Beck — a young farmer craving glory on the battlefield, the son of Shama Heartless.

Reft, Colving, Stodder and Brait — other young lads pressed into service with Beck.

Glama Golden’s Men

Glama Golden — one of Dow’s five War Chiefs, intolerably vain, locked in a feud with Cairm Ironhead.

Sutt Brittle — a famously greedy Named Man. Lightsleep — a Carl in Golden’s employ.

Cairm Ironhead’s Men

Cairm Ironhead — one of Dow’s five War Chiefs, notoriously stubborn, locked in a feud with Glama Golden.

Curly — a stout-hearted scout.

Irig — an ill-tempered axeman.

Temper — a foul-mouthed bowman.

Others

Brodd Tenways — the most loyal of Dow’s five War Chiefs, ugly as incest. Stranger-Come-Knocking — a giant savage obsessed with civilisation, Chief of all the lands east of the Crinna.

Back to the Mud (dead, thought dead, or long dead)

Bethod — the first King of the Northmen, father to Scale and Calder.

Skarling Hoodless — a legendary hero who once united the North against the Union.

The Bloody-Nine — once Bethod’s champion, the most feared man in the North, and briefly King of the Northmen before being killed by Black Dow (supposedly).

Rudd Threetrees — a famously honourable Chief of Uffrith, who fought against Bethod and was beaten in a duel by the Bloody-Nine.

Forley the Weakest — a notoriously weak fighter, companion to Black Dow and the Dogman, ordered killed by Calder.

Shama Heartless — a famous champion killed by the Bloody-Nine. Beck’s father.