Leelee: A pretty young kitchen slave in Andross Guile’s household.
Lem (Will): A Blackguard, either simple or crazy, a blue drafter with incredible will.
Leo: A member of the Mighty, hugely muscular, drafts red and sub-red. Often called Big Leo.
Leonus: A sailor with a twisted back who was particularly cruel to the slave rowers.
Lightbringer, the: A controversial figure in prophecy and mythology. Attributes that most agree on are that he is male, will slay or has slain gods and kings, is of mysterious birth, is a genius of magic, a warrior who will sweep, or has swept, all before him, a champion of the poor and downtrodden, great from his youth, He Who Shatters. That most of the prophecies were in Old Parian and the meanings have changed in ways that are difficult to trace hasn’t helped. There are three basic camps: those who believe that the Lightbringer has yet to come; those who believe that the Lightbringer has already come and was Lucidonius (a view the Chromeria now holds, though it didn’t always); and, among some academics, those who believe that the Lightbringer is a metaphor for what is best in all of us.
Lillyfield: Martial arts tutor to Sarai Lucigari and to Teia.
Little Piper: An orange/yellow bichrome Blackguard.
Lorcan: A giant grizzly. Littermates with Tallach.
Lucidonius: The legendary founder of the Seven Satrapies and the Chromeria, the first Prism. He was married to Karris Shadowblinder and founded the Blackguard.
Lucigari, Lady: The mother of Sarai; a wealthy noblewoman of Abornea.
Lucigari, Sarai: Teia was her slave companion and training partner.
Lunna Green: The Green on the Spectrum until her death. Ruthgari, a cousin of Jia Tolver. Her brothers killed Arys Greenveil’s parents during the war.
Lytos: A Blackguard, a lanky Ilytian eunuch. Partners with Buskin. Betrayed his oaths before he was killed by the Mighty.
Malargos, Antonius: Cousin of Eirene and Tisis Malargos, a red drafter and devout follower of Orholam.
Malargos, Aristocles: Uncle of Eirene and Tisis Malargos; lost during the chaos in the aftermath of the Battle of Sundered Rock.
Malargos, Camileas: One of the High Luxiats during the False Prism’s War. Sister of Dervani and Aristocles Malargos.
Malargos, Dervani: A Ruthgari nobleman, father of Eirene and Tisis Malargos, a friend and supporter of Dazen during the False Prism’s War. A green drafter who was lost in the wilds of Tyrea for years. When he tried to return home, Felia Guile secretly hired pirates to kill him so that he wouldn’t reveal Gavin’s secrets. He survived the attempt and later became the Omnichrome’s choice for Atirat.
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 come back from the war.
Malargos, Perakles: The brutal though cowardly head of the Malargos family prior to Eirene Malargos’s ascension.
Malargos, Thera: Perakles Malargos’s wife.
Malargos, Tisis: A stunningly 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.
Maltheos, the: A Ruthgari noble family that fell before the False Prism’s War.
Marae: One of Teia’s younger sisters.
Marid Black: The Black during the False Prism’s War.
Marissia: Gavin Guile’s room slave. A red-haired Blood Forester who was captured by the Ruthgari during the war between Ruthgar and Blood Forest, she has been with Gavin for over a decade, since she was eighteen.
Marta, Adan: An inhabitant of Rekton.
Martaens, Marta: A magister at the Chromeria. She is one of only a handful of living paryl drafters, and she instructs Teia.
Martaenus, Luzia: A young woman of Atan’s town during Darjan’s time.
Massensen: A hero in defeating the Jadmar Rebellion.
Melanthes: The steward—and slave—of the Malargos family.
Mennad: A Blackguard who gave his life for a Prism.
Mimi, Pasha: A new pirate queen of Ilyta.
Mohana: One of the six High Luxiats.
Mori: A soldier in the Omnichrome’s army.
Morteza: A Shadow for the Order of the Broken Eye.
Mossbeard: The conn of a village on the Blood Forest coast near Ruic Bay.
Naelos: A Blackguard with whom Karris White Oak had a brief affair after the end of her engagement to Gavin Guile.
Nabiros: One of the Two Hundred. Legendary. Also known as Cerberos.
Naheed: Satrapah of Atash. She was murdered by General Gad Delmarta during the False Prism’s War.
Naheed, Quentin: A young luxiat and genius polymath.
Nassos: A Ruthgari count in western Ruthgar. Liv Danavis’s cousin serves him.
Navid, Gariban: A discipulus at the Chromeria.
Navid, Payam: A good-looking magister at the Chromeria; Phips Navid is his cousin.
Navid, Phips: Cousin to Payam Navid. He grew up in Ru, and later joined the Omnichrome’s army. His father and older brothers were all hanged after the False Prism’s War when he was just twelve years old. Killed in the Battle of Ru.
Nerra: A Blackguard who invented great explosive luxin disks (hull wreckers) for sinking ships.
Niel, Amestan: Now the third largest exporter of wool in Paria, he knew Karris White Oak as a young man.
Niel, Baya: A green drafter and Blackguard.
Nuqaba, 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.
Oakenshield, Taya: Known for extending the walls of what was once known as Oakenshield Fortress (now simply called the Castle).
Oakenshield, Zee: Andross Guile’s great-great-grandmother, a green drafter.
Omnichrome, Lord (the Color Prince): The leader of a rebellion against the rule of the Chromeria. His true identity is known by few, as he has re-formed almost his entire body with luxin. A full-spectrum polychrome, he posits a faith in freedom and power, rather than in Lucidonius and Orholam. Also known as the White King, the Color Prince, the Crystal Prophet, the Polychrome Master, the Eldritch Enlightened, and derogatorily as Lord Rainbow. He was formerly Koios White Oak, one of Karris White Oak’s brothers. He was horribly burnt in the fire that triggered the False Prism’s War.
One-Eye: A mercenary with the Cloven Shield company.
Onesto, Prestor: An Ilytian banker at Varig and Green.
Onesto, Turgal: The young scion of a great merchant banking family and Karris White Oak’s spy.
Ora’lem: The legendary first drafter to use a shimmercloak, name literally meaning ‘the hidden.’
Orholam: From the Old Abornean Or’holam, literally ‘Lord of Light.’ 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 All. His worship was spread throughout the Seven Satrapies by Lucidonius, four hundred years before the reign of Prism Gavin Guile.
Orholam: A tongue-in-cheek nickname for a slave rower who once served Orholam as a prophet. Due to Gunner’s superstitions, he is assigned to the seventh seat in the galley’s ranks, seven being also the number of the deity.
Orlos, Maros: A very religious Ruthgari drafter. He fought in both the False Prism’s War and as a defender of Garriston.
Or-mar-zel-atir: One of the original Blackguards who served Lucidonius. His name meant ‘master who serves as [the goddess] Atirat’s spear’ with the dual connotation that he was a master of the spear, and that he himself was lordly and used as Atirat’s spear.
Oros brothers, the: Two Blackg
uard scrubs.
Param: A retired Blackguard. One of Karris White Oak’s former lovers.
Payam, Parshan: A young drafter at the Chromeria who attempted to seduce Liv Danavis as part of a bet. After she learned of the bet, he failed in spectacular fashion.
Pevarc: He proved the world was round two hundred years before Gavin Guile, and was later lynched for positing that light was the absence of darkness rather than a positive presence itself.
Phaestos: A legendary woodworker of Blood Forest.
Pheronike: A spy handler for the White King and a sub-red drafter.
Philosopher, the: A foundational figure in both moral and natural philosophy.
Pip: A Blackguard scrub.
Polyphrastes: A rhetor and grammarian. Author of Dictions.
Pots: A Blackguard.
Presser: A Blackguard.
Ptolos, Euterpe: Satrapah of Ruthgar.
Ptolos, Croesos: Cousin to Euterpe Ptolos.
Pullawr, Orea: The White. A blue/green bichrome who refrained from drafting in order to prolong her life. She was married to Ulbear Rathcore before his death twenty years ago.
Rados, Blessed Satrap: A Ruthgari satrap who fought the Blood Foresters although he was outnumbered two to one. He was famous for burning the Rozanos Bridge behind his army to keep it from retreating.
Ramir (Ram): A Rekton villager.
Rassad, Shayam: Completely blind in the visible spectrum, he allegedly could navigate with sub-red and paryl; instructed Marta Martaens’s teacher in the use of paryl.
Rathcore, Fiona: A Prism.
Rathcore, Ghiolla Dhé: Nobleman, nephew of Orea Pullawr.
Rathcore, Ulbear: The late husband of the White, he has been dead for twenty years. An adroit player of Nine Kings.
Rhoda: Masseuse for the Blackguard and the White.
Rig: A Blackguard legacy. He is a red/orange bichrome.
Roshan, Mahshid: A beautiful superviolet drafter, she serves as a greeter at the Crossroads tavern.
Rud: A Blackguard scrub. He is a squat coastal Parian who wears the ghotra.
Running Wolf: A general for Gavin Guile during the False Prism’s War. He was thrice bested by smaller forces commanded by Corvan Danavis.
Sadah Superviolet: The Parian representative, a superviolet drafter, often the swing vote on the Spectrum.
Salvador: An elderly Tyrean slave.
Samite: One of Karris White Oak’s best friends. Now one-handed, she has become a trainer for the Blackguard.
Sanson: A village boy from Rekton who grew up with Kip Guile.
Satrap of Atash: See ‘Aravind.’
Sayeh, Meena: Cousin to Samila Sayeh. She was just seven years old when she was killed in Gad Delmarta’s purge of the royal family at Ru.
Sayeh, Samila: A blue drafter for Gavin Guile’s army. She fought in the defense of Garriston under him.
Scriptivist: A prophet.
Seaborn, Brádach: A nobleman who crossed Gavin Guile.
Seaborn, Phyros: A member of the Omnichrome’s army. He was seven feet tall and fought with two axes. Liv Danavis’s protector and guardian. His family was destroyed by the Guiles after his brother crossed Gavin Guile. Killed when he tried to enslave Liv Danavis.
Selene: One of the six High Luxiats. A close friend of Orea Pullawr.
Selene, Lady: A Tyrean blue/green bichrome. Not related to High Luxiat Selene (this being a relatively common name).
Sendinas, the: A Rekton family.
Shadowblinder, Karris: Lucidonius’s wife and later widow. She was the second Prism. See also ‘Atiriel, Karris.’
Shala: Gavin Guile’s middle-aged room slave immediately following the False Prism’s War, chosen by Felia Guile. Her position was eventually permanently filled by Marissia.
Shales, Mongalt: A ship’s captain.
Sharp, Murder: An assassin of the Order of the Broken Eye who has at times worked for Andross Guile when the Order endorsed the assignment.
Sharp, Nouri: A Shadow for the Order of the Broken Eye.
Shayam: An influential follower of the Color Prince.
Shimmercloak, Gebalyn: Vox Shimmercloak’s former partner. She seems to have died in a fire while on an assignment.
Shimmercloak, Niah: An assassin. Partner to Vox and a lightsplitter.
Shimmercloak, Vox: A green drafter and assassin. He was kicked out of the Chromeria at thirteen. A devotee of Atirat.
Shining Spear: Originally called El-Anat, which means ‘Anat is the lord.’ Once he converted to the Light, he became Forushalzmarish, then Shining Spear so the locals could pronounce it, beginning the tradition of Blackguards’ assuming new names upon joining.
Siana: One of Darjan’s wives.
Siluz, Rea: Fourth undersecretary of the Chromeria library and a weak yellow drafter. She knows Janus Borig and directs Kip Guile to meet her.
Siofra, Sibéal: A pygmy drafter of Shady Grove.
Small Bear: A huge archer with just one eye. He served Zee Oakenshield.
Spear: A commander of the Blackguard when Gavin Guile first became Prism.
Spreading Oak, Alexander: The Prism before Gavin Guile. Became a poppy addict shortly after becoming Prism. He spent most of his time hiding in his apartments. Son of Lord Bran Spreading Oak.
Spreading Oak, Bran: The head of an old noble family of Blood Forest, devout, an old classmate and friend of Orea Pullawr.
Spreading Oak, Cúan: Nobleman, city leader of Dúnbheo.
Spreading Oak, Gracchos: The youngest of Lord Bran Spreading Oak’s six sons. Killed in the False Prism’s War.
Spreading Oak, Gracchos (the Elder): A Prism known for his exploits between the sheets as much as for his incredible diplomatic prowess. He seduced every kind of woman, from satrapahs to kitchen maids. He lasted just seven years, but managed to stop two wars, though he barely avoided starting a third when his wife found about the kitchen maid.
Strap: An overseer of the slaves on the Bitter Cob.
Stump: A Blackguard. Coastal Parian.
Sworrins, the: A Rekton family.
Tafsut, Thiyya: A legendary Blackguard, remembered for her self-sacrifice and her beauty.
Takama: Head of the Chromeria’s binderies.
Tala: A drafter and warrior in the False Prism’s War. She was also a defender of Garriston. Her grandson is Aheyyad Brightwater, and her sister is Tayri.
Tala (the Younger): A yellow/green bichrome. Named after the hero of the False Prism’s War, she is an excellent drafter, though not yet an excellent fighter.
Talim, Sayid: A former Prism. He nearly got himself named promachos to face the nonexistent armada he claimed waited beyond the gates, fifty years ago.
Tallach: A giant grizzly partnered with Conn Ruadhán Arthur, littermate of Lorcan.
Tamerah: A Blackguard scrub, a blue monochrome.
Tana: A Blackguard legacy, a scrub.
Tanner: A Blackguard scrub.
Tarkian: A polychrome drafter.
Tawleb: One of the six High Luxiats.
Tayri: A Parian drafter and defender of Garriston. Her sister is Tala.
Tazerwalt: A princess of the Tlaglanu tribe of Paria. She married Hanishu, the dey of Aghbalu who later joined the Blackguard and took the name Tremblefist.
Temnos, Dalos the Younger: A drafter who fought in both the False Prism’s War and the defense of Garriston under Gavin Guile.
Tempus: A Blackguard and a watch captain, he led the green drafters during the battle at Ruic Head.
Tensit: A Blackguard inductee.
Tep, Usef: A drafter who fought in the False Prism’s War and later against the Omnichrome’s armies at Garriston. He was also known as the Purple Bear because he was a disjunctive bichrome in red and blue. After the war, he and Samila Sayeh became lovers, despite having fought on opposite sides.
Third Eye, the: A Seer, the leader of the original Seers Island inhabitants, and wife of Corvan Danavis, the new satrap of Seers Island.
Tiziri: A former student at the
Chromeria. She has a birthmark over the left half of her face. Forced to leave when Kip Guile failed to win a game of Nine Kings against his grandfather.
Tizrik: The son of the dey of Aghbalu. He failed the Blackguard testing, though not before Kip Guile broke his nose for being a bully.
Tlatig: One of the Blackguard’s most skilled Archers.
Tleros: A Blackguard Archer.
Tolver, Jia: The Yellow on the Spectrum. An Abornean drafter, she is a cousin of Arys Greenveil (the Sub-red).
Treg: A Blackguard who defended Garriston.
Tremblefist (birth name Hanishu): A Blackguard. He was Ironfist’s younger brother and was once the dey of Aghbalu.
Tristaem: The author of On the Fundaments of Reason.
Tufayyur: A Blackguard scrub.
Tugertent: One of the Blackguard’s most skilled Archers. Killed in the White King’s War.
Tychos: An extremely skilled orange drafter and hex-caster (a Chromeria-forbidden magic) in the Color Prince’s army.
Ular: A Blackguard scrub, Jun’s partner.
Usem the Wild: A drafter and defender of Garriston.
Utarkses, Daeron: One of the High Luxiats during the False Prism’s War.
Valor: A Blackguard inductee.
Vanzer: A Blackguard and green drafter.
Varidos, Kerawon: A superchromat, magister and head tester of the Chromeria. He drafts orange and red.
Varigari, Lord: A scion of the Varigari family, originally fishermen before they were raised in the Blood Wars. He lost the family fortune and lands to his gambling habit.
Vecchini, Phineas: A master builder of cannons.
Vecchio, Pash: The most powerful of the pirate kings. His flagship is the Gargantua, the best-armed ship in history.
Vena: Liv’s friend and fellow student at the Chromeria; a superviolet.
Verangheti, Lucretia: Adrasteia’s sponsor at the Chromeria. She is from the Smussato Veranghetis (an Ilytian branch of the family).
Verity: Tisis Malargos’s room slave.
Vin, Taya: A mercenary with the Cloven Shield company.
Wanderer, the: A legendary figure, the subject of Gevison’s poem The Wanderer’s Last Journey.
Web, Daimhin: A hunter from deep in Blood Forest.