Lord Marshal Kroy — commander-in-chief of his Majesty’s armies in the North.

Colonel Felnigg — his chief of staff, a remarkably chinless man.

Colonel Bremer dan Gorst — royal observer of the Northern War and disgraced master swordsman, formerly the king’s First Guard.

Rurgen and Younger — his faithful servants, one old, one … younger.

Bayaz, the First of the Magi — a bald wizard supposedly hundreds of years old and an influential representative of the Closed Council, the king’s closest advisors.

Yoru Sulfur — his butler, bodyguard and chief bookkeeper.

Denka and Saurizin — two old Adepti of the University of Adua, academics conducting an experiment for Bayaz.

General Jalenhorm — an old friend of the king, fantastically young for his position, described as brave yet prone to blunders.

Retter — his thirteen-year-old bugler.

Colonel Vallimir — ambitious commanding officer of the King’s Own First Regiment.

First Sergeant Forest — chief non-commissioned officer with the staff of the First.

Corporal Tunny — long-serving profiteer, and standard-bearer of the First.

Troopers Yolk, Klige, Worth, and Lederlingen — clueless recruits attached to Tunny as messengers.

Colonel Wetterlant — punctilious commanding officer of the Sixth Regiment.

Major Culfer — his panicky second in command.

Sergeant Gaunt, Private Rose — soldiers with the Sixth.