Mankind | The Elves | The Goblins | The Witchkings | Others
This page is for races with fewer named characters in The Arts of Dark and Light.
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Dwarves
Lodi, Son of Dunmorin
- Been There, Shaped History: He was a soldier from start to finish in the Siege of Iron Mountain, and was part of the twelve dwarf hit squad to assassinate Guldur Goblinsbane.
- Defrosting Ice King: He is silent during most of his journey with Marcus, but when they get to know each other better, he recounts his testimony of the Siege of Iron Mountain in its entirety. He returns to his stoic silence for a while, but by the time of A Throne of Bones he is talkative again.
- Happiness in Slavery: Averted but examined. He hates that he is enslaved, but when offered freedom he instead requests a rain check; he must have proper supplies, a plan to get home and some resources to return to freedom. Losing his master also loses his room, board and the protection from elves that come with him. These are genuine problems that are worse than his slaver, at least when Marcus is the slaver.
- Hero of Another Story: He fought dragons and trolls and was part of legendary Siege of Iron Mountain. In the story proper, he is a much more minor character.
- How the Mighty Have Fallen: He owned his own silver vein, fought in the Siege of Iron Mountain and was granted his own gold vein after helping assassinate Guldur Goblinsbane. At some point in the past, he was captured and used as a gladiator slave until recently.
- Older Than He Looks: While his age is never given, he is old enough to have fought in the Siege of Iron Mountain and give eye-witness testimony to its events. For reference, no man who was alive at that time remains and the memories are passed down through a Savondese play.
- Outrun the Fireball: Towards the end of Summa Elvetica, Lodi jumps out the window of Marcus' room onto a warhawk waiting outside, right before a magical fireball engulfs the room.
Orcs
In General
- Always Chaotic Evil: For most intents and purposes, orcs have species-wide Anti-Social Personality Disorder and typically low-functioning at that. There are however, exceptions, including one orc who became an Immanuelite priest after converting.
- Explosive Breeder: According to Zephanus in Summa Elvetica, they breed like rabbits despite being very large. Supposedly, this results in battles being waged with poor tactics to remove the most troublesome from society.
- Hidden Depths: Despite being sociopaths, they do seem to have honor at times. In Wiccam Fensboro, the Orcish chief Skullsplitter and his horde acknowledge that they will certainly die in the battle they are being summoned to. The catch? These sociopaths will spend weeks marching to that location, show up and 'die despite not liking this at all.
- One orc converted to Immanuelism and became a priest even.
- The Horde: How they function in general. Why they function this way tends to vary, but much of the time, it is to focus energy outwards instead of inwards.
- Zerg Rush: They rarely use any form of strategy. However, they are very large and strong, which makes handling these numbers truly difficult.
Sangrul Skullsplitter
You be weak. You be wuss. You be afeared. But you ready to fight like a real kor!
- Adaptational Jerkass: He's certainly pretty evil in each incarnation, but the comic cuts short his kinder moments in the end of The Hoblets of Wiccam Fensboro, not to mention how much it touches Bextor.
- Elite Army: He is the Grun-kor of the Red Claw Slayers, an elite orcish fighting force.
- Fantastic Racism: In story it appears that most races do not like the hoblets, but him and his forces take this to genocidal levels. Its never really explained why.
- Hidden Depths: Despite his general fondness for homicide, he keeps a cool head in battle and keeps his troops in perfect condition to quickly be called forth and used on a moment's notice. He is after all, the head of an elite fighting unit. He also grows fond of Bextor and the goblins, coming to respect them. He and his troops will march weeks to their death in battle, despite knowing it will make no difference. As it will make no difference, he spares the great majority of goblins from participating.
- Les Collaborateurs: He has a surprising amount of fanboys in Wiccam Fensboro and some even join his cause voluntarily.
- The One Thing I Don't Hate About You: He's relatively dismissive towards Wiccam Fensboro, but he truly admires their university without irony.
- Pet the Dog: At the end of The Hoblets of Wiccam Fensboro he promotes Bextor to Galdrun, the village captain. Then he shows a more honorable side by letting the great majority of the goblins stay home due to low likelihood of survival and will march with his men to his doom per his duty.
Werewolves
In General
Amazing is it not? The strength of an animal, the mind of a man and the dark power of a demon, all bound together in delicate balance. Monstrous to be sure, and yet a thing of perfect beauty all the same.
— High King Mael
- Always Chaotic Evil: They cannot be reasoned with and attack all that lives.
- Call a Rabbit a "Smeerp": The Elves call them "Ulfin" and the Dalarn refer to them as aalvargs.
- Evil Evolves: From basic wolves to magic, religion, language, targeted assassinations and even siege warfare.
- Henchmen Race: Created by Ar Dauragh for the purpose of being an army. They didn't stay loyal though.
- It Can Think: As the Red Prince finds out, they have a primitive society and primitive technology. These are improving with surprising speed.
- The High King Mhael was able to magically translate its growls - they have language.
- Our Were Wolves Are Different: Rather than being humans who turn into humanoid wolves during the full moon, these are wolves that can shapeshift to full or half human.
Hoblets
In General
They smell funny and steal things.
- Bextor Fenwick
- Bextor Fenwick
- Butt-Monkey: They are generally hated by the rest of the species in-universe.
- Hobbits: They exist primarily as an expy of the hobbits.
- The Need for Mead: They own the inn and tavern for Wiccam Fensboro and are generally famous as brewers.
