And here’s the long-awaited character page, segmented by chapter. A thing to keep track of everybody and whatnot. Plus, info on the people and monsters of Estus in general.

Chapter 1

Julius Goldforge (Joo-lee-uhss Gohld-forj) - Primary protagonist of “The Demon Lord’s Lover”, also the guy the title refers to, and also the blonde guy on the cover.

Claire Valondrac (Cleir Vah-lawn-drahk) - Demon Lord/Empress of the Dark Lands and the deuteragonist/initial antagonist of our story. She’s also on the cover!

Adrien Dro (Ay-dree-ehn Droh) - Technically the actual hero of the story (in designation if not fact), wielder of the Chosen Sword Iginia, and irreverent kid who turns to a fairly competent tactician.

Sue Orc-Kicker (Soo Ork-Kih-kerr) - The brawler of the party, Adrien’s oldest friend and girlfriend, and the one Julius assumes to be the most responsible but really isn’t. Kicked an orc to earn her surname.

Sophia Rama (Soh-fee-ah Rah-mah) - The healer of the party and an outworlder/outlander, meaning someone coming from another world (ie Earth). Has a nervous disposition, but gains in confidence.

Sergio Fin (Sir-jee-oh Fihn) - The archer of the party, Adrien’s second oldest friend, and a guy who really likes being a dick to people.

Humans - If you’re reading this, you probably are one of these. One of the most populous races of Estus, sometimes called “apefolk” by non-mammalian races, humans are weird hairy bipeds who are pretty decent at just about anything if they put their minds to it and really don’t know how to leave well enough alone.

Ogres - A type of basic humanoid monster, created by some demon lord long ago to serve as disposable foot soldiers; easy to create and/or summon, relatively hardy.

Chapter 2

Drosidera Gigantea, AKA The Giant Snapper - A huge, carnivorous plant brought to the Plant Temple (aka the Forest Temple) by the Dark Lands Empire. Hid itself as the room at first, but got beaten pretty easily by the students.

Autumn (Aw-tuhm) - A red-skinned dryad; former champion of Marrow and now Demon General for Claire; kind of a jerk. Had the first bonus chapter; also has a cute alraune wife named Eytelia.

Namita Loren (Nah-mee-tah Lor-ehn) - wood elf archdruid of the Chloradic faith (basically big boss of the plant druids); formerly a bandit, now turned to religion. Maria’s mother and Cyrus’s former (possibly rekindled?) lover.

Wood Elves - A type of elf (pointy-eared humanoid) typically found in woodland areas; known for their connection with nature and set apart from other elves by their deer-like antlers. Note that even female wood elves will grow antlers, and wood elves with a closer connection to plant magic will tend to have larger antlers, making them work for decent status symbols.

Chapter 3

Maria Loren (Mah-ree-ah Lor-ehn) - The caster of the party; a usually flirtatious and playful half-elf mage who’s afraid of heights and looking for her deadbeat dad. Eventually finds him too; also has a good singing voice.

Mayor of Darton - Literally does not appear, only mentioned, but we’re being comprehensive.

Half-Elves - most commonly the children of humans and elves, though technically the term can refer to anyone who has one elvish parent and one non-elvish parent. Half-elves tend to live about as long as “pure” elves and rarely display any health issues, though they always noticeably lack the secondary characteristics of their elvish parent (a half wood elf will lack antlers, a half high elf will lack a tail, etc). They always have pointed ears though.

Chapter 4

Bonifaci Vercoda (Boh-nih-fah-chee Veir-coh-dah) - a green-scaled dragon and subordinate to Lord Galinori; mostly handles the accounting.

Galinori Aloisia Osanna Hascimagni Arancoda (Gah-lee-nor-ee Ah-loy-see-ah Oh-sahn-na Hah-shee-mah-nyee Ah-rahn-coh-dah) - Lord of the Ebkai Mountain Range, Queen of the Fire Mountain Xelsha, head of the North Ebkai Trading Company, and Julius’s baby mama. Is a Great Fire Dragon and has an extremely long name. Very motivated by self-profit, has a softer side rarely shown.

Random Asshole Firedrake (Ran-dohm Ass-hohl Fy-er-drayk) - Some dude who got slammed into a street by Jules; very bad at maintaining his sword properly.

Drakes - Humanoid lizardfolk; technically, the correct word in their case is “drakinoid”. The most common variant are known as “greendrakes” for their dark green scales; drakes in general have scaly bodies with long tails extending from their lower backs. Most have feathers or spines where other species would have hair; they do not have snouts like some lizards, and their faces look largely humanoid but lack full noses in favor of slit nostrils.

Firedrakes - A particular variant of drakes that are well known for their crimson coloration and their easier control of fire magic. Early Ebkaian civilizations worshipped them as the chosen of Foco, the goddess of flame, and regarded them as a natural higher class of drake; even the modern Faith of Flame is still largely made up of firedrakes, primarily due to their natural attunement to fire magic. Some believe firedrakes have an easier time of metamorphosing into dragons, but this has not been demonstrably proven.

Dragons - Powerful reptilian beings capable of shifting between drakinoid and fully “draconic” forms. If you’ve seen dragons before, their full draconic form won’t surprise you: four legged, two-winged, long-necked, the works. Note that most common dragons are actually born as drakes, and gain the power to transform into a dragon typically through amassing immense personal power, whether it be through magic or physical wealth (commonly known as hoards). Curiously, some drakes who become dragons gain the ability to shift into a more humanoid form as well, one with skin and hair instead of scales and feathers, though they still tend to retain some scales at parts of their skin. The reason is unknown, though some speculate it may mean humans and drakes have a common ancestor, and there are some legends of other races, most particularly dwarves, gaining the power to become a dragon.

Great Dragons - Sometimes known as Dragon Lords–largely because all Great Dragons are almost certain to have vassals and own land–these beings are natural born dragons, and have never actually been drakes. They are instead direct children of the Celestial Dragons–immense, serpentine beings that reside in the Nine Hells–born within the mortal realm; they still have the same basic shape of the standard dragon, but are almost always far larger and have a great deal of natural power.

Chapter 5

Leok (Lee-ahk) Lion-Bane - a blonde, green-skinned female orc; Chief of the Beast-Bane tribe and second Demon General to appear. Likes a good fight and is the star of the second bonus chapter.

Crow Black-Art - a black-haired, grey-skinned female orc; shaman of the Beast-Bane tribe and decent friend to Leok, having met her when the two were children. Originally a part of the Fire-Art tribe.

Sero (Seir-oh) Hawk-Cutter - a bald, green-skinned male orc; part of the Beast-Bane tribe and grew up with Leok. Got his surname by hitting a hawk with a throwing axe. Gave Sue her surname by being the moron she kicked in the face.

Caro (Karr-oh) Boar-Breaker - a black-haired, pink-skinned male orc; originally from the Sun Lands. Is kinda insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but he tries.

Orcs - A cambionic race from the Dark Lands, orcs are the result of humans and demons coupling thousands of years ago, and various other things happening along the way to produce a rather powerful race of people who are regarded by many as natural warriors; almost all orcs stand over six feet tall, most average around 6’4” (193cm), and most build muscle very easily. It’s rare to see a skinny orc, though they do exist and are often the result of humans and orcs coupling. Notably, half-orcs are only known as such outside of orc communities; within them, everyone with orc blood counts as an orc. Darklander orcs tend to come in either shades of dark green or dark gray, while native Sunlander orcs are commonly shades of magenta and pink.

The Fire Core - The core of the Fire Temple. Displays a surprising amount of sapience.

Chapter 6

Ithuriel (Ih-thoo-ree-ehl) - An archangel from Conflagra, the Heavenly Realm of Flame. Sent down to check on why the Fire Temple Core was stolen and promptly flummoxed by Galinori’s audaciousness.

Angels - The natural servants of the Gods of Life and Order; winged beings who manifest in humanoid forms composed of their god’s respective element (Fire Angels are made of solid fire, Water Angels are made of solid water, etc). Angels are born directly from their gods, created by their will, and, as such, don’t reproduce sexually at all. Despite this, some have formed relationships with mortals, and can have kids with them. Some races, such as elves and dwarves, are even said to be directly descended from angels, and are called “nephilic” as a result.

Archangels - Literally angels but stronger and with bigger wings. Not actually that impressive.

Chapter 7

Joral (Jorr-ahl) - Captain of the Finja, the ship that carries party around their continental adventure. A fat and friendly wingdrake who got paid very well for his important services.

Wingdrakes - Another variant of drakes out in the world; basically the same as the standard drake, but with a pair of draconic wings extending from their backs. Some tend to have more blue colorations to their scales than the standard greendrake, though it’s not a hard and fast rule like the other more elemental drakes.

Chapter 8

Margrave Brascul (Marr-grayv Brah-skuhl) - Julius’s older sister (five years older, so 47 to his 42) and the Archduchess of the independent city-state of Orindaco. Formerly a fearsome pirate, she now runs her hometown after winning the city in a high stakes poker game.

Interlude 1

Dapper Carver - Head Butler of Castle Valondrac; a half-elf swampfolk from Ostrotoba who tends to get hit in the face by doors due to his liege lord’s frequent carelessness. Formerly worked for Lady Tealmarn and the Blackmire family.

Fester - a messenger of the Plague God Rot, typically appearing as a pure white fly.

Lady Dovoni (Doh-voh-nee) - one of Claire’s plushies that she keeps on her bed; unceremoniously shoved in the closet when Julius arrived so he wouldn’t comment on it. Is shaped like an oculothorax, which is basically a cyclops-spider.

Plague Goddess Rot - the White Matron of the Ouza, Goddess of Sickness and Conquest, the Conquering Plague; Claire’s first godly patron and probably the closest one to her as a result, though she tends to be acerbic instead of admitting that she cares for the ambitious Empress. Has a few things going on with her that she’s not willing to elaborate on; technically the oldest of the Ouza now that the Ancients are sealed, though no Ouzan god actually respects that fact. Is missing her eyes.

Blood Goddess Marrow - the Red Matron of the Ouza, Goddess of War and Slaughter, the Butcher; Claire’s second patron and Julius’s sole patron. Also, Autumn’s patron. She patrons a lot of people; Julius fell under her sway as his own bloodlust and drive to protect his friends and family grew and grew over the course of his original adventure, though he eventually gave up that power only to wind up going right back to it later. Turns out she’s pretty nice though, so it all works out. Is missing her ears and has four eyes.

Dry Goddess Drought - the Black Matron of the Ouza, Goddess of Thirst and Starvation, the Hunger; Claire’s third patron and patron goddess of the aristocracy. Looks like a lovely noblewoman, has a fondness for animals, and will hold a grudge to the ends of the Est. She’s generally a very genial person though and tends to act as the mediator between her two more combative sisters. Sewed her own mouth shut in order to make it very clear she can’t actually talk, due to a lack of a tongue, and solely speaks through animal companions as a result. Also has tall, black antlers.

Corso - Mentioned: former champion of Marrow who tried to make a blood angel through the mass, ritualistic sacrifice of his own followers. Failed miserably.

Swampfolk - Also known as Swamp Elves, though the swampfolk in general tend to be hybrids of elves and other races. Characterized by violet skin and long, hairless tails (similar to possums), swamp elves are the descendants of dark elves who fled the Sun Lands and settled in Ostrotoba, where the swamps gave them excellent places to hide from those who may be seeking them. Millennia of living in the poisonous swamps and marrying with the darklander races has resulted in their current appearances.

The Ouzan Gods - Gods of Death and Chaos and the Gods of Abisso, otherwise known as the Nine Hells. Gods of this type typically embody concepts related to things that cause destruction, and their Elder Gods, the Ancients, specifically embody natural disasters and mortal insanity. The Four Ancients are currently sealed away, leaving the Ouza as a more unstable tribe of gods without a clear power structure, though many agree the Three Mothers currently sit at the top. Some disagree though.

Chapter 9

Mask Rain - The thief/rogue of the party; a special, sapient variant of slime known as a rainbow slime who grew up in a dungeon. Has a collection of knives and likes to wear masks, but can shift their shape to look like just about anyone, with the slight issue that they’re still squishy and boneless so the disguise won’t hold up easily. Doesn’t have a ton of experience with the outside world so they can be a little naive, but they make up for it with enthusiasm and knife skills.

Torna (Tor-nah) - Margrave’s secretary; a female firedrake.

Cornelius Gallun (Corr-nee-lee-uhs Gahl-lun) - Mentioned: Former archduke of Orindaco; put a bounty on Julius after the latter stabbed him for being a dick. Was a dick and lost his city like a moron.

Maro (Marr-oh) - The doorman for The Leopard Club; a sunlander orc.

Holly - A vampiric sex worker who works for The Leopard Club. Knew Julius and his sisters since they were kids; Julius used to have a crush on her.

Percy Shel (Perr-see Shehl) - Current owner of The Leopard Club and an old friend of Julius’s; a dwarf from the Sun Lands with an odd accent no one can quite place.

The Brown Hares - The Thieves Guild Julius and his sisters were once members of; largely made up of taken in orphans and vagrants without a place. Still active, though the original leader left for parts unknown some time ago.

The Vermillion Furies - One of the four major Mercenary Guilds of Orindaco and the Light Lands in general. Commonly known as the Red Feathers; mostly made up of high elves from Zemava looking for adventure and profit outside of their far more conservative country, though they still operate back in said home country. Briefly involved in the plot because they came into possession of an Ancient Ruby, not currently an issue.

The Coral Silks - Sometimes called the Whore’s Guild or the Prostitute Guild, the Silks basically run the 5th Dock of Orindaco, acting as a union for the dock’s sex workers. Guarantees protection to all sex workers within the city and is known to be vicious and violent towards those who would harm them.

The Sapphire Serpents - Otherwise known as the Blue Scales, the Serpents are another one of the four major mercenary guilds of the Light Lands. Mostly made up of ex-pirates and nereids, they tend to take coastal jobs. Their current guild president also used to be Margrave’s first mate.

The White Furs - Another one of the four major mercenary guilds. Mostly made up of beastfolk.

Chapter 10

Umial (Oo-mee-ahl) - A Water Angel who came down to tell Julius not to steal the temple core, and then got into a staring contest with him.

Nereids - Also known as Sea Elves or Fishfolk; a semi-aquatic race of piscine humanoids said to be blessed by the Water Goddess, Mesic. Largely resemble elves and have long lifespans, though their bodies tend to be scaled like fish and their pointed ears are often ridged like fins. They also have gills along the sides of their torsos, and many have small, sharp spines instead of hair.

Merrows - The other fishfolk; merrows are sapient beings with upper bodies resembling fish-scaled and sharp-toothed humanoids and lower bodies resembling fish tails. Well-known for being remarkably gorgeous, they don’t travel up on land much at all, which has led to many believing they have an undersea nation known as the Deep Lands, though no explorer has ever found such a place. Most live in small communities undersea, but many will come up close to the shore to enjoy the sun and talk with landwalkers. Note that the females of the species, commonly known as mermaids, don’t actually have breasts; the flesh-globes on their chest resembling mammaries are actually venom sacs. Many a sailor and diver has fallen victim to this clever ruse.

Chapter 11

Undec (Oon-dehk) - A type of aquatic monster resembling a round-headed squid with three eyes and eleven tentacles, with the eleventh being a prehensile stinger that it often uses to impale and poison prey after ensnaring them.

Jelloons - Floating, balloon-like jellyfish monsters that come in a variety of bright colors; typically latch onto prey before expanding and beginning to float, carrying them high up. Those found in dungeons tend to be paired with long-ranged attackers who can then attack the trapped target, though those out in the world are arguably more dangerous because they will carry their prey as high as possible before devouring them once they inevitably pass out from oxygen deprivation. They’re fairly fragile though, so escape is quite possible for most people.

Hans Samore (Hahns Sah-morr) - The third of Claire’s generals to appear; an elderly human infernalist warlock with a cheerful demeanor and a slight verbal tic. An immensely skilled demon summoner and former professor, he’s the focus of the third bonus chapter. Is missing his right arm and has replaced it with a demonic prosthetic named Ko; is also missing his left eye, which he traded for that arm. Former mentor of Mira Lovalde.

Apognosi (Ay-pawg-noh-see) - A type of despair demon–otherwise known as Desparans–characterized by an exoskeleton of steel. Attuned to the element of Darkness. Have steel skin, but are pitch-black underneath.

Acedians (Uh-see-dee-uhns) - Sloth demons, attuned to the element of Water. Inherently lazy, they tend to make poor summons because they either take as long as possible to complete a task, or try to get it done as quickly as possible with no heed to potential sloppiness. Blue.

Limboans (Lihm-boh-ehns) - Order demons, attuned to the element of Stone. Very basic and easy to summon, they make for decent minions but aren’t great at complex tasks. Gray.

Vilerodons (Vih-layr-oh-dawns) - Demonic blood bats, essentially a more dangerous form of the basic “razor-bat” monster.

Gulans (Goo-luhns) - Gluttony demons, attuned to the element of Earth/Mud. Very handy and effective minions, but tend to have a high cost to summon and eat up a lot of energy. Good preparation means they can be heavily effective though. Orange; can also be altered into different forms depending on what they consume, such as Carnin (meat), Holun (plants), Piscin (fish), and Dulcine (sweets), with some subgroups for specific food types.

Invidians (Ihn-vih-dee-ehns) - Envy demons, attuned to the element of Acid, which notably does not have a god associated with it; Vitriol kind of is, but her thing is more like Poison. Unpleasant and surly demons who will complete tasks begrudgingly; very weak to being praised. Green.

Avaricians (Ah-vah-ree-cee-uhns) - Greed demons, attuned to the element of Lightning; also heavily associated with Metal. Very useful summons who will do their jobs well, but will always try to get as high a price for their services as they can. Yellow; Julius claims the saber of one knight he defeats and later fuses it with his sword when it’s reforged.

Iratans (Ee-rah-tuhns) - Wrath demons, attuned to the element of Fire. Hardy and brutal demons that are great for tasks involving violence and destruction, not so much for anything else. Probably the most common type of demon summoned. Red.

Chapter 13

Douglas Orville Yew (Duhg-lehss Or-vihl Yoo) - The Former Chosen Hero of the Light Lands and mage of his previous party; a heavily tattooed, brown-skinned human occultist. Cheerful and fast-talking, he’s had a rivalry with Julius since they met due to a screw-up on his part. Tends to forget to apologize and comes off an asshole without intending to. Likes to be clever but often misses otherwise obvious things. Inventor of the skyship. Wears glasses.

Sylsa Greenfall (Sihl-sah Green-fahl) - The enchanter of the party; a wood elf from Naloriva, specifically Faltyr, who apprenticed under Douglas to learn magic. Has a very dry sense of humor and is very sarcastic once she gets past her natural nervousness, but has a decent heart and tries her best to step up when needed. Is the oldest of the young heroes, so subconsciously views herself as a secondary leader; still counts as a late juvenile by elvish standards.

Nadine (Nay-deen) - First mate of the Finja, a female crow harpy; usually tired and stoic, though has a deadpan sense of humor. Has a crush on Joral.

Panara (Pah-nuh-rah) - a male harpy working at the Stenistrata airfields.

Wyverns - small, reptilian creatures resembling dragons, though with their arms as wings instead of a pair on their back; basically reptilian bats. There used to be large species used as flying mounts, but they died out due to warfare and are now only found in some dungeons.

Harpies - also known as birdfolk, harpies are a race native to Tramontava. They resemble humans, but have feathers instead of hair, tend to have sharp teeth, have wings instead of arms, and have talons instead of feet. Magic does allow them to shift their wings into hands when necessary though; ancient harpies supposedly looked far more bird-like and even had beaks, but millennia of breeding with humans has resulted in their current appearances.

Interlude 2

Blake Zweher (Blayk Zweh-herr) - Deceased: former mentor to Julius, Douglas, Ellen, and Cyrus for a little bit, he was killed early on in their adventure through each of the temples. Essentially adopted Julius and Ellen; his death devastated both of them, resulting in Julius becoming increasingly aggressive and angry and Ellen becoming withdrawn and quiet.

Ellen (Ehl-lehn) Silvershade - Julius’s younger sister and the former archer of their party. Currently down in the Sun Lands with a team of her own doing various adventurer things and hunting demons. Tends to be easily forgotten.

Chapter 14

King Friedrich “Fritz” Medianu Krieter von Sorafin (Free-drihk Meh-dee-ah-noo Kree-terr vahn Sore-ah-feen) - The King of Tramontava, Sovereign of the Lands of Wind and Sky, and a pretty decent if flighty guy who wants to ally with the Dark Lands and bring peace between their nations; also very interested in getting cool stuff from the eastern continent. Really likes birds and loves his husband.

Charles Lucene von Sorafin (Charls Loo-seen vahn Sore-ah-feen) - King Fritz’s husband, son of the current Lucenevan king, Richard. Julius knew him as a kid and is a little surprised he’s grown up and married. Also wears glasses.

Pontiff Andrei “Andy” Leitmotif (Awn-dray Lay-moh-teef) - The Pontiff of Wind, leader of the Faith of Air. Regards his faith as more like keeping his idiot god and the morons he calls angels in check. Jumped out a window. He’s fine though.

Chapter 16

Fergus Marcusson Otakin (Ferr-gehss Marr-cuhss-suhn Oh-tah-kihn) - Claire’s fourth general to appear and focus of the fourth bonus chapter; a male lycanthrope with a gruff demeanor that belies an absolutely brutal fighter. The jarl of Godsmaw.

The Wind Temple Boss, aka The Elemental Knight - The normal boss of the Wind Temple, currently possessed by two borei; consists of four torso carved in the shape of armored knights wielding swords and kite-shields, set atop a spiral base that allows it to spin like a top.

Aria and Elegy - a pair of borei in service to Fergus; the former belonged to his father while the latter was summoned directly to him.

Lycanthropes - Also known as werewolves; one of the most common types of beastfolk, lycans are humanoid beings capable of transforming into lupine forms. The vast majority are humans who can turn into wolves, though they’re regarded as separate from normal humans due to their ability. Lycanthropy is hereditary, but some non-lycans have become lycans via rituals that invoke the Beast God Therian.

Borei - a strange type of elemental spirit commonly found in Olafiba; technically, the race is collectively known as orei, with borei being the windy variant. Orei in general are air spirits, with some believing they may be a Dark Lands equivalent to sylphs, but they can take on traits of other elements. The jarls of Olafiba commonly have orei bound into their service, with one often serving as their lifelong companion. Having two or more is quite rare.

Interlude 3

Plant Goddess Chlora (Clorr-uh) - One of the “Three Matrons” of the Light Land Gods (otherwise known as the Daybreak Court); known as the Green Mother, Chlora is the middle child of Lucere’s children and the goddess of all things arboreal. As such, she has five eyes (on her head) and six arms, denoting her many domains and her wide reach. Cheerful and spirited, she’s known for encouraging openness among her followers, who practice druidic traditions rather than the more clerical structure of most Light Land faiths. During our tale, she successfully argues that Julius should be exiled instead of murdered outright for joining with an Ouzan god, completely forgetting in the process that the Daybreak Court doesn’t actually have the authority to do either of those things. In her defense, her mom can be very compelling.

Fire Goddess Foco (Foh-koh) - Second of the Three Matrons; known as the Warm Mother, Foco is a goddess characterized by the loving warmth of the hearth and the searing rage of the wildfire. She has a bad temper, but she’s kind to her mortal followers and actually gets pretty excited by Galinori opening up trade with her angels. As the daughter of Surodus, she was originally a part of the Sunrise Court, but wound up “moving” because she met Chlora and Mesic and wound up striking a very close friendship with the two of them. Mesic did the same, so now they’re all a part of the Daybreak Court, for better or worse.

Water Goddess Mesic (Meh-zihk) - Third of the Three Matrons; known as the Blue Mother, Mesic is the stern sort of mom, the one who has high expectations and isn’t likely to praise anyone for meeting them. As such, her faith is easily the messiest of the Three Matrons and is basically falling apart in terms of organization; plenty of people still worship her and she’s easily one of the most popular goddesses among the common people of the Light Lands, but the institutions of her faith largely lack a decent central authority, mostly because the current Pontiff of Water is a total lush and the primary shrine of her faith is located in Orindaco, the seediest place possible. Still, the three-eyed deity tries her best to be a decent goddess, despite all that.

Thunder God Innominatum (Ihn-noh-mihn-ah-tuhm) - The second-oldest of Lucere’s kids; the one-eyed god of lightning, Inno is someone who likes to make contingency plans. While he is quite boisterous and free-spirited, he’s also dangerously subtle at times and has made moves on his own to try to protect the Light Lands, and he’s very willing to spin things to get the most advantage he can out of a situation, such as one of his angels secretly living on Estus in direct defiance of divine law. While it’s commonly believed, even among the younger gods, that he naturally only has one eye due to lightning only existing in the domain of electric strikes and destructive magic, he’s actually missing one.

Metal God Augant (Aw-guhnt) - The eldest child of Caligori, Augant disowned his mother following the events of the Failed Crusade and joined the Daybreak Court in order to protect his own realm and mortal followers. A taciturn and awkward sort of god, possessing four arms and four eyes, he prefers working in his forge to interacting with others, though he does support his mortal followers’ efforts in advancing their technology. Also, Chlora thinks he’s hot.

Light Titan Lucere (Loo-seir) - The Elder Goddess of Light, Lucere is the head of the Daybreak Court, leader of the Triarchy of Light, and the mother of multiple deities, though she prefers to ignore the fact that some of her children have Ouzan Ancients as their other parents. In general, Lucere is a powerful deity who quite literally hides behind a mask. As to what her true self is like, that will come in time, but it’s easy to say that she doesn’t like the Ouza and she really doesn’t like Caligori. She was fond of Surodus though.

Pure God Purus (Pewer-uhss) - One of the Triarchy of Light, Purus is another god who hides behind a mask, though his reasons are very different from his mother’s. Always is and always was a creepy dude with overly high standards for morals that he doesn’t actually meet. The youngest of the family; thoroughly believes his mother should be the most powerful deity on Estus with unquestioned authority over its mortal inhabitants.

Judgment God Iudex (Yoo-dehks) - Another one of the Triarchy of Light, Iudex used to be a lot less tense, but as the second-youngest of the family, he gained an intense drive to prove himself. Shaved his head, and hides his face for different reasons than both his mother and his brother. Despite his gruff exterior, he holds a soft spot for his mother and his angels, and actually dotes on the latter, though he tries to uphold the standards of the Court above all else. By embodying Judgment, he trends towards firm decisions that he won’t doubt or be moved on, even if they don’t turn out well. His magic manifests as physical weight.

Air God Kataba (Kah-tah-bah) - Lucere’s oldest child; a generally flighty god who is nonetheless completely unwilling to cross his mother and will always go along with her decisions, despite acting lackadaisical and careless. Has four arms and four eyes.

Spring God Rose Saint - The sole “mortal-born” god of the Daybreak Court, and the Rakuli in general, Rose is an ascended demigod who lived as a mortal six hundred years prior to the start of the story. Their original name is lost to history, and they don’t feel like mentioning it, but they are well known in Rosiavan legend as the founder of their nation, who defeated an immensely powerful Demon Lord at the cost of their own life. Whether that actually happened exactly that way, or not, is something they’re not explaining either. Due to edits, they don’t appear in this story.

The Rakuli Gods - Gods of Life and Order and the Gods of Cielo, otherwise known as the Celestial Plane. Gods of this type typically embody specific elements, such as the classical elements of fire, water, earth and air. Currently, they are the most influential tribe of gods in this hemisphere of Estus due to repeated victories over their direct rivals, the Ouza; three of their courts (Daybreak, Tundrafall, and Giltwheat) hold influence over three of the major continents in the Western Hemisphere. They’ve still suffered some conflicts though; the Sunrise Court is currently defunct following the disappearance of their Elder, and the Duskmend Court is empty after the exile of theirs.

Chapter 19

Kruger (Kroo-gerr)- a member of Joral’s crew; a wingdrake who mistakenly gets the impression that Julius is attracted to him.

Irascagan - Deceased: Claire’s predecessor as Demon Lord of the Dark Lands (though he only really managed to build up territory in the swamps). Mostly got as far as he did through giving various powerful sociopaths influence and excuses to act on their worst impulses.

Dennis Claimond (Dehn-nihss Klai-mawnd) - Deceased: Claire’s previous “husband”, who she was essentially sold to by her family when she was ten. Her impending marriage to him spurred her to invoke the Plague God Rot, and she immediately cowed him into submission following their marriage. Six years later, he died of a “natural disease”.

Chapter 20

Princess Lorelei Lucene (Lorr-eh-lei Loo-seen) - Mentioned: One of King Richard Lucene’s daughters; friends with Gwendoline Kalavicho.

Gwendoline Kalavicho (Gwehn-doh-leen Kah-lah-vee-choh) - Mentioned: The youngest daughter of the Kalavicho family.

Demon Lord Rasga (Razz-gah) - Mentioned/Deceased: A demon lord from 600 years ago whose rise and defeat resulted in the deification of the Rose Saint.

Chapter 21

Natalie Rostel (Nah-tuh-lee Raw-stehl) - Governor of the Pink Rose faction and current head of the Rosvord Company. Enlists Douglas’s help in retrieving the Metal Core from the Metal Temple and in building earthships, a type of vessel equipped with a large drill made for tunneling within the earth. Presents herself as a very reasonable and capable leader, but had a hidden petty/bratty side that she really doesn’t want people to know about, to the point of chucking spears at people. Likes conspiracies, but isn’t very good at them.

Dane - Natalie’s assistant.

The Rosvord (Rawss-vord) Company/The Pink Rose - One of the political factions of Naloriva, founded from the mercenary company that the Rose Saint was once a part of. Due to their noble sacrifices in defending the kingdoms that would become Rosiava from the encroaching armies of a horrible demon lord, the Company was elevated in status and is now the only really democratic/meritocratic faction in the region, with its leaders being elected from the best of the best within the company.

Duke/Archon Umberto Cotilla (Oom-beir-toh Coh-tee-yah) - Mentioned: half-brother of the previous king of Sollamava, and a very angry father who really doesn’t like Cyrus.

Coridan (Corr-ih-dahn) and Laria (Lah-ree-ah) Cotilla - Mentioned: the son and daughter of Umberto; both had sex with Cyrus.

Pink Rose - One of the political factions of Rosiava. Mainly based out of the Rosvord Mercenary Company, which isn’t much of a mercenary company these days. Originally a mercenary group led by the Rose Saint, the company was granted massive amounts of prestige and even lands of their own following their defense of the kingdoms that would unite into Rosiava. Known as the Militarist Party for its focus on soldier’s rights and welfare.

Chapter 22

Issei Kaida (Ee-say Kai-dah) - a young Japanese outworlder who works at the Red Forge; wants to be a hero, but is woefully unprepared for how ridiculous it can be. Kinda thinks he’s the protagonist and tries to get trained by Julius, though he drops it in favor of staying as Zari’s apprentice, at least for now. Likes to think he’s charming.

Zari Redforge (Zarr-ee) - Julius’s old mentor in blacksmithing; a cheery, red-haired dwarf and a master blacksmith. Helps Jules upgrade his sword and is pretty fond of him in general.

Takeshi (Tah-keh-shee) - Another Japanese outworlder, and an accountant. Just kinda there.

Barital “Bari” Redforge (Bah-ree-tahl) - Zari’s wife, a taciturn halfling.

Dwarves - A race from the Sun Lands most commonly known for being short and bearded. Some regard them as the Sun Land equivalent to elves, as they are also known for being long-lived and are supposedly descended from nephilim. Largely stereotyped as skilled crafters and traders with a tendency towards hedonism.

Interlude 4

Ariel Leicester (Ah-ree-ehl Leh-sterr) - the fifth demon general to appear; an albino arachne with a huge crush on Claire and, as such, an initially immense dislike of Julius. Born in a dungeon, she rose to power through her own stubborn determination and now runs the Woodcourt Coterie as its president. Arrogant and proud, but actually decently competent and dangerous, though she does get very flustered around Claire.

Ludwig (Lood-wihg), Cuthbert (Cuhth-berrt) and Reginald (Reh-jih-nuhld) - three of Ariel’s subordinates, all aranae. Ludwig summons and conducts demonic spiders and wears a tophat; Cuthbert and Reginald work the lights and wear bowler hats. None of them are especially effective in combat.

The “Autorachnid” Colossus - A giant metal spider built by Sieda and operated by Ariel.

Aranae - Giant sapient spiders. That’s basically it. Originally a common type of monster, something weird and wibbly happened around 3,000 years ago that resulted in these beings suddenly gaining sapience, which allowed them to rise as one of the larger powers in the Dark Lands. Now running various pseudo guild-states known as Coteries, the aranae are rivals to the vampiric nobility of Inrapaba, and are frequently among those who attempt to invade the Light Lands alongside demon lords. Older and more powerful aranae tend to grow to immense size, and many are skilled magic users that have a natural attraction towards power.

Arachnes - The natural “queens” of the Aranae race, Arachnes are monsters with upper halves that resemble human women extending from where a spider’s head would be, and the lower body of a full spider extending from where the woman’s waist would be. All arachne are naturally more powerful than their aranae subordinates, and indeed most aranae have a natural inclination to be submissive to their arachne superiors, both socially and sexually. Sometimes both at the same time. Arachnes can also gain the ability to shift towards a more humanoid form or just go full gigantic arachnid as needed. All arachne are female, and it is known that an aranae must both have the soul of a woman and the spirit of domination in order to metamorphose into an arachne. Note that taking a female soul and implanting it into oneself has been shown not to work.

The Metal Core - More intelligent than it seems. Also prickly.

Chapter 23

Anita Bulinto (Ah-nee-tah Buh-leen-toh) - Vice-President of the Golden Rose Conglomerate and daughter of the Yellow Rose political faction’s governor. Intelligent and crafty, she’s very talented at subterfuge and decent with negotiations; she’s not the most moral person out there, but she thinks things through and cares about her family and friends a great deal. Has a crush on Natalie Rostel.

Evrard Dahsin (Ehv-rarrd Dah-seen) - Governor of the Green Rose political faction and complete asshole. Arrogant and petty, he laughs at the misfortune of others but can’t take even the smallest slight to himself, and is more than willing to kill someone for offending him. Despite being a caustic jackass, he is decently competent in fighting and strategy, though he’s better at improvising than actual long-term plans. Has a very intense tattoo on his chest.

Yellow Rose - One of the political factions of Rosiava. Otherwise known as the Golden Rose Conglomerate, the political party was originally a Merchant Guild established in the southeastern region of the Light Lands. Following the invasion of the Demon Lord Rasga, the guild grew in power and influence by aiding in the reconstruction of the various kingdoms, becoming wealthy and influential enough to land themselves a seat at the Parliament of Rosiava. Also known as the Capitalist Party for its focus on business and free market economics, though the conglomerate itself is actually more of a monopoly.

Green Rose - One of the political factions of Rosiava. Headed by the Dahsin Royal Family of Laevis (Leh-vihss), the Green Rose is the Imperialist Party of Rosiava, in that it focuses primarily on the ideals of expanding the nation’s borders and influence into becoming a major empire. It mainly does this by trying to encroach into Rosiava, bringing up old claims on lands and taking advantage of their northern neighbor’s lack of central government.

Chapter 24

Khor (Korr) - Deceased: one of the previous Demon Generals of Irascagan. A brutal beast-tamer who lead a large pack of various different monstrous animals. Considered himself the “alpha” of the pack, and made a point of eating the first piece of whatever kills they claimed, no matter what it was. Had multiple fights with Julius’s old party, and when he decisively lost his final bout with them on the fields of Korikalaba, he allowed his pack to eat him alive, though not before biting off his own thumb.

Rinaud (Rih-nawd) - Deceased: one of the previous Demon Generals of Irascagan. An anuran poison-expert, he came into conflict with Julius’s old party multiple times due to his various schemes to weaken the Light Lands and murder its people. Cowardly at heart, he tried to flee their last fight in a marsh, though Ellen shot him through the throat.

Lusiarch (Loo-see-arrk) the Lust Lord - Mentioned: An ancient Demon Lord who’s known for being the last true “Emperor the Dark Lands”, prior to Claire. Also well-known for being immensely promiscuous and having a massive harem that collapsed into infighting following his supposed death.

Disara (Dih-sarr-ah) the Heretic - Mentioned: A previous Demon Lord who carved the “Masks of the Heretic”, a series of treasures empowered by demonic souls.

Torva (Torr-vah) the Lunatic - Mentioned: A previous vampiric Demon Lord who fanatically believed in an unknown “Moon God”. Attempted to crash Estus’s moon into the planet. Progenitor of the Moonsoul Dynasty of Vampires.

Xelok (Zeh-lawk) the Earth Lord - Mentioned: A previous Demon Lord known for his immense mastery over the magical element of Earth. Believed to have ruled his dominion from Xelsha, and supposedly built much of the palaces, ruined and repaired, amongst the Ebkai mountains.

Parzeli (Parr-zell-ee) the Emboldened - Mentioned: A previous Demon Lord known for gaining the favor of the Ancient Rupture. Eventually summoned the Ancient God of Lava directly onto Estus when he started losing, but he still lost, and she was sealed.

Dario Vioka (Darr-ee-oh Vee-oh-kah) - Head of the Vioka Family, Governor of the Violet Rose Faction, and father of Sova Vioka; a man who cares a lot about his family, and not much about anyone else. His definition of family does extend to half-siblings though, so he likes Maria.

Tarin (Teirr-ihn) Vioka - Grandson of Dario and son of Sova Vioka and Cyrus Gerrish. Calmer than his grandfather and has a somewhat dry demeanor.

Fredo (Frei-doh) - Tarin’s cousin and Dario’s “grand-nephew”/bodyguard. The son of Dario’s sister’s son.

The Violet Rose - One of the political factions of Rosiava. Otherwise known as the Purple Rose, it is headed by the Vioka Royal Family of Adunca (Ah-doon-kah). Also known as the Isolationist Party due to its focus on avoiding ties and treaties with other nations in favor of protecting Rosian interests above all else.

City Elves - Originally known as Dark Elves, and still known as such in some regions, city elves are differentiated from others elves by their typically dark-gray skin and long tails, which are prehensile and have a tuft of hair at the end. Some regard it as a “bull’s tail”, and this had led to comparisons between them and minotaurs. Also known as drow, they are said to be blessed by the Elder Goddess of Darkness, Caligori, but circumstances in the past have made that association unfavorable. Many still living in the Sun Lands still worship her daughter Malnata though, and most in the Light Lands focus their worship on Augant, her son.

Chapter 25

Sova (Soh-vah) Vioka - Daughter of Dario Vioka, mother of Tarin Vioka, and former lover of Cyrus Gerrish, though it was more of a one night stand. More thoughtful and soft-spoken than her father, she still holds some prejudices and has a few blindspots, though she cares very deeply about her family and has a spine of steel when it comes to protecting them.

Jeanne-Marie Dahsin - Deceased: Mother of Evrard Dahsin and previous head of the family. Succumbed to an illness.

Alphonse Dahsin - Deceased: Uncle of Evrard Dahsin and, at one point, interim head of the Dahsin Family. Gutted by his nephew after ordering his assassination.

The White Rose - The police of Hulthemia, and Rosiava as a whole. Technically broken up into three divisions: Root (Police), Stem (Army), and Petal (Navy). In theory, they’re meant to be an unaligned group meant to work for the sake of Rosiava as a whole, independent of politics. In practice, they are heavily divided, partisan, and frequently receive “additional personal funding” (bribes) from the political factions.

The Black Shell/The Black Rose - Last of the Four Major Mercenary Guilds of Orindaco, the Black Shells are the unofficial Assassin’s Guild of the Light Lands. They’ve become especially prominent in Rosiava due to the backbiting and brutal nature of the oligarchy’s politics and have even earned an amount of mystique there that their home base doesn’t grant them in the slightest. To the people of Orin, they’re a bunch of puffed up weirdos that like to dress in black and take way too much money just to knife someone.

Chapter 26

Ivet - Mentioned: Julius’s unofficial adoptive mother and former leader of the Brown Hares Thieves Guild. Tended to take in orphans and keep them safe in the rough city-state, while raising them up as thieves and pickpockets and being utterly vicious towards anyone who might hurt them. Never really felt like a mother to him, more like a friend. Maybe an aunt at most.

Chapter 27

Hyacinth - A Black Shell assassin who was hired to kill Julius. Has a very unfortunate night as a result.

Lachlan - Mentioned: The Boss of the Black Shell’s Orindaco branch. Julius has known her since he was a kid, and she’s tried to stab him a few times.

Eveline Kalavicho (Eh-veh-lihn Kah-lah-vee-choh) - One of the middle daughters of the Kalavicho family and knight of the Order Amaryllis. Twin sister to Caroline Kalavicho, and the more serious of the two. Blonde and aquamarine-eyed.

Caroline Kalavicho (Keir-oh-lihn Kah-lah-vee-choh) - One of the middle daughters of the Kalavicho family and knight of the Order Amaryllis. Twin sister to Eveline Kalavicho, and the more playful of the two. Blonde and aquamarine-eyed. Also skilled with ice magic and ice skating.

Rosaline Kalavicho (Rawz-uh-lihn Kah-lah-vee-choh) - Eldest daughter of the Kalavicho family and current Governor of the Red Rose faction. Redheaded and crimson-eyed.

Edwin (Ehd-wihn) Kalavicho - Mentioned: Father of Rosaline, Eveline, Caroline, Gwendoline, and Clyde, and husband of Jacqueline. Met Julius back in the day.

Jacqueline (Jahk-lihn) Kalavicho - Mentioned: Previous Head of the Kalavicho Family. Retired.

Ramon Tortuga (Raw-mohn Torr-too-guh) - Head of the Black Shell/Rose Mercenary/Assassin Guild. Pretends to be a retired businessman operating a flower shop. Came to Dahsin’s party to have a good time and honestly felt very attacked.

The Red Rose - Last political faction of Rosiava. Headed by the Kalavicho Royal Family of Rubiaca, the political party takes a general attitude of “stop being such assholes” towards its fellow factions, and actually tries to engage in diplomacy with other nations. Known as the Moderate Party as a result.

Clyde Kalavicho - Sole son of the current main branch of the Kalavicho family. Older than Gwendoline, but younger than the twins. Works as a judge.

Chapter 29

Debt Goddess Mordant - Mentioned many times: Ouzan Goddess of Vengeance, Lady of Molten Gold and the Ties that Bind, Patron of the Hateful and the Avaricious; The Miser. Frequently sworn to by those making oaths, Mordant is said to be the deity that enforces deals made between individuals; those that swear to her must always fulfill the terms of their bargain, lest they be struck with her retribution, which can take different forms depending on the severity of the transgression. Small promises broken result in a long run of bad luck, while defying major oaths can have horrible consequences for the betrayer. Associated with Chain Magic.

Pash - a member of Joral’s crew and a firedrake. Lacks the ability to fly, but is a decent cook. Tends to smoke.

Chapter 30

Seth - The sixth Demon General to appear, and protagonist of the sixth bonus chapter. A former bandit, Seth was a brutal icedrake from Brunzaba who lost everything in a sudden encounter with a mysterious leviathan. A while afterward, he gained the power to become a full ice dragon in a fight with Claire, though it was far less serious and he had seriously mellowed out by that point. He’s still a fairly gruff and somewhat dim brute, but he cares about his fellow generals and gets protective of them. Unlike most icedrakes, he can feel cold. Despite this, he tends to go around naked, mostly because he has no sense of modesty and his clothes tend to rip when he goes full dragon. Later develops a crush on Tisma.

Chapter 31

Kokriel (Koh-kree-ehl) - A lightning angel who definitely wasn’t listening the entire time Julius and Douglas were having a heart to heart, nor were they ogling either of the nearly nude men at the time at all. Has a notebook to keep track of things, and can summon a boat.

Interlude 7

Hachibi Kiyoshi (Hah-chee-bee Kee-yoh-shee) - The seventh Demon General to appear, and protag of the seventh bonus chapter. An eight-tailed kitsune, despite only being three hundred and seventy-six (376), Kiyo comes from the Mosairo tribe of Anrusho, a seaside city in Skiritaba. Skilled with elemental and illusory magic, along with generally being quite clever, she acts as Claire’s spymaster, yet has a teasing and mischievous personality that prompts her to mess with people. Gained more tails than she should naturally have at her age by traveling through the Nine Hells, but couldn’t get all nine, which does frustrate her. Also looking for love, but hasn’t found it yet.

Tisma Vlahos (Tihz-mah Vlaw-hoh-ss) - The hammer-wielding fighter of the previous party, Tisma met Julius and the others 25 years ago when she saved them from getting killed by Valita Lovalde. An amiable, if stoic, minotaur of immense physical strength, she continued working as an adventurer and monster hunter for the past two decades, keeping people safe and taking down those that would harm innocent people. Comes from Sollamava, and has 26 sisters.

Kitsune - Fox demons who typically take the form of lovely women, though male ones do exist. Naturally long lived, those who live over 900 years are said to gain power comparable to the mightiest of devils, though they also tend to be pretty lazy with that power. Turns out, being old and enlightened means you’re not very aggressive. Supposedly exiled from the West, most live in the Eastern parts of the Dark Lands; they also supposedly have a natural antipathy towards tanuki.

Minotaurs - Bullfolk; a race of people with hooves and horns that tend to grow quite large and hairy. Many live in Sollamava, and most are immensely physically powerful. Sollamavan minotaurs commonly follow the faith of Iudex and have a strong martial and meritocratic culture where designating an heir based on merit rather than blood is common. Prehistoric minotaurs had heads similar to bulls, but their features have become more humanoid over the centuries (mostly due to mixing with humans, elves, and satyrs).

Interlude 8

Tenvoc (Tehn-vawk) - An archdevil of violence, summoned years ago to try to kill Julius’s party. Got wrecked. Later shows up as Marrow’s messenger and challenges Julius to a sparring match. Gets wrecked again. Attempts to find another fight by challenging Leok, and was immediately wrecked. A decent fighter, but not the best at picking targets.

Valita Lovalde (Vuh-lee-tuh Loh-vawl-dei) - A monstrous alchemist and necromancer who was once a Demon General for Irascagan. Despite being killed by the party 25 years ago, she returned as a lich due to preparations she made beforehand.

Violentians - Blood demons embodying physical violence.

Chapter 32

Yuliani Demenok (Yoo-lee-aw-nee Deh-meh-nohk) - Mentioned: A werebear from the Frost Lands and shaman of Cold. Also the former healer of the old party, and something of a gruff, heavy drinker. Currently vacationing in the Sun Lands.

Erin - Mentioned: An outworlder who’s currently working with Ellen.

Awam - Mentioned: A djinn who’s currently working with Ellen.

Shida (Shee-dah) - Mentioned: The previous mayor/chieftain of Gensai, the guardian town of Koshima, also known as Rainfall Island.

Torahiko Hiroto (Torr-uh-hee-koh Hee-roh-toh) - The current chieftain of Gensai. Presents himself as composed and strong-willed, sometimes to his detriment, but is honestly incredibly stressed and a lot more unsure of himself than he’s usually willing to let on, though he’s willing to drop his pride when things get bad enough. Considers himself vastly unqualified for the shenanigans he finds himself in, yet tries his best regardless, and is a fairly decent man all around. Can be a little headstrong and impulsive though.

Kawajiri - Mentioned: The Shogun of Gorokiva.

Tigrithropes - Tigerfolk/weretigers; a race of beastfolk who are said to be blessed by Innominatum rather than Therian due to reasons.

Chapter 33

Jonathan Terrence Bleaksky (Jaw-nuh-thahn Teir-rehn-ss Bleek-skai) - The eighth Demon General to appear, star of the eighth bonus chapter, and Claire’s first general. Formerly an impresario (basically the manager of a theater company) and occasional actor, he drew the attention of a vampiric noble and was reborn as her kin. Due to unfortunate circumstances, he became the count of Blekhon county, though he tries to do a decent job of it. Dramatic, expressive, and at least a bit flamboyant, Jonathan is nonetheless an effective and brutal fighter who is utterly loyal to his lord. Still searches for the real culprits who killed his mother in between his other duties.

Chapter 35

The Ocean’s Roar - The boat used to get to Zemava; noted for posterity.

Cardinal Gabriel (Gay-bree-ehl) - Second Guardian of Divica and Cardinal of Prudence; an Angel of Judgement empowered by Water. Easily the most reasonable of the Cardinals, though she still has very skewed views of what’s best for the Light Lands, and is very willing to kill others to protect the continent and it’s people. Has blue wings.

Interlude 9

Ursiati Rosoda (Err-see-ah-tee Roh-zoh-dah) - Galinori’s second attendant, a red dragon. Develops an interest in a certain muscular minotaur.

Jancha - Last member of Joral’s crew, another harpy.

Chapter 36

Pontiff Caius Cornelius Veritas Vocula - The point at which I gave up on trying to do pronunciations (for now, might edit later); the religious and political leader of the Halidom of Zemava, a high elf with a tendency to act like a noble old man while internally looking down on everyone around him and swearing like a sailor. His father was a well-off sailor and he gained status by rising through the ranks of the church; as such, he regards everyone else as inherently failing for not succeeding as he does, or for inheriting their positions. In his eyes, he’s the only true hardworking man in existence.

Cardinal Michael - First Guardian of Divica and Cardinal of Fortitude; an Angel of Judgement empowered by Fire. A zealous cardinal who fully believes in the inherent goodness of their Holy Father and the inherent evil of those who oppose them. Despite that, they do have a sense of honor, and they are willing to let people simply walk away from a fight. They also have a very low opinion of heroes and adventurers, for reasons yet explored. Has red wings.

High Elves - An elven race common to Zemava; distinct due to their golden skin and long tails with a tuft of fur at the end, commonly referred to as “like a lion’s tail”, which has led to some comparison between them and the leothropes of the Sun Lands. Were once known as Light Elves, and are said to be blessed by the Elder Goddess Lucere.

Chapter 37

Chimeras - Demonic animals that resemble a four-eyed and goat-horned lion with a snake/snakes for a tail/for tails. The upper eyes have horizontal pupils, while the lower eyes have normal, round ones. They tend to be poisonous, and can come in elemental variants.

Chapter 38

Seona - A dullahan Julius meets over in Maleficaba. She has a really bad sense of direction, but is decent with a scythe and has a demon horse she loves a lot.

Dullahans - Death demons; born from a Titan’s dreams of life’s cessation, dullahans are beings who appear to those on the verge of death to offer peace. Some take that to mean they should rescue people on the verge of death, but most are heralds of death and destruction. It’s generally said that if a dullahan is seen in an area, death is soon to follow. They can be relatively easily inconvenienced by flicking them on the forehead, however, since their heads come off very easily. Their hair is prehensile though, so do this at your own risk. Said to originate from the “land of the dead”, Ozla.

Chapter 39

Julius’s Sword - Julius accidentally made his sword alive by feeding it demon blood and souls. Now it’s a chimera. He’s still not sure how that happened.

Siegard - Seona’s horse. A good boy who does not eat fingers. She swears.

Semyaza - The leader of the Maleficaban Heat Angels. Due to several thousand years living in the Dark Lands, her body has gradually become more mortal and draconic, with her wings now resembling a dragon’s leathery wings instead of an angel’s feathery wings. Despite that, she still retains her halo. Is very tired after thousands of years without finding her mother goddess.

Soréza - A male heat angel, just came over to check things out.

Hellhounds - A type of demonic race commonly found in Maleficaba and the Hells in general. Similar to lycans, they are capable of switching between a canine and a humanoid form, though the difference is that hellhounds are naturally canine while lycans are naturally humanoid. That, and hellhounds are literal demons. Said to gain more heads as they age, similar to kitsunes who gain tails instead.

Lava Titan Rupture - Mentioned; the Ancient Goddess of Magma; one of four Ouzan Titans, known as the “Ancient Gods”. The Burning Death. The Last Ancient to go unsealed, she was summoned into the mortal world by Parzeli in a weakened state, and was thus defeated by the hero of that era. Her power is sealed in the Ancient Tower of Lava and the Ancient Rubies.

Heat Titan Surodus - Mentioned; the Elder Goddess of Heat. Vanished 3,000 years ago. Beloved by many, missed by more.

Interlude 11

Lightning - The aptly named lightning elemental who was sealed inside the Lightning Core. Why? For decent reasons, actually.

Moel - Mentioned; A guard that got shocked. Got a vacation as a result.

Chapter 40

Cyrus Gerrish - The former bard of the previous hero’s party, who just sort of wandered into their camp and came along with them, sticking by their side through all that crazy crap. Flirtatious and musically talented, Cyrus is a promiscuous man who enjoys a fun time and completely had no idea that the “magical contraceptive tattoo” he got years ago didn’t actually work. As a result, he has a bunch of kids all over the Western Hemisphere that he really didn’t realize were out there. Likes to speak French to flavor his sentences, which he learned from an outworlder, and doesn’t have a great relationship with his own parents. Wears sunglasses.

Miriam “Mira” Lovalde - One of Cyrus’s many children and former apprentice of Hans Samore. A Dark Land bounty hunter with a penchant for using chains and fire, she’s a fierce woman with a much more awkward side who isn’t too great with kindness as a result of her rough upbringing at the hands of her mother, Valita Lovalde, who, despite promises to the contrary, was still totally an evil lady. Has two hearts as a result of her mother’s experiments, and follows the faith of Mordant for the sake of her vengeance. Has a demon arm like Hans (left arm).

Yong Caifu - A “master seal artist” of the Sun Lands; actually a con artist who pretends at being a great mystic of the South/West/whatever sounds fancier to the listener.

Chapter 41

Zia - Archbishop of the Blood Church; helps explain some things about their doctrine and magic to Julius and guides him on his brief training montage. A cambion with a blood demon for a parent. Met Autumn years ago.

Chapter 42

Brother Archibald - A werewolf member of the Blood Church.

Chapter 43

Malcolm - A waiter.

Superbia “Bia” Lovalde - Deceased; Mira’s twin. Her heart stays with her sister, very literally.

Jofrid Otakin - Bastard daughter of Ragna Grithdottir Otakin and half-sister of Fergus Marcusson Otakin. A somewhat intense lycan woman who has trouble communicating with others and has a somewhat obsessive desire to gain power in life, though she can at least keep that under wraps. Used to be a cute kid, but she wants more from life, and is interested in getting it from the Blood Church. Has almost certainly ripped a person’s throat out with her teeth before. Claims to be Fergus’s cousin to avoid awkward questions. Also really likes cute things, especially plushies.

Interlude 13

Alistair - King Fritz’s pygmy owl.

Eckhart - King Fritz’s valravn and secret bodyguard.

Pygmy Owls - Owls that are small.

Valravns - Mystical ravens said to be born on battlefields; carrion birds, they naturally eat corpses, and are said to gain power when they eat the hearts of strong warriors felled in battle. The most powerful of their kind are natural shapeshifters, even capable of taking the forms of fully armored humanoid knights when needed.

Interlude 14

King Richard Lucene the Second - The human king of Luceneva who really didn’t want his job and is very happy to complain/rant about that fact. Due to his elder sister, the original heir, abdicating and his younger brother running off to join a “Bug God cult”, he’s stuck with being king when he really didn’t want to be and is also very bitter about it. A natural philanderer, he tends to speak inappropriately, and has a number of children between his three wives. He had a fourth wife–technically his third–but she turned out to be a literal succubus and took her kids when she left him. Used to be a poet and doesn’t like his late mother.

Clarence - A halfling scribe who notes down what the king says as an official record, while also acting as one of his many assistants.

Martha - One of Julius’s more mundane students and the shopkeep for his smithing shop, The Gold Forge. A wingdrake who runs the front counter. Likes Sergio, and is liked back.

Oliver - One of Julius’s smithing apprentices, a male human. Dating Andrew.

Andrew - One of Julius’s smithing apprentice, a male half-elf, specifically of the city-elf variety. Is Maria’s half-brother, and is dating Oliver.

Catalina - Mentioned; Richard’s third wife who was actually a succubus manipulating him. Eventually ditched him for reasons unspecified. Definitely isn’t living in a swamp and handing out pamphlets touting the return of the Lust Lord to irritable arachnes.

Chapter 44

Ocean Titan Fathom - Mentioned; the Ancient Goddess of the Sea, who actually kicked off the wars between the Rakuli and the Ouza, and was the first Ancient sealed. The Drowning Death.

Interlude 15

Ouer - Archbishop of the Debt Church. A calm man who handles the important transactions within the church, and uses his own talents as a seer when needed.

Chapter 46

Sieda Yellowrock - The ninth Demon General to appear, technically, though she actually physically appears second in this chapter. A goblin artificer and architect from Korikalaba, Sieda has been a brilliant inventor from childhood and has only gotten better with more resources. Excitable and tends to think and speak rapidly, getting everything she needs out quick so she can get right back to her work, which often explodes. Star of the ninth bonus chapter.

Valon Valondrac - The tenth Demon General to appear, technically, though they actually physically appear first in this chapter. A mithril golem crafted by Claire for the specific task of being her tenth general, Valon is a naturally protective and well-read person with more than a few quirks that come from essentially being Claire’s kid. They like helping, they like books, and they don’t like clothes. Star of the tenth bonus chapter.

Bekah Beast-Roast - Head Chef of Castle Valondrac; came from the same tribe as Leok and grew up with her. Considers cooking her passion and prefers it to more martial pursuits.

Goblins - A cambionic race known for being naturally short and having pointed ears, goblinoids come in quite a few varieties due to being naturally adaptable to whatever environments they live in. As a result, their appearances can vary wildly depending on where they live, but their skin tends to be shades of green. The species is closely related to orcs, and the orcish word for goblin literally means “little cousin”.

Golems - Artificial beings constructed by mages out of stones and/or metals; most commonly found in the Sun Lands, they are primarily used as servants for their creators. Sapience among this race can vary, as some are simply automatons, while others are fully capable of thought. This has resulted in more than a few ethical debates about their creation and ownership.

Chapter 48

Eytelia - Autumn’s alraune wife, who is also a lot more even-tempered than her wife. Has blue petals. Despite her seemingly delicate upper body, she can snap a leopard’s neck with her bare hands.

Alraunes - A type of plantfolk often found in the deeper parts of jungles; deceptively beautiful, they have the upper half of a woman–commonly green-skinned and well-endowed in terms of breasts–and the lower half of an open flower, with roots extending into the soil below. As predatory, carnivorous plants, they act as a sort of earthbound sirens, luring in prey through sweet scents and lovely colors, before brutally killing them with their immensely strong upper bodies and dragging the prey in to eat.

Bacol - A guard who made the very ill-advised choice of trying to haze/beat up Julius. Though it wasn’t necessarily the worst choice, since Julius promptly adopted him afterward as a student. Though that still might’ve been a bad move since Julius is a serious taskmaster when he sees problems with someone’s training.

Chapter 49

Plague Larva - a larval plague demon that Rot spawns. Adopted by Claire as a pet.

Dream Titan Stygian - Mentioned; the Ancient Goddess of Dreams. Mother of Rot, Marrow, and Drought, along with some other gods. The Screaming Death.

Interlude 17

Cardinal Raphael - Third Guardian of Divica and Cardinal of Temperance; an Angel of Judgement empowered by Air. Commonly partnered up with either Michael or Uriel to rein in their siblings’ quirks/bad impulses, Raphael is generally the calmest and least serious of the bunch. They still fully believe in their cause, however, and are perfectly willing to kill for it, though they are more likely to flee than fight when given the option. Has green wings.

The Sky Lands - A possibly mythical set of islands that are said to float in the sky. The denizens of such lands are unknown, but stated to be unrelated to angels, and are somehow beyond the reach of known flying races. The question most who search for them fail to ask though is “why would the islands stay in one place?”.

Chapter 51

Charlotte Danilovna Rassvet - Another member of the former hero’s party; a friendly female goliath paladin from Tolimeka, a nation in the Frost Lands which houses the Temple of Cold. A nice and cheery person who’s a naturally protective person with a strong sense of justice. Doesn’t really like Namita after their first meeting, where the former bandit captured her. Is a very good hugger.

Chapter 52

Nia Fyodorovna Altukhov (Nee-ah Fee-oh-dorr-ohv-nah Ahl-too-kahv) - I did this pronunciation ahead of time and I’m just gonna keep it; a snow elf ambassador from the Frost Lands and Cleric of Cold.

Snow Elves - An elven race from the Frost Lands; closely related to Wood Elves, they also have antlers, though theirs tend to be black. Skin tones vary from earthy colors to icy shades.

Chapter 53

Horbril the Immortal - Mentioned; a Demon Lord who frequently faked his death and pretended to be his own descendants. Is probably dead now. Probably.

Cardinal Uriel - Fourth Guardian of Divica and Cardinal of Justice; an Angel of Judgement empowered by Earth. An angel with a strong sense of fairness who can be naive, but insightful. Tries their best, and tends to be good with people. The tallest and physically strongest of their siblings. Has fluffy yellow wings.

Chapter 54

Beratia Molgari - Current Queen of Sollamava; a casual and insightful woman with a strong sense of justice who really doesn’t like criminals and tricksters as a result. So she really doesn’t like Margrave, especially due to their past history. An avid wrestling fan, she is “rumored to still compete”–is blatantly competing–while donning a mask to hide her identity.

Mitrio Albanus Popola - Mentioned; the new Pontiff of Light, succeeding Vocula.

Interlude 24

Amitiel “Six-Wings” Goldenrose - a seraphim of Innominatum living in the mortal realms, and the mayor of the small border town of Surton. Because of her time living on Estus, she’s grown fonder of the mortal races and has started a family. As such, she has a plan in mind to get the gods to start learning about the mortals they watch over. Whether it will work out or not, well…

Gin Goldenrose - a mortal outworlder who married Amitiel. Was actually brought to Estus by Innominatum intentionally so they could be the god’s mortal champion. Gin is almost certainly not the first name they’ve gone by.

Nephi - a nephilim, the child of an angel and a mortal, born from Gin and Amitiel.

Amos Reacher - an elderly trader who lives in Surton. Trades over the border between Naloriva and Korikalaba.

Bonus Chapter 1

Perilla - Eytelia’s sister; another alraune.

Bonus Chapter 2

Rishak Folk-Bane - Former Chief of the Beast-Bane tribe, Leok’s predecessor and mentor; a high orc and kaprothrope, she once served in a Demon Lord’s army before settling down with the Beast-Bane tribe.

Rulak Hound-Bane - One of the elders of the Beast-Bane tribe, commonly referred to as “Gran”.

Tempest - Mentioned; the Ancient Goddess of Storms, also known as The Skybird. The Scouring Death.

Bonus Chapter 3

Elizabeth Maribelle Tealmarn - a blue and white-flecked arachne of the Starshire Coterie who studied alongside Hans. Arrogant, haughty, and short-tempered, she’s Hans’s best friend and an avid researcher of monsters and the arcane. Joined up with Demon Lord Fearon, but now runs her own Conservatory/Institutes in Ostrotoba, where she researches monsters, houses aberrants created by previous Demon Lords, and is frequently menaced by pamphlet-wielding succubi.

Ko - an Acedian who Hans form a contract with; is now his arm. Very lazy and prefers to sleep, and tends to play music to add ambience wherever Hans goes.

Hashid - A marid bishop of the Written Church.

Gideon Montgomery Opalcreek - A vampiric count and utter asshole who fancies himself a researcher into the demonic and is almost certainly up to shady shit; now an outlaw after Claire took power.

Labatu - a powerful plague demon and Rot’s youngest daughter, who’s the only one of her children that isn’t either dead or in some way disowned/exiled/sealed for doing shitty stuff.

Oglizu the Fourth - Deceased; a Demon Lord that died the same day Hans was born.

Cyril Corner - Mentioned; a hero of the Light Lands from 86 years ago.

Marwen and Dorothea Samore - Deceased; Hans’s parents.

Florent Linsal - Deceased; a friend of Ludo Samore who inspired Hans’s interest in learning. Attempted to make a flesh golem through murder and grave robbing at the behest of a noble backer; was captured, convicted, and executed by the Fevokin Clan of Olafiba.

Ludo Samore - Hans’s older brother; still runs the family pottery shop with his grandkids.

Kurt Samore - Deceased; Hans’s other older brother. Joined the Inrapaban Land Guard, was fairly corrupt, and wound up dying while drunk.

Fearon - Deceased; a short-run Demon Lord.

Orast - Deceased; a slightly more successful Demon Lord.

Auberich - Mentioned; an immensely powerful blood demon known as the Blood King and The Painbringer.

Marid - a type of djinn, a sunlander race.

Sirens - a mysterious race from the Dusk Lands known to have hypnotic voices; appear to be a mix of harpies and mermaids, with an upper body resembling a female humanoid with feathers instead of hair and wings instead of arms and a fish tail for a lower body.

Bonus Chapter 4

Einar Otakin - a male lycan; Fergus’s cousin who works as a trainer at Ota Keep.

Marcus Magnusson Otakin - Fergus and Astrid’s biological father and Jofrid’s somewhat adoptive father. A petty, petulant, and arrogant man, he married into the Otakin family and proceeded to fuck up running their territory by being jealous and insecure.

Maj - a female lycan; a guard at Ota Keep.

Astrid/Astrik Marcusbarn Otakin - Fergus’s sibling; a genderfluid/”two-souled” lycan monk of the Beast Church. Kind and friendly, but despises his father.

Ragna Grithdottir Otakin - Fergus’s mother and the domestic head of Clan Otakin. Calm and commanding, with little love for her husband following his years of being an asshole.

Grith Sophusson - Deceased; Fergus’s grandfather.

Lester, Chester, and Callahan - Mentioned; Fester’s brothers.

Bonus Chapter 5

Basilisks - Feathered, beaked serpents with eyes that can kill on sight. Basically have eyebeams.

The Peeler - the midboss of Bleakclaw; a creepy canine troll with vicious sickles and an immense bloodlust; gets immediately wrecked and eaten by Ariel.

Trolls - A type of bipedal monster, stronger than ogres; basic thing is that they tend to take on varying traits of other animals, with some looking simian (ape-like), porcine (pig-like), canine (dog-like), and even cervine (deer-like).

Uzia - Also known as sentries; floating, jellyfish-esque monsters with humanoid sensory organs along their sides.

The Stone Branch Colossus AKA Elliot/Bitch/Luca/Kymani/Jaren/Tyrosh/Noah/Zaeed - The guardian of Bleakclaw Mountain; defeated by Ariel and basically adopted as her older brother(s). A multi-headed monstrosity consisting of eight heads around a central, mountainous, turtle-like shell. Likes the hats Ariel makes him.

Peter - The Core of Bleakclaw Mountain, and Ariel’s parent.

Sir Ambrose - a vampiric noble who was dumb enough to wander into Bleakclaw Mountain.

Edmond Rowlatt - a young aranae who runs the Woodcourt lumberyard; has a crush on Ariel after she stepped on him.

Bartram Leicester-Rowlatt - the widower of Lady Abigail Leicester; a massive and elderly aranae who oversees much of the Woodcourt Coterie’s operations.

Abigail Leceister - Deceased; the previous head of the Woodcourt Coterie.

Bonus Chapter 6

Harvald Gylling - an arrogant lagothrope mayor who underpaid Seth’s band of bandits; gets his entire house stolen as a result.

Lothul Black-Blade - a former Demon General who worked for Orast and later works as a mercenary, then attempts to start himself up as a Demon Lord in Brunzaba; fails miserably.

“Kol” - a leviathan wandering drunk in the mountains of Brunzaba; betrayed her mother thousands of years ago. Hates herself, hates everyone else, and is very willing to take her anger out on a target presenting themself to her.

Arnulf Arnbjorn - a bugbear doctor who takes Seth in after his defeat and injury. Son of Arnold, grandson of Arnaught.

Vilde - the mayor-type person of the village Seth stays at.

Amato - Deceased; a male “human” bandit subordinate to Seth.

Axel - Deceased; a male icedrake bandit subordinate to Seth.

Britt - Deceased; a female ghoul bandit subordinate to Seth.

Lagothropes - Rabbitfolk/wererabbits.

Icedrakes - a race of drakes known for living in cold places; supposedly made a deal with ice demons to overcome their race’s natural weakness to cold, only to gain a natural weakness to heat.

Bugbears - a goblinoid race known for being furry and living in cold places.

Bonus Chapter 7

Nibi Yotsuya - Kiyoshi’s best friend; while Kiyoshi runs off to be a general, Yotsuya settles down to marry a cute orc and run a tea shop called Kisuya with her magic tea orb.

Sister Tortoise - One of the World Turtles that makes up the land of the Fifth Hell.

Xiangliu - Mother of Serpents; a vast, nine-headed demon snake with white scales, red eyes, and black hair. Named Orochi by Kiyoshi.

Xiezhi - Father of Lions; a massive demon lion with a mane like mountains, golden fur and brown scales, and a single golden horn atop his head. Named Kaichi by Kiyoshi.

Tiangou - Father of Wolves; a large, black wolf with eyes like the sun and moon. Named Okami by Kiyoshi, and names her Hachibi in turn, cursing her to only gain eight tails from her visit to the Hells.

Lum - Yotsuya’s orcish husband; met her on a visit with his drunken friends and wound up falling in love.

Tiger - Mentioned; a demon who joined the court of Lightning.

Bear - Mentioned; a demon who wandered to the Court of Cold.

Fox - Mentioned; the mother of kitsune, who left for the mortal realms.

Kyubi Natsumi - Mentioned; a nine-tailed kitsune and authority figure for most Skiritaban kitsunes.

Bonus Chapter 8

Argelia Ethelinde Bleaksky - Deceased; Jonathan’s vampiric mother. A kind and generous woman who was nonetheless quite savvy, she introduced Jonathan to the world of vampiric nobility and mentored him before her sudden death. While Percival ordered her death, Jonathan is convinced someone else did the deed, and still wants to know who it was...

Percival Horace Bleaksky - Deceased; Jonathan’s vampiric brother. Imperious and cold, he faked affection to his patron for years while resenting her and her “pity”. Began befriending traditionalist vampires in an attempt to appeal to the powerful and became a part of their clique, eventually prompting him to order his mother’s murder to become the head of the family. A gambler and man of vice, he was killed by Claire after he ensured her marriage to one of his business partners; despite Jonathan viciously stomping his head to a bloody pulp, both he and Claire agree that he isn’t a kinslayer because the prick was dead at Claire’s hands.

Madeleine Olivier Flayskin - An old friend of Argelia’s; a teasing and cheery vampire woman from a family with a brutal history. Occasionally makes jokes in poor taste, but is willing to apologize if she hits a nerve or steps over a line.

Benjamin Benedict Bonabranch - An asshole vampire count known for only accepting male children and being so focused on the ideal of blood purity that he finds “wives” to bear sons for him who he later turns into vampires. Any daughters are ignored at best, and wives who fail to produce are discarded. Is definitely involved in some shady shit.

Everett Blueford - Mentioned; a traditionalist vampiric count who can act charming on the surface, but is crass beneath it.

Declan Ambrose Moonsoul - a vampiric count and head of the Moonsoul Dynasty, a dynasty of vampires descended from Torva the Lunatic. Known to be eccentric, and has friends among both the traditionalists and the progressives of vampire society.

Infuria Taibi - A vampiric friend of Jonathan’s. Melodia’s sister.

Melodia Taibi - A vampiric friend of Jonathan’s. Infuria’s sister.

Anna Coldteeth - A vampiric friend of Jonathan’s.

Milo Latesun - A vampiric friend of Jonathan’s.

Catherine Redtear - The daughter and enforcer for Count Alastor Redtear

Reuben Blackmire - A vampiric count and head of the Blackmire Dynasty. Dapper once worked for him, and he’s regarded as an eerie man who tends to look at people as though they aren’t there.

The Lothurt Dynasty - a family of vampiric “bridesmakers”. In vampiric culture, those a vampire “turns” are regarded as their children; as such, it is regarded as outright disgusting to attempt to court someone of your own dynasty. The Lothurst’s offer a service in which they turn a vampire’s mortal fiancé into a vampire so they may marry them without issue.

Bonus Chapter 9

Tefta Yellowrock - Sieda’s mother. Supportive of her odd daughter. She wasn’t born in the tribe, instead marrying into it, and is regarded as a “city gob”.

Jordi - Sieda’s uncle.

Yela and Sej - two other members of the Yellowrock tribe.

Diya, Maj, and Kalz - the three communal chiefs of the Yellowrock tribe.

Juel Yellowrock - Sieda’s father. Was missing for a bit following the hobgoblin raiders on their tribe, but found his way home when Sieda made Bigtown bigger.

Eli Home-Builder - an elderly half-orc carpenter who became Sieda’s mentor. Former head of the Grayfield Builders’ Guild, which became the Gray-Rock Builders’ Guild following Sieda being utterly fantastic at her job.

Bonus Chapter 10

Quincy - One of the cores that makes up Castle Valondrac.

Marion Horthall - the brown and gold arachne president of the Flintbed Coterie; runs much of the mining operations in parts of Inrapaba and Olafiba.

Sjur Laurson Alikin - the lycan jarl of Fishtomb, one of the major ports of Olafiba.

Heiavon - Mentioned; a gorgon queen in Skiritaba.

Sthaldo - Mentioned; a gorgon queen in Skiritaba with a reputation for being devious.

Savina Glaise - A vampiric pirate noted for being a greedy glutton; captain of the Eclair.

Kyubi Fuyumi - Mentioned; a nine-tailed kitsune regarded as an authority figure by Brunzaban kitsunes. Is naturally more ice-inclined due to living in a snowy region.

Bonus Chapter 12

The South-Carvers - An unpleasant branch of the Carver Family.

The Flesh-Carvers - Another branch of the Carver family, though most people have taken to calling them the Fleshers.

Salter Flesher - Mentioned; Dapper’s “aunt”. Actually his father’s great aunt’s daughter; runs a well regarded butcher shop in Slaughter Bay.

Skipper Carver - Mentioned; Dapper’s father. Previously a fisherman, though not of the Fisher family.

Josephine Carver - Mentioned; Dapper’s mother. A human swamp witch known as a “thornback”.

Chopper Carver - Mentioned; Dapper’s older brother. Turned out to be a woodcutter instead of a butcher.

Ripper Carver - Mentioned; Dapper’s younger sister. A handywoman and bounty hunter.

Trapper Carver - Mentioned; Dapper’s youngest sister. A trapper by trade who lives by Lake Deepstone with her wife Clarissa, who is a leviathan.

Bonus Chapter 13

Bleak - Mentioned; the Ouzan Goddess of Time. A platinum ring promises a couple will be together throughout all of time. As for Bleak herself, she watches things, and no one truly follows her. She is a jealous god, and time is a harsh thing.