Conservation characters

Appears from the start

A Candle Scholar Tower Master and bearer of the Eternal Flame who killed a dragon before this book begins.

Appears from the start

John's partner and a diviner.

Appears from the start

The guardian and administrator of the stabilized valley, merged with its world spirit.

Also known as Ferdy, Ferdi, John's bull companion

Appears from the start

John's powerful beast companion, known to travel with John and Ellie.

Appears from the start

An experienced captain and explorer allied with John before this book begins.

Appears from the start

An allied fighter known to John before this book begins.

Appears from the start

An artificer allied with John and engaged to Katrine.

Appears from the start

A young explorer protected by two elfin specters.

Appears from the start

The unnamed champion sent by the Resplendent Empire to demand John submit to its dragon ruler. When John refuses, the warrior challenges him to single combat.

First appears in chapter 2

A Candle Scholar Tower Master who explains how a dragon slayer's marked soul exposes nearby allies to retaliation. Eowyn supports John's refusal to submit and speaks for the other Tower Masters during the dispute.

First appears in chapter 2

A friendly Supreme Mage whom the Tower Masters intend to recruit from a subordinate family to co-lead Candle Scholar Tower's Millennium team with John.

Also known as Oris 75

First appears in chapter 8

A self-aware palace puppet assigned to guide Candle Scholar Tower inside the sealed Millennium Shard. He rejects the designation Oris 75 and asks to be called Kevin.

First appears in chapter 8

A dwarf Supreme Mage and one of the Equinox Circle's two leaders. He meets John at the Millennium Shard as the rival teams assess one another before the competition rules and assignments are announced.

First appears in chapter 9

The brother of the empire's defeated chosen warrior and leader of its contest team. He confronts John at the Millennium banquet and is compelled to carry Candle Scholar Tower's submission proposal to the dragon ruler.

First appears in chapter 14

A pirate captain who commands the Wisp with a giant first mate. Beckett meets John at a Three Rivers waterfront stall.

First appears in chapter 14

Captain Beckett's unusually strong giant first mate. Grom previously survived the loss of a ship to a leviathan.

Also known as Innkeeper

First appears in chapter 15

A former captain who runs a Three Rivers inn with his three daughters. Captain Cairn gives John room and board in exchange for kitchen work, general labor, and help controlling the unruly sailors expected on shore leave.

First appears in chapter 15

The civilian identity John adopts while investigating Three Rivers. As Sutton, he takes work at Captain Cairn's inn, conceals his abilities, and gains a useful position for hearing local news while appearing to be an ordinary laborer.

First appears in chapter 17

A local deity honored at a Three Rivers temple. Her priest says that he can convey her oracles to visitors.

First appears in chapter 19

A pair of servants of the medicine god traveling to investigate a curse-stricken village. They allow John, using his Sutton identity, to accompany them.

First appears in chapter 21

A Candle Scholar Tower Supreme Mage who helps plan distribution of the Eternal Flame as a defense against the expected devil invasion.

First appears in chapter 24

A statue-borne deity who proposes admitting John to the established pantheon if John discloses how faith is developed. Rebuffed, the Merchant God tries to place him under divine constraint.

First appears in chapter 25

A local deity who remains after other gods withdraw from their confrontation with John. He directs a descending divine sword at the city and its civilians.

First appears in chapter 28

A Supreme Mage leading an enemy-family contest team allied with the Black Blood Cult and devils. He can coordinate several spells and copies of himself, then escapes John by opening an Abyssal portal and leaving a greater devil behind.

Also known as Medicine God

First appears in chapter 33

A dying local deity who spent his own power to secure a cure for the Blackblood curse. He understands the price imposed by the world spirit's system of exchange and asks John to inherit his authority.

First appears in chapter 34

A Candle Scholar Tower Supreme Mage and powerful battle caster. Her fire and chain magic disrupt the enemy portal operation and create an opening for the defenders.

First appears in chapter 34

A dragonkin guard who helps the enemy elven mage attempt to open an Abyssal portal during the siege of the temple city.

Also known as God of Swamps

First appears in chapter 36

An isolated swamp deity whose remaining territory is being consumed by the poison-and-decay goddess. Bortel distrusts the established pantheons but promises to join John if John helps him defeat her.

First appears in chapter 36

A goddess attacking Bortel and consuming what remains of his swamp territory.

First appears in chapter 37

A local deity who presides over a blood-soaked cave complex and its arena.

First appears in chapter 39

The hidden keeper of a scholarly community who values the preservation of knowledge above immediate intervention. He postpones an alliance with John but promises support after the devils are defeated.

First appears in chapter 39

A shadow-form deity who stole the Air Goddess's ability to hear secrets. John and his allies use an apparent Eternal Flame source gem to lure him into revealing himself.

First appears in chapter 39

A local deity to whom the God of Thieves carries the apparent source gem used as bait by John and his allies.

First appears in chapter 39

A wind-form deity whose ability to hear secrets was stolen by the god of thieves. She can manifest as a bird or as moving air and offers to join John's pantheon if he helps her recover that missing authority.

First appears in chapter 40

A shy, noncombatant deity whose tree and world connection are exploited in an ambush against John. She is visibly frightened by the hostile gods gathered around her and is used as bait by the elven Supreme Mage.

First appears in chapter 29

A Tower of Ash mage who receives John's report about the enemy alliance and explains why corrupted mana makes direct Abyssal rifts especially dangerous.

First appears in chapter 41

A hostile deity trapped with John in a cage that suppresses divine power. John kills her and purifies her divinity into abundance power.

First appears in chapter 41

A hostile deity trapped with John and other gods in a suppressive cage. John kills him and begins absorbing his divinity.

First appears in chapter 42

The governing spirit of Nehru, which confronts John after he absorbs several local gods and asserts authority over local divinities.

First appears in chapter 42

An archdevil directing the army that invades the realm. The widespread corruption is attributed to this commander.

First appears in chapter 44

A true dragon summoned through a completed Abyssal portal during the assault on Three Rivers. Kalmaric intends to torture John rather than show him mercy.

First appears in chapter 44

The half-dragon mage is the dragonkin guard who earlier assisted the enemy elven mage. He helps that mage complete the Abyssal portal ritual at Three Rivers.