List of Liaden Universe characters

Necessity exists for a collation of the characters of the Liaden Universe, major and otherwise, linked in some ways to the books they appear in, and with suitable summaries.

Links internal to the article will be provided to important points thereof, such as characters (e.g. ) and books (e.g. ). The article itself will be divided into lists of characters in each book, in order of appearance, and summary information for each character. If necessary, characters will be given larger articles with more detail.

Books, and their characters
(in internal chronological order, where possible)

Crystal Soldier

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 * (The Tree)
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 * 
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 * and his lady
 * (only mentioned)

Crystal Dragon

 * and his dominant
 * and his dominant
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 * (The Tree)
 * Osabei Tower Seated Scholars:
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 * 
 * 
 * 
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 * and

Dragon Ship

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 * ...more...

M. Jela Granthor's Guard, Generalist
Detailed article: Jela

Jela is one of the progenitors of clan Korval, along with and, all of whom began their lives in the universe Outside. Jela appears for the first time in, and dies in combat in , the second and last book to feature him.

During the chronicled part of his life, Jela fought the sheriekas (also known as the Iloheen), rescued (aka The Tree), was recruited into the secret plan to fight back against the sheriekas in spite of contradictory orders from High Command, was further recruited into the plan of making a pocket universe and escaping to it, and ultimately died while buying time for that last plan to succeed.

Jela met Cantra in The Alcoves, a restaurant on the planet Faldaiza, where they drew the attention of a number of sheriekas agents and were forced to escape the planet together. On the way, they rescued, the sole survivor of the Batch of restaurant staff, and they went together thereafter on Cantra's ship until Dulsey eventually stayed behind with the , Jela and Cantra growing closer to each other in the meantime -- and saving each other's lives a time or two.

Eventually, on Gimlins, Jela and Cantra met the dramliza and his lady, who informed them the plan of escaping the sheriekas by creating a new, pocket universe, inside the old one, and entering it at the time of its creation. They gave Jela and Cantra the mission of liberating the mathematician and his recrystallization equations while Rool and his lady acted as decoys, drawing the sheriekas' attention. This final revelation concludes Crystal Soldier.

Jelaza Kazone
Detailed article: Jelaza Kazone

The Tree was the sole survivor of a species of unusual trees, the ssussdriad, who fought a psychic war with the sheriekas in the defense of their home world, to a sad end -- they delayed the world's outright destruction by decrystallization, but their world would no longer bear life. The Tree was found by on that arid homeworld as a small sapling, the last surviving ssussdriad. Jela gave The Tree water, and The Tree in exchange used its species' biochemical mastery to feed and communicate with Jela. This cemented the bond between the two and convinced Jela to take the tree with him wherever he went. The ensuing events are chronicled in and, culminating with The Tree being taken to the universe Inside together with 's crew and passengers, thereby saving the Liaden culture and way of life.

The Tree is the titular tree of the Korval clan logo -- Tree-and-Dragon -- and, as shown in the two Crystal books, has been with the clan since before there was one. Among other things, the Tree has a tendency to apply its skills at biochemical engineering and perhaps its ssussdriad foresight to promote certain pairings within the clan. Indeed, one of its first such biochemical edits was making Jela fertile (as a soldier, he was not intended to be such), allowing him and Cantra to create the first generation of clan Korval in the new Liaden universe.

Commander Ro Gayda
The commander was a minor character in who recruited  into the consolidated commanders' plan to retain garrisons in place and attempt to fight back against the sheriekas, in contradiction to the orders from High Command to fall back and defend the Core only.

Cantra yos'Phelium
Detailed article: Cantra yos'Phelium

Along with and, Cantra is one of the progenitors of clan Korval. Cantra appears for the first time in, as the solo pilot of the small ship Spiral Dance. Having found herself with some time on a planet named Faldaiza, she met Jela in The Alcoves, a restaurant with Batcher servants, where she had sought pilot company for the evening. Unfortunately, their chance meeting drew the attention of sheriekas agents, and they were forced to flee the planet together, along the way rescuing from the fate of her Pod-mates, who had been tortured to death by the aforementioned sheriekas agents.

On Taliofi, Cantra got into some trouble when attempted to extract a use of her aelantaza training on his behalf in exchange for Dulsey's freedom, but Jela rescued them both, and they were able to leave without much difficulty -- though Dulsey did require a session in the Dancer's "first aid kit" (actually a sheriekas-made autodoc).

Departing 's hideaway, Jela and Cantra were ambushed, requiring Cantra to have a session in the autodoc. After this, they made their way to Gimlins, where they met the dramliza and his dominant, and accepted responsibility for extracting  from Landomist, to acquire the use of his recrystallization equations.

In, Cantra finally displayed her aelantaza skills, revealing why these assassins are greatly feared: they do not act their cover roles, they become them, and thus are impossible to detect. She thus became Errant-Scholar Maelyn tay'Nordif, native of Vetzu, with the intent to become a seated scholar of Osabei Tower on Landomist.

Dulsey
Detailed article: Dulsey

Dulsey is the last survivor of a Batch of station maintainers turned restaurant workers, employed at The Alcoves on the planet Faldaiza, in the Outside universe. As chronicled in, she was rescued by and  after managing to hide from the sheriekas agents who tortured and killed her owner and Batch-mates. Dulsey had previously warned Jela and Cantra of trouble, having seen the sheriekas agents capture Jela's intended co-conspirator, and Jela and Cantra decided to take her with them at her request.

On Taliofi, Dulsey was gravely injured and required a session in Cantra's ship's "first aid kit", actually a sheriekas-made autodoc, which healed her even of the Batch tattoos and underlying genetic coding that expressed them -- making her a true freewoman. She asked to be delivered to, having heard of his organization as one fighting to help Batchers, and was successfully brought to and accepted by him.

Rint dea'Sord
Rint dea'Sord was a minor character in. He was a criminal boss on the planet Taliofi, in the Outside universe, and was known for his ruthlessness and untrustworthiness. Accordingly, he attempted to backstab when she showed up to request his help in reaching the, and tried to use her as leverage in convincing  to use her secret aelantaza skills for his benefit. Luckily, both were rescued by before Ser dea'Sord could extract any unwanted attentions from the two. Notably, Jela allowed dea'Sord to live (leaving him as a potential danger), but not much later the planet Taliofi was decrystallized by a world-eater, as the sheriekas cut their losses after having traded with dea'Sord.

Uncle
The most long-lived and mysterious character in the Liaden Universe, Uncle appears (chronologically) for the first time in, wherein it is revealed that he had previously assisted in surviving her aelantaza line-edit, and that Uncle has the ability to die and be reborn in a younger body, making him effectively immortal as long as his technology is at hand.

Also in Crystal Soldier, Uncle accepted 's request to join him, revealed that her stay in the sheriekas-made "first aid kit" removed her Batch tattoos including the genetic coding that would manifest them, and attempted to recruit (though without success).

Rool Tiazan
Rool Tiazan is one half of a dramliza pair, together with his (yet unnamed) lady. They appear near the end of to inform, , and the ssussdriad  of a plan to escape the sheriekas by creating a pocket universe, recrystallizing it from the destroyed galaxy, and fleeing to it. The dramliza required that Jela, Cantra and the tree go to Landomist to retrieve the mathematician from his captivity, in exchange for using his recrystallization equations in the aforementioned plan.

In, we learn the early life of Rool Tiazan's dominant, and the reason for their superlative power: unlike with other dramliz, Tiazan himself is a zaliata, not a tumzaliat -- the difference being as between a star and some wisps of hydrogen.

Liad dea'Syl
The mathematician Liad dea'Syl is only briefly mentioned near the end of, but it is explained that he has the key information to allow a new universe to be recrystallized inside the current one, allowing non-sheriekas life to escape to that universe.

Anjo Valee
The dramliza Anjo Valee and his dominant are a secondary character in, taking the role of 's dominant's biology tutor.

Tor An yos'Galan
Along with and, Tor An is one of the progenitors of clan Korval who lived in the universe Outside. He appeared in piloting a single-ship on his way home from having earned his big-ship piloting license, and was shocked to discover home doesn't exist anymore -- it had been decrystallized, and himself the last surviving member of his clan. Ultimately, he made his way to Landomist and managed to assist Jela and Cantra in the extraction of.

Jenicour tay'Azberg
In, scholar tay'Azberg is a member of the admissions committee of Osabei Tower on Landomist. She is noted for occasionally bending the rules -- for instance, setting up a card game for the admissions committee during their time of awaiting (very rare) supplicants.

Kel Var tay'Palin
In, scholar tay'Palin is the head of the admissions committee of Osabei Tower on Landomist. It is noted he has been forced lately to proof his work in Landomist fashion -- by facing challengers in combat -- and that this has taken its toll on him. This weakness, noticed by, led the latter to challenge one of scholar tay'Palin's theses, and in the ensuing combat, she mortally wounded him before perishing herself from a well-thrown dagger.

Ala Bin tay'Welford
In, scholar tay'Welford is a member of the admissions committee of Osabei Tower on Landomist.

Leman chi'Farlo
In, scholar chi'Farlo is one of the Seated Scholars of Osabei Tower on Landomist. She is junior to, and is very concerned about scholar tay'Nordif ('s aelantaza identity) and the proof she brought to acquire her seat. Seeing weakness in, chi'Farlo challenged one of his theses -- and was killed after mortally wounding the man.

Lute
Lute and form an unusual dramliza pair, eventually forming part of the new, recrystallized universe and becoming part of its mythology. In, it is revealed that Lute was recruited by. While it is not explicitly stated that he was a zaliata, it is very likely true -- thus, Lute and Moonhawk are the second super-dramliza, after Rool Tiazan and his lady.

Accepting this assumption, it is therefore similarly revealed (without explicitly stating such) that zaliata are used by the sheriekas as the "world-eaters" that decrystallize entire star systems, removing them from the universe. From other statements in the same book, it is likely the sheriekas maintain their groups of tumzaliat and zaliata in the empty space between galaxies, The Deeps, beyond the rim of the galaxy itself.

Theo Waitley
Detailed article: Theo Waitley

First appearing at the very end of, Theo is the daughter of (under his alternate identity of Jen Sar Kiladi) and  of Delgado, during Jen Sar's tenure as Gallowglass Chair as part of his Balance for the death of.

Theo's story is followed in much greater detail in the books, , , and (as of 2012-09-09), and likely in further books, as well.

More summary

Kamele Waitley
Mother of, Kamele [blahdy blah blah]