhus who recognizes that there are multiple "Sarcelluses."
* WarriorMonk

!!Hanamanu Eleäzaras

Grandmaster of the Scarlet Spires and de facto ruler of High Ainon.

* BreakTheHaughty
* TheChessmaster: Thinks he is this, but he gets out of his depth more and more as the Holy War continues.
* InSeriesNickname: Most people call him Eli.
* ItsPersonal: The assassination of Sasheoka, his beloved mentor and predecessor, is what motivates him to join the Holy War and destroy the Cishaurim.
* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: What he hopes to do to the Cishaurim.
* SorcerousOverlord: Is the de facto ruler of High Ainon.
* StraightEdgeEvil: It is considered de rigueur in High Ainon for caste-nobles to partake of Chanv. Eli is turned off by the uniform lack of information about its origins and never indulges the drug.
* WickedCultured: Is a Schoolman from High Ainon.

!!Heramari Iyokus

Master of Spies for the Scarlet Spires, and a Chanv addict.

* CassandraTruth: Warned Eli that the Mandate should be given more credit for their warnings about the Consult. Also expressed doubts about the skin-spies being related to the Cishaurim.
* EvilAlbino: His skin is colorless due to chanv.
* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler:Once Kellhus assumes power, he recognizes Kellhus's authority and leads the Scarlet Spires in his name]].
* NumberTwo: Fulfills this function for Eleäzaras.
* OlderThanTheyLook: Chanv extends the lifespan of a person, so he's quite old and still spry.
* PragmaticVillainy: He's against torturing Achamian because he knows that it has no chance of success, so why bother?
* RankUp: [[spoiler:Becomes Grandmaster of the Scarlet Spires at the end of ''The Thousandfold Thought''.]]
* RedBaron: "The Blind Necromancer."
* TheSpymaster: His job description.
* SummonMagic: An expert in Daimotic sorcery, which is the summoning of demons.
* VillanousValour: When cornered by Achamian and a cadre of Chorae bowmen, Iyokus knows he can't run. He tells Achamian that he won't beg for mercy and prepares to fight even though he is thoroughly outmatched.
* WickedCultured: Wants to visit the ruins of Mengedda just to observe the historic site for his own enlightenment.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Kian and Servants of Fane]]

Nobles of Kian and other noteworthy Fanim.

!!Kascamandri ab Tepherokar

Padirajah of Kian. Lord of the Cleansed Lands.

* AdiposeRex: Described as needing significant help to mount his horse. His brief appearance in the Omniscient POV has him consoling himself with food after the disastrous loss of Caraskand.
* MilesGloriosus: Has shades of this. He tries to be a wartime leader for his people, but his actual battle plans have to be facilitated by his son or more competent deputies.
* OffWithHisHead: Decapitated by Kellhus at the Battle of Tertae Fields.

!!Fanayal ab Kascamandri

Crown-Prince of Kian.

* BlingOfWar: Fanayal is always wearing the golden cuirass of the Coyauri—the elite Kianene heavy cavalry.
* CainAndAbel: Fanayal's youngest brother, Massar, became a devoted follower of Kellhus. If the brothers ever reunite, it probably won't go well. Given the GreyAndGreyMorality of the series, neither is portrayed as anymore good or evil than the other. [[spoiler:With Massar killed by Sranc and Fanayal dead at the end of ''The Great Ordeal'', this sibling rivalry won't get anymore development]].
* FrontlineGeneral: Fights at the head of his cavalry formations in every battle.
* HeroAntagonist: Is this in the first trilogy, for all intents and purposes. Desperately trying to defend his country from the invading Inrithi.
* InSeriesNickname: Is consistently referred to as "Golden Fanyal" or "The Golden Padirajah"—epithets never given to his father. Known as the "Bandit Padirajah" come ''The Aspect-Emepror'' trilogy.
* KilledOffForReal: [[spoiler:Receives a dramatic NeckLift before a NeckSnap from Kellhus at the end of ''The Great Ordeal''.]]
* LaResistance: Leads the armies of Fanim Insurrectionists in the second trilogy.
* LastOfHisKind: Malowebi remarks how in the past, the Fanim Grandees who came to Zeüm had the bearing of heroes and mighty warriors. Out of his [[ArmyOfThievesAndWhores ragtag band of Fanim rebels]], Fanayal is the only one who maintains the regal bearing of his predecessors.
* RebelLeader: For the Fanim who refuse to submit to Kellhus.
* TheStrategist
* UnderdogsNeverLose: Seems to have this ethos in the second trilogy. Malowebi has a much more sobering appraisal of Fanayal.
* WarriorPrince: A fairly straightforward example.

!!Skauras ab Nalajan

Sapatishah-Governor of Shigek.

* DiscOneFinalBoss: Of the Inrithi Holy War.
* DragonInChief: As a Sapatishah he is technically subordinate to the Padirajah. There is a reason the Inrithi are more afraid of Skauras.
* FaceDeathWithDignity: As the Inrithi begin storming Anwurat, Skauras very calmly burns the letter from Xerius revealing the hidden treaty with the Nansur. He offers up his final and most solemn prayer to The Solitary God and serenely waits for the end.
* FourStarBadass
* IDidWhatIHadToDo: In the final moments of his life he contemplates how wicked acts are always required as a matter of statecraft and war—and how no soul is more wicked than his.
* InSeriesNickname: Called "Sutis Sutadra" by the Nansur for nearly four decades—''The Southern Jackal''.
* InsultBackfire: Xerius tries to humiliate Skauras about the death of his son in order to goad him to anger. But Skauras responds with muted melancholy, saying that his woe is something Xerius will soon share.
* ModestRoyalty: Not of the royal family, but one of the most important aristocrats in Kian. He's only ever described as wearing very spartan black robes.
* NervesOfSteel: Calmly filing your nails as enemy arrows pock the ground around you without showing a hint of fear?—definitely this.
* RealMenLoveJesus: They love the Solitary God, at any rate.
* RousingSpeech: Is heard giving one to his army at the Fifth Battle of Mengedda. However, due to lack of TranslationConvention, the Inrithi (as well as the reader) can't understand Skauras.
* TheStrategist
* TricksterMentor: Was this to both Fanayal and Conphas. They learned well.

!!Cinganjehoi ab Sakjal

Sapatishah-Governor of Eumarna.

* BadassNormal
* TheBrute: Seems to fulfill this function for the Fanim armies.
* FrontlineGeneral
* GenerationXerox: His son is said to be Cinganjehoi's spitting image during the second trilogy—except that he is a zealous servant of Kellhus.
* NamesToRunAwayFrom: ''The Tiger of Eumarna''.
* OffWithHisHead: Is beheaded by Sirpal Uranyanka fighting behind the Skilura Aqueduct.
* WeAREStrugglingTogether: Narrowly averted. It's mentioned that Cinganjehoi had revolted agasinst Kascamandri at least once and has been bitterly feuding with the ruling family of Kian for years. He sets aside his grudge to deal with the BiggerBad—the Inrithi Holy War.

!!Seökti

High Heresiarch of the Cishaurim.

* ArchEnemy: Is this to Eleäzaras.
* DuelToTheDeath: Engages in one with Eleäzaras above the smoking ruins of Shimeh. [[spoiler:Eli doesn't win.]]
* FinalBoss: [[spoiler:Is essentially this to Kellhus for the first trilogy.]]
* HighPriest: A more informal version of this. As the Cishaurim are regarded as highest priests of the Fanim religion and the "Firstborn of the Solitary God"—Seökti is probably this.
* HopeSpot: Probably had one. After defeating the Scarlet Spires, he and the remaining Incandati were most likely about to join Fanayal on the Shairizor to drive back the Inrithi. [[spoiler:Then Kellhus teleports above the Sacred Heights]].

!!Mallahet/[[spoiler:Anasûrimbor Moënghus]]

Second to Seökti. A powerful Cishaurim.

* BigBad: SubvertedTrope. [[spoiler:He may have orchestrated the entirety of the Holy War and be responsible for immeasurable atrocities, but it is all part of ThePlan to save humanity from the Consult]].
* BroughtDownToBadass: [[spoiler:Being blinded and only having vestigial Cishaurim abilities really only did this to Moënghus]].
* TheChessmaster
* ChekhovsGunman: Appears relatively early in ''The Darkness That Comes Before''. He facilitates a conversation between Xerius and Skauras, and then disappears. [[spoiler:Is much more important than could be initially surmised.]]
* TheLawOfConservationOfDetail: Is described as being unnaturally pale, speaking Sheyic flawlessly, and having scarred arms like a Scylvendi. [[spoiler:All important details that point to his true identity]].
* {{Patricide}}: [[spoiler:Is a victim of this at the hands of his son, Kellhus]].
* ThePlan: [[spoiler:The titular Thousandfold Thought is his. The blueprint for orchestrating humanity's salvation]].
* WalkingSpoiler
* WeakButSkilled: [[spoiler:Moënghus says that he has great aptitude for cants that require subtlety over raw strength. He is still considered one of the weakest Cishaurim]].
* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: [[spoiler:According to Kellhus, Moënghus has]].
* YoureInsane: [[spoiler:Gives Kellhus a Dûnyain variant of this for claiming to hear the No-God and be an actual Prophet]].

!!Meppa

A powerful Cishaurim primary in service to Fanayal.

* BackFromTheDead: [[spoiler:He is mortally wounded by an arrow, but Psatma Nannaferi resurrects him so that the Fanim can continue to harass Kellhus's empire]].
* BadassBoast: As a Cishaurim "Water-Bearer," he screams to Kellhus that he will "come like a flood" and "deliver such Water as to burn thee to ash!"
* TheDragon: Is this to Fanayal.
* InSeriesNickname: "Stonebreaker."
* LastOfHisKind: He is described as the last of the Indara-Kishauri after the destruction of his school.
* MysteriousPast: Very little is known about who he was before he changed his name, how he survived the destruction of his school, or why he's so powerful.
* NotQuiteDead: Most likely. [[spoiler:At first it looks like Kellhus disintegrates him. But the last we see of him is "sprawled semi-conscious" on the floor. Kellhus probably wants him alive.]]
* OnlyKnownByHisNickname: "Meppa" is an assumed name, which he says is the Cant that killed his family.
* UnstoppableRage: Goes into this mode during his confrontation with [[spoiler:Kellhus]]. Not that it helps him much.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Main Characters of the Second Trilogy]]

Additional principal POV characters introduced in ''The Aspect-Emperor'' trilogy.

!!Mimara

Esmenet's oldest daughter and sold into slavery as a child to avoid starvation.

* BackUpTwin: Prenatal variant. The Judging Eye only manifests in pregnant women and that child will be stillborn. [[spoiler:Koringhus reveals that Mimara is carrying twins, so she could potentially have a stillborn and a living child]].
* BreakTheCutie: She's already been broken...and then [[LivingLieDetector Inrilatas]]
* BrokenBird: An extreme case, since she was sold into slavery by her mother and was a child prostitute half her life.
* TheChosenOne: Having the Judging Eye makes Mimara this.
* HookerWithAHeartOfGold
* ParentalIncest: Achamian and Mimara have sex once, soon after first meeting. Mimara is fairly convinced that he's her father, but he's pretty convinced that he's not, but still treats her as such. Both immediately regret the event.
* RapeAsBackstory
* RapeAsDrama: It happened to Mimara as a young child, and continued up to her early twenties until Esmenet found her and took her out of the brothel. At the end of book five, [[spoiler: she gets raped again by Galian.]]
* SugarAndIcePersonality
* WaifProphet

!!Varalt Sorweel

Prince of the distant northern city-state of Sakarpus, which lies in the way of the Great Ordeal; after his city is defeated, Sorweel is taken along as a hostage by Kellhus.

* AffectionateNickname: Sorwa.
* BewareTheNiceOnes
* ColdBloodedTorture: He does this to a captured Sranc at one point.
* ComingOfAgeStory: This is his character arc in a nutshell.
* DeathSeeker
* FireForgedFriends: With Zsoronga.
* IMissMom
* OddFriendship: With Zsoronga.
* InSeriesNickname: Mockingly called "Horse-King" by his fellow Scions.
* ShoutOut: There's a little homage to Cordelia Fine's ''A Mind of Its Own'', when Sorweel reflects on the similarity of his own name and Serwa's. "Sorweel and Serwa, Serwa and Sorweel".
* StalkerWithACrush: He develops this towards [[spoiler: Kellhus' daughter Serwa, after seeing her have incestuous sex.]]
* TheWhitePrince: He starts out as this.
* TranslatorMicrobes: [[spoiler: An interesting example is employed in ''The Great Ordeal''. In order to speak with the Nonmen in Ishterebinth, Sorweel is given a sorcerous helmet that is implanted with the soul of a Nonmen. The merging of his soul with the Amiolas means that he can speak Ihrimsu and understand all the Nonmen characters.]]
* YoungAndInCharge: SubvertedTrope. He is King of Sakarpus after his father's death. But in truth he has no authority or power to contend with Kellhus or the Great Ordeal. He can only play along to try and spare his people anymore atrocities.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: House Anasûrimbor]]

The children (biological and legal) of Kellhus as well as his descendants.

!!Anasûrimbor Kayûtas

Esmenet's and Kellhus' oldest son, and the heir to Kellhus' empire.

* TheAce: He's said to be "perfect," with a high degree of his father's strength but without any noticeable insanity.
* {{Bishounen}}
* FourStarBadass: Marshal of the Middle-North.
* TheLancer: To his father.
* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething
* WarriorPrince

!!Anasûrimbor Moënghus II

!!Anasûrimbor Serwa

Esmenet's second daughter with Kellhus. She is Grandmistress of the Swayali Sisterhood.

* ActionGirl
* BigDamnHeroes: In the Battle of the Horde, she rescues Sorweel from being raped and eaten by pursuing Sranc in the nick of time. Sorweel, however, just wishes to die.
* EvilCounterpart: To Mimara, in many ways.
* FemmeFatale: Serwa certainly appears as one in Sorweel's eyes.
* HotWitch
* IncestIsRelative: Moenghus isn't really her brother (they are not blood relatives, nor were they raised together), although her sexual relationship with him is treated as incest.
* InformedAttractiveness: She's said to be stunningly attractive, acting as a "lodestone to men's eyes" when she attends war meetings.
* LadyOfWar
* YoungAndInCharge: As Kellhus's third-born child, she's no older than 17, but she's also the Grandmistress of the Swayali.

!!Anasûrimbor Theliopa

Esmenet's and Kellhus' first daughter, who serves as an adviser to the imperial throne.

* BunnyEarsLawyer
* CreepyMonotone
* EmbarrassingNickname: Srancy.
* HatesBeingTouched
* KilledOffForReal: [[spoiler: In ''The Great Ordeal'', Theliopa gets crushed beneath falling debris during an earthquake. Her brother, Kelmomas, crushes her skull afterward just to make sure she is dead.]]
* NoSocialSkills
* NotSoStoic: [[spoiler:Being taunted by Kelmomas about her nickname]].
* RapeAsDrama: [[spoiler:She went through this at the hands of Inrilatas. Being teased about it is the only thing that causes her real emotional distress]].
* ShrinkingViolet: She is painfully shy and withdrawn, disliking all forms of affection.


!!Anasûrimbor Inrilatas

Esmenet's son with Kellhus. He is the most obvious example of Dûnyain breeding when it goes terribly wrong. He inherited his father's superhuman intellect, but not his mental fortitude. Consequently, he went completely insane as a child.

* BreakingLecture: His usual method of driving people to tears.
* ADateWithRosiePalms: He does this in front of his mother and her court, just to mess with her.
* GoMadFromTheRevelation: What happened to him as a child, when he couldn't control his superhuman intellect and finally went over the edge into complete madness.
* ForTheEvulz: His entire motivation, from beginning to end.
* GlassCannon: [[spoiler:He has a Dûnyain's speed and strength, but not their toughness. Maithanet quips that he has "his mother's bones."]]
* LackOfEmpathy
* LivingLieDetector: His foremost Dûnyain ability.
* MadwomanInTheAttic: He's locked in his chambers and spends a lot of his time raving from behind the c
* OedipusComplex: His sexual harassment of Esmenet certainly gives this impression.
* TheSociopath

!!Anasûrimbor Kelmomas

Esmenet's youngest and most beloved son with Kellhus, twin brother of the mentally-handicapped Samarmas, and a gifted young boy who isn't quite what he seems to be...

* CainAndAbel: Kelmomas and Samarmas.
* TheChessmaster: Kelmomas, while still a child, [[spoiler: orchestrates a civil war between Esmenet and the Thousand Temples, by getting Inrilatas killed by Maithanet.]]
* ChildProdigy
* EnfantTerrible: And how!
* EyeScream: Beware of Kelmomas and his skewer.
* InTheBlood: Like his siblings, a lot of Kelmomas' "peculiarities" are due to his blood.
* NightmareFuelStationAttendant
* ObfuscatingStupidity: Or rather, obfuscating youth. It doesn't enter anyone's mind that a cute eight-year-old could possibly be an EvilGenius in disguise.
* SplitPersonality: Kelmomas and his twin Samarmas shared minds when they were born, and spent all their time staring into each other's eyes. When they finally were separated, Samarmas was reduced to a mentally handicapped EmptyShell because his higher faculties were left in Kelmomas' mind. This left Kelmomas with a SplitPersonality, and Samarmas' thoughts usually express themselves as a voice inside Kelmomas' head.
* {{Sssssnaketalk}}: The voice in Kelmomas' head sometimes talks like this.

!!The Survivor/[[spoiler:Anasûrimbor Koringhus]]

The last adult Dûnyain in Ishuäl and [[spoiler:Kellhus's only full-blooded Dûnyain son]].

* TheAce: He confounded the Elder Dûnyain with his gifts.
* AscendedToAHigherPlaneOfExistence: [[spoiler:Believes he is doing this when he commits suicide]]. We can only guess at the truth.
* BrokenAce: After the Siege of Ishuäl.
* {{Catchphrase}}: His narration repeats the phrase "Cuts and cuts and cuts" when he's thinking and paring down all possible conclusions to discover the Shortest Path.
* CoveredWithScars: His body is described as a horror of scar tissue from years battling sranc.
* {{Determinator}}: As implied by his nickname, "the Survivor," he fought sranc until there were none left to fight.
* DrivenToSuicide
* LoveMakesYouCrazy: Believes this. The Survivor states how irrational it was for him to save his son when the Logos would have dictated otherwise. He did it anyway.

!!The Boy

A young Dûnyain boy and [[spoiler:Kellhus's grandson]].

* TheNameless: He was apparently too young to name, as he is only ever referred to as "the Boy." However, [[spoiler:he is apparently an Anasûrimbor]].

[[/folder]]

[[folder: The Great Ordeal]]

The Lords and leading figures of the Great Ordeal.

!!Apperens Saccarees

Grandmaster of the Mandate and Exalt-Magus of the Great Ordeal.

!!Thanteus Eskeles

A Mandate schoolman assigned to tutor Sorweel in Sheyic.

!!Zsoronga ut Nganka'kull

The Successor-Prince of High Holy Zeüm and hostage of the Aspect-Emperor. A member of the Company of Scions in the Great Ordeal.

* BlackBestFriend: Subverted. Zsoronga is very much his own character. He becomes best friends with Sorweel over the natural evolution of the story.
* FireForgedFriends: With Sorweel.
* MeaningfulLook: Gives one to Sorweel after Kellhus declares him a Believer-King.
* NiceGuy: In a series full of profoundly unpleasant and evil characters, Zsoronga is a genuinely nice person with no negative traits.
* OddFriendship: With Sorweel. A King of Sakarpus and the Successor-Prince of Zeüm.
* TheStoryteller: Even with the language barrier, Sorweel remarks that Zsoronga has a certain panache and style in relating the history of his people that is enthralling.
* UncertainDoom: Zsoronga remains with the Great Ordeal when Sorweel leaves for Ishterebinth. Zsoronga is never mentioned once in ''The Great Ordeal'' and it is not known if he is still alive at the end of the book.

!!Halas Siroyon

Chieftain of the Famiri tribes in the Great Ordeal.

!!Sibawûl te Nurwûl

Chieftain of the Cepalorae tribes in the Great Ordeal.

* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: In ''The White-Luck Warrior'', Sibawûl is shown to be a bungler and not-too competent general. This changes in ''The Great Ordeal''.
* TheQuietOne: Is noted for his silence in council.
* RedBaron: The Shadow of Wreoleth. The Kidruhil also start to call him ''Sibawûl Vaka''.
* RunningGag: He keeps screwing up in ''The White-Luck Warrior'' and keeps on getting flogged.
* YourDaysAreNumbered: He is still alive at the end of ''The Great Ordeal''. [[spoiler:He is a victim of radiation poisoning from the tekne-nuke]].

!!Sasal Umrapathur

King of Nilnamesh. Marshal of the Ketyai of the South in the Great Ordeal.

* AffectionateNickname: Umra.
* BlackDudeDiesFirst: Umrapathur and the Ketyai of the South are ethnically the darkest contingent of the Great Ordeal. They are almost uniformly annihilated at Irsûlor.
* CruelAndUnusualDeath: Raped to death by sranc.
* ADeathInTheLimelight: Has zero characterization before the final Great Ordeal chapter in ''The White-Luck Warrior''. It documents Umrapathur's desperate straits to survive the Horde. The chapter climaxes with the Battle of Irsûlor and the destruction of the Army of the South.
* FourStarBadass: Marshal of the Ketyai of the South.
* TheHighKing: Before the Unification, Nilnamesh was a loose confederacy of various Principalities. Umrapathur is King of a united Zaudunyani Nilnamesh.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: The New Empire]]

Assorted figures and leaders in the New Imperium during the second trilogy.

!!Psatma Nannaferi

The hidden matriarch of the cult for the mother-goddess Yatwer.

* BlackAndWhiteMorality: All who cross Yatwer must perish.
* TheFundamentalist: Utterly consumed by her worship of Yatwer.
* FemmeFatale: Becomes a DarkFantasy version of this after she transfers her age to the White-Luck Warrior.
* GoodIsNotNice: What she thinks about Yatwer, the goddess she serves.
* HeartIsAnAwesomePower: Being the matriarch of a fertility goddess doesn't sound very scary, but Yatwer is ''not'' fucking around.
* KnightTemplar: Her mission is to implement the will of Yatwer, not matter who she has to crush.
* OlderThanTheyLook: She's quite old, but regains her youth during a ritual. People who see her note that she looks like a beautiful girl and acts like a crone.

!!The White-Luck Warrior

* EmpoweredBadassNormal: The White-Luck Warrior has no overt magical or supernatural abilities. It's merely that whatever he needs to happen will happen. He's basically BornLucky taken UpToEleven.
* KillAndReplace: Kills the original Ajokli assassin so he can pretend to be the Narindar.
* MeaningfulName: The Shigeki who is the vessel of the White-Luck is named Issiral. His name means "fate" in Shigeki.

!!Malowebi

Second Negotiant to the Satakhan of High Holy Zeüm, sent to assess whether Zeüm should support Fanayal ab Kascamandri's insurrection.

* GreenEyedMonster: His inner monologue is constantly railing against the First Negotiant.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Scalpoi]]

The mercenary companies who hunt sranc.

!!Cleric

A Nonman sorcerer in strange company.

* BigGood:[[spoiler:Was this whilst leading the Nonmen to their victory over the Inchoroi. When Gin'yursis spurned humanity as "vermin", Nil'giccas recognized the potential of Mankind and so began the Nonmen Tutelage. Nil'giccas and his Siqû began imparting all the learning, craft, philosophy and sorcery of the Cûnuroi to the scholars and sorcerers of Ancient Ûmerau. Nil'giccas also joined Celmomas II on his Great Ordeal to end the threat of Golgotterath.]]
* BreadEggsMilkSquick: In the middle of his and Mimara's romantic talk, he tells her that he wants to strangle her and torture her to death. (And this is actually him being heartfelt and romantic, in his own insane way.)
* BrokenBird: In his case, broken several hundred times over countless myriads of years. Most of his memories are trauma heaped upon trauma.
* DefectorFromDecadence: [[spoiler:He abandoned his own kingdom, Ishterebinth, when they succumbed to mass dementia and joined the Consult.]] Sarl says that they found the Nonman exile "like a coin in the mud."
* DissonantSerenity
* FailureKnight: Cleric has lived for millennia, and seen all his victories become undone. [[spoiler:In ancient times, he finished the war of extermination against the Inchoroi, and concealed the Min-Uroikas forever with sorcery. It would have ended there, if not Aurang and Aurax had survived.]] Actually, the whole Nonman species fits this trope.
* TheFogOfAges: Nonmen have mortal minds inside immortal bodies that can live for millennia after millennia. Quite a few go insane from the amnesia. They have so many memories piled up inside them, that they can only remember the most traumatic events (by PTSD). The insane Nonmen who are addicted to violence for memory's sake, such as Cleric, are known as Erratics.
* HeroicBSOD: He has several.
* ImmortalityHurts
* IHaveManyNames: Cleric is his slog name. Incariol is his actual name, and [[spoiler:Nil'giccas is his original name]].
* LastOfHisKind: One of the few Nonmen remaining.
* LovingAShadow: His wife, who died in the Womb-Plague. To make him happier, Mimara shaves her head and eyebrows to look more like a Nonwoman.
* MagicKnight: In a series full of [[SquishyWizard aged, infirmed sorcerers]], Cleric is a peerless MasterSwordsman as well as Quya mage.
* WhoWantsToLiveForever: His long life has taken a terrible toll on his mind.

!!The Skin Eaters

The preeminent scalper company in the New Empire.

* BadassNormal: Pokwas, Xonghis and ''especially'' the Captain.
* BunnyEarsLawyer: The happy-go-lucky Soma, a bumbling airhead who is rather out-of-place in the scalping band, yet is still considered one of the veterans. Even during the ordeal in Cil-Aujas, he is unaffected by the horrors around him [[spoiler: and turns out to be a Consult skin-spy.]]
* BloodKnight: The Captain is the epitome of this trope.
* CaptainSmoothAndSergeantRough: Though they are both Sergeants of the company subordinate to the Captain, Kiampas and Sarl have this dynamic.
* TheConsigliere: The Captain is this to Cleric, who is almost completely dependent on him. Cleric, like all remaining Nonmen, is an insane amnesiac who needs to have a human consigliere (called an ''elju'', meaning "book") to refresh his memory and keep him grounded in reality. Sarl also fills the second-in-command role to Kosoter.
* DeadpanSnarker: Galian is a constant source of snark, especially when he's teasing Soma.
* DwindlingParty: The Skin Eaters gets picked off gradually over the course of two books.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: The Skin Eaters are largely a bunch of amoral bastards, but even they have only the deepest hatred for the Stone Hags, an outlaw band of scalpers who prey on other humans instead of Sranc.
* FaceHeelTurn: Mimara notes that Galian seemed like one of the most upstanding Skin Eaters when they first ventured out, but eventually becomes the most sadistic and treacherous.
* ForTheEvulz: During the slog, Galian becomes quite sadistic and starts manipulating Stone Hags into doing something that will make Kosoter kill them.
* GoMadFromTheRevelation: Sarl doesn't do too well in Cil-Aujas. His body is fine, but his sanity never recovers from the MindRape.
* HeWhoFightsMonsters: The Skin Eaters have fought Sranc for so long that they've become hardened to an extreme degree. "The rules of the slog" definitely prove this. After hunting monsters as a career, they've become pretty monstrous themselves.
* MadnessMantra: Sarl and his insane ranting. "The slog of the slogs!"
* MasterSwordsman: Pokwas, a Zeümi sword-dancer and ScaryBlackMan extraordinaire. Soma also morphs into a killing machine during battle [[spoiler:and this is how Mimara clocks him for a skin-spy.]]
* ProudWarriorRaceGuy: Pokwas, Oxwora, and Xonghis.
** Averted with the Captain, who is an Ainoni. It's remarked upon that Kosoter is savage as a desert tribesman but actually is from Ainon, an over-civilized nation known for softness and hedonism. ''"It seemed absurd to imagine him reclining at the night-long bacchanals of eating and vomiting so popular with the Ainoni nobility, that he'd plotted with men too fat to walk, that he'd worn porcelain masks for negotiations and powdered his face white before riding to war."''
* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: Like any scalper company, the Skin Eaters are a motley group of vagabonds.
* RedShirt: All of the scalpers who are not in the leadership or the "Bitten." They are given little characterization.
* SanitySlippage: Half the Skin Eaters lose their minds after the ordeal in the black halls of Cil-Aujas. Sarl is the most obvious case.
* ScaryBlackMan: The badass and brutal Zeümi, Pokwas.
* VillainousRescue: [[spoiler:Tsuör, the skin-spy who impersonates Somandutta and Koll, protects Mimara and even saves sacrifices himself to save her life. It's not clear whether he did this having somehow gained morality or the Consult is simply playing a long game]].
* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness:
** The Captain summarily executes anyone who cries, has a mental breakdown, is badly wounded, or otherwise slows down the scalpers. With a casual ruthlessness, he kills many people for being "burdens" on the journey to Sauglish. At first, Achamian is horrified by this and thinks Kosoter is an insane loon, but then sees the cold-blooded logic in this. By the end, he has accepted the Captain's brutal methods as the only way to get the journey to its destination. And he's right.
** When the few surviving scalpers finally do reach the dead city, [[spoiler: Galian pulls this one and kills the Captain.]]

[[/folder]]

[[folder: The Consult]]

An ancient conspiracy of sorcerers, Nonmen, and darker things, responsible for the First Apocalypse. They serve as the BigBad of the story.

* AlienInvasion: The Inchoroi, of whom only two remain.
* BioTech: All of the Inchoroi are the products of successive Graftings, species-wide rewrites of their genotype, meant to enhance various abilities and capacities, such as the ability to elicit certain sexual responses from their victims, via pheromone locks. The addition of humanoid vocal apparatuses and genitals is perhaps the most famous of these genetic upgrades. (WordOfGod)
* BlueAndOrangeMorality: Why are the Consult trying to wipe out humanity? [[spoiler: To save their souls. The metaphysics of the universe are such that objective morality exists, along with redemption and damnation. The Inchoroi effectively crossed the [[MoralEventHorizon Moral Event Horizon]] long before they crash-landed on Eärwa, and are wholly and entirely damned for their actions. Also, sorcerers are all damned for singing in the "voice of the God". However, as the Inchoroi discovered, the reduction of the number of "ensouled" beings below a certain number - 144,000 souls - serves to completely seal off the connection of the Outside with the living world, thus creating the possibility of saving the Inchoroi and Consult from damnation.]]
* BodyHorror: Shaeönanra.
* DealWithTheDevil: This was how Shaeönanra ended up forming the Consult together with the Inchoroi monsters.
* DepravedBisexual
* EldritchAbomination: Aurang and Aurax are this in their original shapes, and possibly the No-God as well. It's not known yet whether the No-God is made of souls, or if he's a physical EldritchAbomination. However, it's likely we'll find out in ''The Unholy Consult''.
* TheEvilPrince: Both Aurang and Aurax are described as Princes of the Inchoroi.
* ForTheEvulz: The original motivation of the Inchoroi, who have a malignant obsession with the sexual.
* TheGhost: Aurax is mentioned a number of times as one of the two remaining Inchoroi, but whenever an Inchoroi is named in the narrative, it's always Aurang. We know essentially nothing about Aurax or his actions other than the fact that he exists.
* ImmortalsFearDeath: And understandably, as they are all damned to eternal suffering in the afterlife.
* ImmortalitySeeker
** Shaeönanra and the human Consult sorcerers.
** The Nonmen were the original example of this, when they accepted the gift of immortality from the Inchoroi.
* ImmortalityImmorality
* LostTechnology: The Inchoroi seem to be ignorant of how their Tekne works. They are unable to build new weapons.
* MeaningfulRename: Like all classic HighFantasy villains, most of the Consult leadership have this.
** Cet'ingira was renamed to Mekeritrig—Traitor of Men in Kûniüric.
** Shaeönanra, which means Gift of Light in Ûmeritic, was renamed to Shauriatas, which means Cheater of Gods in Ûmeritic.
** Aurang was originally called Sarpanur by the Nonmen of Ishoriöl, which roughly translates to "keystone." After the treachery of the Womb-Plague he gains the name Sin-Pharion—Angel of Deceit.
* OldMaster: Pretty much all of them.
* TheOlderImmortal: The two Inchoroi brothers are ''vastly'' older than the rest of the Consult (who are already several thousand years old).
* OmnicidalManiac
* OneGenderRace: The Inchoroi, now that only the twin brothers remain of the whole species. However, the Seswatha dream in the third book implies that Inchoroi aren't born with genders in the human sense (but merely bio-engineer themselves to grow whatever sex organs they wish), as they were birthed by their organic spaceship (Golgotterath is described as "a dead womb.")
* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: ''Aurang'' isn't actually the Inchoroi Prince's name. It's an epithet that the Ancient Kûniüri gave him. It means "The Warlord."
* OrcusOnHisThrone: The Consult work with extreme subtlety, manipulating events behind the scenes. Fear of death and going to Hell are the primary motivation of the Consult to act indirectly and not put themselves in danger. Only Aurang is ever seen in the flesh, and he spends most of his time trying to gather intelligence. Their enemies spend a lot of time wondering when and how they will strike. The first real instance is in ''The Great Ordeal'', when they [[spoiler:plant a nuclear device in Dagliash]].
* RageAgainstTheHeavens
* RapeAsDrama: Happens to men, women, and babies when they fall into the Inchoroi's claws.
* WellIntentionedExtremist: Shaeönanra started out as this.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Figures of the First Apocalypse]]

Characters of historical significance who lived during the Apocalypse.

!!Seswatha

Grandmaster of the Sohonc during the First Apocalypse. Founder of the Mandate.

* AffectionateNickname: Seswa.
* BadassBookworm: Comes with being a Schoolman, and a Gnostic one no less. One of his titles was Lord Librarian.
* BigGood: Is regarded as this by the school of the Mandate. He was a DownplayedTrope version of this during most of the Apocalypse.
* ChildhoodFriends: Was one with Celmomas, who studied at the Library of Sauglish the same time as Seswatha.
* GuileHero: Despite being a sorcerous powerhouse, Seswatha could be this when he needed to be.
* HistoricalVillainUpgrade: Seswatha gets this in two of the Sagas. In the "Eämnoriad" and the "Annal Sakarpa", Seswatha is portrayed as a scheming ManipulativeBastard foreigner.
* ILied: Says this exactly to Nau-Cayûti about claiming they would find Aulisi in Golgotterath.
* LikeASonToMe: Had this with Nau-Cayûti—[[spoiler:who may have actually been Seswatha's son.]]
* NobleFugitive: Seswatha was this after escaping his internment at Dagliash. With his school destroyed and the lands of Kûniüri a wasteland, Seswatha moved all across the Ancient North rallying various Kingdoms and nations against the hordes of the No-God.
* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: For the Consult, they consistently refer to Seswatha as "Chigra." It means ''Slaying Light'' in Aghurzoi, the language of the sranc.
* OurFounder: Of the Mandate, naturally.
* ParentalSubstitute: Was this to Nau-Cayûti, even though the Prince's father was still alive.
* PosthumousCharacter
* SupportingLeader: InUniverse within ''The Sagas'', Seswatha is this. As noted by Esmenet, Seswatha is never the main character of any of the lyrical sagas. But Seswatha is a principal character that appears in all nine of them in varying roles.
* WizardBeard: AvertedTrope. Despite being a powerful Gnostic Schoolman, Seswatha's beard was "adolescent thin."
* WorkingClassHero: Was the son of a caste-menial bronzesmith. Became one of the greatest heroes of Eärwa.

!!Anasûrimbor Celmomas II

The High King of Kûniüri and White Lord of Trysë during the First Apocalypse.

* AchillesInHisTent: Very little mention is made of Celmomas between the fall of Aörsi and the rise of the No-God. It can be assumed for these five years he was this, brooding over his failures.
* ChildhoodFriends: With Seswatha.
* CrazyPrepared: Celmomas had the citadel of Ishuäl built as a last defense for his family to retreat to if the war with the Consult went poorly.
* DespairEventHorizon: Crosses this during the Battle of Eleneöt Fields.
* GreenEyedMonster: Celmomas's friendship with Seswatha was reportedly strained over Celmomas's jealousy of the Sohonc Grandmaster's influence over his son.
* HeroesPreferSwords: Wielded Glimir, an enchanted longsword.
* TheHighKing: Was de jure king of Kûniüri with the other High Norsirai Kingdoms of Aörsi and Sheneor as vassals.
* TheLeader: It's mentioned that before the declaration of the Great Ordeal the potential threat posed by Golgotterath was purely speculative. It's a credit to Celmomas that he was able to amass such a mighty coalition including most of the High Norsirai, token contingents of Kyraneans, and even the Ishroi of Ishterebinth led by Nil'giccas.
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Abandoning the Great Investiture after feuding with his kinsman, King Anasûrimbor Nimeric of Aörsi.
* PosthumousCharacter

!!Anasûrimbor Nau-Cayûti

The youngest son of Anasûrimbor Celmomas II, one of the greatest heroes of the First Apocalypse.

* AffectionateNickname: Cayû.
* BadassNormal
* TheDragonslayer: Earns this epithet after the Battle of Ossirish where he kills Tanhafut the Red.
* FateWorseThanDeath: Nau-Cayûti thinks this once he realizes he's in Golgotterath.
* FauxDeath: Was believed to have died of poisoning by his wife, Iëva. The truth is that he was given a paralytic to appear dead. Iëva made sure he was buried rather than burned. Nau-Cayûti's grave was exhumed by Aurang and the Prince was taken as a prisoner back to Golgotterath.
* MamasBabyPapasMaybe: [[spoiler: ''The Judging Eye'' reveals that Seswatha may have been the father of Anasûrimbor Nau-Cayûti while having an affair with Celmomas's wife, Suriala.]]
* MeaningfulName: Nau-Cayûti means "Blessed Son" in Kûniüric.
* PosthumousCharacter
* RedBaron: ''Scourge of Golgotterath''.
* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething
* SmallRoleBigImpact: Relatively. He was only leading the armies of Kûniüri for about three years during the Apocalypse—which lasted thirty two years in its entirety. Nau-Cayûti is still remembered as one of its principal figures.
* ToThePain: Shauriatas describes the fate that awaits the Great Prince in Golgotterath.
* UncertainDoom: Nau-Cayûti was believed to have died of poison from his wife. It is later revealed that he was taken as a prisoner to Golgotterath. While he was likely killed, his exact fate is still unknown.
* YoungAndInCharge: While his father was AchillesInHisTent after the fall of Aörsi, Nau-Cayûti was leading the armies of Kûniüri to devastating victories against the Consult. He was about eighteen.

!!Anaxophus V

High King of Kyraneas during the dark years of the Apocalypse.

* AffectionateNickname: Anakka.
* DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu: Destroyed the No-God with the Heron Spear.
* GuileHero: Concealing the Heron Spear from the No-God and waiting for the opportunity to deploy it.
* TheHighKing: Ruled over the Kingdom of Kyraneas which included Shigek as a tributary land.
* PosthumousCharacter
* PyrrhicVictory: Tragically, destroying the No-God and ending the Apocalypse was this for Anaxophus. Kyraneas "survived" but was too depleted to maintain its strength and power. The Indigo Plague swept across Eärwa depopulating Kyraneas even further. After his death, Anaxophus's kingdom collapsed into civil war and internecine strife for nearly 200 years.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Cûnuroi of the Nine Mansions]]

Important Cûnuroi Ishroi and Quya from the history of Eärwa.

!!Cû’jara-Cinmoi

The King of Siöl, one of the greatest Kings of the Nonmen and the first great foe of the Inchoroi.

* BadassNormal: There is no evidence that he was Quya—a caste-mage of the Cûnuroi. He killed the Inchoroi King, Sil, in single combat.
* CavalryBetrayal: Cû’jara-Cinmoi's invasion of Viri was this.
* TheCavalry: Was this to the Ishroi of Viri during the Battle of Pir Pahal.
* DealWithTheDevil: Pardoning Nin'janjin and the Inchoroi in order to accept immortality for him and his people is played this way.
* TheGoodKing: An odd version. Before the Inchoroi, Cû’jara-Cinmoi was a ruthless autocrat who warred against his fellow Mansions for pride or glory. He exploited the plight of Viri in the wake of Arkfall and invaded his brother Mansion during their hour of need. However, Cû’jara-Cinmoi is also remembered for being an unadulterated badass who won the first victories against the Vile—the Inchoroi.
* TheHighKing: Was the de jure King of Siöl and also subjugated the Mansions of Viri, Nihrimsul, and Cil-Aujas during his lifetime. He became the de facto High King of all Nine Mansions for a brief time in the war against the Inchoroi.
* InSeriesNickname: Referred to by Cleric as "Silverteeth" and more imposingly, "The Tyrant of Siöl."
* ItsPersonal: Was originally fighting the Inchoroi as merely another enemy. But after his wife, Hanalinqû, was claimed by the Womb-Plague, his war against the Inchoroi became this.
* OffWithHisHead: Decapitated by Nin'janjin during the Battle of the Black Furnace Plain.
* PosthumousCharacter
* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: Despite his problematic reputation in the annals of Cûnuroi history, he was never idle in fighting the Inchoroi or his fellow Nonmen.

!!Nil'giccas

The Nonman King of Ishoriöl during the wars against the Inchoroi and the First Apocalypse.

-->See [[spoiler:Cleric]]

!!Cet'ingira Deepseer

A prominent Injori Quya who had been the deputy of Nil'giccas in ages past. A founding and ranking member of the Unholy Consult.

* ColdBloodedTorture: Gives this to Seswatha on the walls of Dagliash.
* ChekhovsGunman: [[spoiler:WordOfGod is that the Nonman sorcerer that Kellhus fights in the prologue of ''The Darkness That Comes Before'' is none other than Mekeritrig.]]
* FaceHeelTurn: The most dramatic in the entire series. Cet'ingira went from the NumberTwo of one of the Cûnuroi's greatest heroes, to becoming a founding and ranking member of the [[BigBad Consult]].
* FallenHero
* ForWantOfANail: Only three of Nil'giccas' most trust lieutenants entered the Golden Throne Room of Sil to gaze upon the Inverse Fire. Misariccas and Runidil went mad and were put to death. Cet'ingira managed to hold himself together rather well and betrayed no disorder in his soul. He sat on the truth about damnation for centuries before he could fortuitously approach the Mangaecca and seduce them to reopen the Ark. If Cet'ingira had been put to death like his two comrades, he would not have lived to form the Consult—averting the potential possibility of the First Apocalypse and unnumbered other atrocities.
* GoMadFromTheRevelation: Being exposed to the Inverse Fire can do this.
* TheLancer: Implied to have been this to Nil'giccas.
* MagicKnight: [[spoiler:If it really is him in the prologue of ''The Darkness That Comes Before'', Mekeritrig is this]].
* ManipulativeBastard: Was an ardent supporter of starting the Nonman Tutelage. Turns out it was just so he could have a cover to seek out human sorcerers he could recruit to reopen the Ark.
* MeaningfulRename: The meaning of ''Cet'ingira'' isn't known to us. After the formation of the Consult he earned the name "Mekeritrig"—''Traitor of Men'' in Kûniüric.
* ToThePain: To Seswatha.


!!Gin'yursis

The last Nonman King of Cil-Aujas.

* DisproportionateRetribution: His dying breath was cursing all of humanity for Nostol's betrayal.
* FantasticRacism: Believed humanity to be no better than "beasts of burden" or "vermin."
* FateWorseThanDeath: As the ''Wight-in-the-Mountain''.
* MyGreatestFailure: It's not brought up directly, but Gin'yursis' brightest student, Sos-Praniura, was the founder of the Gnostic School of the Mangaecca, the School that would go on to reopen the Ark and form the Consult.
* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: Overcame his bigotry of humanity to form an alliance with Nostol and his Meöri forces and achieved a monumental victory against the Consult during the darkest years of the Apocalypse. Nostol betrayed Gin'yursis and murdered him.
* PosthumousCharacter

!!Emilidis

* GadgeteerGenius: Designed all kinds of sorcerous artifacts either for domestic utility or warfare.
* InSeriesNickname: Is only called by his nickname in-text—"The Artisan." Appropriately.
* OmnidisciplinaryScientist: Was the Nonman version of this.
* OurFounder: Of the Gnostic School of the Mihtrûl—a school of sorcerous engineers.
* PosthumousCharacter

!!Ciogli

One of the tall, he was perhaps the Nonmen's most celebrated warrior.

* AnnoyingArrows: AvertedTrope. From the recollections of Cinial'jin, we learn that Ciogli was slain by an arrow striking his eye.
* InSeriesNickname: Was generally referred to as "The Mountain" or most illustriously, "Lord Mountain."
* NeckSnap: Reportedly gave one of these to Wutteät, the Father of Dragons.
* OurGiantsAreBigger: Big enough to crush the throat of a Bashrag with one hand.
* PosthumousCharacter

!!Oirûnas

One of the Tall, he is one of the greatest Nonmen warriors, second only to Ciogli.

* BigDamnHeroes:[[spoiler:During the final Ishterebinth chapter of ''The Great Ordeal''.]]
* HeroesPreferSwords: Wields a massive sword called Imirsiol—the ''Hammer of Siöl''.
* LetsGetDangerous: [[spoiler:After being awoken from the Dolour by Sorweel, he dons his ancient armor and makes ready to obliterate the servants of the Consult]].
* NeckLift: In the ancient wars against the Inchoroi he could do this to [[OurOgresAreHungrier Bashrag]].
* OurGiantsAreBigger: He is large enough to make his son look like a "statuette."
* RedBaron: ''The Lord of the Watch''.
* SoleSurvivor: After the death of his brother, Oirûnas is the only remaining member of the First Watch.

!!Oirinas

The twin brother of Oirûnas. Was likely one of the Tall.

* DisintegratorRay: Was sundered by an Inchoroi "spear of light."
* OurGiantsAreBigger
* PosthumousCharacter

!!Nin'janjin

The Nonman King of Viri during Arkfall.

* EnemyMine: Was convinced his alliance with the Inchoroi agasint Siöl was this.
* GondorCallsForAid: Sent word to Cû’jara-Cinmoi asking for help after the Arkfall. Cû’jara-Cinmoi shut his heart against his brother Mansion and invaded Viri.
* KnowWhenToFoldEm: After the unmitigated disaster the Arkfall had on his Mansion, he realized he couldn't hope to resist Cû’jara-Cinmoi's invasion. Nin'janjin surrended to avoid more unnecessary death.
* MouthOfSauron: Was this for the Inchoroi before the Second Watch was disbanded by Cû’jara-Cinmoi.
* RequisiteRoyalRegalia: Instead of a crown, the Kings of Viri had the Hoar-Pelt—a great white bear-skin worn as a cloak and headdress.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Nin'janjin's last known action is slaying Cû’jara-Cinmoi upon the Inniür-Shigogli. It's not known whether he died sometime later in the Cûno-Inchoroi Wars or miraculously survived. Knowing that the Nonmen under Nil'giccas scoured the Ark, it's unlikely he is still living. Some speculate that he survived and returned to Ark and is now a ranking member of the Consult.

!!Nin'ciljiras

The current king of Ishterebinth and a descendant of Nin'janjin.

* BlingOfWar: Wears a golden Soggomantic hauberk. It wasn't looted from the Ark like the Soggomantic Gate—[[spoiler:it's a gift from the Consult.]]
* ChekhovsGunman: Mentioned in a throwaway line in ''The Warrior-Prophet''. [[spoiler:Becomes a key figure in the Ishterebinth arc in ''The Great Ordeal''.]]
* DirtyCoward: [[spoiler:Loses his cool very quickly once Oirûnas arrives.]]
* IdenticalGrandson:[[spoiler:We can't speak to personality traits or exact physical features. But he, like his grandfather, became a servant of the Inchoroi and the Consult.]]
* PuppetKing: [[spoiler:To the Consult]].
* TheUsurper:

!!Harapior

Nin'ciljiras's Lord-Torturer and most loyal supporter.

* ColdBloodedTorture: His stock and trade as the Lord-Torturer.
* TheDragon: To Nin'ciljiras.
* GenuineHumanHide: Wears a necklace of human scalps.
* TortureCellar: Runs one in Ishterebinth.
* TortureTechnician: Naturally.

!!Oinaral Lastborn

Son of Oirûnas and the youngest Nonman alive. The last of the Siqû.

* TheBabyOfTheBunch: Of an entire race. Even though Oinaral is at least over four thousand years old, he is coddled as a baby by the remaining Cûnuroi of Ishterebinth.
* {{Deuteragonist}}: Is this to Sorweel for the Ishterebinth arc.
* HeroesPreferSwords: His glowing magic sword is called Breathtaker.
* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:Goes to waken his father from the Dolour to cleanse Ishterebinth of the Vile, knowing full well that his father will almost certainly try to kill him. In fact, he does]].
* LetsGetDangerous: His job is "scribe" and is basically a court functionary in Ishterebinth. Dons a full panoply of Nimil armor and a sorcerous sword as he prepares to enter the Holy Deep to find his father.
* MrExposition: As the sanest Nonmen in Ishterebinth and as Sorweel's Siqû, Oinaral serves this function.
* MyGreatestFailure: When Nil'giccas took to ladling Emwama fat over himself to reduce the Dolour, Oinaral forsook his King and refused to serve as his elju. Nil'giccas became lost to the Dolour and left Ishterebinth as an Erratic. This failure haunts Oinaral and he blames himself for Nin'ciljiras's presence.
* OnlySaneMan: The most Intact of all the remaining Nonmen in Ishterebinth.

!!Cilcûliccas

The Lord of Swans, Master of the Injori Quya.

* TheMentor: To Oinaral.
* MinorMajorCharacter: Is probably the second most important Nonman in Ishterebinth after the King. He appears in one chapter in ''The Great Ordeal'', but will probably have a larger role in ''The Unholy Consult''.

!!The Boatman

The Boatman was the only elderly Nonmen to survive the Inchoroi's curse of immortality. As such, he is the only old-looking Nonman alive.

* AgeWithoutYouth: He's spent millenia as an old man.
* TheFerryman: His job title. He's also this mythical archetype, guiding Oinaral and Sorweel down into the Holy Deep.
* IHaveManyNames: The Boatman, Master of the Great Ingressus, The Most Ancient Warrior, and Father of Orphans.
* TheOlderImmortal: By far the oldest of all remaining Nonmen, he was ancient even before the arrival of the Inchoroi.
* RedBaron: Almost exclusively referred to as "the Boatman."
* SilenceIsGolden: EnforcedTrope. Oinaral says that once they reach the Holy Deep, the Boatman will kill either of them if they say anything on the Mere.
* WarriorPoet: His only dialogue is singing lays and tragic ballads of the Cûnuroi.

[[/folder]]

* [[Characters/SecondApocalypseCharactersIntroducedInTheFirstTrilogy Characters Introduced in the First Trilogy]] [[note]] Main POV Characters, The Thousand Temples, The Nansur Empire, Lords of the Holy War, Scarlet Spires, Nobles of Kian, Cishaurim [[/note]]
* [[Characters/SecondApocalypseCharactersIntroducedInTheSecondTrilogy Characters Introduced in the Second Trilogy]] [[note]] Main POV Characters, House Anasûrimbor, The Great Ordeal, The New Empire, Scalpoi [[/note]]

* [[Characters/SecondApocalypseMainCharactersOfTheFirstTrilogy Main Characters of the First Trilogy]] [[note]] Drusas Achamian, Anasûrimbor Kellhus, Esmenet, Cnaiür urs Skiötha, Serwë [[/note]]
* [[Characters/SecondApocalypseTheNansurEmpire The Nansur Empire]] [[note]] Maithanet, Paro Inrao, Ikurei Xerius III, Ikurei Conphas, Ikurei Istriya, Skeaös, Martemus, Biaxi Sompas, Cememketri, Ngarau [[/note]]
* [[Characters/SecondApocalypseLordsOfTheHolyWar Lords of the Holy War]] [[note]] Nersei Proyas, Krijates Xinemus, Coithus Saubon, Coithus Athjeäri, Hoga Gothyelk, Hringa Skaiyelt, Hringa Hulwarga, Incheiri Gotian, Cutias Sarcellus, Hanamanu Eleäzaras, Heramari Iyokus [[/note]]
* [[Characters/SecondApocalypseKianeneAndServantsOfFane Kianene and Servants of Fane]] [[note]] Kascamandri ab Tepherokar, Fanayal ab Kascamandri, Skauras ab Nalajan, Cinganjehoi ab Sakjal, Seökti, Mallahet, Meppa [[/note]]
* [[Characters/SecondApocalypseMainCharactersOfTheSecondTrilogy Main Characters of the Second Trilogy]] [[note]] Mimara, Varalt Sorweel [[/note]]
* [[Characters/SecondApocalypseHouseAnasurimbor House Anasûrimbor]] [[note]] Anasûrimbor Kayûtas, Anasûrimbor Moënghus II, Anasûrimbor Theliopa, Anasûrimbor Serwa, Anasûrimbor Inrilatas, Anasûrimbor Samarmas, Anasûrimbor Kelmomas, The Survivor, The Boy [[/note]]
* [[Characters/SecondApocalypseTheGreatOrdeal The Great Ordeal]] [[note]] Apperens Saccarees, Thanteus Eskeles, Zsoronga ut Nganka'kull, Halas Siroyon, Sibawûl te Nurwûl, Sasal Umrapathur [[/note]]
* [[Characters/SecondApocalypseTheNewEmpire The New Empire]] [[note]] Psatma Nannaferi, The White-Luck Warrior, Malowebi [[/note]]
* [[Characters/SecondApocalypseScalpoi Scalpoi]] [[note]] Cleric, The Skin Eaters [[/note]]
* [[Characters/SecondApocalypseTheConsult The Consult]]
* [[Characters/SecondApocalypseFiguresOfTheFirstApocalypse Figures of the First Apocalypse]] [[note]] Seswatha, Anasûrimbor Celmomas II, Anasûrimbor Nau-Cayûti, Anaxophus V [[/note]]
* [[Characters/SecondApocalypseCunuroiOfTheNineMansions Cûnuroi of the Nine Mansions]]