Secret City/Characters

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


Cortes's team

A highly professional team of well-payed mercenaries who often get involved in various world-important schemes. They had reached the point where their reputation works for them, so now they can take the most interesting cases.

Cortes

A former member of USSR intels and Special Purpose Forces, expert of infiltration and diversions. After trying the most dangerous missions and becoming wanted in six countries, he retired and decided to spend the rest of his life in peace and luxury, only to get overwhelmed with boredom. Learning about the Secret City and magic opened a new horizons for him; he became the mercenary and assembled the team.

Artyom Golovin

Formerly an young everyman, one day he got introduced to the Secret City. He appeared strong enough not only to accept the fact that magic existed under his nose, but also to survive some dangerous things he was pulled into, and ended as a new member of Cortes team. He is usually the hero of books.

Inga Volkova

A 19-year girl from the rich family, whose magical powers were discovered when she was a child. As a result, she had grown up into a very skilled witch, well-adjusted to the magical world. Seeking for some adventure, she became The Dragon for the Big Bad Kara and eventually encountered Cortes' team. After Kara was killed (and Inga saved from her) by Artyom, she fell in love with him and appeared in the next book as his girlfriend and the new, but reliable member of the team. She is notable for switching from air-headed impulsive girl to a cold, collected mercenary in less than second.

Yana Mannerheim / Laz'

A long-term member of Cortes' team and his girlfriend, she worked as a sniper/cover/information seeker of a team and had no magical power... until it was revealed that she was the descendant of Hyperborean Witch Laz', Kadath hierarch and the Concubine of Azag-Toth, who hid his Concubines between ordinary Chels. After an injection of "steam", synthetic Golden Root extract ,which was the source of Kadath power, Laz's powers and memories were reborn in poor girl, and she became the leader of uprising Kadath army. Howewer, she was not going to sacrifice her love to Cortes and found the will to reject Kadath philosophy and stop the invasion. She is still Cortes' fiancee and team member, but now she has become one of the most dangerous combat mages in Secret City.

Other Chels

Major Kornilov

Yegor Besyaev

Kara

Kara was the Keeper, the Chel's strongest mage whose task is to keep The Black Book, a book which contains the most powerful secrets of Chel magic, from the Great Houses. She, however, mostly (ab)uses the Book for her own benefit, and will use anything, from starting crime wars to bringing The Unmasqued World to SC, to further her goal - eternal youth.

Santiaga: She'll have to share the book with all Chels.
Ortega: It's her duty, she's the Keeper.
Santiaga: Yes, the Keeper... except that real Keeper would never, under any circumstances, risk the Black Book, especially for their own presonal gain. Kara won't share her power with anyone, she thinks she can use the book as she wishes.
Ortega: Can't she?
Santiaga: She's the Keeper, not "the Owner". I guess I don't need to explain the difference.

Larisa

Anna

Zorich

Agent Bulder & Agent Gully

Nav'

Santiaga

A Commissar (military leader and Prince's right hand) of the Great House Nav', responcible for it's defence (and offence), intelligence and security, who uses any opportunity to increase the power of Nav. He is an Avatar, the vessel where the Prince placed all those his traits and qualities which, as he thought, could prevent him from being a perfect ruler. As a result, Santiaga's personality drastically differs from those of other Navs, but despite - or in spite of - this, he is the most competent Commissar in Nav's history. Cunning, creative, charismatic and efficient, he is a legendary figure of Secret City.

The Prince

Ortega

A Garka commander, Santiaga's operative, second-in-command and right hand, Ortega seems to be quite young (for a Nav), but competent and reliable. He has been working with Santiaga for several millenia, studying his methods, but yet feels more comfortable at battlefield or among analysts than at diplomatic missions.

"Lasvegas"

Brother Lyapsus

Zahar Tremy

Alexander Bruja

Claudia Brudja

Lyud'

Queen Vseslava

Baron Mecheslav

Hoof Shibzich

An uybooy (tenner commander) Red Hat. Stupid, suspisious, greedy and generally covardly (though he has many Badass moments), Hoof is always seeking for profit, but said motivation often leads him (and his men) in trouble. Hovever, he really is one of the most competent uybooys; this, combined with his loyality to current Great Fuhrer Sledgehammer, bought him the place of The Dragon.

Sledgehammer Shibzich

Prior to the events of the first book, one-eyed Sledgehammer was a Fuhrer (as Red Hats call their chief) of Shibzichs, the smallest Red Hats' clan, didn't have much of power and was the weakest among the fuhrers. But when the Messenger was defeated and one of fuhrers killed, Sledgehammer took his chance. He challenged the other fuhrer to a duel and killed him, thus taking all the power and becoming Great Fuhrer. Immediately after he proclaimed his loyalty to the Green House and the Queen, saving his people (and himself) from genocide.

  • The Alcoholic: Justified.
  • Asskicking Equals Authority: He is one of the badassest Red Hats.
  • Authority Equals Asskicking: Sort of. His place provides him with an endless supply of an alcohol, which helps keep his brains fit and outsmart potential rebels.
  • Bad Boss: He rules Red Hats with the iron hand, mistreats them, frequently hangs rebels and most noisy criminals, forbids robberies... but it's justified, as else all the family will be punished. Demonstrative executions? The Only Way They Will Learn.
  • Crowning Moment of Awesome: After his awake from the coma, he learns that rebels took his power. In less than couple of hours, he returns to the Southern Fort alone and reclaims the throne. His arguments? A live grenade in his hand and a truckload of explosives in his jeep. He was, howewer, under the effect of an artifact which negated fear and panic, allowing its owner to think coldly and clearly, but still.
  • Drunken Master: Justified, as his brain literally runs on alcohol. He even falls into "alcoholless coma" at one point
  • Eyepatch of Power
  • Handicapped Badass
  • Let's Get Dangerous
  • The Smart Guy: not by human measures, but he still is the smartest Red Hat (a quality which brought him to the throne).

Volepolk

Murcius Chase

Pticius Hase

Byana

Tapira

Lyubomir the Messenger

Chood'

Franz de Gir

Leonard de Saint-Care

Nelson Bard

Bohdan le Sta

Mooba

Other

Kadath

Lord Noor

Gleb Suhorukov

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