List of Characters and Locations in the Travels and Tales series

This is a list of characters and locations that appear in the Travels and Tales of Emilia Rivers, a series of journals by Valtaran diplomat and politician Emilia Rivers. The journals have a series of recurring figures, both friends and foes of Rivers. While every figure and location in the series are accounts of real people and places that were encountered on Rivers' travels, many of them are portrayed in certain ways based on her worldview.

Characters are listed by the first journal that they appeared in, with the exception of the protagonist, Rivers herself.

Locations are listed in order of appearance in the series by highest level of governance.

Characters and locations are also listed by how Rivers' refers to them in the series (such as "The Tyrant King" for the Lord of Zydel).

Emilia Rivers

See also: Emilia Rivers

Full Name: Emilia Whiterose Rivers
Species: Human (formerly), Rat fae (Year of the Rat onwards)
Residence(s): Blackthorn, Triumvirate of Ceyreto (formerly), Cielo, Empire of Aether, Zethortal, Commonwealth of Blackthorn
Title/Position/Occupation(s): Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ceyreto, High Councillor of Blackthorn (With Any Luck onwards)

Emilia Rivers is the main protagonist of the series. She's was confident foreign minister and a loyal councillor of the Triumvirate of Ceyreto, turned leader of the Commonwealth of Blackthorn. She sometimes appears a little too confident for her abilities, but often finds herself out of situations better than the average person should. Emilia was initially a human, but was transformed into a Rat fae at the end of The Tyrant King after an incident in the Cielo sewer system.

Even after the collapse of the Triumvirate, Emilia clings onto the title of "Minister of Foreign Affairs", as that's the only title she was ever officially given.

In appearance, Emilia is a svelte, pale figure with long, brown hair going down to her upper back. Emilia is most commonly seen sporting a variety of outfits, all of which purple, with her face decorated by a pair of glasses and a white rose in her hair.

Additional Characters

The Best is Yet to Come

Lord Valtara

See: Gem Valtara

Full Name: Lord Gem Valtara, Prince of Valtara
Species: Human, Ghost (Ghosts)
Residence(s): Blackthorn, Triumvirate of Ceyreto
Title/Position/Occupation(s): Prince of Valtara, Mayor of Blackthorn (formerly), Triumvir of Ceyreto (formerly)

Lord Valtara, disgraced heir of the Valtara dynasty, is the de-facto leader of the Triumvirate of Ceyreto and Emilia's liege for much of the first three journals. He is generally displayed as gentle and merciful ruler, being responsible for Emilia's position as Foreign Minister. On the other hand, he's displayed as a somewhat distant figure, keeping many happenings that would concern the fate of the city to himself

He is the illegitimate brother (incorrectly labeled as his grandchild in Ghosts) of the current reigning Valtaran king, and fought a lengthy civil war to maintain both his power within Blackthorn and his legitimacy within the Valtara dynasty. In Year of the Rat, he is exiled to the infamous Black Maze for his crimes against the dynasty, a labyrinth underneath Blackthorn. He later re-appears as an Apparition in Ghosts, and meets with Emilia during a walk through the Faewood at night, reflecting on the state of affairs within his own time and the present day. Before disappearing, he gives expresses his confidence in Emilia's leadership, before giving her a green gem.

Lord Valtara is a rather tall figure, standing at 6' 2, with dark brown hair and brooding grey eyes. He typically wears a long dusty brown coat and a mask covering the lower parts of his face. He seems to keep this attire throughout most of the day, even in rather inappropriate situations.

Varill Xaisuro

Full Name: Varill Xaisuro
Species: Unknown
Residence(s): Blackthorn, Triumvirate of Ceyreto (formerly), Stardrop Caverns, Astravia (temporarily), Necrodom, The Grand Lichdom
Title/Position/Occupation(s): Valtaran Soldier (formerly)

A rather boistrous and outgoing woman, and a long-time friend of Emilia's. Varill is usually described as being Emilia's main travelling buddy, having gone with her to many places across the world. She would later, after the events of Emilia's near-death attack in The Tyrant King, seek refuge in the nation of Astravia. Although not described in the series, she would move to the Grand Lichdom during the events of With Any Luck.

Lord Noxaros

Full Name: Acero Noxaros, Emperor of Aether
Species: Human
Residence(s): Cielo, Empire of Aether
Title/Position/Occupation(s): Emperor of Aether, Mayor of Cielo

Lord Noxaros is the leader of the Empire of Aether and owner of the city of Cielo, and an acquaintence-turned-friend of Emilia's. He is described as being a powerful and somewhat menacing-looking figure, but is according to Emilia an incredibly easy-going person on the daily. He gives Emilia refuge in his city throughout the Ceyreto-Zydel War and often takes advice from her in times of need.

Despite his described nature, Lord Noxaros is a rather large and cocky looking figure, standing just under a foot taller than Emilia. His hair is long, bushy and naturally white. He's typically seen wearing a rather formal white jacket and with a crown atop his head.

The Dragon Lady

Full Name: Unknown, Magi (nickname)
Species: Dragon
Residence(s): Cielo, Empire of Aether
Title/Position/Occupation(s): Magician

The Dragon Lady is a friend of Lord Noxaros', and is an inhabitant of the Cielo sewer. She joins Emilia, Varill and Lord Noxaros in re-acquiring an Aetherian ship from the Dreadhorde. She later appears in Year of the Rat, offering Emilia an out should she ever want to return to her human form.

Thomas Scyteborn

Full Name: Thomas Scyteborn
Species: Human
Residence(s): Blackthorn, Triumvirate of Ceyreto
Title/Position/Occupation(s): Head Architect of Blackthorn, Councillor of Blackthorn (With Any Luck onwards)

A good friend of Emilia's, and a fellow minister of the Triumvirate government. Despite having fought in the Valtaran Civil War, he is a known sceptic of the legitimacy of not only the Valtaran dynasty, but the Triumvirate of Ceyreto in its entirety. He assists Emilia throughout her internal affairs in Blackthorn, including the formation of the Blackthorn Interim Council in the absence of Lord Valtara.

Thomas is one of the only major characters in the series to be shorter than Emilia, standing at 5' 4. He wears a red and black combination of both Valtaran peasant and noble clothing, and sports a large, bushy beard.

The Elven Lady

Full Name: Elvenia Xaroleht
Species: Elf
Residence: Aelfscyn
Title/Position/Occupation(s): Mayor of Aelfscyn

A strange elven lady from a far away town. She would occasionally visit Blackthorn prior to the Ceyreto-Zydel conflict and would rather openly call the city "bland" to the dismay of Thomas Scyteborn and the other architects in the town. She later appears in The Lake and the Rivers at a party in Kalikhan.

The Tyrant King

Full Name: Lord Happy of Zydel
Species: Human
Residence(s): Zydel Castle, Kingdom of Zydel
Title/Position/Occupation(s): Lord of Zydel Castle, King of Zydel

Lord Zydel was originally a respected foreign nobleman within the Triumvirate, but eventually rose up in rebellion and swore to conquer the whole of Valtara. Little is known about him personally, but he is generally presented to be the main antagonist of the Travels and Tales series and is given the moniker of "The Tyrant King" by Emilia. Despite being the main antagonist, he has only appeared directly once.

Despite his name, he bears no resemblence to a happy man whatsoever. He's a tall, broodish figure with grey hair and sunken eyes.

The Lord of Uradon

Full Name: Veric Redclaw, Lord of Uradon
Species: Human
Residence(s): Uradon Isles (formerly), Zydel Castle, Kingdom of Zydel
Title/Position/Occupation(s): Lord of Uradon

The Lord of Uradon is a somewhat minor figure in the series, and generally holds the position of a sidekick figure to the Tyrant King. Emilia has written on multiple accounts her staunch disliking for him, describing him as being "horribly narcissistic, weaselly, and boyish in all the worst ways". Much like the Tyrant King, he is only appeared directly once in the series, accompanying the Tyrant King during the stand-off on Emilia's personal vessel.

The Tyrant King

Lord Vartilian

Full Name: Waylin Vartilian
Species: Human
Residence(s): Fort Khirom
Title/Position/Occupation(s): Lord of Fort Khirom

Lord Vartilian is a figure that Emilia meets during the first meeting following the declaration of the Ceyreto-Zydel war. He, like Emilia, was a victim of the first attack on Blackthorn, with the two being left for dead in the Whiterose Plaza. He would also give refuge to Emilia in Fort Khirom in the immediate hours following the attack.

Dolo Whitetail

Full Name: Dolo Whitetail
Species: Bejuk (deer fae)
Residence(s): The Faewood
Title/Position/Occupation(s): Diplomat, Faewood Soldier

Dolo is a figure that Emilia meets during the first meeting following the declaration of the Ceyreto-Zydel war. Dolo would later become a recurring character in the series, being the main representative of the Faewood within the journals. He's known to be something of a prankster, attempting to steal vessels from his enemies and generally be a bit of a nuisence to those who wrong him.

He's comparatively young compared to most figures that Emilia meets throughout the series and has a rather innocent looking appearance to match, appearing as a simple red-haired young-adult boy with antlers. Notably, he is described by Emilia as "the most pettable-looking diplomat that [she'd] ever seen".

In Ghosts, Emilia describes Dolo directly as being like "a little nephew, the kind you'd see maybe once every few months and take out on a trip into the city."

Babba Yogurt

Full Name: Babba Yogurt
Species: Elf
Residence(s): The Faewood
Title/Position/Occupation(s): Keeper of the Faewood

Babba Yogurt is a strange, pale figure that Emilia initially meets during the first meeting Coalition of the Northwest Continent in Fort Khirom. Despite meeting him, she doesn't remember his name. Due to this, he is only mentioned by name in With Any Luck and onwards.

Sheriff Malakai

See: Malakai

Full Name: Malakai
Species: Human
Residence(s): Blackthorn, Triumvirate of Ceyreto (formerly)
Title/Position/Occupation(s): Sheriff of Blackthorn, Councillor of Blackthorn (With Any Luck onwards)

Sheriff Malakai is a friend of Emilia's and an accomplice in her plans to undermine the Valtaran monarchy during the Ceyreto-Zydel war. Despite his position as Sheriff, he is unable to prevent the surprise attack on Emilia and Lord Vartilian in The Tyrant King.

The Sewer Rat

Full Name: Filippo Marino
Species: Rat fae
Residence(s): Cielo, Empire of Aether
Title/Position/Occupation(s): Sewer Rat

The Sewer Rat is described as being a rather eccentric, dirty-looking rat fae from the Cielo sewer. The Rat has a habit of teasing those around him, though it often appears to be out of sheer playfulness, rather than out of malice. Emilia and the Rat become friends during an attempted manhunt on Emilia by the Tyrant King and the Lord of Uradon, in which Emilia had to remain in lockdown in the Cielo sewer for multiple days. He is later blamed for Emilia's sudden transformation into a Rat fae at the end of The Tyrant King, though he is never directly confirmed to be at fault.

The Imp Lady

Full Name: Unknown
Species: Cave Imp
Residence(s): Cassiopeia, Astravia (formerly), Unknown (currently)
Title/Position/Occupation(s): Unknown

The Imp Lady is a cave imp that Varill brings with her on a trip to see Blackthorn. The two of them stop in Cielo on the way and meet up with Emilia, Lord Noxaros, Baba Yogurt and the Sewer Rat, which leads to them all going back to Blackthorn together.

Year of the Rat

King Bob

Full Name: King Robert Valtara I
Species: Human
Residence(s): Blackthorn, Triumvirate of Ceyreto (formerly)
Title/Position/Occupation(s): King of Valtara

King Bob is the current reigning king of Valtara, a kingdom within the Triumvirate of Ceyreto. He is only mentioned in passing and has never been seen within the series. While initially loyal to his rule, Emilia takes a disliking to him due to his seeming lack of care towards Blackthorn and its people.

Lady Moon

Full Name: Unknown
Species: Vampire
Residence(s): Blackthorn, Triumvirate of Ceyreto (formerly)
Title/Position/Occupation(s): High Councillor of Blackthorn (With Any Luck onwards)

Lady Moon is a black-haired, incredibly pale looking figure. She's generally known for her philanthropy, and is immensely well-liked across the world. Little of her is seen or mentioned in the series, but in With Any Luck, she is granted a seat on the Blackthorn Interim Council.

Myre Pokoid

Full Name: Myre Pokoid
Species: Unknown
Residence(s): Blackthorn, Triumvirate of Ceyreto (formerly)
Title/Position/Occupation(s): Writer, Architect

Myre Pokoid is a minor character in the Travels and Tales series. She is shown a few times as being a friend of Emilia's, but not much is seen of her.

Her species is unknown, but her somewhat curly red hair and goat-esque horns suggest that she is some form of fae.

Lord Benicio Valtara

Full Name: Lord Benicio Valtara, Prince of Valtara
Species: Human
Residence(s): Castillo Zanco, Triumvirate of Ceyreto (part of Zydel from The Battle of Blackthorn onwards)
Title/Position/Occupation(s): Lord of Castillo Zanco, Prince of Valtara, Triumvir of Ceyreto (allegedly)

Cousin of Lord Gem Valtara, and the supposed successor to Lord Valtara, following his exile into the Black Maze. Despite succeeding him in his titles, Benicio has never been sighted, and is heavily criticised for such in the series.

With Any Luck

Lord Sigeric Ehlsonn

Full Name: Sigeric var Ehlsyn
Species: Human
Residence(s): Tìrean Ùra, Triumvirate of Ceyreto (fomerly), Taobh Locha, Commonwealth of Blackthorn
Title/Position/Occupation(s): Mayor of Tìrean Ùra (formerly), Head Triumvir of Ceyreto (formerly), Jarl of Vanadia, Mayor of Taobh Locha

Lord Ehlsonn is a Triumvir of Ceyreto, and the de-facto leader of the Triumvirate in Lord Valtara's absence. He is generally regarded as a rather laid-back, occasionally assisting Emilia in her affairs. After defeat in the Ceyreto-Zydel conflict, he follows the people of Blackthorn to the lakelands and founds the town of Taobh Locha.

Sigeric is seen as a rather graceful-looking leader, standing at a kingly 6' 3 and graced with long blonde hair. In contrast to this, he appears incredibly rough and grizzled, after many years ruling and fighting for Vanadia and the former Kingdom of Rhumlaantd.

Lord of Kalikhan

Full Name: King Konstantyn Winogradoff of Kalikhan
Species: Unknown
Residence(s): Kalikhan, Triumvirate of Ceyreto (Independent after the events of With Any Luck)
Title/Position/Occupation(s): King of Kalikhan

The Lord of Kalikhan is mentioned incredibly little in the series, being mentioned exclusively within a single chapter in With Any Luck. The Lord of Kalilkhan is seen exiting the Triumivrate council meeting with his deligates and taking their banner with them, thereby removing Kalikhan from the Triumvirate. He later appears in The Lake and the Rivers where he is coronated as the King of Kalikhan. Towards the end of the journal, he has a galss bottle smashed over his head by Emilia after taunting her over the loss of Blackthorn.

Ghosts

Friedrich Czírjäshchausé

Full Name: Friedrich Czírjäshchausé
Species: Human
Residence(s): Wrensbath, Triumvirate of Ceyreto
Title/Position/Occupation(s): Triumvir of Ceyreto

Friedrich Czírjäshchausé is a Triumvir of Ceyreto. He is (understandably) never mentioned by name, but he is mentioned in passing in Ghosts as taking part in Lord Ehlsonn's expedition to Cassiopeia and assisting him during a naval skirmish against The Grand Lichdom.

Adriaan van Attasio

Full Name: King Adriaan I van Attasio of Vinçois
Species: Human
Residence(s): Aarndam, Kingdom of Vinçois (formerly), Unknown (currently)
Title/Position/Occupation(s): King of Valtara, Mayor of Aarndam

Adriaan van Attasio is the former leader of the Kingdom of Vinçois. He never appears directly in the series. He is mentioned in passing by The Apparition, who asks about his state of affairs in the present day. He is described as being Lord Valtara's friend and accomplice in the formation of the Triumvirate of Ceyreto.

The Battle of Blackthorn

The Mushroom Creature

Full Name: Gerple “The Shroom” Nerple
Species: Mushroom(?)
Residence(s): Blackthorn, Triumvirate of Ceyreto
Title/Position/Occupation(s): Caretaker of Blackthorn

The Mushroom Creature is a mysterious figure that was entirely unknown to the people of Blackthorn until the events of The Battle of Blackthorn. Despite never being seen by the townsfolk, the Mushroom is undyingly loyal to Blackthorn, serving as a valiant soldier in the siege of Blackthorn.

Legend says that the Mushroom was created by King Hadas I, the founder of Blackthorn, and is loyal to its' creator, as well as its creator's founded city.

The Lake and the Rivers

Mahalla Whitetail

Full Name: Mahalla Whitetail
Species: Bejuk (deer fae)
Residence(s): The Faewood
Title/Position/Occupation(s): Unknown

Mahalla Whitetail is the twin sister of Dolo and appears briefly in The Lake and the Rivers. She, along with Dolo, requests that Emilia join their adventuring party as the party leader.

Mahalla is implied to look incredibly similar to Dolo, as she is referred to in The Lake and the Rivers as "another Dolo".

The Guildmaster

Full Name: Dondo Orobius
Species: Elf
Residence(s): Blackthorn, Kingdom of Valtara (formerly), The Guild Hall
Title/Position/Occupation(s): Leader of the Adventurer's Guild

The Guildmaster is, as the name implies, the leader of the Adventurer's Guild. He's described as a mildly naive and cocky man due to his beliefs that the Guild is immune to the affairs of the world around it.

He is never seen directly in the journals, only implied to exist and have spoken to Emilia.

Jonathan Bercker

Full Name: Jonathan Bercker
Species: Human
Residence(s): Blackthorn (formerly), Aelfscyn, Kingdom of Aelfscyn
Title/Position/Occupation(s): Admiral of the Valtaran Navy (formerly), Co-Mayor of Aelfscyn

Jonathan Bercker is a former Valtaran naval officer who appears briefly in The Lake and the Rivers. He's described as being a polite figure, and despite what Emilia believes, says to have already met her at some point in the past.

Jonathan stands a few inches taller than Emilia at 5'11, and wears a black and red admiral uniform that is described in the journals as "sea-worthy".

The Mischevious Cat

Full Name: Unknown
Species: Cat(?)
Residence(s): Zethortal
Title/Position/Occupation(s): Cat

The Mischevious Cat is a cat that haunts the city of Zethortal at night, making a mess of the town and digging large holes in the ground. The cat is mildly suspected by Emilia to be in association with Jonathan Bercker, but no conclusion is ever found.

Locations

Ceyreto

A drawn map of the continent of "Kutha-yreto", made alongside *Year of the Rat*.

The Continent of Ceyreto (alternatively, Kuthara) is a large continent situated in the north-west of the known world. It is the second-largest continent in the known world and is the main setting of the Travels and Tales series. It contains every setting in the series, with the exception of Astravia and The Grand Lichdom.

The Triumvirate

The Triumvirate of Ceyreto was a large nation in the continent of Ceyreto/Kuthara and is (until the events of With Any Luck) one of the largest nations in the world. At its height, it consisted of three main provinces: Valtara, Vanadia and Vinçois.

Blackthorn (formerly)

Blackthorn (also referred to as "Old Blackthorn") was the capital city of Valtara and was the largest city on the island. It was a large, stoic, grey city, surrounded by thick stone walls and graced with one of the largest ports in the Triumvirate. Until the exile of Lord Valtara, it was also the capital city of the Triumvirate. It is the home of many of the characters in the series, including Emilia herself, and is the main setting of the first six volumes.

In The Battle of Blackthorn, the city is eventually burned down and abandoned by the Blackthorn Interim Council, as to not let it fall into the hands of Zydel and the Tyrant King.

Zydel Castle (formerly)

Zydel Castle is the home of the Tyrant King. Little is known about it other than that it sits on the far west of the island.

Castillo Zanco (formerly)

Castillo Zanco (Spanish for "the Stilted Castle") is a large stilted castle situated directly north of Blackthorn. It is the home of the Valtaran royal family and the current home of Lord Benicio Valtara. The castle is generally treated with distrust by the people of Blackthorn, being seen as the royal family's ivory tower away from all of the kingdom's problems.

Wrensbath

Wrensbath is a city located directly across the sea from Blackthorn and is the largest city in the province of Vanadia. While not the most beautiful of towns, it is known for its immense wealth.

Tirean Ura (formerly)

Tirean Ura was a city located half way between Wrensbath and Kalikhan. The city is home to Lord Ehlsonn, the de-facto leader of the Triumvirate following the exiling of Lord Valtara.

Kalikhan (formerly)

Kalikhan is a city located far south of Blackthorn and was the largest city in the province of Vinçois. During the events of With Any Luck, the city breaks away from the Triumvirate due to their anti-war stance.

Aarndam (formerly)

A decayed city to the far south of Blackthorn and the capital city of Vinçois. It was known for its naval industry and not much else. The city fell out of reach of the Triumvirate during the events of With Any Luck, after Kalikhan and Zhar-Dorahl broke away from the Triumvirate.

By the events of Ghosts, the city had fallen to ruin and had become the target of looters and adventurers.

Zhar-Dorahl (formerly)

A small fortress town situation on a mountain between the cities of Kalikhan and Aarndam. They broke away from the Triumvirate during the events of With Any Luck.

Aether

The Empire of Aether is a small nation situated directly across the water from the Ceyretan province of Vanadia. It is ruled by Lord Acero Noxaros and is the closest ally of the Triumvirate.

Cielo

Cielo is the capital city of Aether and is the home of Lord Noxaros. It is also Emilia's secondary residence, having initially sought refuge there after the events of The Tyrant King.

Cielo Sewer

While the Cielo Sewer is part of the city of Cielo, it is arguably a settlement in its own right. It is home to the Dragon Lady and the Sewer Rat. Local legend has it that the sewer has a magical aura that turns humans into Rat fae should they spend too long down there.

The Grand Lichdom

The Grand Lichdom is a large nation far, far to the south of the Triumvirate. It was formerly a war partner in the Ceyreto-Zydel war but was later bought out of the war by the Triumvirate.

The Dreadhorde

The Dreadhorde was a former settlement bordering the province of Vanadia. The Triumvirate was initially formed as a united front against the Dreadhorde threat, but they were eventually exiled to the southernmost continent.

Necrodom

Necrodom is a large city in the Grand Lichdom. It is never mentioned in the journals, but it is the current home of Varill Xaisuro.

Fort Khirom

Fort Khirom is a fortress town and the farthest outpost of the fallen nation of Kyriska. It is the site of Emilia's rescue after the first attack of the war. While one of the main settings in The Tyrant King, it appears very rarely until Gathering Speed, where it's seen leaving the Free Cities.

The Faewood

The Faewood is mystical forest village inhabited by fae folk and a close ally of Emilia's cause. Initially somewhat foreign to Rivers, but welcomed her dearly after her transformation into a fae.

Astravia

Astravia was a large nation bordering the Grand Lichdom. It is referred to by Varill Xaisuro as "Women Island", named so for its high percentage of female ctizens. During the events of Ghosts, the nation is invaded and conquered by The Grand Lichdom.

Cassiopeia

Cassiopeia (also spent Cassiopea in the journals) was the largest city in Astravia. Emilia has stated to have visited it before, and it was where Varill Xaisuro sought refuge during the early days of the Ceyreto-Zydel war.

During the events of Ghosts, the city is dismantled as to not let it fall into the hands of The Grand Lichdom. Much of the city's resources and architecture now lies within Blackthorn.

Flumenia

Flumenia is a small city on the continent of Omis, visited briefly in Gathering Speed. It's described as being similar to the town of Cielo.

Commonwealth of Blackthorn

The Commonwealth of Blackthorn is a nation founded by Emilia and the remains of Blackthorn after the burning of the city in The Battle of Blackthorn. It's based on the same lake as Fort Khirom and the Faewood. The nation is named after the old city of Blackthorn, which the inhabitants of the nation originally come from.

Zethortal

Zethortal is the capital city of the Commonwealth of Blackthorn. The town's name comes from "Zethar Rorthal", the Old Valtaran name for Blackthorn. It is swiftly founded in The Lake and the Rivers after the burning of Blackthorn.

Taobh Locha

Taobh Locha (officially pronounced Taov Lok-a, or Tao-ba Loak-a by Emilia) is a town founded in The Lake and the Rivers by Lord Sigeric Ehlsonn, after a migration from the now ruined town of Tirean Ura.