Rulers of the Darkness

Harry Turtledove

Rulers of the Darkness

"Dramatis Personae” (* shows viewpoint character)

Algarve

Almonio Constable in Gromheort

Ambaldo Colonel of dragonfliers in southern Unkerlant

Baiardo Mage attached to Plegmund's Brigade

Balastro Marquis; minister to Zuwayza

Bembo* Constable in Gromheort

Carietto Brigadier in Trapani

Domiziano Captain of dragonfliers in southern Unkerlant

Ercole Senior lieutenant with Plegmund's Brigade

Fronesia Woman at court in Trapani

Frontino Warder in Tricarico

Gastable Mage in Gromheort

Gismonda Sabrino's wife in Trapani

Gradasso Lurcanio's adjutant in Priekule

Lurcanio Colonel on occupation duty in Priekule

Mainardo Mezentio's brother; King of Jelgava

Malindo Scholar in Trapani

Mezentio King of Algarve

Oraste Constable in Gromheort

Orosio Captain of dragonfliers in southern Unkerlant

Pesaro Constabulary sergeant in Gromheort

Raniero Mezentio's cousin; King of Grelz

Sabrino* Colonel of dragonfliers in southern Unkerlant

Saffa Sketch artist in Tricarico

Solino General in Durrwangen

Spinello* Major on leave in Trapani for wound

Turpino Captain in Wriezen

Zerbino Captain in Plegmund's Brigade

Forthweg

Baldred Slogan writer in Eoforwic

Brivibas Kaunian in Gromheort; Vanai's grandfather

Brorda Count of Gromheort

Ceorl Soldier in Plegmund's Brigade near Hohenroda

Daukantis Kaunian in Gromheort; Doldasai's father

Doldasai Kaunian courtesan in Gromheort

Ealstan* Bookkeeper in Eoforwic; Vanai's husband

Ethelhelm Half Kaunian band leader in Eoforwic

Feliksai Kaunian in Gromheort; Doldasai's mother

Gippias Kaunian robber in Gromheort

Hengist Sidroc's father; Hestan's brother; in Gromheort

Hestan Bookkeeper in Gromheort; Ealstan's father

Leofsig Ealstan's deceased brother

Nemunas Kaunian refugee leader in Zuwayza

Penda King of Forthweg

Pernavai Kaunian in Valmiera; Vatsyunas' wife

Pybba Pottery magnate in Eoforwic

Sidroc* Soldier in Plegmund's Brigade near Hohenroda

Vanai* Kaunian in Eoforwic; Ealstan's wife

Vatsyunas Kaunian in Valmiera; Pernavai's husband

Vitols Kaunian refugee leader in Zuwayza

Werferth Sergeant in Plegmund's Brigade near Hohenroda

Yadwigai Kaunian girl with Algarvian army in Unkerlant

Gyongyos

Arpad Ekrekek (King) of Gyongyos

Borsos Major; mage in western Unkerlant

Frigyes Captain in western Unkerlant

Hevesi Soldier in western Unkerlant

Horthy Gyongyosian minister to Zuwayza

Istvan* Sergeant in western Unkerlant

Kun Corporal in western Unkerlant; minor mage

Lajos Soldier in western Unkerlant

Szonyi Soldier in western Unkerlant

Tivadar Captain in western Unkerlant

Jelgava

Ausra Talsu's sister in Skrunda

Donalitu King of Jelgava; now in exile

Gailisa Talsu's wife, living in Skrunda

Kugu Silversmith in Skrunda

Laitsina Talsu's mother in Skrunda

Stikliu Friend of Talsu's in Skrunda

Talsu* Prisoner from Skrunda

Traku Talsu's father; tailor in Skrunda

Zverinu Banker in Skrunda

Kuusamo

Alkio Theoretical sorcerer; married to Raahe

Elimaki Pekka's sister

Ilmarinen Master mage in the Naantali district

Juhainen One of the Seven Princes of Kuusamo

Leino Mage; Pekka's husband

Li

Olavin Banker; Elimaki's husband

Parainen One of the Seven Princes of Kuusamo

Pekka* Mage in the Naantali district; Leino's wife

Piilis Theoretical sorcerer

Raahe Theoretical sorcerer; married to Alkio

Renavall One of the Seven Princes of Kuusamo

Siuntio Master mage in the Naantali district

Uto Pekka and Leino's son

Vihti Sorcerer in Naantali district

Lagoas

Brinco Grandmaster Pinhiero's secretary in Setubal

Fernao* Mage on duty in Kuusamo

Janira Cornelu's lady friend in Setubal

Pinhiero Grandmaster of Lagoan Guild of Mages

Vitor King of Lagoas

Ortah

Ahinadab King of Ortah

Hadadezer Ortaho minister to Zuwayza

Sibiu

Balio Fisherman ru

Brindza Cornelu's daughter in Tirgoviste town

Burebistu King of Sibiu

Cornelu* Commander; leviathan-rider in Setubal

Costache Cornelu's wife in Tirgoviste town

Unkerlant

Addanz Archmage of Unkerlant

Ascovind Collaborator in Duchy of Grelz

Gandiluz Soldier contacting irregulars in Grelz

Garivald* Irregular fighter west of Herborn

Gundioc Captain in southern Unkerlant

Gurmun General of behemoths at Durrwangen bulge

Kiun Soldier in Leudast's company

Kyot Swemmel's deceased twin brother

Leudast* Sergeant in Sulingen

Merovec Major; Marshal Rathar's adjutant

Munderic Irregular leader west of Herborn

Obilot Irregular fighter west of Herborn

Rathar* Marshal of Unkerlant traveling to Cottbus

Razalic Irregular in forest west of Herborn

Recared Lieutenant in Sulingen

Sadoc Irregular fighter west of Herborn; would-be mage

Swemmel King of Unkerlant

Tantris Soldier contacting irregulars in Grelz

Vatran General in southern Unkerlant

Werbel Soldier in Sulingen

Ysolt Cook in Durrwangen

Valmiera

Amatu Noble returned from Valmiera

Bauska Krasta's maidservant in Priekule

Gainibu King of Valmiera

Gedominu Skarnu and Merkela's son

Krasta* Marchioness in Priekule; Skarnu's sister

Lauzdonu Noble returned from Valmiera

Merkela Underground fighter; Skarnu's wife

Palasta Mage in Erzvilkas

Raunu Sergeant and irregular near Pavilosta

Skarnu* Marquis; fighter in Ventspils; Krasta's brother

Terbatu Marquis in Priekule

Valnu Viscount in Priekule

Zarasai Underground fighter; a nom de guerre

Yanina

Iskakis Yaninan minister to Zuwayza

Zuwayza

Hajjaj* Foreign minister of Zuwayza

Ikhshid General in Bishah

Kolthoum Hajjaj's senior wife

Qutuz Hajjaj's secretary in Bishah

Shazli King of Zuwayza

Tewfik Hajjaj's majordomo

Qutuz Hajjaj's secretary in Bishah

One

Leudast looked across the snow-covered ruins of Sulingen. The silence seemed u

None of that now. Everything was silent, eerily so. Young Lieutenant Recared nudged Leudast and pointed. "Look, Sergeant," Recared said, his unlined face glowing with excitement, almost with awe. "Here come the captives."

"Aye," Leudast said softly. He couldn't have been more than two or three years older than Recared himself. It only seemed like ten or twelve. Awe was in his voice, too, as he said it again: "Aye."

He hadn't known quite so many Algarvians were left alive in Sulingen when their army at last gave up its hopeless fight. Here came some of them now: a long column of misery. By Unkerlanter standards, their tall enemies from the east were slim even when well fed. Now, after so much desperate fighting cut off from any hope of resupply, most of them were redheaded skeletons, nothing more.

They were filthy, too, with scraggly red beards covering their hollow cheeks. They wore a fantastic mix of cloaks, Algarvian tunics and kilts, long Unkerlanter tunics, and any rags and scraps of cloth they could get their hands on. Some had stuffed crumpled news sheets and other papers under their tunics to try to fight the frigid winter here in the southwest of Unkerlant. Here and there, Leudast saw Algarvians in pathetic overshoes of woven straw. Snug in his own felt boots, he almost pitied the foe. Almost. King Mezentio's men had come too close to killing him too many times for him to find feeling sorry for them easy.