Characters in the Icemark Chronicles
This is a list of characters in The Icemark Chronicles by Stuart Hill. These fictional characters are sorted by the book they appeared in, and by alphabetical order:
The Cry of the Icemark
Elemnestra, Basilea of the Hypolitan
Elemnestra was the leader of the Hypolitan. She was also Thirrin's aunt. She led the horse archer warriors of the Hypolitan and was married to Olememmnon, Thirrin's uncle. Elemnestra was killed with her mounted archers to save the fyrd and the cavalry, in a battle against the Polypontian cannons.Primplepuss
Beloved kitten of King Redrought, she grows up throughout the first book. In the second book, she is very old and has been kept alive by Oskan's healing powers.King Grishmak Blood-Drinker
King Grishmak Blood-Drinker is the King of the werewolves. He attacks Thirrin when she goes hunting, but he allows her to live after overpowering her. King Redrought is furious that there is one of the forbidden creatures from the land of the ghosts in his kingdom and orders him killed. However, Thirrin saves him, as he let her live. Because of this, Grishmak allies himself with the Icemark.Grishmak turns out to play an important role in The Cry of the Icemark, being a great help to Thirrin. He also suggests to Cressida that she should go and help her mother at the battle and she and this suggestion saved everyone's life. Stuart Hill said in an interview he based Grishmak on Brian Blessed.
King Redrought Strong-In-The-Arm Lindenshield, Bear of the North,
King Redrought is the father of Thirrin, and previously the King of the Icemark. Although he is loud and fierce, he enjoys furry slippers and dotes on the Royal Kitten, Primplepuss. He is The Icemark's longest-serving ruler and had fought off enemies like the Corsairs and Vampires. He managed to wipe out the Polypontian's first invading army but paid the ultimate price: his life and the life of all others who had been fighting, the Icemark's army as well as the Empire's. He had taken the axe of Lady Theowin and killed the last of the Polypontian army. He is then taken to Valhalla by what can be assumed to be Valkyries for his afterlife.Maggiore Totus
Maggiore Totus, or Maggie as he is often referred to, was Thirrin's tutor until she became Queen. At this time, he became her other Royal Advisor, along with Oskan. He is often portrayed as a voice of reason and knowledge, and Thirrin trusts him well. He is a man of science, and the various things he discovers during the war, such as Vampires, the soldiers of the once thought to be mythical Holly and Oak King, he drastically changes his outlook on nature. In the sequel, The Blade of Fire, Maggie tutors Thirrin's son, Charlemagne. Maggie hails from the Southern Continent and accompanies Charlemagne when he is Regent of the Exiles.Olememmnon Stagapoulos
Olememmnon, known as Ollie, is a Hypolitan warrior who was originally the consort of Elemnestra. He is also the commander of the Hypolitan Infantry. In Blade of Fire, Olememmnon marries Olympia, the new Basilea. Olememmnon is notorious for starting drinking competitions with Tharaman-Thar. In The Last Battle of the Icemark he and Olympia are both killed by Erinor's hordes.Oskan Witchfather, the Warlock, Witch's son
Oskan is the son of White Annis, a powerful witch. He lived quietly in his cave in the Great Forest for 15 years until he met Thirrin after he gave shelter to her and her hunting party during a storm. Thirrin liked him, and after she became Queen, he became one of her Royal Advisors. His heritage is somewhat of a mystery; his unknown father is supposedly of an ancient and powerful race. This race must once in their lives choose between the Light and the Dark; during his and Thirrin's trip to the Land of the Ghosts, he chooses to follow the Light. Oskan is very pale and has jet-black hair. He is a warlock with healing powers and can read the weather, he also calls on the soldiers of the Holly King and Oak King whenever Thirrin wants to send a message to them. He does not know that he is a warlock until the Vampire Queen tells him, Thirrin, their escort of wolf-folk, their human escort, King Grishmak, and the other Vampires in the room when Thirrin goes to the land of the ghosts to forge an alliance with their Vampiric Majesties. When they get back to the Hypolitan, Wenlock Witchmother and the others with the Gift are there to greet Oskan. Wenlock tells him that he is the most powerful warlock in history so far and that he would be her successor, as Oskan Witchfather, only the second of his kind. During one battle with the Polypontian Empire, he risks his life to save Thirrin, Tharaman-Thar, and their soldiers from certain death by drawing down lightning. It strikes him and he must go down to the cellars where a place has been prepared for him so he can heal. When he is fully healed, he runs from the cellar to ring the solstice bell to tell Thirrin that the allies have come, and they defeat the Polypontian Army for the last battle. He later becomes Thirrin's consort, as we find out in the second book, Blade of Fire, which takes place about 20 years later. He destroys Medea and Cronus in the last book, losing his life as well. He was one of the most powerful beings in the universe and was strong enough to control the darkness and not let it take over his soul.Scipio Bellorum
Scipio Bellorum is the greatest general the Polypontian Empire has ever had. He has added numerous countries and provinces to the Empire. He has never lost a war, or even a battle he personally commanded. He is personally feared, as he often slaughters his own troops and officers to make a point, or for the lack of zeal in war. In one battle, he comes out to lead his army for himself and openly challenges Thirrin to one-on-one combat, no interferences. She managed to cut off his hand with his sword still in it and would have killed him if his army hadn't broken the rules and charged in to protect their general. He was killed at the end of Blade of Fire by Thirrin and then eaten by the Vampire Queen, whose husband was killed by Bellorum. He also has two sons, Octavious and Sulla, with whom they are both killed by Sharley and Cressida. In an interview in 2010, Hill stated that "Scipio Bellorum is based heavily on Jeremy Irons, in his best “clipped English baddy mode”".Tharaman - One-Hundredth Thar of the Snow Leopards, Ruler of the Icesheets, Scourge of the Ice Trolls
Tharaman-Thar is the ruler of the Snow Leopards. Contrary to the initial meeting, he is often portrayed as a fun-loving creature and enjoys drinking games, often with Grishmak, king of the wolf folk and Olememnon, the consort of Elemnestra and Olympia, the Basileas of the Hypolitan. His Tharina is Krisafitsa.Queen Thirrin Freer Strong-in-the-Arm Lindenshield, Wildcat of the North, Taker of the Hand of Bellorum
Thirrin is the scion of the ruling house of Lindenshield. Although her father wishes for her to be well-learned, she hates the classroom, and would often rather be out training with the Housecarls. She has wild red hair like her father and bright green eyes. At the beginning of the novel, she is thirteen years old; shortly after the novel begins she turns fourteen at Yule and is proclaimed the heir of the throne. Lady Theowin was worried that the Polypontian empire was getting restless, and she was right. A werewolf comes and is first to warn them that the Empire's army has invaded. During one of her hunting outings, a bear badly wounded one of her soldiers and a storm starts up. Oskan Witch's Son, later known as Oskan the Warlock, gives them shelter in his cave. Oskan is a healer among other things and can understand wolf-folk speech. They become good friends, and later she goes on a journey with him to make allies. They first go to the Vampire King and Queen, and the Vampires reluctantly agree. She then goes to the Hub of the World to make an alliance with Tharaman-Thar, ruler of the giant Snow Leopards that live there. She is one of the main characters in the story.It is revealed in the second book of the Icemark Chronicles, Blade of Fire, that Oskan and Thirrin do marry and together have five children: Cressida, Cerdic, Eodred, Medea, and Charlemange.
Their Vampiric Majesties
Their Vampiric Majesties are the undead Vampire monarchs of the Land-of-the-Ghosts. A deep-seated hatred and distrust has created a rift between them and the Icemark. However, because of the nature of the Empire, they agree to send aid to the Icemark.The Vampire King and Queen appear reluctant to keep up their end of the treaty, but in the end, they help fight the Polypontians in The Blade of Fire. Their forces proved extremely useful against the Empire's flying craft, but eventually leave the fight when the Vampire King is killed by treachery. Yet the Vampire Queen miraculously returns after regrouping her forces in the Land of the Ghosts. In The Last Battle of the Icemark, Sharley figures out that His Vampiric Majesty has developed a soul, and soon after Her Vampiric Majesty develops a soul, she joins His Vampiric Majesty in the afterlife, the only vampire with a peaceful passing.