Characters / Tigress Queen

Main Characters

Kizarasunga

The current Six-Feathers (warlord) of Zizumbir.

• Exotic Eye Designs: Her eyes are sometimes drawn with catlike slit pupils.
• Happily Adopted: Twice over, first by the mother tiger and then by Kezkaramki.
• Meaningful Name: Her childhood nickname, Kazhra, means "man-eating tiger". Her adult name means "passionate threat", which is more or less how she introduced herself to her future adoptive father.
• Raised by Wolves: Adopted by a tiger and lived with her and her cubs for several years before Kezkaramki offered to adopt her and protect her tiger family from human hunters.
• Red Baron: Her Jaezian enemies know her as the Tigress Queen.
• Skeletons in the Coat Closet: Her necklace is made of the bones of some of the men who challenged her when she first became Six-Feathers. Not all of them—there were roughly thirty. Just her favorites, the ones she wants to convince they were wrong to doubt her.
• This Means Warpaint: Goes into battle with tiger stripes painted on her face and arms. This doesn't seem to be a Zizumbira custom, just something the Tigress Queen does.

Jintu

The third son and official heir of the Emperor of Jaez.

Zusufula

Kizarasunga's oldest, favorite adopted brother, closest friend, and most trusted supporter.

• Dark and Troubled Past: He saw his entire birth family murdered by Jaezian soldiers.
• Happily Adopted: Like Kizarasunga, he was adopted by Kezkaramki.
• Undying Loyalty: To Kizarasunga. He hates Jaez, but because she wants peace, he'll do everything he can to help her get it, even if he'd be happier if she wanted beating royal Jaezian hearts on her rice.

Zizumbira

Kezkaramki

The Six-Feathers before Kizarasunga, and adoptive father to her, Zusufula, and at least three other sons. Dead before the main story begins, he appears in the sketch comics Witch, Bath, Walls, and Hair.

• Good Parents: He adores his adopted children, and when he overhears Kazhra saying that she feels unsafe in a room with four walls, he starts knocking holes in his house so she'll have enough escape routes to feel comfortable.

Kenza

Kezkaramki's father, whose Northern name and fair hair suggest he probably isn't native to Zizumbir. He appears in the sketch comic Hair.

• The Mentor: He's seen giving a young Zusufula advice about blacksmithing.

Benyokushan

One of Kezkaramki's adopted sons. He appears briefly in Witch.

Pakopamno

A friend of Kezkaramki who appears in Witch.

Royal Family of Jaez

Tuzaal Mriazosa

The Emperor of Jaez.

• Reasonable Authority Figure: He wants to end the war with Zizumbir and admits (privately to Kizurasunga) that his side has been in the wrong from the beginning.

Rantu

The eldest son of the Emperor, Rantu was once the heir, but only because none of his brothers was old enough to be considered.

• Really Gets Around: He was removed from his position for his many affairs with palace maids.

Kentu

The second prince, brilliant and unsociable.

Suntu

The fourth prince, still a child.

Sintu

One of the two youngest princes, and Sentu's identical twin.

• Royal Brat: He's first introduced throwing a tantrum about getting his hair braided, although Kentu shuts it down pretty quickly.

Sentu

One of the two youngest princes, and Sintu's identical twin.

Army of Jaez

Khatilo Khotzu

The current High General of Jaez.

Dark-Haired Previous High General

High General when Kezkaramki was alive. He appears in Bath.

• Hidden Depths: Kezkaramki initially writes him off as an idiot, but he's actually an astute judge of his own men—he trusts the reliable Khatilo and pegs Miidro as "a manipulative narcissist".

Miidro

A general in the Jaezian army.

Other Jaezians

Razendi Karzis

A beautiful Jaezian noblewoman from the richest clan in the Empire—one with lands on the border with Zizumbir. Her father would love her to marry Jintu, who does have a crush on her—but Razendi herself has different ideas.

• Graceful Ladies Like Purple: Razendi is the picture of Jaezian femininity and always wears purple (though this may be because it's her family's color, as all her retainers wear it too). She is also named for a purple flower.
• Love at First Sight: She's immediately intrigued when she sees the handsome, muscular Zusufula interacting with a random small child.

Tashti Tazilka

The manager of the servants at the Imperial guest house. She is of Gahmian descent.

• Incompatible Orientation: Zusufula's crush on her is doomed, as she's a lesbian (with a crush on his sister to boot).

Intha

Lady Intha is the translator Miidro provided to the Emperor for his meeting with Kizarasunga.