Third Age
The Grand Alliance | The Crimson Coalition | Demon Hordes | Independent Factions and Individuals | Pantheon and Others
Fourth Age
Characters that appear in The Gamer's Alliance. There are so many that they occupy five pages. This page is for all of the characters and factions that don't belong to the Alliance, Coalition or demon hordes in the Third Age.
Contains spoilers. You have been warned.
Individual Factions
- Damian Resta
- "They are killing us out there, and all you do here is plan. Plans that nearly get us wiped out! Have you no soul, no mind, no thought on anyone but yourself?"
A rebellious member of the Akai Tora who thinks the army's leaders should act more aggressively towards demons. After he loses his friends to the demons, he starts acting recklessly and frees the imprisoned Fellowship of Maar Sul before going to confront demons who try to take over the army's fortress.
Associated tropes:
- Death Is Dramatic: He fends off a demon attack and takes out an enormous demon flyer with the last of his strength.
- Rebellious Rebel: When the Maar Sulais fellowship is captured, he questions the Shogun about it and later goes so far as to help free them from their cells.
- Hiroshi Takamoto
- "Today we reclaim Vulpengaard, or die with honour."
The Shogun of the remaining Akai Tora who wishes to liberate the enslaved Yamatians from the demon oppressors. He was on the losing side of the war against the Grand Alliance but is willing to let old grudges stay in the past and instead work together with his old enemies to oppose a new one. However, recent developments left him temporarily blind thanks to poison and he suspects foul play on the Alliance's part. He has unrequited feelings for Varalia.
Associated tropes:
- All Love Is Unrequited: He fell in love with Varalia, a gaijin elfess, but due to his duty and lower rank in the Yamatian military he couldn't confess his feelings for her until it was too late. Having lived in isolation for years, he hasn't heard anything from her and assumes she died in the demons' claws. What he doesn't know is that Varalia is very much alive and would've returned his feelings if the war and the demon invasion of Yamato hadn't driven them to different paths.
- Anti-Villain: He was one of the few truly sympathetic Yamatians during the Great War and while he still wishes for a future rebirth of the might of Yamato, he is still capable of working with his old foes in the Alliance in order to save his occupied homeland and hinder the demons. However, he puts his country above all else and is willing to act as antagonist to the Alliance if there is no other alternative.
- A Father to His Men: Hiroshi deeply cares about his men, and they respect him as a competent and intelligent leader.
- Badass in Distress: He is kidnapped and taken away by an unidentified group that manages to infiltrate the Akai Tora's new base without alerting the guards.
- Four-Star Badass: He's the Shogun of the badass Akai Tora so of course he's a badass too in a battlefield. He had to prove himself in the war and impressed the scattered survivors of the Tora to become their new leader after the Cataclysm.
- Named After Somebody Famous: An in-universe example. Hiroshi's parents named him after the famous hero Hiroshi Hayabusa who lived in a previous age and whom the parents revered as the golden standard which every Yamatian should strive for.
- Rebel Leader: He becomes the leader of the Akai Tora and the Shogun of the Yamato Empire Remnant after the Cataclysm when the previous Akai Tora leader Miyuki Ofuchi leaves for Maar Sul.
- Samachi Nomura
- "Your Alliance unleashed the power of the gods on this world and fled with tail between its legs when the demons appeared and destroyed entire cities. Our brave men, women and children were the only ones who kept the demons at bay until the rampage ended! If it weren't for us Yamatians, the demons would've overrun your precious little nations in mere days!"
The second-in-command of the Akai Tora and an old foe of the Grand Alliance. He's deeply loyal to whoever happens to be the Shogun and believes in a united Yamato which will one day drive away the demon invaders. He's sworn to hunt down his friend Amano's killer who happens to be Ax, a woman he fought against during the Great War but who is now acting as his ally against the demons. This conflicting loyalty is making his life one full of pain and anger.
Associated tropes:
- Avenging the Villain: Samachi has sworn to avenge the death of Amano, a fellow officer and a dear friend of his, who fell to Ax's blade during the Great War.
- Colonel Badass: He's the second-in-command of the badass Akai Tora so naturally he's got to exhibit his men's traits too. He's defeated a bunch of demons in single combat, which is an impressive feat for a human warrior with no magical abilities whatsoever.
- Honor Before Reason: An interesting case of this. There are times where he's more than willing to flee from overwhelming odds and thus disgrace himself so that he can fight another day and learn from his mistakes. However, he's also sworn to avenge his friend Yasunori Amano's death and is willing to jeopardize the Akai Tora and The Grand Alliance's alliance just to defeat Amano's killer Ax in a duel to the death.
- We Used to Be Friends: To Nobuo who nows serves the Northern Horde.
- Alicanto Ke
Madame Ke is the chief concubine in Kuro Tori's harem as well as the treasurer in Shipwreck Cove. She has had successes with establishing a popular tavern in the pirate haven and has set her eyes on Silk's apprentice Velvet much to Silk's dismay. Under her bubbly and charming demeanor lies a very cunning woman who knows when to seize an opportunity, however.
Associated tropes:
- Everything's Sparkly with Jewelry: She desires jewels and has gotten her hands on quite a few as Kuro Tori's treasurer.
- Southern Belle: Has shades of this, acting like an upper class courtesan and referring to people she talks to as 'dahling.'
- Bai Gu Jing
A demoness who has been adopted by the Pirate King and who wears his hat. Despite acting like a ditz most of the time, she can be deadly when provoked.
Associated tropes:
- Cloud Cuckoo Lander: She acts like this most of the time unless the Pirate King gives her an order.
- Cute and Psycho: She looks cute enough for a demon but can be utterly ruthless.
- Not-So-Harmless Villain: If the Pirate King gives her orders to dispatch someone, there's no stopping her fury.
- Pirate: She's a demon pirate.
- Kuro Tori
The infamous elven Pirate King who leads the Blue Dragon pirates from the Shipwreck Cove in Yamato. He has waged a private war with his fleet and has run his profitable pirate empire for centuries. He's a sworn enemy of the Western Horde.
Associated tropes:
- He-Man Woman Hater: He believes in male superiority and sees women as property. Although he allows women to become captains, he favours men over them.
- Manipulative Bastard: He views himself as this and relishes in the opportunity to humiliate his opponents in creative ways to get back at them. Although he's very successful at it, he not quite as good as he thinks he is.
- Pirate: Pirate King, actually.
- Pet the Dog: His relationship with his 'daughter' Bai Gu Jing and his subordinate Kaizoku are genuine and show a softer side of him.
- Pragmatic Villainy: Kuro is very pragmatic in his dealings and everything he does happens for a reason. He may be opposing the demons but does it for his own selfish reasons which aren't noble at all.
- Mammon
The most talented sculptor in Shipwreck Cove, she's also particularly close to Madame Ke. She's rather muscular and not that feminine and speaks very little, instead focusing on perfecting her work.
Associated tropes:
- Butch Lesbian: She's quite manly and into women.
- Mad Artist: She's very dedicated to her art, going to extreme lengths to perfect what she sees as her masterpiece.
- The Stoic: She's very calm and collected, barely showing any emotion.
- Silk / Delora d'Zarnagon
A skilled bard using the alias of Silk. She mentors her student Velvet among the Blue Dragon pirates. A harsh teacher and one of Kuro Tori's many servants, she does what she can to make sure Velvet will survive in the harsh world. She's actually Omaroch's wife Delora who survived a near death experience at the hands of rogues and ended up with the pirates, unaware that her husband had survived.
Associated tropes:
- Broken Bird: She has had to suffer through a lot of stuff over the years, much of which was centered around her family and the starcrossed romance she had with the demon Omaroch. Her experiences and tragedies have turned her into a colder, calculative person who'll do whatever she can to ensure her remaining family's safety.
- Defrosting Ice Queen: She starts out calm and jaded but over the course of the adventure in Devilfish Strait she finally starts opening up and, after a few revelations, come to realize that she may have gone too far in trying to suppress her emotions to deal with the sorrow in her heart.
- Maid and Maiden: She is the maid to Velvet's maiden, acting as her mentor and protector.
- Maligned Mixed Marriage: She was married to a demon, and this marriage caused them a lot of trouble as people downright despised and feared them for committing such a taboo crime.
- Mama Bear: You don't want to mess with her children because she'll do whatever she can to protect them.
- Missing Mom: To her sons Kareth and Refan.
- Not Quite Dead: She actually survived her "death" at the hands of rogues years prior and eventually ended up in Yamato to live among the pirates.
- Proper Lady: She used to be this until she ended up assaulted by a bunch of rogues who raped her and left her to die. She survived the encounter and had to adapt to survive.
- Rape as Drama: Being raped has left its marks on her and turned her more introspective and protective of Velvet because she wants her not to share the same fate.
- Sink or Swim Mentor: She can be quite harsh on her methods when she's teaching the Craft to her apprentice. It doesn't matter how well prepared or not the apprentice is, she'll put her through hell if she has to in order to make her grow into a strong, independent person who can survive through the toughest ordeals.
- Tough Love: Shows this to Velvet. In her view only by being harsh can she teach her to survive on her own.
- Wandering Minstrel: She is a very skilled bard.
- Susumu Kawamoto
- "The ocean is the only thing I've ever served that's never asked me anything in return. I go where the wind blows and the currents pull, even if it sometimes leads me somewhere I don't want to be. Life's just more interesting that way."
A grizzled old pirate and father of Uminoko. He likes to drink, crack jokes and flirt just as much as his daughter does, and he's in good standing with most pirates in the Cove due to his carefree personality. His knowledge of ships and sailing is extensive.
Associated tropes:
- Action Dad: Well, he is Uminoko's father...
- Chivalrous Pervert: Has shades of this at times with his flirting with the opposite sex.
- Retired Badass: He may have retired from being a captain some time ago, but he's still no less dangerous then he was in his youth.
- Uminoko Kawamoto
- "I grew up on a ship. I've been cleaning, tying knots and learning the waves since my mom first got rid of me. Dad showed me how to handle a sword as well as a ship, and his crew taught me the rest. You grow up doing this kind of stuff, and eventually people just stop caring what's between your legs and focus on what you bring to the crew."
Daughter of Susumu and captain of the Moldy Crow. She's one of the few notable female pirates in the Cove but has earned many pirates' respect with her bravery and ruthlessness. She's also quite flirty, often enjoying teasing others.
Associated tropes:
- Action Girl: Very much so.
- Byronic Hero: While affable and boisterous, Uminoko is still a self-serving pirate concerned with her own desires and is not against cutting down people that get in her way. However, despite her methods and motives, when she makes a deal she will do her best to see it through to the end.
- Combat Pragmatist: Like all pirates, she knows when to fight dirty and use unconventional weapons to her advantage.
- Hard-Drinking Party Girl: She definitely enjoys her rum and has a good time drinking.
- Noodle Incident: Something happened between her and Velvet at new years that the latter regrets.
- The Lad-ette: She's a tomboy and living on a ship filled with men has made her adapt to her surroundings and become 'one of the guys'.
- Missing Mom: When she was little, her mom threw her at Susumu and vanished. She hasn't seen her mother since.
- Pirate: And a captain, to boot! Or at least she used to be until her feelings for Varalia made her abandon the Blue Dragons and aid Varalia in her quest instead after their adventure in Devilfish Strait.
- Velvet / Nadia Veer
A gifted bard apprentice who uses the alias of Velvet and studies under her master Silk among the Blue Dragon pirates. A well-mannered lady (at least in the presence of her mentor), there is more to her than meets the eye.
Associated tropes:
- Child by Rape: She was conceived when a rogue raped her mother.
- Maid and Maiden: She is maiden to Silk's maid, acting as her apprentice. She has learned the proper manners of a lady from Silk but also has an adventurous personality who isn't afraid of breaking the rules every now and then... assuming her mentor isn't around to see her do so.
- Noodle Incident: Whatever happened with her and Uminoko at new years last year, she's not proud of it.
- Wandering Minstrel: She is a bard and a rather talented singer.
- Wes
A Scunnish self-appointed priest to the forgotten deity Phil. He works with Oscar in the Cove and participates in the search for Unithien after her kidnapping. He's rather crass and likes to use his greatclub Arsewhooper, but underneath all that beats a warm heart to anyone who earns his respect.
Associated tropes:
- Fearless Fool: Very much so. He doesn't seem to consider the danger he's getting into and charges most foes, no matter how powerful, head on.
- Mamori Hoshino
A white mage, she is one of the veterans among the Hunters, having served Kaizoku since their pirate days. She gets captured by the demon Enenra during a raid and taken as a prisoner to a fortress held by the Southern Horde.
Associated tropes:
- Badass in Distress: Gets captured by Enenra and the Southern Horde when Micah, disguised as Enenra's apprentice, turns on her in an attempt to fool the demons into trusting him.
- White Mage: She is the dedicated healer in the Hunters' ranks. She can be tough and stern when need be, courtesy of having been one of Kaizoku's pirate comrades before joining his Black Hunters.
- Micah M'Cain
- "I appreciate the concern, sir. But even if the dangers on the journey are new, my destination isn't."
A young druid and ex-refugee from Yamato who's on a journey to find his missing sister, Melina. He ends up falling in with the Black Hunters along the way.
Associated tropes:
- The Beastmaster: It's fairly standard druid territory.
- Child Mage: He's fourteen.
- Druid: Well, yeah.
- I Will Find You: The main purpose of his Hero's Journey is to find his sister, Melina.
- Identity Impersonator: Thanks to Shuu's illusion magic, he takes the shape of a Yamatian teen who the demons are after and manages to infiltrate the Southern Horde that way while desperately trying to keep the demons from figuring out the ruse.
- Not in This for Your Revolution: He joins the Black Hunters to have a better chance at entering hostile territory to find his sister, not to help advance the Hunters' cause. It helps that he was only three during the Cataclysm, and therefore doesn't remember Yamato with any great fondness. However, he does come to care for the Hunters and does what he can to help them in their struggle whenever he's able.
- Odd Friendship: With Shuu after joining the Hunters.
- Wise Beyond Their Years: He managed to use the knowledge gained from druids to his advantage and uses his wits when facing obstacles.
- Pratt Staunton
- "These days at least I am old enough to know not to want this."
A thief who is hardened by his experiences in the war. At first serving the side of the Grand Alliance, he joins the Black Hunters after the war to help save Yamatian slaves from demons.
Associated tropes:
- Cynicism Catalyst: Pratt may have had his issues when he fought for the Alliance, but the Cataclysm and seeing the Alliance flee from Yamato which was ravaged by demons turned him much more cynical, prompting him to desert the Alliance and joining the Hunters to do some good.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: His profile on the tGA wiki even describes him as "a good-hearted jerk".
- Silly Rabbit, Idealism Is for Kids!: Became very jaded by the end of the Great War, so much so that he abandoned his comrades in the Alliance and joined the Black Hunters under Kaizoku whom he had once opposed so they could fight a greater enemy, the demons, together and save the people of Yamato...for the right fee.
- Snark Knight: He's turned into a rather sarcastic individual over the years after he joined the Black Hunters.
- Seishuu "Shuu" Kazejin
- "Your assistance...would be...wonderful. I have music. And stories. And magic."
A mischievous kitsune who likes to disguise himself as a young man. He can cast elaborate illusions and owes a life debt to Kaizoku. He doesn't care much for morality and only wishes to see and experience everything the world has to offer.
Associated tropes:
- Adventure Duo: With Kaizoku.
- Animals Hate Him: More specifically, dogs feel uncomfortable whenever Shuu is around them in his human form for reasons they don't fully understand, and they will go into a frenzy and hunt him down if they catch his scent or even see a glimpse of him whenever he is in his kitsune form. Shuu likewise sees dogs as pathetic and is willing to attack and even kill them if cornered.Dog: Fox, I will kill you, and rip out your hot heart and eat it, fox; I will tear out your throat! I will pull your intestines from your body; I will rip your skull free and eat your brains—
Shuu: Go back to your rope and your master, you belly-up cringing licker of hands. Or I will kill you, you not-fox, you cur! - Asian Fox Spirit: Shuu is a member of this race although he masks himself as a young human when he interacts with the outside world...most of the time, at least.
- Astrologer: Like all kitsune, he has studied the language of the stars and can foretell events in a vague manner. It is because of his skill in reading the signs of nature that sends him to investigate the world outside Kitsune Mori why bad dreams are coming to him when none should, which in turn leads him to meet with Kaizoku's pirate crew.
- Blue-and-Orange Morality: He is a kitsune and shares their values, thus seeing the world in terms of beings who he considers part of his 'skulk' (clan/friends), prey, annoyances and curiosities. He doesn't see anything wrong with killing helpless civilians or unarmed enemies per se; he just thinks that slaughtering the helpless, both adults and children alike, is not exciting enough for a hunt so he takes no joy in it. He delights in psychologically messing with his 'prey' and loves it when they're in anguish, however, as shown when he tries to demoralize the weary Alliance with a particularly cruel hunting song which he makes echo around them.
- Cunning Like a Fox: He is a kitsune who are like foxes, and he, like his kin, is very cunning when need be.
- Magic Music: He uses a chilling kitsune hunting song, "I Am the Hunter", after his allies have burned down the village of Cassandria and massacred its denizens in order to demoralize the Alliance. It works very well at first, making even the Alliance's leader Marcus doubt his quest, although ultimately the Alliance pulls itself together and uses the reveal of the massacre as the spark to fight against the Yamato Empire even harder than before to spare others from the fate that befell Cassandria.
- Master of Illusion: He is indeed this, conjuring many convincing illusions.
- My Instincts Are Showing: Although he does pass off as a (mostly) normal human most of the time, he does occasionally reveal his animal instincts or show hints at not being what he appears whenever he spots a juicy rabbit or sees a dog.
- Odd Friendship: With Micah after the boy joins the Hunters. They hit it off surprisingly well, despite having very different personalities.
- Shameless Fanservice Guy: He doesn't have much of a sense of modesty, leading to the below.
- Some Call Me "Tim": Although his full name in the human tongue is Seishuu Kazejin, those who know him just call him Shuu out of familiarity, or as Shuu postulates, because a nickname is easier to pronounce.
- The Tease: He has a lot of fun messing with other people's heads, both sexually and otherwise.
- Undying Loyalty: Shuu hangs around Kaizoku due to his life debt and because he genuinely likes the elf. He goes so far as to risk his life on several occasions to help Kaizoku.
- The Unpronounceable: Like all kitsune, his real name is "unpronounceable by the human tongue" so he uses a simple Yamatian approximation of his birth name as his human alias.
- Voluntary Shapeshifting: Is known to change between his true kitsune form and a human form. Whether he's too young to have mastered the blend of the two, the bipedal youko werefox form, remains unknown.
- Wandering Minstrel: When he isn't casting illusions, hunting his prey, deciphering messages in the stars or teasing his allies, he likes to sing and play songs, sometimes with help of a lute-like instrument he calls "getsukin".
- Yousei Kaizoku
- "I want what they want, or I want to keep them from achieving their aim."
An eccentric elven pirate with a tangled past who opposed the Grand Alliance and formed the Black Hunters mercenary group during the Great War. He and his Hunters have worked to liberate Yamato from demons since the Cataclysm. Despite his tough-guy act, he does care for the men and women under his command even if he has trouble showing it.
Associated tropes:
- Anti-Villain: Depending on one's definition he can be either this or an antihero. He has worked for the villainous Yamato Empire in the past and opposed the heroes many times as well as committed many heinous crimes, but he is still a sympathetic individual who does what he thinks is necessary.
- The Apprentice: Kaizoku was raised by Pirate King Kuro Tori who took him under his care. He learned much of what he knows from the Pirate King and was seen as his most gifted apprentice until fate, in the form of the Yamatian armada's assault on the secret pirate stronghold, separated them.
- Being Tortured Makes You Evil: He was tortured and brainwashed by Jaotu Hyuga who made him become one of the Yamato Empire's naval commanders during the Great War. He committed many crimes while under Yamatian control, but after the Cataclysm he broke free and went off to do his own thing. Despite his animosity towards the Yamatian high command, he still cares enough for his homeland's common folk to save them from demonic slavery with his Black Hunters whenever he can...although he also does it to earn enough money to feed his men and recruit more people into the dwindling ranks of the Black Hunters.
- Deathbringer the Adorable: He has a Yamatian tree hamster he has named Death Reaver Boranoi. After he loses his hamster, he takes another one under his care and names it after its predecessor.
- Drill Sergeant Nasty: His methods of commanding the Black Hunters are...zealous, to say the least.
- Eye Patch Of Power: He has a black one.
- Hidden Heart of Gold: Despite his tough exterior, temperament and harsh pragmatism when it comes to war, he does occasionally show a more gentle side to his Hunters if only temporarily, caring for their well-being.
- It's Personal: After being defeated by the Alliance one time too many in Remon, Kaizoku forms the Black Hunters and starts tracking Axikasha Keiran's party so he can either kill or capture them and thus help the Yamato Empire in the war against the Alliance. He ultimately fails in this mission but not because of lack of trying; Ax's party simply encounters many dangerous obstacles along the way, or the Hunters themselves run into other obstacles like rival pirates or bloodhungry monsters that prevent them from catching up with Ax's party until they lose sight of them again. Kaizoku eventually lets go of the hunt by the time he realizes continuing it is futile.
- Magic Knight: He's primarily a warrior, but knows some magic that he's picked up over the years as well.
- Pirate: He used to be a pirate captain, in fact.
- Illyria
An elven member of the Triad, she follows Janus around as backup should anything go wrong. She's a skilled rogue with access to some destructive spells.
Associated tropes:
- Broken Bird: Her time as a slave among the Sarquil has left its mark on her, and she doesn't open up to others easily.
- Hidden Depths: Isn't quite as simple or ruthless as she first appears.
- Hidden Heart of Gold: Some of her interactions with Arcturius and Bella, as well as caring for her brother, show she's not without a heart.
- The Triads and the Tongs: She's a member of one.
- When She Smiles: She's shown to smile genuinely for the first time in a long while when Arcturius comes to rescue her from the Crimson Coalition, making Arcturius that much more determined to ensure she escapes with him to safety.
- Janus Todd / "False Fox"
- "A patient man shall be rewarded in the end."
A young dwarven necromancer who has risen to a high position as one of the Dragon Heads of the Triad. He's a scheming, manipulative individual who's willing to go to any lengths to get what he wants. He poses as Fox, one of the leaders of the Dwarven Triad, but this is only a ruse because it's only a means to keep attention away from the real Fox who is his master Katsutoshi Kobayashi.
Associated tropes:
- Double Agent: Appears to desert his master Fox in Malperdy and kidnaps Fox's children while siding with his master's enemies whom he helps escape, but later shows up to save Fox from demons. It turns out that Janus's betrayal was premeditated together with his master although he took some liberties with his act to make the betrayal seem more convincing. Despite all this, it remains unclear whether he is really genuinely loyal to Fox, the Triad, or if he's secretly pursuing his own agenda while pretending to be loyal. After all, he is Fox's apprentice, and 'Foxes' are known for their cunning and trickery...
- Identity Impersonator: He impersonates the real Fox in order to make the Fellowship of Hidefall believe that he's one of the leaders of the Dwarven Triad even though he is only Fox's apprentice. This way everyone's attention is drawn from the real Fox who gets to carry out his schemes without a hitch.
- Manipulative Bastard: He won't hesitate to manipulate allies and enemies alike for his own purposes.
- Necromancer: He's a rather skilled one despite his youth.
- Pet the Dog: His moments with his childhood girlfriend Ying Zi help humanize the usually sneering and calculating Janus. When he learns that Ying Zi perished during the riots, he's genuinely affected by the news and ends up mourning her.
- The Triads and the Tongs: He's a member of one.
- Katsutoshi Kobayashi / Thorn Stronghelm / Jarral Baffik / Izanagi-no-Mikoto / "True Fox"
- "Actions may speak louder than words, but often they hide true intent as easily as words can. What matters is what you feel inside at a given moment. Once you've lived as long as I have, you'll come to see the importance of the heart."
A wandering dwarven rogue with an eye for women and a good bottle of whisky, he ends up involved in the Triad's ritual to release Laverna, the Goddess of Thieves, from imprisonment. He's smitten by Haruko, the goddess's host, and vows to do everything in his power to protect her. During the adventure in the labyrinth of Malperdy it's revealed that he's in fact a disguised kitsune named Katsutoshi Kobayashi who's not only Haruko's husband but also the real Fox, one of the leaders of the Dwarven Triad, who has used the people protecting Haruko for his own ends.
Associated tropes:
- Affably Evil: He may have bad things in mind, but he can be polite and friendly to people he has grown fond of. If you hurt his vixen or his cubs, however...
- Alcohol-Induced Idiocy: He drinks a lot, and whenever he's drunk, he tends to act rather... recklessly.
- Asian Fox Spirit: It's eventually revealed that his dwarven form is a mere disguise because he's actually a kitsune posing as a dwarf.
- The Corrupter: He was known for defiling the minds and bodies of young maidens and turning them to a life of crime.
- Dark and Troubled Past: He has one and doesn't like to talk about it although he's given a few hints to his comrades from time to time. It later turns out he has connections to Triad and other shady groups.
- The Dreaded: Among the kitsune he is known as the Dark Wanderer whom the nogitsune, or darker and more ruthless kitsune, model themselves after.
- Handsome Lech: He's not terribly handsome by any standards, but he's definitely open in his rather shameless flirting.
- High Priest: He's one of the two high clerics of Laverna, the Goddess of Thieves, and holds the title of Izanagi-no-Mikoto.
- Ladykiller in Love: He's had luck with several women in the past, but Haruko ends up being the first one to resist his charms, and he's smitten by her personality, looks and damsel in distress role.
- Lovable Rogue: What he's seen as by many people but those who know his past view him less sympathetically.
- Manipulative Bastard: He knows how to use people's emotions to his own ends.
- Obfuscating Stupidity: He may act like a complete ditz at times (and sometimes he actually is like that), but he knows when to get serious and can become quite wily particularly if those he cares about are threatened.
- Prince Charming Wannabe: He's smitten by Haruko when he sees her and tries to win her affections, but she treats his flirting with an increasingly hostile manner such as punching and kicking him. He doesn't seem to mind, though, and takes her punches as proof that she's considering his words.
- Trickster Mentor: He has acted in this capacity when secretly teaching some people who have been unaware of his true nature.
- Two Aliases, One Character: He poses as the drunk mercenary Thorn but is actually the trickster Katsutoshi as well as Fox, one of the leaders of the Dwarven Triad. He later adopts the alias of Jarral when the Thorn persona has run its course.
- Xanatos Speed Chess: He's very fond of thinking up complex plans and can adapt himself easily to changing situations in order to reap the rewards no matter the outcome.
- "Shark"
One of the three leaders of the Dwarven Triad alongside Fox and Vulture. Known for being bloodthirsty and destructive.
Associated tropes:
- Blood Knight: Enjoys combat.
- Legacy Character: Based his alias on the original Shark who was a member of the Band of the Fox.
- The Mole: Is actually an important member of the Grand Alliance while secretly promoting the Triad's agenda.
- "Vulture"
One of the three leaders of the Dwarven Triad alongside Fox and Shark. Known for planning ahead and being more collected than the other two in the Triune.
Associated tropes:
- The Chessmaster: Has hatched several elaborate schemes over the years to set the stage for the Triad's return to power in the underworld and beyond.
- Legacy Character: Based his alias on the original Vulture who was a member of the Band of the Fox.
- The Mole: Is actually a member of the Council of Mages while secretly promoting the Triad's agenda.
- Corwin Finian
A shaman who cares much for his little sister Deidra. When he learns of her death, he goes to confront the killer Razravkar and struggles with his duty as well as his desire for vengeance until he and Razravkar finally kind of sort out the animosity between them.
Associated tropes:
- Allergic to Love: Gets very nervous whenever Ax acts provocatively in his presence as he's not used to women flirting with him. It's played for laughs when Ax strips to her underwear and joins him in a hot spring to ask him for information in a grove full of lustful nymphs they both have ended up in, and Corwin is nearly paralyzed by having to be so close to a half-naked Ax.
- Anti-Hero: He veers close to this and Anti-Villain because he is ruthless in what he does but still has some sense of morals and tries not to kill needlessly if he can help it.
- Despair Event Horizon: He briefly goes off the deep end when he discovers his parents' true fate as well as the destiny of all Sinlarine from a trio of witches. After that he's been a broken man, believing that every action will ultimately be futile. He finally snaps out of this state of mind in Alent a few weeks later thanks in part to Bella's kidnapping which he feels due to their mental link, and resolves to figure out how to solve the mess he has gotten into.
- Go Mad from the Revelation: Corwin's mind nearly breaks after he makes a deal with the Weird Sisters who show him the truth of the nature of the 'sacrifice' his parents made to end the Faerfolc Rampage. He sees everything, which is enough to turn him into a muttering madman until he finally regains his sanity in Alent when his mental link with Bella Sirius is severed due to the latter falling unconscious again due to the actions of the Totenkopfs.
- Mushroom Samba: An encounter with a goatman and three nymphs has him thinking he's had a few too many magic mushrooms.
- Nature Lover: He's a shaman who intends to keep the balance of Life and Death in the world in order to protect nature.
- Turn the Other Cheek: At first it seems he's after Razravkar's blood because Razravkar killed his little sister Deidra. However, after some intense spiritual reflection and learning more about the events leading to Deidra's death, Corwin eventually sees Razravkar as a tragic figure who never meant to kill Deidra, and so he chooses to forgive Razravkar and cleanse him of the "sin" of murder even though it pains him to let the killer of his sister go free.
- Weirdness Magnet: First he encounters Ax, and then the Lord of the Murderous Mountain Goats, and then three nymphs appeared, and then a whole horde of goats tried to eat him. He later ends up kidnapped by nymphs who attempt to seduce him much to his horror as he is not comfortable with women's advances at all...and it is made even worse when Ax strips and joins him in the spring the nymphs placed him into in order to covertly ask him for information without alerting the nymphs. Poor guy just can't catch a break.
- Deidra Finian
- "I'm one of the Sinlarine, a Ghost Whisperer. We carry the burden of our dark pasts with us, our sins are legion! That is what gives us strength for we are never alone."
A female necromancer who aided Thanatos in his goals. She ended up framed by Persephone and Jezebeth for crimes she didn't commit, and the heroes slew her and realized too late they had been tricked. When the demons nearly triumphed, Deidra returned from death to help heroes set right what once went wrong and sacrificed her spiritual essence with Thanatos to thwart the demons' plans.
Associated tropes:
- Anti-Hero: A brutal version of this, willing to sacrifice many innocents to reach her goals. Once she got to know the Alliance a bit better, she became slightly more trusting but still was bound by her honour to finish what she had begun.
- Honor Before Reason: Her justification for not telling the Grand Alliance why she really was involved with the Barca family.
- Nature Lover: She used to be a shaman until she grew more interested in the necromantic side of things.
- Necromancer: She was one of the few necromancers who tried to resurrect the Old Ways.
- Tragic Hero: Essentially she was this, doing what she believed was right, but in the end her insistence of holding her word ended up causing people much grief.
- Earnan Finian
An elderly shaman who has become the caretaker and mentor of Cailleach Bheur, or Beira as many call her. He seems to have shared a past with Beira's parents and tries to guide her gently towards her destiny.
Associated tropes:
- Bodyguard Crush: Has one for Beira although doesn't say it out loud because he knows it would upset her. It has to do with an event from the past and what role Beira has in his life.
- Cool Old Guy: He's old and rather relaxed, offering sage wisdom to those in need and generally being a helpful person who people like hanging out with.
- Declaration of Protection: He has sworn to look after Beira.
- Old Master: He may be old but he's a capable warrior who knows enough shamanistic magic to stand his own against lesser opponents if needed.
- Kendra Finian
A ruthless shaman who stops at nothing to get what she wants. She single-handedly turned the tide in a battle between Alent and the Coalition with a clever strategy. Despite her amoral actions, she does care for her clan above all else.
Associated tropes:
- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Very much so. Her sweet talking manages to fool even the usually genre-savvy Union thieves as well, and she succeeds in single-handedly causing the beginning of the downfall of Alent's Western Army with a clever strategy which is based on confusing and lowering the morale of the army while ostensibly acting as their informant on Coalition activities and diverting the army commanders' attention from the Coalition's real target.
- Double Reverse Quadruple Agent: She worked for Alent at first but was in fact a double agent for the Coalition. Later it turned out her loyalties didn't lie with the Coalition either and that she had been hired by the Dwarven Triad instead.
- Luke, I Am Your Father: She reveals to Xerathas that she's in fact his mother and that all that she has set events in motion which have led to them being reunited after years of separation.
- Manipulative Bastard: She knows how to manipulate people to believe what she says. Even when she's cornered and threatened, she keeps her calm and manages to talk her way out of most confrontations.
- Nature Lover: She's a shaman who intends to keep the balance of Life and Death in the world in order to protect nature.
- Pet the Dog: Despite being ruthless and manipulative, she has a soft spot for her siblings and especially her son, going so far as to orchestra many events to be reunited with the latter.
- Irvin Finian
The most cheerful member of Clan Finian but also the most cunning one. His relaxed attitude hides his sharp mind, and he wishes nothing more than carry on the Sinlarine traditions while doing odd jobs for more powerful factions in order to keep them from harming his clan.
Associated tropes:
- Big Fun: He's rotund and very likeable, party-loving person who hides a cunning mind under his jolly personality.
- Boisterous Bruiser: He's a jolly, surprisingly strong man who knows how to kick ass.
- Bunny-Ears Lawyer: He acts somewhat goofily at times but there's a reason why he's the leader in his family instead of his other siblings.
- Nature Lover: He's a shaman who intends to keep the balance of Life and Death in the world in order to protect nature.
- Straight Gay: He's a charming, cultured homosexual with a cunning mind who can also enter the fray when needed.
- Godslayer
- "Let the blood of the gods spill forth on the soil of their creation!"
The dreaded, powerful being who has devoured two gods, which resulted in the Cataclysm and the rise of the demons. The Godslayer leads the Grey Cult via its high prophet Xerathas but has remained dormant since his initial rampage.
Associated tropes:
- Above Good and Evil: He views himself as this and claims to have come to end the tyranny of the gods and demons.
- The Dreaded: Everyone fears the Godslayer more or less because how powerful he is and how effortlessly he can crush armies and gods if he feels like it.
- Fusion Dance: The Godslayer is born when a dragon, an archdemon warrior and a half-demon mage merge and absorb powers from the Dragon Diamond.
- Hero Killer: Each of the three persons that turned into the Godslayer were renowned hero killers of their time, and as the Godslayer they ended up killing the god Cardia. Though he also ended up slaying Mardük.
- Orcus on His Throne: After his initial rampage, the Cataclysm, which turned the map of the world anew and resulted in the deaths of two gods and the rise of the demons and the Grey Cult, he has been sleeping in the Aisonian capital Myridia to recover his strength (digesting two powerful gods with opposing alignments is no easy task, after all). Parts of him wake up occasionally to give instruction to Xerathas but for the time being he'll remain stationary in anticipation of things to come.
- Physical God: He's gone beyond the power level of gods as shown when he swooped down during the final battle of the Great War and utterly curbstomped two powerful deities, Cardia and Mardük, before he devoured them.
- Red Baron: He's known as the Godslayer and the Lord of Emptiness.
- Hector Blackwell / The Titan
A former hero of the Alliance who joined the Grey Cult after the Cataclysm. Broken emotionally due to the death of his beloved Viirsa, he's now become much more ruthless than he used to be and will stop at nothing to find his long lost daughter Kaisa and use his ally Syrese's knowledge to break the laws of nature if they have to in order to get what he wants.
Associated tropes:
- Action Dad: Very much so although he has only seen his daughter briefly after her birth before they were separated.
- Anti-Hero: Very much so after joining the Grey Cult. He's willing to cut down anyone who gets in his way and will resort to drastic methods to get what he wants.
- Cynicism Catalyst: The death of Viirsa was the turning point in his life, changing him as a person and making him malleable enough for the Grey Cult to "repurpose" him into one of their champions.
- I Let Gwen Stacy Die: He's still having nightmares about being unable to prevent his lover Viirsa from dying after she gave birth to their daughter, and this very idea drives him on.
- Red Baron: He is often called the Titan due to his immense strength.
- Ildor Earthhaven
The son of Varalia, he's been raised by his mother and has turned into a talented archer despite his youth. He serves the Grey Cult loyally. During the later stages of the Second Great War, he ends up captured by demons and taken to Nagashima Fortress where he is reunited with his mother who is none too pleased to see him behind enemy lines.
Associated tropes:
- Deadpan Snarker: He tends to be very sarcastic and ends up annoying people more often than not with it.
- Half-Human Hybrid: He's a half-elf.
- Luke, I Might Be Your Father: Although most people who know of what Varalia went through in the Great War believe that Ildor is the product of Kareth d'Zarnagon raping Varalia, there's also the less known possibility that he might have been fathered by Hiroshi Takamoto, Varalia's subordinate, instead. Ildor himself remains unaware of whose son he even is since Varalia rarely mentions anything about a father to begin with.
- Syrese Frostvale
- "Most people only see what they wish to see. Sometimes it's...painful to look closer. Or to look within, to see those unpleasant, nasty truths we'd rather keep safely hidden from view."
A morally dubious scientist working for the Grey Cult, she likes to perform experiments in hopes of finding a way to bring the dead back to life not as revenants but as truly living beings. Her research has made her team up with Hector, and they set out in search of his daughter and data which Syrese requires so they can complete the formula. She's also the somewhat aloof mother of Irinthiel with whom she shares a somewhat strained relationship due to what happened between them in the past.
Associated tropes:
- For Science!: Her main motivator is pursuing science as she sees fit, regardless of how morally dubious or dangerous it might be.
- Parental Neglect: After her attempt to experiment on the young Irinthiel led to her husband and Irinthiel fleeing from her, Syrese didn't try to contact them again and instead focused on work although she did at least find out where Irinthiel had settled into. When mother and daughter do meet again after all these years, Syrese is talking to her rather academically whereas Irinthiel is much more upset to see her.
- Varalia Earthhaven
Former captain of the High Prophet's guard. For more information, see here.
- Xerathas d'Zarnagon / Kernaghan Finian
- "I may not be able to stop the wheels of fate, but I will change the way they turn."
The High Prophet of the Godslayer-worshipping Grey Cult. He will do anything for the Godslayer and is convinced that he's working for the right cause even when his plans involve the suffering of many. He has confronted the Alliance on many occasions but has always managed to escape from their clutches to meet them another day.
Associated tropes:
- Above Good and Evil: He'll do whatever is necessary to reach his goals.
- Manipulative Bastard: Xerathas's greatest strength is actually his speech. He has often convinced the heroes to do various things which have later turned out to have rather big consequences, not all of which have been in the heroes' favour.
- Overlord Jr.: He's the son of Zarnagon who was one of the evil sorcerers of Chaos during the Great War. Although he tries to avoid using violence, he's willing to manipulate people to get what he wants just like his father did.
- Squishy Wizard: He uses powerful magic but can't take a physical beating.
- The Stoic: Xerathas shows no emotion at all.
- The Reveal: He finds out that the Sinlarine shaman Kendra is his mother and that he's actually a member of Clan Finian and half-Sinlarine.
- Xanatos Speed Chess: Because the heroes constantly derail his plans, he has to adapt to situations to use the tools given to him to get the job done.
- Helena the Grey
- "If you ever seek to defy me again, I want you to remember the pain you feel right now. And when it scars you, just know that what you felt this day shall be far worse if you go against my orders again!"
Mother of Arcturius who practices witchcraft and views her son as a failure. She leads the Grey Guard and reaches for a grand goal no matter how many people she needs to crush to get what she wants. She's eventually revealed to be the aunt of Kaisa Blackwell through Kaisa's deceased mother Viirsa, and she takes the girl under her protection when she realizes she could become a better apprentice than her son.
Associated tropes:
- Abusive Parents: Her stepmother and siblings were incredibly abusive, selling her into slavery and treating her like trash. Sadly, she treats her own son just as badly as her family treated her.
- Action Mom: She's a mother and kicks ass...although she despises the fact that she gave birth to her son Arcturius who in her view turned out to be a failure.
- Bastard Bastard: She's born as a bastard daughter of a nobleman and is adopted into said nobleman's family which treats her harshly and later sells her as a slave to a desert once her father passes away. Her experiences eventually mold her into a ruthless person who comes back to have her revenge, brutally killing her abusive family members and burning the family estate to the ground.
- The Beastmaster: She is able to tame a wyvern to become her pet. It turns out that the ability to tame beasts runs in the Yuriev family when she discovers that her niece Kaisa has tamed a dire wolf.
- Evil Matriarch: To her son Arcturius whom she has abused mentally and scarred for being what she considers a failure. However, she's much more pleasant to her niece Kaisa, not only because of the family connection but also because in her view Kaisa shows more promise in magic than Arcturius ever did.
- From Nobody to Nightmare: From the illegitimate bastard daughter of a nobleman, to a powerful witch in command of a small army that's responsible for putting towns to the torch and wiping out a noble family.
- Kick the Dog: Pretty much everything she's done to Arcturius.
- Kick The Son Of A Bitch: Her murder of her adoptive mother and siblings. This normally would be under "Kick the Dog", but given her stepfamily were abusive and had sold her into slavery, it becomes this trope.
- Long-Lost Relative: She turns out to be the aunt of Kaisa Blackwell who is the daughter of Viirsa Yuriev, Helena's long-lost sister.
- Pet the Dog: Her interactions with her pet wyvern Legnalus and her niece Kaisa show that there is still some good within her.
- Start of Darkness: Her family's treatment of her and their selling her into slavery started her down her current path.
- Slave Liberation: Lead one of these, which is ultimately how she got her army.
- Trauma Conga Line: Her early life was one of these. Freedom and slaughtering her adoptive family don't seem to have made her happier, however.
- The Unfavorite: What Arcturius is to her. She herself was one to her own step-family.
- Villain Decay: She's introduced as a powerful sorceress with a pet wyvern and an army of mercenaries backing her up and who has plans for godhood and who gave Arcturius his recognizable scar. However, by the time she meets with Kaisa and Hector, her villainy more or less fizzles out, especially when she learns Kaisa is her niece and that her sister, Kaisa's mother, could be brought back to life. She leaves her forces to carry out their original mission in her absence while she follows Hector and Kaisa, and that decision ultimately costs her all of her forces who are betrayed and killed. Since then she's let others call the shots, no longer quite the menacing sorceress she once was.
- Jacob Seneron
- "I've chosen my path, and you have to respect that."
A ruthless cultist who's the brother of Jonathan and nephew of Jeremiah. He initially serves under the Clergy of Mardük but switches to the Totenkopfs after the Cataclysm. He unleashes an ice elemental in Remonton with devastating results and becomes a willing host to the god Nergal in order to pursue a path of destruction. In the end he's slain in battle by Ax.
Associated tropes:
- Elite Mook: He's essentially a better-geared mook in both the Clergy of Mardük and the Totenkopfs... although he subverts his role by turning into a far more cunning person than expected as he reveals that his true loyalty has been with Nergal all along and he's merely used the other factions for his own gain.
- Starter Villain: He acts like this in the Godslayer Era, becoming the first major threat which the heroes of the Alliance have to deal with.
- Jeremiah Seneron
The baron of Etheril and uncle of Jacob and Jonathan. He travelled with the Alliance's heroes until the Cataclysm when he inherited his family's fortune. He eventually sided with the Coalition because he sees their cause as just, and he ends up in trouble among Alentians and Alliance members because of his allegiance.
Associated tropes:
- Big Fun: He's fat and generally nice to people. Being a merchant and having people skills helps too.
- Blue Blood: He's the baron of the merchant city of Etheril.
- Intrepid Merchant: He travelled as a merchant for a while after his father disowned him, but he later returned to the family's Merchant City to inherit his late father's fortune after the latter's demise in the war.
- Jonathan Seneron
A wandering minstrel who is the brother of Jacob and nephew of Jeremiah. After living through horrific experiences in an adventuring party which explored a haunted palace, he hasn't been the same and is doing his best to stop the rise of dark forces by any means necessary.
Associated tropes:
- Beard of Sorrow: He grows a beard after his adventure with the Bouken Eiyuu.
- Go Mad from the Revelation: His experiences with the Bouken Eiyuu in Daisuke Hyuga's haunted palace weren't pleasant, and what he witnessed there scarred him for life, turning him into a somewhat mad traveller.
- Reluctant Psycho: He's doing his best to rein in his psychotic actions after the battle in Reign, but it's getting more and more difficult to stay normal.
- Wandering Minstrel: His occupation although recent events have left him with less opportunities to practice his craft of playing instruments and singing.
- Hiroki Hyuga
A polite, calm necromancer who ends up working for the Blue Dragon pirates after the Hyuga clan's fall from grace. He raped Varalia in the past which led to the birth of their daughter Unithien as well as to his demise at Varalia's hand until he managed to turn himself into a lich to save himself. He has high hopes for his daughter and has reunited with Varalia and Unithien after their arrival in the Cove, even going after Unithien to save her from the sea serpent that kidnapped her. It's later revealed that Hiroki has been one of the masterminds behind the troubles the fellowship has faced in the Cove and beyond and intends to use Unithien for what he deems to be a noble cause—ridding the world from gods—but which involves a lot of people getting hurt.
Associated tropes:
- Abusive Dad: He used to abuse Unithien when she was a child, but a near-death experience, and later revelations of Unithien's role, had him change his mind about her...or at least so he claims.
- Affably Evil: Despite having ambitious and downright horrific plans, he is genuinely nice to those he deems worthy enough to live, shows concern for his daughter and doesn't wish to attack his allies who turn on him until they force him to defend himself. He has moments when he loses his cool, however, especially when he deems others' actions irrational, but it appears to be more of a side effect of him channeling the power of the shadow as a lich and which he has been actively struggling against in order not to succumb to the whispers of Death.
- Chekhov's Gunman: Mentioned as part of Varalia and Unithien's backstory and even appears as a disturbing vision to Unithien during her trip through the Land of the Dead, but only shows up in flesh when Varalia and Unithien encounter him in Shipwreck Cove.
- The Chessmaster: He is a very good schemer.
- Domestic Abuser: The younger Hiroki was definitely this to his elven slaves, including Varalia, whom he abused sexually and mentally for years for the sheer perverse pleasure it gave him. When he and Varalia are reunited decades later, he says he has become a better man and tries to atone for his past deeds, but whether it's genuine or an attempt to manipulate Varalia and Unithien is ambiguous.
- Even Evil Has Standards: He may have his ambitions and is willing to side with bad people and even hurt others to get what he wants, but he won't tolerate you hurting his daughter no matter what deals you've made with him, which Gilgamesh and Kusotare learned the hard way.
- Glamour Failure: The two tell-tale signs that show he isn't exactly what he appears to be are his white hair and unusual ears. Specifically, his ear lobes are remarkably small, which, along with his hair colour, is the most visible side effect of him using potions and magic to appear younger than he actually is. It is later revealed that this is also because he is in fact a lich who has stopped aging but is suffering from the taint of the shadow due to his pact with Death.
- Lich: He is revealed to be a lich during the Battle of Devilfish Strait when a few members of the fellowship who have discovered his treachery notice that his eyes glow in the same icy blue as the eyes of another lich, whom they had encountered, did.
- Losing Your Head: Ends up decapitated after a conversation with Susumu. Due to being a Lich, he survives but is reduced to being a talking head.
- The Loins Sleep Tonight: He can often not get it up because of his age even though he wants to stay sexually active. This infuriates him to no end because he can appear younger but not actually make all his bodily functions act like his younger self's.
- Necromancer: He is a gifted necromancer.
- Not Quite Dead: He was run through by a sword by Varalia and left to die, but he used his dark arts to heal himself and later resumed his mission while hiding and manipulating things from the shadows.
- Older Than They Look: He's actually in his 80's but uses various magical and herbal means to appear as a man in his 20's. This act makes those who are ignorant of the truth believe he's half-elven.
- Out-Gambitted: His genre-savvy plans and knowledge of those he fights against is used against him when Ferron, who is aware of how cunning the Hyuga and Hiroki in particular are, uses his allies' attacks to distract Hiroki in an attempt to attack him. When Hiroki catches him, Ferron lets him talk and then talks back to him...which is all part of Ferron's Batman Gambit to keep Hiroki either monologuing or listening to Ferron until Delora, the one person Hiroki did not expect to turn on him, can get close enough to him. Hiroki tries to salvage the situation by appealing to Delora from one parent to another, but a poor choice of words and Delora's changed stance backfire on him and finally turns the tide on the battle between him and the fellowship just like Ferron hoped would happen.
- Papa Wolf: He does care for his daughter Unithien and avenges her mistreatment at the hands of Gilgamesh by banishing Gilgamesh's spirit to the Land of the Dead.
- Shoot the Dangerous Minion: He is the one who ultimately disposes of Gilgamesh for good when he deems Gilgamesh's psychotic actions and ambition too dangerous to tolerate...and also because Gilgamesh hurt his daughter. He also has a hand in ensuring Kusotare's downfall by sending Persephone to spy on the rogue pirate captain and 'affect' his skills so Oscar and Susumu can best the captain in battle.
- Utopia Justifies the Means: He sees himself as doing what is necessary to improve the world and make it safer for those he cares about...no matter how much suffering he'll have to put others through to achieve it.
- Vain Sorceress: He is quite vain and uses his spells and herbs to look younger than he actually is.
- Jaotu Hyuga
- "This time, this magic, my magic worked. You will never be free of these chains."
Brother of the late Shogun of Yamato and Head Wizard of the Hyuga clan. He was responsible for brainwashing Yousei Kaizoku to become Yamato Empire's obedient slave in the Great War but fell from grace after Yamato was overrun by demons. He and the surviving members of the clan have taken refuge in Shipwreck Cove, becoming their former enemy Kuro Tori's personal slaves, a fact which irritates Jaotu greatly. He believes that one day the Hyuga will rise from the ashes and be reborn more powerful than before and has taken action to ensure such an outcome.
Associated tropes:
- Abusive Dad: He is abusive towards Sayuri, viewing her as an object which will serve its purpose in his plans. His behaviour stems from Sayuri's birth causing the death of his beloved wife, and it only became worse after he lost his only son Noriaki in the war.
- Chekhov's Gunman: Mentioned in passing when the brainwashed Kaizoku reminisces his treatment at the hands of the Head Wizard of the Hyuga clan during the Great War, but only shows up in person after the Cataclysm when Unithien and Varalia meet him in Shipwreck Cove.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: He truly loved his brother Masamori, his wife Rei and their son Noriaki, but turned a lot more guarded and cold-hearted after losing each one of them in previous conflicts.
- Evil Sorcerer: Very much so although his body is much more buff than a typical scrawny mage is.
- Geas: Is an expert on casting geasa on people to make them do his bidding, as he did to Kaizoku during the Great War to make him serve as the Admiral of the Yamatian Navy for the benefit of the Hyuga clan.
- Manipulative Bastard: Has shades of this in how he breaks people with his magic and makes them do his bidding, turning their insecurities against them with his smooth words. However, unlike his uncle Hiroki, he's far less patient and does show his ambition more visibly than Hiroki.
- Master Race: Out of all the surviving Hyuga he has embraced the former Yamato Empire's teachings the most, believing that all non-humans, lower class people like pirates and thieves as well as people of other nations are the scum of the earth whom the Hyuga are destined to rule. He's none too happy about working for demons or even having a relative who's a half-elf (Unithien via her Hyuga father Hiroki) but has to put up with it because Hiroki, who's masterminded the operation, is the eldest member in the clan.
- Maternal Death? Blame the Child!: He ends up blaming his daughter Sayuri for killing his wife and her mother Rei in childbirth.
- Sayuri Hyuga
Daughter of Jaotu Hyuga, she is the youngest member of the Hyuga clan. She has ended up becoming a low class geisha, an oiran, who is seen as a prostitute meant to amuse Kuro Tori. She dislikes having this status and seeing Kuro Tori humiliate her, but she does her best to persevere in the hopes of pleasing her stern father and to earn his forgiveness. She is tasked by her father to win the trust of Unithien's company and ensure her arrival to the Temple of Hephaestus, in which she succeeds.
Associated tropes:
- Broken Bird: Her father can't love her after she caused her mother's death in childbirth. She ends up in Kuro Tori's harem as a means for Jaotu to keep the Pirate King distracted so he can scheme in peace. Despite all the abuse she's faced, she still wants to honour her father's wishes because she's a Hyuga by blood and goes to ultimate lengths, including betraying Varalia and Unithien.
- Geisha: She looks like one but is actually treated as little more than an oiran, or a prostitute, whom Kuro Tori likes to humiliate as a means to humiliate the Hyuga clan, his former enemies, as a whole now that they're in his mercy. She's not at all pleased by being forced to become a soiled dove but has no choice but to follow her father's orders because he demands such of her.
- The Reveal: She takes Unithien to the Temple of Hephaestus instead of Vulpengaard Keep and helps subdue Unithien, revealing herself—and the rest of the Hyuga by association—as having been behind much of the trouble the fellowship has faced during their adventure in Yamato just to turn Unithien's magic powerful enough to use in a ritual for their own ends.
- Silk Hiding Steel: Turns out to be far more competent a warrior than she appears, and it's all part of a greater plan to lure Unithien into a trap after winning the trust of Unithien's companions.
- "Well Done, Daughter!" Girl: She wants her father's approval but finds herself either abused or neglected by him because she's a constant reminder of being the very person who took his wife from her in a complicated childbirth.
- Amy
The sole female master of the Magestar, she has proven time and time again that she's one of the most powerful members of the mage school. She led the school while Grandmaster Josiah was away, but after his return she has returned back to her post as a regular master. She's a kind person albeit with a sharp tongue, and she won't hesitate to strike back if the school is threatened.
Associated tropes:
- Silk Hiding Steel: She looks calm and regal but if she's threatened, she won't hesitate to impale her opponent down with extreme prejudice.
- Balthazar Bannock
The youngest person to ever become the Magestar master, he has turned out to be quite a promising mage with the knowledge that has surprised even the older masters.
Associated tropes:
- Blind Seer: Despite having lost his vision, he can still see magical auras in his mind's eye.
- Wise Beyond Their Years: He's relatively young and yet has become one of the esteemed masters because of the amount of knowledge he has gathered.
- Dantalion
The former master of the Magestar. For more information, go here.
- Josiah Amdusias
- "I'm rambling a bit. A habit of old men and mages, and I am both."
The wise grandmaster of the Magestar academy, he has made a deal with the Magicracy of Alent in the hopes of stopping the Grey Cult's advances on the mage school. He is an old friend of many of the heroes of the Grand Alliance.
Associated tropes:
- Cool Old Guy: He is a knowledgeable and likable man who considers himself to be too old to help people but still helps those in need anyway because he cannot see people suffer.
- Familiar: He has a cat familiar named Artagel.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: He's the grandmaster of the academy, and he's quite willing to hear people out. Experience has taught him that much.
- Naberius
- "The Magestar is my only home. You are my family. So, please, you need not be so formal... or fearful."
A gentle, intelligent elven master who wishes to better the conditions of the students in the school. He's often the voice of reason during the meetings of the masters and is always welcoming new students to the Magestar.
Associated tropes:
- Cool Old Guy: An old, kind gentleman with a curiosity and playfulness of a younger person.
- Crowe Lley
A promiscuous councillor who uses sex to study magic. Called the "black sheep of the council", he isn't afraid of dabbling in the dark arts and causing an uproar in the more conservative members of the council. He's a free spirit, a party attitude and has an open mind to particularly chaotic schools of magic.
Associates tropes:
- The Casanova: Pretty much. He has an almost perfect track record with women; only a handful of the hundreds of women he's been with have ever resisted his charm to his mild disappointment.
- Necromancer: One of his many professions; he has made it his business to learn everything there is to know about the dark arts.
- Really Gets Around: He's slept with many women and keeps boasting about it. It also helps that one way of studying chaos magic is through sex.
- Durin Halfstaff
A stout dwarven councillor who detests dark magics. He's often at odds with the more liberal Crowe whom he sees as an irresponsible youngster.
Associates tropes:
- Combat Medic: Although he's a white mage, he can kick people's asses with his wide variety of light spells.
- Unequal Rites: He absolutely detests anything to do with dark magic which he sees as tainted and not worthy of academic study.
- Gertrude Kirkpatrick
A councillor with encyclopaedic memorization. She knows most of Alent's libraries inside out and is the youngest member of the council.
Associates tropes:
- Badass Bookworm: Despite her looking like a bookworm, she can also kick ass when needed because she has mastered many obscure spells.
- Photographic Memory: She memorizes what she's read very quickly and holds a vast amount of knowledge in her head despite being one of the younger councillors.
- Wise Beyond Their Years: She's wise despite being in her late 20's and knows many of the books in Alent's library quite well.
- Gweneth
A half-elven councillor who is remarkably tolerant and kind compared to the rest of the council. She wants to see the good in most people and is one of the best negotiators Alent has to offer.
Associates tropes:
- Silk Hiding Steel: She acts like a kind and polite lady, but if she or her companions are threatened, she won't hesitate to use her white magic to defeat her enemies.
- Harrad U'niviel
- "Strength spawns from need, power from arrogance. I can say that I'm strong enough at the moment."
An old mage who is member of the council of Alent. Obsessed with creating the perfect candy machine and sometimes acting goofy, he's nevertheless wise and observant and spots things that many people often miss. He's worked with the Alliance on some occasions and is torn between whether to trust the Crimson Coalition or not.
Associated tropes:
- Battle in the Rain: Happens to him when he's ambushed by dwarven assassins in Alent during a storm.
- Cool Old Guy: He's almost 100 years old and is still badass enough to almost defeat a frickin' goddess in a duel.
- Eccentric Mentor: Although he is old and acts goofy at times, he is also an extremely wise and powerful mage.
- Jemuel
- "Once more the threat of the gods and those clinging to ancient, diluted bloodlines rears its ugly head, but this time, we are here to stand tall against them! In the coming days it will be your resolve, Alentians, that sees us through to a glorious new era of freedom!"
An archmage with a tangled past. Originally Jemuel served King Unne until he plotted the king's death and usurped the throne but a bunch of heroes defeated him seemingly for good. However, the resurrection of Leon Alcibiates allowed him to return as a servant of the Underworld. The resurrected Jemuel was influenced by the friendship of his new companions, however, which eventually drove him to rebel against the Underworld and take his fate into his own hands. Now he rules as the lord of a Libaterran city of mages and wishes to free people from the shackles of the gods and the Godslayer while opposing the Crimson Coalition's goals along the way.
Associated tropes:
- Anti Anti Christ: After some soul-searching, Jemuel chooses to openly defy the Underworld which has wanted to use him as the champion of Death.
- Back from the Dead: He returns to the world as a revenant.
- Bastard Understudy: Jemuel is this to Dante whom he betrays in a crucial moment.
- Divide and Conquer: Jemuel's tactic during the Great War when he pitted the Grand Alliance and Yamato Empire against one another and carved his empire while the two armies were busy fighting.
- Magic Knight: Jemuel is a powerful mage who is also proficient in sword-fighting.
- Manipulative Bastard: No matter whose side he's currently on, he's always been good at pulling the strings and making people dance to his tune.
- Our Zombies Are Different: Jemuel is a revenant who is driven by his desire to increase knowledge and free people from the shackles of celestial beings such as gods and the Godslayer.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Jemuel becomes this after he has freed himself from the Underworld's influence.
- Regent for Life: Jemuel became this both when he took over the kingdom of Cardia and when he built the city of Alent.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: He wishes to unite Libaterra under his rule in order to combat the ever-growing demon hordes. He also wishes to free people from the gods' influence.
- Lynnea Stargazer
Harrad's new apprentice, she's quite dutiful and eager to please her master and prove to the world that she's one of the best mages ever. Unfortunately her overconfidence isn't reflected on her spells because they often backfire with surprising results.
Associated tropes:
- Plucky Comic Relief: She acts like this most of the time thanks to her antics and fussing about everything.
- Small Name, Big Ego: She thinks she's hot stuff but most of her spells tend to end catastrophically... usually with an extra dose of pudding.
- Malek Illuvius
An elven councillor and a master of the arcane arts. He's proud to the point of being arrogant to anyone not being on his level. Despite this he doesn't quite show the same unrestrained disdain as Trittledin and is more regal in his interactions.
Associates tropes:
- The Proud Elite: He was raised in a noble elven family and hasn't forgotten his bloodline. He seems himself as one of the most powerful mages in Alent and rightfully so, but this means he sometimes tend to act rather cold towards those who don't share his passion with magic or aren't on his level.
- Omaroch d'Zarnagon
- "I'm done running away."
A rebellious archdemon who is the father of Refan and Kareth and the master of Ronove Thanadar. After the dark god Mardük's death, Omaroch found a purpose for his newfound freedom and began atoning for the sins he had committed while he had been serving the forces of Chaos. He's now helping Jemuel and fighting against demons because he doesn't wish the humans, whom he respects, to fall into darkness. He's also faced both his parents in combat and is trying to find a way to explain his actions to his sons and grandsons.
Associated tropes:
- Arch-Enemy: Omaroch considers his parents as this because both of them have tried to use him for their own ends and have made his loved ones suffer. His parents feel that he has betrayed their cause and see him as a dangerous heretic that needs to be disposed of after he has suffered suitably long in their grip.
- The Atoner: Omaroch becomes this after Mardük's death. He has done awful things and wishes to repay humanity by giving them hope and helping them combat the demon hordes. He also wishes to bond with his sons despite their differences.
- Beast and Beauty: Omaroch, an archdemon, had a human wife named Delora.
- Being Tortured Makes You Evil: After Omaroch is captured by his brothers, he is tortured and mindraped for several years until eventually the news of his wife's death as well as the (supposed) corruption of his sons is enough to make him break. He is exposed to dark god Mardük's power and becomes an agent of Chaos, willing to do whatever is necessary to fulfill the god's and demons' agenda. Despite this he still shows some bits of remorse but can't help but following the orders that are given to him. However, once Mardük dies and his influence fades, Omaroch breaks free from demon control and chooses to openly oppose them once again as well as atone for the crimes he committed as their slave.
- Black Sheep: Compared to the rest of his clan, he is not xenophobic and is actually willing to side with humans instead of aiding his kin.
- Defector from Decadence: He chooses to oppose his fellow demons in order to give humans a chance to live in the world.
- Demon Lords And Arch Devils: Omaroch used to be the leader of the now-nonexisting Central Horde. Despite no longer being in charge of a horde, he is still an archdemon and is thus quite powerful.
- Disappeared Dad: He was this to his sons for a while. The reason was that he was captured and brainwashed over several years, and by the time he returned, he was molded into a servant of Mardük.
- Distressed Dude: He ends up imprisoned by the Northern Horde while he is on a mission to assassinate his mother.
- Luke, I Am Your Father: He is the father of Refan and Zarnagon and the grandfather of Gabriel, Ildor and Xerathas.
- Maligned Mixed Marriage: Omaroch married Delora, a human cleric of a deity who directly opposed his master Mardük, and had two half-demon children with her. Both of their respective clergies and gods saw this union as an abomination not only because of their opposing faiths but also because humans and demons weren't meant to produce offspring, and the family ended up persecuted for many years until Omaroch was captured and imprisoned and Delora was killed in a raid to their home.
- My Greatest Failure: Omaroch still laments the fact that he was unable save his wife's life and prevent his sons from falling into darkness.
- Mysterious Protector: Omaroch to Refan. He helped Refan not only because they're related but because Refan had an important part to play in Mardük's plans.
- Odd Friendship: Richelieu, a human mage, and Omaroch, a demon lord, become close friends. During the time when Alent had a decadent court, they could only trust each other.
- Papa Wolf: He's protective of his family.
- Teacher/Student Romance: Implied with his student Ronove's close, almost fanatically loyal apprenticeship to him. Demons are bisexual, after all, and it is very likely Omaroch chose his apprentice and lieutenant because of the deep friendship they shared prior to the demon invasion of Yamato.
- Richelieu
- "I can't deny my past."
A loyal follower and advisor of Jemuel, he temporarily became the regent of Alent while Jemuel was incapacitated. He is smart and powerful and has a pragmatic view on many things, feeling that mortals no longer have to rely on gods and that the pursuit of knowledge and peace justify even cruel acts along the way.
Associated tropes:
- The Atoner: After causing the death of a person who turns out to be his brother, he finally realizes that he's been brainwashed to work for a dark god. After that he openly rebels against the Clergy of Mardük, joins up with Jemuel and tries to do what he can to help the world... even if his methods end up being not so friendly in the end.
- Badass Bookworm: He looks meek but can pack quite a punch with his spells, even posing a threat to powerful warlocks.
- Cynicism Catalyst: While executing a bunch of rebels, one of them turns out to be in fact his missing brother who calls out his true name Julian. The call triggers Richelieu's memories. After this Richelieu nearly goes insane from realizing that he has caused his brother's death and begins plotting to get rid of the Clergy of Mardük which took away his identity and caused the tragic event that he witnessed. That in turn leads him to begin a new, better life with the future of humankind in mind.
- Odd Friendship: Richelieu, a human mage, and Omaroch, a demon lord, become close friends. During the time when Alent had a decadent court, they could only trust each other.
- Pragmatic Villainy: He is a poster boy of this. He can do evil things even as an Alentian but he won't cause unneeded suffering if it doesn't help him achieve his goals. He does do his best to avoid violence but is willing to break people if they threaten Alent's security.
- Specs of Awesome: Just look at him. He never takes off his glasses, not even when facing powerful opponents in combat.
- Squishy Wizard: He might not be the strongest guy around, but his knowledge of ancient magic is formidable.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: He wishes to unite his homeland Libaterra and put an end to the constant strife there and strengthen the land against an impending demon invasion... however, this means crushing any opposition along the way.
- Schtolteheim "Raine" Reinbach III
The current captain of the Anti Mage Police. He's quite arrogant and cunning but also suffers from a short temper when things don't go his way.
Associates tropes:
- The Captain: He becomes the captain of the Anti Mage Police after his predecessor's untimely death.
- Embarrassing First Name: Schtolteheim prefers to be called Raine because he can't stand his first name. He is convinced that his parents were drunk when he was born and were trying to ask for more beer instead of naming him. Raine himself added the "III" to the end of his name during his teenage years, because he thought that if he had to have such a stupid name, it might as well sound important.
- Insufferable Genius: He can't stop bragging how intelligent and crafty he is, and he's actually just that good. However, his flaw is that although he's quite skilled, he's still nowhere near the level of the most skilled mages in the city no matter how much he likes to think he's above them.
- The Proud Elite: He was born into a wealthy family and was the top of his class. This has made him quite arrogant, and his status as the captain of the AMP certainly doesn't help matters.
- Sydelius
A councillor who specializes in engineering. He has succeeded in crafting various magical items, although his crowning achievement to date has been building the first functional airship in millennia.
Associates tropes:
- The Engineer: Sydelius works as both a councillor but also as an engineer. His greatest achievement to date has been to reverse engineer the ancient Alentian designs and create the first airship in millennia.
- Grease Monkey: He's quite dirty because he spends his time in the forges fixing things.
- Trittledin
- "Do you think we're running some kind of charity in here? Well, think again! Quid pro quo: that's the name of the game around here!"
An arrogant member of the Council of Mages who sees all non-mages as inferior beings. He has questioned the council's actions on many occasions but his fear of the councillors' power has kept him on a leash. Despite his attitude he knows not to anger his peers too much and his power and intellect are enough for the council to not demote him for the time being. However, he is secretly plotting to take the reins and become the supreme ruler of Alent.
Associated tropes:
- Hot-Blooded: He loses his nerve whenever things don't go his way or if he thinks someone is questioning his authority. Needless to say this happens often and is a source of amusement (or irritation depending on a person) for the Council of Mages.
- Jerkass: He can be charming but is so arrogant and belittling that he angers many in the Alliance with his behaviour.
- Smug Snake: Very much so, constantly belittling the Alliance members whenever he can while claiming to be one of the most skilled mages out there.
- William Charles "Warley" Hil'neer
- "Aren't you proud, old man? Aren't you delighted? You're the master with the strongest apprentice in the world!"
Harrad's apprentice who constantly bemoans how his master concentrates too much on silly things like candy machines instead of more important matters. He turns out to be the culprit behind the mage murders which have been plaguing Alent, and ends up attacking Harrad in order to leech his powers for himself.
Associated tropes:
- A Pupil of Mine Until He Turned to Evil: He worked as the seemingly obedient apprentice to Harrad, but was in fact responsible for the mage murders and eventually planned to finish off Harrad as well and leech his powers to grow stronger.
- I Have Your Wife: He blackmails the Anti Mage Police officer La'melle into helping him cover up his murder tracks by threatening to kill La'melle's wife and children if he doesn't comply.
- Mana Drain: He murders his victims by draining out all their mana and adding it to his own, thus growing more and more powerful the more mages he drains.
- Etna Matheson
A lesbian and highly cunning sorceress, she openly opposes her brothers and wants the leadership of the crime family for herself. She is willing to make a blood pact with the sealed demon lord Yurius to gain necessary powers to make her dreams become reality.
Associated tropes:
- Deal with the Devil: She makes a blood pact with Yurius to gain more power in the family.
- The Starscream: She is not loyal to her big brother Vesuvius, and is constantly planning to kill her brothers to usurp power in the family.
- Galeras Matheson
A boy-loving leader of the assassin branch of the crime family. He forcibly married Amarawyn in a bid to take over the city of Jardine and held the city under his iron grip until heroes from the Grand Alliance liberated the city.
Associated tropes:
- Ephebophile: Although he is attracted to pretty men, he also likes a good romp with teenager boys.
- Gayngster: He is a gangster who loves young boys so yeah.
- I Have You Now, My Pretty: He forces Amarawyn to marry her in exchange for sparing her citizens. He's not interested in her sexually because he's gay, but he doesn't mind letting his minions have their way with her.
- Koryaksky Matheson
A foppish party animal who is also downright ax crazy at times. He is the rabid dog of the family but also extremely effective in getting rid of the Mathesons' enemies. He caused the Maar Sul Gang War but in the end failed in his mission, and he was stabbed in the back by his right hand man Rafe.
Associated tropes:
- Ax-Crazy: Very much so when he gets in the proper mood.
- A Man of Wealth and Taste: He's quite snobbish and dresses in expensive clothes.
- Killed Off for Real: He's betrayed by his right-hand man Rafe for failing in the Maar Sul Gang War. It turns out Rafe was in fact a mole working for Vesuvius all this time and was under orders to kill Koryaksky for being a liability in Vesuvius's plans.
- Vesuvius Matheson
The scheming head of the crime family, he is ruthless and analytical. He was responsible for funding the Proninist invasion of Maar Sul for his own gain and is not afraid of killing off his siblings if they become a threat to his operations. He wishes to take control of all criminal elements in Maar Sul and expand his area of influence to other kingdoms.
Associated tropes:
- Diabolical Mastermind: He's the head of the crime family, and he was responsible for funding the Proninists, thus causing all the chaos in Maar Sul.
- Evil Old Folks: Very much so. He's the oldest of the family and very mean.
- Eadin
Nivek's right-hand man, he's the negotiator of the Nightstalkers.
Associated tropes:
- Manipulative Bastard: Like most of the Nightstalkers' Inner Cicle, he too is skilled in manipulating people to do his bidding.
- Nivek Cheavin
The young but charismatic leader of the Nightstalkers. He wishes to expand his budding criminal group into an actual underworld empire and has put various schemes in motion to ensure that his faction will have a prosperous future ahead of it.
Associated tropes:
- Gangbangers: He's the leader of the Nightstalkers and a skilled thief.
- Manipulative Bastard: He shows signs of this when he interacts with people and manipulates them to do his bidding.
- Royt
A mage specialized in fire, he is more violent than the rest of the Nightstalkers but just as effective. He has recently been promoted into the head of the Nightstlkers' Alentian branch.
Associated tropes:
- Ax-Crazy: He's a loose cannon, always willing to punish people for wrongdoings. He isn't afraid to hurt as many people as possible if it benefits the Nightstalkers.
- Antigonus de Ardyn
- "The fate that befell me was in many ways like death... only worse. But I swore that I'd return to have my revenge on the demon who defied me, and that day has finally dawned."
The former leader of the Order of the Black Rose and the older brother of Belial, he is a cunning politician and schemer. He became bitter after he escaped from a dimensional prison and vowed revenge on those who had wronged him. He impersonated Belial for a while in order to win the Grand Alliance's trust and still managed to work out a deal after he was exposed. He is even more mysterious than his brother and as power-hungry.
Associated tropes:
- Avenging the Villain: Sort of, depending on whether you count Belial as a villain or not. This is definitely Antigonus's driving purpose at the moment, though, to find the people responsible for his death and make them pay.
- Dead Person Impersonation: Antigonus acted as Belial for a while, fooling the Alliance into trusting him.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: He really cares for his family members.
- Familiar: He has a rat familiar called Bifrons who can cast some minor spells.
- Headbutting Heroes: He doesn't quite get along with Waldheim and has verbal spats with him although not to the same extent as Belial did. It has to do with what happened to them when they were younger.
- Magic Knight: He is skilled in the use of both magic and sword.
- Manipulative Bastard: He wins the Matheson Crime Family's trust when he helps them invade Jardine after the Grand Alliance has left for Vanna. He poses as Belial to win the Alliance's trust and even after being exposed and imprisoned, he manages to make a deal with his captors. He goes so far as to plant seeds of doubt in Razoul and Rain's mind when he implies that he made them fall in love simply because he was bored while being imprisoned and wanted to amuse himself in order to pass the time.
- Not Quite Dead: Antigonus was presumed dead after his climactic clash with Omaroch in the Order's headquarters. However, he ended up in another dimension in which he spent quite a few years until a magical surge made it possible for him to return to the Land of the Living. Too bad he never got to reunite with Belial because by that time Belial was already dead. This understandably pissed him off.
- Promotion to Parent: Antigonus was this to his younger brother Belial when their parents died. He took care of him, helped him study magic and worked hard to provide both of them a better future. When the two got older, the parental status faded, and they became brothers who remained close until the very end.
- Sibling Team: With Belial before Antigonus was sealed into another plane of existence. By the time he returns to the material plane and finds out that Belial is gone, he's not pleased.
- Belial de Ardyn
- "I'll rebuild my Order even if I have to drown the whole world in blood."
A contemplative red mage with a shrouded past and dubious motives, he appears to a bunch of adventurers and convinces them to help him combat the menace of the Proninist armies and the Totenkopf cult. He succeeds in convincing Remoners to form the Grand Alliance again but it turns out he's only in it for his own good as he wishes to use the Alliance's resources to strengthen his secret Order. He ends up entangled too deep in the Totenkopfs' plans, however, and is killed off. Despite this his legacy has left its mark on many people, most notably his servant Khalid who turns out to be his son and heir.
Associated tropes:
- Ancient Conspiracy: He leads the Order of the Black Rose which has been behind various political machinations over the years.
- Anti-Hero: Although Belial works for the Grand Alliance, he does it for selfish reasons and is more than willing to slaughter a few people in order to make his Order grow more powerful.
- Avenging the Villain: Belial has sworn to hunt down Omaroch who killed Belial's would-be tyrant brother Antigonus. He never manages to fulfill his blood oath, however, because he is betrayed and assassinated in Maar Sul City.
- Berserk Button: Those who insulted his dead lover Razia quickly learned to regret doing so.
- Death Is Dramatic: Being betrayed by one's niece and falling off a tower certainly counts.
- Et Tu, Brute?: He ends up getting stabbed by his niece Desdemona who turns out to be a Totenkopf mole.
- Familiar: He has a raven familiar called Valefor who acts as his eyes and ears in places which he can't reach.
- Headbutting Heroes: He doesn't really get along with Waldheim and has verbal spats with him. It has to do with what happened to them when they were younger.
- Killed Mid-Sentence: He never manages to finish his final words to his niece because he plummets down from a tower to his death.
- Magic Knight: Belial is skilled in both spellcasting and close combat.
- Manipulative Bastard: As skilled in this as his older brother, Belial knows how to get people on his side. His act actually works until the god Nergal exposes his double dealings to the Alliance. His reason for helping the Alliance was far from altruistic: he only wanted their aid to stabilize Maar Sul and thus help his Order grow in power.
- Papa Wolf: He is extremely protective of his family members and friends. Try hurting them and you'll experience a world of pain.
- Pet the Dog: He really cares for all his family members, wishing for nothing more than to see them live a happy life. He encourages them when necessary and even when he doesn't receive any thanks or hugs, he keeps doing it anyway because family is that important to him.
- Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness: Belial is quite verbose, and many jokes are derived from his heavy use of fancy words.
- Sibling Team: With Antigonus before Antigonus was sealed into another plane of existence.
- So Proud of You: Belial tells this to his bodyguard Khalid when Khalid finally reveals himself as an exiled noble from Vanna in front of the Maar Sulais court, and he promises to do his best to aid Khalid. He also explains that from that moment on Khalid can forge his own path independently. However, at that point Khalid doesn't yet know that Belial is his father.
- Desdemona de Ardyn
- "I shall be your queen who will turn this land prosperous and strong once more."
A polite and cunning sorceress who is often at the centre of whatever political machination is going on. She usually stands back and let others do the work for her but there are times when she can get serious... and when she does so, be very, very afraid. She murdered her uncle Belial and plotted to make King Marcus marry her in order to take over the kingdom, but the invasion of the undead derailed her plans.
Associated tropes:
- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: She acts as the stereotypic kind noblewoman but in truth she's a backstabbing manipulator who wants to stay in power by any means necessary. Ax is the only one so far who seems to have figured out that there's more to her than meets the eye...even if that observation is derived from jealousy which Ax feels when Marcus seems infatuated with Desdemona.
- Black Magic: She's a skilled black mage.
- Brother–Sister Incest: She has an affair with her brother Mordecai, which results in her getting pregnant.
- Daddy's Little Villain: Pretty much so. The only people she really cares for are her father Antigonus and brother Mordecai.
- Evil Plan: What she intends to do is to seduce Marcus, give birth to a baby (which she will claim is his whether it really is or not), get married to Marcus or at least legitimize her son as his heir, and then dispose of Marcus quietly and install herself on the throne as the caretaker of Marcus's heir, which effectively makes her the Queen of Remon.
- Manipulative Bastard: She is Antigonus's daughter, after all...
- The Mole: Although she pretends to work for the Order of the Black Rose, she's in fact in league with the Totenkopfs.
- Mordecai de Ardyn
A quiet, determined knight who has to wear an enchanted armor in order to keep the Blood Fever in check. He ends up being kidnapped by the Totenkopfs, but it later turns out it was just a ruse because he went with them willingly to perfect the Blood Fever in order to make it affect all races. He cares for his half-sister Desdemona deeply.
Associated tropes:
- Brother–Sister Incest: He has an affair with his sister Desdemona who gets pregnant as a result.
- Cool Helmet: He wears one.
- Disability Superpower: He is the Progenitor, the mortal container of the Blood Fever. This state allows him to have a passive anti-magic field which is perfect for sneaking up on powerful mages without them realizing it until it's too late.
- Half-Human Hybrid: He's a half-elf.
- The Mole: He is in fact in league with the Totenkopfs, and his kidnapping was staged in order to fool the heroes and to let him operate more freely.
- Monster Progenitor: One of two, actually, him being the male variant. He carries the gestated form of Blood Fever within him, and thanks to him the Fever began spreading uncontrollably. The Alliance hasn't realized this yet.
- The Stoic: He talks very little. When he talks, you'd better listen to what he has to say.
- Tin Tyrant: He is forced to wear an enchanted armor to stay alive because he's been infected with the Blood Fever.
- Koschei Dravaris
- "Your power is over. I've come to change the Order."
The wily second-in-command of the Order of the Black Rose. He is a conniving noble with a dark past and even darker plans. Despite his ambition and powers he hasn't become a known threat, merely preferring to influence things from the shadows while keeping up a good public image.
Associated tropes:
- Aristocrats Are Evil: He's a duke and very evil indeed.
- Beard of Evil: Just look at him.
- The Chessmaster: He's very good at planning things.
- Dragon with an Agenda: Is this to Antigonus and later the Master.
- Man of Wealth and Taste: He lives a luxurious life, so yeah.
- The Reveal: Has several, in fact. He ends up being the Totenkopf mole whom Belial has been looking for and who orchestrates Belial's assassination with the Master of the Totenkopfs, he turns out to be another surviving Lefein besides Daven, and in the past he was known as Vulture, a member of Haruko's and Katsutoshi's band of outlaws who sold them out to Gilgamesh.
- There Is Another: He turns out to be a Lefein just like Daven, but unlike Daven he is evil.
- Villain with Good Publicity: He's pretty much looked upon as a worthy authority figure but he in fact has the Maar Sulais police under his control and has sowed the seeds of discord among the Alliance.
- Irinthiel Maurath / "Shadow"
Lieutenant of the Shadowstrike team of Alent's Anti Mage Police who is codenamed "Shadow". She's tasked with investigating the breakout of the necromancer Razravkar Dominus from the Alentian cells as well as find out anything they can about Private Clinton's murder which Razravkar has seemingly been involved in. She realizes she's ended up in a big mess when she has a face off with "Axikasha Keiran" who beats her when she tries to interrogate Refan for the recent demon appearances in Alent. She's the lover of Varjo.
Associated tropes:
- Jade-Colored Glasses: She becomes disillusioned with Alent after she witnesses how far the mages of her home city are willing to go to put an end to the Sarquil death. She reaches a breaking point when she discovers the horrific sight of a city district after it has been magically bombed and sees countless Sarquil children and parents dead, and she begins questioning if her serving Alent had been the right path for her.
- Half-Human Hybrid: She's a half-elf.
- Master of Illusion: She's an illusionist and is capable of creating ethereal copies of herself to confuse her enemies.
- Snark Knight: She loves to snark at people, including her superiors.
- Straight Gay: She's in a relationship with Varjo.
- "Kage"
A graceful member of Shadowstrike codenamed "Kage", he follows orders to the letter.
Associated tropes:
- Dude Looks Like a Lady: He looks a bit feminine.
- "Ombre"
A member of Shadowstrike codenamed "Ombre", he ends up paired with Ying Zi much to his displeasure when he realizes what a flirt she is. However, it's thanks to this partnership that he and Ying Zi discover new evidence which links the Clinton murder case to a wider conspiracy. However, the pair die during the Threshold Riot in the hands of an angry Sarquil mob from whom they came to save the rest of their team, and they take the information they've gained with them to their graves.
Associated tropes:
- Killed Off for Real: Dies at the hands of an angry Sarquil mob during the riot while protecting his team members from their wrath.
- "Schatten"
Shadowstrike's second in command codenamed "Schatten", he is a no-nonsense guy who is close to Irinthiel.
Associated tropes:
- In the Hood: Likes to wear a hood to cover his features...and because he thinks it makes him look badass.
- Rosalind / "Varjo"
A member of Shadowstrike codenamed "Varjo", she's effective albeit somewhat hotheaded and rather rough on anyone standing in her way. She delivers a Union operative to her teammates for questioning, which allows Irinthiel to discover that the Union thieves guild is connected to Razravkar's jailbreak. She's the lover of Irinthiel.
Associated tropes:
- Bare-Fisted Monk: She's an unarmed melee fighter who can cause some serious damage with her kicks and punches among other things.
- Fiery Redhead: She has red hair and is rather hot-tempered and impulsive.
- Good Old Fisticuffs: She uses her fists and legs as a means to defeat opponents, regardless of if she faces warriors or mages.
- Straight Gay: She's in a relationship with Irinthiel.
- "Ying Zi"
A somewhat ditzy dwarfess who tends to flirt with people. Despite her occasional clumsiness she's an effective white mage and a competent detective. She ends up joining Shadowstrike under the codename "Ying Zi" and becomes a valuable albeit occasionally frustrating member to the team. She teams up with fellow operative Ombre and discover new evidence which links the Clinton murder case to a wider conspiracy. However, the pair die during the Threshold Riot in the hands of an angry Sarquil mob from whom they came to save the rest of their team, and they take the information they've gained with them to their graves.
Associated tropes:
- Bunny-Ears Lawyer: She may look and act like a ditz most of the time but is also a competent white mage and observant detective which is why she's asked to join Shadowstrike in its investigations.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Implied to have one of these, and she did witness her homeland's destruction until Durin saved her and brought her with him to Alent. Still, memories won't weigh her down, and she keeps up a positive attitude despite what she's been through.
- The Determinator: When she begins investigating a murder case, she won't stop until she's solved it...even though she may occasionally lose her focus momentarily by any handsome guy or pretty girl who passes by.
- Handsome Lech: She's a pretty girl who isn't afraid of openly flirting with people, telling juicy tales about her sexual exploits, comparing men's penis sizes and generally making many men around her uncomfortable...even more so if she gets drunk.
- Killed Off for Real: Dies at the hands of an angry Sarquil mob during the riot while protecting her team members from their wrath.
- The Medic: Serves in this role in Shadowstrike, healing people and using her white magic to detect dark auras.
- Sixth Ranger: She joins the already established five-man Shadowstrike team because Captain Reinbach believes the team could use a white mage of her caliber (and because the captain wants to both punish Irinthiel for her teasing him earlier by forcing her to take care of the ditzy dwarf but also to get Ying Zi out of his office so he can concentrate on other matters). She adapts to her new team pretty quickly, particularly when she finds out that Shadowstrike is full of handsome men and beautiful women she can flirt with.
- Garth "Dash" Tyrell
The Phoenix Knight and a master swordsman, he acts as Geraden's right-hand man.
Associated tropes:
- Cool Sword: He wields the Grand Flamberge de Calisse, which is a big, nasty two-handed sword. Despite its size, Garth wields it with surprising finesse even in duels.
- The Dragon: He acts as Geraden's right-hand man.
- Even the Guys Want Him: He's very handsome and knows it, sometimes using it to his advantage.
- Evil Redhead: Pretty much.
- Master Swordsman: He's really skilled in the use of the blade, hence his nickname "Dash".
- The Mole: He actually impersonated a loyal Maar Sulais officer for a while and helped the Fellowship of Maar Sul reach Trinity Gask. However, once there, he betrayed the fellowship and left them there to die at the hands of the Coalition.
- Geraden Aurelac
- "I have not come here to tender my surrender, but to accept yours."
The Dark Prince of Maar Sul who was thought lost after the war but who has recently resurfaced in Port Dunross with plans to take over the kingdom from his cousin, King Gerard. He was twisted by Marya who turned him into a ruthless, cunning tactician who'll stop at nothing to carry on Kagetsu the Dark Andain's legacy. He has formed the True Aurelac army which plans to seize Maar Sul City by force.
Associated tropes:
- Cool Sword: He wields Dokubaraken, the Blade of the Poison Rose, which was once wielded by his ancestor Kagetsu the Dark Andain himself.
- The Evil Prince: He's a prince and wishes to depose his cousin, King Gerard, from power because he sees Gerard as unfit to rule Maar Sul.
- The Usurper: He plans to seize the throne of Maar Sul for himself.
- Young Conqueror: He's only 16 but is already leading the True Aurelac army.
- Marya Aurelac
- "What's the point in learning anything? If you wait until after you need it to learn anything, you're going to wind up dead."
The wife of Kagetsu the Dark Andain who survived her husband's death. Struck by grief after Kagetsu's demise, she's been plotting behind the scenes and has molded Prince Geraden to restore Maar Sul to the power it once held under Kagetsu. Once she's done everything she could for Geraden, she suffers from guilt from all her crimes and commits suicide to be reunited with her husband.
Associated tropes:
- Driven to Suicide: She chooses to commit suidice with a special poison because she can't stand being separated from Kagetsu anymore and because she's driven by the guilt of all the horrible things she's done to prepare Geraden for his destiny.
- Ephebophile: She ends up boinking Geraden as a means to control him, and this has been implied to have happened since his teen years. Made even more squicky by the fact that it's essentially incest too because Geraden is her direct descendant.
- It should be noted, however, that he is her descendant after more than 1000 years. Genetically they are only tangentially related, the same way a pair of forty-second cousins are. In other words, entirely different people.
- Evil Mentor: She acts like this to Geraden, teaching him forbidden magics and twisting him to pave way for his rise to power.
- Really 700 Years Old: She was granted immortality by Kagetsu's spell and survived all the way from the First Age to the present day...only to end up committing suicide after she has taught everything she could to Geraden.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: She wishes to strengthen Maar Sul and restore its former glory...but sadly that vision requires bloodshed.
- Raul Emmenson
- "I've killed countless innocents in my time, it's high time I actually protect something."
A snarky thief who belongs to an influential thieves' guild known as the Union Workers. His mad ex-wife is trying to murder him every once in a while.
Associated tropes:
- Anti-Hero: He's this but mostly because he actively doesn't want to be a hero, because of his traditions, but he's still a legitimately good person. He is much more morally flexible in his methods than his allies, however.
- The Atoner: Raul used to be much more liberal with his knives, willing to kill or manipulate anybody until he had to kill his wife and couldn't do it. Since then, he's tried to do good things more often, and used more finesse.
- The Chessmaster: Raul used to do this quite frequently, and he will probably start using it again now that he's mixed up with the Alliance.
- Deadpan Snarker: Raul pretty much keeps going at it every chance he gets.
- Even Evil Has Standards: When Raul was much, much darker, at the height of his cruelty, he could kill children if necessary and not lose sleep over it, but as soon as he was forced to kill for no reason, he came into intense personal reflection. He was plainly incapable of killing his own wife, even knowing what would happen if he didn't, but he wanted to wait until Madeline had truly been lost without hope before killing her. Didn't save the rest of his family, though.
- Faking the Dead: Does this after he learns that Razravkar has died under shady circumstances and that the rest of the Dresdens, who he's part of, are being targeted. He does this to protect himself from reprisals but also to secretly reorganize the Union, whose leadership he has come to see as incompetent and corrupt, from the inside.
- Impossible Thief: He can sometimes fall into what seems like this, and he's not even the best in his generation.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He can be ruthless and snarky at times and moan about having to act like a hero which is bad for business, but underneath that tough skin is a person who's actually nicer than he'd care to admit.
- The Lost Lenore: His wife is some version of this, having previously been a very good person, and their relationship was improving from a very rocky patch when she got addicted by a
Magnificent Bastard for a mind-altering drug. - Sugar-and-Ice Personality: He acts in quite a cold, ruthless manner once he reveals himself as being not that oafish as his initial appearance made it seem. However, travelling with his new Alliance companions makes him grow fonder of them even though he occasionally tries to deny the fact that he is befriending them over time.
- Arcturius
A young bard who lived his early years in a secluded forest home until his mother, the witch Helena the Grey, went missing. He's now searching for her and ends up experiencing the outside world for the first time in his life.
Associated tropes:
- Abusive Parents: His mother Helena was rather cruel in how she raised him him: Including scarring him for defying her orders. Arcturius recently discovered just what kind of person she is and has run away from her.
- Badass on Paper: Looking at his accomplishments and what he's survived, most wouldn't expect him to be a stuttering, socially awkward boy that is still learning to swing a sword properly.
- Berserk Button: Lies, betrayal and manipulation are a very quick way to end up on his bad side.
- Beware the Nice Ones: Despite his problems, Arc is still mostly a decent kid who will try to aid those in need and rarely ever acts in cruelty. He has also tried (and nearly succeeded) to cut off Razravkar's arm when he attacked Haruko, nearly slit Kleodora's throat and charged into the forest to kill her after assuming she killed Beira. And, finally, stabbed Corwin Finian in the chest when given the opportunity because of the other's role in planning the Malperdy Incident.
- His rescue of Illyria and Bella firmly puts him in this territory. Up until this point, Arc was willingly co-operating with the Coalition and even considered joining them. But, after Simon tried to have him partake in mind-controlling soup he chose to defy them and rescue Illyria from their custody and escape. This results in the the release of Jezebeth and also a number of beasts the coalition was keeping captive. The beasts proceed to wreak havoc and cause substantial damage to the Manor as well as kill a number of Coalition soldiers.
- Break the Cutie: The things he saw in Malperdy caused him to have a mental breakdown.
- Happens again in Survivor's Woods. Once it's revealed he's been duped by another kitsune, he starts laughing.
- Hates Being Touched: A side-effect of his abusive parent means he associates being touched with harm, making him uncomfortable with it.
- Indy Ploy: His rescue of Bella was basically a big one of these.
- Innocent Prodigy: Academically, Arcturius is very capable. He's trained in how to perform alchemy, displays some strategic smarts and is well versed in bardic lore and songs of power. As most people don't expect a stuttering boy to be quite so capable, this ends up throwing many for a loop. Unfortunately, while he has good problem solving skills and academic smarts he knows almost nothing about basic everyday things and doesn't know how the real world outside of stories works.
- Kid Hero: Deconstructed. His youth and naivete are the major cause of his problems, causing his decline in mental state.
- Magic Music: His "Songs of Power" are capable of producing magical effects.
- Not-So-Harmless Villain: What he becomes in the eyes of the Coalition after pulling off his escape and rescue.
- Roaring Rampage of Revenge: Attacks a nymph without reserve when he thinks she's just killed his friend in front of him.
- Sanity Slippage: He wasn't fully stable to begin with, but the events of Malperdy and the Forest have begun taking their toll on his mental state as well as start showing more ruthless and violent sides to himself.
- Scars Are Forever: Has one thanks to part of his face being burnt when he was younger.
- The Smart Guy: Of a sort. While he's book smart and has come up with a number of idea's to aid the party, even saving their lives or getting them on track, this is counter-acted by his lack of experience with the outside world and his naivete. As of recently, he's started to overcome this.
- Spanner in the Works: For The Totenkopfs, Dark Elves and Haruko. All in the same day and at the same time, too!
- Speech Impediment: He s-stutters a l-lot.
- Sword Fight: Training with a sword pretty much ends up as this between him and Osmond.
- Teach Me How To Fight: Asks Osmond to teach him how to use a sword.
- Throw the Dog a Bone: After being betrayed, traumatized, abandoned and manipulated he finally succeeds in something he sets out to do without any of the above happening. The task being Saving Bella and Illyria and escaping Coalition custody.
- Trauma Conga Line: Goes through one of these in Malperdy, which ultimately leads to his Break the Cutie Moment. Although, one can make the argument most of his life has been this.
- Unstoppable Rage: When he thinks Beira's just been killed in front of him.
- Wandering Minstrel: He's a young bard.
- Wrong Genre Savvy: Started off believing the world operated like it did in fairy tales and fables, leading him to assume his quest to rescue Haruko is a typical heroic rescue of a damsel. NOPE!
- Cailleach Bheur / Beira
A young Sinlarine shaman who also knows witchcraft unlike most of her peers. She is often mocked and feared in the Sinlarine community because of her white hair which is seen as a bad omen.
Associated tropes:
- Cute Witch: She's a pretty teenager and a witch even if she tries to keep her witch training a secret from others.
- Damsel in Distress: Becomes this when the Coalition takes her and her caretaker Earnan as hostages in Trinity Gask.
- Dark and Troubled Past: She lost her parents in a Faerfolc attack and has had to constantly prove herself to the superstitious Sinlarine clans. However, she also harbors a dark secret about her heritage...
- Nature Lover: She's in tune with nature thanks to her Sinlarine shaman heritage.
- Wise Beyond Their Years: She's quite knowledgeable about many things, more so than many girls her age, although she can make errors too every now and then because she tends to take a few things at face value.
- Erai Dalfar
- "Would you rather me be naked?"
A half-elf on a journey to master magic, with which he has no innate talent. He's later revealed to be the father of Arcturius and makes a pact with the wind elemental Zephyr to help restore her powers.
Associated tropes:
- Guardian Entity: Zephyr the wind elemental becomes this to Erai after she chooses him to make a pact with her.
- Half-Human Hybrid: Half-elf.
- Mushroom Samba: Inhaled pollen of the White Flame flower, which made him high.
- The Chosen One: Quite reluctantly chosen by a wayward Wind Elemental to help her.
- Luckily, My Shield Will Protect Me: Uses a small shield to deflect blows.
- Luke, I Am Your Father: Is revealed to be Arcturius's father via a one-night stand he once had with Helena. Learning that Arcturius is his son comes as a surprise to him, and he still isn't quite sure what to make of it, so he only gives Arc vague hints about them being related afterwards.
- Heroes Prefer Swords: Wields a tailored sword with an heirloom gem in the guard.
- Erikur Spald
A blacksmith who wishes to use his forge to create the perfect magical item. After losing his father during the undead invasion of Remon, he has begun wandering around, doing odd jobs no matter what factions he ends up helping in the process. After getting involved in shady deals, he ends up drawn to the mystery surrounding the enigmatic Stormborn cult and, guided by a voice, he decides to learn more about them.
Associated tropes:
- BFS: Forged one. The magic within has not revealed the powers bestowed to it. It is named 'Wrath.'
- The Blacksmith: He's a blacksmith who's above average and wishes to become better as time progresses.
- The Chosen One: Was chosen by what is called the Voice of Lightning as the first Stormborn in millennia.
- Good Scars, Evil Scars: Bears an enormous ropy scar down one side of his face.
- The Quest: After he gets involved with paranormal entities, he decides to uncover the secret of the mysterious Stormborn no matter what happens to him and wherever his quest may take him.
- Would Hurt a Child: He ends up killing a defenseless troll child after he has killed its parents because he can't take care of it and as it would only slow him down and because he believes that leaving the child behind to starve to death is a far more cruel alternative than granting it a Mercy Kill.
- Gilgamesh
- "Regret is such a funny word. Only weaklings have regrets! In my life I've learned this much: take what you can when you can! And if you all stand between me and my wench, I'll just take your lives as compensation!"
A fierce warrior from an earlier age, he shares a history with several people of the past, most notably Haruko and Katsutoshi who, like him, were trapped in time until they emerged millennia later from their crystal prisons. Gilgamesh is intent on having his way with Haruko and any other woman he deems desirable enough, and is more than willing to backstab allies and crush anyone who stands in his way as he prefers a state of constant war to time of peace.
Associated tropes:
- Big Bad Wannabe: He views himself as a warrior everyone should fear and gloats about planning to become king without realizing that others are actually the ones in control and use him as a means to an end. However, in the end he's outdone when his ally considers him too dangerous to keep around and also because he hurt said ally's daughter.
- The Brute: He's quite powerful and used as muscle but he's also cunning enough to know how to deceive people when he feels like it.
- Fish out of Temporal Water: He's been trapped in the magical crystal for a long time. When he gets free and sees how the world has changed, he laments how everything has turned for worse and that his opponents are pathetic compared to the ones he fought in the past.
- He-Man Woman Hater: He absolute despises the present age's female warriors, believing that the only proper place for a woman is at a man's feet.
- Implacable Man: For reasons that remain shrouded in mystery, he's able to take quite a punishment, even standing up after his spine has been severed when he claims he is close to regaining his full power. It takes a sea serpent attacking and swallowing him to finally stop him...until he emerges from his decapitated body as a lich which explains how he's endured so much abuse without even an eyeblink.
- Killed Off for Real: After all the abuse he has endured, he's finally brought down for good when Hiroki crushes the warrior's phylactery and thus sends Gilgamesh's lich spirit to the Land of the Dead.
- No One Could Survive That!: He gets his spine severed and is swallowed by a sea serpent, which should've killed any man...but he still makes one last attempt at threatening people by manifesting his lich spirit and attempting to possess one of his enemies.
- Haruko Mizushima / Enchantress of the Spring / Izanami-no-Mikoto
An amnesiac girl who was released from a magical crystal and is said to be the current host of Laverna, the Goddess of Thieves. She's doing what she can to remember more about her past, which involves a mysterious wanderer called Katsutoshi Kobayashi, who seems to have a deep connection to her. She's essentially like a fish out of water in a time period she isn't familiar with and isn't quite sure who she can really trust and who is just trying to use her for their own gain. She eventually regains her memories and finds out she's in fact a rogue kitsune and the mate of Katsutoshi and that she had made a pact with Laverna in the past, which is now also affecting her children.
Associated tropes:
- Asian Fox Spirit: It's eventually revealed that her human form is a mere disguise because she's actually an amnesiac kitsune. Once she regains her memories, she can shapeshift at will between her various forms.
- Cry into Chest: She does this to Katsutoshi in a flashback after a tense experience which involved losing something important to her.
- Damsel in Distress: She ends up in this role first when she's trapped in Castle Barjassil until Katsutoshi helps her flee, and later when she's captured again and taken to the maze-like Malperdy.
- Femme Fatale: When Haruko was called the Enchantress of the Spring in the past, she was notorious for seducing men and using them for her own ends while being morally ambiguous and not even shy of killing people if that allowed her to steal valuables.
- Fish out of Temporal Water: She's been trapped in the magical crystal for a long time and is trying to adjust herself to the time period she's ended up in while learning what's been going on in the world in her absence.
- Foreign-Language Tirade: Whenever Haruko gets really upset by Thorn's or any other man's antics, she starts cursing in her native Yamatian tongue.
- Headbutt of Love: She does this with Katsutoshi in a flashback after they've been through a traumatic experience in order to deal with the consequences of their actions and to comfort one another.
- High Priest: She's one of the two high clerics of Laverna, the Goddess of Thieves, and holds the title Izanami-no-Mikoto.
- Mama Bear: She's very protective of her young.
- Mysterious Waif: She appears out of a crystal and is mistaken for the Goddess of Thieves at first until she's revealed to be an amnesiac, seemingly ordinary girl who simply has a goddess trapped inside her body. She becomes the target of many factions who want to use her for their own ends, and some people side with her to keep her safe from evil forces. It's slowly revealed that there's more to her than meets the eye and she might not be as innocent a victim as the heroes initially assumed.
- Outlaw Couple: She and her lover Katsutoshi were this, becoming notorious thieves in their own time.
- Quest for Identity: When she wakes up from her long slumber thanks to a botched revival ritual, she can initially only remember her name, but she's rapidly gaining more and more of her memories back even though she's still disoriented about waking up in an unknown land. She intends to restore her past to understand who she is and what role she might play in the plots of various factions. She eventually finds out more about her past and who she actually is, but this information comes with a heavy price.
- Rage Against the Mentor: Haruko ends up calling out her mentor, the priestess Inari Okami, who wishes to keep her in the Grove against her wishes. Haruko wants to see the world with her beloved Katsutoshi, but Inari insists that she has to leave behind and desert Katsutoshi because she has a destiny as the guardian of the World Tree and that leaving would have bad consequences. Their arguments escalate into an all-out brawl during which the enraged Haruko fatally wounds Inari, thus committing murder, a dark act which poisons the once pure World Tree and makes her flee from the Grove with Katsutoshi.
- Sealed Inside a Person-Shaped Can: She holds the Goddess of Thieves inside her body thanks to a botched revival ritual, which makes her the target of many factions who want to use the goddess's powers for their own gain. Her role as a vessel ends once she gives birth to her twins, one of whom the goddess possesses to use for her plans.
- Shapeshifting Lover: She acted like this for a time to lull people into a false sense of security before she stole their valuable treasures.
- Speaks Fluent Animal: She can talk to and understand various animals. It foreshadows the fact that she's a kitsune as well as a former cleric of Gaea, the Goddess of the Earth, as kitsune and many followers of Gaea can understand different animals.
- Surprise Pregnancy: She's disoriented after her long slumber but slowly starts to put things together when she notices her lack of periods, her cravings for odd food combinations and getting fatter. It isn't until a few words trigger some of her memories that she realizes she's in fact pregnant...and said pregnancy is sped up by magic of the goddess Laverna who has plans for Haruko's children.
- Tsundere: Very much so. Most times she's polite and restrained but if anyone actually tries to flirt with her and touch her, she turns downright hostile. It's eventually revealed that such behaviour has to do with her being abused in the past.
- Voluntary Shapeshifting: She can shapeshift between her fox and human form as well as the youko, a monstrous kitsune mix of the two.
- Wacky Cravings: She starts asking for strange combinations of food, including the mix of strawberry jam and pasta, in Hidefall and has a voracious appetite. This is the first hint that she's pregnant.
- Jacob O'Harris
The older brother of Jason. He's more serious than his brother and does everything in his power to keep him safe from harm.
Associated tropes:
- Big Brother Instinct: He acts as his younger brother's caretaker and does everything he can to protect him.
- Foolish Sibling, Responsible Sibling: He's the responsible sibling, always saving his brother from trouble.
- Parental Abandonment: The brothers' parents died during a bandit attack.
- Sibling Team: With his brother, of course.
- Jason O'Harris
The younger brother of Jacob. He's more adventurous than his brother and more outspoken and impulsive, which often gets him in trouble.
Associated tropes:
- Foolish Sibling, Responsible Sibling: He's the foolish sibling, always causing trouble because of his impulsive behaviour, and his brother has to save him from time to time.
- Parental Abandonment: The brothers' parents died during a bandit attack.
- Sibling Team: With his brother, of course.
- Javan al-Kassis
- "I'm a merchant, not a gambler. And it's not that I like the idea of getting embroiled in something nasty. But I know better than most that a lot of good things don't get the investment they need because people are afraid of the risk. So that's what I'm doing."
An albino Sarquil merchant who studies magic unlike most Sarquil. He ends up entangled in a plot with various shady characters while he's trying to keep his modest business running. He tends to try to find a diplomatic solution to every conflict with varying levels of success.
Associated tropes:
- Dark and Troubled Past: His home village was razed and his entire clan was slain by demons. He ended up in one of the Alentian gangs until most of the gang members died or went horribly insane in the Threshold district. His experiences with the demons in Threshold eventually made him seek another path... that of a diplomatic merchant.
- Guile Hero: He uses his wits to outsmart and outmaneuver stronger and more numerous opponents, often turning the tables in his favour.
- Intrepid Merchant: Javan travels far and wide in hopes of profits, selling wares in one place and buying things to sell in another location and so forth. He ends up in quite a few adventures because of it, and he likes meeting people during his journeys.
- Odd Friendship: With Refan the half-demon thief and Jahi the demon Matron of Threshold.
- Time Master: He's a time mage and can manipulate time a little at a time although it quickly wears him out.
- Oscar Locke
An old paladin and the father of Osmond, he ended up trapped in Shipwreck Cove where he has become a notable healer among the Blue Dragon pirates since the Cataclysm. After beating the traitorous captain Kusotare and besting his friend Susumu in a duel, Oscar has become the newest pirate captain and owner of the Seastrider. He wishes to return to his family someday, assuming they are still alive, but is bound by his paladin promise to Kuro Tori for the time being.
Associated tropes:
- Badass Cape: A full mantle.
- Beware the Nice Ones: Part of his Cool Old Guy routine is how nice he is. He'll still kick your ass if you piss him off too much, and he isn't afraid to let beings far more powerful than him know what he's thinking of no matter how badly such an act may backfire.
- Combat Medic: Can fight but also knows how to heal. Comes with being a paladin.
- Did You Just Flip Off Cthulhu?: Does this to Tiamat, the Goddess of the Sea, when he grows tired of her berating mortal races and lets her know how he feels about it. His response angers Tiamat so much that the goddess finally decides to take action, which includes an attempt to shatter Oscar's sanity as well as drown the entire world.
- Disappeared Dad: To his son Osmond due to ending up in the Cove where he has spent over a decade. He wishes to return to his family, though, and hopes that they're still alive.
- Good Is Not Dumb: Is liable to catch subtle clues as to what a person is really up to despite only boasting one eye.
- Good Is Not Nice: He can be very ruthless when he feels like diplomacy will no longer work, and he'll do his utmost to dispose of his enemies, even if it leads to messy results.
- Handicapped Badass: Lost an eye in the war eleven years ago.
- Happily Married: He is, but there's been an eleven year hole in that happiness, what with him being trapped in a Wretched Hive.
- Knight in Shining Armor: While sour at times, Oscar's still too much of an optimist to be a Knight in Sour Armor.
- Off with His Head!: Decapitates Kusotare and, seemingly out of nowhere, the corpse of Gilgamesh when he spots it in Devilfish Strait. The latter nearly ends up badly for him when Gilgamesh's dark spirit manifests from the decapitated torso.
- The Paladin: He championed the cause of Light and is trained in healing. His time in the Cove has somewhat muddled his view of the world by turning him more ruthless but he still tries to stay faithful to his paladin upbringing.
- Snark Knight: Especially when he's around Decanus and Susumu.
- Touched by Vorlons: He temporarily wields the power of the Stormborn after he makes a pact with the Voice of Thunder by shattering the Eye of Thunder, the gem which was keeping the entity imprisoned. He manages to use the power, combined with three other characters and objects, to shatter the Eye, and uses it one last time to expose a magically cloaked group in Tiamat's domain before he's brought down to normal again.
- What Were You Thinking?: Oscar intrudes upon Tiamat's domain in Devilfish Strait and tries to have her make a difference, but when she rebuts him and tells him that she wants to be left alone, he calls her out on sealing herself away when she could've done some good in the world. This ends up royally pissing Tiamat off and in an act of anger the goddess decides that she's seen enough mortal stupidity and decides to drown the world...all because Oscar couldn't control his temper and berated her just a bit too much to her liking. Well played, Oscar.
- You Kill It, You Bought It: He receives ownership of Kusotare's ship after killing him and proving his worth to the pirates of the Cove.
- Osmond Cordae Locke
- "Despair's wake is wide and far-reaching, but hope can counteract it, if the light it brings is not snuffed out before it catches."
A paladin who discovers an ancient prophecy and wishes to decipher its cryptic phrases, hoping that it might give him and others a clue how to save the world from conflicts which ravage it. Rather than an interpretation, the prophecy happens to him and he is given a new quest, which is revealed to be a pack of lies. Is trying to get to the bottom of this.
Associated tropes:
- Ancestral Weapon: His sword was inherited from his father, and it was lightly implied that his father received it from his own father.
- Armor Is Useless: Played with. When training Arc, he explained that the purpose of armor was not to take every strike thrown at you but to make a fatal strike merely damaging, and encouraged caution even when wearing it.
- Beleaguered Assistant: What Os's relationship with "Rose" was when he acted as her guardian.
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Chaotic Good: Surprisingly for a paladin, he was trained to be this. He's also pointed out that he has a problem letting trouble out from under his nose. - Church Militant: He is a paladin, armed effectively to the teeth, and is working for a church alongside six others. Not very militant, but every little bit counts.
- Cool Sword: Old, runes carved in it, shiny. All it needs now is to glow and have some sort of long distance capability.
- Recently got his ancestor's one. Also shiny, and held on to its power for over 1000 years before surrendering it to Osmond. The one he had before now glows.
- Darkest Hour: Ends up in one during the Battle of Survivor's Woods when his enemies are about to overpower him and his companions and are close to succeeding in their plans...and then it turns out that "Rose", the woman he thought was the goddess Gaea reborn, is in fact Gaea's cleric, not the goddess herself. This final revelation shatters any hope he had for restoring her into godhood. He's close to passing the Despair Event Horizon when he realizes he's fought for nothing all this time but ultimately manages to pull himself together at the last moment and rallies his companions to keep on fighting, eventually turning the tide in their favour. However, he's still hurt by the cruel twist of fate about the identity of "Rose" and how he's been played for a fool as a pawn of prophecy.
- Good Is Not Nice: After he confronts the fae Aibell, who he has been fighting against and who is about to open a portal into a dark dimension, and tries in vain to tell her to close it, he pushes the weakened fae into the portal to close it that way, despite knowing that such an act will very likely lead to the now defenseless woman's death. He also is willing to trample on a possessed mob, killing several in the process, and setting people on fire with his magic after believing that they can't be reasoned with or defeated in a way that could save their lives.
- Good Scars, Evil Scars: Inverted. He has a couple large scars on his face, but is one of the more genuinely heroic characters.
- Happily Married: Married young to a woman named Aegle. Has a four-year-old son named Lucius.
- Heroes Prefer Swords: He uses swords in battle.
- Humble Hero: Calling him a 'hero' for no reason other than the fact that he wears armor and a sword always seems to lead to him pointing out that he's not one. 'Brave,' maybe, but not 'hero.'
- Knight in Shining Armor: He's righteous and courteous, acting like a true knight and is always willing to help strangers. However, at times his angers gets a hold of him, especially when he wants people to come to an understanding and they just refuse to.
- Lady and Knight: He's asked to become the Knight to Lady Gaea, who was given the nickname "Rose" once she's resurrected. Their relationship ends up being not that chivalrous, though, due to her anger issues which put the two at odds at times. Osmond learns better ways to deal with that, however...until The Reveal when he realizes much to his shock that the woman he thought was Gaea is in fact not Gaea at all but just her cleric, thus shattering his hopes of restoring Gaea's godhood.
- Luckily, My Shield Will Protect Me: Fights with a sword and shield.
- Magic Knight: Comes with being a paladin. Leans more toward the physical, of course, with supplemental white magic.
- Oh, Crap!: His reaction when he finds out what he thought was a couple thieves was a mob out to get him. Suffers a second one when the alley floor beneath him crumbles.
- The Paladin: He champions the cause of Light and is trained in healing. His abilities with white magic are a bit lacking, however.
- Playing with Fire: Turns out he inherited an innate talent with fire from his Andain ancestor, Fotiacles Firemaster. Since he's a paladin, this manifests as holy fire.
- Power Glows: Or at least, it seems that way once his Ancestral Weapon absorbs some.
- Snark Knight: With "Rose", sometimes, though usually not snide.
- Sword Fight: He has a sparring match with Arcturius, teaching him how to properly use a sword.
- Teach Me How To Fight: On the teacher end, Osmond, with Arc as his student.
- A Tragedy of Impulsiveness: Osmond ends up causing more harm than good with his impulsive attacks instead of trying to resolve things diplomatically. Thanks to him the mob turns against the fellowship he's in, "Rose" ends up becoming a pawn of the antagonists, Fear grows in power, all of Survivor's Woods nearly falls into darkness, and Aibell ends up in Death's clutches. All because Osmond tries to instill his values on others without thinking things through.
- You Shall Not Pass!: He either pulls one of these or a Last Stand against a herd of murderous mountain goats. He fends them off and escapes, of course.
- Razravkar Dominus
- "You spoke of the ultimate price, meaning death. No, fool, there is another price which is far worse than death."
An elven necromancer who is taking odd jobs for money while pursuing knowledge of the forbidden arts. He won't hesitate getting his hands dirty if there's a need, but he generally tries to do the good thing when an opportunity presents itself. He's eventually driven mad by all the horrible things he's had to witness and commits suicide on a tricycle.
Associated tropes:
- Broke Your Arm Punching Out Cthulhu: He tries to kill Haruko in order to destroy the goddess Laverna who resides within her, but he in fact ends up playing into Laverna's hands as his devastating spell triggers Haruko's body to give birth exactly as the goddess had been hoping for all along. Razravkar is left weakened, sees that his very action ended up advancing the goddess's agenda, and he now has sold yet another part of his soul to the monstrous Watcher in Darkness for having used the forbidden spell.
- Death Is Dramatic: Razravkar's death is both suitably over the top dramatic and hilariously random. After having been driven mad by his experiences with deities and other beings from the beyond, he takes a tricycle and bedals it towards Alent's central ziggurat while yelling random phrases like a lunatic. The Alentian mages guarding the ziggurat panic, believing him to be a deranged suicide bomber, and blast him and the tricycle into oblivion.
- Enemy Mine: He briefly teams up with his old enemies Jezebeth and Persephone not only because refusing them would mean his death but also because he believes that he can locate Haruko with their help in the labyrinthine Malperdy. There are even hints of Friendly Enemy when he interacts with the demoness Sloth.
- Evil Weapon: His sickle houses a few spirits, most notably the soul of the unrepentant rapist inquisitor Andronus who's goading Razravkar into killing more and more people to feed the sickle.
- Go Mad from the Revelation: After all the horrible things he's been through and seen during his adventures, he eventually comes to believe that nothing he does matters and that everyone will fall under Death's shadow anyway. This realization and the accompanying despair as well as having his soul fractured due to using the Sundering spell one time too many finally drives him mad and leads to his death.
- Necromancer: Razravkar is a more positive type of one although he does use shades to kill his enemies in messy ways and also sucks peoples' souls into his enchanted sickle.
- The Lost Lenore: He gradually reveals that his wife's death in the past is what drove him to the dark path.
- My Greatest Failure: Three, in fact. First he lost his wife to a murdering rapist inquisitor, which drove him to the ruthless path of necromancy (which began by killing said inquisitor and turning the man into a slave spirit). Then he befriended a fellow necromancer Deidra until he thought she was evil and ended up killing her only to realize too late that Deidra had been framed by a third party. And then he attacked Haruko in an effort to kill the goddess Laverna within her, only to realize too late that his very attack was what Laverna had been hoping for all along, and it was because of him that the goddess succeeded in her scheme.
- Wrecked Weapon: Razravkar ends up losing his enchanted sickle in Threshold when an Aspect of the Watcher in Darkness shatters it, thus preventing Razravkar from ever using the sickle again.
- Sarvin Keln
A former teacher of necromancy in Alent, he went insane one day and killed a bunch of his students rather messily before he went into hiding. He has stalked the streets of Alent's Threshold district since then until recent chaotic events lure him out.
Associated tropes:
- Necromancer: Sarvin's class.
- Sharing a Body: It seems like he has multiple split personalities which reflect his insanity, but actually he has ended up with several spirits stuck in his body, each of whom affects his behaviour and barely let the personality of the real Sarvin surface from the chaotic mess his mind has become.
- Stylianos Kinley
- "Great. Just what I need. More demons to fight."
A halfbreed with elven and dwarven parents, he is a dark knight who seeks to control his destructive powers and seeks a means to destroy the Blood Fever for good because it took his wife and child from him. He ends up in the middle of a demon scheme in Alent which leads to a big clash and decides to seek out the demon matron Jahi to determine if Threshold is deserving of the retaliation he knows the Sarquil are planning.
Associated tropes:
- Cool Sword: Metallic blue on the normal one, and the magic one focuses his power.
- Dark and Troubled Past: He lost many of his close family members, including his wife and child, to the Blood Fever, and this tragedy drives him on.
- Death by Childbirth: Neither his wife nor his son survived. This event awakened his power, and served as the cause of his Despair Event Horizon.
- Despair Event Horizon: Kept him out of the action for eleven years.
- Determinator: He fought so hard against the demoness Lust that, once the adrenaline fully wore off, he passed out.
- Enemy Within: Becomes an Enemy Without inside Jahi's tower. Played with in that it's just his darkness, and he reintegrates with it.
- Find the Cure!: Stylianos's quest in a nutshell. He wishes to find a way to put an end to the Blood Fever and all its variants, once and for all...although the recent events in Alent have shifted his focus away from his original mission for the time being.
- He Who Fights Monsters: If he keeps drinking demon's blood...
- Interface Screw: Finds that Threshold screws with his senses. A lot.
- Knight in Sour Armor: He used to be more idealistic until he lost several of his loved ones to the plague. Now he sees the world through more jaded eyes.
- Magic Knight: If only he could reliably control his magic...
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Nice job setting Refan free...although he ultimately makes up for it by helping to capture him after he learns that Refan isn't quite as nice a fellow as he initially appeared as.
- Nonhuman Humanoid Hybrid: He's half-elf, half-dwarf. Also known as a dwalf.
- Oh, No... Not Again!: Just can't seem to not get in fights with demons...and now has angry Sarquil desert tribes added into the mix as well when him trying to defend Threshold and its demons pissed them off.
- They Died Because of You: He's confronted by the dark magic of Alent's Threshold district which preys on his inner fears and reveals to him that his fear of the Blood Fever and subsequent escape with his wife and unborn child led to their deaths.
- A Tragedy of Impulsiveness: Thanks to his anger issues and trying to force others to see things his way, Stylianos ends up escalating the Threshold Riot with his actions, helps the demons' plans and leads to a massacre of Alentians, Sarquil and Threshold demons. Him deciding to interfere with Refan's meeting with Skye also leads to Alent becoming aware of his presence and using him for their own goals.
- Unresolved Sexual Tension: With the warrior Qarinah with whom he has had some flirty and sometimes awkward conversations.
- Unstoppable Rage: Against normal foes of a mortal nature. Less so against the demons, but even then, his anger keeps him tenacious.
- Thanatos Barca
- "It's the life of later generations for which we fools pave the way with our actions so that those who come after us have an easier time travelling beyond our wildest dreams."
A wily elven necromancer who wished to bring back the Old Ways of Necromancy by any means possible. He used the heroes of the Grand Alliance to his own ends, which were to bring back ancient tomes, resurrect his dead wife and rescue his missing daughter Persephone from the Coalition. He ended up betrayed by Persephone out of all people, but his spirit later helped out the heroes even the odds by thwarting the demons' plans in the elven city.
Associated tropes:
- The Chessmaster: He fashions himself as this, being able to pull complex gambits and manipulate people to do his bidding. He realizes too late that someone else has been manipulating him behind the scenes for a while now.
- Dark Is Not Evil: He wasn't exactly the nicest person and had ambitious goals, but he still had his sense of honour.
- Et Tu, Brute?: He's slain by his beloved daughter Persephone, a betrayal he doesn't see coming until it's too late.
- Necromancer: He's one of the oldest necromancers still alive and yearned to resurrect the Old Ways.
- Necromantic: He planned to resurrect his dead wife which led him to questionable methods.
