The Cast

The players on the stage of Constantinople. An asterisk before the name denotes that the character is confirmed dead.

The Nerius Household

*Sextus Nerius--former head of the Nerius family, Livia's husband, advisor to Constantius, accomplished spy. Was killed by a demon before the story opened.
Livia Neria--current head of the Nerius family. Currently guardian to the heir to Constans's throne...among other things.
Optata Neria--Livia's only child, about five years old. Adopted into Constantius's family.
Diya Neria--Sextus's daughter by his lover Merouk. About fifteen years old, mage student and sneaky-type, currently heir to one of the regencies.
Darius Aulus--Livia's bodyguard and lover. Former gladiator, mage of some power. Diya's teacher. One of three people Livia has ever trusted absolutely as an adult, and one is dead and the other is five years old.
Orla Titullinia--Livia's personal maid and chamberlain, second only to Livia in authority over the household servants. Has served with Livia since Livia was a young teen.
Rusticus Homullus--The master of Livia's guard. Married to her cook.

Hagia Sophia Council

Faydren--leader of the council. No mage specialty except perhaps a concentration in killing spells. A man who appears to enjoy sensual pleasures only as long as they impress someone else. Wants the Empire, badly.
Didius--master of artifacts. Quiet man. Whole family moved to Ankara a number of years back except his daughter.
Attius--master of potions. Opium dealer, smokes his profits. Dead and replaced with someone else unknown, currently suspected to be Hadrius.
Pollius--master of mind-affecting magic. Faydren's eyes and ears. Has been "treating" Aranis's madness for years. Worked with Sextus on something.
Tetius--unknown specialty. Argues with Faydren openly but then always votes with him. Can get his hands on just about anything.
Aphe--master of divination. Always wears veils covering her whole body, believes virginity is the key to seeing the future. Works almost exclusively for Faydren.
Statilla--master of plant magic, often doing things most think can only be done by druids. Member of the council predating Faydren's leadership. Worked with Sextus on something.
Collita--master of wards, guards, and protective magic. Blunt as the side of a building. Has an apparent native ability to read minds, is frustrated when something stops her from doing so. Possibly partly nonhuman.
Julia--no specialty. Was on the council before Faydren, retired or was removed for heresy depending on who you ask, and was placed back on the council when Maranis died. Mother of Linaeus, formerly involved with Lukas (unknown if they were married). One of Sextus's more trusted allies. Probably playing a game or two of her own.
Quintia--no specialty. Bit of a hedonist, probably second in strength only to Faydren. People she's involved with tend to disappear when she's done with them.
Thalea--no known specialty. Formerly Julia's apprentice, was raised to the council at a reasonably young age. Has been involved with Linaeus off and on for years. Has been attempting to remedy the effect his demon eyes have had on him.
*Zaran--master of killing magics. Captured and killed by Livia after he killed Esayis. No replacement yet.
*Maranis--Was holding Constantine's son, killed by Zaran on Faydren's orders. Replaced by Julia.

Hagia Sophia, Other

Hadrius--former council member, quarreled with Faydren and disappeared. Assumed dead. Probably not.

Regents and Households

Constantine--oldest of the three regents, outwardly the most calm, but perhaps with the most vicious temper underneath. Was working extensively with Sextus before he died.
Cyricus--Constantine's son.

Constantius/Geras--Constantius was the middle of the three brothers. He was turned into a demon by Geras, who then took his place and later killed the demon that Constantius had become. Geras is a mage and was a childhood friend of Sextus and Linaeus. When they were fifteen, Sextus and Geras quarreled over Merouk, who both boys wanted for themselves. Geras nearly killed Sextus, and Sextus blinded Geras. Geras, for fifteen years, has been wanting revenge...and now he has some of it, and is on target to get the rest.
*Fausta--Constantius's wife. Murdered by Geras, who framed the same demon that killed Sextus.
Linaeus--Childhood friend of Sextus, priest of Athena who also plays the roles of a priest of Ares and a priest of Christos. Generally impossible to tell whose side he's actually on much of the time.
Hedea--Optata's nurse, does a bit of spying for Livia.
Gallus--Constantius's cousin, second youngest son of Constantine I and his second wife. About eight years old.
Julian--Constantius's cousin, youngest son of Constantine I and his second wife. About five years old.
*Maranis--Geras's bodyguard. Was "disappeared" by Livia and Darius.

*Constans--Youngest of the regents. Not particularly strong-willed, but a very dangerous man to corner. Was killed with Magentius's sword.
*Magentius--Constans's last lover, promoted to general by Constans for his skill in the bedroom. A man of diverse sexal tastes and overwhelming ambition.
Aranis--Constans's wife, mother of Esayis. Went mad after the birth of her son.
*Esayis--Aranis's son, supposedly fathered by Constans. Was captured by Geras and held for a time; was killed when Livia, Diya, and Darius broke him out. Was Diya's betrothed.

Various nobles

Lucina Gaetulica--Livia's mother.
Alypia Neria--Livia's mother-in-law, Sextus's mother.
Dracia--an older woman, very distant relative of the Gaetulicus family.
Prima--a childhood friend of Livia's
Volusensilla--a childhood friend of Livia's

Priests

Lukas--Priest of Athena. Linaeus's father. Has a price on his head.
Iraeus--Priest of Ares, guarded shipments for Sextus.

Foreigners

Neera--accomplished harpist, currently paying back a debt to Faydren as a bondservant. Has the power to evoke memories with her music, either to soothe or disturb.
*Merouk--Sextus's former lover, mother of Diya. Died of syphilis contracted when she was raped by Geras after she moved to Ankara.
Andreas--moneylender, holder of Sextus's secret accounts.