Manitou Island: Characters

Here is a listing of all the characters who appear in my fantasy serial, "Manitou Island" . Many details are left out by necessity, so it does not spoil many surprises. Read the serial if you wish to know more about these people.

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Miss Anne

Adult human who runs an antique store in Petoskey, and who first tells Charmian about Manitou Island and her mission to protect Red Bird.

Augwak

A green GeeBee--a race of cannibal giants--and chief of all the GeeBees. The GeeBees appear as tall (around seven to eight feet) thin creatures with rounded heads, long faces, pointed ears, and "barbels" sprouting from their chins, wearing tattered clothing and with long bony fingers and toes. They tend to travel in "packs" and can assume the form of wind, being air elementals related to Wendigoes. They like to mock and torment humans, cackling at them while invisible in an attempt to drive them mad, before possibly carrying them off to cook and eat them in Devil's Kitchen. They are also, however, rather cowardly and can sometimes be intimidated by an elemental more powerful than they, though their loyalty is never unwavering. Augwak has an odd temperament, sometimes assisting humans, other times hassling them, yet other times threatening to eat them; the behavior of GeeBees is almost never predictable. (Note, all GeeBees are invariably male.)

Black Elk Horn

A native of Manitou Island, member of Stick-In-The-Dirt’s tribe, and husband of Silver Eagle Feather. He appears to be quite protective of her and somewhat suspicious of outsiders, but not hostile.

Charmian

A teenage human from the mainland, brought in by Tal Natha in order to protect Red Bird. She provides the main point of view of most of the story so far. Tal Natha has claimed she has dreams of power, though so far she's not sure why he thinks so.

Charmian’s Dad

Adult human, Charmian’s father who appears in flashback talking to her mother.

Charmian’s Mom

Adult human, Charmian’s mother, who drives her and Drake to Mackinaw City to catch the ferry to Mackinac/Manitou Island.

Dakh Natha

An Ocryx with coppery-colored fur who appears in Tal Natha's dream. His name means "The Dreamrender." Like Tal Natha, he seems to have the ability to travel through dreams.

Drake

A teenage human from the mainland who accompanies Charmian to the Island. He is not quite so serious and levelheaded as Charmian is and can easily get into trouble. Though afraid of heights and somewhat of a coward, he takes quickly to the Uroona.

Gerard Dupries

A wealthy Frenchman living on the Island with his wife and son, Justin.

Justin Dupries

Son of Justine Dupries. He appears to have a mysterious healing ability. He wears a strange necklace which may have hidden powers.

Justine Dupries

A Frenchwoman living on the Island, wife of Gerard and mother of Justin Dupries.

Firelings

A species of small, speedy, batlike fire elementals. Not much is known about them, but aside from their tendency to start small fires, they appear harmless.

Kawaduk

A large horned and winged beast of unknown origin. He appears to be aligned with Ocryana and to be of at least moderate intelligence. He possesses great physical strength, though no one is certain of his purpose or where he came from. His name is similar to an Ocryx word meaning "Half-One."

Francois LaCroix

A French trapper and adventurer, he has apparently mastered a technique of traveling to and from the Island when needed and spends much time there studying the native peoples and creatures. His companion is Alexander Marcott and he knows much about the Island's history. He will most likely tell Charmian some important things.

Lily Flower

The second daughter of Stick-In-The-Dirt, she is married to White Coyote. She is the tallest of the three women and quite practical, verging on dour.

Little Dove

The youngest daughter of Stick-In-The-Dirt, she is unmarried and always seems to be bright and cheerful.

"Lost Souls"/Halfling Spirits

Strange "hybrid" creatures of varying forms, the result of spirits passing unsuccessfully over Arch Rock. They appear to be harmless, but of moderate intelligence.

Manabozho

A native "hero" and trickster, half human and half manitou. His name means "Great Rabbit." Like Moon Wolf, he trains Charmian to develop her powers, but has a bit of an attitude problem. He wears two upright feathers, like a rabbit's ears, and can shapeshift.

Mani

One of Ocryx's manitous, appearing with brown fur.

Alexander Marcott

An Englishman, he is Francois LaCroix's somewhat unwilling companion. While LaCroix is calm and laid back, Marcott is uptight and finicky. It's uncertain why he's even on the Island; he simply doesn't seem to have the knowledge necessary to come and go as he wishes. He keeps all of Francois's notes and sketches safe.

Mitchi Manitou

An evil manitou who lives in Devil's Lake, he is the leader of the evil manitous and the most powerful. He is also a servant to Ocryx. He appears as a white beast with the body of a bear and the antlers of a moose, with glowing blue eyes.

Moon Wolf

A native of the Island, not of Stick-In-The-Dirt's tribe, who lives in Cave of the Woods. He is often sought out for instruction and training, and seems to know more than he lets on.

Nathalit

A mysterious "presence" that lives in an area known as the Borderlands, the place between waking and dreams. "She" speaks in a feminine voice and appears to know much about the Island and what is going on, yet cloaks herself in shadows. Her name means "Dreamer," and while X'aaru trusts her, Charmian is not certain if she should.

Ocryana

A female Ocryx, she is the potential cause of the trouble that Tal Natha foresees for the Island. (She is also his mother.) She appears as a gray Ocryx with small horns and black wings. Her temperament is most vicious and cunning; there does not seem to be a shred of goodness within her. She is jealous of Ocryx to the point of destroying the Island to be rid of him.

Ocryx

The "original" Ocryx, who was cursed with his present form (a gray wolf with bull horns and brown wings) by Ocryana, his jealous mate. He lives in a cave in bottomless Devil's Lake and commands an army of evil manitous. For some reason he collects gems and jewels, as if believing they may somehow one day grant him his original form back (as Silver Eagle Feather theorizes). He is generally evil in disposition, but tends to keep to himself, and often strikes "bargains" with others for some sort of useful payment. He is greedy and short tempered and appears to have a weakness for the opposite sex, but the one good thing that can be said of him is that he always keeps his word.

Old Mother Manitou

A good manitou who lives in Sugar Loaf Rock. She may appear in manitou form or as an old woman and is very wise and kind. Though frail looking, she's also quite tough, and has managed to put even Mitchi Manitou in his place on occasion.

Old Yellow Turtle

The aged chief of Stick-In-The-Dirt's tribe, he is tolerant and understanding.

Pakwa

A black GeeBee, who broke away from the main tribe and now lives alone. He is not a cannibal, and is thus not dangerous. He is not often sighted, tending to keep to himself, but does appear on occasion to assist someone--especially Charmian--who may need it.

Antoine Pomiere

Another Frenchman living on the Island; he appears to like sketching.

Red Bird

A native of Manitou Island. She is the one predicted by Tal Natha to be the Island’s savior, but must be protected by Charmian until she grows to have faith in her powers. She and Tal Natha appear to know each other well.

Shadow Water

A female native of the Island. She appears as shy and reclusive, claiming to live with her mother.

Sikt Natha

An Ocryx with pale gray fur who appears in Tal Natha's dream. Her name means "The Dreamwanderer." She and Dakh seem to share the ability to travel through other people's dreams.

Silver Eagle Feather

A native of Manitou Island, member of Stick-In-The-Dirt’s tribe, and wife of Black Elk Horn. She is a powerful shamaness, even more powerful than Stick-In-The-Dirt, and appears to be very wise and knowledgeable. It is she who explains much of the workings of the Island to Charmian and Drake, and acts as their guide. X is her son.

Sooleawa Chepi

An air elemental who appears as a small gaudily dressed woman with wings. She was given rulership over the Windwalkers as a gift, and acts in a vain, histrionic manner. Her name means "Silver Fairy."

Stick-In-The-Dirt

A native of Manitou Island. He is the shaman of his tribe and has a close connection to the Island. He has three daughters. He wears four feathers upon his head, two of them standing upright like the ears of a rabbit.

Tal Natha

An Ocryx--a creature that is part wolf, part rat, part eagle, part snake; demons that were once Manitous. They are powerful elementals. Tal Natha is a black-colored Ocryx with red wings; he is guardian of the Island and the Spinner of Dreams, child of Ocryx and Ocryana (thus, a full-blooded Ocryx). His alignment appears to be good, though his motives are often cloaked in secrecy. He is very close to Red Bird, and is trying to help her develop her powers. It is his dreams that help keep the Island alive.

The Townspeople

Those of European descent living in the town not far from the Manitou Island lakeshore. They tend to keep to themselves, away from the natives. Marcott lives in their area.

Uroona

Another strange Island race, the Uroona are related to either the Wendigoes (GeeBees and Windwalkers) or the manitous but do not resemble either. They are large hulking beasts that walk around in the forest studying other creatures. Though brutish and ugly (they walk much as apes do, on their knuckles), they are actually quite peaceful and intelligent, not to mention empathic. They are often known as guardians of the forest and help to maintain its safety. They have the ability to transmit images into others' minds as a means of communication.

White Coyote

A native of the Island and husband of Lily Flower; he is also Black Elk Horn's impulsive friend, and dislikes mainlanders.

White Deer

The oldest daughter of Stick-In-The-Dirt. She is the strongest of the three, not stocky, but well built. She is not quite as serious as Lily Flower, but isn't naive like Little Dove either.

Windwalkers

A strange, little-known race related to the GeeBees--or perhaps the GeeBees are merely a subspecies. In form they somewhat resemble their cannibal brethren (Windwalkers appear to be feminine in form), but are more ethereal, seeming almost ghostlike and never quite taking solid form. They're not quite as disgusting looking as the GeeBees but their motivations are just as mysterious. On occasion they have carried hapless humans away on the wind, only to abandon them or vanish with them entirely, but they do not appear to be altogether evil. Perhaps they are simply misunderstood.

"X"

An Ocryx; his real name, Xrr'grra'nghraghu (an obsolete Ocryx word meaning "Rainbowbringer"), is unpronounceable to humans and so he has been dubbed with this nickname. He is often easily intimidated, yet rarely hesitates to step into a fight to help his friends; he has an "eager to please" mentality. He is the son of Silver Eagle Feather. Charmian renames him X'aaru.