The Empty World | The Empty World Sequence [complete | rewriting]

Extras: Guide to Characters

[Upon request, and roughly in order of appearance, a guide to the characters in The Empty World, including in particular which mythological characters they are based upon. NOTE: will contain SPOILERS if read before finishing the story.]

Morpheus - A shapeshifter of mixed Angelic and Human ancestry whose varied skills make him useful to the Children of Night who frequently give him assignments on Earth. (Based on the god/daimon Morpheus from Greco-Roman mythology. He's pretty savvy about other fictional characters who share his name.)

Maya - A Partangel, and twin sister to Morpheus, whose specialized skills lead her to operate behind the scenes from the Night Regions. (Based on the concept and goddess Maya in Buddhism and Hinduism.)

Opium - A Halfangel who is mother to Morpheus and Maya. In her own right, she is a member of the Children of Night, functioning as Vice-Regent to Psyche; is a member of the Sidhe, who know her as Leanan; and is known on Earth as The Looking Glass Girl, of interest in suicide and attempted suicide cases in several jurisdictions. (Inspired by both leannán sídhe and banshee from Celtic and Irish mythology, arguably, as baby-mommy to Somn, she's also Pasithea, a Grace and goddess of rest in Greco-Roman Mythology who was associated with a plant with her same name. )

Somniel - An Angel of the Order Hashmallim and the Regent of Sleep. He is father to 100 sons  including Laudanum, Phantasos, Icelos, and Morpheus; Maya is his only known daughter. (Based largely on the god Hypnos/Somnus (in the aspect of a god of sleep) in Greco-Roman mythology.)

Leliel - The elusive founder and leader of the Children of Night. (Based on many "Night" figures, including Sumerian deity Enlil, the Greek deity Nyx, The Egyptian deity Nut, and the "angel named Night" or "angel of night" in some Judaeo-Christian interpretations.)

Laudanum - A Halfangel son to the Angel Somniel and the Human Metro of Athens. He is commonly recognized as heir apparent to the Regency of Sleep, should Somniel be unavailable, but stands in for Opium more often. (Conceptually, he's the counterpart to Absinthe as the spirit of the tincture laudanum.)

Absinthe - A Halfangel daughter to the Angel Jibril and the Human Metro of Athens. She is a Vice-Regent among Children of Night most often governing Fantasy. (Inspired by "green fairy" legends related to the beverage absinthe. Her appearance is influenced by the croquis drawn by a fashion student the author once knew.)

Jibril - An Angel of the Order Hashmallim and Regent of Dream. He was created by the Archangel Gabriel, incorporating at least some aspect of Leliel, specifically for the purpose of assuming the regency of Dream. He is often occupied governing his vast region and dispatches Opium, Absinthe, and Morpheus to act on Earth for him. (Based partly on the Greco-Roman god Hypnos/Somnus (in the aspect of a god of dreams) and on the angel Gabriel/Jibril in Judaeo-Christian-Islamic tradition)

Metro - A former hetaira of Athens, Greece and known recreational and ceremonial drug user; she became a mother-figure to Shade and his companions and lived in Shade's household. She encountered Somniel and Jibril when her drug-induced stupors put her in their Regions, and was apparently visited by them on Earth. She bore Absinthe to Jibril and Laudanum to Somniel. After her death, Somniel and Jibril claimed her soul and brought her to live in their Regions, where she is often in a state of prophetic trance. (Inspired by various Sleeping Beauty figures. Her name is literally 'mother', but according to a book on the history of sex in culture, using familial terms of address may have been a habit of some courtesans and sex workers.)

Steven Jewel - A renown New York Billionaire in the telecomm industry who was granted immortality by the Angels Zerachiel and Gabriel. Through a friendship with Shade, Steven became involved in Darkling Rights activism. Shade placed an order of protection on Steven and all his descendants. Steven's family continues to be influential in Darkling affairs, as well as in industry and politics. (The billionaire playboy or eccentric billionaire type, of a geek chic variety. Symbolically, his name indicates he is the crown jewel, the head of a precious family.)