The Belromanticum

What follows is a comprehensive list of the characters inThe Belromanticumfrom "The Adventurer" to "The Vendetta." They are arranged by location or faction, which are placed geographically, going from Chassudor, then into the Turquoise, into Aucor, then Uazica, and finally Obai. I've included only the spoilers I could not possibly avoid. I will update every 10 chapters.

THE STORM'S COURT

The household of Belromanazar, a wizard of humble birth risen to rank and power. The house sigil is a white feathered serpent on a background of blue. Their residence is Azureview, a sprawling estate in Castellandria, though they have lived for a time in the Zuun Khatai, the ruling palace in Zuunkhorun.

Belromanazar of Thunderhead, a.k.a. Dreadstorm, Ashuz, Blackspear, Farmer, Lord of Eirashtar, Tyrant of Zuunkhorun, Prince Consort of Bashamailon: A wizard from the bleak and dreary coast of the Gray Ocean, known for a lengthy career as an adventurer, wanderer, warlord, archmagus, and sage. The narrator ofThe Belromanticum, a chronicle of his loves, dalliances, and relationships.

Familiars

Oddrin: A night eft, a small, somewhat dragon-like creature.

Quiyahui: A coatl, or feathered serpent, from the highlands of the Ocaital. Her feathers are iridescent white, showing rainbows where the light hits them. She is still growing and is many times the size of a human. Her eyes are the bright blue-white of lightning. She has the ability to take human form, an ability that steadily grows more reliable. In her human form she is petite, slender, and beautiful, retaining the eyes of her serpent-form. Her skin is white-blue, and instead of hair, she sports downy feathers.

Wives & Concubines

Zhahllaia the Enlightened: A djinn from the fallen empire of Qammuz, Zhahllaia's powers have been exhausted. She is Bel's oldest companion in every sense of the word, his first true love, and valued counselor. He has vowed to find a way to make her flesh and blood. She appears as a beautiful Qammuzi woman, with olive skin possessing metallic bronze undertones, deep brown hair that reaches the middle of her back, and wide gold-flecked eyes. She is nude, wearing only bronze bracers on wrists and ankles, and a harness consisting of a golden ring over her belly with delicate golden chains that wrap about her body.

Sarakiel of Castellandria: Sarakiel is a darkling, a race of people whose ancestors had unholy congress with demons, and who are reviled in modern times as a result. An orphan, she was adopted and disguised as human with the aid of a magic amulet. Sarakiel spent her early life as one of the Monia, a librarian in the legendary Grand Library of Castellandria. In her natural form, she is a voluptuous woman whose pale blue skin sports black tiger stripes. Her eyes are indigo, with softly glowing yellow-orange whites, dark horns curving back from her forehead, fangs, retractable claws, and a pointed tail. Her hair is tri-colored, copper at the base, orange for most of its length, and yellow at the tips. She often wears full robes and spectacles, and usually has a book nearby. She is the mother of Arkohnus, Sabrael, Zazel, Sophiel, Haliel, Leiliel, Tarsus, Janniah, and Bethor.

Lysethe the Heaven's Fire, a.k.a. Pale Death, the Hound of Heaven, the Pale Hound: Lysethe had the misfortune to be born a wizard in the Heacharid Empire, and so was enslaved, forced to become one of their dreaded witchthralls. Her magic takes the form of scorching rays of sunlight, and she often wears red enameled plate armor. Her skin and hair are stark white, her eyes blood red. Her body is lean and strong, sculpted by a lifetime of battle, and striped with scars. Her familiar, the skymander Eytelis, likes to perch upon her shoulder. She is the mother of Faustan, Euvorio, Vitalan, Castinan, Dioscoro, and Kelephas.

Princess Tanyth of Clan Abibaal, a.k.a. Crimson Tanyth, Tanyth the Fair, the Crimson Flower, Angel of Castellandria, Mother Mercy: Tanyth is a princess of the Red Wastes of Kharsoom whose beauty is said to shame even that of the Goddess of Love. Her skin is crimson, her wide eyes violet, her lustrous hair black. As is the custom of her decadent homeland, she often goes nude, but when this is impossible, she wears diaphanous gowns of iridescent white, the color picked to match Quiyahui's feathers. She is never without jewelry, at minimum wearing the scorpion diadem of her clan and a golden scorpion set with amethysts in her navel. Though undeniably luminous, her beauty hides a keen political mind and an ironclad sense of honor. She is the mother of Abilyth, Belyth, Beltorys, Hadirseen, and Imshu.

Maireili, a.k.a. the Darklight: Maireili is a ghoul, perhaps the only race more reviled than the darklings. She has the common features of her people, namely a hairless body, pure black orbs for eyes, black claws on her fingers, and sharp teeth perfect for shearing the meat from bones. She is slender, her grayish skin displaying blue undertones. She has round, youthful features at odds with her more monstrous traits. She is a skilled assassin and rogue, having spent her youth in a war against the Rising Shadow. Her enchanted Widow's Cloak can render her invisible in areas of shadow and possesses a number of other abilities. She is the mother of Miloz, Tobar, Vai, and Deimara.

Jerrika Grendel: The former captain ofThe Burning Knave, Jerrika is a skilled mariner adept at running blockades. In life, she had a golden complexion, tawny brown eyes, and curly red hair. The sea serpent tattoo twining about her right ankle is always visible thanks to her habit of going barefoot. Belromanazar slew her with his magic, and unlike other stormwights, she has retained her will and intelligence. She glows green, and waves pass over her, rendering her flesh transparent and revealing her skeleton. She exudes a glowing slime that she can control and shape into clothing and tools.

Queen Allegeth ur-Udraeg: A sorceress, Allegeth's power comes from her dragon ancestor Bashamerax the Mountain's Flame. Her skin is scaly, the bulk burgundy, with diamond patterns of black, orange, and yellow up her limbs. Another pattern, like a flame, stretches from between her legs up her belly. Her eyes are yellow and vertically-slitted, and she sports small claws at the ends of her fingers. Her teeth are sharp, as befitting her strictly carnivorous diet. The only hair on her is the massive mane on her head, black, but tipped in gray, like smoke. She is a master of fire magic, but despite this, is shy and retiring. Allegeth was a Redmark, and the initial romance between her and Belromanazar bloomed whenever the paths of the Mythseekers and Redmarks crossed. Later, she was crowned Queen of Bashamailon.

Ten Ghosts, a.k.a. The Huntress: Ten Ghosts comes from a race of people called Theva, native to the highlands of southern Aucor. She is a head taller than her husband, with teal skin, golden blonde hair, and eyes of pink and blue that look like a sunset. A line of runed tattoos runs from her right thigh up her torso and neck, ending at her hairline. Though she has the lithe form of a dancer, she possesses incredible strength, wielding her great club with frightening ease. She draws power from her ancestors, and is capable of feats of strength and healing. She rides a vorghal, a fearsome creature that combines the features of cats, lizards, and porcupines.

Children

Bethor: The youngest of Bel's children, a darkling, is a wizard like his father.

Servants & Slaves

Ujaala: A bedslave, stolen from her master in Xoc-Nehar to serve as a guide for Belromanazar in the Red Wastes. Ujaala has consistently displayed a quiet cunning and fierce loyalty, making her a valued member of the household. She was born in distant Tabiyya, but culturally she is Kharsoomian. She is curvy, with wavy brown hair to her waist, dark brown skin, and eyes the color of chocolatl beans. She served Bel first as companion and then as a spy, before being manumitted. She wed Dorbei, a Zuunese spymaster and Bel gave her a noble title as a wedding gift.

Shaluvia: Shaluvia served Tanyth for the entirety of her life, first as warmaid, then as the free captain of the guard for the Storm's Court. Beautiful and dangerous, she has the amber eyes and lithely-muscled body of a tiger. A tattoo of a purple scorpion wraps around her navel.

Ku-Aya, Akadina, Itzamatul: Tanyth's handmaids, a trio of enslaved body servants. Ku-Aya and Akadina are both Kharsoomian, while Itzamatul hails from a village in the Ocaital. They were eventually manumitted and given control of brothels and gambling houses.

Makgrumman: A dwarven man who served for a time as butler at the family's Castellandrian home Azureview. A bit of a dandy, he is never seen without his mustaches braided into his temples, his hair oiled and coiffed, and clad in fine breeches, blouse, and waistcoat.

Ku-Tala: A second bedslave, she is young and petite, with fetching scarlet skin. She was eventually manumitted and given control of a brothel and gambling house.

Lash, Kiatet, Astar, Tlotl: A quartet of warmaids purchased from Kharsoom to guard the family.

Einoë & Kallea: Belromanazar's hetairoi, or sacred bodyguards, for the duration of the war between Axichis and the Heacharid Empire. Tall and leanly muscled amazon warriors, Einoë has coppery red hair while Kallea's is brown. Their most distinctive feature, common to the hetairoi, are the stylized turquoise tattoos that wrap around every segment of their body and vaguely resemble people. In a moment of desperation, Bel slew and raised them as stormwights. Strands of lightning writhe over their ruined bodies along with the barnacles and other sea life that has grown there. Unlike most stormwights they retain some will and claim to honor the oath they took to protect their tent brother.

Mu-Baoth: A legendary sea monster said to haunt the Lapis. The beast was cousin to a breed of gods in the First Strata. Bel killed it, but the ring raised it as a colossal stormwight. It has some connection to Jerrika Grendel, who commands it far more easily than Bel.

Treasures

Xilquinal Sapling: The xilquinal are the silver-gold trees of the elves. The sapling was a gift from Tarasynora, and is said to bring good luck.

Sweetwater Goblet: This tarnished silver goblet, its outside encrusted with old sea life, does not look like much. Water, no matter how foul, put inside the cup is instantly transformed into the pure and healing waters of the elves.

Fidget: A figurine of a strange lizard-bird creature that can come alive for a short period of time every day. Found in the lost city of Ul Adrax, Bel has since given it to Sarakiel who was the one who gave the creature her nickname.

Diotenah's Ring: The ring contains a piece of the necromancer Diotenah's soul and a distillation of her power. It whispers its desires to Bel, nudging him to use it. Whenever Bel slays someone with his magic, they rise as an undead servitor. Thanks to Bel's storm-based magics, threads of lightning play over these creatures' rotted bodies and giving them the sobriquet of stormwights. The ring itself is a serpent's skeleton, wrought in silver, and it wraps around the index finger of Bel's left hand. The ring cannot be removed, and renders the digit as cold as the air around it.

Ur-Anu, a.k.a. Fate, the Blackspear: Forged in the First Strata to slay a god, Ur-Anu is a weapon of remarkable beauty and power. Its head, as long as a man's forearm, at first appears crafted of obsidian, but veins of lightning betray that it is something far greater. The blade is apparently unbreakable, capable of slicing through metal like butter. The weapon's most powerful ability is what Bel has come to refer to as "threads." Small glimpses into the future that guide Bel's steps in combat, these threads render him able to defeat most combatants. The bone-white shaft of the weapon is carved with scenes from Bel's own life, and periodically reshape as new moments supplant older in importance. Bel later gained the ability to summon the spear to his hand on a bolt of lightning.

Loincloth, boots, sheath: These were gifts from Iura, Chala, and Xogra. The loincloth is light and airy, and its folds can hold small objects without betraying their presence. The boots are comfortable, keeping Bel's feet protected from the elements. Lastly, the sheath, only as long as a forearm, intelligently clasps the Blackspear. It will release the weapon when Bel draws it, and close about it when he replaces it.

The Fish in the Bottle: A strange object Bel found in the hoard of one of the Rising Shadow, this appears as a tiny glowing fish in a glass bottle. It possesses formidable magic and it can facilitate travel to "somewhere far away."

The Amulet of House Farad: A rose inside a sunburst, this hung around the neck of the Heacharid Emperor and protected the wearer from poisons.

ADVENTURERS

Heroes in search of a cause.

The Swiftblades

An adventuring party who welcomed Belromanazar on his first adventure.

Ulrika Karksdóttir: Hailing from Svarlskell, the cold lands to the north and west of Rhandonia, Ulrika is a priestess of Umione. She braids her long blonde hair, her blue eyes are bright, and she wears heavy armor and carries a Warhammer. Her tabard is emblazoned with the sunburst of her deity. She is a skilled and fair leader.

Mallathar: A roguish bard, he dresses in fiery colors and wields a rapier. His true skill is morale, keeping spirits up with songs from his lute. He is the father of Bridda's first child, Gerold.

Black Mira Sauret: Belromanazar's first paramour is a black-haired, blue-eyed, pale-skinned rogue from Mairault. Mira instructed Bel in the art of loveplay before returning to the road.

Brennan the Blade: A shaggy-haired warrior, Brennan eventually retires to farm turnips.

Lavinia: The party's witch, Lavinia vanishes on an expedition to distant Jhobai.

The Mythseekers

Belromanazar's first true adventuring party, formed initially to seek the tomb of Jacobal IV.

Alia of Freeport: Of his companions, Bel has the strongest bond with Alia. The little rogue is impulsive and often reckless, but there is no more skilled treasure hunter. So short that she was often mistaken for a halfling, she has long red hair in plaits, sparkling green eyes, and freckles. She is the mother of Rina.

Velena Grimm: The party's witch and leader, Velena hails from the deep forests of Esmia. She is always just as attentive to the emotional health of her comrades as the physical. She's voluptuous, with pale skin and eyes, and deep black hair. Her most distinctive trait is the intricate tattoos that stripe her body and bind her to otherworldly powers. She is the mother of Hadrian.

Xeiliope, daughter of Xelyphe: Xeiliope is an amazon warrior, skilled with the spear and shield. She is a loyal ally, but has a tendency to judgment and holding grudges. She is tall, with golden hair and eyes, and an athletic, muscled build. She is the mother of Xeilyphon.

The Redmarks

An adventuring party who primarily worked as bounty hunters and were close friends, companions, and lovers to the Mythseekers.

Cull Callen: A massive half-orc, Cull is more at home in mountain forests than in civilization. His skin is pale green with eyes of darker green. He shaves his long black hair on the temples to show off his orcish tattoos and dresses in skins and hides. When the time comes to fight, he transforms himself into a monstrous dire wolf. He and Velena eventually marry and start a family together.

Thrandlas the Red: Depending on who asks, the archer of the Redmarks claims he was nicknamed for his red beard or for his deadly aim with his golden bow. He and Xeiliope are frequent paramours.

Razor Rose: Freeport is famed for the quality of its criminals, and Rose is no exception. While her lover Alia's skills leaned to treasure hunting, Rose is a killer through and through. Rose wears her silver hair short. She has a single sapphire blue eye, while the other is dead, a scar running over it.

The Gloom Sovereigns

Black Mira's party after the Swiftblades, they went missing after journeying beneath the Caster Mountains on the trail of the Rising Shadow.

Karlukh: An orcish priest of Yegoth who was the only one of the Gloom Sovereigns to return from their adventure. He died shortly thereafter.

Tandor: A ghoul wizard who had been in love with Mira.

The Night Delvers

An adventuring party that forms to determine the fate of the Gloom Sovereigns. In addition to Belromanazar and his son Threch, the group included Ulrika and Mallathar of the Swiftblades. Maireili would later join.

Framzet: A gnome with a collection of abilities that makes him an excellent underground guide. As an older adventurer, he takes young Threch under his wing and the two continue to adventure even after the Night Delvers disband.

MERCENARIES

Somewhere between adventurers and professional soldiers, freeblades fight for any cause willing to pay their price.

Talynore Tazo: A mercenary hailing from Haguellon, a client kingdom of the Heacharid Empire, Talynore fights for the highest bidder. Her father was a half-elf and her mother a half-orc, and her heritage shows itself in her unusual beauty. Her skin is gray-tinged, her hair auburn, and her eyes a stunning magenta. She carries scars from a hundred battles. She is the mother of Malycent Tazo.

Malycent Tazo: Daughter of Belromanazar and Talynore, Malycent has spent time as a pirate, a mercenary, and an adventurer.

RHANDONIA

A loose affiliation of kingdoms, duchies, and free cities nominally ruled by a king.

King Jacobal IVthe Unholy: An ancient bloody-handed tyrant who ruled northwestern Rhandonia a thousand years before Bel's birth.

Vexacion the Iceheart: An undead lord defeated by the Mythseekers.

Sir Gereon: A wandering knight who mentors Arkohnus.

Burley Shoal & Thunderhead

Thunderhead is wizard's tower on the remote northwestern coast of Rhandonia on the continent of Chassudor where Belromanazar spent his youth. Burley Shoal is an unremarkable fishing village a league south.

Rhadoviel: A cantankerous old wizard who mostly wants to be left alone, he raised and trained Belromanazar in the arts of magic. His familiar is a sullen cyclopus named Ephlin.

Adalbert: The garum-maker in Bel's youth and Galfrid the Younger's father-in-law.

Hagen: The innkeeper in Bel's youth.

Galfrid the Elder: Bridda's father, Burley Shoal's baker during Belromanazar's youth.

Bridda: Belromanazar's childhood crush, she followed her father into the family trade to become a baker. All three of her children have different fathers. The eldest, Gerold, was courtesy of Mallathar, while the middle, Enna, was thanks to her husband Elbrin. In her youth, she was blond and voluptuous, with warm brown eyes and an easy smile.