List of Characters and Places
I am working on a new Fan Fiction novel called Unseen Footprints, set in the Culture universe, as invented by Iain M. Banks and used as the setting for many of his own works.
This page provides a list of characters and places from Unseen Footprints, in alphabetical order. I've included all pan-humans, aliens, drones and ships, including non-Culture ships, in this list, as well as Orbitals, other habitats and other places. Warning: spoilers.
See also the plot summary.
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Template [Top]
(template)
Ambalshore [Top]
A Deluger Franchisement clan. Acting-Captain Allthog Mathaclorian is a member of this clan.
Beatrix [Top]
Mistress Beatrix is the proprietor of Mansion of Mistress Beatrix.
... an intelligent and still handsome woman, one who had been stunningly beautiful in earlier life...
Bhlan Orbital [Top]
An unlandscaped Orbital currently the seat of the Safanariumal Empire.
Blitteringueh Conglo [Top]
The Blitteringueh Conglo is one of many civilizations who share the galaxy with the Culture.
In the past, there was a short but bitter war between the Deluger Franchisement and the Blitteringueh Conglo.
A Blitteringueh Conglo exploration craft called the Future Perfect is thought to have transported Hy-Golten to the planet Epsilona.
Brunanburh [Top]
An undistinguished walled market town where the Traveller arrives for the winter. The town includes the forge belonging to Jahn the Smith as well as the Mansion of Mistress Beatrix. The Monastery of the Brothers Thewall lies just outside its walls.
Calgo [Top]
Phostrian Calgo is part of the Exobiology Clan of the Blitteringueh Conglo. He is spotted in Brunanburh as an alien by Lemahr while on Epsilona.
Chinicharian [Top]
Full-Captain Welfron Chinicharian of the 120th Ambalshore Respawning. During the short but bitter war between the Deluger Franchisement and the Blitteringueh civilization, the Full-Captain fails in his mission to retrieve an ancient artifact and is forced to beg the Culture for assistance, which is refused.
Welfron Chinicharian is believed to be a distant relative of Allthog Mathaclorian.
Deluger Franchisement [Top]
The Deluger Franchisement is an Aspirant civilization which shares the galaxy with the Culture.
... a full-grown Deluger resembled nothing so much as an overgrown frog, or perhaps toad. An adult might be three-quarters of a metre tall when sitting or squatting; at full extension of those powerful hind legs, over two metres from head to toe.
In the past, there was a short but bitter war between the Deluger Franchisement and the Blitteringueh Conglo civilization.
Doorkeeper [Top]
The young woman who welcomes visitors to the Mansion of Mistress Beatrix.
...a curvaceous young woman wearing a diaphanous gown, a great deal of jewellery, slightly too much makeup and a welcoming smile ...
Dynastist's Foot [Top]
An ancient artifact precious to the Deluger Franchisement, currently held by the Blitteringueh Conglo.
Epsilona [Top]
A Stage-2 unContacted planet where Hy-Golten is believed to be hiding.
The undistinguished market town of Brunanburh is located on this planet.
Fremtahl [Top]
Lizzat Fremtahl is a crewmember aboard the GCU Partial Arbitrage. She is friends and lovers with Folkiss Lemahr.
Lizzat Fremtahl was extremely tall and impossibly slender and willowy. As usual, she was entirely naked but covered from neck to ankle with bright pink fur which mottled in patterns depending on her mood. Her head was covered by a mane of a slightly darker colour which extended down her spine and through which peeked a couple of elegantly shapely ears. Her eyes were a startling shade of orange flecked with yellows and browns, and what little skin actually showed on her face and hands and feet was milkily white.
Future Perfect [Top]
A minor exploration craft of the Blitteringueh Conglo which is believed to have transported the Absconder Trista Hy-Golten to the planet Epsilona.
The Guardian of the Side Door [Top]
An ancient man who guards a hidden side entrance to the Mansion of Mistress Beatrix.
...a tiny homunculus of a man who was reputed to have been ancient when Mistress Beatrix had opened her first establishment and had moved with her as the size and quality of her enterprise had grown over the decades.
Higolter [Top]
Triss Higolter is the local name of the Traveller who enters Brunanburh for the winter.
Later, Higolter visits the Mansion of Mistress Beatrix to make a business proposition as an apothecary to Beatrix, which she accepts. He also meets Yasline there.
Hy-Golten [Top]
Trista Hy-Golten (Full Name: Forytal Ynarrisa Trista Shilde Hy-Golten dam Bruchalle) is an Absconder from the Culture believed to be hiding on the planet Epsilona.
It is later confirmed that Hy-Golten is the same person as Triss Higolter.
The GCU Partial Arbitrage, under the direction of the GSV Neat Solution Overall and assisted by Fremtahl and Lemahr, actively seek Hy-Golten on the planet of Epsilona.
Before the Partial Arbitrage can apprehend Hy-Golten, he is swept away by a very fast ship we later learn is the VFP Tell It To The Jury, accompanied by Yasline.
Jahn the Smith [Top]
The old blacksmith and farrier who employs the Traveller when he first arrives in Brunanburh.
Lemahr [Top]
Folkiss Lemahr is a crew member aboard the GCU Partial Arbitrage.
Lemahr is initially female, but changes to male at the request of the Partial Arbitrage in order to assist in locating Hy-Golten on the planet Epsilona.
Lemahr is friends and lovers with Lizzat Fremtahl.
Lettekrongwelg Habitat [Top]
A famously beautiful micro-orbital operated by the Blitteringueh Conglo which, with the aid of sophisticated sun lenses, mirrors and mirror-fields, and a considerable array of AG generators, managed to pack dozens of different environmental habitats into its modest circumference.
Lettekrongwelg Habitat is the arrival point in the Conglo for Hy-Golten
on his mission.
Mansion of Mistress Beatrix [Top]
The Mansion of Mistress Beatrix is a high-class bordello run by Mistress Beatrix, where Triss Higolter starts his apothecary operation and first meets Yasline.
Master of the Library Clan [Top]
Head of the Blitteringueh Conglo Library Clan, who presents Hy-Golten with what purports to be the Dynastist's Foot.
... dressed in a heavy dark suit with a white shirt and a colourful necktie. The Master, it seemed, was intent on reproducing the appearance of some captain of industry or oligarch from this society's Age of Scarcity, when money still held sway and the accumulation of huge amounts of money, and the power and influence which went with it, was still seen as acceptable, even desirable.
Mathaclorian [Top]
Lieutenant-Captain Allthog Mathaclorian of the 217th Ambalshore Respawning is the acting captain of the Deluger Franchisement Light Destroyer Swat with Passion.
Mattaringhalg Habitat [Top]
A cylindrical habitat which houses part of the Blitteringueh Conglo Library Clan, specifically the storage location for the Dynastist's Foot.
Meddlesome Kids [Top]
A General Service Vehicle which is the home GSV of the VFP Tell It To The Jury.
Monastery of the Brothers Thewall [Top]
The Monastery where the traveller spends a night before first entering Brunanburh.
Neat Solution Overall [Top]
The General Systems Vehicle (GSV) Neat Solution Overall requests the assistance of the Partial Arbitrage and its crew to travel to the planet Epsilona to try and locate the Absconder Trista Hy-Golten.
Parsimonious Production [Top]
The General Contact Unit (GCU) who previously surveyed the planet Epsilona some 260 years before the arrival of the Partial Arbitrage.
Partial Arbitrage [Top]
The General Contact Unit (GCU) Partial Arbitrage is asked by the GSV Neat Solution Overall to attempt to locate the Absconder Trista Hy-Golten who is believed to be hiding on the planet Epsilona.
Crew members aboard the GCU include Folkiss Lemahr and Lizzat Fremtahl.
Phlick [Top]
A grubby little man (part of the Blitteringueh Conglo Library Clan) who welcomes Hy-Golten to Mattaringhalg Habitat during his attempt to retrieve the Dynastist's Foot.
Safanariumal Empire [Top]
The Safanariumal Empire is no longer really an empire and occupies little more than Bhlan Orbital. The ruler is the Empress, who commands from the (literal) High Seat in her palace.
Streoneshalch [Top]
A little fishing village and minor port visited by Lemahr in an unsuccessful search for Hy-Golten.
Swat with Passion [Top]
A Deluger Franchisement Light Destroyer commanded by Acting-Captain Allthog Mathaclorian.
Tell It To The Jury [Top]
A Psychopath Class ex-Rapid Offensive Unit (ROU), now Very Fast Picket (VFP).
The Tell It To The Jury transports Hy-Golten from Bhlan Orbital to retrieve the Dynastist's Foot from the Blitteringueh Conglo.
We later learn that, translated to the language used in Brunanburh, the ship's name is Tell It To The Court.
Traveller [Top]
The (initially) unnamed Traveller who arrives in Brunanburh before the winter. He gains employment as a blacksmith with Jahn the Smith.
We later learn that the traveller is sometimes called Triss Higolter.
Yasline [Top]
Yasline (family name: Yasline Matracene) is an employee at the Mansion of Mistress Beatrix, where she first meets Triss Higolter.
Zinchuloriun [Top]
The Xeno-relationships Officer aboard the Swat with Passion who greets Hy-Golten on his arrival.
