Beginning with Into the "Darkness," " Darkness Descending," and "Through the Darkness," bestselling author Harry Turtledove ("The master of alternative history"-"Publishers Weekly") has been telling an epic tale: the story of a world war, comparable to the terrible world wars of our own 20th century, in a world where magic works. Imagine the drama and terror of the Second World War-only the bullets are beams of magical fire, the tanks are great lumbering beasts, and fighters and bombers are dragons raining fire upon their targets. Welcome to the world of the Derlavaian War, a world that is slowly but surely being conquered, mile by bloody mile, by the forces of the Algarvian empire . . . forces whose most terrible battle magics are powered by the slaughter of innocent people, the Kaunians, whom Algarve-like much of the world-holds in disdain. In this, the fourth volume of the series which began with "Into the Darkness, " the war for the continent of Derlavai builds toward its crescendo as the mages of Kuusamo, aided by their former rivals from Lagoas, work desperately to create a newer form of magic that will change the course of the war. But this is really a story of ordinary people-on all sides of the conflict-forced by fate to rise to their heroic limits... or sink to the level of their darker natures.
(* shows viewpoint character)
Almonio - Constable in Gromheort
Ambaldo - Colonel of dragonfliers in southern Unkerlant
Baiardo - Mage attached to Plegmund's Brigade
Balastro - Marquis; minister to Zuwayza
Bembo* - Constable in Gromheort
Carietto - Brigadier in Trapani
Domiziano - Captain of dragonfliers in southern Unkerlant
Ercole - Senior lieutenant with Plegmund's Brigade
Fronesia - Woman at court in Trapani
Frontino - Warder in Tricarico
Gastable - Mage in Gromheort
Gismonda - Sabrino's wife in Trapani
Gradasso - Lurcanio's adjutant in Priekule
Lurcanio - Colonel on occupation duty in Priekule
Mainardo - Mezentio's brother; King of Jelgava
Malindo - Scholar in Trapani
Mezentio - King of Algarve
Oraste - Constable in Gromheort
Orosio - Captain of dragonfliers in southern Unkerlant
Pesaro - Constabulary sergeant in Gromheort
Raniero - Mezentio's cousin; King of Grelz
Sabrino* - Colonel of dragonfliers in southern Unkerlant
Saffa - Sketch artist in Tricarico
Solino - General in Durrwangen
Spinello* - Major on leave in Trapani for wound
Turpino - Captain in Wriezen
Zerbino - Captain in Plegmund's Brigade
Baldred - Slogan writer in Eoforwic
Brivibas - Kaunian in Gromheort; Vanai's grandfather
Brorda - Count of Gromheort
Ceorl - Soldier in Plegmund's Brigade near Hohenroda
Daukantis - Kaunian in Gromheort; Doldasai's father
Doldasai - Kaunian courtesan in Gromheort
Ealstan* - Bookkeeper in Eoforwic; Vanai's husband
Ethelhelm - Half Kaunian band leader in Eoforwic
Feliksai - Kaunian in Gromheort; Doldasai's mother
Gippias - Kaunian robber in Gromheort
Hengist - Sidroc's father; Hestan's brother; in Gromheort
Hestan - Bookkeeper in Gromheort; Ealstan's father
Leofsig - Ealstan's deceased brother
Nemunas - Kaunian refugee leader in Zuwayza
Penda - King of Forthweg
Pernavai - Kaunian in Valmiera; Vatsyunas' wife
Pybba - Pottery magnate in Eoforwic
Sidroc* - Soldier in Plegmund's Brigade near Hohenroda
Vanai* - Kaunian in Eoforwic; Ealstan's wife
Vatsyunas - Kaunian in Valmiera; Pernavai's husband
Vitols - Kaunian refugee leader in Zuwayza
Werferth - Sergeant in Plegmund's Brigade near Hohenroda
Yadwigai - Kaunian girl with Algarvian army in Unkerlant
Arpad - Ekrekek (King) of Gyongyos
Borsos - Major; mage in western Unkerlant
Frigyes - Captain in western Unkerlant
Hevesi - Soldier in western Unkerlant
Horthy - Gyongyosian minister to Zuwayza
Istvan* - Sergeant in western Unkerlant
Kun - Corporal in western Unkerlant; minor mage
Lajos - Soldier in western Unkerlant
Szonyi - Soldier in western Unkerlant
Tivadar - Captain in western Unkerlant
Ausra - Talsu's sister in Skrunda
Donalitu - King of Jelgava; now in exile
Gailisa - Talsu's wife, living in Skrunda
Kugu - Silversmith in Skrunda
Laitsina - Talsu's mother in Skrunda
Stikliu - Friend of Talsu's in Skrunda
Talsu* - Prisoner from Skrunda
Traku - Talsu's father; tailor in Skrunda
Zverinu - Banker in Skrunda
Alkio - Theoretical sorcerer; married to Raahe
Elimaki - Pekka's sister
Ilmarinen - Master mage in the Naantali district
Juhainen - One of the Seven Princes of Kuusamo
Leino - Mage; Pekka's husband
Linna - Serving woman in the Naantali district
Olavin - Banker; Elimaki's husband
Parainen - One of the Seven Princes of Kuusamo
Pekka* - Mage in the Naantali district; Leino's wife
Piilis - Theoretical sorcerer
Raahe - Theoretical sorcerer; married to Alkio
Renavall - One of the Seven Princes of Kuusamo
Siuntio - Master mage in the Naantali district
Uto - Pekka and Leino's son
Vihti - Sorcerer in Naantali district
Brinco - Grandmaster Pinhiero's secretary in Setubal
Fernao* - Mage on duty in Kuusamo
Janira - Cornelu's lady friend in Setubal
Pinhiero - Grandmaster of Lagoan Guild of Mages
Vitor - King of Lagoas
Ahinadab - King of Ortah
Hadadezer - Ortaho minister to Zuwayza
Balio - Fisherman running eatery in Setubal; Janira's father
Brindza - Cornelu's daughter in Tirgoviste town
Burebistu - King of Sibiu
Cornelu* - Commander; leviathan-rider in Setubal
Costache - Cornelu's wife in Tirgoviste town
Addanz - Archmage of Unkerlant
Ascovind - Collaborator in Duchy of Grelz
Gandiluz - Soldier contacting irregulars in Grelz
Garivald* - Irregular fighter west of Herborn
Gundioc - Captain in southern Unkerlant
Gurmun - General of behemoths at Durrwangen bulge
Kiun - Soldier in Leudast's company
Kyot - Swemmel's deceased twin brother
Leudast* - Sergeant in Sulingen
Merovec - Major; Marshal Rathar's adjutant
Munderic - Irregular leader west of Herborn
Obilot - Irregular fighter west of Herborn
Rathar* - Marshal of Unkerlant traveling to Cottbus
Razalic - Irregular in forest west of Herborn
Recared - Lieutenant in Sulingen
Sadoc - Irregular fighter west of Herborn; would-be mage
Swemmel - King of Unkerlant
Tantris - Soldier contacting irregulars in Grelz
Vatran - General in southern Unkerlant
Werbel - Soldier in Sulingen
Ysolt - Cook in Durrwangen
Amatu - Noble returned from Valmiera
