Tariel
Avtandiel and Tariel are more than best friends; they are brothers in spirit and they are referred to multiple times in the text as brave and loyal knights. They have a depth to them that means they are not only capable of enjoying physical love, but are capable of receiving and giving passionate love as well. They are extremely similar to each other (today they would consider themselves brothers from another mother) but there are some distinct differences.
Tariel is a free spirit, and quite wild. He is compared to an animal in his unwavering ability to follow his heart without fear and for his stealth and intelligence as well. Tariel is the eponymous Knight in the Panther Skin. Tariel is a man of extremes so that when he loves he does so with all his heart but when he hates he is extremely violent and cannot be contained.
Avtandil
The second brave and loyal knight is a man of fewer extremes than his counterpart and also a man of more thought and sensitivity. He is embarking on a journey to find true love, which is very romantic but also something that he sees in a philosophical light because he knows that he has free will that he can use in order to decide who his life partner will be. Once he selects someone for any kind of relationship his loyalty and devotion are unwavering.
Avtandil was previously a steward of some kind in the Queen's court. He is steadfast and methodical and not given to the enormous swings of character that Tariel exhibits. For this reason he is never compared to an animal, because he demeanor is less animalistic and more human than his friend's.
Nuradin-Pridon
In a way, Nuradin-Pridon is a sort of literary hybrid of the fat best friend and the Third Musketeer. He is peripheral to the story in that he is not the knight that his friends are, but he is also a central character because he travels with the protagonists and exhibits many of their qualities. It is not clear what he did before this journey began but it is believed that he, too, undertook some kind of stewardship or governance role for the Queen. He is loyal, courageous and not at all wild.
Tinatin
Tinatin and her fiend Nestan-Darejan are not present in the readers' consciousness that much as they are not part of the majority of the actual action of the poem, but they are a constant presence in the minds and the thoughts of the central characters. Tinatin in particular is strongly influenced by the strength of the Queen, whom she knows as she is also a princess herself. She ultimately chooses her own husband for herself without any outside influences
Nestan-Darejan
Nestan-Darejan is even less relevant to the actual narrative than Tinatin, as she is held prisoner in far distant lands, but her courage is seen as a testament to her likely loyalty and faith as a lover. She is also intent upon choosing her own lovers for herself.
Patman
Patman is less faithful as a lover and wife than the other female characters - in fact she can be quite cruel in humiliating her husband publicly or behind his back. However, she is loyal to the sisterhood and will stop at nothing until she has managed to save Nestan even if it means putting her own life in danger. The purpose of Patman as a character is to demonstrate the many different kinds of loyalty and courage that only a woman can possess but that can be used in many different ways.
