Major Characters
Contains spoilersOverview
The narrative pauses for a dramatis personae, listing major figures across the Academy, the Telimus family, Letens, Suus, and the Anguis.
It clarifies relationships, roles, and affiliations—such as Vis/Diago’s identities and Ulciscor’s family ties—providing orientation and context without adding new plot developments.
Summary
This chapter functions as a dramatis personae, enumerating important characters and their roles. It outlines the Academy’s structure by naming students across classes—particularly Vis’s Class Four peers—and identifying Praeceptors responsible for each class: Scitus (Class Four), Nequias (Class Three), Taedia (Class Five), and Ferrea (Class Seven). Administrative and military figures connected to the Academy are listed, including Veridius Julii as Principalis, Exesius as Princeps of Military, and Ulnias Filo as Academy physician. Numerous students are cataloged by class, from Class Three figures like Belli Volenis and Indol Quiscil to Class Seven students such as Callidus Ericius and Drusus Corani, alongside physicians like Gaius Valerius.
Family and political connections are clarified. The Telimus family is detailed: Ulciscor Telimus (senator who brought Vis to the Academy), his brother Caeror (killed in a past Iudicium), their father Lerius, and Ulciscor’s wife Relucia. Villa Telimus’s staff appear, including Kadmos (Dispensator) and Lanistia Scipio (tutor aiding investigations into Caeror’s death). Governance figures such as Advenius Claudius and his daughter Aequa are listed, as are Magnus Dimidius Quiscil and his son Indol, and regional leaders like Manius, the Proconsul of Tensia.
The chapter also catalogs figures tied to Letens and its underworld. Hrolf, the Septimus in charge of Letens Prison, is named alongside Nateo, a Sapper-bound prisoner. Ulciscor’s alias “Hospius” at the prison is noted. The Letens Theatre’s network appears through Ellanher (who runs the fights), Idonia (described as her cousin), and Gaufrid (bookkeeper for bets). The orphanage background is represented by Atrox, the Matron, and children Brixia and Vermes, with “Solum” defined as the term for all orphans in the Hierarchy. Menendo, owner of a harbourside tavern in Suus, anchors the broader social setting.
Finally, the dramatis personae situates Vis within his royal origins and larger conflicts: Vis’s birth name, Diago, is noted, as is the alupi pup sharing that name. His family includes King Cristoval of Suus, older sister Ysabel, and younger sister Carinza (Cari). Anguis ties are highlighted through Estevan (Melior), their leader and former royal advisor and tutor to Vis; Fadrique, now steward of Suus; and Sedotia, the codename of the Anguis agent behind the Transvect attack. Additional classmates across classes, teachers, and medical personnel round out a reference that consolidates relationships and past events (like the naumachia and the Iudicium), preparing the reader for subsequent chapters.
Who Appears
- Advenius Claudius
Governance senator; father of Aequa; noted visiting Vis at Villa Telimus.
- Aequa Claudius
Academy Class Four student; daughter of Advenius; attended the naumachia with Vis.
- Ascenia
Septimus overseeing the Academy stables; identified as responsible for the horses.
- Atrox, Matron
Matron of the Letens orphanage; caretaker figure in Vis’s background.
- Atticus
Academy Class Four student listed among Vis’s peers.
- Auctia
Sextus; Dispensator of the Quiscil household, managing its operations.
- Ava
Academy Class Four student named among Vis’s cohort.
- Axien
Academy Class Four student named among Vis’s cohort.
- Belli Volenis
Class Three student; excels at Foundation and running the Labyrinth.
- Brixia
Child from the Letens orphanage; part of Vis’s early world.
- Caeror Telimus
Ulciscor’s brother; killed during an Academy Iudicium years earlier.
- Callidus Ericius
Class Seven student at the Academy; listed among seniors.
- Carinza (Cari)
Vis’s younger sister; princess of Suus.
- Cassia
Academy Class Four student among Vis’s cohort.
- Cristoval, King
Vis’s father; king of Suus, anchoring Vis’s royal origins.
- Diago
Vis’s birth name; also the alupi pup he saves on Solivagus.
- Drusus Corani
Academy Class Seven student named among seniors.
- Dultatis, Praeceptor
Praeceptor overseeing Class Six at the Academy.
- Eidhin Breac
Academy Class Six student listed among upper classes.
- Ellanher
Supervisor of fights at the Letens Theatre.
- Emissa Corenius
Academy Class Three student; named among juniors.
- Estevan (Melior)
Leader of the Anguis; former royal advisor and tutor to Vis.
- Exesius, Princeps
Princeps of Military; senior figure within the Hierarchy.
- Fadrique
Former royal advisor; now steward of Suus under the Hierarchy.
- Felix
Academy Class Four student listed among Vis’s peers.
- Feriun
Academy Class Four student among Vis’s cohort.
- Ferrea, Praeceptor
Praeceptor overseeing Class Seven at the Academy.
- Gaius Valerius
Physician who tested Vis’s blood after the naumachia.
- Gaufrid
Bookkeeper for bets at the Letens Theatre fights.
- Hospius
Alias used by Ulciscor at Letens Prison.
- Hrolf
Septimus running Letens Prison; under whom Vis is employed.
- Ianix
Academy Class Six student among upper classes.
- Idonia
Ellanher's cousin at the Letens Theatre.
- Indol Quiscil
Academy Class Three student; son of Magnus Dimidius Quiscil.
- Iro Decimus
Academy Class Three student; sister killed in the naumachia attack.
- Kadmos
Dispensator managing Villa Telimus; former head of the Azriat in Sytrece.
- Lanistia Scipio
Tutor to Vis at Villa Telimus; helps investigate Caeror’s death.
- Lerius Telimus
Father of Ulciscor and Caeror.
- Lucius
Academy Class Four student among peers.
- Manius, Proconsul
Proconsul; Catenan in charge of the Tensian province.
- Marcellus
Academy Class Four student in Vis’s cohort.
- Marcus Carcius
Assistant to Veridius at the Academy.
- Menendo
Owner of the harbourside tavern in Suus.
- Nateo
Sapper-bound prisoner in Letens Prison.
- Nequias, Praeceptor
Praeceptor overseeing Class Three at the Academy.
- Prav
Academy Class Three student among juniors.
- Quiscil, Magnus Dimidius
Magnus Dimidius; father of Indol; senior Military figure.
- Relucia Telimus
Ulciscor’s wife, within the Telimus family.
- Scitus, Praeceptor
Praeceptor overseeing Class Four at the Academy.
- Sedotia
Name used by the Anguis agent who arranged the Transvect attack.
- Sianus
Academy Class Three student among juniors.
- Solum
Term for all orphans under the Hierarchy.
- Taedia, Praeceptor
Praeceptor overseeing Class Five at the Academy.
- Tem
Academy Class Four student among peers.
- Titus
Academy Class Four student among peers.
- Ulciscor Telimus
Senator who met Vis at Letens and offered Academy admission.
- Ulnias Filo
Academy physician; cares for students in the infirmary.
- Valentina
Academy Class Four student among peers.
- Veridius Julii
Principalis; in charge of the Academy.
- Vermes
Child from the Letens orphanage.
- Vis
Alias adopted by Diago; central protagonist.
- Ysabel
Vis’s older sister; princess of Suus.