Plot points not covered in the book descriptions are in [ bracketed text ]; highlight to reveal. (at least, if this works as intended)
Crystalbrook and Environs Residents
Crystalbrook is a market town amid the farming region of the Western Plains; it is the setting of more of the books than any other single location so far.
Name: Lavender (occasionally Cat, her Earth name)
Gender/Species: Female human
Origin: Earth
Powers: Force field that stops time inside it, causes any nearby demons to manifest, and reflects the emotional state of the people inside it. (book 1 spoiler) [She also hosts a demon connected to her refusal to process her own death.]
Occupation: Therapist; server at the Two Claws Inn
Associations: Dating Yahzghash; works at the Two Claws Inn; friend to Hazel, Countess Francesca, Sir Solan (eventually); therapist to Morel, Lysanthir, and many others
Appearances: Book 1 (cover, narrator); 2-4 (narrator), 5-7 (brief appearances). Also appears on the book 1-4 omnibus cover.
Name: Yahzghash
Gender/Species: Female orc
Origin: Otherworld
Powers: None
Occupation: Head chef at the Two Claws Inn; also volunteers with the Crystalbrook town watch
Associations: Dating Lavender; employee of the Two Claws
Appearances: Books 1, 2 and 6 (regular appearances), 3 (cover and major supporting character), 4 and 5 (mentions or brief appearances)
Name: Sir Solan the Mageknight
Gender/Species: Male human
Origin: Earth
Powers: Fire magic, which he channels through a shadowy presence he calls his “aura”
Occupation: Sword for hire; as of book 7, [advisor to the Dark Lord].
Associations: Rival of and eventually grudging friend to Lavender; frequent collaborator with Ser Alaniena and the Cavaliers; friend of Countess Francesca and member of her gaming group; as of book 7, dating Dark Lord Drekar
Appearances: Books 1, 2, 3 (occasional appearances), 4 (cover and major supporting role), 5, 6 (brief appearances), 7 (cover and narrator)
Name: Gustav
Gender/Species: Male beastfolk (brown bear)
Origin: Otherworld
Powers: None
Occupation: Co-owner and bartender at the Two Claws Inn
Associations: Partner of Rene; employer of the other Two Claws crew, including Yahzghash and Berry
Appearances: 1, 2, 6 (regular appearances)
Name: Rene
Gender/Species: Male beastfolk (red fox)
Origin: Otherworld
Powers: None
Occupation: Co-owner and server at the Two Claws Inn
Associations: Partner of Gustav; co-worker to the rest of the Two Claws crew (he does co-own the inn, but Gustav takes a more active managerial role)
Appearances: 1, 2, 6 (regular appearances)
The Two Claws Crew:
Most join the crew after book 3, and appear primarily in book 6.
Yahzghash (female orc, head chef, listed above)
Klaus (male human, Yahzghash’s assistant)
Krouthu (male orc, chef; father to Marta, along with his husband Bernd, a human)
Viola (female ferret beastfolk, Krouthu’s assistant)
Alexandre (male arctic-fox beastfolk, head pastry chef)
Theodas (male elf, Alexandre’s assistant)
Lucia (female human, Alexandre’s assistant)
Marta (female human, Krouthu’s daughter, server)
Berry (agender elf, bartender, listed below with the Adventurer Team)
Name: Sedge
Gender/Species: Grasslands dragon
Origin: Otherworld
Powers: Though they have not fully come into their power yet, they will eventually have dominion over the Western Plains. They already have flight and thought projection.
Occupation: Future guardian of the Western Plains
Associations: Friend of Hazel and Morel (and almost anyone else they meet); living with Konstantin the crystal seller
Appearances: Book 1 (cameo), book 5 (supporting role)
Crystalbrook Extras:
Lysanthir (male elf, blacksmith’s apprentice, books 1, 2, and 7 and on the cover of the book 1-4 omnibus; hosts a demon that Lavender has not yet identified)
Samantha (book 4 spoiler) [female human, Visitor, practicing therapist; appears in books 4 and 7]
Karl (male human, one of Lavender’s clients, book 1; hosts an anger demon)
Konstantin (male human, crystal seller, book 5)
Filvendor (male elf, tailor, books 1 and 6; mentioned in 2)
Urgan (male orc, Filvendor’s assistant, books 1 and 6)
Unnamed Loud Owner of the General Store (male human, books 6 and 7)
Unnamed Librarian (female dog beastfolk, books 2 and 7)
Unnamed Clerk (or possibly owner) at the Secret Grove Intimate Sundries & Books Shop (female human, book 7)
Around Crystalbrook:
Various people to whom Morel makes amends in book 5, some of which are not named
Sillavana Olafina (female elf, a successful merchant)
Nobles’ Holdings Residents
West of Crystalbrook lies a stretch of land dotted with the castles and estates of the local nobility. They get involved with various dealings and throw interesting parties.
Name: Countess Francesca de Rifare
Gender/Species: Female human
Origin: Earth
Powers: Rewinding time in ~10-second bursts
Occupation: Countess
Associations: Friend to Lavender, Sir Solan; leader of her own entourage (see below); gamemaster for a Dungeon Crawl group (Solan, Drekar, Berry, Borghren, Marghash, briefly Ersien)
Appearances: Books 1, 3, 5, 6, 7 (appearances); book 2 (cover and supporting role); book 4 (major supporting role)
Francesca’s Entourage:
A group of her friends who seem to either live at Francesca’s castle, or are there more often than not.
Duke Sebastien (male human, noble)
Greta (female human, noble, aspiring bard; listed separately below)
Ser Alaniena (female elf, sword for hire with a group called the Cavaliers; professional acquaintance of Sir Solan; appears on her own in book 7)
Ersien (male elf, dance instructor; appears a little more in book 6)
Marghash (female orc, astronomer)
Mage Borghren (male orc, air/wind mage)
Not in the entourage, but in Francesca’s staff: Ithronel (bigender elf, Francesca’s majordomo; appears a bit more in book 6)
Name: Greta
Gender/Species: Female human
Origin: Otherworld
Powers: Implied to have a minor gift related to singing
Occupation: Noble; aspiring bard; later, bard in training (musician, voice and lute)
Associations: Member of Francesca’s entourage, and the only member to be confirmed as having dated her; temporary traveling companion to Lavender and Yahzghash
Appearances: Books 1, 2 (appearances); 3, 8 (supporting role)
Name: Dark Lord Drekar, Sorcerer Unyielding
Gender/Species: Male human
Origin: Earth
Powers: Lightning magic (purple) and teleportation
Occupation: Leader of the Dread Army
Associations: (Book 4 spoiler) [Younger brother of Jeff the First Visitor]; as of book 7, dating Sir Solan; also part of Countess Francesca’s gaming group
Appearances: Book 2 (appearances), books 3-4 (references), book 7 (cover and narrator)
The Dread Army:
Various members are mentioned in passing in book 7.
Zilyana (female elf, part of the spy/news network)
Vorgarag (male orc, quartermaster)
Brigitte (implied to be a female human or beastperson, general)
Aspen (male elf, assistant to the quartermaster)
Shulhug (male orc)
Glasha (female orc, tactician)
Lars (male human)
Other Nobles’ Holdings Area Residents:
Duchess Caroline (female human, book 6)
Duke Lennart (male human, appears in books 2 and 5, an intense gardening enthusiast)
Southern Forest Residents
South of Crystalbrook lies the Southern Forest, a deep and ancient wood that is home to a loose confederation of mostly introverted and independent residents.
Name: Hazel the Woods Witch
Gender/Species: Female human
Origin: Otherworld
Powers: Minor gift of project success: anything she makes will work, and her baked goods stay fresh longer than usual. She also hosts a demon connected to her agoraphobia/social anxiety.
Occupation: Charm and potion-maker
Associations: Friend of Lavender; assistant and friend to Morel
Appearances: Books 1-2 (appearances); 5 (cover and narrator); 6 (brief appearance)
Name: Morel
Gender/Species: Sylvan dragon
Origin: Otherworld
Powers: Dominion over the Southern Forest, including growing plants magically; dragons can also project thoughts and fly. Morel has fire breath in book 1, but this is not their normal state.
Occupation: Guardian of the Southern Forest
Associations: Client of Lavender; adversary to Sir Solan; friend to Hazel
Appearances: Books 1, 2 (appearances), 5 (cover and major supporting character)
Name: Rowan
Gender/Species: Female human
Origin: Otherworld
Powers: None
Occupation: Hunter
Associations: Friend of Hazel
Appearances: Book 5 (supporting character)
The Adventurer Team
Introduced in book 3, this trio of Visitors has been living their best murderhobo life through the otherworld for several years when Lavender meets them.
Name: Berry (formerly Poisonberry)
Gender/Species: Agender elf
Origin: Earth
Powers: Hortomancy (instant growth of any plant they have seen before, as long as there is soil to start with)
Occupation: Adventurer, then bartender
Associations: Adventuring partner of Burleigh Featherington and Henry Rocksmasher; co-worker of the Two Claws crew; eventual friend of Sir Solan and member of Countess Francesca’s gaming group
Appearances: Book 3 (supporting role), 6 (cover and narrator), 7 (appearances), 8 (letters)
Name: Burleigh “Two-Fingers” Featherington
Gender/Species: Male human
Origin: Earth
Powers: Invisibility
Occupation: Adventurer, later bard in training [storyteller]
Associations: Adventuring partner of Henry Rocksmasher and Berry
Appearances: Book 3 (supporting role), 8 (co-narrator)
Name: Henry Rocksmasher
Gender/Species: Male human
Origin: Earth
Powers: Automatic dodging (basically evasion 100)
Occupation: Adventurer, later bard in training (musician, lute)
Associations: Adventuring partner of Burleigh Featherington and Berry
Appearances: Book 3 (supporting role), 8 (narrator)
Residents North of Crystalbrook
We see the vast swath of country north of Crystalbrook during Lavender’s quest in book 4. It hosts a patchwork of farmland, forest, and eventually a chilly sea.
Little Earth:
A town exclusive to Visitors. A thriving community that enthusiastically welcomes tourists (as long as you can pass their Earth quiz) and deals in recreated Earth artifacts and culture.
Tamara (female human, official greeter, powers unknown)
Haven:
A town ruled by a cadre of eight Visitors who are viewed as demigods by the rest of the townsfolk. Potentially a nice place to visit. Depending on your point of view.
Ser Catherine (female human, power of healing)
Andreas (male orc, powers unknown)
Name: (All info about this character is a book 4 spoiler) [Jeff the First Visitor]
Gender/Species: [Male human]
Origin: [Earth]
Powers: [Can create or change any material object, but cannot unmake them; can change others’ magic powers. The Otherworld was originally based on Jeff’s worldbuilding ideas, but he did not consciously create the world or decide who is drawn there.]
Occupation: [Hermit; later, wandering the world]
Associations: [Older brother of Dark Lord Drekar]
Appearances: Book 4, 7 (appearances)
Other northern residents:
The Dragon of the Northern Sea
Mountain Residents
East of Crystalbrook, the most direct route to Hearthpeak passes through a mountain range that has proven dangerous for travelers lately.
Name: Mordeleg
Gender/Species: Male human
Origin: Otherworld
Powers: None; hosts a demon in the form of the ghost of his pirate captain father
Occupation: Bandit leader
Associations: None (yet)
Appearances: Book 3
Other mountain residents:
(book 5 spoiler) [The Dragon of the Mountains]
Hearthpeak Residents
Far east of Crystalbrook, past the mountains, the thriving city of Hearthpeak is home to the College of Mages and the Bards’ College, along with bustling trade of all kinds.
Name: Scholar-Mage Ajamar
Gender/Species: Male elf
Origin: Otherworld
Powers: Unknown, practitioner of ritual magic
Occupation: Mage and scholar of Visitor studies; one of the otherworld’s foremost authorities on Visitors
Associations: None (yet)
Appearances: Book 2 (letter), 3 (appearance)
Name: Ragash
Gender/Species: Female orc
Origin: Earth
Powers: Only seen for a moment; some kind of light powers or illusion powers
Occupation: Bard in training (musician, bass guitar)
Associations: Friend of Henry Rocksmasher and Greta; classmate of Tamu
Appearances: Book 8 (supporting role)
Name: Galan (Galandor Torwarin)
Gender/Species: Male elf
Origin: Earth
Powers: Golem-type powers: can form any inanimate matter into a moving semi-autonomous form for a short period of time
Occupation: Bard in training (musician, drums)
Associations: Friend of Henry Rocksmasher
Appearances: Book 8 (supporting role)
Name: Lorende Schilder
Gender/Species: Female human
Origin: Otherworld
Powers: None
Occupation: Bard in training (storyteller)
Associations: Classmate/friend of Burleigh Featherington
Appearances: Book 8 (supporting role)
Other Bards’ College Residents:
Tamu, male human, Visitor, super-charisma powers
Ms. Opal, female catfolk, guitar teacher
Oskar, male human, storyteller in training
Hilde, female dogfolk, storyteller in training