List Of Emberverse Characters
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This is a list of major and minor characters in S. M. Stirling's ''Emberverse'' series of
post-apocalyptic Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction are genres of speculative fiction in which the Earth's (or another planet's) civilization is collapsing or has collapsed. The apocalypse event may be climatic, such as runaway climate change; astronom ...
, alternate-history novels.


Bearkillers

*''Mike Havel'': A former
US Marine The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the Marines, maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expedi ...
and pilot, Mike is flying a plane carrying the Larsson family to their vacation home in
Montana Montana ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota to the east, South Dakota to the southeast, Wyoming to the south, an ...
at the time of "the Change". He leads the Bearkillers (named for the black bear he kills when it attacks their camp), and takes the group from
Idaho Idaho ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain states, Mountain West subregions of the Western United States. It borders Montana and Wyoming to the east, Nevada and Utah to the south, and Washington (state), ...
to the
Willamette Valley The Willamette Valley ( ) is a valley in Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The Willamette River flows the entire length of the valley and is surrounded by mountains on three sides: the Cascade Range to the east, the ...
. Mike reluctantly accepts the title of "Lord
Bear Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family (biology), family Ursidae (). They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats ...
" when it is given to him by Astrid. A fair man, he is dangerous to his enemies. Mike dislikes being a hero, but enjoys being in charge. He provokes Arminger into a duel to save his people, and the men kill each other. *''Kenneth Larsson'': The Larsson patriarch, a wealthy industrialist and amateur engineer whose wife is killed shortly after the Change by
white supremacists White supremacy is the belief that white people are superior to those of other races. The belief favors the maintenance and defense of any power and privilege held by white people. White supremacy has roots in the now-discredited doctrine o ...
. Grateful to Mike for saving his children, Ken acknowledges him as their leader. His engineering expertise helps the Bearkillers develop a
siege engine A siege engine is a device that is designed to break or circumvent heavy castle doors, thick city walls and other fortifications in siege warfare. Some are immobile, constructed in place to attack enemy fortifications from a distance, while othe ...
and farming tools. Ken loses a hand to Duke Iron Rod when the Duke attacks the Bearkillers. He has trouble adapting to the Change, thinking that
Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to Planetary habitability, harbor life. This is enabled by Earth being an ocean world, the only one in the Solar System sustaining liquid surface water. Almost all ...
is doomed because there is no way to stop a
meteor A meteor, known colloquially as a shooting star, is a glowing streak of a small body (usually meteoroid) going through Earth's atmosphere, after being heated to incandescence by collisions with air molecules in the upper atmosphere, creating a ...
from hitting the planet. Ken is Eric, Signe, and Astrid's father, later marrying Pamela and siring several more children. He believes that aliens caused the Change. *''Signe Larsson'': Ken's daughter and Eric and Astrid's sister, Signe was a
vegetarian Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the Eating, consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects as food, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slau ...
before the Change but now eats whatever she can to survive. She marries Mike, and is called "Lady Bear". Signe handles the Bearkillers'
intelligence-gathering This is a list of intelligence gathering disciplines. HUMINT Human intelligence (HUMINT) are gathered from a person in the location in question. Sources can include the following: * Advisors or foreign internal defense (FID) personnel w ...
before she becomes
regent In a monarchy, a regent () is a person appointed to govern a state because the actual monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge their powers and duties, or the throne is vacant and a new monarch has not yet been dete ...
after Mike's death. Although she is wary of Rudi, fearing that he will use his position as Mike's son to become Lord Bear (and take away the position for her son), she donates blood to save his life. Signe becomes a neopagan, drawn to the Norse pantheon of her Swedish ancestry. She is the mother of Ritva, Mary, Mike Jr., unidentified twin girls (fathered by Mike), and an unidentified child whom Eric Larsson assumes is fathered by Bjarni Eriksson. *''Eric Larsson'': Signe and Astrid's brother and Ken's son, Eric thinks of Mike as an older brother but is jealous of the attention he pays to his sister. Usually commanding the Bearkiller
cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from ''cheval'' meaning "horse") are groups of soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Until the 20th century, cavalry were the most mob ...
in battle, he is headstrong and quick to anger. Eric teases Astrid for her love of ''
The Lord of the Rings ''The Lord of the Rings'' is an Epic (genre), epic high fantasy novel written by English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. Set in Middle-earth, the story began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 children's book ''The Hobbit'' but eventually d ...
''. He is married to Luanne, and has several children. By CY (Change Year) 22, Eric commands the Bearkiller military. Leading the Meeting's attempt to capture Pendleton, he loses a hand and earns the sobriquet "Ironfist" for his prothesis (and leadership). *''Will Hutton'': An
African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...
horseman who had competed in several
rodeo Rodeo () is a competitive equestrian sport that arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain and Mexico, expanding throughout the Americas and to other nations. It was originally based on the skills required of the working vaqu ...
s in and around Texas, Will and his family are captured by white supremacists after the Change. Mike frees them, and they become founding members of the Bearkillers; Will is Mike's second-in-command, and his horsemanship molds the Bearkillers' cavalry. He declines several offers by Mike to make him leader of the Bearkillers. After Mike's death, Will leads the group before Signe replaces him. In ''Dies the Fire'', he has a son serving with the US military in Italy. *''Angelica Hutton'': Will's wife and Luanne's mother, Angelica becomes the Bearkiller trail boss and head of
logistics Logistics is the part of supply chain management that deals with the efficient forward and reverse flow of goods, services, and related information from the point of origin to the Consumption (economics), point of consumption according to the ...
when they settle in Oregon. She sprinkles her conversation with
Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...
words, which rubs off on the other Bearkillers. *''Luanne Hutton'': Will and Angelica's daughter, Luanne is Astrid's friend until Astrid becomes jealous of her relationship with Eric (whom she marries). Luanne (part of the Bearkiller high command) usually accompanies Eric into battle, and they have several children. *''Pamela Arnstein'': A California veterinarian and Renaissance reenactor, Pamela is stranded in Idaho after the Change. One of the Bearkillers' first recruits, her knowledge of
swordsmanship Swordsmanship or sword fighting refers to the skills and techniques used in combat and training with any type of sword. The term is modern, and as such was mainly used to refer to smallsword fencing, but by extension it can also be applied to an ...
makes her a useful addition. Pamela marries Ken, and commands his bodyguards when he leads the Bearkiller siege train into battle. *''Aaron Rothman'': A
doctor Doctor, Doctors, The Doctor or The Doctors may refer to: Titles and occupations * Physician, a medical practitioner * Doctor (title), an academic title for the holder of a doctoral-level degree ** Doctorate ** List of doctoral degrees awarded b ...
rescued by Mike from a band of
cannibals Cannibalism is the act of consuming another individual of the same species as food. Cannibalism is a common ecological interaction in the animal kingdom and has been recorded in more than 1,500 species. Human cannibalism is also well documente ...
after they cut off his foot for food, Aaron trains the Bearkiller medics and usually travels with the army to care for the wounded. Aaron has an unrequited crush on Mike, and all his boyfriends resemble the Bearkiller leader. *''Mike Havel Jr.'': Mike and Signe's son, Mike Jr. is groomed by his mother to become the next Lord Bear. After saving Eric's life outside Pendleton, he is promoted and offered the chance to become Lord Bear. Mike Jr. declines, saying that he has more to learn from his mother and uncle. He admires his brother, Rudi McKenzie. *''Astrid Larsson'': Signe and Eric's sister, and Eilir Mackenzie's blood sister. *''Will Larsson'': Eric and Luanne's son, Will is promoted for his heroism on the Pendleton battlefield.


Mackenzie clan

*''Juniper Mackenzie'': A
folk singer Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...
and
Wicca Wicca (), also known as "The Craft", is a Modern paganism, modern pagan, syncretic, Earth religion, Earth-centred religion. Considered a new religious movement by Religious studies, scholars of religion, the path evolved from Western esote ...
n priestess, Juniper flees Corvallis after the Change to her country home and forms the Mackenzie
clan A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, a clan may claim descent from a founding member or apical ancestor who serves as a symbol of the clan's unity. Many societie ...
from members of her
coven A coven () is a group or gathering of Witchcraft, witches. The word "coven" (from Anglo-Norman language, Anglo-Norman ''covent, cuvent'', from Old French ''covent'', from Latin ''conventum'' = convention) remained largely unused in English lan ...
and other refugees. A sexual encounter with Mike produces her son (and second child), Rudi, named after her late boyfriend. Considered by many Wiccans a "goddess on Earth", Juniper spreads the Wiccan religion beyond the Willamette Valley. The ''de facto'' leader of the non-Portland Meeting groups, she develops a working relationship with Sandra Arminger after the duel at the Fields of Gold. Her children are Eilir and two other daughters, and she is married to Nigel Loring. Music attributed to Juniper in the books is by
Alexander James Adams Alexander James Adams (formerly Heather Alexander; born November 8, 1962) is an American singer, musician and songwriter in the Celtic and world music genres who blends mythical, fantasy, and traditional themes in performances, switching between i ...
, acknowledged (as Heather Alexander) in ''The Protector's War''. *''Rudi "Artos" Mackenzie'': Rudi is the son of Juniper and Mike, born shortly after the Change. The clan's
Tanist Tanistry is a Gaelic system for passing on titles and lands. In this system the Tanist (; ; ) is the office of heir-apparent, or second-in-command, among the (royal) Gaelic patrilineal dynasties of Ireland, Scotland and Mann, to succeed to ...
, several prophecies and strange events have followed him; one such prophecy leads him and his friends on a quest across North America to
Nantucket Nantucket () is an island in the state of Massachusetts in the United States, about south of the Cape Cod peninsula. Together with the small islands of Tuckernuck Island, Tuckernuck and Muskeget Island, Muskeget, it constitutes the Town and Co ...
to retrieve a sword. Rudi is described as a skillful fighter for his age, with uncanny accuracy. He is one of the few who can approach his horse,
Epona In Gallo-Roman religion, Epona was a protector of horses, ponies, donkeys, and mules. She was particularly a goddess of fertility, as shown by her attributes of a patera, cornucopia, ears of grain, and the presence of foals in some sculpture ...
, without being attacked. Rudi has a close relationship with Mathilda which grieves him, since their different religions and political situations make it unlikely that they will ever be together. A reviewer called Rudi noble, complex, and admirable. *''Dennis Martin'': A bar owner before the Change, Dennis accompanies Juniper to her country home with him
medieval weapons This is a list of weapons that were used during the medieval period. Handheld weapons * Battle axe * Bec de corbin * Bludgeon * Club * Flail * Flanged mace * Horseman's pick * Mace * Morning star * Quarterstaff * Shestopyor, Pernach * ...
from his brother John. He has some skill as a blacksmith, but is a better woodworker. Dennis becomes a Wiccan, and inspires clan members to call Juniper "Lady Mackenzie" after he jokingly refers to her with that title. The first to wear the Mackenzie kilt, he instigates the neo-Celtic culture which defines the clan. *''Chuck Barstow'': A SCA member and a gardener before the Change, he leads many of Juniper's
coven A coven () is a group or gathering of Witchcraft, witches. The word "coven" (from Anglo-Norman language, Anglo-Norman ''covent, cuvent'', from Old French ''covent'', from Latin ''conventum'' = convention) remained largely unused in English lan ...
to her cabin and saves several schoolchildren from an abandoned bus (adopting three of them). Chuck is the clan's Second Armsman (under Sam) until he is promoted to First Armsman when Sam retires. Married to Judy with several children, he dies outside Pendleton but awakens in the afterlife. *''Judy Barstow'': Juniper's teenage friend, who converts with her to Wicca. She becomes a nurse midwife, and marries Chuck. Judy's medical skills with medicine make her the clan's lead healer and one of Juniper's closest advisors. *''Oak Barstow'': One of Chuck and Judy's adopted children, who takes the name Oak after converting to Wicca. Chuck's second-in-command outside Pendleton, he orders the clan to retreat after Chuck's death. At a burial ceremony outside Dun Juniper, Oak swears to avenge his father's death. *''Sam Aylward'': A former member of the
Special Air Service The Special Air Service (SAS) is a special forces unit of the British Army. It was founded as a regiment in 1941 by David Stirling, and in 1950 it was reconstituted as a corps. The unit specialises in a number of roles including counter-terr ...
, Sam is hunting in Oregon during the Change and initially thought that it was a
nuclear war Nuclear warfare, also known as atomic warfare, is a War, military conflict or prepared Policy, political strategy that deploys nuclear weaponry. Nuclear weapons are Weapon of mass destruction, weapons of mass destruction; in contrast to conven ...
. Rescued by Juniper (who found him in a ravine), his skills as a
bowyer A bowyer is a master-craftsman who makes bows. Though this was once a widespread profession, the importance of bowyers and of bows was diminished by the introduction of gunpowder weaponry. However, the trade has survived and many bowyers conti ...
make the
longbow A longbow is a type of tall bow that makes a fairly long draw possible. Longbows for hunting and warfare have been made from many different woods in many cultures; in Europe they date from the Paleolithic era and, since the Bronze Age, were mad ...
the clan's weapon of choice. Thwarting attempts at promotion in the British military, Sam is the clan's First Armsmen. His reputation with a longbow earned him the nickname "Aylward the Archer" and a reputation reaching
Boise, Idaho Boise ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Idaho, most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, there were 235,685 people residing in the city. Loca ...
. *''Nigel Loring'': Sam's former commanding officer in the Special Air Service and a colonel in the Blues and Royals at the time of the Change, Nigel saves the
British royal family The British royal family comprises Charles III and other members of his family. There is no strict legal or formal definition of who is or is not a member, although the Royal Household has issued different lists outlining who is considere ...
and helps the remnants of the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
endure the Change. Disputes with
King Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...
and his new wife force him to flee the country with his son, Alleyne, and John Hordle after his wife Maude is killed during their escape from
Woburn Abbey Woburn Abbey (), occupying the east of the village of Woburn, Bedfordshire, England, is a country house, the family seat of the Duke of Bedford. Although it is still a family home to the current duke, it is open on specified days to visitors, ...
. Picked up by a
Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...
n ship on a round-the-world expedition, he finds himself in Oregon and is offered land and title by
Portland Portland most commonly refers to: *Portland, Oregon, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon *Portland, Maine, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine *Isle of Portland, a tied island in the English Channel Portland may also r ...
Protective Association Lord Protector Norman Arminger and flees after tricking him out of the
nerve gas Nerve agents, sometimes also called nerve gases, are a class of organic chemicals that disrupt the mechanisms by which nerves transfer messages to organs. The disruption is caused by the blocking of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), an enzyme that ...
Arminger wants for his war against the Willamette Valley communities. Nigel settles with the Mackenzies, and falls in love with Juniper; they have two daughters. He commands the Mackenzie infantry (which does not use the longbow), wears full
plate armour Plate armour is a historical type of personal body armour made from bronze, iron, or steel plates, culminating in the iconic suit of armour entirely encasing the wearer. Full plate steel armour developed in Europe during the Late Middle Ages, es ...
, and instills strict discipline in the Mackenzie warriors. *''Edain Aylward'': Edain, Sam's son, joins Rudi on his quest to Nantucket. An accomplished archer, he finds it difficult to live up to his father's reputation. *''Eilir Mackenzie'': Juniper's
deaf Deafness has varying definitions in cultural and medical contexts. In medical contexts, the meaning of deafness is hearing loss that precludes a person from understanding spoken language, an audiological condition. In this context it is written ...
daughter, and Astrid's blood-sister. *''Terry Martin'': Dennis' stepson, a noted brewer.


Portland Protective Association

*''Norman Arminger'': The megalomaniac Lord Protector of the Portland Protective Association is a history professor and member of the
Society for Creative Anachronism The Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) is an international living history group with the aim of studying and recreating mainly Medieval European cultures and their histories before the 17th century. A quip often used within the SCA describes ...
before the Change, who builds the PPA with members of the society and Portland gang leaders. Labeled a
sociopath Psychopathy, or psychopathic personality, is a personality construct characterized by impaired empathy and remorse, along with bold, disinhibited, and egocentric traits. These traits are often masked by superficial charm and immunity to st ...
, he can be cruel to his enemies and his own people and reintroduces slavery to North America. Married to Sandra and father of Mathilda, he is killed by Mike Havel in a duel. *''Sandra Arminger'': Norman's wife, Mathilda's mother and PPA regent, Sandra is the association's voice of reason but can be at least as cruel as Norman. Protective of her daughter, she shamelessly manipulates her into marrying the right man. *''Mathilda Arminger'': Norman and Sandra's daughter and PPA heiress (which she will inherit on her 26th birthday), Mathilda travels with Rudi to Nantucket. Sometimes ashamed of her father, she rationalizes his evil as necessary but does not want to repeat his mistakes. Good friends with Rudi, they become engaged in ''
The Sword of the Lady ''The Sword of the Lady'' (2009) is an alternate history, post-apocalyptic novel by American writer S. M. Stirling. It is the sixth book in the Emberverse series. Rudi Mackenzie and his group leave Iowa, heading through Wisconsin, out onto t ...
''. *''Conrad Renfrew'': The Count of Odell, former commander of the PPA military and Lord Chancellor to Regent Arminger, Conrad's face is heavily scarred. A friend of Norman before the Change, he is his earliest supporter. Conrad is cagey about his past, causing some to question his identity. A CPA before the Change, he is less bloodthirsty than Norman and disagrees with him if he thinks he is wrong. *''Eddie Liu'': A former gang member who moves quickly up the PPA ranks to become the
baron Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often Hereditary title, hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than ...
of Gervais, Eddie has a grudge against Juniper (who killed his friend while they were looting a store in Corvallis after the Change). He is Norman's agent with warlords like Duke Iron Rod before his promotion to defend the PPA's southern border. Father of Odard Liu and husband of Lady Mary Liu, he is killed trying to retrieve a book of secret codes accidentally given to Rudi. *''Odard Liu'': Eddie's son and the baron of Gervais, Odard is ambitious and spends time with Mathilda (in the hope that they will marry); he accompanies her and Rudi to Nantucket. He has a wary friendship with his rival, Rudi. Odard's mother, Lady Mary, undermines his baronial authority. He is killed in battle with Moorish corsairs shortly before Rudi's group reaches Nantucket. *''Mack'': A former gang member and Eddie's bodyguard, he carries a large
war hammer A war hammer (French: ''martel-de-fer'', "iron hammer") is a weapon that was used by both infantry, foot soldiers and cavalry. It is a very old weapon and gave its name, owing to its constant use, to Judas Maccabeus, Judah Maccabee, a 2nd-century ...
and dies defending Eddie. *''Tiphaine d'Ath'': Sandra's former assassin, who commands the PPA military. A teenager at the time of the Change, she is sponsored by Sandra. Tiphaine has a grudge against Astrid for killing her lover, but later reluctantly forgives her. She kidnaps Rudi and becomes fond of him, risking almost-certain death to defend him against Norman's assassins. A
lesbian A lesbian is a homosexual woman or girl. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate nouns with female homosexu ...
, Tiphaine thinks that she must keep her sexual orientation secret from the conservative Catholic PPA (although most of those in power know and do not care). *''Alex'': Odard's servant and bodyguard, who joins him on Rudi's quest to Nantucket. Alex is loyal to Odard's mother (who has ordered him to protect Odard at all costs), seeing her as the reason he and his family survived the Change. Odard turns Mathilda and Odard over to CUT soldiers to prevent Odard from dying in battle. *''Duke Iron Rod'': A former biker who leads his gang in taking over an Idaho
convent A convent is an enclosed community of monks, nuns, friars or religious sisters. Alternatively, ''convent'' means the building used by the community. The term is particularly used in the Catholic Church, Lutheran churches, and the Anglican ...
after the Change. Briefly allied with the PPA, his gang is defeated by the Bearkillers and he is hanged. *''Lady Mary Liu'': Odard's mother and Eddie's widow, the baroness of Gervais. Norman and Sandra's friend before the Change and a member of the SCA, she jealously guards her noble privileges; Sandra is suspicious of her motives. Mary convinces Alex to protect Odard at any cost, and has undercover dealings with the CUT. *''Delia Mercer'': A maid and closet lesbian and Wiccan, Delia is Tiphaine's ''de facto'' wife of and the ''de jure'' wife of Rigoberte. She becomes a member of Sandra's inner circle. *''Rigoberte de Stafford'': A junior intelligence agent before the Change, Rigoberte becomes a member of Sandra's Sailor Moon commando squad. A closeted homosexual, his marriage to Delia provides for him and Tiphaine in the PPA's homophobic environment. One of Tiphaine's few close friends, Rigoberte is her executive officer in the Walla Walla campaign.


Dúnedain Rangers

*''Astrid Larsson'': Ken's daughter and Eric and Signe's sister, Astrid is obsessed with
J. R. R. Tolkien John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (, 3 January 1892 – 2 September 1973) was an English writer and philologist. He was the author of the high fantasy works ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''. From 1925 to 1945, Tolkien was the Rawlinson ...
's ''The Lord of the Rings'' (which helped her survive after the Change) and calls the books "histories". Originally a member of the Bearkillers, she leaves to form the Rangers with Eilir. Astrid is married to Alleyne, and they have several children; she is angry when she cannot join Rudi's quest because of her responsibilities to the Rangers and her family. Named after
Poul Anderson Poul William Anderson ( ; November 25, 1926 – July 31, 2001) was an American fantasy and science fiction author who was active from the 1940s until his death in 2001. Anderson also wrote historical novels. He won the Hugo Award seven times an ...
's daughter, one reviewer found her outlook on life similar to that of the author. Another reviewer wrote that Stirling made Astrid "a reader surrogate, with her love of fantasy", and "succeeds wildly in imbuing her with the kind of inspirational, bright-eyed youthful optimism that sees everyone else through the grimmest crises." *''Eilir Mackenzie'': Juniper's daughter is born deaf and learns
sign language Sign languages (also known as signed languages) are languages that use the visual-manual modality to convey meaning, instead of spoken words. Sign languages are expressed through manual articulation in combination with #Non-manual elements, no ...
to communicate. Originally a member of the Mackenzie clan, she and Astrid leave to form the Rangers. Eilir is the more rational of the two; attracted to Alleyne when they meet, she is jealous of Astrid but later marries John Hordle. *''Alleyne Loring'': Nigel's son and Astrid's husband, Alleyne helps his father rebuild post-Change Britain with his knowledge of
medieval warfare Medieval warfare is the warfare of the Middle Ages. Technological, cultural, and social advancements had forced a severe transformation in the character of warfare from antiquity, changing military tactics and the role of cavalry and artiller ...
. Close friends with John since their time in the military, he accompanies Nigel in exile to Oregon. Alleyne joins the Rangers to be closer to Astrid, whose obsession with ''The Lord of the Rings'' concerns him. *''John Hordle'': A former British soldier whom Nigel saves after the Change, John jokingly accuses Sam of tricking him into joining the Special Air Services by lying to him about military life. Eilir calls him her "excessively large boyfriend", and they have two children after their marriage. *''Ritva and Mary Havel'': Mike and Signe's twin daughters, they grow up with the Bearkillers before joining the Rangers. Accomplished
scouts Scouting or the Scout Movement is a youth social movement, movement which became popularly established in the first decade of the twentieth century. It follows the Scout method of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activi ...
who are usually paired in battle, they often finish each other's sentences. Ritva and Mary are close friends with their half-brother Rudi, and join him on his quest to Nantucket. Wearing an eye patch after losing an eye in battle, Mary marries Ingolf. *''Reuben Hutton'' (formerly Waters), adopted by the Huttons after the Change, is killed in a skirmish with Protectorate forces. *''Kevin Lewis'', the Dúnedain Ranger medic, treats Rudi's injuries after the battle to recapture Mathilda Arminger. *''Crystal'', a junior probationary Ranger, trains with Eilir in swordplay.


Corvallis

* Luther Finney: An elderly farmer who lived near Corvallis and friend of Juniper. After being warned about what the Change really was, he saved his son and his family from the city they were living in before the food ran out. He became an important member of the Corvallis government thanks to his knowledge of farming and opposed the PPA and argued that Corvallis should support the other factions fighting them. Because of his religious upbringing he refused to swear around women, though often this proved difficult considering the situation. He died while working on his farm on a July day, fulfilling a promise he made after coming back from the
Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...
to die on his farm on the hottest day he ever experienced. * Edward Finney: Luther's son whom he saved from his city home. Edward took over his father's farm after he died and continues to wield the same influence his father did in Corvallis. * Peter Jones: A graduate student at
Oregon State University Oregon State University (OSU) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. OSU offers more than 200 undergraduate degree programs and a variety of graduate and doctor ...
before the Change, Jones became the leader of Corvallis militia. He holds the rank of Major and can usually be seen wearing wrap-around sports goggles when he is in battle dress. He is distrustful of the PPA and argued for Corvallis to ally with the other factions fighting them. He led a "volunteer" force to help the Bearkillers in their battle against an invading PPA army after the Corvallis government refused to get involved in the war.


Church Universal and Triumphant

*''Sethaz'':
Prophet In religion, a prophet or prophetess is an individual who is regarded as being in contact with a divinity, divine being and is said to speak on behalf of that being, serving as an intermediary with humanity by delivering messages or teachings ...
of the
CUT Cut or CUT may refer to: Common uses * The act of cutting, the separation of an object into two through acutely directed force ** A type of wound ** Cut (archaeology), a hole dug in the past ** Cut (clothing), the style or shape of a garment ** ...
at the time of ''Sunrise Lands'', Sethaz enjoys violence and death. He sees himself as a "Scourge of God", sent to rid Earth of sinners. Sethaz has strange visions; he fears Rudi, and wants to kill him before he completes his quest. *''Joseph Kuttner'': High Seeker of the CUT, Joseph is an agent of Sethaz who infiltrated the government of
Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...
so it would send him on Ingolf's expedition to the eastern death zones. He loses an eye to a vengeful Ingolf, and is killed trying to kill Rudi. *''Major Graber'': An officer in the Sword of the Prophet (the CUT elite), Graber is an orphan raised by CUT to be a soldier and is tasked by Sethaz to find and kill Rudi after the fall of Twin Falls.


Mount Angel

*''Abbot Dmwoski'' (spelled "Dmowski" in ''
The Protector's War ''The Protector's War'' is a 2005 alternate history, post-apocalyptic, science fiction novel by American writer S.M. Stirling. It is the second novel in the Emberverse series. ''The Protector's War'' describes the events of roughly a year, s ...
''): A former soldier who joins the
Benedictine The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, th ...
monks of
Mount Angel Abbey Mount Angel Abbey is a Catholic monastery of Benedictine monks located in Saint Benedict, Oregon, northeast of Salem, it was established in 1882 from Engelberg Abbey, in Switzerland. The abbey, located on the top of Mount Angel, a , has its ...
to get away from war. After the Change, he is promoted to abbot and turns the monks and sisters of Mount Angel into a fighting force to protect refugees and prevent Mount Angel from falling under the yoke of the PPA. *''Father Ignatius'': A member of the Order of the Shield of St. Benedict, his birth name is Karl Bergfried. Father Ignatius, tasked with helping Mathilda escape the PPA so she can join Rudi on his quest, counsels her about Rudi.


United States of America (Boise)

*''President Thurston'': A former member of the
US military The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. U.S. federal law names six armed forces: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and the Coast Guard. Since 1949, all of the armed forces, except th ...
who is now
President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...
(Boise). Although he is not elected, he sees it as his duty to reunite the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. Refusing to recognize other nations as legitimate, Thurston refuses to aide New Deseret against the CUT unless they agreed to join the US. He can admit a mistake, however, a trait Rudi admires. Martin and Frederick's father, Martin kills him when he plans to resign and hold elections. *''Martin Thurston'': President Thurston's elder son and Frederick's brother, Martin thinks that the presidency should be hereditary. He conspires with the CUT to kill his father, and the murder leaves him mentally unstable. Assuming the presidency, Martin is apparently ready to ally with the CUT. *''Frederick Thurston'': President Thurston's younger son and Martin's brother, he sees Martin kill his father and is rescued from a similar fate by Rudi. Frederick is a rallying point for opposition to Martin. A heathen, he is a follower of
Odin Odin (; from ) is a widely revered god in Norse mythology and Germanic paganism. Most surviving information on Odin comes from Norse mythology, but he figures prominently in the recorded history of Northern Europe. This includes the Roman Em ...
.


Empire of Japan

*''Reiko'': The
Empress of Japan The empress of Japan is the title given to the wife of the Emperor of Japan or a female ruler in her own right. The current empress consort is Empress Masako, who ascended the throne with her husband on 1 May 2019. Empress regnant Titles * ...
after the death of her father in his quest to recover ''
Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi is a legendary Japanese sword and one of three Imperial Regalia of Japan. It was originally called , but its name was later changed to the more popular ("Grass-Cutting Sword"). In folklore, the sword represents the virtue of Courage, valor. L ...
'', Reiko is friendly with Rudi and Mathilda's daughter, Orlaith, and enlists her help.


British Empire

*''Charles IV'': The fictional son of
William V William V may refer to: * William V, Duke of Aquitaine (969–1030) * William V of Montpellier (1075–1121) * William V, Marquess of Montferrat (1191) * William V, Count of Nevers (before 11751181) * William V, Duke of Jülich (1299–1361) * Will ...
, the King of Great Britain and emperor of the West from 2039 until his death in 2066. *''Elizabeth III'': The daughter of Charles IV, queen of Great Britain and empress of the West from 2066 to 2098.


Other characters

*''Ingolf Vogeler'': A
mercenary A mercenary is a private individual who joins an armed conflict for personal profit, is otherwise an outsider to the conflict, and is not a member of any other official military. Mercenaries fight for money or other forms of payment rather t ...
from
Kickapoo, Wisconsin Kickapoo is a town in Vernon County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 566 at the 2000 census. The unincorporated communities of Kickapoo Center and Sugar Grove are located in the town. Geography According to the United States Census ...
in the Free Republic of Richland, Ingolf is the son of a
sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland, the , which is common ...
; after his brother assumes the position, he leaves to become a mercenary and a scavenger of the dead zones. He commands Vogeler's Villains, his own company, and is hired by the governor of Iowa to seek rare treasures in the eastern death zones with promises of land and his daughter's hand in marriage. Ingolf is instructed in a vision on Nantucket to search for Rudi in the west, but is betrayed (and his men killed) by Kuttner and the CUT. He escapes, warns Rudi, and follows him back to Nantucket; he becomes interested in Mary Havel. *''Kaur and Singh'':
Sikh Sikhs (singular Sikh: or ; , ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ''Si ...
brother and sister and mercenary scouts in Vogeler's Villains, they sacrifice themselves to give Ingolf time to flee Kuttner; he promises to avenge their deaths. *''Maude Loring'': Nigel's wife, who is killed trying to flee Britain with her husband. Nigel names one of his daughters with Juniper after her. *''Virginia Kane'': Daughter of a rancher killed by CUT-supported ranchers, Virginia meets Rudi and his band after fleeing from a rancher who wants to force her into marriage. She scalps the rancher after a skirmish between CUT forces and Rudi's party (who are allied with a Lakota scouting patrol led by John Red Leaf), and becomes interested in Frederick. *''Anthony Heasleroad'': The mentally-unstable-appearing boss of Iowa, who assumes dictatorial powers after the death of his father (the first boss after the Change). *''Red Leaf'':
Sioux The Sioux or Oceti Sakowin ( ; Dakota/ Lakota: ) are groups of Native American tribes and First Nations people from the Great Plains of North America. The Sioux have two major linguistic divisions: the Dakota and Lakota peoples (translati ...
chieftain who shelters Rudi and company from the CUT. After the Change, he returns the Sioux to their nomadic roots and makes them a major power on the
Great Plains The Great Plains is a broad expanse of plain, flatland in North America. The region stretches east of the Rocky Mountains, much of it covered in prairie, steppe, and grassland. They are the western part of the Interior Plains, which include th ...
. Red Leaf, good friends with Virginia Kane's father, adopts Rudi and the others into the tribe. *''John Brown'': Rancher at Seffridge
Ranch A ranch (from /Mexican Spanish) is an area of landscape, land, including various structures, given primarily to ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle and sheep. It is a subtype of farm. These terms are most often ap ...
and an important member of CORA. After the Change, John allows refugees from the towns to live on his ranch to support themselves by working for him. A longtime ally of the Mackenzie clan, he leads a force of CORA horsemen to fight the PPA in the last war. Rudi stops at John's ranch on his quest, and John allows them to travel with his son as they escort horses to Deseret. *''BD'': A merchant in the Pacific Northwest, BD is a Wiccan and an intelligence agent for the Meeting. Part of Astrid's conspiracy to kidnap the boss of Pendleton, she helps smuggle their weapons into the city. BD appeared in Kier Salmon and Tarl Neustaedter's 2006 Emberverse
fan fiction Fan fiction or fanfiction, also known as fan fic, fanfic, fic or FF, is fiction typically written in an amateur capacity by fans as a form of fan labor, unauthorized by, but based on, an existing work of fiction. The author uses copyrighted ...
, ''The Bonds of Kinship'', before appearing in ''The Scourge of God''. *''Jake sunna Jake'': Leader of the Southside Freedom Fighters, young people brought out of Chicago by "old Jake" (his father) shortly after the Change. Rudi encounters them in the Wild Lands, befriending and adopting them. Jake is killed in battle on the Great Lakes.


Contemporary non-fiction characters

* ''
Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...
'': The queen flees to the
Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight (Help:IPA/English, /waɪt/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''WYTE'') is an island off the south coast of England which, together with its surrounding uninhabited islets and Skerry, skerries, is also a ceremonial county. T ...
with the rest of the
British royal family The British royal family comprises Charles III and other members of his family. There is no strict legal or formal definition of who is or is not a member, although the Royal Household has issued different lists outlining who is considere ...
three days after the Change. She dies not too long afterwards in December 1998. * ''
Tony Blair Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007. He was Leader ...
'': The
Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
is delayed in his escort to the Isle of Wight. Although he sends messages promising to leave shortly, contact with him and his party is lost and he is presumed dead. * '' Charles III the Mad'': Ascending the throne of Britain after the death of his mother Elizabeth II in December 1998, Charles leads the remnants of Britain through the early years after the Change. His knowledge of organic farming (with which he has experimented since the early 1980s) helped the survivors obtain food. Charles marries an Icelandic refugee who was blamed for manipulating him. He later becomes insane and refuses to have new elections for
Parliament In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
, ruling by royal decree (creating a rift between him and Nigel). Officially dying in 2008 of a stroke, he is reportedly killed by his wife (who wanted power for herself and her infant son). * '' William V the Great'', king of Great Britain and emperor of the West: Charles' son; after the Change, William serves in the military, when Nigel saves his life in a battle with pirates. He becomes king in 2008 after the death of his father and an attempted coup by his stepmother. William leads a crusade against Moorish pirates off the
Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; ) or Canaries are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean and the southernmost Autonomous communities of Spain, Autonomous Community of Spain. They are located in the northwest of Africa, with the closest point to the cont ...
, and is crowned emperor of the West on his return. Under his leadership the
British Empire The British Empire comprised the dominions, Crown colony, colonies, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, mandates, and other Dependent territory, territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It bega ...
is reborn, and he tries unsuccessfully to convince Nigel to return to Britain by promising him wealth, land, and title. William is king from 2008 until his death in a 2039 fox-hunting accident. * ''
Ted Kaczynski Theodore John Kaczynski ( ; May 22, 1942 – June 10, 2023), also known as the Unabomber ( ), was an American mathematician and domestic terrorist. He was a mathematics prodigy, but abandoned his academic career in 1969 to pursue a reclusi ...
'': Kaczynski escapes from prison and flees
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
shortly after the Change, arriving in
Paradise Valley, Montana Paradise Valley is a major river valley of the Yellowstone River in Southwestern Montana just north of Yellowstone National Park in Park County. The valley is flanked by the Absaroka Range on the east and the Gallatin Range on the west. The P ...
. He becomes the CUT's prophet (or leader), passing on his anti-technology philosophy to his followers. Although he becomes insane, he remains the CUT leader. * ''
Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...
'' : Dies in the
Vatican Vatican may refer to: Geography * Vatican City, an independent city-state surrounded by Rome, Italy * Vatican Hill, in Rome, namesake of Vatican City * Ager Vaticanus, an alluvial plain in Rome * Vatican, an unincorporated community in the ...
, refusing to leave
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
after ordering the Swiss Guards to escort the other Vatican survivors out of the city. * ''
Pope Benedict XVI Pope BenedictXVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger; 16 April 1927 – 31 December 2022) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 19 April 2005 until his resignation on 28 February 2013. Benedict's election as p ...
'': Fleeing Rome for
Umbria Umbria ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region of central Italy. It includes Lake Trasimeno and Cascata delle Marmore, Marmore Falls, and is crossed by the Tiber. It is the only landlocked region on the Italian Peninsula, Apennine Peninsula. The re ...
, Cardinal Ratzinger is elected pope and helps to reunite the
Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...
with the
Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
. *''
Vera Katz Vera Katz (née Pistrak; August 3, 1933 – December 11, 2017) was an American Democratic politician in the state of Oregon. She was the first woman to serve as Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives and was the 49th mayor of Portland, ...
'': Mayor of Portland, known as "the Cat" when it is learned that Arminger has her and Portland chief of police Charles Moose hanged outside the Portland Central Library. *'' Charles Moose'': Portland chief of police, called "the Moose" at his and Mayor Vera Katz' hanging. * ''
Kim Jong-il Kim Jong Il (born Yuri Kim; 16 February 1941 or 1942 – 17 December 2011) was a North Korean politician who was the second supreme leader of North Korea from the death of his father Kim Il Sung in 1994 until his death in 2011, when he was ...
'':
Supreme Leader of North Korea The supreme leader of North Korea () is the ''de facto'' hereditary dictatorship, hereditary Supreme leader, leadership of the Workers' Party of Korea, North Korea, the state and the Korean People's Army. The title is honorary, given only afte ...
Kim Jong-Il, under the influence of the powers guiding the Church Universal and Triumphant in the United States, conquers much of Asia after the Change; Japan is one of the few holdouts. He is succeeded by his son. * '' King Birmo of Capricornia'': Birmingham escaped Brisbane after the Change and eventually established as himself as a leader who helped rebuild Darwin before the grateful people declared him king. (In real life, the Australian author Birmingham is mentioned in the acknowledgement section in every book in the Emberverse series that was published after ''The Golden Princess'' in 2014. Stirling adopted Australian characters that Birmingham had created in his Emberverse short story ''Fortune and Glory'' and incorporated them in ''Prince of Outcasts''.)


Novels

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


References


External links


Genealogy of the major characters
{{DEFAULTSORT:Emberverse characters Character list Lists of literary characters Alternate history characters