Aline: A young girl of Rijou, daughter of Lady Tiarren
Bal Armidor: A traveling storyteller, rumoured to be one of the Bardatti.
Beatta: A young girl of Chevor in the Duchy of Baern.
Bellow: A Greatcoat.
Boxer: A young hoodlum of Rijou.
Brasti Goodbow, the King’s Arrow: A Greatcoat. Also, a poacher, a drunkard, and, on at least one occasion, a thief.
Cairn: A young man of Rijou and a member of the so-called ‘New Greatcoats’.
Cole: A man of Rijou and a member of the so-called ‘New Greatcoats’.
Dara, the King’s Fury: A Greatcoat.
the Khunds: An Eastern tribe.
Barret: One of the lesser noble families of Rijou.
Calabrian, Irobel: A nobleman of Rijou.
Caeolo the Mystery: A man rumoured to be a mage from an older time and councillor to King Ugrid.
Cunien from Orison: A Greatcoat turned brigand and one of the original twelve Cantors.
Dergot: Dead son of King Greggor & Queen Yesa; King Paelis’ half-brother.
Ethalia, of the Order of Merciful Light: A woman of Rijou.
Etricia: A woman of Rijou and a member of the so-called ‘New Greatcoats’.
Falcio val Mond, First Cantor of the Greatcoats, the King’s Heart: A man of Pertine.
Fost: An axe-wielding mercenary.
Feltock, Captain (once General): A former soldier in the Ducal Armies, now a caravan captain.
Greggor, King: Deceased King of Tristia, father to Paelis.
Hajan: A monk of Gazia
Heimrin: The King’s Armourer.
Holm, Duke: Former Duke of Luth, now deceased.
Humber, Richel: A nobleman of Rijou.
Isault, Duke of Aramor.
Jakin: A Greatcoat.
Jillard, Andreas, Duke of Rijou: A Duke who brought the tradition of the Blood Week to his Duchy.
Kest, the King’s Sword: A man of Luth and a Greatcoat.
Kreff: A caravan guard.
Kurg: A caravan guard.
Laetha: An apothecary of Rijou, supposed daughter-in-law of Aline’s nursemaid, Mattea.
Laffariste, Lady: A confidante of King Paelis.
Lorenzo: A swordsman of Rijou, leader of the so-called ‘New Greatcoats’.
Lynniac, Captain: A Knight of Aramor.
Mixer: A sharpney dog. Also sometime bodyguard to Venger.
Morn: A Greatcoat.
Mott: A man of Rijou, one of the so-called ‘New Greatcoats’.
Murrow: A swordmaker of Luth, father to Kest.
Nile, the King’s Arm: A Greatcoat.
Old Tobb: a Greatcoat.
Oldeth, Mallia: A noblewoman of Rijou.
Paelis, King: Now-deceased King of Tristia.
Parrick: AGreatcoat.
Patriana, Duchess of Hervor: Ruler of Hervor and the instigator of the removal of King Paelis.
Perault, Duke of Orison.
Pimar: Valet to King Paelis.
Quillata: a Greatcoat and one of the original twelve Cantors.
Radger: An apothecary and supposed son of Mattea.
Ran: A Greatcoat.
Shana: A Greatcoat.
Shiballe: Chief councillor to the Duke of Rijou.
Sulless: A woman of Rijou and one of the so-called ‘New Greatcoats’.
Yerren: A minor noble family of Rijou.
Quistellios: A minor noble family of Rijou.
Tailor, the (also known as Mattea): A woman of Tristia, councillor to the King and creator of the coats worn by the Greatcoats.
Tiarren, Lady: A noblewoman of Rijou and the mother of Aline.
Tommer: A boy of Rijou and son of Duke Jillard.
Tremondi, Lord: One of the Lords Caravaner.
Trin: A young woman of Hervor and maidservant to Valiana.
Ugh: A torturer in the dungeons of Rijou.
Ugrid, King: A once King of Tristia.
Valiana: A woman of Hervor.
Venger: young leader of a gang of hoodlums in Rijou.
Winnow: A Greatcoat.
Yesa, Queen: Second wife to King Greggor
Yered, Duke of Pertine: Now deceased.
Zierry: A noble family of Rijou.
Les vieux maîtres de sort aiment raconter que la magie a un goût. Les sorts de braise ressemblent à une épice qui vous brûle le bout de la langue. La magie du souf e est subtile, presque rafraîchissante, un peu comme si vous teniez une feuille de menthe entre vos lèvres. Le sable, la soie, le sang, le fer… cha- cune de ces magies a son parfum. Un véritable adepte, autre- ment dit un mage capable de jeter un sort même à l’extérieur d’une oasis, les connaît tous.
'I totally saw this coming,’ Reichis growled, leaping onto my shoulder as lightning scorched the sand barely ten feet from us. The squirrel cat’s claws pierced my sweat-soaked shirt and dug into my skin.
The way of the Argosi is the way of water. Water never seeks to block another’s path, nor does it permit impediments to its own. It moves freely, slipping past those who would capture it, taking nothing that belongs to others. To forget this is to stray from the path, for despite the rumours one sometimes hears, an Argosi never, ever steals.