Dramatis Personae

Being a list of both the protagonists and the antagonists of this tale.

Our Protagonists:
Ellis Graves - A young man from Larksborough, England who seems to dress in stripes and chains.  He is currently trying to find a way back home.

The Former Baron Von Spektr - The usurped head of the Von Spektr family and a well-known hypostatick philosopher.  He is also known as Franck.  As the first Shadow resident to meet Ellis, he is doing his utmost to return  him to Earth, but is he doing it all for the right reasons?

Siren - A pirate, currently without a vessel.  She is trying to make money as a Slayer and has signed up with Von Spektr to aid him in returning Ellis home.


Gulliver Blake - A pirate who used to sail with Siren on the Ebony Crest.  Brother to Harker Blake.

Their Antagonists:
Valter Kenning - A merchant who dabbles in hypostatick philosophy.  He lives with his somewhat demonic cat, Gimblegaw.  He tried to kidnap Ellis and sell him to the highest bidder.

Doctor Rosetta Barkham - Countess of Skullbridge and President of the Noble Society of Hypostatick Philosophers, Doctor Barkham has been working on the great problem of her discipline - the way to repeat the Breakthrough of ten thousand years before and step into Ellis' world.  She seems willing to break any rule to achieve this - even working with Stoneskins.

Frostfire - An ambitious Spiketail who has been helping Doctor Barkham in her quest for the Silverspire.

Spriggan - Frostfire's mate.


Harker Blake - The pirate who cheated Siren out of her ship, the Ebony Crest.
Miscellaneous Personages:
'Amy' - A spirit made of hypostatick energy extracted from the ring which brought Ellis to Shadow.


The Horne Brothers - Galen, Max and Theo, a trio of adventurers who have travelled the length and breadth of Shadow as explorers, tour guides and, finally, arrow-fodder.


Heart - A mysterious entity resembling a naked, silver-skinned woman, which resides in the Silverspire and is connected to the myriad assortment of corals, fungi and insectile animals which thrive there.