Crispin is a 33-year-old mosaicist from Varena in Rhodias. He was the apprentice of Martinian of Varena and later became his partner. He is known for his red hair, hot temper, and perfectionism, and is widely considered to be a stubborn, reckless, and contrary man. After losing his wife, Ilandra, and their two daughters to the plague, Crispin struggles with the guilt of having survived and the feeling that he has nothing left to live for. Due to Martinian’s decision to fool an Imperial Courier, Crispin finds himself assuming the older man’s identity and invitation to Sarantium, the City of Cities and capitol of the Sarantine Empire. Throughout his unwanted journey, Crispin discovers an end to his apathy and reclaims his will to live. He develops deep, meaningful relationships with a wide array of individuals, leaving a significant impact on each of them and ingratiates himself into the lives and the imperial court.

Gisel is the beautiful, blonde, 19-year-old Queen of the Antae and Batiara. While she offers symbolic allegiance to the Sarantine Emperor, she is queen in her own right. However, her own people, the Antae, are not supportive of her rule. Gisel is caught in a no-win scenario due to the tentative and begrudging peace between the recently warring factions of her people.