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The Phase Transition, by Ryan E. Okerlund
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Stop! This is a section designed to assist in the understanding of the major characters and concepts introduced in the The Phase Transition. Of you have not yet read the book, I highly recommend that you postpone reading this section, as it may give away many major concepts of the novel. (Hey, this book is for fun, don't wreck it!)
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Character List:
Avedesh, Jangdish: One of the many pseudonyms that Tiersyvon has used throughout the centuries. He has also been known as the Professor, the Master, and the Old Man.
Barranor: Chosen of the Gray Order, father of Tiersyvon. Took the altered form of a phoenix.
Bergham, Sarah: Member of the Twenty, agricultural specialist.
Bosonavich, Yergi: Member and leader of the Twenty, stonemason and architect of Skyrock.
Brown, Jim: A farmer on the Nebraska plains who feeds and shelters Helen, Sam, and the Yamaguchi’s in exchange for farm work. Owned a hardware store before the Phase.
Brown, Olivia: Chosen of the White Order. Takes the altered form of a gorgon. Forced to battle Brian in a battle to destroy the Gray Order, she perished from her wounds.
Delzechio, Larry: Member of the Twenty, Accountant of the Grey Order. Primary responsibilities included purchasing supplies, and managing finances.
DuPont, Brian: Chosen of the Gray Order. Takes the altered form of a dragon. Was a mechanic and bartender before the Phase.
East, The: Directional Position of the Black Order, one of the Council of Five.
Famakinwa, Deomino: Member of the Twenty, Security chief and assassin.
Feronor: Previous owner of the Staff of the Magi, he switched allegiances from the Black Order, where he was Wise One, to the Gray Order during the Order Wars. He perished during the previous Phase.
Glick, Jon: Leader of a small band of farmers that Brian, Tiersyvon and the others sheltered with for a night. Was a sheriff before the Phase.
Goliath: Samantha’s pet Irish wolfhound and seeing-eye dog. Was previously owned by Helen and Jake Summers.
Great One: Leader and Chosen of the White Order. Takes the altered form of a sphinx.
Gronvold, Larry: General and Forth Rank in the Southern Quarter’s Army of the Black Order. Killed by Tiersyvon in Texas.
Gus: Hunter, trapper, and all around nutcase.
Holmes, Regina: Member of the Twenty, architect and engineer.
Ivanson, Mike: A mechanic from Winnipeg. Brian’s boss and friend. Also known as Big Mike.
Jackson, Della: Chosen of the Gray Order, and a Healer. Takes the altered form of a direwolf. Grandmother of David Jackson. Was a nurse before the Phase.
Longfeather, John: Member of the Twenty, Protector of Jake Summers. Fletcher, tanner, and hunter for the Twenty. Worked in an interpretive center, and as a speaker on Native American Studies prior to the Phase.
Lopez, Martina: Chosen of the Gray Order. Altered form is unknown. Is also the general for the army of the Gray Order. Was a veterinarian before the Phase.
Marieb, Joshua: Commander of the Army of the White Order. Sent to capture Helen and Hank, he lost the battle against Brian and the others on the Nebraska plains.
Master of the Gray Order: See Tiersyvon.
McMillan, Elmer: A farmer on the Nebraska plains who feeds and shelters Helen, Sam, and the Yamaguchi’s in exchange for farm work.
Morrow, Clint: Friend of Martina Lopez, and an excellent horseman. Was a ranch hand and student before the Phase.
Morrow, Eugene: Father of Clint, and Martina’s employer. He was killed in a skirmish as the White Order tried to capture Martina.
Murphy, Sean: Chosen of the Gray Order. Altered form is unknown. Was a thief and a pickpocket before the Phase.
North, The: Directional Position of the Black Order, one of the Council of Five.
Old Man: Term of derision used by Both White and Black Orders for Tiersyvon.
Rahassaman, Monjula: Member and Lore-master of the Twenty.
Summers, Helen: Chosen of the Gray Order. Altered form is unkonwn. Was a park ranger before the Phase.
Summers, Jake: Chosen of the Gray Order, and father of Helen. He perished during the Phase at the hands of the Black Order, protecting Helen.
Summers, Samantha: Magi of the Gray Order, and adopted sister of Helen. Although her original name was Smith, she assumed her adopted sister’s last name.
South, The: Directional Position of the Black Order, one of the Council of Five.
Tiersyvon, son of Barranor: Master of the Twenty, Keeper of the Staff of the Magi, Leader of the Gray Order.
West, The: Directional Position of the Black Order, one of the Council of Five. In North America, the West is especially well known for subterfuge and covert operations, as the western part of the continent is typically populated by the White Order.
Wheatley, James: Chosen of the Gray Order. Takes the altered form of a giant. Was a graduate student in mathematics at MIT before the Phase.
Whitehall, Jack: Member of the Black Order and lackey of the South.
Yamaguchi, Hank: Chosen of the Gray Order. Takes the form of a troll. Was an engineer before the Phase.
Yamagichi, Kensuki: Father of Hank. Owned a flower shop before the Phase.
Yamaguchi, Riho: Wife of Hank, one of the chief hunters for the Gray Order. Was a housewife before the Phase.
Yamaguchi, Yoshini: Chosen and True Dreamer. Her altered form is unknown. Married to Kensuki, and mother for Hank. Owned a flower shop before the Phase.
Yamamora, Yosaki: Hanks’ employer, and informant of the White Order. He was killed by the White Order days before the Phase.
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Mini Glossary:
Black Order: A group of Magi formed in response to the persecution and enslavement brought about by the White Order. Originally a band of freed Magi who managed to overthrow their Chosen masters, they quickly learned the strength of merging their powers together, and formed a very powerful group. Their goal eventually became the total annihilation of all Chosen, essentially genocide. The Black stands for chaos, referring to the manner in which the Gift of the Magi is bestowed upon the population.
Chosen: A slight minority of humans possessing a genetic code that allows them to harness magical power, and to transform their physical selves into a particular mythical creature. Also known as Beasts by their historic enemies, the Black Order.
Dreamer: A person who can see glimpses of the future. A seer, or visionary. Usually a Magi or Chosen, though there have been reports of very accurate Si’the Dreamers in the Histories.
Gray Order: A combination of the two extreme liberal wings of the Black and Gray Orders. The Gray Order seeks to eliminate the competition between the two Orders, and use their power for mankind’s benefit. It is unique in that it allows Si’the to hold seats of power, unheard of previous to its establishment. The Gray stands as a combination of White and Black, and as a statement of neutrality during the Order Wars.
Mage: Most basic and most common skill level of magic users. The general rule of thumb is that for every 10,000 Si’the, one Mage will be born. Because Mages have very limited power, they must use chants, crystals, and herbs to focus their powers.
Magi: A generic term given to any human who, through a fortuitous chance, was blessed with the ability to manipulate the world around them with magic. Their powers vary from very weak (Mages), to intermediate (Wizards), to very powerful (Sorcerers). They cannot transform like the Chosen, nor are their powers inherited. However, they do have the ability to combine their powers into a matrix, amplifying their combined powers many times over. Also known as Vassals by their historic enemies, the White Order.
Si’the: An ordinary human, not possessing any magical abilities. The literal translation from Atlantean for ‘ungifted’, or ‘unblessed’. Though not talented magically, the sheer numbers of Si’the make them a very powerful political group, and in some areas of the ancient world, both Magi and Chosen refused to tread for fear of persecution.
Sorcerer: The most powerful of all the Magi. Only one in 100 Magi will ever attain this level of skill, making the chances of a Si’the woman giving birth to a Sorcerer about a million to one. They are immensely powerful, however, and are able to control the very elements with a thought. Anything but the most precise power crystals and focusing tools are useless to them, as their power would overwhelm anything less.
Staff of the Magi: Originally handed down from Great One to Great One in the Black Order, it was removed from succession by Feronor the Wise during the Order Wars in the remnants of the previous magical Phase, and gifted to Tiersyvon. It remains in his possession, and is used both as a catalyst and power source for many of his greater spells.
White Order: Historically, a group of Chosen who came together for mutual protection and support. They eventually evolved into a immensely powerful group, and began to enslave both Magi and Si’the, believing them both to be inferior beings. The white stands for genetic purity, and the perfect race (namely Chosen).
Wizard: The intermediate skill level of the Magi. They are far less common that Mages, for every only 1 out of every 10 Magi will have the skill and talent to attain Wizard level. They are for more powerful than their lesser brethren, however, and, with the proper tools and focus, can achieve amazing things.
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