Abdul-bari, Aban Akram - Male Sultan. Financed the education of Feyyed after his father was killed while in his service.

Ahmad, Sayid Amir - Male. A dockworker in Porto Spacia in Vodacce, he is thought to be in the trusted employ of the Scarred Man.

al Ansari, Cey'r - Male Scholar. Wrote a treatise on antidotes to many toxins in 1270 AV. Historical

al'Agizlik, Farat - Male Rahib. High Priest of the Empire formerly of the Yilan-bazlik. Has repealled many of the harsh laws of his predecessor and in doing become popular with the people.

al'Bahri, Omar - Wealthy patron of Sey'r Celik, who he adopted into his household.

al'Bahri, Sey'r Celik - Male. Born Celik ibn Ibrahim al'Khayyami of the Dakalan islands. Chief poet to the Sultan and author of the well-known 'Contemplations by a Fountain'. Having studied at both Basra and Iskandar, he is also an excellent mathematician.

Alexius - Male Noble. Former ruler of Trebizond when it was a tributary state of the Empire. Undermined by the Grand Vizier and forced to fully amalgamate into the Empire. Historical

al'Kadeem, Ebedi Yilan - Leader and deity figure of the secretive Qatihl'i cult of assassins. Thought to never leave his stronghold on Mount Ozayrat.

al'Kalem, Hadir Yilan - Male. Also known as 'Kalem the Believer'. A fanatical follower of the patika and an outspoken supporter and advisor to Kheired-din and his Corsairs.

al'Marikk, Kursis - Male. Skilled fighter using a technique named after his father involving two curved daggers called 'katars'. Thought to be currently in Theah.

al'Marikk, Yakub - Male. Creator of the Marikk fighting style after seeing Cathayan acrobats in Erivan. Intended to defer leadership of the Atlar-vahir to his son Kursis, who was thought killed in an unexplained raid.

al'Ramar, Tuqo - Male Rahib. Former High Priest of the Empire. An extremely strict follower of patika responcible for a large number of harsh laws. Died after a lengthy illness. Historical

al'Tazir, Bayazed - Male Noble. Son of Murakhan. Nicknamed 'Yildrim' or "lightning", a competant general who led the Empire forces against rebel factions at the Battle of Razgrad in 1389. Becoming Sultan on his fathers death at the battle, he wasted away from a strange illness during his rule. Historical

al'Tazir, Murakhan - Male Sultan. Kurta-kir general who became the first Sultan or supreme ruler of the Crescent Empire in 1360 after the annual meeting in Edirne. Historical

Bahadar, Atagun - Male Khan. Current chieftain of the Atlar-vahir tribe. A traditionalist, he is very opposed to the opening of contact with the West.

Belika, Bayana Rozelana - Female. Born of mixed Crescent-Vodacce parentage and then sold into slavery in Iskandar by her mother. Eventually ended up in the Sultan's harem before becoming the second-wife of the general of the Empire's armies. Promoted on the death of his first-wife, she is respected for her extensive knowledge of plants.

Blackwell, John - Male Avalon. Current Lord Mayor of the colony of New Fenshire on the island of Kanuba.

Chao, Li Ching - Female Noble. Married to Lord Chao Ming Cheng. A profilic writer of the tenth century, some of her works are known in Theah through trade with Breslau in Ussura. Historical

Cihangir, Timur Aslan - Male Noble. Current Sultan crowned in 1663 AV. Fostered to the Kurta'kir tribe in his youth. A well-educated man who was born under the auspicious sign of the presence of a wolf cub. Has stated the need for the Empire to modernise and relate to the Western nations for its future surival.

D'Abime, Marc-Ange - Male. The so-called "Comte of My'ar'pa", viewed by the islanders as a god although how he came to the island is unknown.

de Avila, Pedro - Male Castillian. Former Governor of Marcina. Removed from office by King Sandoval after news of his corruption reached the crown, he has not accepted defeat well and continually plots against his replacement.

de Gallegos, Pablo Guzman - Male Castillian. Knight Inquisitor and recent arrival at Marcina, the "Black Bishop" seeks to convert the local Erego and opposes governor Suarez whenever he can.

Denar - Male Kanuba. Terek ( tribal leader ) of the Taru tribe of the Kanu. An imposing figure, he relies heavily on Oraka to assert his position.

Dore, Victor - Male Montaigne. Captain of the last remaining naval vessel patrolling L'Il du Bête, a task he has carried out for the last seven years.

du Huet, Martin - Male Montaigne. Last Master of the Hunt on L'Il du Bête. With the island now in ruins and overrun by dangerous creatures, there remain rumours that he still lives somewhere on the island.

Durkan - Male. Great warrior and founder of the Kurta-kir tribe. Initially a mercenary for the Jadur-rihad tribe. Historical

el Mumtaz, Feyyed al-Mutarjim - Male. Swordmaster whose father and wife were killed by religious fanatics. Stranded in Sousdal, he converted to the Orthodox faith and now wanders Theah delivering a form of divine justice.

Elena - Female Kanuban. Current Terechai ( first chief ) of the Kanu.

Elenya - Female. Daughter of the Caliph who was given in marriage to prince Stefan Duchanov of Somojez in 1349 AV. Kidnapped on route, the marriage did not take place but a treaty was formed and she later marries a cousin to the late prince and takes the throne of the small state. Historical

Erego du Suarez, Maria Simone - Female Erego. Govenor of the Castillian colony of Marcina. Appointed after the forced retirement of Pedro de Avila, she had taken news of the governors corruption to the Castillian court itself.

Ha'atim, Tamir ben - Male Noble. Kindly middle-aged tukar ( merchant ) with a large and well-educated harem.

Harun, Yusuf Yacob - Male. Grand Vizier to Murakhan. Created the tax-system of the Empire to fund the Sultanate and large-scale projects. Historical

Hasna - Female Noble. Ilka-Kadin or "first wife" of the current Sultan. Trained as a courtier from birth after a study of her horoscope by the tribal elders.

Husnuh, Salih - Male Merchant. Successful kervaner whose family has allied with the Bernoulli for several generations.

Jildaki, Cey'Ceyrr Aydamir - Male Scholar. Famous alchemist who died suddenly in 1342 AV. Historical

Kazi - Male Kanuban. This imposing bald man was rescued off a primitve raft found drifting of the shores of Castille. He is the first Kanuban native to be seen and indeed venture to Theah.

Khalid - Male Scholar. Alchemist who Rosencruez is said to have met during his journeys in the Cresent lands. Historical

Kheired-din - Male Pirate. The scourge of the sourthen seas, his corsairs have terrorised shipping and coastal towns all along the Vodacce seas. A devout follower of the faith of the Prophets, he sees himself as a direct implement of the will of Theus.

Lehena, Khorovo bin - Male. Double-blooded sorceror possessing both pyeryem and duman'kir. Founded a small kingdom just south of the Trade River three hundred years ago. Thought to be the cause of a number of legends of the rakshasa, tiger-like shapeshifters. Historical

Mahamat II - Male Sultan. A brilliant general and amitious civil planner of the fourteenth century, under his rule the city of Iskandar was rebuilt and became the true capital of the Empire. Historical

Markov, Cecile - Female Ussuran. Daughter of Dr Feodor. Died shortly after they landed on the island of the Red God, although the exact cause of death is not recorded.

Markov, Feodor - Male Ussuran. Medical doctor who left a position at Dionna University and took a ship to the Archipelago to presumably continue his research into the nature of humanity.

Muradim - Noble family selected in 1574 AV by the Meklis Kabal'e to form the new Sultanate after the end of the Seliman line. Under their rule the Royal Palace at Iskander is built and civilisation flourishes.

Noura, Jazhani binte - Female. Courtesan in the harem of Tamir ben Ha'atim. Born of the Ruzgar'hala and sent to the noble tukar as tribute.

Oraka - Female Kanuba. Probably the most powerful opahkung currently living, she lost to Elena to become Terechai and has been a vocal opponent of her rule ever since.

Saliha, Bayana Meryam bint - Female. Favoured daughter of a noble, discovered to have an exceptional intellect at a young age. Lost husband to a plague, she now lives in quarters at the Alexia University where she is leader of a division and may rise to become the first female steward.

Seliman, Mehmet ben - Male Noble. Son of the Ruzgar'hala chieftain who married the Sultan's eldest daughter in 1444 AV and was named heir over the Sultan own son. Began a new and very powerful dynastic line. Historical

Serefina - Female. Daughter of the Atlar-vahir chieftain and the first person to experience the khel-kalb bond with her horse when they were both placed in danger. Later become chieftain and developed their tribes affinity with horses further. Historical

Sha'ban, Muhtadi - Male. Notorious corsair in the service of Kheired-din. Operating near Sousdal, he was eventually killed by Feyyed. Historical

Sina, Cey'r Abdallah ibn - Male Scholar. Known as "Avicenna" in the west, one of the foremost scholars of the eleventh century who wrote a number of treatise on medicine. Historical

Stausser, Greta - Female Eisen. Ship captain and former Swamp Dog who is the closest thing to a leader of the colony of Vogeldorf on the island of Kanuba.

Taahli - Male. Young warrior who founded the Jadur-rihad tribe. Myth states that he married an exiled Cathayan princess who travelled to the Crescent lands in the form of a dragon. Historical

Valouse, Richard - Male Montaigne. Vatacine missionary who travelled to Sange Tara to convert the local populace. No word of his mission has reached the mother church for some time.

Yue, Cheung Yang - Male. Cathayan ambassador to the Crescent Empire.

Zariama - Female Kanuban. Queen who in the late sixteenth century united the island of Kanuba under her rule. Built roads to establish trade and exported goods such as coffee to the Montaigne and Avalon traders. Historical

Zuleiman - Male. Renowned architect known for amongst other thigns for the planning of the new capital of Iskandar for Sultan Mahamat II. Historical