Ameras

Ameras is not present in person in this book but becomes a major off-page figure. Letharan mentions her as "the lost heir" of the Angriel line, and Ithalia reports that she "represents one of three of the last lines of the old Avalanti dynasties," warning that her loss to shadow would be catastrophic for the Alka Alon. A formal expedition is charged with finding her. Lord Aeratas confirms she is his niece.

Arborn reveals to Pentandra that Ameras was seen in the far northeast keeping company with a human High Mage — later confirmed to be Rolof. She is the last keeper of the Aronin's greatest secret: the location and access to the hidden Alka Alon arsenal / vault. The Enshadowed (Ocajon) are hunting her. She is discussed as the key strategic figure of the war for the Alka Alon future.

Ameras is a major off-page figure throughout Necromancer. Minalan finds her father the Aronin of Amadia chained in a cell deep in the dungeons of Olum Seheri — broken-bodied but alive, near death from herkulinen deprivation rather than mortal injury. Lord Aeratas revives him with a flask of herkulinen long enough for the dying Alkan to speak about his daughter and the secret she now alone protects:

"Nor will she [emerge], in such a time as this. Our line has strict instructions in how to conduct our ancient charge. When a crisis emerges, then her duty is to withdraw and protect the arsenal, above all other things."

— The Aronin, on Ameras (Necromancer)

Aeratas confirms the Aronin's clan-line devotion: "His clan's devotion to the task is legendary. They have guarded their charges for millennia. None but they know its location." From this point in the series Ameras is established as the sole living guardian of the Kova Salainen arsenal — "ancient Alka Alon super-weapons" the Aronin warns are "dangerous . . . placed where they are to still their power, but should they emerge they will pose a threat to all Callidore." That the Necromancer covets the arsenal — and that Ameras is the only one who can grant access — sets up the central pursuit of the next several books.

The Aronin's death and the spirit-form scene come later in Necromancer: when the strike team reaches the Ghost Rock vein in Olum Seheri's undercaverns, Aeratas carries the Aronin (broken hands and all) to the pillar so that he can guide Minalan through the Ghost Rock to retrieve the Handmaiden. That is where the Aronin enters spirit form — and where he tragically dies on the journey, his body still slumped at the pillar — but at the time he speaks of Ameras, he is wretched but living.

Lilastien presses Minalan that they must find Ameras within the next decade, and cautions that the Aronin line may refuse to open the Vault if it threatens Callidore's greater life force.

Main arc. Ameras is found in Anghysbel near the Grandfather Tree and the dragon's lake, in relationship with the High Mage Rolof. The jevolar — Anghysbel's magic-suppressing field — has severely degraded her mental state; by this point she is a jumpy, agitated "crazy pixie girl," with big tearful eyes and drooping ears, her graceful long neck and her smile both still present but diminished. Lilastien gives her herkulinen to stabilize her.

She befriended and taught speech to the dragon Avius, spending months rowing out to the island. When Fondaras gently presses her, she confesses tearfully that she does not know how to open the Vault — her sire was killed before he could teach her. The expedition ultimately works with her to access it anyway.

Ameras is mentioned as present with Rolof when Fondaras returns the dragon eggs to Avius at the lakeside shrine.

The Scion of the Aronin. Throughout most of The Golden Goblin she is in deep seclusion to meditate and repair herself after her time at the jevolar -- a recovery that could take months -- and even Lilastien is unwilling to disturb her.

She is, however, the only one who can open the wards and activate the ancient Waypoint at Kurtz Station that Tyndal and Rondal need. Once they have broken Lilastien's security and forced the issue, Lilastien sends Ithalia to fetch Ameras: "Ameras knows how to open the wards and activate the Waypoint. I have sent Ithalia to fetch her. Since you two broke our security and included her, I thought I'd make use of her."

Her involvement is the hinge that lets the climactic Waypoint journey happen.