A Dragon's Ascension - Ed Greenwood [145]
The Lady of Jewels lifted her eyes and looked at her father across the table, then. "Well," she said with a smile, "we could try."
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
ALHAND, JALEBRA: a buxom, not overly bright young lass of Searith in upland Ornentar, where she works at Saerith Mill.
AMBELTER, INGRYL: Spellmaster of Silvertree and strongest wizard of the Dark Three (the unscrupulous, evil mages who served Baron Faerod Silvertree); ambitious, shrewd in the ways of life and politics in the Vale, he's a creative and very powerful spellweaver. Though slain in The Kingless Land, he seems to have found a way to live on, beyond death. His spells have won him control over the Melted, stumbling zombie creations of the dead wizard Gorloun (so named because their flesh has sagged and flowed, as if partially melted), and grandly proclaims himself "Spellmaster of Flowfoam."
ANGLURTHAUL, HARDIMAN: a fat, sneering, coarsely aggressive vintner and wine importer of Sirlptar who drapes himself in riches and never goes anywhere without at least one bodyguard-which is a wise tactic, given his great wealth of enemies.
ANHARU, HAWKRIL: "the Boar of Blackgult," an armaragor (unranked battle knight) in the service of the Baron Blackgult, whom he was once personal bodyguard to; a man of unusually large build and strength; member of the Band of Four and longtime friend and sword-companion of Craer Delnbone, who often calls him "Tall Post."
ARANDOR, MRANRAX: archwizard of Elmerna, growing increasingly ambitious-and short of cash.
ARATHRO, BAERM: a rather clumsy brigand working the coast road of Asmarand, nigh Shaunsel Rise (a farm-cloaked ridge between Elmerna and Teln).
ARDURGAN, BELTH: a retired hiresword, now turned village wood-carver. Much scarred and calm in a fray, still a good hunter and battle bowman.
BAERM: see Aradiro, Baerm
Band of Four, the: our heroes, the King's Heroes, the Awakeners of the Risen King; an independent band of four adventurers first thrown together in The Kingless Land (see Anharu, Hawkril; Godelmer, Sarasper; Delnbone, Craer; and Silvertree, Embra), whose adventures yet bid fair to change the face of Aglirta.
BELKLARRAVUS, GLARSIMBER: Baron of Brightpennant, formerly the Tersept (non-noble ruler) of Sart but promoted by King Kelgrael Snowsar in The Vacant Throne; a stout, brawny warrior going to fat, but still infamous as from his days as a mercenary war captain, "The Smiling Wolf of Sart."
BELRASTOR, SAURN: oldest and most respected uplands farmer of the Tarlagar backcountry nigh the Windfangs foothills, who habitually drinks at the Glory of Aglirta tavern, says little, and owns much land and a part of many local businesses. A former courtier and sometime warrior, more given to dignified tolerance than dominance of the many folk who owe him coins.
BLACKCLOAK, THAEKER: wealthy uplands farmer of swift tongue and some pride, who dwells in the Tarlagar backcountry nigh the Windfangs foothills, and habitually drinks at the Glory of Aglirta tavern.
BLACKGULT, EZENDOR: Regent of Aglirta and Baron (Lord) of Blackgult, known as the Golden Griffon for his heraldic badge, longtime rival to Faerod Silvertree for rule of Aglirta and leader of a disastrous attack on (planned conquest of) the Isles of Ieirembor just prior to The Kingless Land, which resulted in the seizure of his lands by Silvertree and his warriors (including Craer and Hawkril of the Four) all being declared outlaw. A sophisticated, intelligent warrior and athlete, Blackgult has dabbled in spellcraft and collected many enchanted items, using their powers to wear another shape, wherein, as the seldom-seen bard Inderos Stormharp, Master Bard of Darsar, he's become famous as the greatest living bard of Asmarand, if not all Darsar. He is the true father of Embra Silvertree.
BLADELOCK, MAURYM: this darkly handsome, taciturn tersept has always been short of money and long on foes and feuds-and joined Baron Cardassa's