Starless

Starless is a human servant of the gods, born under the star of Wilsh Tree. She is thirty years old and has been given the honor of bearing her patron god's Weapon, a staff of living wood with a spirit dwelling inside. After the death of a lover called Rose, she entered the priesthood and began to study the unseen world of the five gods.

The radiating lines around her eyes are a form of ceremonial scarification and indicate that she has completed her education and now serves the people. She also has a small diamond-shaped keloid scar on each cheek, tattooed with a green pigment. This is a traditional decoration for adult females of her people. She has deep brown skin, brown eyes, and dark red hair which she either plaits, or wears loose in a natural afro style. Her ancestors entered Gray World from Western Africa at some point in the distant past.

Being human, Starless cannot perform any magic of her own. Instead, she has studied large amounts of sorcery theory, and the staff of Tree directly powers her incantations. The order of Wilsh Tree is a pacifistic one, charged with the task of watching the conflicts of Gray World and, wherever possible, working to end the misery caused by the Age of Trees. The vows of her order specifically forbid Starless to act directly against any of the gods, but she has proven herself willing to otherwise subvert their plans when she finds it necessary.

For a time, Starless stayed in the city of Ir, researching the lore of the Irian Tikri, a strange portal-containing artifact found within the city. It is her life's ambition to contact and communicate with whatever lies beyond the portal, to better understand the mechanics of the universe. It was at this time that Kano and Cho caught her attention, and since then she has been diverted from her original project on behalf of the gods. Her new assignment is to train the Champion as best she can, and to guide and protect him and his companions during their quest. At this time, she remains in contact with several of the gods, and carries out their wishes.

Starless is the most taciturn of her companions, a result of many years spent in isolated study and meditation. She does not volunteer information about herself, and at times seems outright stern. She has a fondness for animals, and most of her free time is spent caring for a pet snake, which is actually a manifestation of the spirit of Tree's staff.