List of Temeraire characters

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Temeraire is a series of novels by Naomi Novik, comprising His Majesty's Dragon (released as Temeraire in the United Kingdom), Throne of Jade, Black Powder War and Empire of Ivory. The novels are works of both fantasy and alternate history: they are "a reimagining of the epic events of the Napoleonic Wars with an air force — an air force of dragons, manned by crews of aviators".[1]

Note: This page contains key plot points from the novel. If you have not finished reading Empire of Ivory, proceed with caution.

Contents

[edit] Major characters

[edit] Humans

  • Captain William Laurence: Former captain of HMS Reliant while in the Royal Navy. Served aboard HMS Belize, HMS Orient, and others prior to receiving his post on the Reliant. Now Captain in the Aerial Corps and companion to Temeraire. Primary figure in the series.
  • Admiral Lenton: Admiral in charge of the covert at Dover. Obversaria is his dragon.
  • Arthur Hammond: British diplomat attending Laurence's mission to China whose primary goal is to preserve or to improve British standing with the Chinese Empire, even if it comes at the expense of giving Temeraire to the Chinese. He is generally disliked by the crew of the Allegiance and Temeraire's crew.
  • Captain Thomas Riley: Lieutenant under Captain Laurence on HMS Reliant in His Majesty's Dragon. In Throne of Jade is promoted to captain of HMS Allegiance, a dragon-transport. Family owns slaves in the Caribbean.
  • Captain Catherine Harcourt: Stationed at Dover. First female dragon-captain Laurence meets. Twenty years old when promoted to Captain. Companion to the Longwing Lily.
  • Captain Jane Roland: Companion to Excidium. Mother of Emily Roland, a member of Laurence's crew. Becomes Laurence's paramour after Laurence breaks off his engagement. Later promoted to Admiral.
  • Captain Langford James: Courier. Companion to Volatilus. First dragon-captain to meet Laurence. Gives him a basic introduction to how the Aerial Corps works.
  • Captain Berkley: Stationed at Dover. Companion to the Regal Copper, Maximus.
  • Captain Rankin: Abusive companion to Levitas.
  • Hannah Erasmus: Wife of Reverend Erasmus. A former slave, she is a member of the Tswana tribe and returns to Africa with her husband and children. After her husband slain in an encounter with her native tribe, she is recognized and freed, ultimately electing to stay in Africa.
  • Lieutenant John Granby: Laurence's second-in-command. Served under Captain Portland on Laetificat. Becomes Iskierka's companion and is promoted to Captain.
  • Prince Yongxing: Brother to the Jiaqing Emperor of China. Anti-Western and seeks to bring Temeraire back to China. Schemes to ultimately supplant his nephew's claim to the Imperial Throne. Companion to the white Celestial Lien.
  • Reverend Josiah Erasmus: A former slave in Jamaica. Joins Temeraire and Laurence in their expedition to Africa to find a cure for the draconic flu.
  • Tharkay: A guide hired by a banker in Istanbul to bring Captain Laurence and his crew to the Turkish capital. While duplicitous in appearance, this is an air cultivated purposefully by Tharkay due to his mixed heritage.

[edit] Dragons

  • Temeraire: A Chinese Celestial dragon and the titular character of the series. Named after Téméraire, a French vessel captured during the Napoleonic wars, his name means "bold". His Chinese name is Lung Tien Xiang. Captain William Laurence is his companion. Possesses an extremely practical, inquisitive, and sometimes too blunt personality, although he sometimes can be overly sensitive about the differences between his appearance and that of western dragons. He is also quite possessive and protective of Laurence.
  • Arkady: A feral dragon from Turkestan who allies his pack with Temeraire and Britain. He became leader of his pack due to a powerful and overbearing personality.
  • Iskierka: A Kazilik in service to Britain. Hatches en route to Britain while Temeraire and the crew are fleeing following the rout of the Prussian army. High-tempered and ready to fight from birth. John Granby becomes her companion, although notably she names herself. She frequently argues with Temeraire, especially over the fact she isn't allowed into battles yet. Becomes a main figure in protecting the English coast, seizing many ships as prizes.
  • Kefentse: A dragon in the Tswana tribe, he is Hannah Erasmus' reincarnated ancestor and is called "Grandfather". An unidentified red-brown breed, he is the first dragon seen to be wearing piercings (elephant tusks and other jewelry).
  • Levitas: A Winchester serving as courier at the Dover covert. Captain Rankin is his abusive and negligent companion. Levitas was killed after wounds inflicted during a reconnaissance mission over France, though he died at peace after finally receiving praise, albeit through Laurence's physical coercian of Rankin.
  • Lien: An albino Chinese Celestial, ostracized in China due to superstition (white is a color of mourning and death in China). Her companion was Prince Yongxing. Upon his death, she vows to exact vengeance upon Temeraire and all of his friends and allies. She allies herself with Napoleon I in order to bring ruin to the British. She is granted an unknown rank and commands the dragons of Napoleon's Armee del'Air.
  • Lily: A Longwing in service to Britain. She leads a formation of other dragons due to her ability to spit acid despite her relative youth. Captain Harcourt is her companion. She is quite proper, when going bathing she only wants to wash.
  • Maximus: A Regal Copper in service at the Dover covert. Captain Berkley is his companion. Like Lily, Maximus has been in training with Temeraire since the Celestial arrived in Scotland, and is one of his closer friends. Even if he is big, Maximus is quite lazy. Temeraire, Lily and he are the youngest dragons of the base. When they go to bathe, he and Temeraire play together. When he was sick, he went with all the formation to Africa, but it was known that if the cure was not to be found that he would likely be the first to die, or furthermore that he cannot make it back to Britain.
  • Nitidus: A Pascal's Blue in service, part of Lily's formation with Temeraire, Maximus, Messoria, Immortalis and Dulcia. His captain is Warren. He has been placed there to be a support for the three youngest dragons. He is a nervous creature, he doesn't like to be leaving alone in a place he didn't known. After battle he tends to be quite excited.
  • Dulcia: A Grey Cooper in service, part of Lily's formation with Temeraire, Maximus, Messoria, Immortalis and Nitidus. Her captain is Chenery. She is there to balance the inexperience of Lily, Maximus and Temeraire. During the dragon flu epidemic, she is the first to receive the cure and be healed. She entered the village where captains Chenery, Harcourt and Laurence and all their crew were prisoners in order to pass a message. She seems to know well about breeding ground since she said to Temeraire when leaving for China that he was not interesting except for breeding purposes.
  • Messoria: A Yellow Reaper in service, part of Lily's formation with Temeraire, Maximus, Immortalis and Nitidus. Her captain is Sutton. She is 40 years old and wily. She is there to balance the inexperience of Lily, Maximus and Temeraire.
  • 'Immortalis: A Yellow Reaper in service, part of Lily's formation with Temeraire, Maximus, Messoria and Nitidus. His captain is Little.
  • Mokhachane: The dragon-king of the Tswana people, she is the reincarnation of a human king (despite being a female dragon). Leads an alliance of African tribes in kicking out all Europeans in sub-Saharan Africa, destroying the Cape Coast, Louana, Benguela, and Cape Colony along with other unnamed European outposts. Establishes the Tswana-Sotho kingdom which rules virtually all of sub-Saharan Africa.
  • Volatilus (or Volly): A Greyling in service to Britain and the first dragon Temeraire meets. Captain Langford James is his companion. Not considerably intelligent, but quite fast in flight. While simple, he is able to express his preference for cows, but as he is a Greyling, his diet consists more of goats and sheep. He is unable to correctly pronounce Temeraire's name, calling him : "Temrer". Wherever they meet he butts him on shoulder as a friendly gesture.

[edit] Minor characters

[edit] Humans

[edit] Africa

  • Demane: A native of the Xhosa tribe, he leads Laurence to the cure for the draconic flu.
  • Sipho: Brother of Demane.

[edit] Austria

[edit] Britain

  • Admiral Barham
  • Admiral Grenville: Head of the Aerial Corps at London covert.
  • Admiral Powys: Head of the Aerial Corps.
  • Albert, Lord Seymour: Henry Ferris' brother.
  • Broughton
  • Captain Portland: Laetificat's companion.
  • Captain Richard Clark
  • Captain Sutton: Companion to Messoria.
  • Colonel Prayle: Marine colonel.
  • Dr. Harrow: Dragon surgeon.
  • Dr. Wapping: Dragon surgeon.
  • Hollin: Former ground-crew master for Captain Laurence. Becomes companion to the Winchester Elsie.
  • Jervis: Officer at the London covert. Oversees Temeraire during the hearing on Temeraire and Laurence's future.
  • Lady Catherine Seymour: Henry Ferris' mother.
  • Lady Seymour: Ferris' sister-in-law.
  • Lloyd: Crewmember serving under Captain Portland.
  • Lord Allendale: Captain Laurence's father. He disapproves of Laurence's career in the Navy and nearly disowns him when informed of his son's transition to the Aerial Corps. Supporter of the abolitionist movement.
  • Lady Wrightley
  • Lord Wrightley
  • Marchioness of Carstoke: A guest at Temeraire's dinner.
  • Miss Lucas
  • Mr. Cutter: Carpenter at the London covert. Works on building the first draconic pavilion in Britain.
  • Mr. Royle: Carpenter at the London covert. Works on building the first draconic pavilion in Britain.
  • Mrs. Brantham
  • Patson: Officer in the Aerial Corps. Gatekeeper to the London covert.
  • Richard Ferris: Officer in the Royal Navy.
  • Sanders: Crewmember serving under Captain Portland.

[edit] China

  • Captain Holt: East India Company Captain. Ship seized by the Imperial Throne for the mission to Britain to recover Temeraire.
  • Captain Greggson: East India Company Captain. Ship seized by the Imperial Throne for the mission to Britain to recover Temeraire.
  • Captain Mestis: East India Company Captain. Ship seized by the Imperial Throne for the mission to Britain to recover Temeraire.
  • Feng Li: Prince Yongxing's servant. Tries to kill Laurence twice, once on New Year's Day, once during a storm. Dies in the second attempt.
  • Gong Su: Cook serving Temeraire and Captain Laurence.
  • Jing Chao: Cook serving Temeraire and Captain Laurence. Disappears in the Taklamakan desert.
  • Li Honglin: Member of Yongxing's retinue.
  • Liu Bao: Elder of Prince Yongxing's lieutenants in the mission sent to Britain.
  • Major Heretford: Commander of the East India Company's private soldiery in China.
  • Miankai: Prince and possible heir to the Imperial Throne. Yongxing seeks to make him companion to Temeraire so he can become heir to the Throne in the event of the deaths of the Emperor and the Crown Prince.
  • Mianning: Eldest of Jiaqing Emperor's sons. Heir to the throne. Companion to Lung Tien Chuan, Temeraire's twin brother.
  • Sun Kai: One of Prince Yongxing's lieutenants in the foreign mission sent to Britain. Pro-Western and proves to be of aid in China. Serves as Prince Mianning's agent in Yongxing's retinue.
  • Ye Bing: Member of Yongxing's retinue.
  • Zhao Wei: Functionary for the Emperor. Negotiates with Hammond on the conditions in which the British are to behave while in Peking.

[edit] Istanbul

  • Avraam Maden: A banker in Istanbul.
  • Ertegun: Turkish Captain of the Guard.
  • Arbuthnot: British ambassador. Dies in a hunting accident.
  • Yarmouth: Secretary to Ambassador Arbuthnot. Disappears without a trace.
  • Hasan Moustafa Pasha: A vizer in service to the Sultan. Serves to keep the British occupied and locked away while they are in Istanbul.
  • Sara Maden: Daughter of Avraam Maden.

[edit] Prussia

  • Colonel Richard Thorndyke: British liaison officer to the Prussian army.
  • Captain Dyhern: Companion to Eroica, a Prussian heavyweight. Captured by the French at Jena.
  • Lieutenant Badenhauer: Prussian officer assigned to Temeraire to fill out Laurence's crew. Injured saving Laurence's life during the Battle at Jena.
  • Captain Schleitz: Prussian dragon-captain.
  • Captain Schleimann: Prussian dragon-captain.
  • Captain Abend: Prussian dragon-captain.
  • Major Sieberling: Kalkreuth's second among the survivors of the evacuated Prussian officers from Danzig.

[edit] Temeraire's Crew

  • Allen
  • Baylesworth: Flight crew. Lieutenant. Dies in Prussia.
  • Bell
  • Blythe: Armorer's mate.
  • Calloway
  • Digby: Flight crew. Promoted to midshipman. Dies trying to save the Alaman egg in Istanbul.
  • Donnell: Topman killed in skirmish off the coast of France.
  • Dunne: Midshipman
  • Dyer: Midshipman in Lawrence's ground crew. Serves as a runner.
  • Emily Roland: Ground crew. Serves as a runner. Daughter of Captain Jane Roland.
  • Evans: Lieutenant. Serves as second officer. Sent home after seriously injured in skirmish off the coast of France.
  • Fellowes: Flight crew.
  • Henry Ferris: Lieutenant. Promoted from third officer to acting-second when Evans is sent home.
  • Hakley: Midshipman
  • Harley
  • Harper
  • Keynes: Ground crew. A capable field surgeon who can operate on humans and dragons.
  • Lithgow
  • Macdonough: Flight crew. Dies in Turkestan.
  • Martin: Second Lieutenant.
  • Miggy: Topman killed in skirmish off the coast of France.
  • Morgan: Runner. Killed in skirmish off the coast of France.
  • Parker: Flight crew. Harness-man.
  • Portis
  • Pratt: Ground crew. Serves as armourer.
  • Quale: Midwingman. Dies saving Laurence during skirmish off the British coast.
  • Riggs: Lieutenant.
  • Salyer: Flight crew.
  • Therrows: Flight crew.
  • Turner: Signal-ensign.
  • Willoughby: Flight crew. Harness-man.
  • Winston

[edit] Aboard HMS Allegiance

  • Bassan: Crewman.
  • Bayne: Crewman.
  • Beckett: Lieutenant.
  • Chervis
  • Criggs: Crewman.
  • Cornell: Master-at-arms.
  • Doyle: Crewman killed by the sea-serpent.
  • Dyfydd
  • Eklof: Ship's carpenter.
  • Franks: Lieutenant. Third officer.
  • Garrett: Ship's master.
  • Harris: Main gunner. Killed in skirmish with a Fleur-de-Nuit.
  • Leddowes: Dies during a storm when attempting to help Laurence tie down Temeraire.
  • Lord Purbeck: first officer.
  • Pollitt: Ship's surgeon.
  • Macready: Lieutenant. Commander of the Marines on board.
  • Masterson
  • Reynolds: Midshipman.
  • Sackler: Master's mate.
  • Tripp: Midshipman.

[edit] Dragons

[edit] Britain

  • Auctoritas: Victim of the dragon flu.
  • Caelifera: Victim of the dragon flu.
  • Celeritas: A Reaper in charge of training at the Loch Laggan covert, he has no captain, as his previous two died, and he refused the third.
  • Celoxia: Victim of the dragon flu.
  • Dulcia: Grey Copper serving at the Dover covert. Wing-dragon in Lily's formation.
  • Elsie: Winchester serving at the London covert. Hollin is her companion.
  • Excidium: Longwing. Formation leader stationed at Dover. Captain Jane Roland is his companion.
  • Excursius: Unknown Breed. All that is known is that John Granby served aboard him/her.
  • Felicitas: Victim of the dragon flu.
  • Fluitare: Victim of the dragon flu.
  • Inlacrimas: Victim of the dragon flu.
  • Immortalis: Yellow Reaper. Mid-weight dragon in Lily's formation.
  • Laetificat: Regal Copper. Admiral Portland is her companion.
  • Laudabilis: Victim of the dragon flu.
  • Mortiferus: Longwing stationed along the British Channel.
  • Messoria: Yellow Reaper. Mid-weight dragon in Lily's formation. Captain Sutton is her companion.
  • Minacitus: Victim of the dragon flu.
  • Nitidus: Pascal's Blue. Captain Warren is his companion. Wing-dragon in Lily's formation.
  • Obversaria: Anglewing. Admiral Lenton's dragon. Formation leader with over forty years of service. Victim of the dragon flu.
  • Praecursoris: Chanson-de-Guerre. Sent to Newfoundland for breeding after his rider was executed for spying.
  • Prolixis: Victim of the dragon flu.
  • Repugnatis: Victim of the dragon flu.
  • Validius: Victim of the dragon flu.
  • Victoriatus: Parnassian. Injured in a skirmish and borne to Loch Laggan by Temeraire and Maximus.

[edit] China

  • Lung Qin Gao: An Imperial dragon and Temeraire's sire.
  • Lung Qin Mei (or Mei): An Imperial. Serves Qian. Becomes enamoured of Temeraire during his stay in Peking.
  • Lung Qin Shu (or Shu): An Imperial. Serves Qian.
  • Lung Li Po: Historical dragon and Emperor. Author of poetry.
  • Lung Tien Chuan (or Chuan): A Celestial. Companion to the Imperial Heir, Prince Mianning. Older twin of Temeraire.
  • Lung Tien Ming (or Ming): A Celestial.
  • Lung Tien Qian (or Qian): A Celestial and mother of Temeraire. Aunt to Lien. Daughter of Xian.
  • Lung Tien Xian (or Xian): A Celestial. Referred to as Grandfather as he is both the oldest Celestial alive and the progenitor of the eight that live. Sire of Chu, companion to the Jiaqing Emperor, and Qian.
  • Lung Tien Zhi (or Zhi): A Celestial.
  • Lung Yu Ping (or Yu Ping): A Jade Dragon. Messenger dragon sent to inform Yongxing and Laurence that they are to head to Peking in all haste.

[edit] Feral

  • Gherni: Scout and translator in Arkady's dragon-pack.
  • Molnar: One of Arkady's lieutenants.
  • Wringe: Another of Arkady's lieutenants.
  • Hertaz: Scout in Arkady's dragon-pack.
  • Lester: Member of Arkady's group.

[edit] France

  • Accendare: Flamme-de-Gloire in service on the French coast. Her formation is involved in a skirmish with Lily's formation when attempting to sink a convoy of merchantmen.
  • Triumphalis: Grand Chevalier which ambushed Lily's formation near Dover. Triumphalis is called "one of France's most dangerous fighters."

[edit] Istanbul

  • Bezaid: A Kazilik in service to the Sultan. Father of Iskierka.
  • Sherazde: A Kazilik in service to the Sultan. Mother of Iskierka.

[edit] Prussia

  • Eroica: A Prussian heavyweight of an unidentified breed. Captured by the French along with his captain at Jena.

[edit] Historical Figures

While a number of the characters in the Temeraire series are fictional, they often interact with fictionalized versions of actual historical figures. Some historical figures play either minor roles in the story or are mentioned as actors in the background.

[edit] Major roles

[edit] Minor roles

[edit] References

  1. ^ Temeraire: the official website of Naomi Novik. Retrieved on 9 June 2006.

[edit] External links

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Temeraire by Naomi Novik
Novels
Characters
List of Temeraire characters • List of dragon breeds