main characters

Sirath

"Bollocks!"

Cocky, streetwise, and over-sexed, Sirath has grown up living in the harsh realities of the streets of Canalecht, a city and port filled with corruption at every level. Cynical and selfish, Sirath is a rogue used to handling difficult situations…as well as creating a few of his own. Immediately friendly with Jerith through his money, Sirath's main purpose in staying with the group is for self-protection, even though he mistakenly imagines Ulric to be a competent swordsman, and does not shy from arguing with Dalathos. Harbouring a generalised hatred of religion, Sirath is quick to pick upon Erin for his beliefs and naivety, though as their general situation becomes worse, he develops his own far bigger concerns.

Ulric

"I wouldn't like to have to tell my auntie I was dead."

Large, strong, cuddly, clumsy, and simple-minded, Ulric is ever the recalcitrant warrior, and a master of understatement. Earning a subsistence living as a hunter, the death of his wife and child while in his mid-teens has left him restless and empty since. Making his way indirectly towards the city of Corianth, Ulric is trying to find himself and his place in the world. Utterly rural and overawed by the complexities of urban life, such as money, and lying, Ulric finds himself quickly out of his depth. Despite his great appearance, he has no real fighting skills, and yearns instead for the simplicity and peace in his life thus far denied to him.

Jerith

"Today is a sunny day!"

Playful, cheery, friendly and generous, Jerith is the glue that holds the entire group of main characters together. Ever ready to stand between arguments and disputes, and consoling those who suffer at the hands of the others, Jerith displays a sincere compassion for all of those he comes across. Twins with Tilrion, both brothers were both removed from their landed inheritance by the murder of their father while they were still young. Jerith his grown up focussed upon scholarly pursuit, with a sincere exploration of spiritual principles, which he is ever ready to continue to study while he lives.

Erin

"I fear for my faith, my future, my fate and my life."

Erin was raised in a monastery school for orphans near Pora, a town on the eastern shores of the Angellenic Sea and is dressed in a simple cream robe, a leather shirt upon it etched with a twelve-pointed star identifying him as an acolyte for the Order of Omicron. Erin is travelling to the city of Corianth to fulfil his designated future by attending the Spring Presentations, where he will be judged suitable or no for the following Ordination into one of the Order of Omicron's three remaining colleges. Struggling with his faith after a disastrous personal relationship, things can only get worse as city life reveals his naïve upbringing and limited life experience.

Tilrion

"I call it meditation."

Dangerous, cold, reserved and unfriendly, Tilrion is the complete antithesis of his twin brother Jerith. Horrifically burned in the fire that followed their father's murder, Tilrion keeps himself hidden within the deep folds of his hooded red robes. Travelling while still young to near-mythical lands with an sea-faring uncle, Tilrion soon became part of a strange eastern monastery, where the monks there were taught to learn extreme disciplines of body and mind. Returning later to the Corianth Empire, Tilrion travels to the city of Corianth as part of his marshal duties for a city councillor, inviting his twin brother to meet him on the off-chance of employment.

Dalathos

"Hey, you! Don't you dare touch my friend or I'll f****** flatten you!"

Lean, mean, strong, and aggressive, Dalathos is a warrior in the making. Raised in the iron camps near the village of Tulst by his Uncle Tedeiros, who worked there as an important foreman, Dalathos always carries with himself the huge two-handed great sword he forged with his own hands. Leaving his home village for unclear reasons, Dalathos is seeking a place to establish himself, and especially to find a cause worth fighting for. Dressed in the chainmail coat that was once his uncle's, he is heading to Corianth in an aimless search for his place in the world. He is always ready to defend his friends - handy, when he himself is often the cause of trouble.

Ezebekial

(inane cackling)

The lone maverick of the group, dressed in sackcloth robes and a pointy hat with a broken tip, and accompanied by a weasel he has an empathic connection with, Ezebekial has been sent back through time to stop Mulrek. Overwhelmed by the sight of the city, and distracted by the experiences there, Ezebekial is unable to locate Mulrek's whereabouts in Corianth, until Mulrek makes himself known by more deadly means. But by then Ezebekial becomes too engaged in saving anothers' life to tackle his foe, and as events conspire against them, and he moves between ever more dangerous situations, the very nature of Ezebekial's mission becomes deeply compromised.

conspirators

Mulrek

"Who would not kill one man to save a million?"

An enigmatic persona, Mulrek has risen rapidly through the sphere of politics, whispering to his closest aides of a future apocalypse he says he witnessed. Using futuristic technology he has brought with him through time, Mulrek leaves behind himself a trail of miracles and murders, as he attempts to change unchartered history to avert the destruction of their planet, and humanity with it.

Lord Rynell

"But if he ever puts such things to my face again I shall rip out his throat and tear his still spasming lungs out through the hole."

Lord for the College of Armaments, one of the three surviving colleges for the religion of empire, Rynell has only a delicate control of the Order of Omicron. Joining with Mulrek, and acting as his right hand man, Rynell seeks to ensure the survival of his religion, and his control of it, against the open designs of Father Dinemetis.

Darrion

"But we are friends with the night ... the night and the fear are our friends."

Darrion is the most thoughtful of the superlatively rich Panater-Arios twins, and takes the lead in decision making. He has agreed, with his brother Eirron, to join with Mulrek's cause and fund the movement of arms to unstable kingdoms, less because he believes in politics, as much as he wishes mere idle profit and amusement.

Siyat Bren

"My companions and tastes were stated and inferred at the very beginning of this journey."

Bishop of Serrilinus, High Priest for the Order of Omicron's College of Ministers, and a blatant paedophile, Bishop Siyat is desperate to support Rynell's causes so as to prevent the fanatical designs of Father Dinemetis reaching fruition.

Lord Nomron

"Well take your bloody helmet off then, if you can't hear me."

Duke of Cammenia, Lord Nomron is a tired and bored noble who represents King Dreyfarius of Arrhenia. Lord Nomron has been designated the task of disposing of the Emperors Guard, by means of setting an ambush with his own soldiers, linked to a decoy that Rynell attempts to establish.

Eirron

"We get the money for our sales regardless, with or without your own ambitions succeeding!"

Twins with Darrion, he is less devious than his brother. Responsible for the disappearance of a number of women from the streets of Corianth for his own brutal pleasure, Eirron joins in with Mulrek's conspiracy simply to support his brother.

Lord Vallance

"Bunch of morons, if you ask me,"

Lord Chancellor for King Orrios of newly united Minolar and Anpolar, he is present to communciate between Mulrek's conspiracy and royal ambitions. An inveterate alcoholic, he is more concerned with his cup than with politics.

others

Galadon Merceyer

"What an incompetent fool I am becoming!"

Chief-General of the Emperors Guard, he is bored with his position of office, and whiles away his time drinking brandy and reading pornography.

Father Dinemetis

"Do you know what truth is?"

Chair Deacon for the College of Administrators, the largest of the three colleges within the Order of Omicron, Father Dinemetis is an ardent fundamentalist. Involved in a bitter power struggle against Rynell and Siyat, Dinemetis makes no attempt to hide his deadly fanaticism.

Ali

"I am a fool!"

A somewhat enlightened Alithidil, he engages with Erin on the nature of existence, and attempts to open Erin's eyes to a sense of reality and understanding of divinity beyond all mortal dogma.

Loura

Equipped by Mulrek with high explosives, and future technology that allows some measure of flight on bat-like wings, Loura is in training as his unique and ultimate assassin. He calls upon her to eliminate the main characters after their first successes.