before he met Orea Pullawr.
Guile, Gavin: The Prism. Two years older than Dazen, he was appointed Prism at age thirteen.
Guile, Kip: The illegitimate Tyrean son of Gavin Guile and Katalina Delauria. He is a superchromat and a full-spectrum polychrome. Leader of the Mighty, married to Tisis Malargos.
Guile, Sevastian: The youngest Guile brother. He was murdered by a blue wight when Gavin was thirteen and Dazen was not yet eleven.
Guile, Zymun: A young drafter and former member of the White King’s army. Also known as Zymun White Oak, he claims to be the son of Karris and Gavin Guile and has been declared Prism-elect.
Gunner: né Uluch Assan, legendary Ilytian pirate famous for having killed a sea demon. His first underdeck command was as cannoneer on the Aved Barayah. Worked for Dazen Guile during the False Prism’s War. He later became captain of the Bitter Cob.
Halfcock: One of the oldest Blackguards at forty years old. Sub-red/red bichrome. Refuses to retire.
Hill, Ruarc: A nobleman and leader of Dúnbheo.
Holdfast: A Blackguard. His son is Cruxer and his widow is Inana, another Blackguard.
Holvar, Jin: A woman who entered the Blackguard the same year as Karris White Oak, though she is a few years younger.
Hanishu: Tremblefist. A Blackguard. He was Ironfist’s younger brother and was once the dey of Aghbalu. His Nine Kings card is the Butcher of Aghbalu.
Harrdun: Ironfist. Former commander of the Blackguard, a blue drafter. Parian. Brother to Haruru (the Nuqaba) and Hanishu (Tremblefist). Member of the Order of the Broken Eye. Takes the title of king of Paria after his sister is assassinated.
Haruru: The last Nuqaba in Paria, she was assassinated by Teia for the Order of the Broken Eye.
Inana: Cruxer’s mother, and once a Blackguard. Widow of Holdfast, also a Blackguard. She retired from the Blackguard in order to marry him.
Izemrasen: A ghotra-wearing Parian, forty years old, green drafter. He lost his legs after breaking his back during his training to enter the Blackguard. Now a scout-drafter for Kip Guile’s Night-bringers.
Jalal: A friendly storekeeper. Karris’s favorite kopi seller on Big Jasper.
Kadah: Formerly a magister at the Chromeria who taught drafting basics. Now a researcher for the Chromeria.
Kallikrates: Teia’s father. He ran the silk route as a trader before losing everything due to his wife’s reckless behavior.
Keeper of the Flame, the: A chi drafter. Member of a secret religious order in Dúnbheo.
Kerea: A Blackguard and an Archer.
Klytos Blue: The Blue on the Spectrum. He represents Ilyta, though he is Ruthgari. A coward and Andross Guile’s tool.
Leonidas: Aka Leo. A member of the Mighty, hugely muscular, drafts red and sub-red. Better known as Big Leo.
Lorenço: One of High General Corvan Danavis’s lieutenants.
Lucidonius: The legendary founder of the Seven Satrapies and the Chromeria, the first Prism. He was married to Karris Shadowblinder.
Malargos, Antonius: Cousin of Eirene and Tisis Malargos. A handsome young red drafter. Later a military leader of some skill for Kip Guile’s Nightbringers. A devout follower of Orholam.
Malargos, Eirene (Prism): The Prism before Alexander Spreading
Oak (who preceded Gavin Guile). She lasted fourteen years.
Malargos, Eirene (the Younger): The older sister of Tisis Malargos. She took over the family’s affairs when her father and uncle didn’t return from the False Prism’s War.
Malargos, Tisis: A beautiful Ruthgari green drafter. Her father and uncle fought for Dazen Guile. Her older sister is Eirene Malargos, from whom she will likely inherit the wealth of a great trading empire, as Eirene has refused to bear children. Now married to Kip Guile.
Marissia: See ‘Rathcore, Marissia.’
Miriam: High General Corvan Danavis’s attaché and lieutenant commander.
Muazon, Aldib: The last academic to credibly study paryl.
Muriel: The apothecary for the Order of the Broken Eye.
Nabiros: One of the Two Hundred. Legendary spiritual being. Also known as Cerberos.
Naheed, Quentin: A young luxiat, genius polymath, erstwhile assassin, now humble servant of Orholam and slave to the Iron White, Karris Guile. He wears rich clothing as a warning to other luxiats of what sins their vanity may lead them to.
Nuqaba, the: The keeper of the oral histories of Parians, a figure of unique and tremendous power due to her ancient office as both religious leader to the Parians and guardian of the Great Library of Azûlay. Within her satrapy, she rivals both the satrap of Paria and the Prism in her influence.
Nuri (Nuriel): An immortal, one of the elohim.
Orholam: From the Old Abornean Or’holam, literally ‘Lord of Light/Lights.’ Referred to by His/Its titles rather than by a name as a sign of total respect. The deity of the monotheistic Seven Satrapies, also known as the Father of