The Singer of All Songs - Characters

Characters

Calwyn is a 16 year-old priestess of Antaris who can sing ice chantments. Tends to the bee hives and is skilled with medicines and herbs; apparently very skilled in singing chantments, for she is capable of calling ice, working wind, and placating animals with her songs. She yearns to travel beyond the ice wall of Antaris and does so when Darrow comes and takes her on a journey. Calwyn is adventurous, restless, and faithful to a fault; at times she may not see others' points of view and insists that she is right. Calwyn strives to prove her worth, and is upset when unable to do so. Calwyn takes after her mother, who too longed for whatever lay beyond the Wall. Is described as being tall and skinny with big black eyes and long black hair in one or two plaits down her back.

Darrow is a traveler who is trying to escape Samis (see next character), who is trying to kill him. Calwyn saves Darrow when he injures himself as he flies, by means of his own magic, over the Wall but fell to the ground from the top. When Calwyn helps him escape Antaris, she goes with him to stop Samis. An ironcrafter of Merithuros who was once friends with Samis but now aims to stop him. Calwyn calls him an old man whose life is almost over; he is mentally tired but enjoys traveling. He has traveled very far and Calwyn often asks him to tell her stories of his travels. Described as lean, light, hay compared, haired, hawk-eyed, having a crescent shaped scar over his right eye, and nearing his 30's. Has a limp from his fall over the Wall, but is later healed by Halasaa.

Samis an evil and greedy sorcerer who is trying to become The Singer of All Songs. In this position, he would be capable of manipulating wind, metal, wood, earth and ice, and communicating with animals not of his own race; as well as able to psychokinetically heal wounds, generate illusions, and produce fire. Was a minor prince of the Merithuran Empire who sought to be emperor, but was unable to earn him the title. Rejected, Samis instead sought to be ruler of all Tremaris. Wears a square iron ring jeweled with a ruby. Described as tall with a head too big for his frame; an ugly face looking like it was carved from stone; a beaked nose; a long mouth; and a mane of gray hair from a high brow.

Mica a 14–15 year old windworker (a magician capable of controlling movement of wind). Works for pirates, but escapes with Calwyn on the boat Fledgewing. Her village was burned down by slavers, whereupon Mica was captured and sold to a pirate crew. Mica gives the impression of bravado so as to avoid seeming weak. Described as being skinny with tawny skin, pale hair, and golden eyes. Wears a faded jacket that once belonged to Mica's beloved grandmother.

Tonno the brother of Xanni. Darrow's friend. Unable to sing chantments himself. Prizes himself as the ship's cook. Described as tall and burly with bushy eyebrows, curly hair, dark eyes, and a sullen, serious look.

Xanni is the owner of Fledgewing and Tonno's younger brother, about one to two years younger than Darrow. A good natured, adventurous young man. He is mortally wounded in Mithates by Samis and later dies at sea. Described as short with curly hair, dark, bright eyes, and wrinkles formed from laughing on his face.

Trout a young inventor from Mithates who possesses, without knowledge of its use, the Clarion of the Flame. He joins Calwyn and her friends in Mithates. Trout wears glasses. He was involved in an explosion due to an invention of his that ruined his hearing; Trout is now unable to hear high-pitched sounds, and thus is unaffected by the chantments of illusion, which are highly pitched. Described as being freckled with vague, blue eyes, has numerous burn scars and scratches. Trout is initially skeptical of chantments, but is ultimately convinced of their reality.

Halasaa one of the telepathic, voiceless Tree People, and the last user of the power of Becoming, which is a healing power activated by certain gestures. Calwyn meets him in the Wildlands, after an encounter with the dragonlike arakin. Halasaa is rejected by his people for his gift, as well as for his acceptance of voiced people, but is still kind and hopeful. Because Calwyn is a magic-user, like himself, he calls her "sister". But the Tree People would still ask him to heal the ones that they couldn't. So they acknowledged his existence but didn't accept him.

Marna is the High Priestess of Antaris. Described as old with silver hair piled on her head and carrying a staff of her office. She is a tired and wise woman.

Tamen is the Guardian of the Wall. Stern and awe inspiring, Tamen seems to purposefully ridicule Calwyn. Marna says this is only because Calwyn may one day be High Priestess, meaning that Tamen and Calwyn would have to work together. Described as tall with a long black and silver braid down her back. She fears that Calwyn perhaps is even more powerful than her.

Calida was Calwyn's mother. Restless like her daughter, she too sought to leave Antaris and explore the Outlands. Mysteriously, she vanished one day, only a little older than Calwyn. Many years later, Calida appeared during winter with baby Calwyn in her arms and died that night.

Ursca is the dumpy infirmarian of the priestess's dwellings. She tends to panic at every mistake, but when left to take care of a patient she is calm and in control. Ursca taught Calwyn everything she knows of herbs and medicines, but nearly drove Calwyn to madness with her fidgety ways and her tendency to, having acquired an opinion, hold onto it despite all evidence to the contrary.

Gilly is a novice ice priestess who is a friend to Calwyn. At the beginning of the book she begins her first Day of Strengthening. She is described as frivolous and prone to premature flirting with boys.She is only mentioned a couple times in the beginning.

Tuw a gardener of the priestess's dwellings. He was born with a crooked foot and the other leg a hand span shorter than the other. Tuw has therefore fashioned a shoe with an exceptionally thick sole and many walking sticks, one which ends up in Darrow's possession.