I'm going to admit something. If I find a story on SOL that contains a chapter or prologue or something with the list of characters in the story... I don't read it (unless it's added after I start reading the story). In the past, I thought it was a horrible tool that just meant the author wasn't able to differentiate characters and, therefore, the story wasn't worth reading.
Yes. I was a snob.
Sitting here now and looking at potentially having to create one of these for 'Runesward', I'm beginning to change my opinion. I'm sure there are stories out there with 'Dramatis Personae' where the author really isn't good at differentiating characters. I'm equally sure this may be my problem with 'Runesward' but I think part of the problem is that I deliver only a chapter a week. My job, as an author, is to introduce you to characters and make them different enough and make you care about them enough that you get to think of them as acquaintances, if not old friends.
If I've done my job, there should be no question of who 'Vestra' is, or who 'Ilzu' is, or who 'Audette' is or how 'Audette' differs from 'Ataya'. I like to think I'm doing my job - but either I'm not or the chapter-a-week pace is too few and far between for my readers to care/remember. Either way, it's making me re-consider my stance on listing the story's characters...