Aelin Galathynius
Aelin is the main character and protagonist of Empire of Storms. A kind, intelligent, and fiercely loyal person, Aelin is the rightful queen of the kingdom of Terrasen, which has been under the rule of a tyrant named Queen Maeve. Ultimately, Aelin wants safety and freedom for her people, so she decides to take up arms against Maeve and the other people who are threatening her kingdom and her people. Aside from her day job, she is also a skilled assassin known as Celaena Sardothien. Throughout the novel, she struggles to come to terms with her identity, past, and duty to her kingdom.
Empire of Storms follows Aelin's quest to reclaim her throne. The novel takes place in the direct leadup to the forthcoming battle, which will assuredly take place in the coming days, months, or weeks. That leadup intensifies as she gathers allies and starts to confront her enemies.
Rowan Whitethorn
Rowan is one of Aelin's closest allies. A loyal, strong, and supportive man, Rowan is also a Fae warrior who has worked with Aelin for quite a while in her quest to retake the throne and free her kingdom. Beyond being an ally, the two are close friends. In each novel, they learn more about each other, and Rowan grows to love Aelin. In fact, in Empire of Storms, the two begin a romantic relationship. It is only because of Rowan that Aelin is able to wage her war against all those who worked against her.
Manon Blackbeak
Manon is a witch from the Ironteeth clan. At the start of the novel, she serves the King of Adarlan. However, she begins to question if it is morally okay for her to work for a man who is cruel and relentless in his pursuit to weed out the people challenging him. Disillusioned with her life and work, Manon decides to leave her clan and become Aelin's ally. She is someone who believes in her convictions, and the opportunity to help Aelin is more in line with her expectations towards work and life.
Dorian Havilliard
Dorian is the Crown Prince of Adarlan and Aelin's close friend. In previous novels in the series, Dorian was only involved in a tangential way with Aelin's fight against the evil forces threatening her kingdom. However, in Empire of Storms, he gets more involved in that fight, showing his new magical powers for the first time.
