Ultimate Level 1: Ultimate Boundaries characters

Also known as Max Hoste

Appears from the start

A returning world champion and tower climber who leads his companions back to another world to settle an outstanding obligation. He leaves his family behind again and takes responsibility for guiding a mixed party that includes established climbers and two dragons.

Appears from the start

An elven climber, spellcaster, and Max's partner. She joins the expedition while carrying their child, accepting another journey away from home as part of Max's effort to settle his remaining responsibility in the other world.

Appears from the start

A dwarven climber and close companion who travels with Max as one of the expedition's frontline fighters. He is part of the established party making the waypoint journey to another world to help Max fulfill an outstanding obligation.

Appears from the start

A dwarven climber and healer who accompanies Max's party on its return to the other world. Her place in the expedition combines adventuring experience with the medical support needed by a group entering an uncertain political situation.

Appears from the start

A climber and ranged fighter who joins Max's expedition as part of his established adventuring party. She travels through the waypoint with the rest of the group as Max returns to address an obligation left in another world.

Appears from the start

A young silver dragon bonded to Max. He travels with the expedition under the care and instruction of his red-dragon guardian. Still developing, he is absorbing an elf previously given to him and remains closely dependent on his guardian's teaching.

Appears from the start

Rakonath's long-serving caretaker and teacher, able to take humanoid form. She agrees to leave her long-time home so she can accompany and protect the young dragon, remaining responsible for his instruction during Max's expedition.

Appears from the start

A Golden Axe leader and ally of Max who turns day-to-day administration over to Tom so he can join the expedition. His decision places him with Max's traveling party while leaving the faction's routine operations in another trusted leader's hands.

Appears from the start

A Golden Axe administrator and trainer who assumes responsibility for the faction's daily leadership while Everett is away. He stays behind rather than joining Max's expedition, providing continuity for Golden Axe during its leader's absence.

Appears from the start

Max's sister and the mother of Callie. An inexperienced adventurer, she fears that Max's departure may lead to another long separation. She and her daughter say farewell when Max leaves, while their parents cannot face another departure.

First appears in chapter 2

A powerful wolfkin who seized Igarra's city and teleporter through champion challenges after killing Max's appointed champion and defeating several more challengers. His rule is firm and defiance is lethal, though local guards describe him as broadly fair.

First appears in chapter 3

A surviving local ally who serves Igarra's ruler while privately helping Max understand the champion challenge. She explains the protected preparation period, the consequence of failing to appear, and the interworld audience for the fight.

Also known as Consume

First appears in chapter 3

Max's bound black skill and internal adviser. Before the challenge for Igarra, he argues that greater power may be necessary for Max to protect the people he loves. His advice reaches as far as suggesting eventual godlike power, although Max rejects godhood as a goal.

First appears in chapter 4

An experienced off-world dwarven crafter with thirteen crafting skills. Max secures her help making a challenge weapon, and she warns that the wolfkin ruler's metallic body may resist ordinary weapons while his axes may carry a curse.

First appears in chapter 8

A vorpal-rabbit leader allied with Max who accompanies the dark-elf administrator when Max is sent to the arena for his challenge against Igarra's ruler.

First appears in chapter 8

Max's summoned former champion, a demon who survived defeat in a severely damaged body. Grateful that Max once spared him, he warns that every strike from the wolfkin ruler's axes adds a weakening curse.

First appears in chapter 22

A gnome power-core craft specialist who steals Rakonath's core with an unauthorized transport-and-destruction device. Her escape destroys a large part of the surrounding city, harms bystanders, and leaves the young dragon without a vital source of support.

First appears in chapter 26

A frightened member of the core thief's influential crafting family whom Max captures while searching for Rakonath's stolen core. Held alongside the thief's mother, he appears more willing to cooperate with Max than she does as the conflict widens.

First appears in chapter 35

A world-consuming challenger that claims Igarra and gives Max one day to withdraw with anyone and anything he can carry, or remain and fight. It intends to consume the world eventually, although it says the inhabitants will have years to evacuate.

First appears in chapter 43

Tanila's sister, identified as the zealot-linked killer behind a village massacre by the marks left on the victims. She has a power that drains victims through sustained forehead contact and is also an accomplished blade fighter. Her actions may be intended to provoke Max.

First appears in chapter 45

A dwarven king and former tower climber who warns that the tower's choices can permanently change people. Acting under direction from the dwarven god, he offers Max's party full-power training in a protected royal field where fatal injuries reset without lasting harm.

First appears in chapter 55

A merfolk councilwoman who voluntarily transfers her bloodline to Max after his party wins the tournament. The transfer raises his recorded bloodline total to 60 percent, and she immediately turns to dust and dies.

First appears in chapter 61

A hidden divine figure associated with Rakonath's mark who intervenes when tower watchers judge Max and Bob to be in mortal danger. He offers to pay the System's price to preserve them, warning that their deaths could endanger a prophecy and revive earlier chaos.

First appears in chapter 65

An unnamed ruler who abducts Cordelia and threatens to kill her unless Max arrives alone within a week. The demand is intended to compel Max's surrender and creates an immediate rescue crisis.