The Grishaverse is a fictional shared universe of fantasy novels, short story collections, and a television adaptation created by Israeli–American author Leigh Bardugo. The universe consists of the nations of Ravka, Fjerda, Shu Han, Kerch, Novyi Zem, and the Wandering Isle, each of which adapts elements of language, culture, and tradition from countries of the real world (elements in turn drawn from different real time periods). The magic system of the universe is the 'small science,' an art practiced by magic-users called Grisha with the ability to manipulate matter at its fundamental level. As of 2021, there are nine novels in the Grishaverse: the Shadow and Bone trilogy, the Six of Crows duology, the King of Scars duology, and two short-story collections.

Introduced in the Shadow and Bone trilogy

Alina Starkov

Alina Starkov is a Sun Summoner and Saint. Orphaned at a young age by the Border Wars, she joins the First Army as a cartographer. On an expedition into the Shadow Fold, a sea of darkness inhabited by the light-fearing volcra, she discovers her magical abilities, which she had subconsciously repressed. She trains at the Little Palace and grows to love her powers, and has a brief romance with the Darkling. Upon realising the Darkling is not who she thought he was, she goes on a mission to find Morozova's amplifiers and taps into merzost to give herself enough power to take on the Darkling and destroy the Fold. However, doing so comes with a cost, and she ultimately loses both the amplifiers and her power. Afterwards, her Sun Summoning powers are dispersed randomly throughout the Ravkan population, and Alina steps down as leader of the Grisha to marry Mal. Later, the pair own their Keramzin orphanage with their young companion Misha.

She is the main character in both the book and show adaption and first-person narrator of the Shadow and Bone trilogy. She makes a cameo in Rule of Wolves. In the Netflix series, she is played by the lead actress Jessie Mei Li.

The Darkling

Aleksander Morozova, also known as the Darkling, is an ambitious Shadow Summoner, living amplifier and commander of the Second Army. He was originally a normal boy with a unique gift who spent his childhood as a fugitive due to heavy persecution against the Grisha and lived for hundreds of years attempting to keep the Grisha safe from that persecution. He made a deal with King Yevgeni to grant Grisha protection at the Little Palace in exchange for an army. As he began experimenting with merzost, he accidentally created the Shadow Fold, a region dividing Ravka in half. He executes a coup against the king in Siege and Storm with the aid of his nichevo'ya, monsters made of darkness, but is killed by Alina in Ruin and Rising. In King of Scars, he is reborn in the body of a loyal acolyte to his cause after a failed exorcism called the obisbaya. In Rule of Wolves, he sentences himself to eternal torture in order to keep the Shadow Fold from regenerating and consuming Ravka.

The Darkling is the main antagonist in the Shadow and Bone trilogy and the main character in the short prequel The Demon in the Wood, which features the Darkling in his childhood. In the Netflix series, he is played by Ben Barnes and goes by General Kirigan as one of his aliases.

Nikolai Lantsov Nikolai Lanstov is introduced disguised as the privateer Sturmhond. He is revealed to be the younger prince of Ravka and courts Alina for a political marriage, and the two grow close. After being transformed into a shadow demon and turned back into a human, his consciousness is tied to a demon. Even though he is illegitimate, the throne passes to him upon the king's exile and his brother's death. He wants to his people but struggles with his position, and ultimately relinquishes the throne to Zoya. After forming a reluctant acceptance over his demon, he allows it to stay within him and uses it to fight for him in various battles against Fjerda. He is in a romantic relationship with Zoya Nazyalensky. Despite being a member of the Ravkan royal family, both Nikolai's biological parents are Fjerdan. Nikolai's mother was a Fjerdan princess and his father is Fjerdan Magnus Opjer.

Nikolai is introduced in Siege and Storm and is one of the main characters of the King of Scars duology. He appears in the second season of Shadow and Bone and is played by Patrick Gibson.

Zoya Nazyalensky Zoya Nazyalensky is a competitive Grisha Squaller with the ability to summon wind. Prior to the events of the novels she was an admirer of the Darkling. She is hostile towards Alina at first, but joins her and turns on him when her aunt is killed by the expansion of the Fold. She becomes a member of the Grisha Triumvirate, who replaced the Darkling in commanding the Second Army. After she learned under Sankt Juris, she gains the ability to tap into Grisha powers other than her own and receives his mythical dragon powers. She is appointed Queen after Nikolai relinquishes the throne. She is in a romantic relationship with Nikolai Lantsov.

She is introduced as side antagonist turned protagonist in the Shadow and Bone trilogy and a main point-of-view in the King of Scars series. She appears in Crooked Kingdom in a minor role. Zoya is played by Sujaya Dasgupta in the Netflix series.

Malyen Oretsev Mal is a skilled tracker in the First Army and Alina's childhood friend who is popular with girls. Even though he is Alina's love interest, they have an argumentative, on-off relationship, and he is skeptical of her powers and newfound role saving Ravka. Despite his reluctance, he leads the revolution. Throughout the series, Mal is involved in a 'love square' revolving around Alina Starkov, also involving Nikolai Lantsov and Aleksander Morozova, the Darkling In Rule of Wolves, Mal is critical to the Darkling's escape after he is stabbed by a piece of thorn wood allowing the Darkling to gain some of his power over darkness.

Although he is introduced in Shadow and Bone, he has a more prominent role in the following two books. He also makes a cameo in Rule of Wolves. He is played by Archie Renaux in the television series.

Baghra

Baghra is a Shadow Summoner who is introduced as a tough instructor to Alina at the Little Palace. She reveals herself to be the Darkling's mother, who intentionally conceived and raised him with the intention of making him powerful. She fears he has gone too far and attempts to intervene by encouraging Alina to run away, but is punished by her own son. She kills herself midway through the third book to stop her son's forces, which leaves him heartbroken and grieving.

Baghra appears in the original trilogy and is portrayed at a younger age in The Demon in the Wood. She is also the mother of Ulla, who appears in the short story "When Water Sang Fire". She is played by Zoë Wanamaker in the Netflix series.

Genya Safin Genya Safin is a Tailor known for her beauty. She helps Alina when she arrives at the Little Palace. Unlike the rest of the Grisha, Genya is assigned to work for the Queen. However, she is sexually abused by the King and the Queen resents her for it. Genya remains loyal to the Darkling, but his nichevo'ya mutilate her when she betrays him to help Alina escape in Siege and Storm. She joins Alina and helps in taking the King down. She marries David Kostyk and becomes a member of the Grisha Triumvirate. She later appears in Crooked Kingdom to free Grisha captives being transferred in Ketterdam and restore Wylan's original face. In the King of Scars novels, Genya helps rule Ravka and is involved in all of the important war talks. Genya is known for her love of parties and event planning.

Genya has pale skin, red hair and amber eyes. She also wears an eyepatch following the attack from the Darkling. She wears a red kefta with blue embroidery.

Genya is a prominent character in the original trilogy. She also appears in Crooked Kingdom and the King of Scars novels. She is played by Daisy Head, a British actress, in the Netflix series.

David Kostyk David Kostyk is a bookish and unassuming Durast. A shy but intelligent figure, he crafts weapons and other gadgets for Alina and the other Grisha to use. In the first novel, he forges the Stag's amplifier together into a collar for Alina. He becomes a member of Ravka's ruling Grisha Triumvirate due to his contributions to the war effort, and creates military weapons in the war against Fjerda. He is killed when Fjerda bombs Os Alta but his blueprints continue to be used and eventually help lead to Ravka's victory over Fjerda. At his funeral, Genya, Zoya, and Nikolai are emotionally affected by his death not only because of his intellect but because of how loyal and steadfast he was to their cause.

He is played by Luke Pasqualino in the television series.

Tamar and Tolya Tamar Kir-Bataar and Tolya Yul-Bataar are Heartrender twins who are part of Sturmhond's crew. They become loyal to Alina and recognise her Sainthood. Tolya is a hulking but gentle man, steadfastly loyal to Nikolai and Alina with a passion towards poetry. Tamar is smaller, lithe and a warrior who uses twin axes to fight against enemies. Despite their Shu heritage, they see themselves as Ravkan, however Tamar joins Shu Han's cause to overthrow their corrupt queen in Rule of Wolves. The pair both survive to the end of the series and are present at Zoya's coronation.

They are introduced in the second book. They appear in the second season of the Netflix series, with Tolya being played by Lewis Tan and Tamar being played by Anna Leong Brophy.

Nadia and Adrik Zhabin Nadia is a Squaller and former student at the Little Palace, friends with Marie, and later became instrumental in the effort to depose the Darkling. She becomes friends with Alina early on, a clingy but loyal figure. Like Alina, she was trained by Baghra. She later marries Tamar and helps lead the nation of Ravka several years after the war.

Nadia's brother, Adrik, is introduced in Siege and Storm as a young up-and-coming Grisha who joins the rebellion with Alina and her makeshift crew to hunt down the final amplifier. After having his arm shorn off by nichevo'ya, he becomes grumpy and moody, a character trait for which he becomes notorious several years later. Despite that, he continues exemplifying his loyalty to the throne and sticks with Nikolai even after he witnesses the other man's demon killing others.

Nadia is played by Gabrielle Brooks in Season 1 and Joanna McGibbon in Season 2. Marie is played by Jasmine Blackborow in the first season, and Adrik was introduced in the second season, played by Alistair Nwachukwu.

Ivan and Fedyor

Ivan is a Grisha Heartrender and one of the Darkling's favored bodyguards in the Oprichniki. He possesses an Amplifier and is described in the books as being "tall, handsome young man with bronze skin and wavy, brown hair." He is stern, favoring a no-nonsense approach to his work. Fedyor Kaminsky is also a Grisha Heartrender and is often with Ivan. He has a cheerful and flirty demeanor, though takes his job seriously without any hesitation. The pair are most notable for escorting Alina to the Little Palace during the events of Shadow and Bone. After the Darkling expands the Fold, Ivan remains loyal to the Darkling and stays with him till his death, while Fedyor sides with Alina only to be killed by the Darkling.

Simon Sears portrays Ivan and Julian Kostov plays Fedyor in the show, where they are depicted as a romantic couple.

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