First Order And Second Order Characters

First order characters feature in fictional narratives. Sometimes second order characters, not involved in the action, present, introduce or narrate a text. In Poul Anderson's Technic History, Hloch exists only to edit and introduce The Earth Book Of Stormgate and Donvar Ayeghen exists only to introduce an extract from a first order character's memoirs. Arinnian, whose human name is Christopher Holm, is a first order character in The People Of The Wind but also, behind the scenes, a co-author of the Earth Book.

In Anderson's Time Patrol series, Guion does come on stage but only briefly and only in order to interview Manse Everard and Wanda Tamberly between operations, not to take part in any of the operations. Niaerdh exists only in the collective imagination of Northern Europeans and particularly in the creative imagination of her devotee, Veleda.

In "Star of the Sea," Chapter II, the gods wage war. In Chapter 11, Jens Ulstrup explains in conversation that the myth of divine war reflected a cultural conflict. In Chapter III, Gutherius raises an altar to Nehalennia and makes generous offerings to thank the goddess for successful trading voyages to Britain. In Chapter 20, Janne Floris describes Latin inscriptions that are thank offerings for safe voyages to Britain and back. Thus, the mythical chapters with Latin numerals provide background for the historical chapters with Arabic numerals. Deities and legendary figures like Gutherius are second order characters.