Highland Kingdom and allies

Jowy Atreides
The childhood friend of Riou and Nanami. Jowy's mother married Marcel Atreides and he was brought into the wealthy Atreides family of Highland aristocrats. Ostracized because of his family's wealth and abused by his stepfather and stepbrother, he has few friends aside from Riou and Nanami. He initially wields a staff and changes to using a sword after joining the Highland Kingdom.

With Riou, he joins the Highland Unicorn Youth Brigade. When the brigade is slaughtered as a result of Luca Blight, he and Riou escape and are separated. Jowy is rescued by a girl named Pilika and her parents. He and Riou are reunited when they are both captured by Viktor's mercenaries. They escape, but are arrested by their former brigade leader and then rescued by Viktor and Flik. The boys become involved in the Dunan Unification War and eventually each inherit half of the Rune of Beginning; Jowy becomes the bearer of the Black Sword Rune.

The two end up on opposite sides of the conflict when Jowy volunteers to become a spy for the army and is caught by the Highlanders. Jowy joins Luca Blight, believing he can work from within to bring about a better future. Jowy eventually becomes a general in Highland, marries Jillia Blight, and secretly plots against Luca with Leon Silverberg.

With Luca's death, Jowy is forced to focus all his energy into using the Black Sword Rune to keep the Beast Rune at bay. He and Riou are forced to directly confront each other, as destined by the opposing forces of the Rune of Beginning. Upon his army's defeat, Jowy flees from the Highland and joins Riou and Nanami as they travel around the world.

Luca Blight

Luca (not a Star of Destiny) is the primary antagonist of Suikoden II and the heir to the Highland Kingdom as well as the bearer of the Beast Rune. Known for his unmatched cruelty and bloodlust, Luca is referred to as the "Mad Prince"; the source of his anger resulted from an attack on the Highland royalty's entourage by ruffians. Luca was traveling with his mother, Sara, and father when they were attacked by a group of ruffians. Luca's father fled in fear, leaving Luca and his mother to their mercy; Sara was raped repeatedly, while Luca was forced to witness the ordeal. He would later discover the ruffians were hired by Muse; he has since developed a profound hatred to the Jowston Alliance and his father, Agares, the incompetent King of Highland.

Luca gains military control over the Highland Army when Agares steps down to take responsibility the ceasefire signed in Jowston. With his newfound power, Luca instigates another war with Jowston and uses the Beast Rune, beginning a plot that involves massacring the entire Unicorn Youth Brigade and blaming the incident on Jowston. He rapidly attacks and conquers the city-states of Jowston and successfully conspires with Jowy Atreides to assassinate Agares. Though initially unstoppable, the collaborative efforts of Leon Silverberg, Shu, and Jowy bring about his downfall at the hands of the Dunan Unification Army.

Jillia Blight

Jillia (not a Star of Destiny) is Luca's younger half-sister and the Princess of the Highland Kingdom. She was born as result of the rape of Luca's mother when the Highland royalty were ambushed by ruffians from Muse. She bears a strong resemblance to her mother, who died shortly after Jillia was born, and is the only person Luca allows to speak on equal terms with him.

Jillia marries Jowy Atreides, who had been rapidly promoted in the Highland military structure, and ends up caring for Pilika, whom Jowy and Jillia adopt as their daughter. When Luca is killed, Jillia inherits the throne and Jowy becomes Commander-in-Chief of the Highland military. Upon Highland's defeat, Jowy arranges for her to flee with Pilika to a manor in Harmonia

Other Highland allies

Solon Jhee (not a Star of Destiny) is a member of the powerful Jhee family of Highland and a general of the Highland Army. Though initially a threatening force who conquers Muse and Southwindow, his recklessness and assumptions allowed the allied forces of Jowston to defeat him. He is executed by Luca Blight as a result of his incompetence. Culgan and Seed are officers who serve under Solon and later Jowy.

Han Cunningham (not a Star of Destiny), a hero of the earlier Jowston-Highland Wars, is a general of the Highland Army and leads it against the forces of Muse. He is a previous bearer of the Black Sword Rune.

Gorudo is the leader of the Matilda Knights, who later betrays the knights to join the Highland Kingdom. He works with Alec Wisemail to poison the Chief of the Karaya clan and kills (or wounds) Nanami before he dies.

Kiba Windamier is the General of the Highland's 3rd Army and is loyal to Agares Blight, but not to his son Luca, and readily surrenders when defeated by the allied forces. Klaus Windamier is the highly acclaimed strategist for the 3rd Highland Army and Kiba's mild-mannered son. He later becomes Shu's pupil. Gilbert is the leader of mercenaries hired by the Highland during the attack on Muse, but defects to join Viktor.