History Characters / BladeAndSoulAnime

* LadyDrunk: she spends about half her screentime getting plastered in Karen's inn.

* EmotionlessGirl: to the point where other characters constantly comment on it. She rarely speaks or smiles. Dan calls her and Jin Varrel 'monsters' who are 'dead on the inside' because of it. Later on, she begins to thaw out, especially after [[spoiler: Yuu dies]].
* FreakOut: has a major one in Episode 9, triggered by Karen revealing that [[spoiler: Alka killed her lover]], when she hallucinates that she's surrounded by the zombified corpses of people she's killed, or who've died because of her, and that they're taking it in turns to stab her.

* PowerTattoo: the butterfly tattoo on her arm absorbs the impurity and protects her from being vaporised by it. In Episode 12, it even gives her an EleventhHourSuperpower.

* DualWielding: like [[Anime/BlackLagoon Revy]], she duel wields a pair of pistols and is very handy with them, with ImprobableAimingSkills. It says a lot about Alka's badassery that she's able to dodge Hazuki's bullets.

* [[spoiler: CruelMercy: instead of killing Alka, Karen decides to let her live with the guilt of killing Karen's lover. As Alka is becoming more emotional by this point, this hits her hard.]]
* EvilLaugh: like [[VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry a certain other character voiced by Sayaka Ohara]], she has a very distinctive one. She's borderline hysterical after [[spoiler: kicking Alka's arse.]]

* AnimalMotifs: birds. Feathers appear in her hallucinations [[spoiler: and a feather is used in the ritual to resurrect her]], and the high priest calls her 'the black bird'.

* CurbStompBattle: is responsible for many of these. If Jin is around, expect the body count to shoot up. She and her minions slaughter all but two of the Pleasure Gang in Episode 3, and she single-handedly wipes out both the rebel army and the treacherous soldiers from the Palam Empire in Episode 6.

* PsychoLesbian: at least where Jin is concerned. She's more than happy to give her a wash and feel her up, and in Episode 11, she gives her a kiss and calls her 'my cute pet' before attacking her with the Impurity.

* [[spoiler: HeroicSacrifice: saves Jin's life in Episode 11 by grabbing hold of Yu Ran and jumping off a cliff with her, laughing all the way.]]
* StoutStrength: like his game counterpart, Ga Gante is built like a brick shithouse and can easily dispatch opponents with one blow.

* [[spoiler: HeroicSacrifice / TakingTheBullet: dies protecting Alka from Jin Varrel's attack in Episode 8.]]

* [[HeartwarmingOrphan Heartwarming Orphans]]: they live on their own and have no parents. Seto gets considerably less heartwarming when he steals Alka's sword, however.

* BoobsOfSteel: Like pretty much every adult woman in this anime, they're pretty well-endowed.

* KnifeNut: her weapon of choice.

* NotSoDifferent: with Jin Varrel. When the two meet again in Episode 12, Alka tells Jin this and urges her to find her own path and live her own life, just like Alka herself did.

The BigBad of the series, although it's implied that [[spoiler: Yu Ran is the BiggerBad.]] She is the captain of the Flower Monks, a group of soldiers who suppress the enemies of the Palam Empire, so called because their Impurity attacks look like black flowers. She is responsible for the murder of Alka's master, and she and Alka clash several times throughout the series. Her counterpart in the game is Jinsoyun.

%% ZeroContextExample entries are not allowed on wiki pages. All such entries have been commented out. Add context to the entries before uncommenting them.

* VillainEpisode: Episode 6 is almost entirely centred around Jin and her minions.

Her counterpart in the game is Jinsoyun.

The heroine of the series, an assassin from the Clan of the Sword who seeks revenge on Jin Varrel for murdering her master, Master Hong.

* EmotionlessGirl: to the point where other characters constantly comment on it. She rarely speaks or smiles. Dan calls her and Jin Varrel 'monsters' who are 'dead on the inside' because of it. Later on, she begins to thaw out.

* ActionGirl: All three of them are pretty badass. Karen even manages to hold her own against Alka in a fight.

Her counterpart in the game is Soha.

Her counterpart in the game is Yehara.

An assassin who works under Jinsoyun, but seems to have her own goals. Her counterpart in the game is Yura.

[[spoiler: *HeroicSacrifice / TakingTheBullet: dies protecting Alka from Jin Varrel's attack in Episode 8.]]

!!Allies and Friends
[[folder:Jin Hazuki]]

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Karen Elle]]

[[folder:Dan Roana]]
!! Dan Roana
->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/AyahiTakagaki
The female leader of the Pleasure Gang, a group of male bandits devoted to serving her every whim. Her counterpart in the game is Juwol.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Yuu]]
!! Yuu
->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/MarinaInoue
A young Lyn (a race of animal-like people with animal ears and tails). He first appears in Episode 6.
[[/folder]]

->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/YukiTakao (anime)

->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/SoraAmamiya (anime)

->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/SayakaOhara (anime)

->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/AyahiTakagaki (anime)

Note: for the anime cast, see here.

The highly-customizable PlayerCharacter, as standard of an MMORPG. You start out as the student of the Hongmoon Clan, led by a wizened Old Master Hong, who preaches compassion, justice and self-sacrifice as tenets of martial arts. Not long after you are introduced to your school; your de facto family, an event occurs that changes your life forever.
----
* AnAdventurerIsYou: This is a given, [[MassivelyMultiplayerOnlineRolePlayingGame considering the genre]]. Interestingly enough, ''VideoGame/BladeAndSoul'' isn't as strict with roles as other MMORPG's, with a flexible skill tree that can be altered at any time outside of combat, and a stat and armor system that allows for an impressive amount of build variety. For example, whilst Blade Master is ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin, it also throws in some semblance of being the Jack of All Trades (mixed with Mitigation and Avoidance), whilst Destroyer is the Tank with lots of Area of Effect.
* AllYourPowersCombined: By the final confrontation with Jinsoyun, Cricket is essentially harbouring a huge amount of power gained over the various Acts from some of the strongest fighters/beings in the world, from the Eight Masters and the Sacred Beasts to his old Master Hong himself.
* AmazonianBeauty: Gon female lean to this. Thanks to the robust customization system, any female, barring the Lyn, can pull it off.
* AntiHero: [[spoiler: A surprisingly complex example. Act I has you start out as the typical martial arts movie hero, concerned with saving the world and defeating the BigBad. Act II has you turn into a PragmaticHero mixed with DesignatedVillain as you work for [[GeneralRipper Yonkai]] in exchange for him sparing the villagers of Sandstone Refuge. Throughout it all, however, one might notice that the responses towards questgivers are becoming more and more impolite, showing the PC [[TookALevelInCynic taking a level in cynicism]], and becoming a KnightInSourArmor with some UnscrupulousHero tendencies as revenge becomes your only goal. [[FriendOrIdolDecision Saving Yunwa in exchange for losing Mushin's Legacy]], however, acts as your FaceRealization, returning you into hero territory. The end of Act III pretty much throws THAT out the window, though, as the failure of the Skyhaven Resistance, the death of Iksanun ''at the hands of his own son'', and your repeated defeats persuade you to become Mushin's student, become a FallenHero in the process. Act IV has you acting out as a NominalHero, only helping because it will bring you to Zaiwei, and, consequently, Jinsoyun. Your redemption, however, signifies a return into IdealHero territory by Act V onwards.]]
** AntiVillain: [[spoiler: A DesignatedVillain by Act II, a WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds NobleDemon by Act IV.]]
** HeelFaceRevolvingDoor: As the longish text above describes.
* TheAce: According to little details given in the game, the PC was this. Despite only being in Hongmoon for 3 years, they had already received the Martial Tome, meaning they were ready for the full scope of the Hongmoon way.
** BrokenAce: Acts I-III are not kind to you. Culminating in a full-blown HeWhoFightsMonsters FaceHeelTurn. You reconstruct yourself at the tail-end of Act IV, though.
* BadassAdorable: Whilst Lyn are the most likely candidates, any character with the right looks and outfit can pull it off.
* BadassTeacher: [[spoiler: By Act VI, you become master of the newly rebuilt Hongmoon school, with Ryu, Jinbin, Bunyan, Bunchan, and [[RaiseHimRightThisTime now-child aged Jinsoyun]] as your apprentices.]]
* TheBeastmaster: The Summoner class get a permanent cat familiar to protect them, whilst Warlocks have a temporary Thrall they can also sacrifice for a [[SuperMode Soulburn buff]].
* CloseRangeCombatant: The melee classes are this, [[CaptainObvious obviously]].
* TheChosenOne: As Madun the Mistwalker himself prophesized. Even Iksanun knew you were coming and had been preparing for your arrival for a long time. It takes a while for it to really stick, though.
* DarthVaderClone: Surprisingly enough. Related to TheMentor: Master Hong, and later, Iksanun's (sorta) student. FallenHero? Act III ends with you like this in a demonstration of the HeWhoFightsMonsters trope. TheDragon to a {{BigBad}} Mushin's student or, more accurately, UnwittingPawn, which also covers being ReforgedIntoAMinion. Complex motives? [[WellIntentionedExtremist Stop Jinsoyun]] [[{{Revenge}} and avenge the Hongmoon Clan.]] Pulls a HeelFaceTurn? Yes, but at the cost of the Eight Masters' lives. The other criteria is reliant on customization, but the main points are there.
* GoodIsNotNice: What they ultimately become, as a combination of both their desire to do good as well as their worldly understanding. Just like Master Hong himself, they are fully willing to bring down merciless justice upon those who would do evil, so long as they can protect the innocent. This is most prominently represented when the Blackram pirate Poharan tries to convince Cricket to save her grandfather from being turned into a demon, with Cricket dismissing her plight as 'divine retribution' for all of the pain and loss that the Blackram have caused throughout the Viridian Coast.
* HandicappedBadass: For much of the game, Cricket is pretty much weakened by the Mark of the Black Rose, an infection of Dark Chi that threatens to kill them if they do not find a cure soon. It is reckoned by most that they would become more powerful, or at least master the Hongmoon Arts faster, if they could somehow purify the Mark.
* HeroicSecondWind: [[spoiler: When Cricket decides to forgo perserving their energy for their last fight with Jinsoyun and instead use it to help their allies in their DarkestHour, Master Hongmoon reappears before them, praising their understanding that they should always pursue good over personal goals. Stating that this is the key to mastering the Hongmoon Arts, he presents to Cricket his legacy, the Five Hongmoon Truths, empowering Cricket to the level of the Four Guardians.]]
* HeWhoFightsMonsters: [[spoiler: Cricket's downfall at the end of Act III as Mushin's student and FallenHero is most definitely this.]]
* JerkassWithAHeartOfGold: The heart of gold is without question (at least most of the time), but as Cricket grows more experienced with the world, they start to become a lot more brash and abrasive to those they do not regard as allies. Even after getting out of their AntiHero phase, a remnant of that hostility is still ingrained within them.
* LightningBruiser: Blade Masters, more agile Destroyers, and more durable Kung Fu Masters are this.
* NaiveNewcomer: In Act 1, Cricket is overly idealistic, taking things at face value and very incapable of seeing through the simplest deceptions. Even through Act 2, where they become more worldly due to becoming the lackey of a cruel general and witnessing the acts people would go through for greed, they are still pretty dense and tend to trust people who make a good impression on them. Only by the end of Act 3 do they break out of this shell, in line with their FaceHeelTurn.
* NotSoDifferent: You and Jinsoyun. Act IV has you visit the Silverfrost Citadel, and find out the ''real'' reason for Jinsoyun's StartOfDarkness. [[spoiler: The same as yours. [[FallenHero Mushin]].]] Looking at this, it might be why your character [[spoiler: honors Jinwa's wish to spare Jinsoyun and turns her into a child.]]
* RedemptionEarnsLife / RedemptionEqualsDeath: Both, in a way. [[spoiler: The Eight Masters sacrifice themselves to save you, becoming TakenForGranite in the process, and the climactic battle between you and Jinsoyun lead to reports of you being dead. According to your caretaker, you were out for quite a long time. Long enough, at least, for you to become a living legend, for Yunma Fei to be coronated, and for Jinsoyun's actions to be disavowed.]]
* SquishyWizard: Summoner, Force Master and Warlock fall under this.
* WalkingSpoiler: Notice how many tags are spoiler-marked? Impressive, on account of being the PlayerCharacter.

[[folder: Master Hong]]
!! Master Hong Sokyun
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/masterhong.png]]
[[caption-width-right:300:The Earthbreaker]]
The Master of the Hongmoon School of martial arts, and mentor to the PlayerCharacter. He sees great potential in 'Cricket' and is gently guiding him along the path of martial arts. In the anime, he is Alka's master, and was murdered by Jin Varrel.

* IncurableCoughOfDeath: Has a particularly nasty one, to the point that he can only teach a few students at a time. He's taking medicine for it but for some reason, it is still persisting...
* KamehameHadoken: His signature move is a blue energy ball fired in this manner, with enough destructive power to destroy mountains.
* MasterOfAll: While his original class is unknown, Master Hong is so well-versed in nearly all styles of martial arts that his Hongmoon Arts encompass every single class in the game.
* MentorOccupationalHazard: Puts up a hell of a fight against Jinsoyun and her cronies, but eventually gives up his life in exchange for Cricket's.
* OldMaster: The wizened Master of the Hongmoon School.
* PintsizedPowerhouse: Not that he stays pint-sized while fighting, but Hong is considered the most powerful of the Four Guardians.
* RedBaron: The Earthbreaker.
* SleepModeSize: Being a Lyn, he's naturally this small. However, when the last of his students is threatened (the player), he literally hulks out.
* WorldsBestWarrior: Was considered the most powerful out of the already supreme Four Guardians.
* TheReveal: He's Hong the Earthbreaker, one of the legendary Four Guardians - beings that defeated the Dark Lord over 1,000 years ago.

[[folder:Old Man Cho]]
!! Old Man Cho
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/600px_old_man_cho.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:Windstride Master]]
A silly old man who retired from the martial arts world to Jadestone Village. He becomes a Windwalking mentor to the player.
* EccentricMentor: From telling the player to fetch water from a well to holding his lessons hostage in exchange for seemingly random items such as a fan or a bell, Old Man Cho loves to protray himself as a cranky old geezer that takes advantage of the students who wish to learn his windwalking techniques.
* LeParkour: He teaches Cricket how to harness a mystical version of this through currents of chi called Dragon Pulses, allowing the player to reach areas that normal locomotion cannot reach through a high-speed animation cutscene.
* OldMaster: Not surprising that there are quite a few of these in a world of martial arts.
* RandomDrop: Being the crank that he is, the old master will usually demand the player to collect a certain item before they can recieve his lesson. Said item can be a random drop from a certain type of mob or a reward gained from spinning Fate wheels.
* SprintMeter: Essentially his role in the game is to teach the player new ways of utilizing their Stamina through 'Windwalking', be it teaching them how to fly, how to reach new places through Dragon Pulses or increasing their Stamina bar outright.

[[folder:Soha]]
!! Soha
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/445px_soha.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:Loose Cannon]]
Known as Jin Kazuki to anime fans, she's an expert sharpshooter/bounty hunter who owes a debt to Master Hong. She meets up with the player and works together with him/her to obtain Mushin's Legacy.

* AbsoluteCleavage: Just look at her!
* TheAlcoholic: Loves her drink.
* CoolBigSis: Tries to act like one to the player, hoping to ensure that they stay true to Master Hong's teachings.
* CostumeEvolution: When she returns in Act 4, she's changed into a new outfit with a long winter jacket, a short skirt and a more covering blue bra.
* EstablishingCharacterMoment: Her intro animation has her humming to herself as she lines up a shot at a Yes Man bandit, sniping him with a BoomHeadshot from a great distance. Almost immediately after, she pulls out her gourd of beer and starts chugging it down.
* TheGunslinger: Highly accurate shots combined with GunFu make her one of the most well-known bounty hunters in the Cinderlands and beyond.
* TheHeart: Recognizes Cricket's desire for vengeance that may come at the cost of their morals and tries to get them to understand that Master Hong imparted them with the Hongmoon Arts to save and protect people, rather than for their own personal vendettas.
* ImprobableAimingSkills: Of the ricochet variety. [[spoiler: She is considered the best shot in the entire Earthly Realm.]]
* TheLancer: Accompanies Cricket on their journey to the Cinderlands for almost all of Act 2.
* MsFanservice: As is the standard in Blade And Soul. Slightly justified in that she works in a desert.
* SitcomArchNemesis: Is constantly butting heads with Juwol of the Yes Men bandits, due to the other holding a grudge against her for killing some of her men.

[[folder: The Eight Masters]]
A group of eight powerful martial artists, each representing the pinnacle in their respective discipline, culture and clan. Formed after the disappearance of the Four Guardians, they were tasked with searching for them and joining forces with them in preparation for the inevitable return of the Dark Lord.
* FlatCharacter: Unfortunately, since there are so many of them, a few of the Masters get the shaft in terms of characterization.
* [[spoiler: HeroicSacrifice]]: [[spoiler: When Cricket's Mark of the Black Rose finally threatens to kill them, the Eight Masters give their lives to power enough pure Chi to purify the Mark, transforming into [[TakenForGranite lifeless statues]] in the process.]]
----
::'''Madun the Mistwalker'''
A Lyn Summoner and the guide-prophet of the Eight Masters due to his gifts of divination. Or at least he tries to be, due to the unreliability of said prophecies.
* TheCorruption: Madun was struck with the Mark of Black Rose when he ran into Jinsoyun in her attack on his hometown years ago. He was able to purify himself of the Dark Chi through a lengthy process known as the Way of Enlightenment spanning over many years.
* DoomedHometown: Lost his hometown, Brightstone Village, to an attack by the Talus Dominion, led by the emissary Jinsoyun. While the Village still stands due to its mayor surrendering to the Dominion, the villagers are essentially enslaved, mainly to work in the Soulstone Mines.
* TheProphecy: Madun is capable of seeing visions of the future through divination. It is implied by the other Masters that his gift is unreliable and has a tendency to send them on a wild goose chase.
----
::'''Leerok the True Shot'''
A Jin Gunner and the Headmaster of the Ironsights Academy.
* TheAlcoholic: Just like his sister, though to a lesser extent.
* AttackHello: When Cricket arrives in Zaiwei, the home of the Ironsights Academy, Leerok greets him with a sniper bullet to the face. He reasons that since Cricket is the ChosenOne, he should easily be able to deflect the shot.
* BigDamnHeroes: For some reason, when Madun summons the Eight Masters to help Cricket stop a demonic summoning ritual in Zaiwei, Leerok failed to arrive at first, despite being the closest. When the other Masters get frozen over the course of the fight, he shows up at the last moment to help Cricket defeat the demon boss. Apparently, he had been held up dealing with the fallout from Cricket thrashing the House of Pleasures in their search for Jinsoyun's spies.
* TheGunslinger: The best shot in the Earthly Realm. [[spoiler: In truth, he's the second best, losing out to his sister Soha.]]
----
::'''Gunma the Starblade'''
A Jin Blade Master.
* MasterSwordsman: His specialty.
----
::'''Taywong the Southern Tiger'''
A Gon Kung Fu Master.
* BareFistedMonk: His specialty.
* {{Determinator}}: [[spoiler: Is the first of the Eight to expend his lifeforce to purify Cricket of their Dark Chi, triggering the rest to follow his example soon after.]]
* OldMaster: Looks to be the oldest and most experienced of the Eight Masters.
----
::'''Onmyung the Celestial Force Master'''
A Yun Force Master.
* SilkHidingSteel
----
::'''Myo the Scarlet Shadow'''
A Jin Assassin.
* Ninja: Her specialty.
* PoisonousPerson: Uses poison as one of her attacks.
----
::'''Jinwong the Tempest'''
A Gon Destroyer.
* AxeCrazy: Pun aside, Jinwong is constantly looking for something to slam his axehead into.
* AnAxeToGrind: His specialty.
* Hulkspeak: Refers himself to the third person and combines this manner of speech with a constantly excited voice.
----
::'''Sanzu the Grand Enchantress'''
The last member of the Eight Masters who the others lost contact with and believed dead. [[spoiler: She's actually Zulia, who was resurrected by the Ebondrake Cult.]]
* BrattyHalfPint: She was certainly bratty when she was a little kid.
* BreakTheCutie: [[spoiler: She saw her father die in the hands of Jinsoyun.]]
* CameBackWrong: [[spoiler: Her dead body was taken by the Ebondrake Cult and used as a sacrifice to the Dark Lord, which resurrected her.]]
* CombatHandFan: Her weapons are over sized fans.
* HeroicAlbino: Her hair color is originally black, but changed to white [[spoiler: while she was casting a dangerous spell to kill Jinsoyun. It became permanent after she was killed and resurrected, turning this trope into [[WhiteHairBlackHeart White Hair Black Heart]]]]
* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler: In the Warlock backstory comic, She stalled Jinsoyun so that the other masters can escape her, knowing they will die if they wont.]]
* InTheBack: [[spoiler: How she was killed by Jinsoyun]]
* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Some translations call her Aransu.
* TakeUpMySword: [[spoiler: In the warlock backstory comic, she was able to pass her powers to a Herbside service rep who was looking for her sister. Master Hong was able to find him and adopted him to his Hongmoon school, which kinda explains how the warlock class came to be.]]
* ReportsOfMyDeathWereGreatlyExaggerated: She was revealed to be alive in Act 7. [[spoiler: Turns out it was Julia all along]]
* WomanInWhite


[[/folder]]

!! Antagonists and Enemies
[[folder: Jinsoyun]]
!! Jinsoyun
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/jinsoyun.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:Twilight's Edge]]

A mysterious Blade Master who wields corrupting Dark Chi and slaughters the Hongmoon School to claim the Twilight's Edge, a divine blade of incredible power. She is the main antagonist of Blade and Soul. Jin Varrel, the BigBad of the anime, is based on her.
* ArcVillain: Of Acts 1-5
* CoolSword: Her massacre of the Hongmoon School was to claim the Twilight's Edge, a divine sword that even the legendary Four Guardians fear.
* TheCorruption: Jinsoyun's trademark power is her mastery over Dark Chi, a malevolent, poisonous version of Chi that allows her to corrupt normal people into ghoulish fiends and demons, as well as poison the land to the point that she can weaken the gods that protect said lands. Even accomplished martial artists that can resist the Dark Chi can only do so with a limited time, suffering and eventually dying from the condition known as the Mark of the Black Rose.
* DarkAndTroubledPast: As to be expected. [[spoiler: 30 years before the start of the game, when she was a child, Jinsoyun lived in the thriving hub city of Highland Central. She was thus caught in the demonic invasion that occured when a jealous Stratus Prince accidentally opened a gate to the Dark Realm in his attempt to recieve a divine mandate to rule. Her family lost, herself poisoned with Dark Chi, Jinsoyun was on the brink of death when Jiwan of the Four Guardians found her. Due to her pity and her curiosity over why the Twilight's Edge was reacting to Jinsoyun, Jiwan healed her and took her in as her first pupil.]]
* TheDreaded: While most people don't know her, the top martial artists around the world do and fear her prowess and TheCorruption she brings. It is theorized (and shown) that only a martial artist on the level of the Four Guardians can stand up to her.
* {{Hellgate}}: Her main goal is to open up the Dark Gate, the boundary between the Earthly Realm and the Dark Realm, so that she can bring about the TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt by flooding the world with demons and corrupting Dark Chi.
* KnightOfCerebus: While Cricket encounters many enemies throughout their journey in Blade & Soul, everytime Jinsoyun appears, she will completely wipe the floor of anyone in her way and create a path of utter destruction in her wake, annihilating armies with a simple gesture. Whatever mortal threat Cricket is facing will literally melt before her might, constantly reminding the player that she is the main antagonist.
* MsFanservice: To a lesser extent than other examples in Blade and Soul, but her skintight outfit shows off her curves very well, emphasized with her SexyWalk.
* NoOneCouldSurviveThat: Played straight when she sends Cricket off a cliff with a slash of the Twilight's Edge, believing that the Mark of the Black Rose would eventually kill them. The fact that they survive for so long intrigues her to the point she willingly lets them live. Ironically, she also experienced the same thing when [[spoiler: Mushin threw her off Jiwan's Peak after accusing her of killing Jiwan. She survived the fall and was saved by child Julia.]]
* PerpetualMolt
* [[WasOnceAMan Was Once A Woman]]:[[spoiler: Jinsoyun was actually once a normal girl who had the bad luck of getting infected by Dark Chi in a demonic invasion. She maintained her humanity thanks to the healing from Jiwan, but the subsequent loss of her mentor and her despair at the world meant that she accepted the Dark Lord's offer of power, reviving her into a demonic hybrid as his herald.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Jinsoyun's Subordinates]]
!! Yura
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/443px_yura.png]]
[[caption-width-right:300:The Scorpion]]

An assassin who works under Jinsoyun, but seems to have her own goals. Her anime counterpart is Yu Ran.
* AbsoluteCleavage
* AnimalMotifs: The scorpion.
* [[spoiler: DoubleAgent]]: [[spoiler: She is actually working for Mushin, acting as his spy on Jinsoyun.]]
* EnigmaticMinion: Clearly has her own agenda.
* FemmeFatale: [[spoiler: 30 years ago, she had used her beauty and charm to have the second prince of the Stratus Empire fall in love with her, so that she can manipulate him to perform an improper Divine Mandate Ritual and open a gate to the Dark Realm.]]
* HighlyVisibleNinja: Subverted in that while she wears very visible red, she can actually turn herself invisible and uses it liberally in her stealth.
* MsFanservice: Shows a lot more skin than her boss and acts quite flirtatious.
* OlderThanTheyLook: It is eventually revealed that she has been operating in the shadows for a very long time. [[spoiler: Even back when Jinsoyun was still a child.]]
* [[spoiler: OurDemonsAreDifferent: Unlike Gubong and Jinsoyun who have human origins, Yura is a pure scorpion demon from the Dark Realm.]]
* PimpedOutDress: Wears a snazzy dress when she's in disguise.
* SexyWalk: Strides with so much hip-swaying that it can only be deliberate.
* SmugSnake: When she's not being seriously threatened, Yura treats everything around her with a sarcastic tongue and a vicious smirk.

!! Gubong

A scarred giant, even amongst the Gon, who wields a similarly sized axe. His anime counterpart is Ga Gante.
* AnAxeToGrind
* BloodKnight: While he does not speak much, Gubong clearly loves fighting, laughing through Cricket's battle with him.
* StoutStrength: Has a unique character model that makes him fatter than anything that can be made with the character creator. He also wields a massive axe with ease and martial mastery. He gets even larger when he turns into his demonic Devourer form.
* WasOnceAMan: [[spoiler: Used to be a celebrated general of the Stratus Army, being the pride of Clear Sky Village. However, his meteoric rise attracted envy and he was eventually betrayed and framed for treason. After his execution, Jinsoyun revived him through Dark Chi to do her bidding. It is not known what exactly he is now, but his demonic form and ResurrectiveImmortality show that he is clearly no longer human.]]

!! Lusung
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lusung.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Hongmoon Traitor]]
A male Jin Kung Fu practioner who was one of the older students at the Hongmoon school. He eventually betrayed them to join up with Jinsoyun in a relentless search for power.

* AloofBigBrother: Has shades of this with his interactions with Cricket and the other students.
* [[spoiler:DarkAndTroubledPast: His family was killed by a rogue army officer because his older sister refused to marry him and committed suicide.]]
* DeceptiveDisciple: He betrays Master Hong to Jinsoyun in hopes of getting his hands on the Hongmoon Arts through force. [[spoiler: He tries it again to Jinsoyun herself by seeking out Mushin's Legacy for himself. He fails.]]
* DemonicPossession: Is capable of using Dark Chi to put people into a trance and act through them. [[spoiler: He does this on Yunwa to catch Cricket off-guard when they reach Mushin's Tomb, nearly killing them with a well-placed dagger.]]
* OneWingedAngel: He sports one black wing after being resurrected by the Dark Lord as its servant. Then he invokes this trope and turns into a monster in his Raid.
* TallDarkAndHandsome: Not really tall next to a Gon (or even a Yun), but he has dark hair and can be considered very handsome.
* TheStarscream: [[spoiler: He tried to betray Jinsoyun in hopes of obtaining Mushin's Legacy for himself. He gets rewarded for his failure by being turned into a raven demon courtesy of Dark Chi.]]
* TryingToCatchMeFightingDirty: Poisoned Master Hong's medicine for some time so that he is weakened enough for Jinsoyun to defeat. Not that it really helped against the Earthbreaker.
* WasOnceAMan: Cracks across his body and face show that Dark Chi is doing something to him and his humanity. [[spoiler: He becomes a demonic hybrid thanks to Jinsoyun accelerating his transformation.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: The Dark Lord]]
The ruler of the Dark Realm and the BiggerBad of Blade & Soul. Not much is known about him yet, but it is clear that he desires to conquer the Earthern Realm, staining it in Dark Chi and demonic corruption.
* GreaterScopeVillain: Not much is known yet about the Dark Lord, other than [[spoiler: corrupting Mushin and Jinsoyun for his plans.]]
* DarkIsEvil

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Ebondrake Cult]]
A cult in Silverfrost mountains that is interested in using the Dark Chi for their own plans.
* TheCorruption
* Cult: Its in their name.
* DarkIsEvil
* ReligionOfEvil: Their members worship the Dark Lord.
* WouldHurtAChild: [[spoiler: Those black pillars that corrupted Grimhorn Wilds and Hae Mujin's fleet? Those were the kidnapped children whose bodies were [[AndIMustScream converted as the pillars]] until the Player Character releases their spirits.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Julia]]
!! Zulia
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/maxresdefault_197.jpg]]
The main antagonist in Act 6, Julia is a psychopathic woman who has her own agendas against Jinsoyun, even though [[spoiler: Jinsoyun was turned into a child by the player character.]]
* AxCrazy
* BoobsOfSteel
* CombatHandFan: Her weapon of choice. [[spoiler: Which is a clue on who she actually is before.]]
* {{Gainaxing}}: She's one of the bustiest women in the game. Her on-screen introduction even has this trope happening.
* DubNameChange: Weird example. She was called Julia in the Korean translation, yet changed to Zulia for some reason for the North American translation. Recent patches changed it back to Julia, even [[LampshadeHanging lampshading]] it in-game.
-->'''Blackram Marauder:''' Wait a minute, her name was Zulia? I've been calling her Julia! Why didn't someone tell me?
* EarlyBirdCameo: She appeared in Sogun's Lament (Snow Jade Palace) before her story arc was even released.
* GigglingVillain: One of her defining features.
* ImpossiblyLowNeckline: So low that it seems that it looks like it may fall off anytime. NCSoft released a patch that censored her outfit to a more sensible one, albeit still sexual. Fans were not happy. For anyone curious about the change, [[https://twitter.com/ende1031/status/757426243587350530/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fforums.bladeandsoul.com%2F%3Fapp%3Dcore%26module%3Dsystem%26controller%3Dembed%26url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Ftwitter.com%252Fende1031%252Fstatus%252F757426243587350530 here's a comparison of the two]]
* JediMindTrick: How she was able to convince the new eight masters to attack the Player Character, convincing them that Jinsoyun is still dangerous and must be eliminated. Only Ku Yang was able to escape her charms.
* LightIsNotGood: Has light based attacks.
* ManipulativeBastard: She revealed herself [[spoiler: as Sanzu after the new masters are quickly chosen. Since the new masters are not ready for their roles and she was one of the original masters, the others were quick to trust her until she was revealed by the player character.]]
* PsychopathicWomanchild: She looks and acts like a cute girl, but she can and will kill you in a whim.
* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Is it Zulia, Julia, or Yulia? Recent patches for NA/EU revealed it to be Zulia.
* WhiteHairBlackHeart
* WomanInWhite
* ZettaiRyouiki: Her outfit is a Grade A.
* UsedToBeASweetKid: [[spoiler: She was the daughter of the Master of the Aransu school who saved Jinsoyun after she fell from fighting Mushin. She then saw her father killed in front of her by Jinsoyun who transformed after making contact with the Dark Lord. She joined the eight masters in hopes of defeating the Black Rose Witch but was killed in an encounter with her. Her body was then resurrected by the Ebondrake Cult, which turned her Ax-Crazy and plotted for revenge.]]
* WouldHurtAChild: [[spoiler: Kidnaps Jinsoyun from heavens reach and just lets her float in a force field of sort]]
[[/folder]]

!! Nations and Organizations
[[folder: Bamboo Guard/Village]]
A small village in the Viridian Coast of the Southern Continent, Bamboo Village is known for its picturesque views, respect for nature and its surrounding bamboo forests. Despite its size, its militia, the Bamboo Guard, act as the main military force that helps to secure and defend the entire Viridian Coast from all dangers, be it bandits, angry spirits or their main enemy, a group of pirates known as the Blackram Marauders.

!! Captain Dochun
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dochun.png]]
[[caption-width-right:300:Bamboo Guard Captain]]
Leader of the local militia, the Bamboo Guard, Dochun saves Cricket when they fall from Heaven's Reach during Jinsoyun's raid. For the first Act of the story, he is a driving force for good and helps Cricket acclimate to the state of things outside of the school. He was a former member of the Hongmoon school.
* BigDamnHeroes: Pops up several times to help Cricket throughout Act 1.
* BigGood: For Act 1.
* TheCaptain: Of the Bamboo Guard.
* TheDreaded: Of the Blackram Marauders trying to raid Bamboo Village. They know that so long as he is near the Village, any attempted raid is almost certain to fail.
* LoveRedeems: Tries to invoke a familial type. In Act 4, he leaves Bamboo Village to take part in the Grand Martial Arts Tournament, hoping to use the royal bodyguard position offered to the champion to get close to Namsoyoo and convince her to see the error of her ways.
* OldMaster: Wants to act as this to Cricket after the loss of the Hongmoon School, constantly reminding them on Master Hong's teachings on justice and the purpose of the martial arts to protect people. However, he is too busy with his duties with the Bamboo Guard to really be with them for long.
* PapaWolf: Tracked down Namsoyoo after she joined with Gwon and later the Emperor, and even joined a martial arts tournament just for him to convince her to come home.
* TheWoobie: The final showdown of Act 1 was horrible for the good captain. [[spoiler: Not only does Bamboo Village suffer substantial damage, loss of life and might have even been destroyed if not for Cricket's intervention, but his adopted daughter betrays him for the Blackram, his son is near-death and he could do nothing about all of this because the Blackram knew that he would be away.]]
----
!! Dodan
Dochan's son, who tries a little too hard to live up to the expectations that position puts him under.
* AllAccordingToPlan: Tries to fake this when he got caught by the Blackram Pirates, saying that he intended to get caught.
* BreakTheHaughty: He was never truly arrogant, just insecure and trying to prove to everyone that he is worthy of being Dochan's son. [[spoiler: However, his pride is torn to shreds when he tries to confront Captain Gwon to save his sister, only to be thoroughly beaten to an inch of his life and Namsoyoo to reveal to him that she had been the traitor all along.]]
* TheHero: What he protrays himself to be, even if he knows deep down that his competence is just too low to fit the bill.
* WellDoneSonGuy: His ultimate goal behind all of his reckless 'heroics' is to gain the respect of his father and be seen as a worthy successor as Captain of the Bamboo Guard.
* TookALevelInBadass: [[spoiler: Succeeded his father as the captain of the guard after the time skip in Act 6. He's noticeably more mature, but still wants to prove himself in the eyes of the people.]]
----
!! Namsoyoo
Dochan's adopted daughter.
* BeneathSuspicion: [[spoiler: No one considers that she is the traitor, even with the huge hints that have been dropped throughout Act 1. Granted, there were multiple traitors, but Cricket clearly witnesses her flirting with the Blackram, as well as overhearing her involvement with Captain Gwon, yet they still buy her excuse that she was just doing what she was told.]]
* [[spoiler: BitchInSheepsClothing]]: [[spoiler: Has been spying on the Bamboo Guard for Captain Gwon of the Blackram Pirates in exchange for a promised 'life of a princess'. She betrays Gwon too for Jinsoyun when she realizes that the 'filthy' life of a pirate's wife was not what she wanted.]]
* MsFanservice: She's one of the prettiest characters in game.
* TokenWholesome: Among all the MsFanservice, Namsoyoo is notable for being one of the few beauties who wears relatively conservative clothing. [[spoiler: She drops this once she betrays Gwon for Jinsoyun and becomes a Concubine of the Talus Royal Palace.]]
* [[spoiler: TheVamp]]: [[spoiler: She knows she is beautiful and exploits it for all its worth, convincing the mayor of Bamboo Village to betray his village for her, as well as make Captain Gwon be willing to do anything for her.]]
----
[[/folder]]

[[folder: The Blackram Marauders]]
An organized group of seafaring pirates that are separated into four fleets, each delegated to one of the four continents of the Earthern Realm. Cricket's first contact with them is with the Southern Fleet, which has been targeting Bamboo Village with frequent raids.

! Eastern Fleet

!! Admiral Hae Mujin
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hae_mujin.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Eastern Fleet Admiral]]
The Admiral of the Eastern Fleet. A massive Gon Kung Fu Master with a sense of honour, who cares for the well-being of his crew and his granddaughter Poharan. He makes his first appearance as a boss in the Bloodshade Harbour raid.
* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: The strongest fighter of the Blackram Eastern Fleet.
* CameraAbuse: Achieves this when he throws a cowardly crewmate into the sky and straight towards the camera lens.
* CodeOfHonour: Apparently his fleet has a pirate's code. They will always settle their debts and honor their agreements.
* [[spoiler: TheCorruption]]: [[spoiler: Almost gets turned into a demon due to an infection of Dark Chi. Cricket saves him at the behest of Poharan.]]
* DoppelgangerAttack: In his raid, he is capable of summoning copies of himself wearing [[MaskedLuchador Lucha masks]].
* EarlyBirdCameo: Before his proper story appearance in the second arc, Hae makes an appearance as a 6-player boss in the Bloodshade Harbour raid.
* FatherToHisMen: So long as they stick with the Eastern Fleet, don't flee from their duties and [[BerserkButton don't touch his granddaughter]], his crewmates can be assured to have their well-being taken care of.
* FourStarBadass: The Admiral of the Eastern Fleet with the size of a bear and an over-enthusiasm for wrestling.
* GoingDownWithTheShip: [[spoiler: Decides to do this when black Dark Realm pillars appear out of nowhere, falling from the sky and devastating his fleet. For his attempt, he gets corrupted by Dark Chi and turns into a demon.]]
* HugeGuyTinyGirl: With his granddaughter Poharan.
* SpinAttack: His frequently used spinning lariat.
* WrestlerInAllOfUs: In his raid. His stance is that of a grappler, he loves to go into spinning lariats and he even poses like Hulk Hogan. His boss arena is also a wrestling ring!

!! Poharan
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/400px_poharan.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:Eastern Fleet Vice Admiral]]
The Vice-Admiral of the Eastern Fleet. A young girl with an itchy trigger-finger and a gatling gun, she is the darling of the crew. She makes her first appearance as the raid-boss in Blackram Supply Chain.

* BadassAdorable: ElegantGothicLolita with a {{BFG}}.
* BerserkButton: [[spoiler: When Cricket implies that her grandfather is too corrupted by Dark Chi to be saved, she goes berserk and tries to riddle them with bullets to shut them up.]]
* {{BFG}}/GatlingGood: Her weapon, which is nearly as tall as her.
* BloodKnight: Loves fighting, or at least unleashing a hailstorm of bullets in any general direction.
* CommonalityConnection: [[spoiler: What finally convinced Cricket to help her with her grandfather was that their recognition that Poharan was suffering through the same loss and fear that they had gone through when they lost Master Hong.]]
* CryCute: [[spoiler: Breaks down into tears once her attempt to force Cricket to help save her grandfather fails.]]
* EarlyBirdCameo: Before her proper story appearance in the second arc, she sends a subordinate to invite Cricket to the Blackram Supply Chain raid, showing up as the raid boss to see the hero's strength for herself.
* EnemyMine: She tries to invoke this on purpose by helping out Cricket with demon-slaying uninvited, hoping to prove to them that if they help her, she can help them in return.
* HugeGuyTinyGirl: With her grandfather Hae Mujin.
* {{Jerkass}}: As a pirate, being a bad guy raiding villages and terrorizing citizens is day-to-day for her. [[spoiler: Her way of trying to convince Cricket to help her save her grandfather involved shooting up Bamboo Village.]]
* JerkassWoobie: [[spoiler: Even with her crimes as a pirate and her general lack of empathy for other people, Poharan is still a young girl who really loves her grandfather and cannot bear to lose him to [[TheCorruption Dark Chi]]. Cricket understands her fear of losing the ones they love and hence agrees to help her so long as she promises to stop the Blackram's pirate activities on Viridian Coast.]]
* MoreDakka: What else does a gatling gun do?
* PantheraAwesome: She keeps two tigers - one black, one white - as her pets, calling them into battle during her raid.
* PirateGirl: Her job.
* SpoiledBrat: Being essentially a pirate princess, she can be really stubborn when it comes to getting what she wants. However, she will not blame her crew if they fail. She'll just get her target herself.
* TeethClenchedTeamwork: With Cricket, especially from their side, due to their own hostility towards the Blackram and hence strongly worded reluctance to help her purify her grandfather of Dark Chi.
* [[spoiler: {{Tsundere}}]]: [[spoiler: Thanks to Cricket helping her save her grandfather, she considers them at least a close ally, though she, and Cricket, are reluctant to admit it.]]
* VitriolicBestBuds: [[spoiler: After Cricket saves her grandfather. Given that she's still a pirate and they are still a heroic martial artist, both Pohara and Cricket are still likely to shoot/punch one another on sight, just no longer to the murdering degree.]]
----

! Southern Fleet

!! Captain Gwon
A captain of the Southern Fleet, Gwon is the leading force behind the constant raids against Bamboo Village. He and his crew are the main antagonists for Act 1.
* HowTheMightyHaveFallen: After his last raid on Bamboo Village and his successful abduction of Namsoyoo, it seemed like Gwon had basically gotten everything he wanted. The next time the player meets him, they find him near-death in a medical bed thanks to Jinsoyun, with his crew slaughtered, Namsoyoo betraying him and his reputation in the Fleet in utter tatters.
* KickTheSonOfABitch: Summarily kills the traitorous mayor of Bamboo Village after their successful raid, having no more need of him.
* LeanAndMean: Is very tall and very thin, contrasting with his much bulkier brother Lieutanant Wungsam.
* LoveMartyr: Decided that the loss of his brother and a series of humiliating defeats at the hands of the Bamboo Guards was worth the reward of having Namsoyoo at his side. [[spoiler: Even after she betrayed him for Jinsoyun, he continues to pine for her, saying that he will forgive her for everything so long as she comes back to him.]]
* SecretRelationship: An evil variant. [[spoiler: Gwon is lovers with Namsoyoo, promising her the life of a princess by his side in exchange for information on the Bamboo Guard so that he can finally finish off Bamboo Village and take her away.]]
* StalkerWithACrush: It is rumoured that he is always raiding Bamboo Village is so that he can capture its beauty Namsoyoo for himself.
* VillainousValour: You have to give the guy credit. [[spoiler: After witnessing his entire crew get slaughtered in mere seconds, he still dares to face off against BigBad Jinsoyun and her cronies, all because they tried to touch his girl Namsoyoo.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: The Stratus Empire]]
The Stratus Empire came into prominence after the fall of the ancient Naryu Empire, arising from the Southern Continent and then spreading to all corners of the Earthern Realm. The Northern, Eastern, and Western Continents were each ruled by one of the Emperor’s sons while the Emperor himself remained upon the throne of the Southern Continent. Formerly a civilization of prosperity, a series of unfortunate events, fueled by jealousy, a newly-crowned emperor who was weak and inexperienced and machinations by dark forces, brought the Empire into a state of chaos and decay, causing it to lose control of the four continents. Now, only the Southern Continent remains in Stratus control and even then the meteoric rise of new nations bornt from the defections of their soldiers, such as the Talus Dominion in the Eastern Continent, could very well spell the end of the empire.

!! Emperor Wan
The current emperor of the Stratus Empire. Formerly the youngest prince, he inherited the position after the sudden death of his father, with his inexperience with rulership and the jealousy of his brothers catalyzing the decline of the Empire.
* TheEmperor: Of the Stratus Empire.
* TheUnseen: Mentioned several times, but we never actually see him.
* YoungestChildWins: From a certain point of view, Wan won the whole empire while his siblings had to be content with their own respective continents. However, the way the empire was structured, the jealousy of his siblings, the mass defection of his troops and his own incomplete education on rulership meant that his victory was very, very soured.

!! General Yonkai
A cruel, power-hungry general of the Stratus Army, Yonkai is in control of the Cinderlands, a vast wasteland where only the strong can survive. He terrorizes its citizens with his unreasonable demands, slaughtering all who dare to even whisper against him. He is the main antagonist of Act 2, holding an entire village hostage against Cricket to get them to do what he wants.
* BaldOfEvil: Not completely bald, but most definitely evil.
* BodyguardBabes: Whenever you meet him, you will notice that his personal retinue are all made up of women.
* DrunkWithPower: What he is clearly suffering from, though it is also clear that his cruelty and complete LackOfEmpathy was always there.
* FourStarBadass: Unlike literally every other general in the game, Yonkai averts this, with his potly body and thin arms revealing his lack of martial prowess.
* HostageForMacGuffin: Holds the entire Sandstone Village hostage to force Cricket to search for Mushin's Legacy for him. Even when they are on the right track, he gets impatient and killed half of the village as more motivation.
* ItsAllAboutMe: Everything he does, and everything everyone should do, must benefit him. If they don't, they are a waste of space to him.
* IfICantHaveYou: [[spoiler: When Lusung's sister refused to marry him and attempted to elope with her true love, Yonkai caught them, executed her love and after being rejected a second time, sent her to the mines to die an early death.]]
* [[spoiler: KarmicDeath]]: [[spoiler: A most satisfying one, as he is burned alive in pure delightful agony by Jinsoyun.]]
* KickTheDog: Apparently this is the only move he knows.
* [[spoiler: OhCrap]]: [[spoiler: Gets this big-time when he witnesses Jinsoyun incinerate soldiers with a flick of her wrist. He orders his entire force to focus on her and goes into an even bigger one when she annihilates them effortlessly.]]
* [[spoiler: UndignifiedDeath]]: [[spoiler: For all of his 'power' and his self-importance, Yonkai is killed just as Jinsoyun did to his soldiers: with a flick of her wrist and without a second look.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder: The Talus Dominion]]
The Talus Dominion was founded when the celebrated Stratus general, Yunma Kahn, decided to break off from the Empire and founded his own kingdom in the Eastern Continent, bringing with him a large portion of the Stratus enemy. With the loss of the Stratus prince in the demonic invasion of the East Continent capital, the Talus Dominion has risen rapidly in power, attaining control of the East Continent and becoming a serious enemy to the Stratus Empire.

!! Emperor Yunma Kahn
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_170730_004_2.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Talus Emperor]]
The first and current Emperor of the Talus Dominion, Yunma was a high-ranking general who became the most powerful defector from the Stratus Empire 30 years ago, allowing him to establish his own kingdom in the East Continent.
* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: Both an esteemed general and a powerful martial artist.
* FatherToHisMen: Has this reputation. It made him very well-loved by his army, especially back when he was lead them in the rebellion against the Stratus. Of course, now that he has to deal with issues of governance as Emperor, he became more detached from his military supporters. This allowed Jinsoyun coming in and taking control of the Talus military instead. [[spoiler: Still, the loyalty he inspired was enough to trigger the former general Gubong's memories and break him out of Jinsoyun's control.]]
* FourStarBadass: His former job as a Stratus general and it was this position that poised him so well for defecting from the Empire.
* [[spoiler: StarCrossedLovers]]: [[spoiler: He was mutually in love with Namsolyn, who was chosen to become the wife of the newly crowned Stratus Emperor Wan. At first, his loyalty meant that he was content to continue serving as a Stratus general, but when the Stratus Empire broke apart, Yunma decided to take Namsolyn with him. They eventually defied the trope and had a child together as Emperor and Empress of the Talus Dominion.]]
* ScaryImpracticalArmor: Seems to have this on whenever he appears out of the palace. [[spoiler: It's not him.]]

!! Princess Yunma Fei
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yunma_fei.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Talus Princess]]
The Princess of the Talus Dominion, she is a kind, courageous woman who works tirelessly to fight back against the encroaching corruption inside the nation. Yunma Fei knows her way with a sword, fights her way through numerous full-scale battles and [[spoiler: breaks her way into the dungeon in the heart of the Talus capital itself to save you by force.]]

* BigDamnHeroes: [[spoiler: Together with Junghado, she personally breaks you out of the Talus Dungeon when you are captured and heavily wounded by Jinsoyun.]]
* TheConsigliere: [[spoiler: Offers the player this position at her side in the Talus court when she becomes Empress, wishing them to stop her if she ever showed signs of becoming a tyrant. As she had expected, they decline her offer, having to return to Heaven's Reach to continue teaching the Hongmoon Arts.]]
* {{Deuteragonist}}: For Act 3 and Act 4, due to her many struggles to purge the Talus Empire of Jinsoyun's corruption.
* [[spoiler: TheHighQueen]]: [[spoiler: Becomes the Empress of the Talus Dominion after her father abdicates to live a life of peace as a monk.]]
* LikeBrotherAndSister: With Junghado and Yu Chun.
* ParentalAbandonment: Part of the reason why she fought so hard against Jinsoyun. As Jinsoyun rose in power and began having the emperor's ear, the emperor became increasingly distant from his daughter, focusing on proving his right to rule, and eventually neglected her almost entirely.
* ReallyRoyaltyReveal: [[spoiler: She is also the founder and leader of the Skyhaven Resistance, a group dedicated to fighting back against Talus oppression.]]
* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: Does a LOT! [[spoiler: Noticing that Jinsoyun's rise to power is spreading corruption within the Talus Dominion, Yunma Fei realizes that her position as Princess is too limiting to let her do anything about it. She thus tasks Yu Chun to use his position as Captain of the Guard to manage matters in the capital, while she herself leaves with his bodyguard Junghado to setup a resistance force against the Talus oppression, hoping to wrest Jinsoyun from power with the support of the Talus civilians. When she fails and gets captured to be put into curfew, she uses her still undetected connection to Yu Chun to have him assist Cricket when they arrive at the capital. With Cricket's help, they try to weaken Jinsoyun's control over the army, as well as remove her corrupt supporters in the court. When the time seems ripe, she assigns her personal guard, the Gilded Blade, to Cricket's command to help them in their strike against Jinsoyun. When Cricket's lack of strength led to their defeat and capture by Jinsoyun, Yunma Fei personally breaks into the Talus Dungeons to break them out.]]
* TrueCompanions: With Junghado and Yu Chun. She adds you into her circle after all you've done for her with both the Skyhaven Resistance and the corruption in Zaiwei.

!! Junghado
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/350px_junghado.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The Professional]]
Princess Yunma's lifelong bodyguard and the leader of the Order of the Gilded Blade, the Princess' personal guard and covert intelligence.
* BigDamnHeroes: [[spoiler: Accompanies Yunma Fei in her breaking into Talus Dungeon to save the player from their imprisonment.]]
* ConsummateProfessional: His title is 'The Professional' and he always carries himself with a stern composure no matter the obstacles in front of him.
* LikeBrotherAndSister: With the Princess, due to being ChildhoodFriends.
* MasterSwordsman: He's noted to be one of the best swordsman in the world. And proves it in his boss battle with the Player Character.
* SubordinateExcuse: Has the prowess to be offered a high-ranking position in the Talus military, but chose to remain as Princess Yunma's bodyguard so that he can watch over her.
* TallDarkAndHandsome: Classic lean stature with graceful long black hair.
* UndyingLoyalty: To the Princess. He will always be sure to remind you.

!! Yu Chun
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/iuzidtp.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Captain of the Guard]]
The Captain of the Guard of Zaiwei, the Talus capital. An up-and-coming officer with a strong sense of justice, he seeks to ensure the protection of Zaiwei and all of its citizens.
* ArchEnemy: Been chasing down Yunsang for years with no success until the Player Character helps him in catching Yunsang.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: While he does not approve of the hero's vigilante attempts to catch Yunsang for him at first, Yu Chun eventually accepts their assistance and even escorts them into Zaiwei after Yunsang is captured. It is eventually revealed that he has been Princess Yunma's ally all this time, helping her with affairs in the city while she went out to raise the resistance.
* {{Bishonen}}: Along with being TallDarkAndHandsome, almost everyone calls Yu Chun a dandy or pretty boy.
* FourStarBadass
* LikeBrotherAndSister: With the Princess, due to being ChildhoodFriends.
* ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks: When he makes his first appearance against Yunsang, Yu Chun throws his sword with such force that it turns into a spinning disk of death. Even when Yunsang caught it with his halberd, the sword kept on spinning!
[[/folder]]

[[folder: The Lumang Syndicate]]
A vast criminal organization that is made up of many different factions across the Earthly Realm. Whenever the player runs into bandits of various groups, it is very likely that these groups are under the umbrella of the Lumang Syndicate.
----
!! Yunsang
The King of Thieves and the feared leader of the Lumang Syndicate. Wielding his mighty halberd, he has warded off countless attempts to capture him from all authorities.
* EarlyBirdCameo: He makes his first in-game appearance as the boss of the 20th Floor of Mushin's Tower.
* HeroicSacrifice: Protects his former lover Juwol from Yu Chun's flying blades with his body. He survives.
* IOweYouMyLife: Becomes firmly on Cricket's side once he hears about [[spoiler: how they gave up Mushin's Legacy to save his daughter.]]
* PapaWolf: Charged straight into enemy territory when he heard that Yunwa was captured by Yunsang. It was actually a trap set by Cricket.
* VillainousValor: When tricked into walking into a Talus ambush, Yunsang faces it off without fear, calling himself a unstoppable tempest. He makes good on that boast by absolutely decimating the Talus soldiers, only being stopped by the player and the timely arrival of Yu Chun.
----
!! Yunwa
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/399px_yunwa.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:Princess of Thieves]]
The Princess of Thieves, Yunwa is the adopted daughter of the Lumang leader Yunsung. She left the Lumang Syndicate a few years ago to strike out on her own and prove to her father that she prove that she has the skills to be a capable thief. Her latest target is the fabled Mushin's Legacy, a mystical item rumoured to contain Mushin's immeasurable power.
* BadassAdorable: While she is not a great fighter, Yunwa is absolutely fearless and knows how to use her Syndicate connections to achieve her goals. [[spoiler: Her absorption of Mushin's Legacy means that she has the potential to be as powerful as Mushin himself.]]
* BlitheSpirit: Does whatever she wants, no matter what other people say. Try to keep her inside? She'll find a way to escape. Try to hide your treasures from her? She'll steal it. Have a literal army chasing after her prize? Well, she'll just have to be faster than them.
* DamselInDistress: Gets hit by this many, many times.
* {{Deuteragonist}}: Of Act 2, as she searches for the legendary Mushin's Legacy, [[spoiler: without knowing she is Mushin's last descendant.]]
* [[spoiler:LivingMacGuffin]]: [[spoiler: Being the last descendant of Mushin, she is the key to allow access to his much sought-after Legacy.]]
* LovableRogue: The adorable Princess of Thieves that is beloved by everyone in the Syndicate.
* TomBoy: A free-spirited tomboy who is always in search for adventure and hunting for long-lost treasure.
* TrueCompanions: Is almost never without her beleaguered caretaker Gil [[spoiler: until he betrays her]], and she also considers Cricket as her 'luck charm' after they sacrificed the power of Mushin's Legacy to save her life.
[[/folder]]

!! Legendary Figures
[[folder: The Four Guardians]]
Four legendary warriors hailing from an ancient time, who were granted immense power and immortality by the heavens to combat the Dark Lord. Ever since the battle, they have withdrawn from the world and gone into hiding. Many people, from Jinsoyun to the Eight Masters, are searching for them. [[spoiler: Mushin is the only one left alive]]
----
!! Hong the Earthbreaker
See entry on Master Hong.
----
!! Mushin the Divine Fist
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/350px_mushin.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:The Divine Fist]]
A powerful Gon martial artist known for his unmatched martial skill, Mushin helped stave off the darkness with his fellow guardians in the fight against the Dark Lord 1000 years ago. According to the Eight Masters, he is dead. Even so, his influence in the story comes through the struggle over his descendants and the power he left behind known as Mushin's Legacy.
* BareFistedMonk: Unlike nearly every Kung Fu Master in the game, Mushin never uses gauntlets, instead using his bare fists to utterly break his enemies in quick, powerful strikes. Divine Fist indeed.
* [[spoiler: TheCorruption]]: [[spoiler: Utilizes Dark Chi in his way of martial arts called the Dark Arts.]]
* [[spoiler: EvilLaugh]]: [[spoiler: Goes into one as Gil when Yunwa tells him that she is Mushin's descendant, laughing at how the key to his goal has been beside him all this time.]]
* [[spoiler: FallenHero]]: [[spoiler: He was a genuine hero back in the day, respected for both his might and his kindness, winning loyalty as the greatest officer in the Naryu Empire. But his father, the Emperor of Naryu, was forced to arrest him due to rumours of treason and a planned coup, spread by his brothers jealous of Mushin's success. These events planted a darkness into Mushin, making him question the point of all his efforts to protect and serve the Naryu Empire and its people. This darkness was later exploited by the Dark Realm, its corrupting energies amplifying it and transforming Mushin into the cold, calculative MagnificentBastard that he is in the game.]]
* HeroicSacrifice: He was most known for being the Guardian who willingly threw themselves into the Dark Realm to seal the Gate from the other side over a thousands years ago, preventing a demonic invasion. He was presumed dead until he managed to escape 30 years before the events of the game, much to the joy of his fellow Guardians.
* ObfuscatingStupidity: [[spoiler: In his disguise as the bumbling careless Gil.]]
* PosthumousCharacter: According to the Eight Masters, he's already dead, possibly killed by Jinsoyun. [[spoiler: They were wrong.]]
* RedBaron: His title as the Divine Fist.
* [[spoiler Revenge]]: [[spoiler: The motivation behind his Dark Arts and what he uses to draw upon the Dark Chi's power.]]
* TakingUpTheMantle: Mushin's Legacy, an orb containing his divine power. In the event he dies, a warrior deemed worthy by the three Sages will be able to inherit it.
* WalkingSpoiler: Pretty much. [[spoiler: Other than his continued survival, Mushin is also directly responsible for a lot of the events and backstory in the game, thanks in part to his ambition and his immortality.]]
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!! Iksanun the Realmwalker
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/600px_iksanun.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:The Realmwalker]]
A Lyn martial artist known for being the most laid-back of the group, as well as being the hardest to find. After Master Hong's death, he is the [[SoleSurvivor last living member]] of the Four Guardians. [[spoiler: Not.]]
* ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies: The main reason he stayed away from his lover and Brightstone Village, even in their time of need during a Talus attack. It is a little more selfish in that his [[{{Seers}} foresight]] allowed him to see that him staying hidden was key to letting him meet and help the future warrior Cricket stop Jinsoyun from bringing about TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt. He regrets this decision when he realizes that he had a son who had been left traumatized and bitter by the death of his mother.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Is very condescending towards the player, constantly belittling them and their condition, but he is completely on the player's side in stopping Jinsoyun and makes use of his connections heavily to seek out a cure for the Mark of the Black Rose.
* LukeYouAreMyFather: He has a son named Ilsim from his former lover in Brightstone Village. Unfortunately, she chose not to tell him before her death because she feared that his son would be used against him by his enemies. [[spoiler: Sadly, his enemies figured it out before he did.]]
* [[spoiler: MentorOccupationalHazard]]: [[spoiler: Guides Cricket throughout all of Act 3, helping him gain favour with the Sacred Beasts and recieve their life force. Unfortunately, it was this focus on Cricket that made him fail to realize that there are other key parties involved, namely his son Ilsim. This resulted in Jinsoyun using Ilsim against him, leading to his death.]]
* OutGambitted: [[spoiler: All of his schemes were viciously and thoroughly beaten by Jinsoyun, thanks in part to her spies in the Skyhaven Resistance. When she learned he wanted to use the Great Dragon Pulse to teleport the Skyhaven Resistance straight into the Talus capital Zaiwei, not only does she use the Great Dragon Pulse first to ambush the headquarters of the Resistance, she sets up a trap where Iksanun's own attempt backfired against him, teleporting in another Talus army on top of the Resistance once more. Finally, she figures out that Ilsim is unknowingly his son. Thus she got to the boy first, manipulating his rage against Iksanun for failing to protect Brightstone Village and his mother. She then made sure that Iksanun will figure it out soon as well by planting hints. She finishes it all off by having Ilsim uses his ability to get close to stab Iksanun with the Twilight's Edge disguised as a dagger, killing Iksanun.]]
* PaperThinDisguise: His disguises involve a simple change of clothes and calling himself 'Old Master Ik'. Yes, 'Ik'.
* PortalNetwork: His mastery over Dragon Pulses, to the point that he can block off other people from using them and travel all around the world.
* RedBaron: His title as the Realmwalker. It is a reference to his complete mastery of the Dragon Pulse PortalNetwork, allowing him allegedly move from one side of the Realm to the next.
* [[spoiler: SpontaneousHumanCombustion]]: [[spoiler: His fate at the end of Act 3, thanks to Twilight's Edge.]]
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!! Jiwan the Righteous Blade
An Yun martial artist reknowned for her skill with the sword. According to the Eight Masters, she is dead.
* [[spoiler: BigGood:]] [[spoiler: Her spirit has been watching over Cricket throughout their entire journey, helping them in times of need in hopes that they can save her former pupil Jinsoyun from the clutches of the Dark Lord.]]
* CoolSword: [[spoiler: The Twilight's Edge.]]
* [[spoiler: HeroicSacrifice]]: [[spoiler: Gave her life to protect Jinsoyun from Mushin's attempt to kill her. Unfortunately, this was Mushin's intent all along, as well as triggering Jinsoyun's StartOfDarkness.]]
* LightIsGood
* PosthumousCharacter: According to the Eight Masters, Jiwan's already dead, possibly killed by Jinsoyun. [[spoiler: Jinsoyun isn't the killer. It was actually Mushin who killed her and then blamed Jinsoyun for the crime, causing her {{StartOfDarkness}}.]]
* RedBaron: Her title as the Righteous Blade. [[spoiler: It's a hint that she was the original wielder of the Twilight's Edge.]]
* WomanInWhite
[[/folder]]

[[folder: The Sacred Beasts]]

[[/folder]]

!!Other Characters

[[folder: In the Cinderlands]]

!! Yehara
->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/SayakaOhara (anime)
The beautiful hostess of Yehara's Mirage, a popular inn that is considered the oasis of the Cinderlands desert. She is well-respected for both her knowledge and her martial prowess, the latter displayed in the rare times people dare make trouble in her establishment. In the anime, her name is Karen.
* SilkHidingSteel
----
!! Juwol
->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/AyahiTakagaki (anime)
The female leader of the Yes-men, a group of male bandits devoted to serving her every whim. Selfish, ill-tempered and stubborn, she uses her skill as a Blade Master to rip her opponents to shreds. Her anime counterpart is Dan Roana, who leads a similar group called the Pleasure Gang.
* BoobsOfSteel
* DrowningHerSorrows: Once she heard that [[spoiler: Yunsang retired from banditry to be a monk.]]
* WomanScorned: Felt that Yunsang betrayed her ever since he adopted Yunwa. She held her grudge for a long time.
* Tsundere: To Yunsang. She will get angry at the guy but once she heard that he was captures she tries to save him but fails.

!! The Three Sages
A trio of wise men who have been watching over Mushin's Legacy for a very long time. Trusted by Mushin with his divine power, they serve as judges who are waiting for the one who will finally prove worthy of inheriting his power, all while leading normal lives under the guise as regular people.

The Three Sages are: Dokdan the Healer, Podan the Vagabond and Jakdan the Drunkard.
* TheAlcoholic: Jakdan, its even in his title!
* OldMaster: Helps out cricket in Mushins Tower, acting like mentor for each challenge Cricket does.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Hongmoon School]]
A renowned martial arts school created by Master Hong Sokyun many years ago. It has since fallen from the height of its popularity and houses only a handful of students due to Master Hong's failing health.

!!Brother Yungmuk
A student of the Hongmoon School and its assistant instructor.
* GentleGiant: Despite being a huge Gon, Master Hong trusts him to teach the newcomers.
* TheStoic: His facial expression rarely changes from serious, even when he's stunned that Cricket was accepted/promoted as a full-fledged student after only 3 years.
----
!!Brother Hajoon
A male Lyn Force Master, he's the school resident prankster but he also knows a lot about the other fighting disciplines other than his own.

* BigBrotherMentor: Turns into this during Act 1 for Cricket.
* TheCorruption: Gets hit with the 'Mark of the Black Rose'. It is eating his mind, body, and soul and gradually weakens him.
* TheDeterminator: Even being corrupted from the inside doesn't stop Hajoon from continuing to try and train Cricket in some intermediate skills of the Hongmoon School over the course of a few days.
* MentorOccupationalHazard: Accepts this since he's got the Mark of the Black Rose but wants to teach Cricket as much as he can before he expires.
* PintsizedPowerhouse: The smallest member of the Hongmoon school but also one of the elder students.
----
!!Brother Gilhong
An unassuming male Jin.
----
!!Sister Jinyung
The only female student of Hongmoon (unless Cricket is also female).
----
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Brightstone Village]]
!!Ilsim
Iksanun's secret son. A rash, bitter Lyn who strives to free his village from their forced enslavement by the Talus army.

!!Mayor Taywo
Brightstone Village's elderly mayor and Ilsim's [[ParentalSubstitute caretaker]] ever since his mother died in the Talus attack 16 years ago.

Note: for the video game cast, see [[Characters/BladeAndSoul here]].