The novel title is Avengard: Deadspeaker. Character descriptions will be at the end.

It takes place in a fantasy world by the name Avengard. It involves a mercenary swordsman, Julius Harmond, having been hired to track down the fate of a founding couple of a merchant house, who went on an expeditions into the northern wilderness to try to get trade agreements with the settlement and barbarian tribes there. They're found dead, with their daughter missing. He has to find the daughter and keep her safe against the cult trying to get their hands on her, as they mean to use her gift to see into the Realm of the Dead to bring back an ancient powerful mage who caused untold destruction during his reign.

In the end of the novel, Julius and two companions, a barbarian woman named Belari and a ratkin assassin named Warren, have to travel into the Realm of the Dead physically to mount a rescue, while a third party tries to keep the very angry spirit of the dead mage occupied.

Julius Harmond - Just shy of six feet. Red hair, short, a bit of stubble on his chin, green eyes. Typically wears a steel breastplate over top of leathers as his armor. Wields a greatsword with a smooth red gem in the hilt, that matches a gemstone set into the back of the bracer he wears on his right wrist.

Belari - Human barbarian, six inches taller than Julius. Wears a polar bear pelt as her hood and cloak. Leather armor that more reflects her barbarian upbringing. Uses a pair of axes and a long bow. Long black hair tied in a loose braid. One brown eye, other milk-white from damage; a scar crosses over that eye. A pair of tattoed clawmarks are on each cheek, one clawmark on each side, extending upwards from jaw to about a quarter inch below the eye.

Warren - A ratkin. Grey fur, black hair, black human-like eyes. Unlike many depictions of rat people, these ones don't stoop over. Wears dark blue dyed light leathers, and a cloak; uses a pair of basket-hilted thin short swords and a number of throwing blades (like triangular shuriken).