LIST OF CHARACTERS

BALSA YONSA an itinerant female bodyguard and skilled spear-wielder; raised by Jiguro

KARUNA YONSA Balsa’s father; the physician to Naguru, the former king of Kanbal

JIGURO MUSA Balsa’s foster father; a renowned and unparalleled spear-wielder

NAGURU former king of Kanbal; assassinated on the orders of his younger brother, Rogsam

ROGSAM previous king of Kanbal who usurped the throne from his older brother, Naguru

RADALLE Rogsam’s son; the current king of Kanbal

KASSA son of Tonno and Leena

GINA Kassa’s younger sister

TONNO father of Kassa and Gina; overlord of the Herder People

LEENA mother of Kassa and Gina; younger sister of Kaguro, Jiguro, and Yuguro

KAGURO chieftain of the Musa clan; elder brother of Jiguro, Yuguro, and Leena

YUGURO younger brother of Kaguro and Jiguro; a hero and the most respected of the King’s Spears

KAHM eldest son of Kaguro

SHISHEEM eldest son of Yuguro

DOM head of the Musa chieftain’s guard; younger brother of Yuguro’s wife

YUKA Balsa’s aunt and Karuna’s younger sister; physician who runs a house of healing

LALOOG former chieftain of the Yonsa clan; an Elder respected by all the clans as witness to the last Giving Ceremony

TAGURU eldest son of Laloog; killed by Jiguro

LUKE younger son of Laloog; current chieftain of the Yonsa tribe

DAHGU grandson of Laloog; one of the King’s Spears

TOTO known as Toto the Elder; oldest of all the Herders

YOYO a young Herder; Kassa’s friend

DODO Yoyo’s father

NAHNA Yoyo’s mother

NONO childhood friend of Balsa

TANDA a healer and apprentice magic weaver; Balsa’s childhood friend

CHAGUM Crown Prince of New Yogo who was once the Guardian of the Spirit

TOROGAI the greatest magic weaver of the time