Narek is a high official of the Cherkess court. In his youth he served with Hasan?, and took part in the battle to liberate the Ivory Citadel from the Mongols?; now he is an advisor to Amir and overseer of trade between Cherkessia and other lands. He comes from a noble family, a distinguished sorcerous bloodline. Narek has some sorcerous talent himself, though he is not a very powerful mage. He is, however, perhaps the most influential member of the king's Council of Ministers.

Tragedy befell Narek's family several years ago when his daughter Gulchatai?, a promising young sorceress at the court, suffered the violation of magical binding and rape at the hands of the archmage Jahan Mirza, to whom Gulchatai was apprenticed. The girl was so traumatized by the experience that she remains in a deep depression to this day. Narek's wife, Darya?, left Cherkessia to seek out Mirza, to exact vengeance on him for his crime. Narek himself has continued to serve the king, but holds on to his hatred for Mirza, and would love to see the archmage brought to justice.

In addition to his wife and daughter, Narek's family also includes his sister Yasmin? and her husband Aram?. They are farmers, who reside at Narek's family estate in Cherkessia's province of Makhachkala. Yasmin and Aram have been looking after Gulchatai for the last several years.