Characters / The Riftwar Cycle

Characters for The Riftwar Cycle, currently incomplete. Beware of series-ruining spoilers, and a large cast. Place a character in the trilogy they have an important role in for the first time. Due to their being the primary heroes that appear in every set of books, Pug and Tomas have their own sections.

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Pug con Doin

The overall hero of the entire series. He goes from a simple young boy to becoming the most powerful magician in the series. Adopted into the conDoin family during the events of Magician.

• Beware the Nice Ones: Pug is one of the nicest characters in the series and will work with former adversaries depending on the circumstances, but he can and will wipe you off the face of Midkemia if you force him to.
• Break the Haughty: During the Serpentwar, he gets a bit too overconfident due to Miranda's influence and nearly dies after lingering at death's door for months. He's alot more humble after that.
• Deadpan Snarker: He tends to have a dry sense of humor.
• Despair Event Horizon: Teeters on the edge once William and Gamina die but recovers thanks to Miranda. Goes over it completely once Miranda and Caleb are killed in a demon attack on Sorcerer's Isle and barely pulls himself back up gradually over the span of five years.
• Fate Worse than Death: Due to Lims-Kragma allowing Pug to return, he was cursed to watch everyone he loved die before him. Pug ends up resenting this deal greatly, but does his best not to let it stop him. He ends up being able to stop Magnus from dying at the cost of his own life.
• Good Is Not Soft: While he doesn't enjoy it, Pug will do what he must to protect Midkemia, even if people he cares for must die in the process. He will do everything to stop it happening if he can though.
• The Hero: The overall hero of the series, while there are many protagonists, he is overall the main protagonist.
  • The Hero Dies: He dies in a Heroic Sacrifice that seals away the Big Bad and prevents it from ever entering Midkemia again.
• Heterosexual Life-Partners: He and Tomas are this, even if they don't see each other as much as they'd like. They're able to tell if one another is dead and throughout all of the hell Pug endures protecting Midkemia, Tomas is the one person he trusts without reservation and can always count on.
• I Have Many Names: Pug of Crydee, Pug of Stardock, The Squire of Forest Deep, Duke Pug conDoin, The Black Sorcerer and Milamber. He also has a name he was given during his Great One training that means "One between worlds" that is never revealed.
• The Lost Lenore: First he loses Katala to an unspecified illness, then he loses Miranda to a demon tearing her throat out in front of him.
• Nice Guy: One of the nicest guys to ever live.
• Outliving One's Offspring: Pug outlives his son William, adopted daughter Gamina, his son-in-law who was like a son to him James, his son Caleb, his grandson Arutha, his great-grandson Dashel, and only narrowly averts outliving his third son Magnus due to a deal he makes with the gods that costs him his life.
• Parents as People: He wanted William to be a magician like him, but William chose to be a soldier and they were estranged for some time. Before Krondor was destroyed and William killed, Pug and William reconciled and Pug admitted he made a mistake.
• Person of Mass Destruction: By the end of Magician, he's a walking nuclear weapon. By the time of the Serpentwar, he can singlehandedly wipe out the armies of the Kingdom and Kesh. Darkwar? He smashes a moon into a planet.
• Sword and Sorcerer: The Sorceror to Tomas' Sword.
• Omniglot: It's never specified how many languages he speaks, but he speaks at least half a dozen.
• Took a Level in Badass: He goes from a simple young boy to the most powerful magician on two worlds who defies conventional magic rules.
• Who Wants to Live Forever?: Pug certainly doesn't, he ends up watching all of his loved ones die before him and only manages to keep his son Magnus from dying due to the gods of Midkemia agreeing to help Pug save him in exchange for sacrificing his life.

Tomas Megarson

Pug's best friend and surrogate brother. Becomes the host of the Valheru Ashen-Shugar, one of the most powerful beings in all of creation.

• Asskicking Leads to Leadership: Throughout Magician he more or less usurped Calin as Warleader unintentionally and then when he made his intentions clear that he wanted to marry Algaranna and swore that he wouldn't become the next Elf King, he officially was given the title as Warleader.
• Good Parents: He's a good father to Calis and happily supports him in his choices.
• Heroic Sacrifice: Tomas must die so Ashen-Shugar can fight the Dread for eternity, but he gets to say his goodbyes to his loved ones first.
• Happily Married: To Queen Algaranna of the Elves.
• Heterosexual Life-Partners: With Pug, even if they can't see each other as much as they'd like. They're able to tell if the other is dead and know that they can trust and count on each other unconditionally.
• Invincible Hero: When not up against another Valheru or one of the Dreadlords.
• My God, What Have I Done?: When he reassumes control over himself and breaks free of Ashen-Shugar's influence for good in Magician after killing helpless Tsurani prisoners and nearly kills a child that reminds him of Pug.
• Nice Guy: Outside of part of Magician where Ashen-Shugar heavily influences him, he's one of the nicest characters.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: As the Queen's consort, he makes sure to help if he can. If he can't, he tries to arrange it so help is given.
  • He's also the only person that the Regent Lord of the Taredhel gives any respect to.
• Sword and Sorcerer: The Sword to Pug's Sorcerer.
• Took a Level in Badass: He went from a normal boy who recently became a soldier into turning into a Valheru due to Valheru armor and became one of the most powerful beings on the planet.

The Riftwar Trilogy

Arutha conDoin

Second son of the Duke of Crydee and future Prince of Krondor. Father of Borric II and Erland II and husband to Anita conDoin. One of the central protagonists of the series.

• Asskicking Leads to Leadership: How he earns the loyalty of the Crydee soldiers when he's Commander of Crydee.
• Badass Normal: Arutha is a very well trained noble's son who becomes the second most powerful man in the Kingdom of the Isles whose natural agility and enchanted sword let him take down Murmandamus and a demon on his own.
• Berserk Button: Although expressed through Tranquil Fury mostly, do not threaten his family, friends or his subjects.
• Big Brother Mentor: To Jimmy/James, who he elevates from his lower class to nobility and makes his personal Squire. Their relationship is recognized as like brothers by everyone.
• Deadpan Snarker: He mostly snarks with his closest friends and family, but he's very good at it.
• Everyone Can See It: It was obvious that Arutha was in love with Anita and everyone is happy when he finally proposes to her.
• Good Is Not Nice: He's not a very friendly sort, and tends to stand out as a stickler for rules and order, which stands out among the company he keeps.
• Good Is Not Soft: He is known for being "Stern but fair" and will not hesitate to make wrong doers who threaten the Kingdom pay for their crimes. Because of this he's more respected then admired by his subjects.
• Heroic BSoD: When Anita is poisoned and nearly dies. He snaps out of it quickly.
• Humble Hero: Despite all his accomplishments and the powerful position he is in, he remains humble and during a ceremony to welcome the new Knight-Lieutenants to their positions, he clearly states that their duty is to the Prince of Krondor, but not to him.
• Master Swordsman: One of his identifying characteristics is that he's the greatest swordsman of his time. He and the rest of his family are particularly identified with the Royal Rapier, in preference to more conventional swords.
• Not So Above It All: When he's searching for Silverthorn so he can cure Anita and Jimmy comments that he plans to scream his lungs out once they're clear of needing to be completely silent, Arutha mouths to Martin that he plans to as well.
• Perpetual Frowner: He almost never smiles and the nickname his mother called him was "Little storm cloud".
• Phrase Catcher: "Arutha, you take all the fun out of life."
• Reasonable Authority Figure: Arutha becomes very well known for being tough but fair and always does his best to protect his subjects and listen to them and is greatly respected and trusted by them.
• Royal Rapier: A literal example. He's of royal blood, and the rapier is his weapon of choice. However, it goes far beyond that: like the rapier itself, Arutha is best at quick strikes, parries and feints, rather than either brute force or more complex strategies.
• Royals Who Actually Do Something: During Silverthorn, he personally goes questing for a cure for the poison used on his bride on their wedding day. Then in A Darkness at Sethanon, instead of sitting around and waiting for news about what the Enemy is up to, he goes and looks for news himself.
• Tranquil Fury: If he's angry, this is how he expresses it outside of when he's dealing with his sons.
• The Wise Prince: He's a very smart man and ruler and is respected greatly for it.

Lyam conDoin

First son of the Duke of Crydee and future King of the Isles. He marries a Roldem Princess and is the father of nameless children.

• Happily Married: While he may not love his wife due to their having an arranged marriage, they're friends and respect one another.
• Outliving One's Offspring: Lyam's son and heir died while drowning between the Riftwar Legacy books and Prince of the Blood.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: As King, he does his best to comfort Jimmy when he's having a Heroic BSoD over Anita getting poisoned since he managed to do more and show more courage then most men he's seen fighting enemies that could kill him.
• Universally Beloved Leader: Everyone loves him when he's just the heir to Crydee and love him even more when he's King.

Martin Longbow/conDoin

Borric's Huntmaster and bastard son. He becomes Duke of Crydee after Borric acknowledges him before he dies and Lyam becomes King.

• Bash Brothers: With Arutha during Silverthorn and A Darkness at Sethanon, who is his actual brother.
• Badass Normal: He's an elven trained tracker and archer who fought in the war against the Tsurani and helped Arutha slay a demon during their journey in Silverthorn amongst many other mighty foes.
• Deadpan Snarker: He snarks about female moredhel to one of his trackers and tells him that female moredhel'd sooner rip his heart out then kiss him after his tracker mentions how attractive they are.
• Despair Event Horizon: Hits it when his wife is killed when Crydee is sacked by some slavers and hands the mantle of Duke of Crydee to his son and retires to Elvander for the rest of his days.
• Go Out with a Smile: He dies peacefully as an old man in Elvander.
• Heroic Bastard: He's the result of a night Borric spent with a female servant of Duke Brucal of Yabon's.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: Even when he's just Huntmaster, he proves to be a wise man who listens to the counsel of others and has stated that during a good year he will occasionally overlook a little poaching here and there. That being said, he makes it clear when a poacher's attempt to hunt a bear ended in a man's death, he ordered that the poacher be hung when caught and his possessions given to the widow of the dead man.
• Royal Bastard: He's a bastard child of Duke Borric of Crydee and a serving girl. This poses a problem after his father, on his deathbed, legitimizes him as his son. Since he's the oldest of Borric's children, this puts him first in line for the throne of the kingdom itself. Thankfully for the kingdom, he surrenders his claim to that throne in favor of his younger half-brother Liam and ends up as the next Duke of Crydee.
• Succession Crisis: He averts this by relinquishing his claim to the throne and publicly declares his support for Lyam as King.
• The Mentor: He's the Huntmaster of Crydee at first and trains trackers and teaches them how to do their jobs efficiently.

Borric conDoin I

The Duke of Crydee and member of the royal family. Father to Martin, Arutha, Lyam and Carline. Reasonable Authority Figure and badass who cares for his people.

• Good Parents: He raised his children well and cared deeply for them.
• Happily Married: He and Catherine were this until she died.
• Like a Son to Me: After Pug saves Carline, Borric quickly comes to view Pug as this since Pug proves himself to be a good young man who is very competent. When Pug is believed dead, Borric adopts him into the conDoin family to honor him.
• My Greatest Failure: Ignoring Martin and not acknowledging him as his son. His last words are used to acknowledge him amongst his dying request to Pug and Kulgan.
• Rank Scales with Asskicking: He inherited the position of Duke of Crydee, but he proves himself worthy of the position.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: He listens to his subjects and advisors, he rewards them when they do a fantastic job and does his utmost to never do wrong by them. He teaches Lyam and Arutha to be this as well.
• We Used to Be Friends: Borric and Guy used to be best friends until their feud over Catherine, Borric's now deceased wife.

Carline conDoin

Daughter of Borric conDoin. She quickly takes a shine to Pug after he saves her from some trolls and when he's believed dead, she falls in love with Roland and sadly he dies too. She meets Laurie through Pug at Lyam's coronation and thanks to Lyam naming him Duke of Salador, she marries him and becomes Duchess.

• Action Girl: Briefly during the Riftwar. She doesn't find many chances to though.
• Dirty Old Woman: After Laurie passes away in their old age, she makes a pass at Duncan Avery.
• First Kiss: She is Pug's first kiss and he is her's.
• First Love: Pug is her's after he saves her from some trolls.
  • Second Love: After he's believed dead, she falls in love with Roland, then he dies.
  • Last Guy Wins: She then meets Laurie and it's Love at First Sight and they eventually marry thanks to Lyam.
• Tsundere: Very. She outgrows this as she gets older.

Anita conDoin

Daughter of Prince Erland conDoin, the Prince of Krondor before Arutha. She quickly falls in love with Arutha and marries him to become Princess of Krondor. Mother of Borric II, Erland II, Elina and Nicholas.

• Cool Big Sis: Is this to Jimmy, who is the little brother she never had.
• Damsel in Distress: Her being poisoned instead of Arutha kickstarts Silverthorn's overall plot.
• Good Parents: She's shown to be a very caring mother who will not tolerate Borric and Erland mistreating Nicholas.
• Love at First Sight: She and Arutha quickly fall in love after meeting in Krondor.
• Satellite Character: She's Arutha's wife and the mother of his children and not much else.

Gardan

A soldier from Crydee who served Duke Borric and was then left with Lyam and later Arutha at Castle Crydee who after the Riftwar was taken to Krondor and became Captain and then slowly went up the ranks. His desire to retire and Arutha refusing to let him serves as a Running Gag throughout the series.

• Badass Normal: He survived the Riftwar and eventually became Knight-Marshall of Krondor and then Duke of Krondor, but he faced more then a few supernatural foes in the process, like elementals.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: He's been one since he became Captain in Krondor. He then climbed up the rank to become Duke of Krondor.
• Running Gag: He's wanted to retire since Darkness at Sethanon and every time he tried, Arutha promoted him to Knight Marshall and then Duke of Krondor. The only way he could have kept Gardan from retiring was to give him the role of Prince of Krondor. Gardan finally gets to retire at the end of Prince of the Blood.
• Undying Loyalty: To Arutha, it doesn't stop him from wanting to retire though.

Amos Trask

Retired Badass pirate once known as Captain Trenchard, he meets Arutha during the Tsurani war when he was shipwrecked at Crydee. Becomes Admiral of the Western Fleet.

• Badass Boast: Gives a great one when he becomes Captain Trenchard again in The King's Buccaneer.
  Amos Trask: I'm Captain Trenchard! The Dagger of the Sea! I've sailed the Straits of Darkness on Midwinter's Day! My ship's the Raptor and I've taken her into the Seven Lower Hells, drunk ale with Kahooli and sailed home again! My mother was a sea dragon, my father was lightning and I dance a sailor's jig on my victim's skulls! I fought with the war god and kissed death herself. Men tremble at my shadow and women swoon at my name and no one lives who can call me liar!
• Catchphrase "You take all the fun out of life." Says it to Arutha once per appearance usually. The one time Arutha stopped him just made him laugh his ass off.
• Hidden Heart of Gold: At heart he's a good man who cares a great deal for his friends and helps them out.
• Honorary Grandfather: To Arutha and Anita's kids, mostly Nicholas though. He jokingly threatens to throw Nicholas overboard if he starts calling Amos "Grandfather" (well, he was courting Nicholas' widowed maternal grandmother at the time).
• Multiple-Choice Past: He likes to change his past a little over the years so the general story before meeting Arutha in Crydee during the Riftwar is a bit different. By the events of The King's Buccaneer, he's changed it so he was a privateer for the Governor of Durbin.
• The Mentor: To Nicholas in The King's Buccaneer along with Ghuda about the responsibilities of being a Captain and a Prince.

Jimmy the Hand/James Jamison

A boy thief and street-rat who saves Arutha's life and becomes Squire for doing so and becomes a surrogate family member to Arutha and Anita. He wants to be Duke of Krondor and succeeds in the Serpentwar Saga. Marries Pug's daughter Gamina and has a family with her. He is one of the most central protagonists in the early books.

• Badass Normal: He's an incredibly skilled young man who uses his thief skills, wits and swordsmanship to save the day against multiple demons, a rock worm and a variety of other supernatural creatures. There's a reason he's Arutha's most trusted agent and surrogate little brother.
• Combat Pragmatist: He's not afraid to fight dirty when he needs to and can get away with doing so.
• Deadpan Snarker: It's one of his many talents, usually when around Locklear or Arutha at first and later with Borric and Erland.
  • One notable example is at the start of Krondor: Assassins after James and Locklear have spent a week taking restorative draughts that held off the need to sleep until it hit them really hard at the end of the week and are visibly exhausted.
  Arutha: Tired, gentlemen?
  James: No sire, we always look this way. You just usually see us after our morning coffee.
• Dying Moment of Awesome: Blows up Krondor to decimate the Emerald Queen's forces and dies along with Gamina.
• Good Is Not Soft: Being a thief from a young age gives you a bit of a ruthless streak.
• Guile Hero: He's an ex-thief, and the wits that that gave him end up saving the Kingdom on multiple occasions.
• Heroic BSoD: He has a huge one when Anita is poisoned and ends up reduced to tears and has to be given a pep talk by Carline, Laurie and Lyam (Who is the King) that he did the best he could and no one blames him for what happened and had he not intervened, it would have been far worse. He gradually breaks out of it after Arutha thanks him for trying his best.
• Heterosexual Life-Partners: Is this with both Locklear (Until his death) and William.
• Honorary Uncle: To Arutha and Anita's children, who all call him Uncle Jimmy even into adulthood.
• My Greatest Failure: Being unable to stop Anita from being poisoned when he stopped an assassin from killing Arutha in Silverthorn, it's one of the few moments that cause him to have a huge Heroic BSoD.
• Small Name, Big Ego: First played straight and later subverted. When he's first introduced, he's dangerously arrogant even though he's almost as good as he thinks he is. However, he quickly grows out of this mindset.
• The Spymaster: Becomes this once he sets up the Kingdom's Agent Network.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: He becomes this once he has a high enough rank, to the point that he lets Rupert Avery get away with killing Tim Jacoby and a bunch of other people so he can blackmail him into funding the Kingdom's war against the Emerald Queen in the Serpentwar Saga.
• Taught by Experience: He learnt how to be an amazing thief from his own experiences as one and by listening to the older and much wiser thieves talk about their experiences. Afterall, they didn't get to be old without many talents and skills they could teach the younger generation.
• The Reliable One: He is Arutha's top agent and when sent to do something by Arutha, he always succeeds and the entire Kingdom owes them his life more than once.
• Royal Rapier: Jimmy has a serious case of hero-worship for Arutha, so when he's raised to noble rank he styles himself after Arutha and selects the rapier as his weapon of choice. Also like Arutha, it fits his personality: speed over strength, and quick thrusts and feints over brute-force attacks. He eventually learns to use it as well as Arutha does.
• Tagalong Kid: He's cast in this role in Silverthorn and A Darkness at Sethanon, when Arutha tries to leave him behind in Krondor rather than expose him to the extreme danger that Arutha is going into. Needless to say, the best boy thief in Krondor doesn't take well to having someone try to keep him out of trouble for his own safety.
• Took a Level in Badass: Goes from a simple boy thief to the most powerful noble in the Kingdom after the King and Prince of Krondor.
• Undying Loyalty: For Arutha, whom he deeply admires and considers a surrogate big brother.
• Wise Beyond Their Years: He grew up on the streets, so it was either become this or die young.

Locklear

Fellow Squire of Jimmy's and his best friend. He starts our rather naive but after losing a girl he cared for, he lost alot of that naivete and developed a tendency to Really Get Around.

• Heterosexual Life-Partners: With Jimmy. Until Locklear is killed anyway.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: While he is more or less a nice guy, he's very insensitive and not very respectful of the women he sleeps with.
• Killed Off for Real: Is murdered in Prince of the Blood so he can be framed for the murder of a Keshian Princess that he was sleeping with.
  • Harsher in Hindsight: Jimmy did say that he'd die because of a woman someday.
• Master Swordsman: According to Betrayal at Krondor, he's a better fighter than Jimmy the Hand, making him one of the best swordsmen in the kingdom.
• Never Be Hurt Again: While it is not outright stated, this is the reason that he went from rather naive and innocent to becoming a complete womanizer who does not care for the feelings of his partners. He fell in love with the first girl he ever slept with and wanted to take her home and marry her. The girl pointed out that this was silly and she just wanted to enjoy him for the night. Only a few moments later she was killed almost immediately afterwards by the first wave of the attack on Armengar. After this Locklear changes completely: he goes from being rather shy to sleeping around left and right while avoiding emotional attachment.
• Really Gets Around: To the point that this gets him Reassigned to Antarctica because he slept with an influential merchant's daughter. Unfortunately, his drive to seduction puts him in the wrong place at the wrong time and leads to him being killed as part of an attempt to cause a political incident.

Dolgan

The Dwarf chieftain and later King of the Dwarves in his part of the Kingdom. He runs into Duke Borric and his companions when they're trying to get to Rillanon to warn King Rodric about the Tsurani and helps them to safety. He and the other dwarves assist in the Riftwar and appear during other character's adventures.

• Badass Normal: Dolgan is a really skilled dwarf who can fight well against wraiths, Tsurani and pretty much anything that gets in his way.
• Fire-Forged Friends: With Tomas during the Riftwar.
• Killed Off for Real: Is killed at the end of Magician's End by the effects of the magic causing the earth to bury him alive.
• Nice Guy: He's genuinely friendly and insists on his guests not using formalities.
• Our Dwarves Are All the Same: To quote from Magician:
  Dolgan: "Except for autumn’s ale-and my loving wife’s company or a good fight, of course-there’s little to match the pipe for pure pleasure." He drew forth a long pull and blew out a large cloud of smoke to emphasize his point.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: He's polite, helpful and makes sure to treat his guests with the utmost respect. He shows this the most when he speaks with Gorath the night he's staying with the dwarves.
• Warrior Poet: He has shades of it throughout the series.

Guy du Bas-Tyra

Duke of Bas-Tyra and former friend of Borric's. He takes over Krondor during the Riftwar and is responsible for Prince Erland conDoin's death. He is exiled and later pardoned by Lyam and given the rank of Duke of Rillanon.

• Asskicking Leads to Leadership: How he became leader of Armengar.
• Handicapped Badass: In Darkness at Sethanon, he's missing an eye and it doesn't slow him down at all.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: While he's not always the most pleasant man, he loves his Kingdom and serves it faithfully and doesn't let his past grievances with Borric get in the way of helping Arutha out.
• My Greatest Failure: His falling out with Borric over Catherine, since they were once like brothers.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: When it turns out he's the leader of Armengar, he listens to why Arutha's there, explains his situation and does what he can to help his people.
• Redemption Equals Life: He was pardoned for everything he did to save the Kingdom despite being a wanted man who was officially exiled and had the mark of death on him should he ever return and given the position of Duke of Rillanon. Guy can't help but laugh at the irony and thinks Borric is spitting in his grave, Lyam thinks he would understand though.
• The Strategist: Even his worst enemies acknowledge that he's the finest general in the Kingdom. His banner alone is enough to drive a Keshian probe into the Vale, and he states in A Darkness At Sethanon that if he was given the Armies of the West, he'd burn Sar-Sargoth down around Murmandamus' ears and break the moredhel threat forever.
• Undying Loyalty: Whatever flaws Guy has, he is firmly loyal to the Kingdom to the point that if he had no other choice, he would have killed Rodric IV when he was going insane to save the Kingdom from him. Later, this switches to Armengar after he becomes the Protector.

Laurie

A fellow slave and former minstrel that Pug meets on Kelewan. He eventually becomes a free man and through Pug, meets Princess Carline and they become lovers. He accompanies and supports Arutha during his quest to find Silverthorn to save Anita and is named Duke of Salador by Lyam so Laurie and Carline can be married and proves to be very good at the job.

• Big Brother Mentor: Is this to Pug upon realizing that Pug has no idea how to deal with women when Katala is angry with him for not making a move on her.
• Deadpan Snarker: He's so good at this that he can defuse Carline's bad moods by making her laugh.
• Happily Married: To Carline, though it takes quite some time due to hesitation on his part.
• Nice Guy: Nothing but polite and friendly to everyone.
• Omniglot: He speaks the King's Tongue, Tsurani and a variety of other languages. It comes with being a minstrel.
• Parental Abandonment: His father threw him out at age 13 because he was more focused on being a minstrel and being lazy.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: Once he's Duke of Salador, he quickly becomes this.
• Took a Level in Badass: His adventures were kind to him.
• Wandering Minstrel: What he was before he was caught and enslaved by the Tsurani.

Katala conDoin

A Thuril slave from the Tsurani world who Pug meets as a slave. She quickly falls for him and after a few problems here and there since Pug has no experience with women at the time, they quickly become lovers until he's seized by the Great Ones to be trained. He frees her several years later and it's revealed they have a son and he marries her. She dies from an unspecified disease.

• Happily Married: To Pug until she was dying from an unspecified disease.
• Nice Girl: She's a nice woman who adopted Gamina and treated everyone fairly and kindly.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: She's very reasonable and helpful in Krondor: Betrayal and is described as the true leader of Stardock.
• Tsundere: Only briefly, but before she and Pug become lovers, she ends up giving him the cold shoulder before he explains he has no idea what he's doing when it comes to women.

Kasumi of the Shinzawai

The son of Kamatsu of the Shinzawai on the Tsurani homeworld. With Laurie's help, he travels to Midkemia as an envoy of peace and during the peace talks between the Emperor and Lyam, he is trapped on Midkemia and becomes Earl of LaMut after proving himself loyal to his new homeland.

• Omniglot: Can speak Tsurani and the King's Tongue.
• Good Is Not Soft: As is to be expected of all Tsurani nobles, but he's still a fairly Nice Guy.
• Happily Married: He married a merchant's daughter after becoming Earl and all reports are that he's happy.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: He's nothing but polite and kind to Pug and Laurie when they're slaves and befriends them as much as a slave can be befriended. As Earl of LaMut, he's a great ruler and commander and greatly respected.

Macros the Black

The first Black Sorceror and Pug's predecessor. Known for many magical exploits and is known as one of the most powerful sorcerors to ever exist. Father of Miranda who appears in the Serpentwar Saga.

• Dying Moment of Awesome: His killing the Demon King right before his death.
• I Did What I Had to Do: His justification for the more morally gray actions he performed over the events of the series.
• Misunderstood Loner with a Heart of Gold: He's a nice enough guy and is the protector of Midkemia, but he really prefers his privacy and performs alot of theatrics to make sure he gets it.
• Multiple-Choice Past: He made up his own backstory in Darkness at Sethanon. Turns out he's just a guy from Kesh who in his youth was tricked and captured by slavers who managed to flee from his captives and found a long abandoned temple and prayed to the god of that temple to save him. Turns out it was the god of magic's temple and Macros was saved in exchange for serving the gods for as long as he has.
• Parental Abandonment: He's not exactly the best father ever, but he's aware of this. He at least made sure Miranda had good adoptive parents.
• Take Up My Sword: Non-fatal example. He hands Pug the mantle of Midkemia's most powerful protecter at the end of Darkness at Sethanon.
• Unwitting Pawn: To Banath who is pretending to be Sarig. Macros is a very powerful and important pawn who is responsible for many of the events of the early series, but he is a pawn nonetheless.

Murmandamus

The leader a recently assembled confederation of moredhel tribes, and the Big Bad of both Silverthorn and A Darkness at Sethanon, Murmandamus is maddened even by dark elf standards, willing to butcher thousands in an effort to bring the Valheru back into the world.

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• Archenemy: Of Arutha, who is prophesied to slay him.
• The Archmage: The single most powerful magician encountered in the series up to that point, dwarfing even Pug and Macros the Black.
• Axe-Crazy: Relentlessly so.
• Bad Boss: Cuts down his own men if they so much as get in his way.
• Big Bad: Of Silverthorn and A Darkness at Sethanon
• Black Knight: Dons elaborate black armour in combat.
• Card-Carrying Villain: "I was ever a servant of darkness."
• Compelling Voice: Murmandamus' voice has a near-hypnotic effect on those who hear it, convincing them that he is worthy of their trust.
• The Dreaded: The name Murmandamus is hated and feared among not only the people of Armengar and the neighbouring lands, but among all other elves, both eledhel and glamhedrel. Thousands of years after being driven from their homeland and all but annihilated, the surviving glamhedrel, who have lost almost all their eleven lore, still remember and loathe that name.
• Keystone Army: Murmandamus' vanishing act near the conclusion of the siege of Sethanon causes the chieftains below him to abandon the war effort, taking their tribes with them.
• The Heavy: Draken-Korin and the rest of the Valheru are in back of him, but they cannot communicate with Murmandamus, who is thus driving the plot on his own.
• Hero Killer: Only Arutha, the so-called "Bane of Darkness" has a chance against Murmandamus in direct combat.
• Hidden Agenda Villain: The heroes spend most of Silverthorn and A Darkness at Sethanon trying to figure out what on earth Murmandamus is after.
• Magic Knight: A brutal warrior and an Evil Sorcerer.
• The Man Behind the Man: To the Nighthawk assassins.
• Necromancer: Murmandamus can resurrect anyone who has sworn themselves to his service, to the point of challenging the High Priestess of Lims-Kragma, the goddess of death, in her own realm.
• Nigh-Invulnerability: Murmandamus' magical shields protect him from any and all mundane weapons. He's able to walk through the fiery holocaust that Armengar becomes and emerge unharmed.
• Omnicidal Maniac: Touching the Lifestone will kill everything on Earth, from the human race, on down to the smallest microbes. Murmandamus does not care.
• Powered by a Forsaken Child: His magic is fueled by every death that takes place near him.
• The Reveal: Following his death he is revealed to be a Pantathian serpent-priest, and not a moredhel at all.
• Snake People: Murmandamus is actually a serpent-priest, masquerading as the reincarnated leader of the moredhel.
• The Sociopath: Murmandamus is a short tempered mass murderer who cares not a whit for the lives of those under his command.
• Sorcerous Overlord: More or less, though he leads a tribal confederation rather than a nation.
• Walking Shirtless Scene: Justified. Murmandamus has to show off the dragon-shaped birthmark on his chest in order to legitimize his leadership of the moredhel and their allies.
• We Have Reserves: To the point where he's willing to blast through his own men. Since he draws power from every death around him, this makes sense.
• Zerg Rush: His favoured tactic, given that he can feed off all the deaths that occur around him.

Murad

Murmandamus' top general, Murad is a huge, silent, scar-faced moredhel, who removed his own tongue as a sign of his devotion to the Dark Path. He pursues Arutha and his party throughout Silverthorn, before meeting his end at the hands of Baru, the Hadati hillman.

---

• Bald of Evil: Shaves his head save for a single scalp lock. Like his facial scars, his severed tongue, and his pierced ears, it is a sign of his devotion to the Dark Path.
• The Dragon: To Murmandamus, acting as his field commander and right hand.
• The Dreaded: Among the Hadati and the people of Armengar, where his reputation as a warrior and servant of the Dark Path proceeds him.
• Good Scars, Evil Scars: Scarred his own face as part of a pact with dark spirits.
• Hero Killer: Murad is infamous in the northlands as the greatest of the moredhel leaders.
• Honor Before Reason: Murad willingly gives up an advantage to face Baru in single combat.
• It's Personal: With Baru, whose village he butchered.
• Noble Top Enforcer: Downplayed. Murad is a monster, of that there is no doubt, but when compared to the sheer insanity of Murmandamus, his sense of honour and willingness to fight Baru one-on-one makes him this.
• Scarily Competent Tracker: Throughout Silverthorn Murad pursues Arutha and his companions wherever they might go.
• Silent Antagonist: Without a tongue, Murad is forced to be this.
• Villainous Valor: It's hard not to have some respect for Murad, as he charges into danger heedless of his own safety, and wearing no armour beyond a leather vest.

Draken-Korin

The insane son of Ashen-Shugar and Alma-Lodaka, Draken-Korin led the Valheru to their destruction in the war against the gods. At the end of A Darkness at Sethanon he is revealed to be behind Murmandamus' plot, and escapes his imprisonment to face off against Tomas.

---

• Animal Motifs: The Lord of Tigers, in orange and black armour.
• Antagonistic Offspring: His father is the one Valheru who gained an understanding of morality. Draken-Korin is the one Valheru who can genuinely be described as evil.
• Archenemy: Of Ashen-Shugar
• Axe-Crazy: Draken-Korin was insane, even by the standards of his already maddened race, a fact that Ashen-Shugar realizes shortly before his son's plan is put into action.
• Dragon Rider: Rode a huge black dragon in the backstory.
• Final Boss: The final adversary Tomas has to confront, in the last duel of the series.
• Kill the God: Started the war against the gods with the intent of doing this.
• The Leader: The closest thing the Valheru had to one, organizing and running the war against the gods.
• Mad God: The Valheru are of divinity like power, and Draken-Korin is undoubtedly out of his mind.
• The Man Behind the Man: To Murmandamus and the moredhel.
• Omnicidal Maniac: Would annihilate all life on earth to gain his freedom, and that's on top of having devastated entire worlds in the backstory when he began the Chaos Wars.
• Patricide: Attempts it against Ashen-Shugar, twice over.

The Empire Trilogy

Mara, Servant of the Empire

The ruling lady of House Acoma since her father and older brother died in a political intrigue. Afterwards she shows great political aptitude and under her rule the Acoma quickly rise to power. She is the main protagonist of the trilogy.

• Action Girl: She's not actually formally trained in combat, but she's no helpless damsel and she often wades right into many situations personally.
• Belligerent Sexual Tension: With Kevin, they often argue and butt heads even after they've gotten together. Even after being married to Hokanu for many years she privately admits to herself that she misses the passion of the relationship she had with Kevin.
• Big Good: In the end of The Empire Trilogy, she becomes this for the Tsuranuanni Empire.
• Domestic Abuse: Is the victim of this by her Jerkass first husband. She gets revenge by embarassing him so much he has to commit suicide to regain his honor. Afterwards, though she regrets how she handled the situations in some ways and acknowledges that her husband wasn't completely devoid of good qualities.
• Earn Your Happy Ending: Oh boy, yes ! See Iron Woobie in the YMMV for the details. And that's only the worst things that happened to her during her trilogy.
• Good Is Not Soft: She is Tsurani and this is to be expected.
• Guile Heroine: Rapidly discovers a talent and passion for politics, many of her greatest challenges have been solved through this.
• Happily Married: To Hokanu of the Shinzawai until they are declared separated by the Emperor of Tsurani so he can lead the Shinzawai and marry a woman who can father him heirs after she's declared barren due to poison.
• Heel Realization: Has a progressive one throughout the entire trilogy. It first starts when she arranges the ritual suicide of her first husband, Buntokapi, and comes to be remorseful at the realisation that, abusive or not, she had essentially used and murdered an innocent person for her own gain. It really starts coming to head when she meets and becomes lovers with Kevin in the second book, becoming fascinated by his alien (to her) views and slowly adopting parts of his Midkemia beliefs and recognising the self-destructive parts of her own Tsurani culture. This is what eventually leads to her challenging the Great Ones and revolutionising Tsurani culture as a whole in the third book.
• Honor Before Reason: Although to a lesser degree than most Tsurani.
• Lady of War: The story emphasizes more her role as The Chessmaster in Tsurani politics, but she also has to wear her armor to lead the Acoma armies in battles a few times.
• Never Be Hurt Again: After her abusive husband commits suicide due to making such an ass of himself that he has no choice if he wants to regain his honor as a Tsurani, she refuses to ever love again. Ultimately, meeting Kevin helps her overcome this.
• Nice Girl: By Tsurani standards, though she is not soft in the slightest. She becomes more conventionally nice throughout the trilogy
• Star-Crossed Lovers: With Kevin, originally a slave from Midkemia. As their relationship deepens throughout the second book, the fact that even their love is not enough to overcome the fact that, so long as they on Kelewan, Kevin would be considered a slave becomes apparent. Although it is ultimately subverted in the epilogue of the final novel where Kevin, after being set free and returned to Midkemia, returns as the ambassador between the two worlds.
  The depths had been shared at last, and acknowledged: while they loved each other desperately, there would always be this open wound, as vast as an ocean and as deep as a chasm, and as wide as the rift between worlds.
• The Chessmaster
• Took a Level in Badass: She goes from a young woman in over her head since she was never trained to be a leader to the most powerful noble in Tsurani history that makes massive changes to Tsurani society and is deeply respected years after her death.
• Xanatos Speed Chess: She quickly becomes an expert at this.

The Riftwar Legacy

Gorath

A moredhel who flees from his people to warn Prince Arutha of a moredhel warlord's plans to attack the Kingdom of the Isles in an attempt to prevent a war that would devestate his people.

• Badass Normal: He's been around for over three hundred years and been a clan chief for most of those years and outside of magic users, very few can defeat him in a fight.
• Character Development: Gorath goes from a typical moredhel who hates all races who are not his own to a man who while he does not like all races, he can respect their ways and understands that his people's ways might not be right.
• Combat Pragmatist: It's how he's survived for as long as he has.
• Enemy Mine: What he views helping Arutha and the others to stop Delekahn as, but this changes as he does.
• Fantastic Racism: At first, but this changes over time.
• Friendly Enemy: Prefers to have friendly enemies amongst the moredhel, as a friend may betray you but with an enemy, you always know where you stand.
• Heroic Sacrifice: He prevents Delekahn from removing Tomas' sword from the Lifestone and possibly freeing the Valheru from within it at the cost of his own life.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He's not always the nicest guy, but if you're his friend or ally, he will do everything he can to keep you alive and can be pretty interesting to talk to.

Owyn Beleforte

A young magician who is the son of a noble in the Eastern Realm. He went to Stardock for training and didn't do such a good job and is met on his way home by an injured Locklear and Owyn tags along from there onwards.

• The Load: Subverted, while he may not be a badass who destroys all enemies with ease, he saved Locklear and Gorath's lives on more then one occasion on the way to Krondor and his political connections and knowledge of the Eastern Realm helped out a great deal when he travelled with James and Gorath in the Eastern Realm.
• Nice Guy: A young and polite young man who gets along very well with everyone.
• Put on a Bus: He goes home at the end of Krondor: Betrayal, but with an official commendation and letter of thanks from Arutha.
• Took a Level in Badass: Goes from a somewhat incompetent magician into a very powerful magician thanks to Pug.

William conDoin

Pug's son who instead of becoming a magician like his father wanted, decides to become a soldier and since then, William and Pug don't talk much. Has a long running love for Jazhara and after her death, he gives up on love entirely.

• Face Death with Dignity: He's barely able to see and fight, but he dies on his feet after taking a few enemies with him.
• Heterosexual Life-Partners: With Jimmy/James.
• Never Be Hurt Again: After Jazhara's death, he refuses to ever love again and even decades after her death, he is still mourning her.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: As Knight-Marshall in the Serpantwar Saga, he listens to Rupert Avery when he points out how obvious it is what they're doing and quickly arranges to have that fixed and maintains a friendly yet professional relationship with Erik and teaches and advises him.
• Unresolved Sexual Tension: With Jazhara at first, but they quickly become lovers again after the current crisis is resolved. And then she died.

Gamina Jamison (nee conDoin)

A girl who found her way to Stardock with a blind seer. Pug and Katala adopted her shortly after she arrived and care for her as if she was their own flesh and blood. She eventually meets and marries James Jamison.

• Damsel in Distress: In Krondor: Betrayal, she's kidnapped by Makala and trapped on a foreign world so he can keep Pug out of the way. He along with Owyn and Gorath find and save her.
• Happily Adopted: She loves Pug and Katala and as far as she's concerned, they're her parents.
• Happily Married: To James. So much that she returns to Krondor to die with him when he's planning to pull a Heroic Sacrifice because she loves him so much.
• Love at First Sight: When she meets James in person for the first time, they fall in love right there and then.
• Nice Girl: She's a very friendly woman.

Jazhara

A young magician who William knew growing up and had an affair with. She broke it off, but there's signs that there's still plenty of mutual interest.

• Establishing Character Moment: Her first chapter establishs her independant nature, her kindness towards children and her refusal to be manipulated and used as a pawn by people trying to blackmail her.
• Friend to All Children: She's friendly and caring to all children, as well as protective of them.
• Mercy Kill: Is possessed and cannot be freed from it, so William has to kill her.
• Unresolved Sexual Tension: With William at first, but they quickly become lovers again after the current crisis is resolved. And then she died.
• What Happened to the Mouse?: Her fate was never revealed until the 2013 book Jimmy and the Crawler outside of that she died. Jimmy and the Crawler reveals that she was captured and possessed and was unable to be free, so William was forced to kill her.
• What the Hell, Hero?: When James considers leaving a baby to be sacrificed, she rips him a new one.

Captain Treggar

The senior bachelor of the officer's dormitories who is infamous for his Jerkass nature. He's sent along with William and James to take down the Nighthawk nest. He and William come to an understanding based on mutual respect.

• Combat Pragmatist: Not above kicking enemies in the groin and using other tricks to kill them, which James appreciates.
• Hidden Depths: He tells William how he just wants to be able to do his job and not have to constantly look over his shoulder to see if Gardan is watching him to see if he'll abuse someone. He also wishes he could be in charge of a outpost of some kind and meet a nice woman and get married.
• Jerkass: He seems like he's this, but in reality, he's a Jerk with a Heart of Gold who is someone you want at your side during a potentially fatal mission. James also notes to himself that if he was a full on Jerkass, Gardan and Arutha wouldn't allow him to have his rank.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: Not the greatest example ever, but he is a Captain and if he didn't have shades of this, he wouldn't have the position.

Kendaric

A Journeyman of the Krondor Wrecker's Guild and Lesser Path Magician who made a one man spell to lift up ships from the seafloor when they sink that was framed for the murder of the Guildmaster. His name was cleared by James and Jazhara and was recruited to help them and Brother Solon to lift the Ishap ship with the Tear of the Gods inside it.

• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He's not the nicest guy and can be kind of selfish and jerkish, but at heart he's a good man. He mentions that he used to be alot worse before he met his fiancee.
• The Load: He's the only one who can use the spell to lift the Ishap ship out of the ocean where it sunk, but he's useless otherwise. Until he takes a small level in badass.
• Took a Level in Badass: It's not a big level, but he's the one who kills the Lich.

Solon

A Ishap monk who was sent with James, Jazhara and Kendaric to retrieve the Tear of the Gods from the wreckage of the Ishap ship. He grew up with only dwarf children to play with, so he speaks like a dwarf.

• Asskicking Leads to Leadership: He's so good at his job that he's promoted to a excellent warrior monk position.
• Berserk Button: Thieves trying to mug him and his companions.
• Good Shepherd: He takes good care of the people who need help when he comes upon them during the journey.
• Nice Guy: He's a fairly quiet guy at first, but he's a nice guy who treats his companions with respect and kindness and is worthy of being a warrior monk/priest.
• The Reliable One: So reliable that the High Priest of Ishap in Krondor trusts him completely to retrieve the Tear of the Gods and he is then promoted for his reliability and worthiness.

The Prince's Sons

Borric conDoin II

Son of Arutha and Anita conDoin and twin brother of Erland. After a bar fight he and Erland cause, Arutha sends them to Kesh to attend the Empress of Kesh's birthday celebrations. Borric is captured by slavers and upon escaping with a beggar boy, has to find his way to the city of Kesh. He meets a mercenary named Ghuda Bule and a gambler named Nakor who totally isn't a magician. Hilarity Ensues.

• Big Brother Bully: A little bit, but he grows out of it as he matures.
• Character Development: He grows from a somewhat hot-headed irresponsible brat into a mature young man worthy of being a Prince.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He's very immature, irresponsible and kind of a dick to his younger siblings, but he has a heart and quickly loses the Jerk part in his travels to Kesh.
• My Greatest Failure: Suli's death which also teaches him a great deal about how to be a better big brother to Nicholas.
• Took a Level in Badass: He becomes a better man and a much better combatant during his travels from Durbin to Kesh and helps foils the plan to overthrow the Empress.

Erland conDoin II

Son of Arutha and Anita conDoin and twin brother of Borric. After a bar fight he and Borric cause, Arutha sends them to Kesh to attend the Empress of Kesh's birthday celebrations. When Borric is captured and presumed dead, Erland is heartbroken but puts his troubles aside as with the help of James and Gamina, he foils a plot to overthrow the Empress.

• Big Brother Bully: A little bit, but he grows out of it as he matures.
• Character Development: He grows from a somewhat hot-headed irresponsible brat into a mature young man worthy of being a Prince.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He's very immature, irresponsible and kind of a dick to his younger siblings, but he has a heart and quickly loses the Jerk part while he's in Kesh.
• Really Gets Around: He has sex with alot of Keshian noblewomen who are his attendants when he bathes and is shocked that they were all noblewomen, but due to Kesh's more open views on casual sex no one has a problem with it.

Nicholas conDoin

Youngest child of Arutha and Anita. After a sailing mishap, he's sent to Martin's court in Crydee so he can be toughened up and learn more about how to be a Prince of the Isles. He then heads off to the continent of Novindus to save the people of Crydee who are kidnapped for a sinister plot.

• Character Development: Arutha sends him to Crydee to stay with Martin to get some of this when he realizes that Nicholas is too uncertain and hesitant, which is a bad thing for a ruler to be. Nicholas ends up going to the other side of the world and comes back a much wiser, mature man who is able to make the difficult choices that comes with ruling and is able to be decisive.
• Dropped a Bridge on Him: After having so much Character Development in the Prince's Sons, he dies off screen in the third book of the Serpent War Saga after being wounded during a skirmish against the ships of the Queen Emerald's fleet and is barely mentioned afterwards, even by his own relatives (like Patrick and Pug) or friends (like Calis). One could have thought that the death of the King's brother and the admiral of the whole fleet would have had a bigger impact.
• Fire-Forged Friends: With Marcus. They definitely get along a thousand times better thanks to the trip to Novindus.
• Gaining the Will to Kill: After the first time he killed someone, part of his Character Development was being able to do this and he was reminded by Ghuda and Amos that he needs to be able to kill. It doesn't mean he has to like it, but it has to be done.
• Handicapped Badass: Nicholas has a deformed foot that he has to compensate for so he can walk normally. Thanks to Pug, he manages to heal it and just becomes badass.
• Nice Guy: Nicholas is fairly nice, albeit very insecure and hesitant at first. He quickly becomes more confident and sure of himself.
• These Hands Have Killed: He freaks out when he has to kill someone for the first time with his own two hands.
• Took a Level in Badass: Nicholas goes from a somewhat insecure and hesitant nice guy into a badass who sails halfway across the world to save the people of Crydee who are kidnapped and brings all of them that are alive home safe and sound and foils a plot to inflict the Kingdom with a deadly plague that would have devestated everything in it's path.

Marcus conDoin

Martin's son and heir. He doesn't like Nicholas but when Crydee is attacked and his love interest, sister and people are kidnapped, he puts aside their differences to save them.

• Enemy Mine: What he views working with Nicholas to save the people of Crydee as...
• Fire-Forged Friends: Until the experiences and working for Nicholas on Novindus helps them become friends and get along quite well.
• Happily Married: After the events of King's Buccaneer, he marries Abigail and for all intent and purposes, they're pretty happy.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He's kind of aloof and a bit of a dick to Nicholas, but he loves his family and people and is willing to sail halfway around the world to save them.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: He becomes one of these as Duke of Crydee.

Ghuda Bule

A mercenary that Borric meets in the Empire of Great Kesh and hires to help him get to the city of Kesh. Alot of stuff happens and Ghuda worries the whole time that he's not going to survive to get paid, but he manages to survive to get paid. He then travels with Nicholas to the continent of Novindus and sadly meets his demise on the way home.

• Go Out with a Smile: Dies smiling after he's seen amazing sights and has made sure everyone's going to be alright with Nakor at his side.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: At heart he's a good man, but he's also a mercenary.
• Odd Friendship: With Nakor.
• Only Sane Man: Views himself as this when travelling with Borric, Suli and Nakor. He might be right.
• The Mentor: He serves as a mentor to Nicholas during the journey as a seasoned mercenary and teaches him how to be a leader and reminds him of the difficult choices that he has to make.

Nakor the Isalani

A gambler who knows a few tricks and is a lot more then he seems. But he's not a magician, or so he claims.

• Bag of Holding: Nakor owns one. Turns out that it's just a tiny rift under a zipped off part of the bag that he accidentally made that leads to a fruit storage place somewhere. Or maybe not.
• Beware the Silly Ones: As silly as Nakor can be, he is still a legitimate threat to anyone who is his enemy and he is able to ignore some of the rules of the universe, like being able to say the Nameless One's true name without any reprecussions.
• Card Sharp: In the Serpentwar Saga, claims that Duke James is the only person to ever best him at cards. And Jimmy was cheating, too.
• Catchphrase "Want an orange?"
• Cloud Cuckoo Lander: Has shades of this. He's rather eccentric, but he's firmly on the side of good.
• Dying Moment of Awesome: Killing Sidi/Leso Varen for good and stopping the Dasati Dark God (Actually a Dreadlord) from ascending to a higher plane of existence.
• Good Is Not Soft: Nakor kills both General Fadawah and the Emerald Queen in a male body without hesitation.
• Honorary Uncle: Is this to Pug and Miranda's sons.
• My Greatest Failure: His ex-wife is the Emerald Queen and is responsible for a lot of tragedy and death and he could have prevented it if only he knew how at the time.
• Odd Friendship: With pretty much everybody, given how eccentric he is. But everyone who befriends him genuinely likes him, even if his antics confuse and irritate them sometimes.
• O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Nakor is generally lighthearted and snarky, befitting his Trickster nature. When he gets serious, it means things are getting bad. Very, very bad.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: Becomes this as a member of the Conclave of Shadows.
• Running Gag: His sack that always has oranges in it or something he needs at the time, as well as his claims to not be a magician and that there is no magic and it's all just tricks anyone can do.
• The Trickster: Nakor says he's just a gambler who knows some tricks - but his "tricks" include some spectacular illusions and some other magicks that are better and more useful than most mages can cast. He says he's not a magician, but in The King's Buccaneer he teaches Anthony quite a lot about the nature of magic. He's lived several normal lifespans, been driven mad and then sane again (well, maybe) by the Codex of Wodar-Hospur, is an expert manipulator of people, even his friends, and always seems to have some sort of wisdom or trick that's applicable to any crisis situation.
• Weak, but Skilled: As magicians go, he isn't very powerful - certainly nowhere near the level of Pug, Macros, Miranda, or the various magickal enemies they face. But he uses what he does have very effectively. If he can't accomplish a task himself, he can often find a way to persuade somebody else to do it for him.
• You Are Better Than You Think You Are: He doesn't say it word for word, but he says this to Caleb at one point.

The Serpent War Saga

Erik von Darkmoor

A normal boy who is an apprentice blacksmith and bastard son of the Baron of Darkmoor. He kills his half brother in a rage after his brother raped his surrogate sister and then flees to Krondor and is captured and sentenced to death. But it turns out that the Kingdom needs desperate men to go on a potential suicide mission and if they return, they are pardoned. Erik survives and becomes a very talented soldier and a key figure in the Serpent War.

• Berserk Button: Harming people he cares about. If you're lucky, someone will stop him from brutally killing you, but you probably won't be.
• Beware the Nice Ones: He killed his half-brother for raping Erik's surrogate sister and slaughtered some bandits for raping and murdering some local village girls when he was on Novindus.
• Does Not Know His Own Strength: It's mentioned that when he's truly pissed off he's unaware of this and once punched a boy halfway across the town square that really pissed him off.
• Genius Bruiser: He's not Dash or Jimmy's level of intelligence, but he's definitely a smart soldier who was trained both mentally and physically to be the best of the best.
• Good Is Not Soft: He's a soldier. Also see Beware the Nice Ones.
• Happily Married: To Kitty at first, but Word of God is that they didn't stay married for very long due to the whole "Two wives, Kitty and the Kingdom" and she eventually left.
• Heterosexual Life-Partners: With Rupert "Roo" Avery. Their friendship is so strong that Roo can read him like a book and despite Erik's disapproval of Roo's infidelity, he doesn't comment on it or judge him.
• Heroic Sacrifice: In the Dark War Trilogy, he faces some Dasati soldiers to give people on Kelewan plenty of time to escape as the planet is being invaded.
• Nice Guy: Very polite and friendly to his friends and to strangers and everyone who knows him respects him for it. This is why Kitty falls for him and they later marry.
• Oblivious to Love: At first he's oblivious to Kitty's attraction for him, but he catches on quickly once his friends spell it out for him and they start a relationship and later marry after she asks him to sleep with her.
• Omniglot: He speaks the King's Tongue, the language of Novindus and can read a Keshian language or two.
• Parental Abandonment: His father is the Baron of the region who cannot publicly acknowledge him, but has protected him as much as he can from his wife's wrath and has given him a last name by not publicly denying him.
• Royal Bastard: Erik is the bastard (although his mother tried to claim that he was legitimate and that his father's relatives annulled the marriage in order to get the Baron-to-be to marry another noble for an alliance) son of the Baron von Darkmoor. He is a much better person than the eldest legitimate child of his father.
• Took a Level in Badass: He went from a simple apprentice blacksmith to one of the most badass soldiers who was largely responsible for the Kingdom winning the Serpant War.
• Uncertified Expert: Early in Shadow of a Dark Queen, he finds out that because his old master Never Filled Out Official Paperwork to register him with the guild, his seven-year apprenticeship as The Blacksmith doesn't count for squat. He's crushed, but soon has much bigger problems than his career.

Rupert "Roo" Avery

A normal boy and son of a local teamster who is the town drunk. He helps Erik kill his half-brother and flees to Krondor and is captured and sentenced to death. But it turns out that the Kingdom needs desperate men to go on a potential suicide mission and if they return, they are pardoned. Roo survives and becomes one of the most successful merchants in history.

• Abusive Parents: His father was physically abusive to Roo due to his mother dying in childbirth to have him. He quickly stops after Roo can kick his ass in a fight and they come to an understanding shortly before he dies.
• Character Development: He goes through a lot of this throughout the Serpentwar Saga. Duncan lampshades this in Rise of a Merchant Prince, mentioning that the last time he'd seen Roo, he'd been "a scrawny kid who could barely keep himself upright as he pissed."
• Fatal Flaw: Pride. As he is reminded many times by Helmut Grindle, he is nowhere near as smart as he thinks he is and his pride almost destroys everything for him.
• Gold Digger: Marries Helmut Grindle's daughter because her father is rich and she's very plain and kind of ugly. Helmut sees right through him, but he knows he's not getting a better offer and that Roo's probably the best he's getting. However, the marriage is not a happy one, which leads to a major B-plot.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He's a cheating bastard and is very self centred due to his agenda and goals, but he is a good friend and tends to do the right thing in the end (after he's tried everything else).
• Kavorka Man: He's described as "rat-faced," but for all that he gets a fair number of women. Partly this is his money and power at work, but he does know what to say even when that's not a factor.
• Opt Out: After his military service, takes his pardon and devotes himself to getting rich. Duke James does coerce him into working for the Crown in another capacity, though.
• Rags to Riches: He starts out a teamster's son, then becomes a convicted murderer, a soldier, an unsuccessful merchant, a waiter and then a successful merchant who over time becomes the most powerful merchant in Kingdom history.
• Small Name, Big Ego: This is how people view him after his death due to his poorly written biography which is described as just pure egotism due to how he makes it sound like he singlehandedly saved the Kingdom.
• Took a Level in Badass: Goes from a town drunk's son to a badass merchant who goes down in history as one of the most successful merchants to ever live.
• Took a Level in Jerkass: He becomes a selfish dick in Rise Of A Merchant Prince once his ego gets the better of him. He gets better once he nearly loses everything.

Calis

The son of Tomas and Queen Algaranna of Elvander. He travels with Nicholas to Novindus in King's Buccaneer and then another three times. His strange nature makes him hard to read and he's very aloof.

• Desperately Seeking A Purpose In Life: Due to his unique nature, he isn't fully sure what his place in life is and really would like to know what it is. He finds out that it's to unlock the Lifestone and then decides to settle down with an Ochedel woman and her twin sons.
• Good Is Not Soft: He would be able to sacrifice the lives of everyone with him if he had to, but he wouldn't enjoy it.
• Omniglot: Speaks the Elvish language, the King's Tongue, the language of Novindus and likely speaks a few others.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: He's a nice enough guy who can talk with his subordinates respectfully and looks out for them.
• Undying Loyalty: Inspires this in Bobby deLongville and Erik von Darkmoor.

Robert "Bobby" DeLongville

Calis' right hand man and close friend. He has been through hell and back with Calis and is easily one of the most ruthless bastards to ever exist.

• Drill Sergeant Nasty: He is not merciful when it comes to handling the "desperate men". This pays off big time though and he quickly drops the act once it's proven he doesn't need it much.
• Good Is Not Nice / Good Is Not Soft: He is a ruthless bastard who will kill you without hesitation if he has to.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: But if you earn his respect, he is one of the best men you can ever know who will die for you without hesitation.
• Multiple-Choice Past: He claims that Calis handpicked him from the armies of the northern garrisons that guard the Kingdom from the moredhel. Calis says that Bobby forgot to mention that he was on trial for killing a fellow soldier.
• Training from Hell: He puts the "desperate men" through this and then some and it pays off big time.
• Undying Loyalty: To Calis to the point that his last words are begging Erik that he get Calis home safely.

Miranda

A powerful magician and daughter of Macros the Black. She sets out to find Pug so he can help with the Serpent War and they become lovers over time. She is also lovers with Calis at the time and one of his most useful allies. After resolving the issues between her and Calis, she marries Pug and has two children with him and becomes a leader of the Conclave of Shadows. She is killed by a demon tearing her throat out.

• Came Back Wrong: Not quite, but her "reincarnation" as Child causes a fair bit of strife and confusion for the Conclave
• Happily Married: To Pug, though they do fight sometimes.
• Killed Off for Real
• Good Parents: Miranda is a good mother to Caleb and Magnus and did her best to try and help Caleb as he was growing up as a non-magical child in a magical community.
• My God, What Have I Done? / My Greatest Failure: Goads Pug into attacking the Emerald Fleet and causes him to be rendered comatose for months due to his injuries.
• Omniglot: She speaks at least a dozen languages.
• Parental Abandonment: Her father really wasn't in her life much while she was growing up and it's left her with a few psychological scars that often show.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: To the Conclave's agents.
• Tsundere

Arutha Jamison

James and Gamina's son named after Arutha conDoin to honor him and everything he did for James. He is the father of James II and Dashel Jamison and grandson of Pug.

• Good Parents: He is a great father to James and Dashel and makes it clear that he loves them and is there for them. This makes his death even harder for Dashel and James II.
• Happily Married: Subverted, his marriage was a political marriage and although he and his wife were friendly and polite to one another and love their children, they don't love one another at all.
• Hidden Depths: He's apparently a great dancer, which is one of the few things he and his wife have in common.
• Hypercompetent Sidekick: He's Patrick's adviser, but is a far better administrator and authority figure than the Prince.
• Killed Off for Real: He dies at the Abbey of Sarth when trying to retake it with a small army.
• Like Father, Like Son: Averted in both directions. His sons could use their grandfather as a shaving mirror, but while he's every bit as intelligent as James (something not said lightly), he lacks the family propensity for hell-raising and thievery.
• Morality Pet: He's one of the few people who have a real influence on Patrick and canalizes several times the Prince's temper tantrums.
• Named After Somebody Famous: Named after Arutha conDoin, the man who made the Jamison family what they are today. This causes some angst for Arutha, who wishes he was given a more common name. After his death, it's mentioned that "history will only remember one Arutha of Krondor," and that he'd be a footnote in the history books despite his heroism.
• Perfectly Arranged Marriage: Subverted. His marriage was arranged and, while he and his wife are friendly and polite to one another, they don't love each other.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: He's a Jamison, this was bound to happen.

James "Jimmy" Jamison II

The son of Arutha Jamison, brother of Dashel Jamison and grandson of James Jamison I and Gamina Jamison. Named after his grandfather and like him in more ways then one. He goes on to become Duke of Krondor and then Duke of Rillanon after the Serpentwar and is a key figure in bringing peace to the Western Realm again and then the Kingdom as a whole.

• Drowning My Sorrows: Upon finding out that the childhood friend he liked and who felt the same for him was to marry Prince Patrick.
• Generation Xerox: Skipping a generation, he's almost a carbon copy of Jimmy the Hand, the original Guile Hero of Krondor.
• Hypercompetent Sidekick: To Duko during the later half of Shards of a Broken Crown due to Duko not being completely fluent in the King's Tongue yet.
• Nice Guy: Generally a friendly guy.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: Very reasonable and is a good mentor to Hal once he's King at the end of the series.
  • Even though he knew Talwin's noble title claims were false, he didn't do anything about it since the King declared them valid and just warned Talwin he would be watched when he was in the Kingdom.
• Undying Loyalty: To the Kingdom of the Isles.

Dashel "Dash" Jamison

The son of Arutha Jamison, brother of James Jamison II and grandson of James Jamison I and Gamina Jamison. He joins Roo Avery at his business as a spy for his grandfather and ends up running into his great-uncle Lyles Rigg and begins to sympathize with the Mockers and after his great-uncle dies, he relinquishes his nobility and becomes a successful merchant and the next Upright Man of the Mockers.

• Character Development: After Roo, Dash gets the most development as a character due to his internal conflict of whether he wants to continue to serve the Crown or to find his own way in life, which comes full circle when he becomes the next Upright Man.
• Genre Savvy: He saw Sylvia Esterbrook for what she was and refused to be seduced when she tried to seduce him.
• My Greatest Failure: Watching the thief girl he fell in love with be killed and die in his arms.
  • My Greatest Second Chance: He becomes the Upright Man after she makes him promise to take care of them.
• Nice Guy: He's a friendly guy who earns the trust and respect of many from all walks of life.
• The Mole: For his grandfather when he became an apprentice for Roo. Fortunately he proved to be so good at the job that Roo was alright with it.
• Ultimate Job Security: When he worked for Roo the first time, he couldn't be fired because Duke James made it clear it wasn't going to happen. After this, he lost the job security.
• What Happened to the Mouse?: He more or less vanishes from the series after Shards of a Broken Crown outside of mentions here and there that he's alive, but he and James don't talk anymore. It is eventually revealed that he died childless, and a descendant of his brother's ends up taking control of the Mockers.

Patrick conDoin

Son of Borric conDoin II and Prince of Krondor during most of the Serpent War. While at first he tries to be as helpful as he can as an authority figure, he quickly reveals himself to be a immature jerkass who is disrespectful and tries to abuse his authority.

• Bullying the Dragon: Pug is the most powerful magician alive at the time and the main reason the Kingdom is still standing, yet Patrick insists on ordering him around with absolutely no respect and a complete disregard for his losing a good portion of his family due to the war.
• Freudian Excuse: For what it's worth, it's implied that part of his immature and warmongering nature is linked to the fact that he fears that he won't be able to step into the shoes of his grandfather Arutha.
• It's All About Me: He views everything that happens during the Serpent War as an affront to him and not to the Kingdom and tends to be incredibly selfish in the process.
• Jerkass: He's immature, disrespectful and just overall an unpleasant ass that no one genuinely likes or respects.
• Pet the Dog: He at least tries to be as helpful as he can during the Serpent War (until the defeat of the Demon King) and protects Erik against the wrath of the wife of his father.^note Erik is the bastard son of an aristocrat and the legitimate wife of this man fears he may endanger her power and those of her sons by having some claims over the succession.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: Subverted. Throughout his time in the series, he proves to be a rather unpleasant person with a bit of an ego and a hot streak that if it wasn't for the Jamisons, he would have likely run the remaining armies of the Western Realm into the ground and then some.
• Took a Level in Kindness: It's implied by Pug in King of Foxes that he eventually became a more level-headed ruler. Unfortunately, it happened off-screen between two sagas and, since he's dead in Conclave of Shadows, the reader can't see his Character Development.

Luis de Savona

A man from Rodez who was manipulated by a noble woman in Rodez and then escaped to Krondor. He joins Calis' band of desperate men and survives the trip to Novindus. He quickly joins Roo in his business and becomes a reliable friend, employee and source of advice.

• Handicapped Badass: Due to a man smashing his right hand with a oar in Novindus, he can't use it anymore, but he's still able to use his left hand and use knives.
• Happily Married: With Helen Jacoby at the end of the Serpent War Saga.
• Hypercompetent Sidekick: Roo wouldn't be even half as successful as he was without Luis helping him run everything.
• My Greatest Failure: Being manipulated by a noble woman in Rodez which led to his circumstances now. He's smart enough to know that if she were to appear and offer her bed to him, he might not be able to say no.
• Nice Guy: He's a very polite and friendly guy so long as you're not Duncan Avery.
• The Reliable One: He has a huge part in keeping Roo's business going.
• Stealth Mentor: He knew all along about Roo's affair with Sylvia Esterbrook. He also knew about Duncan's affair with her but waited until Roo found out about it to give him some useful advice that helps Roo mature.

General Duko

A general from Novindus who was sent to Krondor to be killed by the Armies of the West along with his soldiers. He cuts a deal with Patrick via Jimmy to return the territory he's taken in exchange for a title of nobility and saves the Kingdom alot of time and lives.

• Heel–Face Turn: He cuts a deal with Patrick to become a noble in exchange for returning Krondor and the territory he's claimed and happily serves the Kingdom.
• Hidden Depths: He has a very interesting view on the Kingdom and wants to be part of something greater then he is since it intrigues him.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: He has the loyalty of all of his men and happily gave up Krondor so he could become part of the Kingdom and give himself and his men all a better life. He's also smart enough to know that Jimmy is meant to spy on him for Patrick to make sure his claims of loyalty are genuine, but doesn't mind and relies on him greatly anyway.

Harper

A soldier who serves under Erik's command as his corporal and then sargeant. He dies during the Battle of Nightmare Ridge.

• Satellite Character: He exists so Erik has someone to talk to, but he also has a important role as Erik's bully sargeant.
• With All Due Respect/What the Hell, Hero?: He can call out Erik on his poor decisions and get away with it because of how he does it.

Stephan von Darkmoor

Erik's half brother who loathes him and eventually sets the course of the story as he rapes Rosalyn and is killed by Erik and Roo for it.

• Jerkass: He's a sadistic asshole who raped Rosalyn simply to piss off Erik.
• Karmic Death: Is killed by Erik and Roo for raping Rosalyn and being an all around bastard.
• Sadist: He's known for hurting girls he has sex with or rapes by beating them with his fists. Owyn Greylock mentions that more then one noble has been bought off for what Stephan did to their daughter.
• Small Role, Big Impact: His death sets Erik and Roo on the path to being part of Calis' desperate men.

Duncan Avery

Roo's cousin who runs into Erik and Roo in Darkmoor after they return from Novindus. He joins Roo in his business and proves himself to be quite incompetent in nearly everyway outside of combat as well as really full of himself. He ends up having an affair with Sylvia Esterbrook and plans with her to kill Roo after Sylvia becomes his wife.

• Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: He pretends to be a friendly and affable guy, but he's really just an arrogant Jerkass with a huge ego who is out for himself.
• Face–Heel Turn: He at first serves more or less loyally his cousin, until he's tempted by Sylvia's promises.
• Fatal Flaw: Pride and Greed.
• Green-Eyed Monster: It's implied that his eventual Face–Heel Turn is partly caused by his jealousy and resentment over Roo's success.
• It's All About Me: He's always looking out for his best interests and no one else's.
• Lazy Bum: He wants to do as little work for as much money as he can. This causes alot of frustration for Roo and Luis.
• Really Gets Around: He sleeps with a bunch of different prostitutes and barmaids on a regular basis.
• Rewarded as a Traitor Deserves: Roo kills him in combat after discovering that Duncan is sleeping with Sylvia and they're both conspiring to kill him.
• Small Name, Big Ego: He has a really big ego and thinks himself to be an amazing person, but in reality he's useless outside of being an extra sword.

Sylvia Esterbrook

The daughter of merchant extrordinaire Jacob Esterbrook and a Manipulative Bitch who tricks Roo into believing that she loves him and plays the role of mistress.

• Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: She plays the role of nice merchant's daughter but in reality she's a manipulative bitch who is out for herself and will dispose of anyone in the way until she gets what she wants.
• Black Widow: The Plan is for her to dispose of Roo's wife, marry him, dispose of him and marry Duncan, and then dispose of Duncan and marry the Prince of Krondor.
• Freudian Excuse: She claims that she is how she is because her father made her how she is. Whether this is true or not is left up to speculation.
• Karmic Death: She's killed by Roo along with Duncan whilst they try to plan his death.
• Manipulative Bitch: She's very good at this and her father uses her talents to his advantage.
• The Vamp: Specializes in this, snaring Roo and Duncan in her schemes and in her bed.

Jacob Esterbrook

Merchant extrordinaire and father of Sylvia Esterbrook. When Roo is an up and rising merchant, he conspires with Tim Jacoby to ruin Roo behind the scenes. He's also a Keshian agent and is killed during the Emerald Queen's attack on the Western Realm.

• Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Comes off as polite and affable but at heart is a manipulative asshole out for himself.
• The Chessmaster: Subverted. While he has talent at being manipulative, he thinks too highly of himself and has to rely on other sources to enact his plans.
• Too Dumb to Live: Tries to negotiate with the invading army that have just sacked Krondor and is killed and eaten by cannibals.

Tim Jacoby

Owner of Jacoby and Son and all around Jerkass. He has Helmut Grindle murdered when Roo is working with him and puts as much effort in as he can to ruin Roo and after stealing Roo's money, is killed for his efforts.

• Bad Boss: He pays poorly and treats his employees terribly.
  • Corrupt Company Owner: He does under the table deals, bribes guards and officials and runs drugs for the Mockers and many of his deals are shady and illegal and he uses innocent people to cover his tracks so he has plausible deniability if they're caught.
• Even Evil Can Be Loved: In spite of his unpleasant personality, his brother loves him enough to take an arrow for him, and after their deaths Roo meets their father who by now has become senile, still thinking his sons are teenagers.
• Even Evil Has Loved Ones: His brother Randall. His first reflex after Randall is killed while taking the arrow for him is to try to kill Roo to avenge him.
• Hair-Trigger Temper: He's very impulsive and easy to anger. Also his Fatal Flaw as, even when threatened with crossbows, he still tries to attack Roo out of anger.
• Jerkass: He's a rude bastard who has Roo's business partner murdered just to spite Roo and tries to bully and intimidate others to do what he wants.
• Karmic Death: After multiple attempts of ruining Roo's business and then stealing Roo's money, he is killed by Roo after being caught with his gold.
• Sibling Yin-Yang: With his far more level-headed brother Randall.

General Fadawah

The general in charge of the Emerald Queen's armies and later becomes the ruler of the armies once it's revealed the Emerald Queen was a demon in disguise and becomes the self titled King of the Bitter Sea.

• Anti-Villain: Not particularly villainous in and of himself, but nonetheless a major threat to the Kingdom, due to being a soldier of the Emerald Queen and a pawn of Zaltais, the dream-angel of the Nameless One.
• Badass Normal: He's The Dragon to the Emerald Queen and later the King of the remaining forces of the Emerald Queen and he's got the years of experience to back it up.
• The Dragon: To the Emerald Queen. He then becomes a Dragon Ascendant when it's revealed that a demon was in the form of the Emerald Queen, so he takes over.
• Karmic Death: Is killed by Nakor after underestimating him.
• Pragmatic Villainy: Sends one of his Generals to hold Krondor so the Kingdom forces can't reclaim their capitol (And with any luck, said General would be killed in the process.) and takes over as much as he can but doesn't overreach himself.
• Worthy Opponent: Views the Kingdom forces as this.

The Conclave of Shadows

Talon of the Silver Hawk / Talwin Hawkins

A member of a mountain tribe who was on his naming quest as his people were slaughtered and he nearly was as well. Luckily he was saved and nursed back to health and eventually becomes a member of the Conclave of Shadows and is sent after Kaspar of Olasko, aka the man who organized the destruction of his people.

• Badass Normal: An incredibly talented swordsman who earns the title of Best Swordsman in the World. He is advised not to let it go to his head though, since he's only the best out of the swordsmen he faced. He's also one of the few characters to successfully kill Leso Varen, not that it did much good.
  • Handicapped Badass: Once his arm is cut off. Luckily Nakor knows someone who can grow it back for him.
• Becoming the Mask: Worries that he's becoming more Talwin Hawkins then Talon of the Silver Hawk throughout his adventures.
• Happily Married: To Eye of the Blue Winged Teal, a girl from his village who was taken when the village was sacked. It's not easy due to all of the trauma she endured, but they make it work.
• Nice Guy: He is genuinely a nice guy, just very hotheaded as a teenager and as an adult he's well known for being promiscuous.
• Omniglot: He speaks Orosini and the Common/Trading Tongue, Roldem's language, Olaskan, the King's Tongue and likely a few other's as well.
• Parental Substitute: He takes on the role of being the father of Teal's son and does a fantastic job of it.
• Really Gets Around: As Talwin Hawkins, he sleeps with alot of women, though he trys to make sure not to sleep with married women or daughters of really well connected or wealthy husbands/fathers so they don't hire assassins.
• Revenge: He's out to avenge his people after they're murdered by mercenaries hired by Kaspar of Olasko. He kills the mercenaries and is talked out of killing Kaspar by Pug after he is removed from power so Talwin can sleep easier at night. Later on they come to a mutual understanding of some sort.
• Supreme Chef: After defeating Kaspar, retires from active service to the Conclave to open a restaurant.

Magnus conDoin

Eldest son of Pug and Miranda. A magician like his parents who has the potential to be even more powerful then them. He serves the Conclave of Shadows and helps mentor Talon of the Silver Hawk. He succeeds his father as the Black Sorceror and protector of Midkemia after Pug prevents his death.

• Big Brother Instinct: He tried his best to protect Caleb when they were growing up and risked confronting the goddess of death to save his life.
• Calling the Old Man Out: Gets on Pug's case about the casualties that Pug could have prevented or caused over the years in the name of protecting Midkemia.
• Get A Hold Of Yourself Man: Does this to Talon in the form of attacking him with a staff without warning while he's sulking over getting his heart broken.
• Never Be Hurt Again: A girl he fell in love with when he was younger broke his heart and since then he's avoided romance and love. He also teaches Talwin the importance of not falling in love easily.
• Omniglot: He speaks the King's Tongue, Keshian, Roldem's language, the Common / Trading tongue and likely a lot more languages.
• Taking Up the Mantle: He takes Pug's place as protector of Midkemia when he dies.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: He's a stern teacher, but he makes sure to keep an eye on Talwin and prepare him the best he can for his mission.

Caleb conDoin

Youngest son of Pug and Miranda. Unlike his parents and brother, he has no magical abilities and teaches Talon alot about how to be a Badass Normal. He also marries a widow he was friends with growing up and becomes the stepfather of her two boys. Sadly, Caleb and his wife are killed in the attack on Sorceror's Island that also killed Miranda.

• Badass Normal: He has been trained by some of the best swordsmen alive.
• Big Brother Mentor: Is this to Talon / Talwin, teaching him a good portion of his skills and taking him to a brothel to help him get over his broken heart as they travelled across the Kingdom.
• Happily Married: To Marie of Stardock.
• Killed Off for Real: Killed along with his wife during the attack on Sorceror's Isle that killed his mother.
• Nice Guy: He's a really nice guy who happily takes on the role of stepfather to his wife's two kids and the boy who joins their family in Kesh.
• Omniglot: How many languages he speaks is never revealed, but he can speak the King's Tongue, Keshian, the Common / Trading Language, Orosini and Roldem's language.

Kaspar of Olasko

The Duke of Olasko and the man responsible for the destruction of the Orosini people. He employs Talwin after seeing his abilities in action and casually sentences him to life on a prison island after one failure. Talwin escapes and organizes for Roldem, the Kingdom and Kesh to team up and take down Kaspar, after which he is exiled to Novindus and goes on a quest of atonement of his own.

• The Atoner: After being freed of Leso Varen's influence and realizing all of the horrible things he's done.
• Jerkass: He caused the death of many innocent people and casually discards people who fail him. But after some Character Development, he becomes a Jerk with a Heart of Gold and The Atoner.
• I Owe You My Life: When Talwin saves him from being killed while they're hunting. Kaspar cruelly repays this by not executing him and sending him to die on a prison island.
• Last Request: When he thought Talwin was going to kill him when Kaspar was dining at his resturant, his last request was that he be allowed to finish his meal since it was really delicious.
• Morality Pet: His sister who he takes great care of and genuinely loves as well as the mother and son he stays with on Novindus. Upon finding them dead, he is genuinely saddened.
• Omniglot: He speaks Olaskan, the King's Tongue, Keshian, Roldem's language, the language of Novindus and various other languages.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: As the General of Muboya. Amirantha even notes that since Kaspar showed up, the region has been the most peaceful it's ever been in Amirantha's very long lifespan.
• Redemption Equals Life: He becomes a member of the Conclave of Shadows and later on the General of a nation on Novindus.
• "Well Done, Son" Guy: Has shades of this when he's delusional from dehydration on Novindus.
• You Have Failed Me: He sends Talwin to a prison island to die after sending him on a mission he is doomed to fail. He's sent many there who failed him as well.

Leso Varen

Aka Sidi. A somewhat insane necromancer that can body jump who serves the Nameless One and is the Arch-Enemy of Pug and the Conclave of Shadows. His goal is to ensure the return of the Nameless One and to become immortal. Is the older brother of Amirantha and the younger brother of Belasco.

• Arch-Enemy: To Pug and the Conclave of Shadows.
• Ax-Crazy: A little, but he points out that this is a common side effect of being ressurectted with necromancy.
• Body Surf: His Soul Jar lets him do this and once it's destroyed, he can only do it one last time.
• Evil Sorceror
• Killed Off for Real: Nakor kills him for good at the end of the Dark War Trilogy.
• Soul Jar: He has one and it prevented him from dying until Pug destroyed it.
• The Corrupter: He was a negative influence on Kaspar and responsible for a good portion of Kaspar's more evil actions to a degree.
• The Greatest Story Never Told: His first encounter with Pug due to behind the scenes issues.
• Worthy Opponent: Considers Pug to be his.

Darkwar Saga

Tad

Son of Marie, a woman from Stardock who is a friend of Caleb's and brother of Zane. She begs him to take them to be apprentices and due to an accident on the way, they wind up becoming agents of the Conclave of Shadows and join Pug's family when Caleb marries their mother.

• Bash Brothers: With Zane and Jommy.
• Lazy Bum: At first, but this is justified due to the lack of work for him and Zane to do in town. This changes once Caleb takes them with him.
• In Love with Love: He's noted to fall for women way too easily when he appears in the first Chaoswar book, but by the second book it's revealed he's Happily Married.
• Nice Guy: He's a friendly and polite young man.
• Took a Level in Badass: After some time being trained in various ways on Sorceror's Isle by some of the best teachers, he and Zane become more then capable in combat.
  • He also went from simple country boy to Roldem nobility due to his talents and saving Grandprey/Grandy, who is a Prince of Roldem.

Zane

Adopted son of Marie, a woman from Stardock who is a friend of Caleb's and adopted brother of Tad. She begs him to take them to be apprentices and due to an accident on the way, they wind up becoming agents of the Conclave of Shadows and join Pug's familywhen Caleb marries their mother.

• Bash Brothers: With Tad and Jommy.
• Happily Adopted: His parents died when he was a baby, so Marie took him in and raised her as his own and he loves and appreciates her for it.
• Lazy Bum: At first, but this is justified due to the lack of work for him and Tad to do in town. This changes once Caleb takes them with him.
• Really Gets Around: He's noted for being very promiscuous when he lives in Roldem during the first book of the Chaoswar Saga. It's joked that this will make it so he never gets married, but he ends up Happily Married during the second book.
• Took a Level in Badass: After some time being trained in various ways on Sorceror's Isle by some of the best teachers, he and Tad become more then capable in combat.
  • He also went from simple country boy to Roldem nobility due to his talents and saving Grandprey/Grandy, who is a Prince of Roldem.

Jommy/Jonathon Killaroo

A boy from Novindus whose father kicked him out. He helps out Tad and Zane against some apprentices who try to start a fight in Kesh and ends up tagging along with them in what they're doing and ends up an agent of the Conclave of Shadows and the third son of Caleb and Marie.

• Bully Hunter: He hates bullies, so he often butts heads with the guild apprentices in Kesh. It's why he knocked out Servan when he first got to the La-Timsa University.
• Fire-Forged Friends: Maybe not friends, but he gets along with Servan alot better after helping him save Grandy. Jommy even notes that they could probably be best friends if Jommy hadn't married his sister.
• Happily Adopted: He's more or less adopted by Caleb and Marie and is pretty happy about it too.
• Happily Married: To Servan's sister at some point between the end of the Darkwar and his appearance in A Kingdom Besieged. Servan's never forgiven him for it.
• Nice Guy: He helped out Tad and Zane in a fight with no strings attached and is all in all, a polite and friendly guy.
• Only Known by Their Nickname: His full name is Jonathon, but he goes by Jommy.
• Parental Abandonment: His parents threw him out when he was young. He doesn't seem to care much though.
• Tagalong Kid: At first, but he quickly proves his worth and is adopted by Caleb and Marie.

Jim Dasher/Jimmyhand/James Jamison IV or V

Descendant of James Jamison I/Duke James/Jimmy the Hand. He joins up with Tad, Zane and Jommy in Roldem and helps them out from time to time. Is also the current leader of the intelligence agency in the Kingdom and often helps out the Conclave of Shadows. Currently the Upright Man of Krondor.

• Badass Normal: He's good at sneaking around, fighting and has many talents and has faced cultist groups, demons and many other supernatural foes like his ancestor.
• Deadpan Snarker: It runs in the family.
• Genre Savvy: He's aware that Sandreena's not going to be so inclined to forgive him for what he did to her in the past
• Good Is Not Nice: He sold Sandreena as a Sex Slave to get some important documents that he needed to protect the Kingdom.
  • Good Is Not Soft: He's the one that kills Dahun in Belasco's body when Amirantha realizes a body swap has happened and is the one who doesn't hesitate to kill when he has to.
• I Have Many Names: James Jamison IV or V (There's alot of people named James in his family.), Jimmyhand (His thief name that he uses when he's Jim Dasher.), Jim Dasher (His alias that combines his first name and his great uncle's name.), the Upright Man.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: When he's Lord James, he's this.
• The Spymaster: He's the current leader of the Kingdom's Intelligence Agency. It's revealed that it's been compromised during the Chaoswar Saga, much to Jim's disgust.
• Unresolved Sexual Tension: With The Spymaster of Roldem's intelligence service, they're both kindred spirits and have a great deal of attraction and even love for one another and are on and off again lovers and agree to retire and marry one another when everything important is finally over.

Ralen Bek

A mercenary from Novindus who encounters Nakor and Tomas when they're guarding the Talnoy hidden by Macros the Black. He has little to no moral compass and follows Nakor loyally because Nakor understands him. It's revealed that he has a piece of the Nameless One inside him. Turns out he doesn't and it's a piece of a Talnoy Warrior God and that when they passed to the Second Realm where the Dasati live, Ralan Bek ceased to exist.

• Blood Knight: All he cares about is having fun, which for him is hurting people, usually by fighting and killing them.
• Dead All Along: It turns out that when he transferred to the Second Realm with Pug, Magnus and Nakor, the being known as Ralan Bek ceased to exist.
• Combat Sadomasochist: Whether he's hurting other people or he's being hurt, he really likes pain.
• Morality Chain: Nakor becomes his after realizing how similar their upbringings were and Nakor ends up able to point Ralen at the Conclave's enemies instead of killing random people.
• Underestimating Badassery: He underestimates Nakor due to his size, which proves to be a mistake.

Demonwar Saga

Amirantha

A magician specializing in demonology. He's a con-artist who uses his talents to summon a demon to wreak havoc and then offers to get rid of it along with his foster son. After an attempt goes wrong and a battle demon is summoned instead, Amirantha realizes that his brother Belasco's trying to kill him and sets off to meet Kaspar and ends up joining the Conclave of Shadows. Also the brother of Sidi/Leso Varen.

• Birds of a Feather: Amirantha and Gulamendis become good friends due to their both being demon summoners and together they contribute a great deal to Pug's attempts to stop the demon invasion.
• Character Development: He becomes alot more responsible during his time with the Conclave and decides to give up his charlatan ways and to help protect the world and to do something more useful with his talents and becomes a powerful protector of Midkemia.
• Deadpan Snarker: He's quite snarky when he can be.
• Even Bad Men Love Their Mamas: Amirantha has a very low opinion of his mother, but he still wanted Sidi dead for killing her because she was his mother.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He loves his adopted son and daughter-in-law dearly and he wants to protect Midkemia, but he is a con-artist and hurt Sandreena a great deal by cheating on her with a demon. He loses some of the jerk part over the events of the series.
• Morality Pet: His adopted son Brandos and daughter-in-law who live with him in his tower.
• Summon Magic: He's a demon summoner, but mostly loses this ability once the demon lord Belasco is working with takes control of the demons Amirantha has serving him.
• Taught by Experience: How he has lasted so long when most demon summoners are killed fairly quickly.
• Took a Level in Badass: It's subtle, but he becomes much more proficient in combat magic once he loses his ability to control and summon demons.
• Unresolved Sexual Tension: With Sandreena, who he once slept with and was caught in bed with a succubus by her due to their different views on their relationship at the time. Over time and working together, they come to an understanding and have a good working relationship.

Brandos

Amirantha's adopted son who was once a street rat. He married a nice woman and he's helped out Amirantha with being a con-artist for years.

• Badass Normal: He's a middle aged man with plenty of combat experience against demons.
• Happily Adopted: Although he and Amirantha never say it, they love one another as father and son ever since Amirantha took him in when Brandos was a boy.
• Happily Married: He's been married for a couple of decades and has children who have all left home.
• Nice Guy: Well, outside of the being a con-artist part anyway.

Sandreena

Sergeant-Adamant of the Order of the Shield and servant of Dala. She grew up on the streets of Krondor as the daughter of a whore and suffered the fate of many girls who live on the streets in Krondor and wound up a Sex Slave until being freed and then joined the Church of Dala. She has a strong aversion to men due to her upbringing, but she's willing to work with them.

• Dark and Troubled Past: Raised on the streets of Krondor by her mother who was a whore and died of a drug overdose, was raped at a young age and sold as a Sex Slave by Jim Dasher until she was freed and became a Warrior of the Order of the Shield.
• Does Not Like Men: At the very least, she hates men who only look at her with lustful intentions or who have betrayed her trust.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: She is willing to put past grudges aside so she can work with Amirantha to protect Midkemia and when the head of the Nighthawks asks for her protection so he can help save Midkemia from the true threat to it, she gives it and gets him to Pug safely.
• So Beautiful, It's a Curse: Due to her Dark and Troubled Past, this is justfied.
• Unresolved Sexual Tension: With Amirantha due to catching him in bed with a succubus after they hooked up. Their first encounter since then begins with her punching him in the face and they come to an understanding that lets them work together on their mutual goal of protecting Midkemia. Over time and working together, they come to an understanding and have a good working relationship.

Laromendis

Taredhel Elf and Conjurer. He first discovered Midkemia for the Star Elves and helped pave the way for their return. He deeply loves his brother and has a great deal of contempt for the Regent Lord of the Taredhel.

• Character Development: He starts off as a bit of a racist jerk who kills a human monk once he gets all the useful information out of him. After meeting the Conclave and having Gulamendis free, he becomes a much nicer person.
• Crippling Overspecialization: His illusions are powerful, but he lacks many of the basic battle magic abilities that other magicians has. He compensates for this with wands that shoot spells.
• Fantastic Racism: He is a Taredhel and they are a arrogant bunch who look down on other races. He grows out of this once he meets Tomas, Pug and the Conclave.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: See Kick the Dog and Fantastic Racism for the Jerk part. The Heart of Gold part is that he dearly loves his brother Gulamendis and does everything he can to try and help his people even though they hate him for existing.
• Kick the Dog: He tortured and killed a Monk of Dala for information and then disposed of them once they weren't useful anymore. He does show some regret for this after Character Development.
• My Species Doth Protest Too Much: He's aware of how arrogant and stupid the Taredhel can be and he hates it.

Gulamendis

Taredhel Elf and Demon Summoner. His people loathe him and blame him for the Demon Invasion on the Clans of the Seven Stars along with other Demon Summoners, Gulamendis is used as a hostage to ensure Laromendis' good behaviour until they swap places.

• Birds of a Feather: His friendship with Amirantha forms due to their both being demon summoners and understanding the discrimination both of them have faced due to their field of magic. Amirantha is well aware that Gulamendis is a bit of a racist douche, but he's nowhere near as bad as most Taredhel are.
• Character Development: He becomes less arrogant and looks down on other races even less after his experiences on Midkemia.
• Dark Is Not Evil: He's a demon summoner, but he's not that bad of a guy beyond the being arrogant and looking down on non-Taredhel races and even then, that seems to be what all Taredhel are like.
• Fantastic Racism: As hard as he tries to hide it, he looks down on non-Taredhel outside of Tomas. This changes over time as he spends time with Tomas, Amirantha and the Conclave of Shadows.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He does look down on the non-Taredhel, but he cares deeply for his brother and Amirantha and wants to save the Taredhel from genocide at the demon's hands even when the Taredhel want to kill him for existing.
• My Species Doth Protest Too Much: Gulamendis is aware of how arrogant his people are and says to Tomas that he feels the Taredhel have earnt the right to be arrogant, but is aware that it's their downfall as well.
• Taught by Experience: How he learnt to summon and control demons.

Tandarae

Loremaster of the Taredhel, he gains the position after his predecessor retires and he becomes the Only Sane Man in power when it comes to the Council that serves the Regent Lord.

• Kick the Dog: He mentions how the Taredhel sacked a town and framed the Moredhel for it without remorse at one point. Thankfully he improves greatly from there.
• Only Sane Man: He's the only one who is willing to stand up to the Regent Lord and the other council members that are a group of yes men.
  • He also firmly believes that the Taredhel should seek out allies and not try to subjugate the other races and elves.
  • He's also the only one in power to realize that the Regent Lord isn't the best choice for the Taredhel and assumes the leader position after the Regent Lord dies.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: He essentially gives Gulamendis free reign to do whatever he needs to once he's on Midkemia and he treats him and Laromendis with respect. And upon the Regent Lord's death, he assumes authority and asks for Martin and Bethany to aid the Taredhel because the problem they have concerns all of Midkemia.

Regent Lord of the Taredhel

The Regent Lord of the Taredhel, he's a veteran of the demon wars occuring on the Taredhel and embodies the worst of the Taredhel's qualities.

• Affably Evil: Evil may not be the right word, but even with those he despises and wishes he could kill if they weren't useful like Laromendis or Gulamendis, he is still civil with them.
• Fantastic Racism: He looks down on everybody and wants to force all non-Taredhel to serve him. The only person he gives any respect to is Tomas and that's because he's a Valheru.
• Jerkass: Doesn't begin to describe him.
• Laser-Guided Karma: He ends up commiting crimes that he considers punishable by death and it ends up killing him.
• Kick the Dog: Condones this in regards to the non-Taredhel, magic users not under the authority of the Regent's Council and pretty much everyone who doesn't give him the respect he feels he deserves.
• Outliving One's Offspring: He mentions that he has done this to Laromendis.
• Pet the Dog: Despite his jerkass qualities, he is dedicated to making sure his people aren't wiped out. It's everything he's doing to keep them alive that kind of makes it hard to sympathize with him.
• Shell-Shocked Veteran: It's not outright stated, but he's very damaged by the demon attacks that he's lived through most of his life. One particular event he mentions is finding his father's mutilated corpse and becoming Regent Lord after taking his crown from it.
• Yes-Man: All of the Regent Council except for Tandarae are this because he placed people in the council who would be this for him. Comes back to bite him in the ass big time.

Belasco

Amirantha and Sidi's older brother. He attempts to kill Amirantha when he's summoning a demon for a con and is revealed to have been possessed by a demon named Dahun.

• Even Evil Has Standards: He hates Sidi as much as Amirantha does for killing their mother, she may have been crazy, but she was their mother.
• Hero Killer: Indirectly, but because of him, Miranda's throat was torn out by a demon and Caleb was burnt to death with his wife.
• Something Only They Would Say: The oath that Belasco, Amirantha and Sidi all have. It's the closest thing to sacred that they have and it's how they know they can trust one another's word.
  • It's also how Amirantha knows that Belasco's been kicked out of his body by Dahun because Belasco would never screw it up.

Dahun

A Demon King and ruler of part of the Fifth Circle and the Man Behind the Man of Belasco. He is the Arc Villain for the Demonwar Books. It turns out that he was fleeing the Fifth Circle from something called the Darkness, revealed to be the Dread.

• Internal Reformist: He made his kingdom in the Fifth Circle be more then just demons killing each other, they had a civilization and each demon was given a role in this society and demons would couple and raise their child together instead of a group of demon infants killing each other to survive. It didn't last.
• Irony: Dahun wanted to get allies to help him with stopping the Darkness on Midkemia.
• Man Behind the Man: For Belasco. Also the reason Amirantha and Gulamendis lost their abilities to control demons.

Chaoswar Saga

Henry "Hal" conDoin III

The eldest son of Henry conDoin II, the current Duke of Crydee. While at university in Roldem to learn, Kesh decides to try and reclaim the Western Realm, aka the ancient lands of Bosania and Hal gets caught up in the events and has to survive assassination attempts and a civil war in the Kingdom.

• Awesome Moment of Crowning: Hal becomes King after helping stop a civil war in the Eastern Realm.
• Bash Brothers: With Tyrone "Ty" Hawkins.
• First-Name Basis: He offers this to Duke James after becoming King, but James declines since Hal is now King.
• Like Brother and Sister: One of the main reasons he really doesn't want to marry Bethany besides that she's in love with Martin and Martin feels the exact same way.
• Maybe Ever After: With the Princess of Roldem, since her lady-in-waiting/Roldem's spymaster says she'll only be married to the next King of the Isles or a high ranking duke's son. Once Hal becomes King, he is given an offer to marry her.
• Nice Guy: Like all conDoin men, he is a nice guy.
• Vitriolic Best Buds: With Ty Hawkins. The two snark at one another all the time and boast about who is the better swordsman, but they're the best of friends and always have one another's back.

Martin conDoin

The middle child of the Duke of Crydee's children. He is thrown into the position of Commander of Crydee due to the Keshian invasion and after his father's death, he becomes Warden of the West. Is in love with Bethany of Carse, a love that is reciprocated by her.

• Asskicking Leads to Leadership: Much like Arutha, Martin's ability to hold off the invaders at Crydee earns him the respect of the people of Crydee.
• Generation Xerox: He's alot like Arutha in many ways despite his namesake.
• Happily Ever After: He gets to marry Bethany like he wanted and peace returns to the Kingdom of the Isles. He sure had to work for it though.
• Irony: Despite being named after Martin Longbow, he is a terrible archer.
• Nice Guy: Bit quiet and introverted, but very much a nice guy who everyone deeply respects and likes.
• Took a Level in Badass: He went from just the middle child of a rural Duke into the main reason the Kingdom of the Isles has a chance to reclaim lands initially stolen by Kesh.

Brendan conDoin

The youngest child of the Duke of Crydee's children. He ends up in charge of his father's forces once he watches him die, but he quickly regroups and saves Martin and the fleeing people of Crydee and serves a huge part in helping Martin out.

• Angst? What Angst?: In-Universe: He watches his father die, but quickly composes himself and does what he has to so he can help out Crydee with little fuss and it's addressed that neither Brendan or Martin has processed it emotionally yet.
• Asskicking Leads to Leadership: His maturity and immediately taking command without hesitation despite just watching his father die earns him the respect and loyalty of his father's soldiers.
• Nice Guy: A very nice guy who loves his family dearly and teases his brother Martin about his love for Bethany playfully.

Bethany of Carse

The only daughter of Earl Robert of Carse, she is deeply in love with Martin and he feels the same way. Despite this, she proves herself as an independant woman and worthy of being nobility several times over.

• Action Girl: She doesn't get as many moments to show it as she deserves, but she is a fantastic archer and kills a wyvern to save Martin and Brendan in her introduction.
• Establishing Character Moment: She saves Martin and Brendan from being killed by a wyvern they came across with one arrow and then teases them about it playfully.
• Happily Ever After: Her love for Martin is undenied and he loves her as well. They get to marry and have a happy life together.
• Nice Girl: She's a friendly girl who saves the lives of many of Crydee's citizens with medical knowledge and serves as Martin's rock.
• Satellite Love Interest: Subverted, despite her being Martin's Love Interest, she proves herself to be a Action Girl who can act independantly of him and actually saved many lives while he defended Crydee and had a huge part in bringing the events at E'bar to the Conclave of Shadows' attention.

The Gods

The Gods of Midkemia, it began with the Two Controllers, Rythar and Mythar. Rythar, Goddess of Order, took the 'threads of power' and weaved them together, forming the fabric of space-time. Mythar, God of Chaos, took this fabric and tore them asunder. The remains are then gathered back by Rythar and the cycle begins again. Eventually however some threads were unseen by Rythar and fell not to be rewoven, forming the race that would come to be known as the Valheru.

Due to the nature of the universe changing, Rythar and Mythar vanished. Without Rythar to knit together the strings of power, they became the new order of gods, a hundred in total. There were the seven Greater Gods and the other 93 are Lesser Gods. During the events of the Chaos War, most of the Lesser Gods were slain by the Valheru along with Ishap and Arch-Indar, which required the remaining gods to seal away Nalar in another dimension.

Tropes Relating to All Gods

Greater Gods

Lesser Gods

Valheru

Also called The Dragon Lords, were the first race on Midkemia, and among the most powerful in the known universe. They rode on the backs of great dragons, travelling throughout the cosmos in search of plunder, and proved superior to all other races and cultures which they met and destroyed - some of these being themselves highly technological interstellar empires. Arrogantly presuming themselves to be gods, they also created lesser races to serve as slaves.

As a result of their wanton acts of destruction throughout the universe, energy was released from what were once mighty civilizations. Reaching a critical point, these energies formed a new pantheon of gods. While the new gods strove among themselves, the Valheru, exhorted by Draken-Korin, attempted to overthrow the new order of gods. The only one who opposed this plan was Ashen-Shugar, who stayed out of the conflict and killed Draken-Korin at the end of the Chaos Wars. After this, Ashen-Shugar died and enfused his essence into his armor so he could be enfused into Tomas to oppose the return of the Valheru.