known as ‘The Eagle of Krondor’; leader of a military company
Culli – murdering mercenary
Dawar – mercenary in Nahoot’s company
de Loungville, Robert ‘Bobby’ – sergeant in Calis’s company
de Savona, Luis – prisoner; later member of Calis’s company
Durany – mercenary in Calis’s company
Ellia – elven woman saved by Miranda
Embrisa – girl from Village Weanat
Esterbrook, Jacob – merchant in Krondor
Fadawah, General – Supreme Commander of the Armies of the Emerald Queen
Finia – woman at Village Weanat
Foster, Charlie – guard corporal in Calis’s company
Freida – Erik’s mother
Galain – elf in Elvandar
Gapi – general in Emerald Queen’s army
Gert – old crone/charcoal burner met by Erik and Roo
Goodwin, Billy – prisoner; later member of Calis’s company
Greylock, Owen – Swordmaster of Baron of Darkmoor; later member of Calis’s company
Grindle, Helmut – merchant
Handy, Jerome – member of Calis’s company
Jarwa – Sha-shahan of the Seven Nations of the Saaur
Jatuk – son of Jarwa, heir and later Sha-shahan of the surviving Saaur
Kaba – Shieldbearer to Jarwa
Kelka – corporal in Nahoot’s company
Khali-shi – Novindus name for Death Goddess
Lalial – elf in Elvandar
Lender, Sebastian – Litigator and Solicitor at Barret’s Coffee House in Krondor
Lims-Kragma – Death Goddess
Macros the Black – legendary sorcerer; considered the greatest practitioner of magic ever known
Marsten – sailor on Trenchard’s Revenge
Mathilda – Baroness of Darkmoor
Milo – Innkeeper at Inn of the Pintail in Ravensburg
Miranda – mysterious friend to Calis
Monis – Jarwa’s Shieldbearer
Mugaar – horse trader in Novindus
Murtag – Saaur warrior
Nakor the Isalani – strange companion of Calis
Nathan – new smith at Inn of the Pintail in Ravensburg
Notombi – former Keshian Legionary, then prisoner; later member of Calis’s company
Pug – also known as Milamber; magician of great power; considered second only to Macros the Black in knowledge
Rian – one of Zila’s mercenaries
Rosalyn – Milo’s daughter
Ruthia – Goddess of Luck
Shati, Jadow – member of Calis’s company
Shila – Saaur home world
Sho Pi – Isalani, former Monk of Dala; later prisoner; later member of Calis’s company
Taber – tavern keeper in LaMut
Tarmil – villager at Weanat
Tomas – consort of Aglaranna, father of Calis; wearer of the Armor of Ashen-Shugar, last of the Dragon Lords
Tyndal – smith at Inn of the Pintail in Ravensburg
von Darkmoor, Erik – bastard son of the Baron von Darkmoor; later prisoner; later mercenary in Calis’s company
von Darkmoor, Manfred – youngest son of Otto; later Baron
von Darkmoor, Otto – Baron of Darkmoor; father of Erik, Stefan, and Manfred
von Darkmoor, Stefan – Otto’s eldest son
Zila – treacherous mercenary leader
Days, when the ball of our vision
Had eagles that flew unabashed to sun;
When the grasp on the bow was decision.
And arrow and hand and eye were one;
When the Pleasures, like waves to a swimmer,
Came heaving for rapture ahead! –
Invoke them, they dwindle, they glimmer
As lights over mounds of the dead.
– George Meredith
‘Ode to Youth in Memory’
The drums thundered.
Warriors of the Saaur sang their battle chants, preparing for the struggle to come. Tattered war banners hung limply from bloodied lances as thick smoke shrouded the sky from horizon to horizon. Green faces marked with yellow and red paint watched the western skies, where fires cast crimson and ocher light against the black shroud of smoke, blocking the vanishing sun and the familiar tapestry of the western evening stars.
Jarwa, Sha-shahan of the Seven Nations, Ruler of the Empire of Grass, Lord of the Nine Oceans, could not tear his gaze away from the destruction. All day he had watched the great fires burn, and even across the vast distance the howls of the victors and the cries of their victims had carried through the afternoon. Winds that once carried the sweet scent of flowers or the rich aroma of spices from the market now carried the acrid stench of charred wood and burned flesh. He knew without looking that those behind were bracing for the coming trial, resigned in their hearts that the battle was lost and the race would die.
‘My lord,’ said Kaba, his Shieldbearer and lifelong companion.
Jarwa turned to his oldest friend and saw the concern etched faintly around his eyes. Kaba was an unreadable mask to all but Jarwa; the Sha-shahan could read him as a shaman reads a lore scroll. ‘What is it?’
‘The