Gregor's childhood was spent as a slave in the far reaches of the Empire alongside his brother, Qulan, now Commander of the Imperial Army.

At court, Gregor must contend with the rivalry of his nemesis, the Vizier Cadali, and with the vicissitudes of serving a cruel and fickle Sultan.

Heaven leaves behind the land of her childhood and sets sail with her mother Ila for Tumanbay, where the girl's father Ibn, a successful slave trader, is preparing her wedding.

Yet he wears the burden of office heavily, obsessively aware of the ever-present threat of assassination and of the fragility of the dynastic line.

Shajar (Sarah Beck Mather) is Sultan Al-Ghuri's First Wife, and as such, head of the palace harem.

Shajar grew up in poverty and soon learnt to exploit her dazzling beauty in exchange for power and wealth.

Her striking blue eyes and pale skin, along with her enigmatic and sophisticated bearing belie her status as a slave.

Like many sold into servitude in Tumanbay, the man known only as Slave (Akin Gazi) comes from noble origins in a country swallowed up by the empire in its hunger for land and resources.

An involuntary companion of Heaven after he kidnaps her, he resents having to play bodyguard to a girl he sees as pampered and privileged.

Wolf (Alexander Siddig) is the leader of a proudly independent band of warrior-horsemen from the austere mountains sworn to the service of Qulan.

He arrives thinking he's going to be an officer in charge of things; that it's going to be more of the privileged lifestyle, but instead he is handed down to the slave infantry soldiers to "toughen him up."

[24] Because of its medieval setting, large cast of characters, and themes of political intrigue, the podcast was often compared with the HBO TV series, Game of Thrones.