Chider
Chider is a goblin commander in Akua Sahelian’s service, first encountered as a capable and loyal officer. After she is killed, Akua raises her corpse and uses it to carry the stolen Name of Squire, binding Chider’s soul and movements to necromancy. The reanimated Chider briefly serves as Akua’s weapon against Catherine, but her death releases the Name and restores Catherine’s power.
Biography
Commander in Akua’s service
Chider first meets Catherine during the early struggle for the Squire Name. She offers the stranger shelter, speaks with blunt confidence, and treats the danger around Heiress’s claim as business she can manage. Her later appearances establish her as one of Akua’s commanders and a particularly loyal subordinate, though her loyalty does not protect her when she is killed by falling rubble. (Chapters 10, 12, and 29)
Akua has Chider’s body restored through necromancy and binds her soul to it. The resurrection leaves Chider visibly damaged and dependent on Akua’s magic to move, but Akua values her loyalty and willingness to use violence. Chider’s lack of natural sorcery means she cannot control the magic sustaining her. (Chapter 51)
The Squire’s stolen Name
Akua uses Chider’s corpse as a vessel for the stolen Name of Squire, expecting it to cripple or kill Catherine when the Name is torn from her. Chider accepts the new identity and asks Catherine to call her Squire, then attacks her with the speed and persistence the Name grants. Catherine defeats her and kills her a second time; because the Name had been placed in Chider, her death restores its strength to Catherine instead of fulfilling Akua’s plan. (Chapters 74–76 and 79)
Appearance and personality
Chider is a goblin with red-orange skin. After her resurrection, her corpse is badly mangled and burned, with much of one side of her face missing; Akua’s necromancers cannot restore it. She is direct, fiercely loyal to Akua, and willing to fight despite the limits of her damaged body. (Chapters 10, 29, and 51)
Abilities and role
As a living goblin commander, Chider is an experienced officer. After her resurrection, necromancy binds her soul to her corpse and enchantments allow the body to move, but she has no innate talent for sorcery and cannot influence the magic that sustains her. The stolen Squire Name gives her extraordinary speed and combat ability, though Catherine kills her before she can settle fully into the Name. (Chapters 51 and 74–75)
Power progression
| Stage / Realm / Ability | Chapter(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Commander Chider | Chapters 10–12 | A living goblin officer serving Akua; no supernatural power is established. |
| Reanimated by Akua | Chapters 29 and 51 | Her corpse is restored and her soul bound to it by necromancy. She cannot wield sorcery herself. |
| Squire, vessel of the stolen Name | Chapters 74–75 | Akua places Catherine’s stolen Name in Chider. The Name enhances her combat ability, but Catherine kills her before the change settles. |
| Death and release of the Name | Chapters 75–76 | Chider dies again; the Name returns to Catherine and restores its power. |
Relationships
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Akua Sahelian: Chider is one of Akua’s loyal commanders. After Chider’s death, Akua raises her corpse and binds her soul to it, then uses her as the vessel for the stolen Squire Name. (Chapters 29, 51, and 75–79)
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Catherine Foundling: Catherine first encounters Chider as an opponent in the struggle over the Squire Name, then faces her again after Akua places the Name in Chider’s body. Killing the reanimated goblin returns the Name to Catherine. (Chapters 10, 12, and 74–76)
Items
No distinct recurring personal artifact is associated with Chider. (Chapters 10 and 75)