The Black Gryphon - Characters

Characters

• Skandranon "Skan" Rashkae—The Black Gryphon. He is interested in books and learning of leaders-and how they lead. Very confident in his abilities, he believes no one else can do what he can. He is injured at the beginning of the story and has to stay in a healer's tent while his wounds are mended. His chief healer is Amberdrake, but he also receives help from Cinnabar and Tamsin. While healing, he meets Aubri and also Zhaneel, who he falls in love with. In the end, he is the defeater of Ma'ar, but it all comes with a price for his black feathers are turned white from a problem with the gates.

• Kiyamvir Ma'ar—leader of the group fighting Urtho. He is a powerful mage bent on world domination. He's defeated many different cities and uses the conquered people in his new army. Like Urtho, Ma'ar creates a new race of creatures called Makaar. The makaar, unlike the gryphons, take orders without question and without a thought of their own. Ma'ar commits suicide rather than face defeat at the hands of Skandranon.

• Kestra'chern Amberdrake "Drake" k'Leshya—Amberdrake is an empath/healer. He does not fit in with either kestra'cherns, people usually of the Kaled'a'in race that are trained in helping people mentally and emotionally, or healers because he is a combination of both. He is a friend of Skandranon, and worries about his friend when he does not return from his dangerous mission. Meanwhile, he meets Winterhart after a confrontation between her and Zhaneel. He learns of her past and falls in love with her. There are some hinted at homo-erotic duties that certain empaths and healers will perform, and some of the fees for the better service providers (Amberdrake is identified as being in that category) can be quite high. There appears to be very little stigma attached to this type of service, and Amberdrake continues to be held in high regard by those familiar with this practice as well as those who are not. In the first novel of this trilogy, Amberdrake is initially seen as someone who is a state of emotional turmoil somewhat more serious than those he seeks to heal in fact. Amberdrake and his emotional status receives a great deal of attention as the plot lines continue to develop and progress. The toll for what empaths and healers are able to do seems to be pretty high throughout the novel, again, with the focus being primarily on the Amberdrake character. Ambiguity and instability are explored in detail in order to give the reader insight when it comes to these interpersonal relationships.

• Gesten—A hertasi, a lizard-like creature very good at getting goods. Gesten is the helper of Amberdrake. He sets up for all appointments that Amberdrake has and assists him with foods.

• Conn Levas—A hired mage mercenary working for Urtho. He appears for the first time with an appointment with Amberdrake. His reasoning for going to a kestra'chern in the first place was to make Winterhart, his lover, jealous. Conn later turns against Urtho, taking Aubri and Kechara to Ma'ar, and attacking Urtho with a magical thorn that slowly kills the recipient. Conn upon leaving the room where Urtho is dying, runs into Amberdrake and Skandranon, and Skandranon brutally kills Conn Levas.

• Healer Tamsin—A healer, life-bonded to Cinnabar. He heals many of the combatants on Urtho's side and also aids in the stealing of Urtho's formula for gryphon mating.

• Healer Cinnabar—A healer, life-bonded to Tamsin. She was formally a child of nobles in the king's palace. Cinnabar aids in the stealing of Urtho's formula for gryphon mating.

• Urtho—The Mage of Silence. He is the reluctant ruler of the people in the land. He was made ruler after the king was killed and all nobles had fled. He is the "Father" of the gryphons. He is surprised by the attack by Conn Levas and is hit with a very deadly thorn. He tries to challenge Ma'ar to a duel knowing that when his death come that his tower would explode and kill Ma'ar, but he later helps Aubri, Skan, and Kechara to escape just before his death.

• Zhaneel—A gryphon that was believed to be "misborn" early in the story; towards the end it was made clear she was simply the first in a new breed of gryphons, called a gryfalcon (a gryphon in the shape of a falcon), whose parents are killed in battle. She is made fun of by other gryphons because of her form. She is much smaller and has smaller wings than the broadwing variety. She also has human hands in the place of talons. She gains recognition after single-handedly killing three makaar. Due to all the years of being made fun of, she is very unconfident and Skan suggests that she visit Amberdrake. Amberdrake convinces her to learn how to use her differences as a strength. She creates a training course fit for her skills. Skandranon falls in love with her and the feeling is mutual. Her time to really shine happens in a confrontation between herself and Winterhart.

• Aubri—A grumpy gryphon from the sixth wing, the same wing as Zhaneel. The first time he appears is after a battle when he is badly burned. He later spots Shaiknam, Garber, and Levas backing out and allowing Ma'ar's troops through. He is captured by Conn and given to Ma'ar, but rescued by Skan.

• Winterhart—Trondi'irn, trainer of the gryphons, of the sixth wing. She is the lover of Conn Levas, but she doesn't really love him. After her face-off with Zhaneel she is sent to Amberdrake to help an old back problem. With the help of Cinnabar, she admits to who she truly is to Amberdrake. She was formally a lady of the king's castle, but ran away due to a device that caused fear in all but those with shields. She has lived in disgrace for years due to her cowardice. She later breaks it off with Conn Levas and becomes the lover of Amberdrake.

• General Shaiknam—One of Urtho's commanders. He is the leader of the sixth wing. He uses the gryphons and other non-humans, including mages, only as weapons and not as though they actually having intelligence. He is removed from his position after sending many of his mages to their death. He gets his position back after the commander that takes over is mysteriously assassinated.

• Commander Garber—Shaiknam's second in command. He believes the same as Shaiknam and sends orders to Winterhart that keep the gryphons under their thumb.

• Vikteren—An Adept Mage. He hides his skills, making people believe that he is lower than he really is. He leads the mages on the revolt against Shaiknam and Garber. He also lends Amberdrake a key that will unlock any magical locks that Urtho may have put on his books about gryphon mating.

• Kechara—A "misborn" gryphon whose name is translated to beloved. Kechara is kept locked up in Urtho's Tower because he does not want her to fall into the wrong hands. Kechara is discovered by Skandranon while in the tower getting the formula for mating. She is older than Skan, but her mind is not as advanced. Her mind may be of a child, but her power is mindspeech. She is later kidnapped by Conn Levas, and rescued by Skan. Before his death, Urtho gives her to Skan for protection.