Tattooed Woman: Dramatis Personae

Garok-Kral: A Dwarven Centurion and the commander of a Company of Dwarven infantry. He stands four foot six tall with shoulders almost as wide. Wearing heavy Dwarven mail, with axe and shield in hand he is an armoured hardcase and a thoroughly deadly foe.

Garrow: A Half-Orc sellsword condemned to death as an arena-slave for murder. She appears to be a formidable fighter and has been offered a reprieve by accepting a role as bodyguard to lady Hildegard.

Grakos: Another bad tempered Dwarven adventurer.

Gorsini (Captain Gorsini): A human and one-time Captain of his own Company. He fell foul of the Scarlet Order when they tried to murder a Half-Elf member of his Company. His response was typically violent and as a result he was obliged to flee to The Fae along with the Skald, Magda Bor and the Half-Elf Dana of Elatha Duinn. They were later captured by Dark Elves. Being known as a skilled swordsman and a cunning Captain he has accepted indenture with Ashunara to fight for her Company in exchange for his freedom. He is a short and stocky, red-haired man who favours the longsword. Currently he is involved in a relationship with Magda Bor.

Guage (Master Gauge): Master at Arms for House Varro. He is a Half-Orc and highly skilled in many forms of combat and weaponry. As well as being a formidable enforcer and seneschal he trains the footmen and guards at House Varro and deals with matters of discipline.

Guile: A Dragon.

Hildegard (Sister Hildegard): A one-time prostitute she joined a religious order to avoid starvation and eventual burning at the hands of the Crimson Order. Ending up in a remote monastery on the edge of The Fae where her small order took in half-blood foundlings. The order was destroyed by a necromonger (some form of necromantic Lich) who began stealing the life-force of the foundlings. She offered herself to Ashunara as a slave in exchange for the Captain saving the children. Impressed by the woman's courage the Dark Elf accepted. They have since become... close. Hildegard was offered her freedom but instead accepted indenture in the House of Varro as the handmaiden of Matriarch Aventine.

Iris: A serving girl working at The Raven's Nest. Something of a drinker she ostensibly belongs to Narissa, but it's been revealed that she's been offered her freedom more than once and always makes excuses not to go. It's also revealed that she and Narissa had a drunken fling at one time. Eventually the two admit their long-standing friendship and the relationship deepens.

Kalis-Mal: An aged Dark Elf, she is Mistress at Arms at the Academy of Swords in Miosgan Meadhba. Her skill with a blade is only exceeded by her reputation as being harder than a coffin nail. She spent centuries fighting in the innumerable border wars as sellsword and mercenary before retiring to the "quiet life" of teaching the art of the sword. She is Matriarch of the House of Mal.

Kasa-Dur: A Dark Elven Captain who was exiled to command the garrison at the remote Broch of Kouni after a family dispute took a turn for the violent. She is a stubborn woman who barely survived after the broch was destroyed by a Dragon. Now she looks for revenge.

Lashelle: An experienced swordmaiden she is an orphan raised by "The Sisters of All Gods". She served in the military before being recruited by Ashunara. She is a skilled cook, medic, apothecary and barber-surgeon, capable of brewing potions or crafting poultices at need. For a Dark Elf she has an almost kindly streak (by Dark Elven standard anyway) and she has been accused of being sentimental at times. She loves to paint and draw, and she is in a relationship with Azure.

Lily (Lilian Lamfada): She is Ljósálfar, a Light Elf, one of the Sunkissed. She was once addressed as the "Daughter of Becuma, of the House of Lir." Little is known of her past, her family, or of how she came to become a wandering adventurer and rogue. She is skilled with locks and similar contraptions, and adept at throwing any of the many knives she oft keeps concealed about her person. She does know a few minor cantrips but is canny and has not revealed the full extent of her magical skills. After her capture by Dark Elves she and Tallis-Mora fell for one another and became inseparable. The young Dark Elf has since "purchased" her though how this little detail will pan out is anyone's guess. Currently she serves as a scout in the Free Company of Captain Ashunara.

Magda Bor: A wandering skald from across the sea far to the north. She is a tall woman with a shock of fair hair that is shaved to one side, and she has a Dragon tattoo on her neck. Skilled with the spear she is also a singer of songs and teller of tales. She possesses a strange wild sorcery that infuses her voice with magical power depending upon her mood. She served Gorsini as Sergeant and since fleeing into the Fae the two have become lovers.

Maggie Cook: Human cook who lived at the inn with Cassie. She is a widower and while she never speaks of it her own child died young (fever). A redoubtable woman she is a skilled cook and well-liked. She has looked after Cassie as her own since the girl was a child. Along with Cassie and others she was taken as a slave by Dark Elves during a raid, and later sold to Narissa Mal, the owner of "The Raven's Nest", an inn within the city of Emain. Since then, her freedom has been purchased (by Cassie) and she has been offered a place as a freewoman in the House of Mal.

Malkon: A Dwarven adventurer. Guess what? He's got a bit of a temper.

Matron Livia: An elderly Dark Elf she is the Housekeeper of House Varro and deals with all matters regarding servants, slaves and staff. She tends towards a dour and sombre appearance and though she has a reputation for being strict, and even fearsome at times, she is also known for fairness. Oh, and she's a retired assassin who has served House Varro in various... capacities over the years.

Muriah Fel: Youngest daughter of the House of Fel, one of the great Houses of the Dark Elven city of Emain. Being the youngest of several sisters she will not inherit and is unlikely to attract any offer of marriage or alliance that will be useful or profitable to her House. Being young and attractive she was therefore used by her Matriarch and mother as a courtesan to entice support or pilfer secrets for her House through seduction and pillow-talk. Outwith this function she is considered and treated as essentially useless by her family. Her fiery disposition and bursts of anger stem from deep feelings of bitterness and betrayal relating to her treatment by her kin. However, it might be fair to note that Dark Elves are hardly paragons of warmth and many Dark Elven Houses would act no differently. After her capture by human slavers Muriah was "gifted" to Captain Ashunara as a slave. This has led to her accepting an offer to join the Company in exchange for being granted her freedom if she survives to the end of the latest campaign. While unskilled in almost all things martial, she does know a magical cantrip that allows her to summon knives and is knowledgeable in history, politics and courtly intrigue. Currently she is being trained on the march in sword and spear as a recruit.

Narissa Thule (Narissa Mal): Daughter of Nyx. She is the owner of "The Ravens Nest", an inn within the Dark Elven capital of Emain. At the urging of her mother, she purchased Cassie and Maggie to work for her and despite being a Dark Elf she treated them kindly enough. She was killed defending Cassie from Drow. Upon her death Adair became vexed and in a prodigious display of raw power she forced open the doors to the Realm of the Dead and called her spirit back to the land of the living. For this deed Nyx promised to adopt Cassie and treat her as family. Narissa is much like her mother and has a mischievous spirit. She is currently involved with Iris, a buxom tavern-wench working at the Raven's Nest.

Nyx (Anyxia Mal): Long time sister in arms of Captain Ashunara, she is her strong right hand. A hard-drinking, hard-fighting veteran who has served as a soldier and mercenary for centuries. She is a very dangerous and very skilled swordswoman who has yet to find a problem she cannot stab her way out of. Some think she has a thing for swordsmen who can challenge her for she has been married to a few over the centuries (humans have such regrettably short lifespans after all). She likes to play at games of chance, but some unkind souls say she uses enchanted dice.

She is probably the most skilled sword in the Company, equally adept with a blade in either or both hands. Her exact age has not been mentioned, but it has been commented that she and Elsadore were recruits together some eight hundred years ago.

She has a daughter, Narissa Mal, from a husband who died more than a century ago and though Nyx has said she is the Mistress of her own house she is not the Matriarch of House Mal. Now, I shouldn't offer spoilers, but for those with an interest another member of House Mal has been mentioned...

Nyx seems to despise Drow and appears to have suffered some form of loss at their hands.

Quintus ( Quintus Fabius): Initially described as, "A failed student of the Scholomance", he is an apprentice hedge-wizard. Bored with study and aggrieved by the imperious arrogance of the "Arcane Masters" at the Scholomance he was expelled in disgrace before completing his studies. Having left the magical school knowing only limited destructive magics and a few basic cantrips he turned to adventuring where his pyrotechnic proclivities were fully appreciated. On being captured by Dark Elves he provided good service to Captain Ashunara, who offered him his freedom in payment. Refusing he instead accepted indenture in House Varro. He is a young man, who has demonstrated courage, skill and loyalty, and has become well-liked by Ashunara and the others of the Free Company. While there was insufficient time for proper tutelage, hard lessons from Fiamma Vor, the ancient and fearsome Magister of House Varro, have significantly increased the potency of those magics he does know. Currently he marches with Ashunara and her Free Company.

Roseanne (Sister Rose): Youngest daughter of a poor family she joined the same religious order and suffered the same fate as Hidegard. She was also rescued and accepted enslavement in a bargain to save the foundlings. On the march back to The Fae she and Quintus became close. She followed the surviving foundlings to "The Temple of All Gods" and accepted indenture with the sisters there. She is a good cook and now happily trains to become an apothecary. She and Quintus have kept up their relationship.

Sala: She is described as the "companion" of Selene of House Ral. It has not been implicitly stated that they are lovers, but they are certainly at least friends and it is clear that Sala cares deeply for Selene. She is currently assisting in mentoring Lady Hildegard and is teaching her dancing, deportment, and knife-work. Which suggests she may just be a bit of an assassin. Oddly amiable for a Dark Elf it has been mentioned that she can be somewhat wild and mischievous when she gets drunk.

Scale: A Dragon. She is a spiteful creature who despises Shalidar. She serves the Adversary.

Selene (Selene of House Ral): A member of House Ral, another of the Great Houses of Emain. Not much is known about her save that her mother was a swordmaiden and was killed by Captain Gorsini in one of the internecine cross-border raids between human lands and The Fae. Currently she has accepted a charge from House Varro to mentor Lady Hildegard in Dark Elven etiquette. Though angry at Gorsini she and Hildegard have almost become friends after a fashion.

Shalidar (Fair Shalidar, Dragon of the South): A powerful Dragon she was the mate of Typhonos and she bore their daughter Ellen in secret. She is cunning and strong, but has no love for war, preferring soft living and pleasure. She loves her daughter above all things. When confronted by The Morrigan the Danu spared her, though to what end remains a mystery. As a result, her allegiances remain oblique though her dislike for Demeritus is well known. She usually takes the form of a tall fair-haired woman with brilliant blue eyes.

Skar: An older Dragon who bears the marks of many mating battles. He is known for his lechery, hunger and violent appetites.

Sura: A Drow assassin and the lover of Dullahan. She is very skilled with the bow.

Tallis-Mora (Tallis-Mora Varro): Daughter of Aventine Varro, and youngest recruit in Ashunara's Free Company. Young, passionate and even idealistic in her own way, but she's still a Dark Elf at heart. She favours the sabre gifted to her by her mother and is currently involved with Lily, a Sunkissed Elf, adventurer and rogue who was at one time captured by the Free Company.

Typhonos (The Dragon of Storms): A very powerful Dragon and the brother of Eber. It was his sons who killed Eber. When Adair found her husband murdered, she was thrown into a murderous rage and slaughtered the killers. When Typhonos learned of the deaths of his progeny he sought Adair out and challenged her to open battle. In her fury she crushed the Dragon beyond recognition, smashing his body and destroying his mind. The Adversary was able to repair some of the damage, but not all, and he now serves as his steed.

Udina Vox: A Dark Elf. She was the aunt of Kasa Dur and died defending the watchtowers of Elsadore.

Varoona: A young sword-maiden and member of Ashunara's Free Company. Not much is known of this woman save she was at one time-captured by humans who mistreated her badly until Ashunara was eventually able to gather a ransom and purchase her release. As a result, she sometimes suffers from bouts of anger directed at humans and has occasional nightmares. Lately she has taken to spending time with Adair and Cassie at their campfire and seems to have found a measure of peace in their company.

Verados-Gore: He serves as Optio, or sub-commander under Garok-Kral. Like his Centurion he is a battle-hardened no-nonsense professional mercenary. He has fists like mallets and can cave-in the jaw of man or Dwarf with a single punch.

Vortigern: An older Dragon. He serves the Adversary.

Vulgara Bal: Grand Matriarch of the besieged city of Miosgan Meadhba. She is a retired Battlemage.