Characters, Places, and Artifacts Appearing in Dare

As he celebrates his hundredth birthday, Kriwin vows to make the galaxy a better place.

Kriwin's mother disapproves of her son's ambitions. She thinks he should stick to politics.

Kriwin's grandmother disapproves of his ambitions.

Kriwin's great-grandmother disapproves of his ambitions.

Kriwin's father is imperial major, the Emperor's right-hand man. He mocks his son's ambitions.

The woman Kriwin loves ignores him.

Xublian, emperor of the galaxy, is a deranged mindsea whose powers to manipulate reality have gone out of control.

Xublian's insignia is a four-headed snake in a ring of fire. It is displayed on the surcoats of imperial minors and in various places in and around his palaces.

Brodan, a famous and wealthy composer, becomes Kriwin's first ally.

Foske is Kriwin's uncle and his second supporter.

The Inner River is a scenic waterway in the center of the imperial capital.

Guzio is a Deep-level pilot, and perhaps a bit mad.

Guzio keeps a bunch of small aliens on his ship.

The red marsh on Planet Riom covers the area where the city of Insquirt used to stand.

The Association is a rebel organization on Riom. The logo shows the Lalese letter "A" in a circle of green.

Wonder is the Association's charismatic leader.

Koeta is a Riomese woman suspected of having ties to the Emperor.

Xublian's palace on Riom.

A temporal engineerer, Glub attempts to restore the city of Insquirt.

The giraffe is encountered in the onetime Riomese royal garden.

Sal minds the Emperor when Horl needs time away.

A Deep-level artifact.

A Deep-level artifact containing the soul of Wonder.

Kriwin encounters an alien lifeform on an unnamed planet.

The deity of an unnamed planet.

Beings active in the Deep may not look like their Home-level shards.

Empress Zupa was Kriwin's great-great grandmother.

The Imperial Palace on Lal is the residence of the emperor, imperial major, and numerous minor officials.

Brigee is the pilot Empress Zupa assigns to the three heroes.

Raeshal is a copy of Empress Zupa disguised to pass as the child of Kriwin and Koeta.

Kriwin learns how to forge a Deep-level sword.

The little girl, Raeshal, is infected by a mind-parasite that appears as a snake in the Deep.

Eensa is an imperial minor in the gender-neutral empire.

Brodan's father Kahee is the prophet who speaks of the coming of Spacetime in Ashes and calls for a hero to stop him.

The Edge is a way station for intergalactic traders at the edge of the Milky Way.

The bar at the Planet Hunters Club on the Edge features some exotic imports.

The Edge houses a beacon for intergalactic traders.

Eria is an intergalactic trader.

A giant, five-tiered playing field built on Wamatu by Horl.

Sleek is Kriwin's Torsa, whom he bonded with as a little boy.

Xublian's palace on Wamatu.

After her float Raeshal looks a little different than before.