People

In her eleventh year as House Matriarch and the incumbent Council Speaker, a position she has held since AI 65. Cold, patient, and quietly rich — Korran does not speak loudly. The Speaker's chair rotates, and her term ends in AI 67.

In his nineteenth year as House Patriarch and lord of Torv, the Iron Forge. Deeply religious in the Forge Order tradition — a Solmere workday and a Solmere service are rarely distinguishable. Controls the conduit network that feeds the Godkiln.

Dwells within a sealed chamber in the Godkiln core and has not been seen by any non-Order person in twenty years. Brother to Auran Solmere. Reported, by the Order, to be alive, well, and engaged in the work. The Order does not provide further detail.

Keeps his throne in Nexar, not Corvath, and travels north only for the Council's six annual sessions. Anaki — high elves — to the bone. Cosmopolitan, calculating, polite to the edge of menace. The arrangement of ruling from the Shatterds is a constant low-grade insult the rest of the Council has decided is not worth fighting about.

In the second year of his patronage after his father's assassination at the Eastern Triangle Games. The matter remains officially unsolved. Hesh has decided who did it. He has not yet decided what to do about it. Loud, blunt, frequently underestimated by the peak families.

Holds the Flame Throne at the High Sanctum. Long resident at Rylis on diplomatic assignment in earlier years, now returned to peak elevation. Her network of former Rylis contacts still functions like a private intelligence corps. Ascetic in image, cosmopolitan in practice.

The most senior sworn king on the King's Council. Rules the southern agricultural belt that feeds the Wall garrisons. Thresh's harvest in AI 67 is the worst since AI 22. The famine math is being run in Corvath. No one likes the answer.

Now in his eighty-third year. Has held the Long Stair since AI 41 — a single continuous command in a posting where most officers last a decade at most. The Wall garrison runs at his pace. His pace has not slowed noticeably.

Appointed to administer Ashgate's civilian government as a political compromise between the Marcher Compact and the Veyra banking interests that fund several Compact noble houses. A cousin of House Veyra with no direct seat on the Council. Manages 180,000 civilians and 45,000 soldiers.

A cousin of the High Hierophant, stationed at Durnhold as the Wall's chief lattice engineer. Has been conducting unscheduled diagnostic surveys of the Durnhold lattice for fourteen months. Has not filed his findings with the Council. Has filed a sealed report directly with the High Hierophant.

A Khelekai who has held the Korrak warlord seat for two years after winning the Arena. By Korrak standards, statistically overdue for a challenge. Has not been challenged. The absence of challenge is itself a form of reputation.

A Reefkin who has held the Compact Speaker's seat since AI 63. No relation to House Korran — the surname is coincidence, and one she has used to political advantage twice. Her three-year reconfirmation vote falls in the second half of AI 67.

A Vorran who has held the Harbor Master seat through six consecutive Charter elections. Knows exactly how much is in the Charter's legal defense fund — a fund that has been quietly accumulating for twenty years in anticipation of the Consortium's eventual legal challenge to the twice-monthly auction.