Line #340 Characters/KingsOfTheWyld


1	[[foldercontrol]]
2
3	!Saga
4
5	[[folder: In General]]
6
7	For a time, Saga was one of the most famous and celebrated mercenary bands in all of Grandual. Then one thing led to another, and as the threat of monsters and villains diminished, they broke up. Twenty years later, they're lives in retirement are varying degrees of washed-up. Then one day, their leader Gabe goads them into one last job...
8
9	* BeardOfAwesome: All of them minus Ganelon have one, though in Gabe's case it's more a BeardOfSorrow.
10	* FeelingTheirAge: Part of the reason the band isn't together initially is that they simply got old (with the exception of Ganelon). Sure enough, they're nowhere as spry as they used to be for this new adventure.
11	* FiveManBand: Not only do they fit this trope in the conventional sense for the most part, but they also have roles analogous to a rock band -
12	** Golden Gabe - TheLeader (and TheFace / lead singer)
13	** Matrick Skulldrummer - TheLancer (and the drummer)
14	** Arcandius Moog - TheSmartGuy (and presumably like a keyboardist)
15	** Ganelon - TheBigGuy (and the lead guitarist)
16	** Clay Cooper - TheHeart [[spoiler: (though Gabe believes he should be TheLeader instead)]] (and [[LeadBassist the bassist]])
17	** Kit - SixthRanger
18	* GloryDays: Their time as Saga gave them no shortage of excitement and acclaim. Now, not so much.
19	* JumpedAtTheCall: Surprisingly, everyone except Clay instantly accepts Gabe's request to get the band together. This is mostly because it's preferable to their current lives and/or they've gotten over most of their grievances with each other already.
20	* OneLastJob: Their quest to rescue Rose from the Heartwyld Horde.
21	* PuttingTheBandBackTogether: The crux of the book's first half.
22	* RetiredBadass: All of them, though with varying degrees of a lack of enjoyment.
23	* TrueCompanions: Despite how different they are and what life's given them, they are as tight-knit as can be. And their bonds only get stronger as the story goes on.
24
25	[[/folder]]
26
27	[[folder: Clay "Slowhand" Cooper]]
28
29	During the glory days of Saga, Clay "Slowhand" Cooper was Gabe's most loyal companion. Due to wanting to keep a lid on his capacity for violence thanks to a tragically blood-soaked backstory, his primary style is utilizing not a weapon (not that he can't wield one, but still), but a shield made from the bark of a treant known as Blackheart. Out of all the retired mercenaries, Clay's managed to eke out a pretty okay life with a loving wife and adoring daughter. But then Gabe comes knocking on his door, and he finds himself thrust into the life he sought to leave behind.
30
31	* AnArmAndALeg: [[spoiler: Gets his hand chopped off by Larkspur at the Cold Road. It gets regrown thanks to Tiamax.]]
32	* BerserkButton: Do not compare him to his father, and do NOT threaten the lives of his wife and daughter.
33	* BruiserWithASoftCenter: In spite of his huge capacity for violence, people like his band and Ginny helped him to realize that he fights best when he has the need to protect someone.
34	* ChronicHeroSyndrome: Gabe manages to convince Clay to come with him to rescue Rose after saying that he's a good person. That, combined with Tally wondering what would happen if she were in Rose's place, causes the man to go against his better judgement, and leave his home to help his friend.
35	* DarkAndTroubledPast: [[spoiler: Clay lived with his abusive alcoholic father Leif before killing him in self-defense with an axe after the latter beat his mother once too often. From there, it seemed like he could only kill until he met Ginny.]]
36	* GentleGiant: The tallest out of Saga, and a good person all around.
37	* GoodParents: In stark contrast with his own old man, he's nothing but patient and caring to his daughter Tally.
38	* HappilyMarried: To Ginny.
39	* HelmetsAreHardlyHeroic: Clay ''loathes'' helmets, seeing them as cumbersome, impractical hunks of metal that block your view and muffle your hearing. Every helmet he's received as a guard has been chucked into the exact same area.
40	* TheHeart: Despite his gruff exterior, Clay is an incredibly empathetic person, and more times than often chooses to do the right thing over anything else, even at the cost of his own safety. [[spoiler: For this reason and more, Gabe insists that he should be TheLeader instead.]]
41	* IAmAMonster: Often struggles with the idea that he might be a bloodthirsty monster at heart instead of a good person. Thankfully, he doesn't need much convincing to choose the latter.
42	* IHatePastMe: Clay doesn't think too fondly of how violent he was back during Saga's glory days, much less how callous he could be outside of the battlefield.
43	* LeadBassist: Eames compares Clay to the bassist in a band that isn't remembered, but the music feels empty without him.
44	* TheLeader: [[spoiler: Gabe makes it very clear that everyone sees him as this instead of the former, as it is Clay who more times than not tries to find the most rational path to victory, as well as the most moral. It takes some time for Clay to accept this, as he always saw Gabe as the leader instead.]]
45	* LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe: Clay doesn't really fight with a sword, but rather a huge and incredibly durable shield named Blackheart after the monstrous treant it was carved from.
46	* PapaWolf: Part of the reason he finally accepts Gabe's request is when his daughter Tally asks him if he would go to the Heartwyld if it were her who was in danger instead of Rose. The answer can be summed up as "tear the whole world down just to ensure her safety".
47	* ThePowerOfLove: It was through his love for Ginny and his daughter Tally that Clay was able to leave his bloody past behind.
48
49	[[/folder]]
50
51	[[folder: "Golden" Gabriel ]]
52
53	The Gabe before is certainly NOT the Gabe of now. Once THE leader of Saga, the undefeated symbol of unbridled charisma and bravery, "Golden Gabriel" ended up making one bad decision after another that ultimately made him a shell of his former glory. Of all his mistakes, two stand out: selling the legendary Druin sword ''Vellichor'' to settle a laundry's list worth of debts, and encouraging his daughter Rose to forge a legacy of her own that ultimately put her in the crosshairs of the biggest horde the world has ever seen. Now Gabe is desperate to get the band back in order to save her.
54
55	* CoolSword: ''Vellichor'', a Druin greatsword given to him by the fallen Druin Archon Vespian. Not only is it a formidable weapon, but it may very well be a portal of sorts into the Druin ream, as imagery can be seen/smelled from the steel. Unfortunately, Gabe sold it for debt money, but he does manage to get it back.
56	* TheFace: Being the most charismatic and daring of Saga's men, Gabe is seen as this. [[spoiler: On the subject of being TheLeader, he actually thinks Clay fits this more.]]
57	* HesBack: Once Gabe gets back ''Vellichor'', some of his old courageous and powerful self starts to return. [[spoiler: Come his speech at the War Fair, and it's safe to assume that he's back for real.]]
58	* HowTheMightyHaveFallen: Gabe went from being the most famous warrior in Grandual to a meager divorced shell unable to wrap his head around the prospect of his daughter having run off in his name.
59	* PapaWolf: Say what you will about him, but there's something to be said about a man willing to brave the deadliest location and the deadliest army ever just to make sure his daughter is okay.
60	* RousingSpeech: [[spoiler: Delivers a long and very successful speech to everyone at the War Fair so that they may fight against the Heartwyld horde, telling them that they'll either live to tell the tale or die as legends and live on forever via their legacies.]]
61
62	[[/folder]]
63
64	[[folder: Arcandius Moog]]
65
66	Arcandius Moog may have never been the greatest wizard around, but he was still more than a good fit for Saga as the sole wielder of magic. It helps that, in spite of his eccentricities and almost child-like fascination with the unknown, he's incredibly knowledgeable about the world, and is more than capable of pulling off an impressive trick or two. Sadly, his time in Saga ended when his husband Fredrick lost his life to the Rot, causing Moog to seclude himself in his tower to fruitlessly find a cure. And it's both the promise of finding that cure and the simple joy of being with his old friends that pulls him out of retirement.
67
68	* {{CloudCuckoolander}}: Even by the standards of a man who practices the magical arts, Moog is out there. But...
69	** TheCuckoolanderWasRight: He's got an amazing knowledge of the world at his disposal. [[spoiler: Also, he was right on the money in regards to the existence of Owlbears.]]
70	* DemolitionsExpert: A lot of his more potent alchemy weapons include things that function like grenades.
71	* DitzyGenius: In spite of his clownish mishaps with magic and child-like disposition, he's got a near-encyclopedic understanding of history, and isn't afraid to show it.
72	* FindTheCure: His life's work ever since losing his beloved Fred to the rot was finding a cure for what many consider the incurable. [[spoiler: He finds it within the Wyld itself, and all but eradicates the plague with his new business in the end.]]
73	* TheLostLenore: Fredrick, his husband.
74	* OddFriendship: Aside from his long-standing bond with Matrick, he's known Kit for a long time.
75	* {{Manchild}}: For starters, his so-called wizard robes at the beginning are just pajamas. To say nothing of his child-like fascination with things like Owlbears.
76	* SquishyWizard: As befitting the typical trope, he's the least physically equipped of the band, but also their only magician.
77
78	[[/folder]]
79
80	[[folder: Matrick "Matty" Skulldrummer]]
81
82	In the glory days of Saga, Matrick was the most feared person to ever wield a pair of knives. He was also already making bad decisions by being a major womanizer and and even worse drunkard. Eventually, his life spiraled in a rather unexpected direction. He became the king of Angria, and a pretty decent one at that. The bad news is that his queen would much rather sire children with literally everyone else and try to assassinate him for power. So when Saga comes knocking, he throws himself into his old band to get away from his gilded cage.
83
84	* TheAlcoholic: No one has a greater thirst for beer than this man, no one.
85	* BladeEnthusiast: His twin daggers, ''Grace'' and ''Roxy'', named after the first prostitutes he ever had. With them, he's still got it.
86	* {{Cuckold}}: Outright called the Cuckold King by his introductory chapter. All of his heirs? They aren't his. He loves them all the same, though.
87	* FakingTheDead: In order to get out of his kingdom and slip away with his band mates, he pretends to expire and just barely survives having his body sent over a waterfall in an exceptionally botched funeral.
88	* TheGoodKing: Surprisingly, he's a solid ruler despite the circumstances. Problem is, his wife hates him for his humbleness.
89	* GoodParents: Despite his children being all born from different men, he loves them equally. [[spoiler: So much so that all of them choose to live with him once he and Lilith separate.]]
90	* SpannerInTheWorks: Apparently Lilith expected him to let her do all the ruling, only for him to rise to the task and become TheGoodKing.
91
92	[[/folder]]
93
94	[[folder: Ganelon]]
95
96	Of all the warriors, berserkers, and all manner of fighters out there, none can quite compare to Ganelon. Seemingly born entirely to annihilate swathes of enemies, Ganelon is the strongest warrior around, equipped with his nearly inhuman strength, and a double-bladed axe only he can wield named ''Syrinx''. Not only that, but he managed to escape aging terribly on account of being turned to stone because of a really nasty altercation and Saga all but abandoning him. Not that he cares that much. He'd much rather be lopping off people's limbs and grinding his foes into dust before his emotions get in the way.
97
98	* AndIMustScream: He spent all of those years as a statue while fully awake. While it did enable him to sort out his emotions regarding his perceived betrayal by Saga, the others are horrified to realize it.
99	* TheBerserker: Once he starts a fight, few survive.
100	* TheBigGuy: While Clay has him beat in terms of height, he's in a league of his own when it comes to sheer muscle and bloodlust.
101	* BloodKnight: While he's nowhere near as crazy as he once was, he still revels in starting and ending fights.
102	* DarkAndTroubledPast: His mother killed his father on account of him raping her. Then, one way or another, he was orphaned at eleven years before becoming a mercenary no more than three years later.
103	* ButNowIMustGo: [[spoiler: At the end, he seals himself back in the Quarry until the world needs him. He's unaware that he sired a child with Larkspur.]]
104	* InLoveWithYourCarnage: [[spoiler: The biggest reason he and Larkspur become an item is because he's especially fond of her ferocity in battle.]]
105	* LivingWeapon: ''Syrinx'' is heavily implied to be this, as Ganelon can constantly hear it whisper to him in a foreign language to continue killing.
106	* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: Ganelon was thrown in the Quarry for the crime of killing a Narmeeri prince. However, said prince tried to rape a woman Ganelon liked, and then killed said woman when the warrior defended her. Granted, Ganelon [[DisproportionateRetribution massacred his entire garrison beforehand]], but it was still extreme to blame the victim.
107	* OlderThanTheyLook: He's only so young-looking because he was frozen both in place and time by the gorgon's curse.
108	* PairTheSpares: [[spoiler: Hooks up with Larkspur.]]
109	* SealedBadassInACan: Was this during his time in the Quarry. [[spoiler: He goes back until he's needed again.]]
110	* TakenForGranite: He spent twenty years encased in stone by a gorgon in the Quarry. [[AndIMustScream While fully aware of it.]] Thankfully, it prevented him from lashing out the moment he was freed by Saga.
111	* TranquilFury: His default emotion when he isn't crunching heads. All of his legitimate anger died in that prison.
112
113	[[/folder]]
114
115	[[folder: Kitagra "Kit the Unkillable"]]
116
117	An undead ghoul residing in a coffin in Kallorek's possession, Kit is unintentionally freed by Saga after they raid the place. With his love for music, cheery disposition, and surprising knowledge of the world he's been exploring well beyond his last mortal day, he becomes the new and hopefully permanent bard of Saga.
118
119	* TheBard: He's the official bard of Saga. And this time, he has no chance at dying.
120	* IHaveManyNames: Kitagra the Bold, Kitagra the Reckless, Kitagra the Willfully Suicidal, and of course, Kit the Unkillable.
121	* LivingForeverIsAwesome: Kit concedes that the best parts of being immortal are spitting in death's face, and traveling the world. That being said, he misses having conventionally good looks.
122	* MrExposition: Like Moog, he tends to talk a lot about the lore that surrounds the locations the bands ends up at.
123	* NotUsingTheZWord: And rightfully so. He's a revenant, not a zombie. Those eat people, he eats anything but.
124	* OddFriendship: With Moog, who sold him a VERY effective phylactery potion back then.
125	* RevenantZombie: He insists he's not the second half of that.
126	* RunningGagged: His existence marks the end of the long trend of Saga's bards biting it, mainly because he can't get any deader.
127	* TimeAbyss: He lost count of his years at six hundred and sixteen.
128	* WalkingTheEarth: Spent centuries watching history unfold across many different locations.
129
130	[[/folder]]
131
132	!Other Notable Mercenary Bands
133
134	[[folder: Lady Jain and the Silk Arrows]]
135
136	A band of band...its, led by the opportunistic yet honor-bound Lady Jain. Every encounter with Saga ends with our band getting robbed, but at the same time left with no incentive to stay mad at such free-spirited and polite thieves.
137
138	* AffablyEvil: Yes, Jain and company are criminals, but they have a good code of honor, and are so cordial and reverent to other heroes that Clay isn't too perturbed when they're left penniless. In fact, calling Jain evil feels like an exaggeration.
139	* AmazonBrigade: The all-female Silk Arrows are masterful archers, and there isn't a single encounter that doesn't end in her favor.
140	* FriendlyEnemy: To the point where Saga's willing to have breakfast with them before getting robbed again.
141	* HeelFaceTurn: Jain and her Silk Arrows become a legitimate mercenary band after spending enough time with Saga.
142
143	[[/folder]]
144
145	[[folder: Vanguard]]
146
147	A popular mercenary band still in business that was on par with Saga, and still respects them to this day. It is led by Barret Snowjack, and includes a drider named Tiamax, an assassin named Ashe, their bard Edwick, and a young fighter named Piglet (the son of former member Hog).
148
149	* AbhorantAdmirer: Tiamax is quite upfront with wanted to have his way with Ashe, but the woman denies it on account of him being a monstrous man-spider. Still, it's implied they're okay with this dynamic.
150	* TheBigGuy: Their leader, Barret.
151	* BigEater: Piglet.
152	* FriendlyRivalry: Outright stated to have had one with Saga during the latter's heyday. Now, the rival part is gone, and they lend a hand whenever they can.
153	* MadScientist: Tiamax has these sort of tendencies. [[spoiler: They pay off when Clay's in need of a new arm.]]
154	* MeaningfulName: Piglet is as gluttonous as a pig can get, and has the body type to match.
155	* ShipTease: Between Tiamax and Ashe.
156	* SpiderPeople: Tiamax is a human/spider hybrid known as a drider.
157
158	[[/folder]]
159
160	[[folder: Viscera]]
161
162	A band led by an old rival of Saga, Raff Lackey.
163
164	* HumiliationConga: After their signature victory over a firebolg, Viscera had not a single dignified moment to speak of. From Raff's brother getting chased off a cliff to their wizard being eaten by ogres to Raff himself being tortured and humiliated by goblins, it's safe to say that Saga's fall from grace looks tame in comparison.
165	* LastWords: [[spoiler: From Raff - "I'll be waiting for ya, Cooper, along with all the rest."]]
166	* SmallRoleBigImpact: They only show up for one scene, but [[spoiler: Raff's last words to Clay stick with him for the rest of the journey.]]
167	* ThisMeansWarpaint: They've got a lot of it, though in practice, it makes them look more like literal clowns.
168	* TraumaButton: The mention of goblins causes Raff to instinctively twitch, as Viscera's rock-bottom moment was him being paraded around by them as a parody of tour parades.
169
170
171	[[/folder]]
172
173	[[folder: The Sisters in Steel]]
174
175	A mercenary band comprised of scantily-clad women.
176
177	* AbusiveParents: Heavily implied to be the case with Jain's father, if her quote about Kallorek reminding her of him is to be taken at face value.
178	* AmazonBrigade: They certainly evoke this image, even if Saga doesn't buy it. [[spoiler: Turns out, they indeed earn the reputation.]]
179	* AwesomeButImpractical: Their revealing "armor" certainly looks appealing, but a seasoned adventurer would tell you that you wouldn't stand a chance in a fight with it. [[spoiler: Sure enough, they're dressed a lot better for an actual fight.]]
180	* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: At first, they seems like a group purely for sex appeal and nothing else. [[spoiler: Come the battle of the bands, and they're more than equipped to fight the Heartwyld Horde.]]
181	* FauxActionGirl: What they seem to be, in contrast with Jain's Silk Arrows. [[spoiler: Subverted hard during the final battle.]]
182	* RecurringExtra: One of the few bands to get extra attention.
183
184	[[/folder]]
185
186	[[folder: The Screaming Eagles]]
187
188	A more recent band that's been gaining notoriety.
189
190	[[/folder]]
191
192	!Antagonists
193
194	[[folder: Lastleaf]]
195
196	Long ago, there was the Druin, a race of elf-like beings with rabbit ears who came from their own dimension to ours to conquer and enslave the primitive world. Unfortunately, their stunted breeding and a series of tragedies resulted in their numbers dwindling into the single digits. And among the remaining Druin is the self-proclaimed Duke of Endland, Lastleaf. Seeking vengeance on humanity for both surpassing the Druin and their treatment of monsters, as well as acting out from a major family-related chip on his shoulder, Lastleaf will stop at nothing until he and his Heartwyld Horde have snuffed out every last human around.
197
198	* AntagonisticOffspring: [[spoiler: Hated his father for repeatedly resurrecting his mother against her will, and killing his sister to do it once. It got to the point where he openly rebelled against him.]]
199	* BigBad: As the leader of the horde, he's this for the first story.
200	* CombatClairvoyance: The Prescience allows him to see seconds into the future during a fight.
201	* CoolSword: He's got not one, but THREE magical longswords, all of them named. ''Scorn'' can turn the ground into a volcanic battlefield, ''Madrigal'' is an AbsurdlySharpBlade that can cut the air in twain, and ''Tamarat'' is a sword literally made from nothingness [[spoiler: that was once his father's, and used to resurrect his mother many times with every Druin it slayed.]]
202	* DarkMessiah: Fancies himself as the justice all non-human creatures need and want.
203	* GoodScarsEvilScars: He's got one across his left brow from where ''Vellichor'' slashed him. Gabriel's honor.
204	* ImmortalityImmorality: As with any Druin, he is very long-lived, and views humans as simple-minded cattle who repeat the same mistakes again and again in their pathetically short lives.
205	* KickTheDog: Calls Matrick a nobody on account of having fled his kingdom.
206	* MeaningfulName: Many would say that [[spoiler: autumn is when the ''last leaf'' falls. And it turns out he's the Autumn son.]]
207	* NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist: You'd be forgiven for finding his quest against monster injustice honorable, to say nothing of his tragic backstory, but then you remember he's plotting the annihilation of all mankind.
208	* TheReveal: [[spoiler: He's Vail, the Autumn son and the Heathen of Grandual's mythology.]]
209	* TragicVillain: He's ultimately lashing out at the world for [[spoiler: having a father who wanted to kill him so that his wife could be brought back against her will once more, as well as the unfair treatment of non-humans.]]
210	* UndignifiedDeath: [[spoiler: Gets tricked into being run over by an enraged minotaur that sends him into a lava pit he summoned. If he somehow escaped dying to that, he was finished off by getting trampled by his own horde.]]
211	* VillainHasAPoint: Characters concede that, in spite of his genocidal attitude, he's not wrong when he points out the cruelty humans have dealt anything that isn't them. This is most prominent in Fivecourt, where he goes at length about how the human settlers of Castia drove out and/or hunted the native monsters to near-to-complete extinction while forcing some to fight in a primitive arena known as the Crucible.
212	* VissionaryVillain: Sees the destruction of Castia as the beginning of a bright new future for any being that isn't a human.
213
214	[[/folder]]
215
216	[[folder: Larkspur]]
217
218	There are mercenaries, and then there are bounty hunters. Out of all the latter, few are as notorious or feared as Larkspur. She is an especially rare breed of winged humanoid known as a daeva, and like a bird of prey, she never gives up the chase. Her past wasn't pretty, but she sure is thanks to her uncanny ability to weaken the wills of all men around her. When Lilith hires her and her small army of red-robed monks to get back Matrick, Saga is put in more trouble than they could ever bargain for.
219
220	* AllTheOtherReindeer: As a child, she was presumably mocked for being a daeva. Her tormentors died at her talons for this.
221	* AmbiguousSituation: [[spoiler: Was she or was she not faking her amnesia? It's honestly hard to tell, though most believe that she was.]]
222	** [[spoiler: Is Sabbatha her true name, or just one she came up with while faking her amnesia?]]
223	* BigDamnHeroes: [[spoiler: Comes in with her skyship to assist the mercs in the Battle of the Bands.]]
224	* CoolAirship: Has a skyship known as the ''Dark Star''.
225	* DarkAndTroubledPast: Apparently had a very abusive father, on top of being mocked by her peers as a child. She proceeded to kill them all and turn the whole school into her base of operations.
226	* [[spoiler: FakingAmnesia: Her stint as Sabbatha is implied to be this, as she betrays Saga during the final leg of their journey after being with and getting to know them.]]
227	* HeelFaceTurn: [[DoubleSubvertedTrope Double subverted]] [[spoiler: She seems to become much nicer and helpful to Saga after falling into the Heartwyld with them, but then she turns on them right before they reach their destination. She comes back during the final battle completely on their side, presumably after giving her time with them some thought.]]
228	* HiddenDepths: Implied when her resolve wavers for the briefest moment during her fight with Saga on ''The Carnal Court'' when Gabe tells her that he's trying to rescue his daughter.
229	* HuntingTheMostDangerousGame: Kit explicitly states that Larkspur grew bored of hunting just monsters, so she turned her attention to hunting people.
230	* InhumanlyBeautifulRace: She has a special "compulsion" that makes all men attracted to her, and much easier targets as a result. Even Clay has to remind himself that he's a married man while around her.
231	* JekyllAndHyde: Larkspur the cold and ferocious bounty hunter vs. [[spoiler: Sabbatha the demure and good-hearted daeva. Then again, it depends on whether the latter is truly just an act.]]
232	* PairTheSpares: [[spoiler: With Ganelon.]]
233	* CoolScythe: [[spoiler: Obtains ''Umbra'' after Shadow is killed.]]
234	* WingedHumanoid: A harpy-like being known as a daeva.
235
236	[[/folder]]
237
238	[[folder: Kallorek "The Orc"]]
239
240	A rather unsightly man named for his serious underbite, Kallorek was once Saga's official booker. But once the band broke up, he turned to booking other bands, along with some more...unsavory lines of work. That being hording priceless artifacts for himself, and taking away Gabe's wife. As it stands, he is now a major enemy of Saga's once-great leader.
241
242	* AndThereWasMuchRejoicing: [[spoiler: No one is too perturbed by Clay killing him so suddenly. As far as Saga is concerned, it eliminated at least half of their problems. Even Clay himself gets over it quickly despite hating his moments of violence.]]
243	* AndYourLittleDogToo: Threatens to ruin everyone by going after the things they care about when he's Saga's prisoner on his own skyship. [[spoiler: It costs him his life when he makes the mistake of threatening Clay's hometown and family.]]
244	* ArcVillain: The most personal antagonist to Saga during the first half of the book.
245	* CollectorOfTheStrange: His home is a trove of magical artifacts, which include the coffin of Kit the Unkillable and ''Velichor'' itself.
246	* CorruptCorporateExecutive: A rare medieval example. He takes at least half of every band's earnings. And worse, he's got a monopoly on booking them.
247	* DisneyVillainDeath: [[spoiler: Gets sent hurdling off of his own skyship after he makes the mistake of threatening Clay's family.]]
248	* FauxAffablyEvil: Acts all jovial and reasonable at first. But it isn't long before he shows how unpleasant he is, be it his short temper or his sleazy dealings.
249	* FromNobodyToNightmare: Went from being a street thug to one of the more successful bookers out there.
250	* {{Gonk}}: He's named for having an underbite that would make an actual orc blush.
251	* KickTheDog: Tells Moog that he burned his tower down and killed the animals within, explicitly stating that he ate the little elephant there. Truth or no truth, that's sick.
252	* SmugSnake: Acts like he's at the top at all times (and he has been too). But when Saga comes back, fully reformed and ready to take back ''Velichor'', there's next to nothing he can do but become their prisoner. He's left cursing and threatening everyone they love [[spoiler: until Clay shuts him up permanently.]]
253
254	[[/folder]]
255
256	[[folder: Lilith]]
257
258	Matrick's wife and queen of Agria. It's abundantly clear that she has all the power in this relationship, and she isn't afraid to exploit that power at every opportunity. Maybe there might have been a spark once, but nowadays, she prefers to sire children with any handsome man that isn't her own husband. And worse, she's a-okay with Matrick dying if it means ascending in power.
259
260	* AbusiveParents: Treats her children with apathy and disgust.
261	* GodSaveUsFromTheQueen: In stark contrast to her fair-hearted husband, Lilith gladly abuses both him and everyone else, and is implied to have so much worse in mind should she become sole ruler of their kingdom.
262	* RedBaron: The Ice Queen of Agria.
263	* YourCheatingHeart: While it's pretty much an open secret now, it's clear that Matrick's hurt by her brazen love of being impregnated by other men.
264
265	[[/folder]]
266
267	[[folder: Dinantra]]
268
269	A high-class gorgon residing in Fivecourt who's on some very good terms with Lastleaf. She also runs the Quarry, a prison where almost everyone is turned to stone.
270
271	* GorgeousGorgon: She's quite an eye-catching one, even for something as dangerous as a gorgon.
272	* KarmicDeath: After spending a long time profiting off of the death caused in the Maxithon (albeit reluctantly), [[spoiler: she's crushed by the chimera during its fight with Saga alon with the Maxithon's destruction.]]
273	* OpportunisticBastard: Joins Lastleaf in the hopes of becoming an Exarch of the New Dominion.
274	* TakenForGranite: [[SubvertedTrope Subverted.]] Gorgons turning people to stone is a myth in this world. She has her basilisks do that.
275	* WickedCultured: As with most gorgons in this world, Dinantra has a love for artwork, and decorates her living space with paintings and statues (not people-turned-statues, that's for the Quarry).
276
277	[[/folder]]
278
279	[[folder: Ashatan]]
280
281	A wyvern matriarch that acts as Lastleaf's mount.
282
283	* AndroclesLion: Lastleaf found her in the Castian Crucible during his three-year imprisonment, trapped in a tiny room and forced to create babies for the arena. She shows nothing but respect for him on account of him freeing her and every last monster, leading to the Red Sands massacre.
284	* BeastOfBattle: Lastleaf's personal mount, and a terrifying opponent in her own right.
285	* MonsterProgenitor: All of Lastleaf's wyvern forces are Ashatan's young.
286	* OurWyvernsAreDifferent: Not really in this case, though it is explicitly stated that not only are there the typical biological differences from dragons, but they're also nowhere near as intelligent. Ashatan is basically a feral animal tamed by Lastleaf, whereas a dragon is a thinking being.
287
288	[[/folder]]
289
290
291	[[folder: Shadow]]
292
293	A lone Druin that Saga encounters during the final leg of their mission. A scavenger looking for items in the ruins to sell in the human settlements, he is not entirely disloyal to Lastleaf's cause.
294
295	* CollectorOfTheStrange: He's a claw-broker, or a scavenger looking for things to sell.
296	* DueToTheDead: [[spoiler: Saga buries him under a proper grave with Rose's rocks.]]
297	* FantasticRacism: He turns on Saga on the principle that ''Vellichor'' does not belong in the hands of a mortal.
298	* MasterOfIllusion: Can summon ghostly apparitions that resemble his opponents. Only a weapon like ''Vellichor'' can dispel them.
299	* MrExposition: It is him who explains the PortalNetwork that is the Thresholds, as well as the truth of the legend regarding the Summer King, the Winter Queen, and The Autumn Son. [[Spoiler: Namely, that they're all Druin, and the latter is Lastleaf seeking vengeance against his father.]]
300	* SinisterScythe: ''Umbra''.
301
302	[[/folder]]
303
304	[[folder: Akatung the Dread]]
305
306	A huge dragon that Saga fought once. He survived to horde the keystone required to open the Threshold in Teragoth.
307
308	* CameBackStrong: When Saga fought him, they left him barely clinging on to life with his guts nearly on the outside. Now, he's fully healed, and no less angry about it.
309	* DragonHorde: Has a particularly huge one, befitting the classic tradition.
310	* TheDreaded: As indicated by his name, no one's in any hurry to fight him.
311	* SpikesOfVillainy: Has enough spines and spikes on him that the narration claims you could hang all the hats in the world on them.
312	* UncertainDoom: [[spoiler: Saga makes it so that Akatung ends up going into a portal leading to the underwater Threshold of Antica. Everyone thinks he drowned, but it's never confirmed.]]
313
314	[[/folder]]
315
316	[[folder: The Infernal]]
317
318	A monstrous demon that plays a major role in Lastleaf's Heartwyld Horde.
319
320	* AnIcePerson: All of its powers are based on freezing people with its breath and its whip.
321	* DragonTheirFeet: Despite Lastleaf being brought to near-death, it's the last foe Saga needs to kill to send the Heartwyld Horde packing.
322	* {{Expy}}: Of [[Franchise/TheLordOfTheRings the Balrog]], albeit it trades fire for ice.
323	* FinalBoss: Of the entire story.
324	* {{Foreshadowing}}: Early on, it's established that no one knows what an Infernal looks like, aside from being big and scary. Sure enough, it's just that.
325	* WhipOfDominance: Has a huge whip that can freeze solid anything it strikes. [[spoiler: Larkspur learns this the hard way.]]
326
327	[[/folder]]
328
329
330	!Other Characters
331
332	[[folder: Ginny Cooper]]
333
334	Clay's wife, and pretty much the only thing back then that stood between him and giving in to becoming less than a man.
335
336	* HappilyMarried: With Clay.
337	* LoveRedeems: It's safe to say that Clay would have probably given in to the life of bloodshed had she not entered the picture.
338	* MoralityChain: Without her, Clay would not be the good person he is now. And he knows it.
339	* OnlySaneMan: One of the saner characters in the cast. She also happens to make much more than Clay does as a watchman.
340
341	[[/folder]]
342
343	[[folder: Valery]]
344
345	Gabe's wife. She's...not entirely pleased with the direction his life went, especially where their daughter is concerned. Unfortunately, she ended up with Kallorek as a result, who encouraged her addiction to the heroin-like drug known as scratch.
346
347	* ActualPacifist: Valery abhors violence of all kinds, and was especially livid when Rose started taking after dad.
348	* {{Foil}}: To Ginny. Both married a member of Saga, and they both don't want their daughters to grow up and be warriors. But while Ginny handles it in a stern yet even-tempered way that speaks to the trust he has in Clay to do right by her, Valery responded near-instantly by lashing out and leaving Gabe the moment Rose started getting into fights.
349	* ParentsAsPeople: For all her faults, she does care about her daughter, and she's not against Gabe risking it all to save her. Knowing that he's going to do so even helps her put away a bad drug addiction.
350	* SlapSlapKiss: How her and Gabe's relationship got started. After she tried to set Saga's argosy on fire during and before their first argument.
351	* YokoOhNo: In keeping with the "mercenary bands as music bands motif", she's based off of the infamous accusation that a woman broke up a famous band. But as Clay notes, while she didn't help matters, she was far from the only reason Saga broke up.
352
353	[[/folder]]
354
355	[[folder: Vespian]]
356
357	The old Archon of the Druin empire. Back during Saga's time, he entrusted ''Vellichor'' to Gabe right before he was felled by his own son.
358
359	* ArchnemesisDad: [[spoiler: Lastleaf despised him for killing Druin and then attempting to kill him just to keep his mother alive whether she wanted it or not.]]
360	* TheGoodKing: Gabe held him in high regard, especially since he gave him his sword. [[spoiler: It makes the reveal all the more heartbreaking for him.]]
361	* [[spoiler: GreaterScopeVillain: Him trying to kill Lastleaf in order to resurrect his unwilling wife ensured that she turned into the feared Winter Queen, and made a misanthrope out of his son.]]
362	* ImDyingPleaseTakeMyMacguffin: Gave ''Vellichor'' to Gabe as he neared death, asking him to kill him with it too.
363	* LoveMakesYouCrazy: [[spoiler: He loved his queen so much, he couldn't bear to be without her, and he made a sword that would only bring her back if he killed his fellow Druin with it. And she didn't even want to be resurrected so many times.]]
364	* OffingTheOffspring: [[spoiler: In his mad quest to keep his queen alive for as long as possible, he used ''Tamarat'' to kill his daughter and then attempt to do the same to his son.]]
365	* TheReveal: [[spoiler: Vespian is the Summer King, and it was him who put his son Lastleaf on the path of villainy after madly using a sword to kill Druin in order to repeatedly resurrect his queen.]]
366
367	[[/folder]]
368
369	[[folder: Fender]]
370
371	A kobold living in Coinbarrow, and a friend of Gabe.
372
373	* ComedicSociopathy: Fender outright states that he was hoping Gabe would fall in a hole and die before he came back for the sack of gold he gave him. Gabe treats it like it's no big deal.
374	* OurKoboldsAreDifferent: Here, they are diminutive rat-like beings that obsess over shiny things.
375	* StickyFingers: Loves to get his hands on shiny things, as all kobolds covet them.
376
377	[[/folder]]
378
379	[[folder: Taino]]
380
381	A troll witch doctor that Saga encounters in the Heartwyld.
382
383	* HealingFactor: As with all trolls here, he can regenerate entire lost limbs in as little as an hour.
384	* MajorInjuryUnderreaction: Doesn't seem to mind Ganelon hacking off his arm on instinct.
385	* SmallRoleBigImpact: His introduction of mudweed to Saga [[spoiler: gives Moog the key to curing the rot once and for all.]]
386	* TheStoner: Has a special kind of magical mudweed that causes everyone to get high and start tripping.
387	* WitchDoctor: His main profession, and probably one of the reasons the Heartwyld hasn't already claimed his life.
388	[[/folder]]
389
390
391	[[folder: The Boneface Clan]]
392
393	A tribe of cannibals (or Ferals, as they are known) residing in the Heartwyld. While they can be hostile, they ultimately prove to be decent allies to Saga.
394
395	* AerithAndBob: They have remarkably mundane names, such as ambassator Jeremy and his father Teresa. This is because they adopt the names of the first people they kill.
396	* CannibalTribe: Somewhat. Yes, they eat their fellow man, but it's only ever the losers of fights between rival tribes. Most of the time, they're content to feast on the meat of animals.
397	* EvilIsBigger: The nastiest of the Ferals, Dook, is positively huge.
398	* GenderBenderName: Jeremy's father's name is Teresa.
399	* HonorBeforeReason: Ferals have a habit of fighting the strongest prey before going for the weaker ones. This proves to be several Ferals' undoing when they converge on Ganelon.
400	* InsaneTrollLogic: They view plucking food off of trees as an act of cowardice. Fittingly, almost all of them have scurvy.
401	* NoPartyLikeADonnerParty: [[SubvertedTrope Subverted.]] Saga thinks that's what's in store for them, but not only does this tribe show a degree of restraint in eating random people, but Moog gifts them the food-summoning hat, solving the whole starvation problem.
402	[[/folder]]
403
404	[[folder: Gregor and Dane]]
405
406	A huge two-headed giant known as an Ettin that Saga meets in the Boneface Tribe's camp. They tag along for the remainder of the journey.
407
408	* TheBlindLeadingTheBlind: Gregor spends a lot of time describing things to his blind other head, usually in over-exaggerated ways.
409	* BodyHorror: Dane's head is particularly malformed, with a smashed nose, jagged teeth, a skinless scalp, and no eyes.
410	* BewareTheNiceOnes: Gregor might be one of the nicer creatures Saga encounters, but he's still a giant more than capable of holding his own.
411	* CreepyGood: In spite of being a two-headed giant (and having a horrific second head in Dane), they're the most polite characters here.
412	* [[spoiler: FaceDeathWithDignity: After falling alongside Clay off of the Cold Road, Dane treats it all like a dream before passing on like his brother has.]]
413	* GentleGiant: It's established early on that Ettins, unlike most giantkin, are not all that violent. This one's hardly an exception.
414	* SixthRanger: Essentially this in Kit's absense to Saga.
415	* [[spoiler: TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth: Despite being so unfailingly gentle and nice, they ultimately perish at the Emperor's Mantle.]]

Context Characters / KingsOfTheWyld