Nimfaeti

Nimfaeti is an Ostergauen scout who became one of Prince Fox Hohenzorn's first ziraduun soldiers. In Book 2, she leaves Prince Fox to follow Mikoa Lothaen instead. She is a gruff, harsh, heavy drinking, trash talking, masculine woman who struggles with her own tendency to resort to violence, anger, and strength to solve problems. She is chronically self-destructive, and strongly prefers to follow rather than lead.

She is an excellent archer and a capable ranger and fighter. Her maeren'tarr bow, given to her by Prince Fox, is called Venimodrun, or the Two Venom Tooth (sometimes just called "Venom").

Nimfaeti is a limited grim dreamer with a severe defect. She must use her own blood as a medium to reach the dream. She cannot use magic any other way. Typically, when she needs to use wizrada, she pricks or cuts her own hand, then uses the blood for the spell. In particular, she will bleed on her arrows to enchant them with powerful combat magic before loosing them from her bow. In this way, she can launch lightning arrows, fire arrows, explosive arrows, piercing arrows, sleep arrows, poison arrows, and much more. She also bleeds on locks to unlock them and knots to untie them. Her fingers and hands are badly scarred from a lifetime of cutting herself. The cutting is painful, so she avoids using wizrada unless she needs to.

Nimfaeti was one of the first Ostergauen ziraduun discovered by Prince Fox. As a young soldier, she was being lashed for insubordination when she bled on her shackles and escaped. Fox sensed her magic and immediately transferred her into his personal guard. There she secretly studied wizrada under Fox and Malzadrian, turning her into a powerful battlefield weapon.

She is in her mid or early 20's, tall and broad-shouldered, with braided red hair and intimidating biceps. She is substantially stronger and faster than most men. It is strongly hinted, though never explicit, that she is either lesbian or bisexual. She has an average Ostergauen accent.

Nimfaeti has two older brothers, Itri and Uthir, who are also soldiers in the Ostergauen army. They ostensibly outrank her, but her close connection to Prince Fox gives her more influence and authority. She cares for them, but sometimes finds them overprotective and patronizing.