Appendix A
Character Glossary

Agatha - A former maidservant of House Aran, she continues to live in the ruins of the Aran estate.
Alfstan - A kitchen hand in the service of a nobleman in Eagle, he was raised by Agatha and is the closest thing to a family she has.
Cadmus Martial - The commander of the Marauders, he was once a lieutenant in King Edgar's cavalry before he betrayed his fellow Gladians at the Battle of Greystone. He is the father of Sir Vincentian, but the two have a strained relationship.
Conrad - A youth from Watercress who is secretly a member of the Sons of Greystone, a rebel group.
Edgar - Edward's father, he was the King of Gladius during Randwulf's invasion. He was killed at the Battle of Greystone.
Edward - The son of the former King of Gladius, he is an embittered alcoholic who has clumsily lashed out against Randwulf's regime for years. He takes refuge in the city of Stormtree along with most of the other surviving loyalists. Although he is often harassed by Randwulf's men, they have strict orders not to harm him lest he become a martyr for the loyalist cause.
Edytha - The wife of Terentius, she was originally a war trophy given to the Captain as a reward for his service. Regardless of whether she loves her husband or not, she is dedicated to him and works to compensate for his own lack of ability.
Everard - Edward's great-grandfather, he founded the dynasty of the Mountain Kings with the help of Adelar the Guardian and Leander the Defender.
Gil - A soldier of the Road Patrol who captures Mark, he assumes command after the death of his squad leader.
Harald Svenson - The son of one of the original Marauders, he is a lieutenant in the Gladian Guard. He leads a special detachment to hunt down rebels and their sympathizers. A proud man, he has no compunction about lying to his superiors to hide his failures. He becomes obsessed with pursuing Mark and his companions.
Jasper - A wily thief who doubles as a minstrel, he enjoys a fair measure of notoriety for his crimes. He is known on the street by such names as the Singing Bandit or the Tricky Lutist, none of which he is particularly fond of. 
Jill - The daughter of Ridley and the adoptive sister of Sonia, she is an accomplished hunter and scout with superb marksmanship. She is fiercely loyal to Sonia and would do anything for her. 
Julian the Defender - Sonia's father, he was one of Gladius' greatest champions. He was killed in the Battle of Greystone.
Killian - A wandering fencer of distant relation to House Leon, he became Sonia's swordmaster, later sacrificing his life to prevent them from the Gladian Guard from capturing Sonia after she performed the Rite of Succession.
Kith - A soldier of the Road Patrol who captures Mark.
Kleantha - A nun at the Veracruz Abbey and Teresa's mentor, she is quite possibly the most skilled herbalist in the entire kingdom.
Liria - Sonia's mother, she fled to Rowan before the Marauders attacked Eagle. She died from an unspecified illness a few years later, leaving Sonia to be raised by Ridley.
Luther the Guardian - Mark's father, he was widely regard as the finest swordsman in all Gladius. He was killed in the Battle of Greystone.
Mark - The son of Luther the Guardian, he was placed in the care of his uncle before Randwulf's invasion of Gladius. After spending several years as a monk of the Order of Saint Arita, he now returns to Gladius to uncover what happened to his family.
Mar Kurin - The chieftain of the Inkari Tribe, he claims the gear of the Guardians as spoils from the Battle of Greystone.
Nyssa - Mark's mother, she is presumed to have been killed during Randwulf's invasion, but her fate is uncertain.
Octavius - The Abbot of the Veracruz Abbey, he was once a soldier in the Royal Gladian Army and secretly aids Randwulf's enemies.
Publius Juvenal - An heir to one of the old patrician families, he was quick to swear loyalty to Randwulf during the invasion and became the mayor of Corinth. He is infamous for his hedonism and plays an active role in the "shows" at Punishment Square.
Quid - A soldier of the Road Patrol who captures Mark.
Randwulf the Conqueror - The King of Gladius, he usurped the throne after invading the kingdom twenty years ago. He is haunted by the prophecy of Shadowblight predicting his downfall and prepares to launch an attack on Byrn to thwart it.
Ridley - The headman of Rowan, he leads the secretive hidden community of the forest. Once a scout in the service of King Edgar, he adopted Sonia after her mother died and raised her as one of his own. He is deeply conscious of the critical role Sonia is destined to play in the fight against Randwulf.
Shadowblight - A powerful warlock who aided Randwulf in his conquest of Gladius, he is obsessed with magical experiments and divination. He prophesies Randwulf's downfall, but shows no signs of taking active steps to prevent it from coming true.
Siegfried Martel - The former Captain of the Guard under King Edgar, he was given peerage by Randwulf and made mayor of Stormtree. He was branded as a traitor by his comrades, but remains loyal to Edward.
Sonia the Defender - The daughter of Julian the Defender and Mark's cousin, she was adopted by Ridley after her mother died and trains for the day when she can take revenge on Randwulf and his followers. She bears a special hatred for the Gladian Guard for killing her swordmaster.
Terentius - Randwulf's Captain of the Guard, he is left in charge of the kingdom while Randwulf and the Marauders move on Byrn. A simple man, he is scorned by most of Randwulf's men as an incompetent.
Teresa - A novice from the Veracruz Abbey, she is the star pupil of Sister Kleantha, the order's renowned herbalist. She is well-trained in the medicinal arts, but has never been outside the confines of the abbey. 
The Black Angel of Punishment Square - The torturer-executioner at Corinth's dreaded Punishment Square, he employs a wide variety of techniques to maximize the entertainment value. 
The Old Man - A mysterious old man who Mark encounters in the Ancient Forest, he leads Mark to Stormtree. He seems to know much about Mark, but does not reveal any clues to his own identity.
The Warlock's Apprentice - One of Shadowblight's six apprentices, he seems to know Mark and sends a Red Demon to attack him at Crimson Field.
Theodotus - A deacon from the Vera Cruz Abbey.
Vincentian the Dark Knight - The son of Cadmus Martial, he is one of Randwulf's special operatives. He bitterly hates Shadowblight and his apprentices.