One of Logen's Named Men - the best scout in the North, a man who can track anything across any terrain and who has survived longer than most by knowing when to run. The Dogman is quieter and more thoughtful than most Northern warriors, less interested in reputation than in keeping himself and the people he cares about alive. He becomes a POV character in the later books and proves to be one of Abercrombie's most sympathetic perspectives on the North - someone who has seen what the endless fighting produces and has clear-eyed views about its value.

A former slave from the Gurkish Empire with golden eyes, exceptional combat ability, and a hatred of the Gurkish so deep and consuming that it has become her entire identity. Ferro does not trust anyone, does not want anyone's help, and is not interested in friendship or alliance - she is interested in killing Gurkish. She joins Bayaz's group reluctantly and remains reluctant throughout. Her arc is about what happens when the thing that keeps you alive - pure, focused hatred - is also the thing preventing you from living. She is one of Abercrombie's most uncompromising characters and one of his most affecting.

A Named Man from the North and one of Bethod's most feared warriors, Black Dow is everything the North respects - brutal, honest about what he is, and capable of surviving anything. His arc extends through the standalones and Age of Madness, where he becomes a significant power in his own right. The North's opinion of him is complicated: he is hated and followed in roughly equal measure.

A former convict from Safety - the Union's prison island - who counts everything and has strict rules about how things must be done. Friendly is one of the most consistently surprising characters in the series: apparently simple, actually precise, occasionally terrifying. He appears first in Best Served Cold as part of Monza's crew and recurs across the standalones. His comfort with violence and his discomfort with social interaction are presented without judgment and without explanation, and the result is one of Abercrombie's most original supporting characters.